The Yahshua Institute Bringing Hip Hop To Life [ ART | MUSIC | KNOWLEDGE| HEALTH ]

Think about this. The diseases of today, including heart disease, cancer, arthritis, diabetes can be linked leading a healthy life style. These diseases are becoming more wide spread as the world becomes more industrialized. These were not common diseases when more people stuck to a Biblical diet. Eating God’s way would provide for more vitamins, minerals, protein and healthy fats and substances that come from plants called photochemicals that are no refined or processed carbohydrates and only a small amount of healthy sweeters air modern diet promotes “Food” rich with refined carbohydrate and poor in nutritional value. A diet basied on eating whole foods satisfies us. Its is important that we…

Eat only what God created for us to eat.
Only in the form God intended.

The top healing Foods( The Great physicians Rx for Health and Wellness)

Fish and fish oil.
Cultured Dairy products from Goats, Cows, and Sheep
Olive Oil
Small fruits such as figs, grape, and berries
Soups and stocks
Healthy saturated fats
Honey and pomegranate
Soaked and sprouted and grains.
Cultured and fermented vegetables
Organ meats
Fermented beverages.
Green vegetables

The Dirty Dozen

Pork products
Shell fish and without scales and fins
Hydrogenated oils
Artificial sweeteners
White flour
White sugar
Soft drinks
Pasteurized, homogenized milk
High fructose corn syrup
Hydrolyzed soy protein
Artificial flavors and colors
Excessive alcohol.

Lifestyle changes for Healthy Living.

Chew food as slowly as you can.
Fast once a week

Categorized in Health and Knowledge
Tags: Bible Study, christian, Christian Living, food, Healthy Foods

Aug

WHAT IS VISION – GENESIS 12:1-22:4

A vision must…

1. Begin with God’s initiated the vision, not Abraham. (Gen. 12. 1, 2). When leaders start with God’s vision they can more easily maintain direction and keep their motives pure.

2. Connect with the leaders’ identity (Gen. 15:2-4). The vision Abraham received fit him and Sarah exactly; it matched the need and desires of this barren couple. Even better, its fulfillment would serve others.

3. Include others (Gen. 12:2,3). A vision from God always involves and blesses others. God told Abraham he would be blessed in order to bless many notions.

4. Be bigger than the leader (Gen.11:1-8) while Abraham wanted to father an heir, God wanted him to father nations. That hope went far beyond Abraham’s wildest dreams (and his own capabilities) such a huge vision would take more than a lifetime to fulfill.

5. Connect with the leaders deepest convictions (Gen. 18:9-12) the vision that captured Abraham heart mirrored his strongest values; including his desire for family and land.

6. Be tangible and easily communicated (Gen. 15:5). God game Abraham a tangible picture of the vision: look at the sands on the shore, He said, and at the stars in the sky. These objects served as visual aid to help Abraham embrace and fulfill the vision.

7. Have eternal value (Gen. 17:19,20) Abraham’s vision went far beyond his life on earth and included more than wealth and fame. His vision would affect the eternal destiny of millions. (Gen 25:29-34;32:3-23;33:1-20)

Esau was a leader with no vision.

1. Esau focused solely on the here and now, go inceed that tomorrow never comes.

2. Esau relied on his natural gift and on his birth order rather than God plan.

3. Esau’s short sightedness prompted him to give up the ultimate to get the immediate (a single meal).

4. Esau, favored by his father, may have thought that Isaac’s love would bail him out of any poor decision he might make.

5. Esau’s limited vision caused him to marry a Hittite, and choice which grieved his parents.

6. Esau’s clouded vision blinded him from his Brother Jacob’s deception.

Categorized in Daily Bible Study and Knowledge
Tags: Bible Study, christian, Christian Living, Daily Bible Study, DISCIPLINES

Jan

THE RESURRECTION OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN

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The Black woman in American is dead and we allow Satan to keep her that way. African Americans will not rise until the Black woman is brought back to life. After the Civil War the chains came off but today we still are not free. No our wrist and ankles are not chained but our minds are. To the men reading this, we must learn to show our women, our sisters, our mothers the proper respect. God created man to be the stewards over all creation. To show disrespect to the gift that is woman is mismanagement of the creation; furthermore to disrespect the creation is to disrespect the creator, GOD himself. To the women reading this, how hypocritical it is for you to demand respect from men and you show disrespect to yourselves. You have been disrespected for so long you now feel that that attitude and behavior is normal. “How do I show disrespect to myself?” you ask?

1.By calling yourselves and your sisters bitches and hoes 2.By cursing 3.By straightening your hair 4. The clothing you wear.

5. By beaching your skin and plastic surgery.

The Purpose of Woman.

All of God’s creation has purpose; woman is no exception. We read, “And the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone: I will make him an help meet for him” (Gen. 2: 18). “Help meet” is from a Hebrew word that suggests a counter-part or helper comparable to him. Every aspect of the woman is a compliment and counter-part to the man. Feminists who deny this are not only in opposition with the Bible but also basic and observable facts. Those who see this biblical truth as belittling to women have no true understanding of what GOD demands. The male and female compose a perfect unit. When God’s assigned order and arrangement is perverted, chaos results. The woman and man (husband and wife) are to encourage one another spiritually. Hence, we read “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered” (I Pet. 3: 7).

The Godly Woman.

Regarding man and woman, the greatest achieved goals are spiritual in nature. Proverbs chapter 31 contains a description of a “virtuous woman” (vs. 10-31). Sadly there are many women that feel they are a woman of virtue, so much in fact that it almost a cliché. Those women should humble themselves. There is but one woman in the entire Bible that is called a virtuous woman but in this sinful world we have thousands if not millions? If we did the world would not be so sinful. This text presents the greatest challenge ever set before woman. The virtuous woman “fears the Lord,” cares for her family, and has the respect of her husband and children (vss. 30; 13-15, 21, 27; 11, 12, 28, 31). Her speech is commendable, she aids the needy, and properly adorns herself (vs. 26; 20; 22-25). She is not limited to the needs and sphere of her family. We know this because the virtuous woman is presented as industrious and engaging in financial ventures of her own (vs. 16, 24, 27). In all these “extra” efforts, however, she does not neglect her primary duty, her family. The virtuous woman is said to be immensely valuable, “her price is far above rubies” (vs. 10).

The expression “virtuous woman” is from the Hebrew ishshah chayil and literally means “one of power either in mind or body, or both.” As one source comments, “She is the perfect housewife, the chaste helpmate of her husband, upright, God-fearing, economical, wise” (The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 9, pg. 597). The virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 especially stands out today in contrast to the “modern woman,” the product of the Feminist’s Movement.

We shall engage in a study of God’s ideal woman under four approaches: Her value; her domesticity; her characteristics; and her rewards.

The value of the virtuous woman. First, her value is seen in her virtuosity. “Who can find a virtuous woman?” asked the writer, “for her price is far above rubies” and “Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised” (vs. 10; 30). Value can be determined by contribution. In the case of the virtuous woman, she greatly contributes to her husband, children, the poor, society, and to herself (vs. 11, 12, cp. 12: 4; 15; 20; 24; 17, 22). Be impressed, dear reader, with the fact that the woman is praised for qualities that she herself has developed! The value of women to any culture, society, and the church of Christ cannot be over emphasized. Women can contribute to overall goodness and moral integrity or they can tear down and destroy. Women are often more resistant to moral decay and, therefore, serve as a restraint. When women “become one of the boys,” so to speak, society is in for trouble (much of what is happening today). God’s ideal woman stands in sharp contrast with the too often modern woman with her tattoos, cursing, and selfish and shallow promiscuous lifestyle.

She attends to the needs of her family. A cursory examination of Proverbs 31: 10-31 reveals the emphasis and priority of God’s woman: her family. She is seen busy in activities that pertain to the good and well being of her husband and children. She does good to her husband and not evil and “she riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household” (vs. 12; 15). She is not concerned with the threats of nature, because she has made ready for her family against nature (vs. 21). The fact of her primary concern being her family is seen in the language: “She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness” (vs. 27).

The teaching of Proverbs 31 is in perfect harmony with the teaching of the New Testament relative to the role of woman. In Paul’s inspired epistle to Titus, Paul says regarding older women: “That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed” (Tit. 2: 4, 5).

The characteristics of the virtuous woman. When we consider the characteristics of God’s woman, we can see why she is “ishshal chayil,” a woman of force and power. Let us briefly mention how she is described and appreciate the fact that these are not surface traits, but they actually emanate from her character. She fears the Lord; hence she is characterized by pienty (vs. 30). Purity and loyalty abound (vs. 10, 11, 12). She is kind, benevolent, and selfless (vs. 26, 20, 15, 20, 27). As opposed to bitterness and complaining, cheerfulness is seen (vs. 21). She is wise and dignified (vs. 26; 22).

An outstanding characteristic of the virtuous woman is her industry. This zeal and resourcefulness is seen in the promotion of her household (vs. 13, 15, 19, 21, 27). She is a manufacturer, merchant, and landowner (vs. 24; 24; 16). She even cultivates the soil (vs. 16). Who said the godly wife and mother cannot be involved in enterprise outside her physical house? Look again at the virtuous woman (vs. 24; 16). She is presented as what we would call an entrepreneur. She is involved in such enterprise, yet, does not neglect her family!

The reward of being a virtuous woman. First, be impressed with the fact that God’s woman is a woman of real power. Which is more far reaching: to work primarily at a secular career and promote a company in providing some often whimsical product or contributing to the very foundation of society and mankind itself, the family? Herein is power! Too often great women go unnoticed and without praise. Not so with the godly woman of our text. We read, “Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also and he praiseth her” and “Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates” (vs. 28; 31). Appreciate the fact that the wife has personal recognition, “let her own works praise her in the gates.” What a statement, especially when viewed in the Jewish setting in which it is made!

Beloved, above and beyond all praise, recognition, and joy of this earth, heaven is the ultimate reward for God’s people (Matt. 5: 12). We need more women today who are seeking to emulate the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 and not Hollywood’s version of the successful woman. God’s woman is of real substance and lasting quality and will offer important contributions to herself, family, and society as a whole. May their tribe increase.

The Behavior of Woman

Titus 2:3-5 teaches us how women, both younger and older, should act. And to be honest it is in direct contrast of we see in the home, work place, classroom and community today. First lets discuss our older women. Older women are to be reverent and pure. They are to be set apart for the world in thought and behavior. They should only move and speak in the spirit of holiness and be focuses on sacred things. Older women should be pious in their speech and appearance. Older women are not to be gossipers. Another word for that is slanderer. A person that goes around talking about others and stirring up mischief. This is so sinful that Satan himself is called a “slanderer”. An older woman should not be addicted to alcohol. Over indulgence in alcohol will cause you not to have a clear and focused mind. Older women are to teach and mentor younger women in part by living a Godly life and setting a Godly example. As far as younger women are concerned they are to love their husbands unselfishly, sacrificially and peaceably. Younger women are to love their children. This command addresses the issues of child abuse and child neglect. Many times child neglect is the result of one putting ones profession before her children. This capitalist country, and Christianity for that matter, teaches us that the more you have in the form of material things, the more blessed you are. It is in no way healthy to work so much that you can’t give your children the attention they deserve, seek and need. There is no way you can over emphasize the importance of a mother’s relationship to her child. The mother is the first and most influential teacher the child will ever have. Child cannot raise any higher than the maturity and morality thought to it by its mother. Younger women should be self-controlled. This means you should be in full control of your desires, thoughts and emotions. There should be no over indulging in partying, drinking and eating. You must also be in full control of your speech. Younger woman are to be pure in their thoughts and actions. Younger woman are to be busy in the home(homemakers). This is not to say that a woman cannot go outside the home. She should not be better known outside the home by the world than inside the home by her family. Younger women are to be kind and caring. She should treat all people with the same respect she feels she deserves. Many of us today are selfish and only treat people as they treat us. It is the duty of all women to look out for their brothers and sisters. God demands it!

Younger women are to be subject to their husbands. Gods plan is that there be a partnership between man and woman. They are to be completely dependent on one another. It must be understood that, contrary to current feminist movement efforts, Gods word is the same yesterday, today and forever. Man was, still is and always will be the head. However this has nothing to do with worth or value. The Bible teaches that a powerful woman is priceless. We are talking about order. In every organization there must be order; there must be a leader to be efficient. God has ordained man for this role.

Why must woman live as God says? So Gods Word does not get dishonored or slandered. The woman who claims to follow Christ yet does not show it takes power away from his word. It causes people to think “ All Christians are hypocrites. Gods word has no real power. This woman does not take his word seriously why should I.” But Gods word is alive and powerful. The problem is men and women don’t…

spend enough time studying GODs Word, learning how they are to carry themselves.

spend enough time in prayer asking God for guidance and strength to live in victory over the trials of the world.

don’t discipline their lives and their tongues.

Submit To One’s Own Husband (1 Peter 3:1-6)

Thanks in part to today’s feminist movement, submitting to your husband is strong. This Biblical teaching is thought to be old-fashioned and out dated. Really the problem is not in what God says but rather in our understanding of what God says. Any woman that rejects the Word of God, does so either because she does not fully understand the Word or is not willing to follow it. In no way is God giving man license to act as a Tyrant or dictator who treats woman like she is inferior. Submission is about order, cooperation, relationship and partnership. Though the husband is the leader, husband and wife are to walk hand and hand throughout life as equal partners. As I stated before every body or organization must have a leader. In the home, that leader is man, with woman in her submission to Gods will submitting to her husbands leadership, authority and control. On the football field the team is one unit, but there is a leader, the quarterback. Those who respect their coach must submit to the leadership of the quarterback.

A wife should submit herself to her husband by living a pure life. Pure meaning without defilement. When a woman marries a man she sets herself aside for that man only. She does not give herself any other man in act or thought. That’s right sexual thoughts of other men, including actors and singers, still causes you to be unpure (Mat. 5:8, Mat 5:28; 1Th 4:3, Titus 2:4-5).

A woman should never dress to attract attention. The word adornment means that in public she carries herself in a manner that does not attract attention. Indeed as a “woman of virtue” your goal is to dress moderately. You want to help people, not seduce them; serve people, not destroy them; and attract people to Yashua, you point them to yourself. People cannot see Elihim in you if all their attention is on your outward physical appearance. Further more you never want to cause man to stumble. (Rom. 6:13; 1 Peter 3:3-5) When a woman is in Christ, she is a new being. Her old self is now dead. This means she does not focus on perishable things and trends like fashion and hairstyles. Her focus is now on building and feeding her spirit. When a woman tries so hard to dress up her physical body it can be a sign that she is trying to hide an ugly spirit. It is in GODs plan for woman to be the first teacher of the child. Since she is the first teacher, she is the teacher that leaves the greatest impression. But before you can pass knowledge to your offspring you must first educate yourself. You must gain “knowledge of self” and you must walk with GOD and study his word. It takes a GODly woman to raise a GODly child. It takes a woman who knows the ways of the Lord to instruct her child in the ways of the Lord. When you walk with GOD and study his ways then you will naturally understand how to speak, teach and minister to others. Like any of GODs ambassadors, the Christian woman is automatically commissioned to be a messenger and teacher to the people. It is not an option. It is your duty.

The time has come for us, both men and woman, to stop falling for Satan’s lie of what a woman is supposes to look and act like. We are told that the negative images and stereotypes are what we should be living. Anything out side of that is not “keeping it real”. Satan’s goal is to keep you detracted,to keep your mind off of GODs promises and commandments. He does just that by keeping you amused and entertained. Using this method he keeps you in ignorance and in bondage.

The African American family cannot rise until the mother rises. The African American community shall not overcome until the woman overcomes.

SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLES of SUCCESSFUL WOMEN

1. In everything you do, always put GOD first. Many of us have a habit of putting other people first or putting ourselves before anyone or anything. This is what we are taught to do, but it is incorrect and it is damaging. Eloihim must always come first. Everything you do, whether at home or the work place you must do for him. He comes before your spouse, your boss, your children, your customers. If you put GOD first, all your other relationships will be stronger and healthier. You will not and can not have any GOD before him. Anything you give more attention and time to is your GOD. Your life, your business, your relationships will work better when you place everything in its proper order.

2. No matter what, always treat people as you wish to be treated. We love revenge. Its human nature. But remember human nature is full of sin. It’s so easy to just give what we receive but that is not the mind of Yashua and it is not the way of Yahweh. In everything we should only give what we expect. If you are a server in a restaurant, give the service you feel you deserve. Of you are the boss or leader, give your subordinates the respect you feel you should receive. Remember, Yashua knew Judas would betray him. He even called Judas the Devil. Yet he still washed Judas feet! How much better would this world be if we all lived by this principle?

3. Always Give GOD nothing less then your very best. Everything you do is a sacrifice to GOD. He is sick of your sorry substandard sacrifices. He deserves and will only accept your “A game”. It does not have to be the best but it must be your best. Music, books, movies and so forth would be better if we put our all into all that we do and make sure it is our best before we present it.

4. Always begin your day or end your day staying GOD’s word. Many of us have no knowledge of GODs will, or how we are to carry ourselves because we spend little or no time learning his word. If we were to study his word, believe his word and live his word we would live more fruitful productive lives.

5. Pray everyday,Throughout the day. I bet you only pray when you need or want something huh? And maybe before you eat. Communication is a key for any relationship to work. How can you and GOD know each other if you don’t spend time with one another and talk to each other?

6. Never forget, it’s not about you!

7. Trust GOD’s will for your life. Many of us have one of two problems. We either don’t believe GODs word or we are afraid its true and we don’t want to embrace our destiny. Embrace you mission and accept it. You will not rest well until you do. GOD is here to walk with you every step of the way.

8. Develop “water walking faith”. Remember, Peter did walk on water. It was not until he took his focus off GOD and started to look around at the storm he was him that he begin to sink. Though you are in the mist of a storm pay it no attention. Keep your focus on GOD. He will give you real power. Then you will not only feel, you will know you cannot and will not lose.

9. Stay focused on and believe in your purpose. GOD created us all for a specific reason. Each of us has a purpose and a role to play. What are yours and are you living it? If you have no idea what your purpose is you need to ask the creator to tell you.

10. identify and write down words or phrases that block you from your blessings. Write a list of words/phrases that do not empower you and another list of words that do empower you. You can live a more productive life just using powerful words. Rather than saying “ I hate my job”, say “I’m seeking better employment”; don’t say “I’m trying”, say “I’m doing”.

12. Refrain from gossip, back stabbing, and empty fruitless words. Always keep your speech pure and clean. Never should you use the mouth in obscene, shameful, foul, polluted, immoral conversation. Never engage in empty, foolish, purposeless talk. Never should you use off color jokes at parties or at breaks. Our conversation should build people up and offer praise to GOD.

13. Eat plenty of live organic fruits and vegetables that feed your mind. The foods you consume should give you energy and make you feel good. If you feel tired and sluggish after eating any meal, you are eating the wrong foods. As the old cliché goes “ You eat to live not live to eat”.

14. Tell the truth at all times. Deception serves no positive benefit to the deceiver or the deceived. Be known as a women who stands by her word, Let your yes be yes and your no be no.

Categorized in Uncategorized
Tags: Black Community, black issues, Black Women, christian, Christian health, DISCIPLINES, Family, Feminism, Women

Oct

The Holy Spirit and His Work in the “Born Again” Believer

[ ART | MUSIC | KNOWLEDGE| HEALTH ]

When Jesus was physically on earth He had asked people to believe in Him and follow. Jesus said to His disciples that He was going to leave and go back to where He came from, Heaven (John 3:13; 6:38.) But He would not leave us without a Helper; he called Him the comforter, (another like himself). In Jn.14:16 Jesus says to the disciples, soon to be apostles of the church “And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever.” John 16:13-14 “ when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. “He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.” The Spirit hears’ things from Jesus; this is a personal communication (in the same manner as Christ did with the Father in John 3.32; 7.16, 8.38, 12.49), and the Spirit delivers it to man which is also personal communication. The main way is through the Scriptures the apostles were appointed to write.

God is willing to help us, he’s not hiding. He wants to be involved in all aspects of our life. Before we are saved God is there working through the Holy Spirit He sent “convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me” (John 16:8-9). Once someone believes they are a sinner they can turn to Jesus for forgiveness.

For the unbeliever the Holy Spirit has a ministry of leading them to the Son. He has been sent to convince unbelievers of sin, righteousness and judgment. Sin-To show they are sinful, having fallen short of God’s standard. Righteousness- To convict them of not having a righteousness of their own to be accepted by God, but in need of God’s righteousness that he freely gives through accepting the gospel. This righteousness is only found only in Christ. And judgment- in that there is more than meets the eye, that there is a time they will have to answer for how they lived their life. There is a hereafter, as eternity is in our hearts. We know that there is more than just a physical life

To sum this up simply- the first work of the spirit is to show one that they sin and are in need of a righteousness that they do not possess. As His work progresses eventually one will hear about Jesus Christ who forgives sin, the gospel so they can be saved.

He is to have a moral influence on our live and thus produce the fruits of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the executor of God’s nature. He is the source of the new birth and brings out the nature of Christ in the individual believer. He conforms us to the nature of Jesus, who is God as well as the ultimate human. He reveals the nature of God by transforming believers to be like him. His indwelling restores the image of God in man that became damaged by the fall, now we can reflect God’s moral qualities and characteristics as He intended. The Fruit of the spirit is only displayed when we walk in the spirit. All these qualities are reflective of Jesus Christ who was seen in the flesh.

For the one who believes in the gospel (1Cor.15:1-4) the Spirit is immediately given as the seal of ones justification or right standing in the New Covenant. They are cleared of all guilt before God and start with a new slate. Eph 1:13 “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.”

1 Cor. 12:13-14 “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body– whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free– and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many.” We are put in the spiritual body of Christ and we partake of the Holy Spirit who now resides in us, literally.

This is all completed by faith Eph. 3:17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love”

Rom 8:9 “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.”

Galatians 3:26-27 “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” As we have just read to be baptized into Christ by the Spirit, however there is still water baptism. One should be water baptized as soon as possible. Water baptism is the seal of the New covenant. Just as Circumcision was for the Abrahamic Covenant and The Sabbath for the Mosaic covenant.

Because we now have the helper with us, in us, life is going to radically change. 2 Cor 6:16 “For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” 1 Cor 3:16 “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 1 Cor 6:19 “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you” Rom 8:11 “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you”

Every believer is sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30) and the Holy Spirit is the anointing given (1 John 2:27). Thus every believer is “anointed” with the Holy Spirit. All believers have the Holy Spirit otherwise they have not been born again. If a believer has the Spirit, he has all of the Spirit, because God is not divisible. However how we die to self and not be attracted to the world and the flesh, and cooperate in obedience to the Lord will dictate how much He can use our life. Jesus promises John 7:38-39 “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

Man was originally made in the image of God but it is passed down to us corrupted. The Lord restores the moral nature that man had lost in the garden from Satan’s temptation by having the Holy Spirit sent to live in ALL believers. He has the same nature as Jesus, but His purposes are not the same. He is to comfort us; guide us; lead us into truth by explaining the Word; convict us of sin, and conform us to the image of the Son as we go through trials and suffering. His work is mostly moral, restoring holiness, the image of God in man. We are to become like Jesus in His moral likeness, having His character and bear his fruit. We are predestined “to be conformed to the image of His Son” For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29).

This process can be at times painful and a learning experience depending how much we cooperate with him along the way. Trials are sent to build up our faith and teach us to trust in the God we now have a personal relationship with.

We don’t have to strive for more of Him, what we need to do is to give Him more of us. If you try to have more requirements to make you holy or you need more of the spirit, “another baptism”, anointing, you are seeking it the wrong way. All that we need are already in the believer’s possession. It’s not that we need more of the Spirit, but that he needs more of us! “As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:3-4). Those things consist of two main things.

1) The Holy Spirit

Rom 14:17 “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Rom 5:5)

2) The Scripture

2 Tim 3:16-17 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Eph. 5:18-19 “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” This a word that means to be continually filled, under the Spirits control. To be filled with the Spirit is a daily thing it involves our dying to self and allowing God to clean out and control those areas that were once dictated by our fallen nature and the devil. We have a song in our heart and it is a continual praise to God for what He has done and is currently doing. I’m not the same person I once was and I’m still being changed into His Son’s image. The Holy Spirit is the executor of God’s nature, we become subject to the law of the Spirit. He becomes our direct instructor not the Old Testament commandments in the Mosaic covenant. He is the source of the new birth and brings out the nature of Christ in the individual believer. He conforms us to Jesus on a daily basis. Jesus represented God the Father perfectly as God the Son in human flesh- He is God as well as man, the ultimate human being. God alone is Holy and so Jesus reveals the nature of God by transforming His children to be like Him in nature. To be walking in the spirit means you are spiritual, you are living a spiritual not carnal life. This means you are allowing God’s word to mold your life you are not listening to a voice that would sound like God to lead you and is contrary to the scripture.

In Eph 2:8-10 Paul explains that “by grace you have been saved through faith, and tells us it is “not of works” but he goes on in the next verse “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” God’s first priority is to change us into the image of His Son that we can be used for his kingdom. This is an ongoing process called sanctification (Rom 15:16; 1Cor 6:11; 1Pet 1:2.) He will remove the boulders first before he removes the rocks and pebbles. We are to do good works that our Father may be glorified to the world and they may know whom we serve. The Holy Spirit helps us, prompts us to do good works. This of course is nothing new and was instructed under the covenant of the law Micah 6:8 “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”

We are to be aware that we represent the Son to others around us, we become living epistles to the world. The image of God in man that became damaged by the fall is restored and able to reflect God’s moral qualities and characteristics. From this they can know that Jesus is alive and His word is true.

It is by yielding and surrendering to His guidance throughout the day that we do not walk in the flesh.

The way God gets rid of sin in the life of a believer is by getting rid of the sinner, getting rid of us, our self must decrease for Him to increase. If someone tries to get rid of sin by concentrating on the sin it will never go. Everyone has something to improve on. The only way to have victory is not by concentrating on the sin, but by putting it to death. The sinner with his sin must die to it and live to Christ in resurrection power of the Spirit. If you walk in the Spirit that problem will fall away by itself because you are using the solution ,not concentrating on the problem. The focus is Christ not the sin itself. We may be aware of it but our eyes and faith must be on Christ.

The Lord asks “Be ye holy as I am holy.” The only way possible is that he takes your sin and gives you his righteousness to your account and walk in the new nature. This is done by picking up your cross daily and dying to ourselves. Our part is Rom 8:13 “… by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, then you will live.” Since the old nature must be put aside for the new nature to rule.” 2 Cor. 4:10 (NIV) “We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.” As Christ was dead to sin we consider our old nature dead, so the life of Christ can be seen by all. As Jesus said we must pick up our cross daily and die to self.

Jesus’ solution to overcome sin Luke 9:23 “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” By doing this we live a spiritual life. We suppress or have our old nature dies and the new nature rules in us daily. By practicing this we are continually changed and become victorious. Romans 6:11-13 (Weymouth) …You must regard yourselves as dead in relation to sin, but as alive in relation to God, because you are in Christ Jesus. Let not Sin therefore reign as king in your mortal bodies, causing you to be in subjection to their cravings; and no longer lend your faculties as unrighteous weapons for Sin to use. On the contrary surrender your very selves to God as living men who have risen from the dead, and surrender your various faculties to God, to be used as weapons to maintain the right.

To increase our faith means hearing the word- it is our instruction in truth. The spirit will never lead us away from the word but in it. The Bible presents the way to become mature in the faith is by reading the Word, gaining understanding and living it, fleshing it out. This is where the struggle is, our allowing the Spirit to take what God has said and change us from the inside, so it affects us in our spirit (and mind) first and it changes our ways of living. It is worn on the outside for others to see what we believe on the inside..

We need to submit to His teaching and guidance from the word. Remember the Holy Spirit is sent to glorify Jesus. How will he do this? By having us understand what Jesus said. He will lead us into the truth. We are to be submissive to Him, just as Jesus gave the example in Phil. 2:5, although He himself was God He willingly was submissive to the Father. The same mind that was in Christ is to be in us, we are to have an attitude of humility, as he was under submission so are we.

The first thing I recommend to any new believer is to get grounded in the basics of Christianity. To learn the core doctrines and get some of your questions out of the way, these are often offered at churches and called foundation classes. If you do not lay a good foundation what you build on it in the coming years will not be straight. I have seen to many people backslide or become stale because they did not build right. It makes a huge difference in their growth as well as immune them to deception that is increasing in these last days.

Categorized in Knowledge
Tags: Born again, The Holy Spirit, work of the holy spirit

Oct

“LOL”

Categorized in Comics
Tags: CARTOONS, CHRISTIAN CARTOONS, Comics

Oct

Joyce Meyers Message On Being Born Again: Quotes, Teachings, Doctrines, Beliefs Concerning Salvation

5 Comments

[ ART | MUSIC | KNOWLEDGE| HEALTH ]

What are the beliefs, teachings & doctrines of Joyce Meyers concerning being “Born Again”? What does Joyce Meyer believe on what a person must believe to be saved? What does Joyce Meyer teach concerning Jesus on the cross and spiritual death, and salvation? Below will be various quotes from Joyce Meyer teachings from one of her booklets called “The Most Important Decision You Will Ever Make”, and the purpose for this information is not to be contentious or divisive, but rather to give an exposition of what Joyce Meyer teaches concerning being born again. Within the Christian Church there are many people who listen to Joyce Meyer whether on the radio, television, or by reading her books. However, many do not realize that her teachings are not in accordance with the Word of God. It is true that there are things she teaches which do line up Biblically, but the same is said of the Jehovah’s Witnesses or the Mormons.

What does Joyce Meyer teach that is so bad? Is Joyce Meyer a false teacher? Is Joyce Meyer a Christian? Why should anyone be concerned? Joyce Meyers does not have all the same false teachings as those in the Faith Movement, but she does have some teachings that are the same with various Faith teachers. Examine this information for yourself and line up the Biblical gospel to the gospel that Joyce Meyer teaches. For more information on the Faith Movement teachings go to our Faith Movement section.

In a book called “The Most Important Decision You Will Ever Make” Joyce Meyer teaches what it means to be born again and what Christ had to do for people to be saved. Read the following comments:

“Although your physical body will die someday, your spirit will continue to live for an eternity. Whether your spirit lives in heaven or hell depends on the choices you have made. In this book, best selling author Joyce Meyer outlines God’s plan of salvation so that you can make a quality decision.” (Back of the book, 1996-Edition)

“The spiritual part of you can be thought of as the part of you that cannot be seen with the natural eye. This part of you will live forever. And where the spiritual you lives depends on the decision you make as you read this book.” (Page 8, 1996-Edition)

Warning, Danger Ahead!

Joyce Meyer teaches that Jesus did not pay for sin upon the cross, but actually went to the torments of hell and made atonement there. The following quote is from Joyce Meyer’s 1991 booklet on being born again which is worded differently in the 1996-updated edition.

“During that time He entered hell, where you and I deserved to go (legally) because of our sin…He paid the price there.…no plan was too extreme…Jesus paid on the cross and in hell….God rose up from His throne and said to demon powers tormenting the sinless Son of God, “Let Him go.” Then the resurrection power of Almighty God went through hell and filled Jesus…He was resurrected from the dead ¾ the first born-again man“ (The Most Important Decision You Will Ever Make: A Complete And Thorough Understanding Of What It Means To Be Born Again, 1991, pages 35-36, Joyce Meyer) This quote was found from the Christian Research Institute’s article on Joyce Meyer which can be found by .

In her 1996 edition of “The Most Important Decision You Will Ever Make“ Joyce Meyer states the same things but with different wording.

“Believe that Jesus did what the Bible says. Believe He is indeed the Son of God, born of a virgin. He took man’s sin on the cross. He did not stay dead. He was in the grave three days. During that time, He entered hell, where you and I deserved to go (legally) because of our sin.” (Page 41, 1996-Edition) Notice the similar wording in this quote compared to the other quote.

“Whatever it took to get God’s people back, free again, is what they would do. Jesus paid for our sins on the cross and went to hell in our place.” (Page 41, 1996-Edition) Whatever it took means that Jesus had to go to hell, suffer and be tormented by demons in our place.

“When Jesus hung on the cross, He took our sin upon Himself. God cannot stay in the presence of sin. As Jesus took our sin, He was separated from the presence of the Father…Jesus was taking your sins and those of everyone else upon Him as He felt this absence of His Father’s presence. He said, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” [Matt. 27:46, author's paraphrase] Jesus knew it would happen, but the horror of separation from the bright presence of the Father was worse than He could of imagined, and it caused Him to cry out…and His spirit went to hell because that is where we deserved to go.” (Page 42, 1996-Edition) This is a common teaching among the Faith Movement whereas they teach Jesus died spiritually and became literally the nature of sin. Thus, the Father turned away from Jesus while He was on the cross and Jesus died alone. for further information on Jesus being separated from the Father and becoming spiritually dead.

“There is no hope of anyone going to heaven unless they believe this truth. You cannot go to heaven unless you believe with all your heart that Jesus took your place. He became your substitute and took all the punishment you deserve. He bore all your sins. He paid the dept you owe…Jesus went to hell for you. He died for you. He paid for your sins.” (Page 43, 1996-Edition)

Concerning being born again and what is required to be saved we see Joyce Meyer teaching:

<!–[if !supportLists]–>1. <!–[endif]–>“Believe…what the Bible says.”

<!–[if !supportLists]–>2. <!–[endif]–>That when Jesus was on the cross He did not stay dead but went to hell.

<!–[if !supportLists]–>3. <!–[endif]–>That Jesus went to hell in our place because that is where we deserved to go.

<!–[if !supportLists]–>4. <!–[endif]–>That God would do whatever it took to free His people.

<!–[if !supportLists]–>5. <!–[endif]–>That there is no hope of anyone going to heaven unless they believe this truth, meaning what Jesus did to make atonement for sins.

<!–[if !supportLists]–>6. <!–[endif]–>That a person must believe in their heart that Jesus took their place on the cross, He died spiritually, (implied) was separated from the Father, tormented by demons in hell, (1991-Edition) Jesus is the first born again man. (1991-Edition)

What is the Gospel?

The Scriptures are clear on what the Gospel message is.

“1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4 NASB) The apostle Paul taught that Jesus died and rose again for our sins according to the Scriptures. Paul taught the death that Jesus died was His physical death and His shed blood. Nowhere do we find anything from Paul or any other apostle/prophet for that matter state Jesus died spiritually for our sins according to the Scriptures.

What the apostles taught concerning what Jesus did to make atonement and reconciliation for our sins:

“19 For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. 21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, 22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach” (Colossians 1:19-22, NASB)

“18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.” (1 Peter 1:18-19, NASB)

What Jesus taught:

“27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:27, NASB)

“44 Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:44-47, NASB)

“Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished!’ And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.” (John 19:30, NASB)

Jesus taught that His death and shed blood was sufficient for the atonement of our sins. When Jesus said “It is finished” He was teaching an absolute truth that the payment for sin was paid in full. The Greek of “It is finished” is “tetelestai” which was a common way of saying dept paid in full, it is done.

What Does Born Again Mean?

Simply put being born again means becoming a new creation in Christ. Jesus taught Nicodemus what born again meant in John 3:1-21 and the message was simple. A person either accepts or rejects that Jesus came to this world to save anyone of their sins. What does it mean to accept Jesus? Jesus came first to the Jews, then after His death and resurrection the message was for the apostles to go to all people. To accept Jesus means you acknowledge you are in need of being saved, (John 3:14-18) that you believe Jesus was the Messiah and God come in the flesh, (John 8:24) that Jesus had the same authority and equality as the Father, (John 5:18-23 & John 10:30) that Jesus was the only way to the Father and for salvation, (John 14:6) that Jesus taught the Father, the Holy Spirit and Himself were three distinct personages from one another. (John 14-16)

John the apostle teaches what born again means:

“4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world–our faith. 5 Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”…”10 The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. 11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.”…”20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.” ( 1 John 5, NASB)

What Will You Do?

It is clear that Joyce Meyer teaches another gospel message concerning what born again means and what is required to believe in order to be saved. This information shows Biblically that Joyce Meyer is not teaching the Biblical Gospel message and those who listen to her should be concerned. We believe she is teaching false doctrines of the message of hope and eternal life, and anyone who is serious about wanting to know truth needs to be open to examining this further. This is not an attack on Joyce Meyer in any way, but rather as said before an exposition on what she teaches concerning being born again.

We are warned in the Scriptures to be careful of those who claim to be of God but are in fact wolves in sheep’s clothing. There are false prophets & apostles, and false Christ’s:

“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” (Matthew 7:15, NASB)

“For false Christ’s and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect..” (Matthew 24:24, NASB)

“28 “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 29 “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 “Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears.” (Acts 20:28-31, NASB)

“13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15, NASB)

We are instructed to examine all people and doctrines for truth, and reject false teachers and doctrines:

“10 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.” (Acts 17:10-11, NASB)

“But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21, NASB)

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15, NASB)

“2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.” (2 Timothy 4:2-4, NASB)

“10 Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, 11 knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.” (Titus 3:10-11, NASB)

What will you do with this information? If any of you are wondering if we have attempted to contact Joyce Meyer’s, the answer is yes. We have attempted contacting Joyce Meyer’s through emails and by phone, yet no reply. Our conclusion is she does not want to discuss this and we urge you to share this vital information with those who listen to Joyce Meyer’s. If you have any questions concerning what we have shared we would encourage you to contact us.

Categorized in Knowledge
Tags: false teachers, Joyce Meyers

Nov

Health Reform – What The Bible Teaches About Health

The original sin of Adam affected mankind in three ways — spiritually, morally, and physically. Christ came as Savior of the world to save humanity from these threefold effects of sin. Therefore, when we by faith receive Christ as our Savior, we are to surrender to His transforming grace in all these three areas.

While we will not experience total salvation from the effects of sin until the second coming of Christ, in this study we will consider what the Bible has to say about our bodies and how we should take care of them while we wait for His return. This, too, is part of Christian living.

When Eloihim Placed Adam in the garden and made him the steward over all creation, he gave his “manager” specific instructions. From the beginning the “great deceiver” has tricked mankind in to thinking and teaching that GOD did not mean what he said, or his Word now means something else. When it comes to our health we love to “pimp the gospel”, using GOD’s Word as a justification to live an unhealthy lifestyle. We teach we can eat and drink whatever we like and as long as we pray over our food everything will be fine. We can put whatever we like into the Temple because God has blessed all things.

Think about this. The diseases of today – including heart disease, cancer, arthritis and diabetes, can be linked to leading a unhealthy lifestyle. These diseases are becoming more wide spread as the world becomes more industrialized these diseases were not common when people stuck to a biblical diet. Eating GODs way would provide for more vitamins, minerals, protein and healthy fats and substances that came from plants called phytochemicals. In GOD’s plan there are no refined or processed carbohydrates and only a small amount of healthy sweeteners. Our modern diet promotes “Food” rich refined carbohydrates and are poor in nutritional value

Many of us are familiar with the Hebrew word shalom, which means “peace.” This is more then just the absence of conflict, just as good health is not just the absence of disease. At it’s root shalom means completeness and wholeness physically, emotionally, spiritually and has a strong emphasis on ones relationship with GOD. This is true peace.

The reason why Christians must take care of their bodies is twofold. In the first place, when we believers experience the new birth and are indwelled by the Holy Spirit, we become the temple of God (see 1 Corinthians 3:16). Therefore, we must treat our bodies as the house of God. The buildings where we as Christians choose to worship are not the temples and it is not GODs house. You are the temple; you are the house of the Holy Spirit. We teach that you should not curse or eat in the sanctuary, which is nothing more than a dead building, but then we pollute our bodies buy smoking and eating unhealthy food.

Secondly, as Christians we are ambassadors of Christ, called to witness Him to the world. In order that we may fully represent Christ and be used by His Spirit to glorify our Saviour, we must take good care of our bodies. The Holy Spirit can use us only in direct proportion to how healthy our bodies are.

Based on these twofold reasons, the Bible gives counsel on healthful living. When Israel was a theocracy (totally under God’s ruling), God gave them all kinds of guidelines, not as a requirement for salvation but for their own good as His witnesses. Among these guidelines were many health principles or laws.

Since we are made of the same material as the Jews, these health principles and laws are just as valid today as they were in ancient times. In this study we will consider some of the basic health principles and laws laid down by God in His Word as the fruits of salvation in Christ.

A healthy lifestyle is holistic. You cannot look at just the physical side of healthy living and negate our responsibility to nurture the spiritual side, and vice versa.

God created us as physical and spiritual beings. He created us as physical when He made us from the dust of the earth and gave us bodies, breathing life into us. He created us as mortal, finite beings – but He also created us as spiritual beings, to live or die eternally. So that is what this article is about – the physical side of healthy living, looking after our bodies. However please realize that although this is what I am focusing on, I am in no way ignoring the spiritual.

Some time ago, I felt challenged to a healthy lifestyle. A scripture He gave me was Heb 3:4-10 “(For every house is built by someone; but the builder of all things is God.) Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that would be spoken later. Christ, however, was faithful over God’s house as a Son, and we are His house if we hold firm the confidence and the pride that belong to hope.

Principle 1: DO NOT STRIVE (v4)

God is the builder, not us. He is the one who makes everything happen. Striving doesn’t help anyone – or anything – least of all you. Life, the ministry etc, doesn’t depend on us. God is more concerned about us than He is about the work. He has many vessels through which He can work. It is folly to think that we are the only person who can do the task.

DO NOT STRIVE. IT DOES NOT DEPEND ON US. GOD IS THE BUILDER.

Principle 2: WE ARE THE HOUSE OF GOD (v6)

Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We need to take care of them. If we don’t we will not be good for anything because we will run ourselves into the ground. We need to respect God by taking care of the body He has given us by: -

- Eating Healthy

- Exercising Regularly

- Getting Enough Rest

Principle 3: A HARDENED HEART IS THE SAME AS REBELLION (v8, 9)

We need to be good stewards of what God has given us – including our bodies. If we disregard this, we are hardening our hearts towards God, and what He has shown us, and that is the same as rebellion. If we test God in this, we will suffer. God has created a cause-and-effect world, establishments that He has put into place and He will not override them. If we do not look after our bodies, we will reap the effects of that, for example, sickness, burnout and disease.

Principle 4: GOD HAS PROVIDED THE KNOW-HOW TO OBEY HIM (v10)

God has given us the knowledge – through the Bible and science and, believe it or not, common sense – to know what we should and shouldn’t eat. We also know how regularly to exercise and we can definitely tell when we need to rest. All we have to do is listen to our bodies.

I read this book “What the Bible Says About Healthy Living” by Rex Russell MD. He studied what the Bible says about food, what science says about food and what he has seen himself, for example when patients are told to follow a specific diet in order to get well again.

His conclusion was simple: -

Principle 1: Eat only what God intended us to eat

Principle 2: Eat it only in the form he intended it to be eaten

Principle 3: Fast regularly

Amazingly, scientific research (independent of himself) gave evidence to support why God told the Israelites not to eat certain foods and why they should eat others. (I highly recommend this book. It can be bought on Amazon.)

So we have no excuse. God has given us the knowledge we need, but it is our responsibility to put it into practice.

Principle 5: REST

God didn’t only intend for us to experience spiritual rest. He is a holistic God. He intended for us to experience rest physically, emotionally and spiritually. If we look after our bodies, and get the rest we need – however much that might be – we will be able to more fully enter the rest that God intended for us. We won’t get as sick as often, we won’t get as tired and we won’t get as stressed – the result – we will be much more rested and able to cope with the stresses of living life.

We have a holistic God who is concerned with our physical and emotional being as well as the spiritual. He created all of us – and said, “It was good!” So work with Him on this. He didn’t create our bodies to be a hindrance to us. He created them for our enjoyment as well as for us to know what our limitations are so that we can more fully enjoy and experience a supernatural God.

1. According to Paul, how much of the believer does God want to sanctify? 1 Thessalonians 5:23 ______________________________________________
Note: Since sin has affected the total person, God also plans to rescue the total person from the sin problem — spirit, soul, and body.

2. How does this total redemption affect our Christian living in terms of eating and drinking?
1 Corinthians 10:31 ______________________________________________
Note: Before our conversion we ate and drank as we pleased, often abusing our bodies. But now that we belong to Christ and have become the temple of the Holy Spirit, God wants us to eat and drink for His glory.

3. As Christians, who do we belong to and live for? Romans 14:8 ______________________________________________
Note: Because Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law, having been made a curse for us on the cross (see Galatians 3:13), we belong to Him — spirit, soul, and body. Out of a heartfelt appreciation for His redeeming grace, all our actions are motivated by this love relationship.

4. In what things does God want us to prosper, besides our souls? 3 John 2 ______________________________________________
Note: God is not only concerned about our spiritual well-being but also our health. A healthy body means a healthy mind. This, in turn, means we are better able to discern spiritual things. Since there is a close relation between spirit, soul, and body, what affects one affects the other.

5. What promise did God give the Jews of the Exodus if they would follow all His health instructions?
Exodus 15:26 ______________________________________________
Note: All the health instructions God gave the Jews of the Exodus was for their own good and not a requirement for salvation. As His children, God wants us to experience and witness His saving grace in every way. The rules and regulations that God imposed upon the Jews was for this purpose. That is how we Christians must consider them.

6. What blessings did God say Israel would experience if they obeyed all that He had instructed them?
Deuteronomy 7:14 ______________________________________________
Note: Even though the ancient Jews made the mistake of turning all the health rules and regulations God gave them into legalistic requirements for salvation, they still experienced physical blessings from obeying them.

7. As Christians, what kind of sacrifice does God want from us? Romans 12:1 ______________________________________________

8. What must we do daily to experience this transformed life that is pleasing to God? Romans 12:2 ______________________________________________
Note: The battlefield in the Christian walk is the mind. On the one hand, the converted mind, that which Paul refers to as the new man (see Ephesians 4:22-24), wants to do the will of God. Yet, on the other hand, the mind of the flesh, our sinful nature, wants to do the very opposite.

9. What is the only way to gain victory over the desires of the flesh, our sinful natures, which contradict the desires of the converted mind? Galatians 5:16 ______________________________________________
Note: Only as we surrender our wills to the control of the Spirit can we gain the victory over the flesh. This is what it means to “walk in the Spirit.” To do this we must keep our minds focused on spiritual things (see Romans 8:4-6).

10. How should our relationship with fellow believers affect our eating habits? Romans 14:21 ______________________________________________
Note: To be a true Christian means we are dead to self and live unto the Lord. This affects every phase of our Christian living so that the two guiding principles that motivate all our actions are: (i) I do nothing that affects my right relationship with God; and (ii) I do nothing that weakens the faith of a fellow believer (see 1 Corinthians 10:31-33).

11. How should we consider ourselves as Christians? 1 Corinthians 3:16 ______________________________________________

12. As temples of God, what does He not want us to do and why? 1 Corinthians 3:17 ______________________________________________
Note: As temples of God, we are to keep our bodies holy. The reason for this will be answered in the next question.

13. As His temple, what does God want to do in and through us? 2 Corinthians 6:16 ______________________________________________
Note: The whole purpose of the Christian life is to glorify the Saviour: “for me to live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21). The only way this can be done is to let the life of Christ shine through us. This is what sanctification is all about. That which motivates such a life is the love of God manifested in Christ crucified and not the fear of punishment or the desire for reward.

14. How does God fulfill the above through the New Covenant promise? Hebrews 8:10 ______________________________________________
Note: The New Covenant does not do away with the laws of God but puts them into our hearts. Under the Old Covenant, the laws were a series of rules — do’s and don’ts. Under the New Covenant, the same laws become the inner desires of the converted mind. This is how God writes His laws in our hearts and minds. This is the transforming grace of the gospel!

15. When it comes to healthful living, what was the original diet God gave mankind? Genesis 1:29 ______________________________________________
Note: Just as the car manufacturer entrusts us to use the best oil and gas for our cars, so God, the Creator, instructed our first parents regarding what are the best foods to eat — nuts, fruits, and grains.

16. What did God add to man’s diet after the flood? Genesis 9:3 ______________________________________________

17. While God did add meat to man’s diet, after the flood, what two things did He prohibit?
Genesis 9:4 (i) ______________________________________________
Leviticus 7:23 (ii) ______________________________________________
Note: God knew what He was doing when He forbade the Jews to eat the blood and fat of animals. Today, medical science has discovered and proved that both of these items are harmful to our health.

18. What further instruction did God give the Jews concerning meat eating?
Read the whole chapter of Leviticus _____________________________________________

note: Even though God gave man permission to eat meat after the flood, He distinguished the clean (healthy) meats from the (unhealthy) meats in chapter 11 of Leviticus and elsewhere. These health regulations are still valid today, as long as we do not make them a requirement for salvation.

19. What warning does the wise man give regarding appetite? Proverbs 23:1-3 ______________________________________________
Note: Appetite is one of the great weapons of Satan. It was through food that Adam fell. Likewise, it was through tempting Christ to turn stones into bread that Satan tried to cause the downfall of Christ. In the same way, Satan uses our appetite to cause us Christians to stumble. Smoking, drugs, alcohol, and overindulgence in eating are some of his methods for preventing God’s purpose from being fulfilled in us or for destroying the Christian faith.

20. Of what must we constantly remind ourselves regarding our bodies? 1 Corinthians 6:19 ______________________________________________
Note: When we are tempted to indulge in wrong kinds of foods and drink, we need to remind ourselves that we are the temple of God and we are not our own. Therefore, as verse 20 reminds us, we must “glorify God in our body, and in our spirit, which are God’s.” This is true health reform.

Why You Should Avoid White Flour Products Such as White Breads and Pastas

In the manufacture of white flour, manufacturers first remove the wheat seed’s bran, its six outer layers, and the germ (or embryo) which contains 76% of the vitamins and minerals. 97% of the dietary fiber is also lost.

What little is left is then bleached, preserved, and aged with chlorine dioxide. It is further whitened by adding chalk, alum, and ammonium carbonate to make it look and feel more improved and appealing to the consumer. An anti-salting agent called sorbitan mono-saturate is added in the final stage.

A few synthetic nutrients are then added back into the white flour and it is then called “enriched.” In actuality, there has been no real “enrichment” of the original product.

Laboratory rats usually die in a week to ten days when placed on a diet of white flour. All of the chemicals from white flour and other elements in our environment wreak havoc on the human body. Humans were not designed nor equipped to ingest cumulative chemicals. A strain is placed on the pancreas when it is forced to try to protect the body from chemicals. It cannot, at the same time, adequately perform its critical role of protecting the body from diseases.

Whole wheat flour and other whole-grain flours retain their bran, germ, and nutrients, and the vitamin E present in whole-grain flours acts as a natural preservative that keeps it from turning rancid for several months, after which it can be refrigerated or frozen.

Don’t be deceived by products that are advertised as whole grain. They may have some whole grains in them, but there may be a lot of other unnecessary and unhealthy ingredients. For example, if bread is soft, it is not primarily whole grain. It should be firm, heavy, and “grainy” with texture — not spongy.

Categorized in Health
Tags: christian bands, Health, Natural Health

Nov

Interview – Braille – The IV Edition

Written by Rapzilla

My name is Bryan “Braille” Winchester. I was born in Portland, OR and have also lived in New Jersey and Los Angeles. I’ve been rapping since before I had facial hair, and now I can grow a mustache of Tom Selleck proportions. I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to travel around the world sharing music and “The IV Edition” (my newest album) is my forth solo record. I’m also a married man (6 years!) and I have a baby girl named Gabriella. WORD

What is the story behind the making of the album? How did it all come about?

Right before my daughter was born, I started feeling a creative itch. Most of my energy had been spent running my record label Hiphop IS Music. One of my goals with the label has been to help artists create the “record of their dreams”. To make records that truly express the contents of their heart. Not following trends, not copying other popular artists – but just making honest music without any false pretense. I’ve always been a fan of raw Hip-Hop with well crafted lyricism. You can call me an underground head or whatever, but I prefer raw beats and raw lyrics. So I built my home studio and decided to make this new record without any outside influence. No one else in the studio with me, no feedback from friends or industry heads. Just me, by myself – making honest music that sounds good to my ears. I spent over a year working on the record from my home studio and the only people who heard songs during the process were Ohmega Watts and Theory Hazit (while we were touring). I didn’t start sharing songs with anyone else until they were fully mixed. Aside from the birth of my daughter, I also experienced the death of my father during the recording process of the record. The regular ups and downs of life were intensified through these situations, and I think that caused me to be very “intentional” with every lyric.

Why “The IV Edition” as the title?

This is my forth record and the title has four meanings. IV: is the roman numeral for the number 4. But I took those numbers and broke them down into letters as well. IV: (pronunciation [ahy-vee]) which is defined in medical terms as a device used for delivering solutions and medicines into the veins. The IV then became a metaphor related to bringing medicine into the veins of society for the various social illnesses. Simply broken down as – “water for the thirsty, food for the hungry and mercy for the sinner”. I.V. also becomes an acronym to represent International Vision. As I’ve traveled around the world I’ve grown to really appreciate the wide variety of cultures, languages and nationalities that exist on this earth. It’s not about “my block” or “my hood”. I’m willing to travel to the ends of the earth to bring medicine where it’s needed. Beyond any physical needs (which shouldn’t be ignored) – this album is ultimately about prescribing Jesus as the healing solution for our sin nature. The wages of sin is death, we are all approaching the grave. Jesus is our redeemer and our healer – and I want to share that with the world in the unique way that God has gifted me to share it.

What do you want to accomplish with the new album?

First and foremost – my goal was to simply create a record that communicated my heart and also appealed to my own personal artistic palette. I’m a very critical listener – and before I became a follower of Christ, music was all I had in life. During my teen years, I was that kid walking through the halls with headphones on. I’ve never been the type to chase after fame, and I don’t base my success on the level of fame I achieve. As an MC – I desire to speak to my community, to the culture I love and to the world I live in. Ten years ago, I would have never imagined being where I’m at right now. Sometimes I set small goals for myself – but for the most part I just try to be faithful over what I have in my life and allow God to show me what’s next. The greatest accomplishments that have happened in my life weren’t things I planned out. It’s all been things that happened when I stepped out in faith and sought after God whole-heartedly.

Photo by Philip Rood

Any special moments making the album?

The whole process was pretty sentimental and tedious. My house has two levels. The main living area is upstairs, which is where my wife and daughter spend most of their time. My home studio is downstairs, which is where I work and do my recordings. One day I was upstairs feeding my daughter breakfast. I started writing lyrics for a song called “Blessed Man” and ended up finishing and recording the song that same day. The feeling of writing lyrics in front of my daughter brought a special inspiration. I could never “clone” that moment, or imitate that feeling. I wrote this record during the process of living life. I wrote and recorded it in my own house. All my previous records, I had to book out studio time and record in different environments. With this album – I would be laying down vocals and then my wife would say “dinner is ready”. haha. So I’d go eat dinner, maybe watch some TV and then get back to work.

What inspired you making this album?

I get inspired by everything. As a writer – everything I see, hear and experience inspires me. The music I write is inspired by life and filtered through my faith. What I mean by that is – I can get inspired by almost anything, but my convictions and faith shape the type of influence that things have on my music.

Any crazy or special memories during the recording process?

When people hear the song “Many Stories” they will experience one of my special memories from the recording process. I don’t want to give to much away – but I finished writing half a song (one of the only songs not written in my home studio) and while I was driving home from the studio I got a call regarding my father. He ended up passing away that night – I drove strait from the studio to the hospital and I was the first person to arrive. It was completely unexpected. I wrote the second verse (from the same song I was writing that night) in honor of him, and kind of shared the whole situation exactly how it happened.

Photo by Philip Rood

How do you feel touring this summer with the Vans Warped Tour?

I will be touring with my wife and my daughter for two and a half months strait. During the Warped tour – we will be joining Othello, his wife and his new born son. So it will be all six of us together in one van. We still haven’t figured out exactly how we are going to make the schedule work, haha – but I’m excited about it. The Warped Tour is rough cause it’s a lot of driving, and a lot of long days. It’s really going to push our physical limits, but we all feel like the opportunity is worth it.

For fun, if you had to change music genre, what would it be?

I would love to compose scores for movies and stuff. If I wasn’t writing rhymes – then I would love to learn how to compose music for orchestras to play. I would also love to learn how to play guitar and just sing some songs with nothing but an acoustic guitar.

Anything else you would like to share?

Thanks for taking time to read this. Anyone interested can check out my current tour dates at www.myspace.com/braillebrizzy. Thanks to everyone who is supporting this new record, I appreciate it tremendously and I hope the music is a blessing in return. Digital downloads are cool – but if your interested in getting this album then I would suggest getting the CD version with the full artwork. I share a lot of personal thoughts and notes about every song inside the 12 page booklet. Feel free to hit me up anytime with thoughts, feedback, encouragement or prayer requests.

Categorized in Music
Tags: Braille, Hip hop, Music

Nov

Review – The Ambassador – The Chop Chop

[ ART | MUSIC | KNOWLEDGE| HEALTH ]

Written by Rob Target

Ambassador The Chop Chop CD Lyrics Album Mp3 Free Download

Yo let’s embark on this album called “The Chop Chop”. Huh? Yep it’s called ……. “The Chop Chop”. Named by one of the most recognized figures in Holy Hip Hop today. Hailed from one of the most long lasting crews of Christian Hip Hop The Cross Movement. I can go on and on about there lengthy legacy. They’re a great brand that the Lord has blessed with many loyal followers. This is the third installment from the solo artist The Ambassador. He is the vessel used by the Lord Jesus to bring us this album “The Chop Chop.”

The album starts out with the song “The Opener.” Ambassador tells the listener that his mission is to build them up. A semi rock feel reintroduces one of the pavement layers of Christian Hip Hop. It also introduces him to folks who don’t know who he is. If you don’t know, in the hearts of many Christian Hip Hop purist, he is the equivalent to L.L. Cool J.. He is in fact one of the original Christian Hip Hop pioneers and can still can put it down and will surprise you at any given moment. When you take memorable albums like Christology and The Thesis then mix in 2008 Hip Hop flavor and a war with Craig G Lewis the only thing you can do is come out with a album that is your best work to date.

I will make one point clear, any review you read will not do this album any justice. Why do I say this? Simple, this album has too many sides to analyze (without writing a 80 page report). Ambassador comes with many styles, word play, rhyme patterns, and metaphors that will make a rap legend like Rakim rethink his faith. Deuce puts all the theology you would expect from a Cross Movement project into this album. This album appeals to the rap fan and the Bible researcher.

As a solo artist The Ambassador has transformed himself to reach a wide variety of lost sheep. Check out the hit “Gimme Dat” this proves that at anytime Amba could have easily used his talents to make secular hit music. However, the hits are only for the Holy God Jesus Christ. “Gimme Dat” has a T-pain’ish chorus and is fitted with a beat that will get er’body dancing the shoulder lean. Ambassador also switches up on “The Day I Met U” produced by Tony Stone. A smooth song where Deuce reveals his background. This song tells the story of his life from birth, teen years, and when he encountered truth (God). This is where he states “Something Happened”. The hook is a sing-a-long and you would never have guessed Amba is singing it. WORD? Then, there is “The Cost” one of the best songs that ever came out the soul of The Ambassador. The song displays Ambassador telling the believer that this walk is just that; a cost. It makes the clear point that Jesus and Christianity is not to be taken as a pie in the sky lifestyle. On a side note, fans of the early Cross Movement would never think the Ambassador would be on a track like this. It works well, the Anthony Hamilton like hook and groove makes you zone in on the lyrics and hook below.

You start off as a enemy/ hostile to the true God/ Spirit moving gently/ drops a set of new eyes/ everything new fresh to death like ooh aahh / you are/ fresh off God’s lot like a new car/ but just like new cars/ quickly start to depreciate/ you quickly face hardships you are to appreciate/ we need to make it clear/down here there it’s no piece of cake/ but the tears are going to fade to pay we see the gate

you told me I was lost
you told me I was brought
but you never spoke about The Cost
you always told me all about what it cost God given
but you never told me the cost me to live it
you told me I’m living
you told me I’m forgiven
you told me in the sky it’s a ribbon
you told me about the fly place I would go to
I wish you would’ve told me all the heck i would go thru

There are disappointments on “The Chop Chop”: The biggest one is Da T.R.U.T.H.’s verse on the song “Love & Grace”. it was short lived and will leave you feeling totally cheated out of a great cameo. There are other small things that put a dent in the armor of this project. For instance, a couple of the hooks sound a little dated. Having such loyal followers of Cross Movement Records and the new breed of listeners, Ambassador has a hard juggling act to do. Not only keeping the loyal fans, but reaching out to new sheep. Most of the time he has great success. But there are a few glitches in The Chop Chop that confuse you on what his aim is musically.

Speaking of guest spots, there are a few familiar names you will see and a few you will not. You will not see any of the other three members from the Cross movement crew. Not only that, if you are looking for “The Chop Chop” cypha track, don’t. There isn’t one on this album. But what you will see is Reach Records‘ Lecrae and Trip Lee holding it down on “Checking For My God” and “Checking For My God Remix”. This is a south track that will have Reach Record fans pleased. Also, the guest who was simply amazing is Stephen The Levite. Peep the track “Talk Alot” as Stephen spits ……”I know you’d rather be entertained/ this is the illest stuff to ever enter your brain/“. He was right; His verbal sermon was one of the illest verses.

If you only download one song make sure is it “JESUS”. This is song has it all, exalting Jesus and pointing the listener to the cross. Christian Hip Hop at it’s best. “The Chop Chop From Milk to Meat” is really that. A review of the music isn’t enough but the meat of the words from this album is what you need to digest. So go get your Bible and then pick this album up.

Release Date: September 23, 2008

Record Label: Cross Movement Records

Track Listing

1. The Opener
2. The Chop Chop
3. Checkin’ for My God Remix ft. Lecrae & Trip Lee
4. The Chop Chop Defined (Interlude)
5. Gimme Dat!
6. JESUS
7. Talk A Lot ft. Stephen the Levite
8. Listen Up
9. Hardcore
10. Hope Man
11. Theology of Brokenness (Interlude)
12. The Cost
13. The Day I Met U
14. Love & Grace ft. J.R. & Da’ T.R.U.T.H.
15. Whatchu Goin’ Do?
16. The Ambassador’s Appeal (Interlude)
17. Deeper

BONUS TRACKS
Checkin’ For My God ft. Lecrae
Glory & Praise ft. J5 the Prophet

Categorized in Music
Tags: Christian hip hop, christian Hip Hop Radio, Music, The Ambassador

Nov

Interview – Grits and Reiterate

Written by Rapzilla

Your new album “Reiterate” is out, what makes it different from your previous releases?
There’s definitely been growth in the song writing as far as appeal but it also was done purposely as one of the goals we wanted to achieve.

Why the title “Reiterate”?
We keep a somewhat steady flow of show dates and started noticing an obvious number of peoples first time hearing or seeing us before and we had to be able to be consistent for the fam and keep it fresh for new ones, so we adopted the same mind for the album title and direction.

How long did you work on this album? Was it a smooth process?
We worked on the album over the past year or so really took our time to build it. As far as the process it could always be better to perfectionist personalities such as ourselves, but it was the smoothest we’ve had, organic.

What’s your favorite track? And why?
Their all my babies, but I’m vibing off “Fly Away” and “Say Goodbye” for now, “Walkin my Way” is up there too. They all serve their own purpose which keeps them an individually important part of the body.

What do you want to accomplish with “Reiterate”? Besides selling a lot of records.
A new standard in music, if we hold ourselves to confinement, we exclude ourselves from other opportunities that may be a resource for the greater benefit or goal. We want our music to effect everyone in the since that they can walk away with something no matter who you are. Why not make history that is timeless? Especially with music.

How and why did you decide to start your own label (Revolution Art)? Why the name “Revolution Art”? How did you come up with it?
The industry is like growing up, at some point you learn or should learn how to stand on your own two feet. So Revolution Art is a symbol of our growth and commitment. That’s why we named the label that, we want to redefine culture through music. A movement of change for better, better music, better families, communities, and Life. If that’s the response we continue to get then we in for a long ride its just been the first ten years. That’s why we chose/choose our roster as if we were/are signing our last. Building career artist is not popular as it used to be but for us we don’t mind the challenge look where its gotten us for a decade and people reading this like who are these dudes? Lol… Besides we want our artist to want to aspire to one day be CEOs of there own.

What can we expect from Revolution Art? (projects) Any plans to do solo albums?
JADE HARRELL is our first artist due for Spring release she has a single called “Broken” on itunes right now. She has a young Pop/Soulful/Dance sound but very mature lyrically, appealing to other young ladies and women in general. Beautiful voice and the self written songs to go with it at 19. Stefan the SCIENTIST is what we want to shake it up with towards the Fall of 09, he was exactly what we wanted to branch out to a worldwide format especially being from the Bahamas and having as much diversity as he does beyond reggae. And we also felt it was important to release COFFEE and BONAFIDE solo albums, give people a chance to hear the recipe for Grits, so in maybe Summer or so.

We know you started out as Dancers for DC Talk, which was how you met Toby and got signed to his label (Gotee Records) later on. But what we would like to know is do you still dance? And was your main focus at the time, dance or music?
Our focus has always been primarily music, and of course with that comes the business and you find out if its either for you or not no matter how you come in and GOD makes a way for you, that’s just our personal exprience so dancing was like going to college for us, now we graduated finished our masters did residential going into private practice.

Any last words? Shout outs?
The grass isn’t greener on the otherside, you just gotta do what you spose to do for yours to be greener… Aka “uNcLe RoN”

Categorized in Music
Tags: christian Hip Hop Radio, The Grits

Nov

10 things Christians can do everyday

[ ART | MUSIC | KNOWLEDGE| HEALTH ]

1. Treat others as you would have them treat you:
Treat other people in the manner that you want them to treat you. This is a hallmark of Christianity. Be kind to people, even when they are unkind to you. That way, you set an example for them, you become a representative of the Christian faith.

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you” – Jesus, as quoted in Matthew 7:12 (NIV)

2. Help people:
In Matthew 25:34-40, Jesus tells us that we are to give food to those who are hungry, give clothes to people who need them, provide shelter for people who have none, visit people who are sick, and give comfort to people who are in prison.

3. Don’t worry:
Do your best. Deal with life’s problems. But don’t worry. Instead, have faith in Jesus that all things will work out in the way they need to work out.

“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” – Jesus, as quoted in Matthew 6:27 (NIV)

4. Read the Bible:
If you read the Bible for about 10 to 20 minutes a day, you can finish the four Gospels – the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John – in one month. The four Gospels describe the life and teachings of Jesus, the Son of God.

5. Give thanks and be joyful:
“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

6. Pray:
“This, then, is how you should pray:
`Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.’ “
- Jesus, explaining how people should pray, as quoted in Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV)

7. Forgive your enemies:

“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
- Jesus, as quoted in Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV)

8. Be careful what you say about other people:

“But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
- Jesus, as quoted in Matthew 12:36-37 (NIV)

9. Know the Word of God and use it each day:
If you read the four Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, you will see many examples of how Christians should act.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
- Jesus, as quoted in Matthew 7:24 (NIV)

10. Encourage others to read the Bible:
If you have found peace and salvation in the Bible, share it with others – tell people, write a letter, or create a Web site. Encourage others to read the Bible. Encourage family members and friends to attend church with you. Consider giving Bibles as gifts to others.

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
- Jesus, as quoted in Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)

Categorized in Knowledge
Tags: Christian Living

Nov

Lukewarm Christians

[ ART | MUSIC | KNOWLEDGE| HEALTH ]

One of the most frightening group of verses in the Bible are found in Rev 3:14-19, when Christ is talking to the Church of Laodicea.

He is addressing the people of a city known for its wealth. But despite its financial prosperity, it was spiritually impoverished. He says to the people “You are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of My mouth. For you say ‘I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.’ You don’t realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.”

What’s frightening about this statement is that most people in this world who call themselves Christians are lukewarm. Yes we might go to church on Sundays, make an appearance, and think to ourselves, hey, I don’t sell drugs, I haven’t killed anybody, I never robbed a bank, I even give to charities. But think what Christ is saying here “I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.”

Not too many years ago, the Dow Jones average had a tough time breaking 1000. Since then, it has been over 10,000. IRAs have come into the picture, and many typical people have savings well into the six figures. And every average neighborhood seems to have a quiet millionaire living in it.

But with all this prosperity also comes a falling away from God.

There is a group of prophecies in Zechariah 6:1-8 that I think ties in with Revelation 3:14-19. In the Zechariah prophecy there are four different colored horses with chariots that are sent out across the earth.

Although these horses resemble the four horses in the book of Revelation, don’t mix them up, the Revelation prophecy has not taken place as of yet, but the prophecy in Zechariah, Chapter 6, has already been fulfilled. In these prophecies, two of the horses, the black followed by the white, go to the “north country.”

Then comes the statement “Behold these that go to the north country have quieted My Spirit in the north country.” What I believe God is saying here is that the black horses are Capitalism and prosperity, and that the north country represents Europe, the United States and Canada.

Then the white horses follow, which I believe are false religions and idol worship, and will hinder God’s Spirit in the rich north countries. All these north countries are basically Christian, and due to the great riches of these countries, many false religions have popped up. I believe most people are worshiping money more than God. Money seems to be the Number 1 idol, and pride is another idol.

As for the other two sets of horses, the dappled gray go to the south, and the red patrol back and forth across the earth.

The dapple grays I believe are poverty, disease and hunger. They go to the southern area of the globe, such as Africa and South America, where the economy isn’t so good, along with famine, starvation, and widespread disease. The red horses represent war and unrest, and as they patrol back and forth across the earth, war follows. God foretold 2500 years ago in Zech 6:1-8, what the economy and situations would be like in the northern and southern areas of the globe.

Now Jesus understood riches, luxury and opulence can become idols, creating a false sense of security. They bestow a power that can easily drive a person to arrogance, cheating and selfishness. For this reason, Jesus said wealth posed a challenge to the spirit. It was harder for a rich person to fulfill his true purpose in life than for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle (Matt 19:24). Which brings us back to Rev 3:14-19 “So because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” Here we have God Himself condemning us, for worshiping money and other idols, instead of worshiping Him.

I don’t think that there is anything wrong with making a lot of money. Remember, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, David and Daniel were all very rich men. But their riches never got in the way of worshiping God. Their money never became an idol.

If you feel you are one of these people who calls himself or herself a Christian, but knows deep inside that your money and lifestyle comes before Christ, if you know that there is never any time to pray or fellowship with God because of the time it takes to earn your money, party, play with all the toys that money can buy, read pornography, enjoy R rated movies, or just sit in front of the boob tube for hours, then you are a “lukewarm Christian,” And it’s time to make a turnaround, before Christ spits you out, which I think means, you may be on your way to Hell.

Take time now to thank God for all that He has given you. Thank Him for your family, house, car, job, bank account, toys, etc, because everything on this earth actually belongs to Him. He gave them to you. And to receive the biggest gift of all, an eternal life in Heaven, all you have to do is ask Him for it, it won’t cost you a cent. Just confess that you are need of salvation, that you believe in Jesus, that you regret your sins, and that you want His salvation, and you will receive life’s biggest treasure – eternal life in Heaven, not to mention the peace of mind you will have while here on earth.

If it helps, these are the kinds of things that I said when I asked Jesus for salvation: “Jesus, I am a sinner. I ask You to forgive me of every sin I have committed throughout my life. I know You are the Son of God, and I need You, Jesus, to guide me through my life. Come into my life Jesus, and guide me and make me one of Your own.”

If you have turned your life over to Jesus, please email us and share with us the good news. Please, consider sending this article to your friends, relatives, and everybody on your mailing list, to encourage them to take the same opportunity to become one of Christ’s family that you have had.

God Bless You.

Categorized in Knowledge
Tags: Bible Study, Lukewarm Christians

Nov

The Holy – Days of the Bible

Let me begin by saying this is not meant to be an exhaustive study on the Biblical Feast days. This section should serve as an overview, which will introduce you to each Feast Day. Independent studies regarding the practice of each day is up to you- I feel it’s important to leave out this information so you may be sucked into the Messianic fold and truly learn why it’s so important that we celebrate these days instead of those rooted in paganism.

Understanding the Feasts

God gave the festivals of the Lord found in Leviticus 23 to us so His people could understand the coming of the Messiah and the role that the Messiah would play in redeeming and restoring both man and the earth back to God following the fall in the Garden of Eden. Although most non-Jewish Bible believers have heard of the feasts, the deep meaning and the importance of these feasts is universally misunderstood.

The apostle Paul wrote to the Gentile believers in Colossae that the feasts of the Lord, the new moon, and the Sabbath (Shabbat) days were a ‘shadow of things to come’ to teach us about the Messiah (Colossians 2:16-17). We in the west often think of our shadow as behind us, therefore we think of these days as also being behind us; however to the Jewish mind this means an outline or a blueprint of things to come. Yeshua (the Hebrew name for Jesus, which means “salvation”) was the substance or fulfillment of the greater plan that God revealed and foreshadowed in these seven important festivals. To all the readers who are familiar with the festivals, you will be fascinated to discover that the first four feasts or festivals, which are Passover (Pesach), Unleavened Bread (Hag HaMatzah), First Fruits (Bikkurim), and Pentecost (Shavuot), primarily teach about the significant events from the first coming of the Messiah and why these events were an important part of God’s redemption of man. In addition, you will discover that the last three feasts, which are the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah), the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles (Sukkot), give fascinating insight concerning important events that surround the second coming of the Messiah.

The festivals are God’s feasts days, not Israel’s or the Jews. They are His appointed times that we are to observe (Leviticus 23:1-2,4). God gave the festivals to teach about the death, burial, and resurrection of the Messiah; the empowering of believers by the Holy Spirit; the resurrection of the dead; the coronation of the Messiah; the wedding of the Messiah; the tribulation; the second coming; and the millennium age or thousand year reign on the earth.

The Bible provides many powerful reasons for studying and understanding the seven festivals of the Messiah:

The feasts are in the Bible, and the entire Bible is inspired by God. (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
The feasts are a shadow (blueprint) of things to come that teaches us about the Messiah (Colossians 2:16-17; Hebrews 10:1).
The feasts are prophetic types and examples foreshadowing significant events in God’s plan of redemption (1 Corinthians 10:1-6,11).
God gave the feasts so we could learn and understand His plan of redemption for the world and our personal relationship to Him (Romans 15:4).
The feasts, as part of the Torah (which means “instruction”), and is as a schoolmaster or tutor that leads us to the Messiah (Galatians 3:24).
The feasts will point to the Messiah and God’s plan for the world through the Messiah (Psalm 40:6-8; Hebrews 10:7).
Jesus came to fulfill all that was written in the Old Testament, which consists of three parts: the Torah, the prophets, and the writings personified by the Psalms, concerning Him (Luke 24:26-27, 44-45; John 5:46-47).
The feasts set forth the pattern of heavenly things on earth (Hebrews 8:1-2,5; 9:8-9,23; Exodus 25:8-9,40; 26:30; Numbers 8:4; Ezekiel 43:1-6,10-12).
God gives the natural to explain the spiritual (1 Corinthians 15:46-47).
By studying the natural, we can understand the spiritual (1 Corinthians 2:9-13; 2 Corinthians 4:18).

What does feast mean in the Bible?

Two important Hebrew words appear in Leviticus 23, and each word is translated as feast in English. In verse 2, the word for feast is the Hebrew word mo’ed, as it is written, “Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, concerning the feasts [mo'ed] of the Lord….” The word mo’ed means “an appointment, a fixed time or season, a cycle or year, an assembly, an appointed time, a set time or exact time. By understanding the Hebrew meaning of the English word feast, we can see that God is telling us that He is ordaining a “set or exact time or an appointed time” when He fulfill certain events in the redemption. In fact, Jesus came to earth at the exact time ordained by God (Galatians 4:2, 4), and God has an exact time when, in the future, He will judge the world (Acts 17:31).

In verse 6 is another Hebrew word translated as feast, as it is written, “And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast [chag] of unleavened bread….” The Hebrew word chag, which means a “festival,” is derived from the Hebrew root word chagag, which means “to move in a circle, to march in a sacred procession, to celebrate, dance, to hold a solemn feast or holiday.” By this we can see that God gave the festivals as cycles to be observed yearly so that, by doing them, we can understand God’s redemptive plan for the world; the role that the Messiah would play in that redemption; and our personal relationship to God concerning how we grow from a baby Bible believer to a mature Bible believer. Although God gave us the festivals to observe, God never gave the festivals so we would obtain salvation from Him by observing them because salvation only comes by faith; however, God did give the festivals for the purpose of teaching and instructing His people concerning His plan of redemption and our personal relationship to Him.

The Appointed Place

The feasts are not only God’s appointed times, but they were also to be observed at God’s appointed place. God said that He would choose a place and that it would be a set place where His redemptive plan would be accomplished. Passover, the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles were to be observed at an appointed place (Deuteronomy 16:2, 6, 9-11, 13-16). This place was Jerusalem (2 Kings 21:4). From this we can see that Jerusalem was appointed by God to be the place where important events surrounding His redemptive plan would be accomplished. Jesus died, was buried, and resurrected in Jerusalem. The empowering of the believers by the Holy Spirit took place in Jerusalem. Messiah will return and set His foot on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:4) and Jerusalem will be the center of world attention and controversy before the coming of the Messiah (Zechariah 12:2-3; 14:2-4).

Overview of the weekly feast day, Shabbat

In the first centuries the Sabbath had been kept by all Jewish-Christians and the vast majority of Gentile- Christians due to their understanding of believing in a Jewish Messiah. But with great subtlety Satan worked through his agents to bring about his object of worship so that the attention of the people might be called to the day of the Sun, Sunday.

Sunday was called the Christian Sabbath formally established in about the fourth century, but practiced before this time. To prepare the way for the work which he desired to accomplish, Satan had led the Jews, before the advent of Christ, to load down the Sabbath with the most rigorous exactions, making its observance a burden. Now, taking advantage of the false light in which he had thus caused it to be regarded, he cast contempt upon it as a Jewish institution.

In the early part of the fourth century the emperor Constantine issued a decree making Sunday a public festival throughout the Roman Empire. The day of the sun was reverenced by his pagan subjects and was in turn honored by Christians under Roman rule; it was the emperor’s policy to unite the conflicting interests of heathenism and Christianity.

He (Constantine) was urged to do this through a vision he is said to have had which showed him a cross with a serpent wrapped around it. Obviously a mix of paganism and Christianity…

The newly appointed bishops of the Roman Church, who, inspired by ambition and thirst for power, perceived that if both Christians and heathen observed the same day, it would promote the nominal acceptance of Christianity by pagans and thus advance the power and glory of the church.

WHAT SAITH THE LORD

1. Which day, according to the Bible, is the Sabbath?

Exodus 20:10 “But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:”

Exodus 31:15 “Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.”

Exodus 35:2 “Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.”

Deuteronomy 5:14 “But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.”

2. What, according to prophecy, was to be Christ’s attitude toward the law?

Isaiah 42:21 “The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honorable.”

3. What did Christ say of the law? Matthew 5:17.

Matthew 5:17 “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.”

4. How enduring did He say the law is? Matthew 5:18.

Matthew 5:18 “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”

5. What did He say of those who should break one of the least of God’s Commandments, and teach men to do so?

Matthew 5:19 “Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

6. What did God, through the prophet Daniel, say the power represented by the “little horn” would think to do?

Daniel 7:25 “And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.”

7. What did Paul say the “man of sin” would do?

2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4 “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; 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, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4.

Note: There is only one way by which any power could exalt itself above God, and this is by assuming to change the law of God, and to require obedience to its own law instead of God’s law. The Papacy claims the change of the Sabbath to the first day of the week was her act and is the mark of her authority in religious things according to the Doctrinal Catechism.

“Question: Have you any other way of proving that the Church has power to institute festivals of precept?”
“Answer: Had she not such power she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her; she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday the seventh day, a change for which there is no scriptural authority.”
“A Doctrinal Catechism”, by the Rev. Stephen Kennan, p.174.

“Question: Which is the Sabbath day?”
“Answer: Saturday is the Sabbath day?”
“Question: Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?”
“Answer: We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church, in the Council of Laodicea (A.D. 336), transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday.”

“The Convert’s Catechism of Catholic Doctrine,” page 50, third edition, 1913, a work which received the “apostolic blessing” of Pope Pius X, January 25, 1910.

Of course the Catholic Church claims that the change was her act . . . and the act is a mark of her ecclesiastical authority in religious things.

“If Protestants would actually follow the Bible instead of the Roman traditions, they would find that they should worship God on the Sabbath Day. In keeping Sunday “holy” they are rejecting the commandments of God for the commandments of men.”

Albert Smith, Chancellor of the Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore, replying for the Cardinal in a letter of February 10, 1920.

Look up in any encyclopedia Saturday or Sabbath and it will tell you that it is the seventh day of the week, and that all Christians observed it up until the fourth century.

“Constantine the Great made a law for the whole empire (A.D. 321) that Sunday should be kept as a day of rest in all cities and towns; but he allowed the country people to follow their work”

Encyclopedia America, article “Sabbath.”

Lots of Christians today say that they worship on Sunday in commemoration of Christ’s resurrection. Let’s quickly examine this flawed logic.

Didn’t Jesus raise on a Sunday?

If you visit a mainstream Christian church and ask members why the day on which they and other people attend worship services is Sunday, a typical response might be that Jesus was resurrected on that day. But how well does this idea bear up under scrutiny?

Notice what Christ told the Pharisees, who were looking for a sign of the Messiah:

Matthew 12:39-40 “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth”

The only sign Jesus gave to prove He was the Messiah was that the grave would only hold Him for a limited amount of time “three days and three nights” (or 72 hours). But the Easter Sunday tradition maintains that Christ was buried just before sunset on “Good Friday” afternoon and resurrected early Sunday morning-only two nights and one day (or 36 hours)!

Some will argue the definition of “day.” But Christ clearly stated that there are 12 hours in a day, not including the night (John 11:9-10). Therefore, when Easter Sunday proponents take His remark and conclude that Christ was in the grave three days x 12 hours = 36 hours, we can see that they are leaving out the “three nights.” There are approximately 12 hours of daytime and 12 hours of nighttime in one 24-hour day. So three days and three nights is obviously 72 hours. But was it exactly 72 hours? Jesus said He would rise “AFTER three days” (Mark 8:31)-i.e. no less than 72 hours. But He also said He would rise “IN three days” (John 2:19, 21)-i.e. no more than 72 hours. This is absolutely clear-72 hours exactly as anything more or less would make Him a liar!

Also consider that, when the women came to His tomb Sunday morning, “it was still dark” (John 20:1) and He had already risen. How could this be? The Sunday-resurrection proponents contend that He had risen just moments before. If they are correct, then “three days and three nights” earlier would be just before sunrise on Thursday morning. Yet no one believes Christ was buried on Thursday morning-or any morning for that matter-and with good reason. When Joseph of Arimathea laid Christ’s body in the tomb, “the Sabbath drew near” (Luke 23:50-54). Biblical days, including Sabbaths, begin at sunset and end the following sunset (cf. Genesis 1:5-31; Leviticus 23:32)-a nighttime period followed by a daytime period.

Christ, then, was buried in late afternoon-before a particular Sabbath began at sunset. Three days and three nights later would be the same time of day-late afternoon! Now we have another problem. If we assume that Christ was buried on Friday afternoon, as the Good Friday tradition asserts, then His resurrection-72 hours later-would be Monday afternoon. Yet no one believes this either-again, with good reason. For remember that Christ had already risen before the women came to His tomb prior to daybreak Sunday morning! What, then, is the answer?

Why have so many thought that Christ was put in the grave on Friday afternoon? Mark 15:42 states that “it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath.” Since the weekly Sabbath always occurred on the seventh day of the week (now called Saturday), the “Preparation Day” was normally on Friday. However, we have already seen the problem with this. The answer to the apparent dilemma is that the weekly Sabbath is not the only Sabbath mentioned in the Bible. Leviticus 23 lists seven annual Holy Days that occur in God’s Festivals. Each of these days was considered a Sabbath (or a “rest” from normal labor). All annual Sabbaths or “High Days” (except Pentecost) fell on particular calendar dates rather than set days of the week.

Now the mystery can be solved by reading John 19:31. The Jews wanted to remove the crucifixion victims “because it was the Preparation Day that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a HIGH DAY).” Christ kept the Passover with His disciples the night before His death (Luke 22:15). He died on the cross the next afternoon, which was still Passover (the 14th of Abib or Nisan according to the Hebrew Calendar-Leviticus 23:5). Leviticus 23:6-7 reports: the next day beginning the evening after His crucifixion, was not a weekly Sabbath, but an annual Sabbath-the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Now put together the facts. It is clear from the Bible that Christ died and was buried on Passover afternoon-and that the following day was an annual Sabbath. It is also clear that he was resurrected at the same time of day-late afternoon. But which afternoon? Since the women found Him already gone Sunday before dawn, it would be sensible to conclude that He had been resurrected the previous afternoon on Saturday! This would mean He had been buried three days and three nights earlier-Wednesday afternoon. It would also mean that Passover, Nisan 14, fell on a Wednesday that year. And, indeed, that is what happened in A.D. 31, a year that fits the time frame the Bible demands.

Scripture also provides further proof that there were TWO Sabbaths that week-an annual and a weekly one. In Mark 15:47, Mary Magdalene and her companion watched Joseph of Arimathea laid Jesus in the tomb near the end of the Passover. The next verse, Mark 16:1 tells us that after the “Sabbath,” Mary Magdalene and her companions bought spices with which to anoint Christ’s dead body. However, Luke 23:56 shows that they prepared the spices before the Sabbath. Naturally, they couldn’t have prepared spices before they were even bought! The only explanation that makes sense is that they bought the spices on Friday and prepared them the same day-after the annual Sabbath on Thursday and before the weekly Sabbath on Saturday!³Then they rested on the weekly Sabbath-at the end of which Jesus was resurrected. The next morning, Sunday, they came to the tomb before sunrise and found him already gone.

But some will point out Mark 16:9, which says, “Now when He rose early on the first day of the week….” Yet how can this be? Remember days began at sundown the day before, this is called the “Eve” of the day. So he would have raised on the ‘Eve of/early the First day of the week’, which to us is Saturday evening!

So, is it okay to celebrate a Sunday Morning Resurrection? NO- He raised “Sunday Eve” or Saturday night, so teach the truth about the subject. When we gather on Sunday morning for the First Fruit Celebration we’re doing what Mary Magdalene did, showing up after He was risen.

In his book, The Story of the Christian Church, Jesse Lyman Hurlbut states, “As long as the church was mainly Jewish, the Hebrew Sabbath was kept; but as it became increasingly Gentile the first day gradually took the place of the seventh day” (1970, p. 36).

Notice that Hurlbut says the first day “gradually” replaced the seventh-day Sabbath. Why? Because Gentiles had always worshipped on Sunday because they worshipped the Sun God! Peer pressure and persecution no doubt where major factors in it’s phasing out, but the biggest factor was a growing hatred for the Jewish people. They eventually took the inherent Jewishness of Jesus away and replaced it with a Gentile likeness and theological disposition.

Jesus at Creation gave the seventh day Sabbath as a day of rest, did He afterwards give another?

Hebrews 4:3-11 “For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” (Emphasis mine)

This verse proves Jesus did not give another Sabbath or change the day of rest from Saturday to Sunday. It also states that some did not enter into the Sabbath because of unbelief.

What kind of worship does the Savior call that which is not according to God’s Commandments?

Matthew 15:9 “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”

What is the sign that shows the Lord to be your God?

Ezekiel 20:20 “And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God.”

Exodus 31:13 “Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a SIGN between Me and you throughout your generations, THAT YOU MAY KNOW that I am the Lord who sanctifies you” (Emphasis Mine)

1 John 2:3-4 “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”

Overview of the Spring Festivals

The four spring festivals are Passover (Pesach), Unleavened Bread (Hag HaMatzah), First Fruits (Bikkurim), and the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot or Pentecost).

Passover occurs in the first month of the religious calendar (Aviv, also called Nisan), on the fourteenth day, Leviticus 23:5.
Unleavened Bread immediately follows the first day of Passover (Pesach). It is observed in the first month (Aviv/Nisan) from the fifteenth day to the twenty-first day (Leviticus 23:6-8).
The Feast of First Fruits of the barley harvest is observed during the week of Unleavened Bread. Anciently, on this day, sheaves of barley were waved before the Lord in a prescribed ceremony. Today, this festival is not observed in traditional Judaism; most likely because it’s the day Jesus was resurrected.
The Feast of Weeks is also known as Pentecost. Beginning on the Feast of First Fruits, we begin to count 50 days. This is called the counting of the omer. On the fiftieth day following the Feast of First Fruits the Feast of Weeks begins. (Leviticus 23:15-21). (Note: Pentecost is a Greek word that literally means “fiftieth.”)

These four spring festivals are joined together as an interrelated unit. The Feast of Weeks is considered the conclusion to Passover. The season of Passover is not considered totally over until Shavuot is completed.

The Exodus Story: From Passover to Pentecost

Passover begins in Egypt (a type of the world), where the children of Israel had become slaves. When the children of Israel cried out to God to remember the promises He made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God called forth a deliverer named Moses. God told Moses that He was going to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt to the Promised Land (Exodus 3:8). When God sent Moses to Pharaoh, God did not tell Moses to ask Pharaoh to allow the children of Israel to leave Egypt and go to the Promised Land. Instead, God only instructed Moses to ask Pharaoh to allow the children of Israel to take a three-day journey into the wilderness to make a sacrifice to God (Exodus 3:18). Moses obeyed God’s instructions exactly, as can be seen in Exodus 5:1-3. Pharaoh’s first deviance of the Almighty One of Israel was his refusal to allow the people of God to observe a feast and to sacrifice to Him…

After a remarkable series of plagues inflicted on Egypt because of Pharaoh’s continued stubbornness, the children of Israel were finally released to leave Egypt laden with the spoils of the Egyptians. The children of Israel came to the banks of the Red Sea on the seventeenth day of Aviv/Nisan, which is three days after the day of Passover in the first month of the religious calendar. The Passover Lamb was slain on the fourteenth of Nisan and the people left Egypt before midnight in the evening of the fifteenth after the death angel struck the firstborn of Egypt.

When Pharaoh saw that the children of Israel were trapped against the sea, he foolishly decided to pursue them with his army (Exodus 14:1-9). The children of Israel became afraid, but Moses rose up and said, as it is written, “…Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord…” (Exodus 14:13). Jesus, Yeshua in Hebrew means salvation or Savior (Matthew 1:21).

At this point, the sea divided and the children of Israel crossed the floor of the Red Sea on dry ground while the Egyptian army, along with Pharaoh, pursued the Hebrews into the Red Sea and were drowned (Exodus 14:26-28; 15:4,19). The Bible says that the Lord’s right hand destroyed the Egyptians (Exodus 15:6,12). The right hand is a term for the Messiah, Jesus (Psalms 44:3; 48:10; 63:8; 74:10-11; 89:13; 98:1; 110:1; 118:16; 138:7; Isaiah 41:10; 53:1-5; 62:8; Acts 2:32-36; 5:31-32; Hebrews 1:3).

It is important to note that Pharaoh, along with his army, drowned in the sea. In the days of Joseph, there was a famine in Israel and the children of Israel went down to Egypt and gave themselves to rulership under Pharaoh. Because of this, Pharaoh had legal ownership over the people. This ownership could be broken only by the death of Pharaoh, thus freeing the children of Israel to go to the Promised Land. Because of this fact, God did not violate His word to Pharaoh through Moses when he asked Pharaoh to let the people go on a three-day journey into the wilderness, but later continued to go to the Promised Land. When Pharaoh died, his rulership over the children of Israel was legally broken and the people were free to go to the Promised Land. For this reason, the season of Passover is called “The Feast of Our Freedom” by the Jews.

Spiritually speaking, Pharaoh is a type of Satan. Until you accept the Messiah into your life, Satan has legal ownership over you. By the death of Jesus, the legal ownership that Satan has over our lives is broken and we are free to enter into the spiritual promised land of God and receive all the promises that He has promised us.

Fifty Days from the Red Sea: Pentecost

From the crossing of the Red Sea (Nisan 17) to the day Moses met God on Mount Sinai were 47 days. For 47 days the children of Israel traveled through the wilderness before they came to Mount Sinai on the third day of the third month (Sivan) (Exodus 19:1). God instructed the people through Moses to sanctify themselves before He visited them three days later on Mount Sinai, which would be the sixth day of the third month of Sivan (Exodus19:10-11). This day would be the fiftieth day following the crossing of the Red Sea; it came to be known as the revelation of God at Mount Sinai. This day being the fiftieth day from the crossing of the Red Sea on Nisan 17 would be the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost.

Therefore, from the Exodus story, we can see that the Lamb was slain on the fourteenth of Nisan, the day of Passover. On the fifteenth of Nisan, the day of Unleavened Bread, the people left Egypt; on the seventeenth of Nisan the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea; and 50 days later on Pentecost, God gave the Torah (instruction) on Mount Sinai. In like manner Jesus died on Passover (Nisan 14), was in the sepulcher on the day of Unleavened Bread (Nisan 15), and was resurrected on the day of First Fruits (Nisan 17), and the Holy Spirit empowered the believers 50 days following Jesus’ resurrection on the day of Pentecost.

Overview of the Fall Festivals

The fall festival season begins with a 40-day period called, in Hebrew, Teshuvah, which means “to repent or return.” This 40-day period begins in the sixth month of the religious calendar, the month of Elul, and concludes on the tenth day of the seventh month, which is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Each morning in the synagogue following the morning prayers, a shofar is blown (except on Sabbaths and the day preceding Rosh Hashanah, the Feast of Trumpets). Psalm 27 is read every day. Rosh Hashanah, the Feast of Trumpets is the thirtieth day into this 40-day period of Teshuvah or repentance. The biblical name for Rosh Hashanah is Yom Teruah, which means “the day of the awakening blast.” It is observed on the seventh month (Tishrei) and the first day of the month (Leviticus 23:23-24). God gave us this day to teach us about the resurrection of the dead and much more.

This day is both the Jewish New Year and the beginning of a period of soul-searching known as the High Holy Days, culminating on Yom Kippur. Therefore, the last 10 days of the 40-day period of Teshuvah, beginning on Elul 1, is also called the High Holy Days.

The first and second days of the 10 High Holy Days (Tishrei 1-10) are collectively known as one day (Nehemiah 7:73; 8:1-2,13). The seven-day period from Tishrei 3 through Tishrei 9 is called the Days of Awe or the Awesome Days. God gave these special days on His calendar to teach us about the future tribulation period on earth. These seven days are called Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles and will correspond to the seven years of the tribulation known in Hebrew as the “birth pangs of the Messiah”.¹

So while the spring festivals have been fulfilled by Jesus, the fall festivals have yet to be fulfilled! The fall festivals are rehearsals for what is still to come- by following them we will be prepared for the end of days.

The Jewish calendar

Understanding the cycles of God is hard to do on our western calendar as our months do not coincide with the biblical months. For instance June, which is our sixth month, is the ninth month on the Jewish calendar. October which is our tenth month is the first month on the Jewish calendar. There are many bookstores that supply authentic Jewish Calendars; the best which I have found is from the Galilee Experience in Tiberias, Israel. Their calendar highlights all the feast days and even gives the Sabbath candle lighting time in Jerusalem. They can be purchased from www.thegalileeexperience.com⁴

The Signature of God

This is where the feast days of the Lord should really concern you, for they are His Signature, His Sign on the human mind. When a believer remembers God’s feasts days, including Shabbat (Sabbath), when he keeps them and bears them in mind; he is indeed declaring to the whole of society and the angelic host above, that the God of Israel is his choice, his God. We know that the Lords feast days constitute His sign (signature) from the following verses:

Ezekiel 20:12	“Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths to be a SIGN* between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD, that sanctify them.”*
Ezekiel 20:20	“And hallow my Sabbaths; and they shall be a SIGN* between me and you that ye may know that I am the LORD your God.”*
Exodus 31:12	“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 13: Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a SIGN between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you. … 16: Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. 17: It is a SIGN between me and the children of Israel for ever.”

Where does God place His Sign or His signature? He inscribes it in the human mind and actions, figuratively referred to as “between the eyes” (in the forehead) and “in the hand.”

Exodus 13:9	“And it (The Feast of Unleavened Bread) shall be a sign* unto thee upon thine hand and for a memorial between thine eyes (in the forehead) that the Lord’s law may be in thy mouth.”*
Deut.6:6	” And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up . 8: And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.”

In the New Testament

Hebrews 8:8

” … Behold the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah….
10. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.
11. And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying ‘Know the Lord:’ for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.”

Hebrew 10:16

“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
17. And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. “

God’s signature is the feast days in the Old and New Testaments! Thus, by simple way of contrast the Signature of Satan would be the false versions of God’s feast days which would be the Christian Sabbath (Sunday), Christmas, Easter, Halloween, etc.

And you my dear reader are now being given the opportunity to choose:

Between God’s Mark and Satan’s Mark
Between the Truth and the Lie
Between the Feast Days of the God of Israel and the Festivals of the Heathen.
Between obedience and disobedience

1 John 2:3-4

“And hereby, we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
4 He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him.”

James tells us that faith without obedience is a dead thing, a spiritual corpse! (James 2:17-20). God expects His followers to demonstrate their faith in Him by endeavoring to keep His commandments. To remember the true Sabbath and Feast Days in God’s Instructions (Torah) is a vote for the one true God Almighty; a proclamation to the community and the universe at large that the God of Israel, the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is your God. It is standing up to be counted with God’s people Israel by being grafted in among them (Romans 11:17, Ephesians 2:14-15).²

There is supernatural healing and promises beyond our comprehension in following the scripture alone. The Bible is clear, we should not be celebrating our man made traditions or holidays, our testimony is just further evidence that by celebrating man made holidays, we miss out on the covenant promises our God has made available through His holy days.

Categorized in Knowledge
Tags: bible, christian, holidays, Jewish

Nov

Christian Hip Hop and the Media: How Can We Improve It’s Exposure?

Written by Just paraDOX

Here are some of the milestones:

BET’s 106 & Park did a week long segment on Holy Hip Hop
Free & AJ left because they couldn’t continue to support the show because they couldn’t let their little cousins watch a show that didn’t represent them
Shade45 did a segment with AppleJaxx of Nureau Ink that got a favorable response
CCM covers a story on Lil Ras and did a whole magazine dedicated to Holy Hip Hop and the future of Hip Hop
Without A Trace plays KJ52 and uses positive music as a theme for the show
Mr. J Medeiros & Ohmega Watts on NBA Live ’08 ( Mr. J. Medeiros is part of it with his song “Silent Earth Remix” which is produced by Ohmega Watts)
Applejaxx’s song “Nureau Anthem” feat. T.Bizzy is featured on HipHopDX
Much Luvv covered by OkayPlayer.com
Hip Hop Magazine “The Source” interviewed RedCloud
Braille featured on Myspace and 2009 NBA Live Trailer
L.A. Symphony Break’s It Down For NFL Tour 2008 on XBOX 360
KJ-52 “Fan Mail” Video 1 on Gospel Music Channel
Without A Trace plays KJ52 and uses positive music as a theme for the show
Sphere Of Hip Hop is on XM
KJ52 has sold over 500,000 on all his albums combined most of which sold over 150,000,
Grits has sold over 150,000 most of their record have sold over 75,000 at least and more than 500,000
Lecrae has sold over 100,000 albums of the After The Music Stop project
Da Truth’s latest project charted #1 in the gospel market by featuring many Rhythm & Praise artists.
La Symphony has sold quiet a few, 4th Ave Jones, Knowdaverbs, etc… have also
Gotee I think has sold more than CMR. Or atleast its a close tie now. Maybe CMR has more now with Da Truth and everybody they are putting out.
I know for a good while it was Graptree then Gotee then Uprok then uprok feel out and not its Gotee and CMR at the top of the food chain.
There has been a lot of pressure on the industry to clean up rap lyrics along with sales being down
Lecrae’s third album, Rebel, reaches #8 Billboard Top Rap Albums, #3 in Hip Hop on iTunes, #11 in All Albums on iTunes, #1 Gospel Billboard and #2 on Christian Billboard.

Media Coverage

I’m sure yall head the Kj52 Dear Slim song that MTV covered as a diss track. To make it a news worthy piece that had to cut out the spiritual part and focus on making it some silly beef situation.

Did You know MTV banned Mr J Medieros Constance video for “graphic content” which is bogus they have rappers with strippers in the back ground, and Mr J is talking about a real problem that addresses a major social issue. In 2006 500,000 to 1.2 million people where trafficked over international boarders and NO ONE WAS PROSECUTED IN 2006 FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING, That’s a major issue. But MTV won’t play it, but they will play censored version of songs about graphic sex with women, strippers dancing in the background and misogynistic music.

BET also banned a quite of few Christian videos from their play list including Ahmad and 4th Ave Jones, they had the song Move On played on MTV. Its was a good song and video. MTV and VH1 are owned by the same company. MTV played dear slim as a beef record. VH1 says a song about praying for dear slim was one of the worst moments in hip hop ever. That was free promotion for Kj by the way and I’m sure its helped his sales because many more people heard his name and music and probably got interested. News is publicity. And you can take a minus and make it a plus.

AppleJaxx of Nureau Ink was on Shade45 and he got good publicity on the don’t quit you day job segment? Ever said he should rap and quit his day job. Thats a milestone in Holy Hip Hop. Anyone notice that we got positive coverage on a secular station?

What Has Worked So Far

KJ: focused on the white suburban youth groups with his silly songs and pop music and I think thats the key to his success. But there is only one Kj.

Grits: had good distro and got the videos played on Rap City and got a good following. But there is only one Grits.

The Cross Movement: appealed to the Older Theological heads in the urban gospel church market, and that’s how they did good. But there is only one CM.

T Bone: was consistent on the bible thumping demon assassin lyrics and appealed to the Hispanic community and toured at a lot of teen challenges, victory outreach and other places like that. But there is only one T Bone.

CHH Needs To Grow Up

The dialogue in Christian rap needs to broaden on content to include social and political dialogue to engage some of the older young adults. We need more content on Social Justice issues, like civil rights, and freedom or speech, etc…

We need to discuss real issues people deal with and not just fun music for youth groups.

We need to be ourselves and be good at what we do.

The quality and content in CHH has risen in recent years a lot and that’s good.

We need to keep pressing on.

CHH NEEDS

We MUST GET the Gospel market and get the Young Adult crowed engaged
We need Nationally Syndicated Radio
We need Nationally Syndicated TV
We Need industry wide standards, to bring an end to all the conflict between different camps
We need a play list format to support across the board
We need to build up your gospel market following before you branch out or try to expand beyond.
CHH needs to get the attention of the traditional and contemporary gospel market like Da Truth did with the song with Tye Tribbet and they need to focus on making music and reaching out to young adults who have jobs and can buy albums more than youth who can’t afford albums or have to beg money from their parents.
We need to market to young adults, with more social content, and deal with real issues, not just catchy songs.
We should have balanced material. Our first focus should be build the gospel market, traditional and contemporary. Because those are the ones that you want to support your music.

My Conversation With Sway About Hip Hop being “Dead” and CHH

Sway presented an award and was saying since all his friend sit around and talk about is Hip Hop Dead he said that he feels that Christian Rap / Holy Hip Hop is the missing element in Hip Hop.

Sway stated that he wants to do a MTV news piece on the Holy Hip Hop

Here are some things I got out of the conversation:

With the current state of the industry, Hip Hop is Dying, Jesus is the only I know that can bring things back from the dead
Holy Hip Hop has the clean lyrics and albums that people are looking for now with all this noise about not using certain words in the industry. We already got that.
We shouldn’t market to mainstream.
We should do what makes us unique and focus on what works the lyrics & content
Let them come to us if they ever do once we’ve established ourselves and not let them dictate to us but us dictate to them. Don’t go to them
We should try and build our Christian Market to were in the gospel market we can sell 150,000 to 250,000 a cd consistently and more.
Build our gospel fan base so you still have the strong Christian market support.
We should try to be excellent at what we do and secure our fan base before we try to get the mainstream attention.

My Conclusion

After talking to Sway, Dj Maj, AppleJaxx and Tre-9 and others in the industry, it seems clear we need to come together and a body, and respect the arm and feet, those called to the body and those called to the streets. The message is different but the body is one.

We need to sure up the Gospel Market base, be authentic to who we are, make good music, market to young adults and the gospel urban market before we try to join the mainstream movement. We shouldn’t seek out the mainstream, but let it come to us with what we have and not let them change us.

We need Christocentric lyrics, we need relevant music that relates to peoples lives and issues, so be real about who you are and what you do, keep it gospel, speak from the Judeo-Christian world view, we need to deal with issues of social injustice, civil rights violations, spitting only Christian standards to an immoral world. Focus on building the gospel market fan base and reaching young adults first.

Other things we need to do that can help is focus on marketing to College Radio and get our singles licensed to play on Radio, TV and Movies.

Categorized in Uncategorized

Nov

Daily Bible Study : Conversion from Sin

Read the lesson and study in your Bible the passages indicated >>> Scripture <<<. Following each passage, study each question that has a number enclosed in asterisks (*1*, *2*, etc.), and write down your answers on paper. Some questions include more than one number because they have more than one blank to fill in. Please take your time, study each passage carefully, answer the questions honestly, and consider the applications to your own life (John 12:48; 2 Tim. 2:15).

Thank you for your interest, and God bless your study of His word.

Introduction:

Sin came into the world as a result of the disobedience of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3). Since then, all people become sinners when they too disobey God’s law (Romans 3:23). Sin is a universal problem, and the solution to the problem of sin constitutes the theme of the Bible.

The purpose of this study is to examine what the Scriptures teach about the nature of sin and about God’s plan to provide forgiveness of sins through the death of Jesus Christ.

As we study, we will ask personal application questions to help each of us evaluate whether or not we personally are guilty of sin and whether or not we have been forgiven by the blood of Jesus. Please give honest consideration to these questions throughout the studies.

I. Sin and Its Consequences

A. The Nature of Sin

>>> Please read 1 John 3:4. <<<

*1* What is sin? Answer: Sin is __________ .

*2* Is sin something a person: (a) commits (practices), or (b) inherits? Answer: ____.

>>> Please read Romans 6:16. <<<

*3* How do people become slaves (servants) of sin? Answer: They present themselves to __________ sin.

>>> Please read John 8:34. <<<

*4* Who is a slave to sin? Answer: Whoever __________ sin is a slave of sin.

We may sin in word, deed, or thought, but our own conduct is what makes us sinners.

>>> Please read Ezekiel 18:20. <<<

*5* Who bears the guilt of a person’s sins? Answer: The wickedness of the wicked will be upon __________ .

[See also Mark 7:20-23; Romans 3:9-18,23; 1 Timothy 6:10; James 1:14,15; 2:10,11.]

Each person will be judged for his own life.

Each person’s eternal destiny is determined by his/her own conduct. It is determined individually. Each person is held accountable for what he did.

>>> Please read Romans 2:6-10. <<<

*6* To receive eternal life, what must we do (vv 7,10)? Answer: We must patiently continue in doing (working) that which is __________ .

*7* Who will receive punishment (vv 8,9)? Answer: Tribulation and anguish will be upon everyone who does __________ .

Note that, at judgment, each will be rewarded according to his works or deeds (v6).

>>> Please read 2 Corinthians 5:10. <<<

*8* How many people will be judged? Answer: We must __________ appear before Jesus’ judgment seat.

Have you disobeyed God’s laws? If so, and if you are old enough to understand God’s teachings about sin and salvation, then you need to learn and understand God’s will about how to be forgiven of sin.

[Read Psalm 106:37,38; Hebrews 12:9; Matthew 18:3 & 19:14.]

B. The Universality of Sin

Some examples of sin

The gospel contains many specific lists of sins. Of course, these lists are not intended to be complete catalogs of every imaginable kind of sin; but they do illustrate the kinds of things that constitute sin.

>>> Please read Galatians 5:19-21. <<<

*9* What happens to those who practice works of the flesh such as are listed here? Answer: They will not inherit the __________ .

>>> Please read Revelation 21:8. <<<

*10* What will be the destiny of those who commit these sins? Answer: They will have their part in the lake that burns with __________ .

>>> Please read 2 Timothy 3:1-5. <<<

*11* What are some sins that Paul warned about here: (a) lovers of self, (b) lovers of money, (c) proud, (d) disobedient to parents, (e) unthankful, (f) all the preceding. Answer: ____.

>>> Please read Galatians 1:8,9. <<<

*12* God’s curse (anathema) also comes on those who do what? Answer: Those who teach a different __________ .

>>> Please read James 4:17. <<<

*13* Who is guilty of sin according to this verse? Answer: Those who know to do __________ and do not do it.

Think carefully: Have you been guilty of any of these sins? If so, which ones? Have the sins you committed been forgiven? How do you know?

[See also Matthew 15:18-20; Romans 1:29-32]

People who are guilty of sin

Consider now how many people are guilty of sin.

>>> Please read Romans 3:10-17. <<<

*14* How many people are righteous and good because they have lived without sin? Answer: __________ .

>>> Please read Romans 3:23. <<<

*15* How many people commit sin? Answer: __________ have sinned and come short of God’s glory.

>>> Please read 1 John 1:8,10. <<<

*16* What is our case if we say we have no sin? Answer: The __________ is not in us.

All people eventually disobey God and become guilty of sin. This is a universal problem.

What about you? What is your condition before God? If you are accountable before God, then you have committed sin. Have your sins been forgiven?

C. The Consequences of Sin

Even before the first sin, God had warned Adam and Eve of the consequences of sin (Gen. 2:16,17). Throughout history, as people have continued to sin, sin has continued to have consequences in this life and in eternity.

>>> Please read Isaiah 59:1,2. <<<

*17* What consequence does sin have? Answer: Your sins (iniquities) have __________ you from God.

>>> Please read Colossians 3:6. <<<

*18* What does disobedience bring upon us? Answer: The __________ of God comes on those who disobey.

James 4:4 adds that whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy to God.

>>> Please read Matthew 25:41,46. <<<

*19* Where will the wicked go after the judgment day? Answer: The wicked will go into __________ .

Please note that, not only will the wicked be eternally lost, but they will also miss eternal life.

>>> Please read 2 Thessalonians 1:8,9. <<<

*22* What is the destiny of those who do not obey the gospel? Answer: They will be punished with __________ from the presence of the Lord.

The righteous will receive eternal life and will be with God forever in heaven (1 Peter 1:3,4). But the wicked will miss this great joy.

So all of us eventually sin. If those sins are not forgiven, we are separated from God in this life and in eternity. His wrath is upon us and He views us as His enemies, so that we suffer everlasting punishment in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15).

Knowledge of the consequences of sin causes great fear and guilt (Psalms 38:4-6). The guilty have every reason to fear their eternal destiny. God views sin as something horrible, and we should do the same.

The Grace of God and the Sacrifice of Jesus

Sin is a universal problem, but God did not want the people He created to be lost eternally. Let us consider the provision God has made to deal with our sin problem.

A. God’s Grace and Mercy

Consider the following passages about God’s grace and mercy. (When the lesson asks for a definition, please look the term up in your dictionary.)

>>> Please read Ephesians 1:7. <<<

*23* What has the grace of God made available to us? Answer: We have redemption through Jesus’ blood, the __________ of sins, according to the riches of His grace.

*24* What definition of “redeem” would best fit the Bible meaning? (a) to condemn eternally, (b) to pay a purchase price to recover something, (c) to neglect or overlook, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ____.

Sinners are slaves of sin, condemned to be punished for our guilt. God’s grace led Him to desire to forgive us and pay the price to recover us from guilt and condemnation.

>>> Please read Romans 5:1,2 <<<

*25* What can God’s grace do for us? Answer: (a) we are justified by faith, (b) we have peace with God, (c) we rejoice in hope of glory, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ____

*26* What definition best fits the Bible meaning of “justify”? (a) to deny or hide our guilt, (b) to find a psychologist or preacher who will excuse our guilt, (c) to absolve or forgive ones guilt so that they stand right or just, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ____.

>>> Please read Titus 2:11-14. <<<

*27* To how many people has the grace of God appeared? Answer: The grace that brings salvation has appeared to __________ .

>>> Please read Hebrews 2:9. <<<

*28* What did Jesus do for us by the grace of God? Answer: By the grace of God he tasted __________ for everyone.

>>> Please read 1 Peter 1:3,4; Acts 20:32. <<<

*29,30* To what has God’s mercy begotten us? Answer: We are begotten to a living hope, to an __________ incorruptible and undefiled, reserved in __________ for us.

*31* What definition of “grace” best fits the Bible meaning? (a) unmerited or undeserved favor from God, (b) goodness inherent within people, (c) ability to hide guilt so no one else knows, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ____.

All of us, at some point in our lives, sin against God and deserve to be punished. We then bear the burden of guilt and will receive everlasting punishment in hell if our sins are not forgiven.

God does not want this to happen, so He chose to offer us forgiveness, redemption, justification, and the hope of eternal life with him in heaven. Since sinners do not deserve such favor, by definition it constitutes “grace.” Every one of us should be forever grateful to God for offering us such a hope.

[See also Acts 15:7-11; 20:24; Romans 4:4-7; 5:1,2; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Ephesians 1:5-11; 2:5-10; 1 Timothy 1:13-16; 2 Timothy 1:8-10; Titus 3:3-7.]

B. The Sacrificial Death of Jesus

Grace motivated God to determine a means to offer us forgiveness despite our sins. But this offer expressed itself in a specific, practical form, which required God’s Son to come to earth in the form of a man.

>>> Please read Luke 19:10; Matthew 20:28. <<<

*32,33* For what purpose did Jesus come to earth? Answer: He came to seek and save that which was __________ and to give His life as a __________ for many.

>>> Please read Matthew 26:28. <<<

*34* Why did He have to die? Answer: He shed (poured out) His __________ for many for remission of sins.

>>> Please read Romans 5:6-9. <<<

*35* How did God demonstrate His love for us? Answer: While we were still sinners Christ __________ for us.

As a result, we can be justified by His blood (death) and saved from God’s wrath.

>>> Please read 1 Peter 2:24; Hebrews 2:9. <<<

*36,37* What is the relationship between our sins and Jesus’ death? Answer: He bore our __________ in His body on the tree. By the grace of God, He tasted __________ for everyone.

By His stripes we are healed. This means that He was punished so that we do not need to be punished. He suffered so we could be forgiven and counted righteous (justified) despite our sins.

As stated in Ephesians 1:7, Jesus’ blood was the means by which God’s grace made redemption and forgiveness available to sinners. His blood was the purchase price that redeemed us from our sins (1 Peter 1:18,19).

>>> Please read Acts 4:12; John 14:6. <<<

*38* How important is Jesus’ death to us? Answer: There is salvation in no one else. No one can come to the __________ except through Jesus.

Throughout the Bible, the penalty of sin is referred to as “death” (Ezekiel 18:20; Romans 6:23). Ultimately, this death requires eternal punishment separated from God, in contrast to eternal life (cf. Matthew 7:13,14).

Since He lived a sinless life, Jesus did not deserve to die for His sins. Yet God allowed Him to be slain, even though He was innocent, so that we who are guilty might not have to suffer for our sins. His death satisfied the demands of God’s justice, making it possible for us to be forgiven of our sins. But we must properly come to Jesus to be forgiven by His sacrificial death.

It follows that every one of us will be eternally punished for our sins, unless we receive forgiveness through Jesus’ death. There is no other way of salvation, no other way to be made right with God, and no other way to receive eternal life.

Personal application questions:

Do you feel guilty and fearful about your sins? __________

Which of the following words would you use to describe yourself right now in your relationship to God: sinner, Christian, saved, lost, guilty, forgiven, pleasing to God, displeasing to God? __________

If you were to die right now, what eternal reward would you receive? __________

Have you received forgiveness through His blood? How do you know? ________________________________________

Categorized in Daily Bible Study
Tags: Bible Study, Daily Bible Study

Nov

Mahogany Jones Freestyle, Rob Hodge – Tearz(Ft. Japhia Life)

Categorized in Music
Tags: Mahogany, Rob Hodge

Nov

What Drinking Tea Can Do For You

3 Comments

A Cup of Hot Tea = A Cup of Good Health
Tea Consumption Linked to Numerous Body Benefits
A hot cup of tea may do more than relax you. Research shows tea consumption may help prevent a wide range of ailments.

The latest medical research is finding potential healing powers in this ancient beverage. Recent research, for instance, suggests drinking tea may help prevent everything from cavities to Parkinson’s disease. And some studies indicate it may even save lives.

The benefits of tea consumption may extend throughout the body, experts believe. Here is a partial list of conditions some research has shown may be prevented or improved by drinking tea:

Arthritis: Research suggests that older women who are tea drinkers are 60 percent less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than those who do not drink tea.

Bone Density: Drinking tea regularly for years may produce stronger bones. Those who drank tea on a regular basis for 10 or more years had higher-bone mineral density in their spines than those who had not.

Cancer: Green tea extracts were found to inhibit the growth of bladder cancer cells in the lab — while other studies suggest that drinking green tea protects against developing stomach and esophageal cancers.

Sipping on a cup of hot tea may be a safeguard against cancer. Population studies have linked the consumption of tea with a reduction in risk for several types of cancer. Researchers speculate that the polyphenols in tea may inhibit certain mechanisms that promote cancer growth. Both green and black teas have been credited with cancer-inhibiting powers.

Flu: You may be able to boost your fight against the flu with black tea.
Your best defense against contracting the flu is to wash your hands often and get vaccinated against the influenza virus. Black tea may further bolster your efforts to stay healthy. In a recent study, people who gargled with a black tea extract solution twice per day showed a higher immunity to flu virus compared to the people who did not gargle with black tea.

Heart Disease: A recent study published in the journal Circulation found that drinking more than two cups of tea a day decreased the risk of death following a heart attack by 44 percent. Even less spirited tea drinkers were rewarded: Consuming just two cups a day decreased the risk of death by almost a third.
Tea is a rich source of the flavonoids quercetin, kaempferol, and myricetin, and research shows that high dietry intake of these compounds is associated with a reduced risk of fatal heart attacks. In one study, people who drank about a cup and a half of tea per day were almost 40% less likely to suffer a heart attack compared to tea abstainers.

High Blood Pressure: Tea lovers may be surprised to learn their beverage of choice touts yet another health benefit: blood pressure control. Drinking a half-cup of green or oolong tea per day reduced a person’s risk of high blood pressure by almost 50% in a new study. People who drank at least two and a half cups per day reduced their risk even more. Their risk was reduced even if they had risk factors for high blood pressure, such as high sodium intake.

Parkinson’s Disease: Tea consumption may be protective against developing this debilitating neurological disorder.

Oral Health: Rinsing with tea may prevent cavities and gum disease.

What’s responsible for tea’s many health benefits?

It’s the complex brew of chemicals that make up this seemingly simple beverage.

“The big class of chemicals in tea are flavonoids — a natural class of antioxidants that are found in many natural plant-derived foods,” explains Dr. Kenneth Mukamal, an internist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and author of the Circulation report. “In American diets, black tea represents probably the single biggest source of flavonoids.”

Antioxidants rid the body of molecules called free radicals, which are side products of damage done to the body by pollution and the natural aging process. Free radicals in the body’s cells are very unstable and tend to react negatively with other important molecules like DNA, causing malfunctions and injury on the cellular level. The destruction these free radicals produce may therefore pave the way for diseases like heart disease and cancer.

In the case of heart disease, antioxidants in tea may prevent death from second heart attack by helping blood vessels relax, thereby allowing blood to flow through more easily, potentially lowering blood pressure and reducing stress on the heart.

Antioxidants are thought to be behind the benefits of tea on dental health as well. A number of studies have suggested that rinsing with black or green tea may lead to better oral health.

“We have found that the [antioxidants] in black tea will suppress the growth of bacteria in the mouth that cause cavities and gum diseases,” says Christine Wu, professor of periodontics at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry. “These will inhibit or interfere with the attachment of bacteria to the tooth surface.”

A Prescription for Better Health?

With so much compelling research, isn’t it about time for everyone to consider brewing up more of this potent potable?

“For nearly everybody, there are few, if any, downsides to drinking tea. It’s hard for me to tell people not to do it,” says Mukamal. “But I’m not sure our evidence is quite at the stage where we would be recommending that everybody drink tea.”

That’s because some people may be sensitive to certain components of tea. And while the caffeine content is 1/3 that of a cup of coffee, some people may react to caffeine at any concentration.

Additionally, researchers need to pin down how much and how often tea should be consumed for optimal health. “Drinking tea is beneficial, but we need to do more studies to substantiate it,” says Wu.

In the meantime, adding tea to your list of possible beverages is probably a good idea, experts say.

“I think it’s reasonable for people looking to make healthy lifestyle choices to consider tea as a better option than other beverages — which aren’t necessarily harmful, but which may not give people the added benefits that something like tea does,” says Mukamal.
(Submitted by Erin Ellizabeth Ward of Durham, North Carolina)

Black Tea Helps Prevent Cavities

New studies, funded by the Tea Trade Health Research Association, found several doses of black tea every day not only reduced plaque build-up but also helped control bacteria.

“We found that the black tea infusion can inhibit or suppress the growth of bacteria that promotes cavities and affect their ability to attach to tooth surfaces,” Christine Wu, professor of periodontics at the University of Illinois and lead researcher on one part of the study.

Wu said that while earlier studies in Japan have shown the cavity-fighting benefits of green tea, known for its rich antioxidants, her team chose to focus on black tea, which is more popular in western culture.

The research is part of a collaborative study done in conjunction with the College of Dentistry at the University of Iowa and the Institute of Odontology at Goeteborg University in Sweden. The findings were presented at a meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in Orlando, Florida.

300 Species of Bacteria

Dental plaque contains more than 300 species of bacteria that adhere to tooth surfaces and produce cavity-causing acid. Plaque is also a leading cause of gum disease.

A specific element of black tea, called polyphenols, killed or suppressed cavity-causing bacteria from either growing or producing acid, according to Wu’s study. The tea also affected the bacterial enzymes and prevented the formation of the sticky-like material that binds plaque to teeth.

Participants in the study rinsed with tea for 30 seconds, five times, waiting three minutes between each rinse.

“We were trying to simulate what people did while sipping tea,” Wu said.

A similar study by Goeteborg University, where participants rinsed with tea for one minute 10 times per day, showed comparable results. Both studies showed that the more people rinsed, the more their plaque and bacteria levels fell.

In the University of Iowa study, researchers looked at the impact of black tea’s fluoride content on preventing cavities but found the benefits less clear. They exposed pre-cavity lesions to black tea but saw little change, suggesting that tea’s cavity-fighting ability stems from a complicated reaction between it and bacteria.

Fluoride Not A Factor?

“We had very little results, which implies that if tea is having a result in normal use it’s not from fluoride,” said James Wefel, professor and director of the Dows Institute of Dental Research at the University of Iowa.

Of course, to help prevent cavities the tea must truly be “black,” without sugar, milk, honey or other additives. Researchers also stressed drinking black tea should not replace traditional oral hygiene.

“Tea will affect the plaque formation but one has to brush their teeth to remove the plaque,” Wu said. “It’s a must.” And while black tea may fight cavities, it does not combat tooth stains.
(Submitted by James Dewanz of New York)

Hibiscus Tea – Antioxidants

A recent study revealed that hibiscus teas contain a number of different antioxidants that may help to protect against cell-damaging free radicals. These teas also may help control high blood pressure. You can find hibiscus in such teas as sour tea, red zinger tea, or sorrel tea. Check the ingredients label to be sure.

Yerba Maté – “Drink of the Gods”

The Guarani tribe in the forests of Paraguay have known for centuries of the restorative and stimulative properties of a native herb called yerba maté (Ilex Paragueriensis). Legend has it that Pa’i Shume – a tall, fair-skinned, bearded god – was the one who taught them to harvest and prepare the leaves of the yerba maté tree for a tea to ensure health, vitality and longevity. Seventeenth century Jesuits valued its energizing qualities and they cultivated plantations of the trees. Two centuries later gauchos on the region’s vast pampas utilized the herb, resting beside their fires and sipping the tea through a bombilla, a silver straw with a fine-screened strainer.

The Unbeatable Nutrition
Facts of Yerba Maté

“Drink of the Gods”
Constituents:
Vitamin A, C, E, Carotene
B-1, B-2, B Complex, riboflavin, nicotinic
acid, biotin, pantothenic acid, iron,
magnesium, calcium, sodium, potassium,
manganese, silicon, phosphates, sulfur,
hydrochloric acid, chlorophyll,
choline, inositol

Serving size: 2 oz. in 2 cups of water.
Total Fat 0 g. Cholesterol 0 mg.
Sodium 60 g. Total Carbs 13 g.
Fiber 0 g. Sugars 1 g. Protein 0 g.
Daily Values: Vitamin B-1 – 13%
Vitamin B-2 – 23% Iron – 12%
Potassium – 55% Magnesium – 46%

Contains small amounts of naturally occurring caffeine.

Today yerba maté is grown in the iron-rich, acidic soil and semi-tropical climates of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, which employ 400,000 people to cultivate, prepare and distribute it to Latin America, the Middle East, North America and the European community, where it is known as the “Elixir of the Jesuits”.

The Pasteur Institute and the Paris Scientific society in 1964 were interested in this “Drink of the Gods” and did a thorough study of its properties. The findings were nothing short of astounding. The investigators concluded “it is difficult to find a plant in any area of the world equal to maté in nutritional value.”

Maté contains, these scientists said, “practically all of the vitamins necessary to sustain life.” Yerba maté contains the vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2, B complex, carotene, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, biotin and vitamin C complex. In addition, it has 15 different amino acids, plus significant amounts of magnesium, calcium, iron, sodium, potassium, manganese, silicon, phosphates, zinc, niacin, sulfur, and chlorophyll, choline, and inositol.

The list of benefits to overall health to be derived from yerba maté touches all aspects of the body and is seemingly endless. Tens of millions of south Americans drink maté to boost immunity, cleanse and detoxify the blood, tone the nervous system, control the appetite, restore youthful hair color, retard aging, combat fatigue, stimulate the mind, cure insomnia, and reduce the effects of debilitating disease.

Yerba maté supplies many of the nutrients required by the heart for growth and repair, plus it has a metabolic effect by increasing the supply of oxygen to the heart, especially during periods of stress or exercise. Research from the Paris Institute indicates LDL oxidation is inhibited by extracts of Ilex Paraguariensis. Incidence of arteriosclerosis is low in countries where yerba is consumed.

There is growing clinical evidence that yerba maté stimulates the adrenal glands to produce corticosteroids, thus stimulating metabolism in muscle cells. As a by-product of this, maté has been commonly observed to decrease the severity and incidence of allergy and hay fever. This adrenocortical action also helps balance blood glucose levels, so that hypoglycemic patients respond well to yerba maté.

As a whole-body tonic, yerba stimulates a weakened or depressed nervous system, and calms an overexcited one. When stress, whether from environmental factors, bad nutrition or anxiety, throws our body’s systems out of balance, maté’s bi-directional properties restore homeostasis in the body, while not over stimulating any one system. In addition, it is non-addictive, and will not cause jitters or any contraindicators.

For these reasons, yerba maté is excellent as a coffee substitute. The tea has the ability to quicken the mind, to increase mental alertness and acuity. It is a mild, not strong, diuretic. It relaxes peripheral blood vessels, thereby reducing blood pressure. And best of all, rather than interfering with sleep as coffee often does, maté has a tendency to balance sleep cycles, inducing more REM sleep when necessary, or increasing the amount of time spent in delta states. Many people report that they require less sleep when using maté.

Consumer feedback has indicated its combined effects of smooth muscle and peripheral blood vessel relaxation, sense of stamina, energy and well being provide improved sexual interest and performance, thereby possibly offering a drug-free, all natural alternative to Viagra.

As an anti-oxidant, yerba maté is superb. Free radicals are highly toxic oxygen molecules in a reactive, unstable form. They roam freely through the body, seeking out tissues to combine with and render morbid. As well as destroying tissues outright, they increase susceptibility to a wide range of infections and diseases. Besides the free radicals produced by normal metabolic processes, we are also exposed to them through environmental pollutants. Our body’s main line of defense against free radicals is its supply of free radical scavengers, collectively known as antioxidants. These are a group of nutrients which include Vitamins A, C, E, and the minerals Zinc and Selenium, all of which maté contains in abundance. These antioxidant nutrients work synergistically to prevent further cell damage, while repairing damaged cells by neutralizing the free radicals and thus deactivating their destructive energy.

Maté tea is made from leaves and stems steeped in hot water. A maté gourd, or mug, is filled a quarter full (or to taste), the bombilla (a filtering straw which extracts the most nutrients by pulling the water across the leaves) is nestled into the herb. Hot-never boiled- water is poured to the top. The water will cause the leaves to swell and the water at the top of the gourd will look frothy and green, indicating its nutrient-rich properties. The gourd can be refilled five or 6 times until the green froth is gone, which means the leaves are depleted, and it’s time to refresh the infusion. Yerba maté can also be made in a coffee machine, a French press, and cold as a refreshing sun tea.

{drinking gourd} This special gift from the plant kingdom is best when served in community with friends, offered in a ritual of love and friendship for each other and our natural world. But even alone, the cup of maté in your hand as you begin a new day promises to leave you refreshed and with a great feeling of well being.

Categorized in Health
Tags: Green Tea, Health, tea, Yerba mate

Nov

Bible Study: Conversion from Sin

Lesson #2: Conditions for Receiving Forgiveness (Part 1)

We have learned that all people have committed sin, bringing upon themselves the penalty of eternal punishment. But by the grace of God, Jesus died as the sacrifice for the sins of mankind. He thereby made salvation available to all people (Mark 16:15,16; Luke 24:47; Titus 2:11; 1 Timothy 2:4,6; 2 Peter 3:9; Hebrews 2:9; John 3:16; Acts 10:34,35).

However, not all people will ultimately receive eternal life. God has determined that each person must meet certain conditions in order to receive the blessing of forgiveness. We cannot earn this forgiveness, but neither can we receive it unless we seek it according to God’s plan. Since all of us sin, all need to be sure we do exactly what God requires to be forgiven.

I. Hearing the Gospel

The first thing that must happen in order for anyone to be saved is that he/she must learn about Jesus and the salvation He provides. The only means God has given for anyone to learn this is through the gospel of Christ as revealed in the Bible.

>>> Please read John 6:44,45. <<<

*1* Who can come to Jesus? Answer: Everyone who has __________ from the Father comes to Jesus.

>>> Please read John 8:32 (cf. v34). <<<

*2* How can you be made free (from sin)? Answer: You shall know the __________, and it shall make you free.

Note that the freedom Jesus refers to here is freedom from bondage to sin (v34). This “truth,” which can make us free from sin, is revealed in God’s word (John 17:17).

>>> Please read John 12:48. <<<

*3* By what standard will we be judged? Answer: The __________ that Jesus spoke will judge us in the last day.

God has revealed a standard for us to live by. That standard includes the conditions we must meet to be forgiven of sin.

>>> Please read John 20:30,31. <<<

*4* How can we know what to believe to receive eternal life? Answer: Inspired men (like John) wrote so that we might believe in Jesus and have __________ in His name.

>>> Please read Acts 17:11. <<<

*5* How did the Bereans know whether or not they were being taught the truth? Answer: They searched the __________ daily with a ready mind.

Many false teachers mislead people from the truth (Matt. 7:15; 1 John 4:1). To avoid such errors, we must diligently study the infallible source of truth, and we must do so with honest hearts.

>>> Please read Romans 1:16. <<<

*6* What role does the gospel play in our salvation? Answer: The gospel of Christ is the __________ unto salvation.

The gospel is the message that God revealed about Jesus and His teaching. It teaches us the truth about how to be saved through Jesus.

>>> Please read Romans 10:17. <<<

*7* How can we develop a proper faith in Jesus and His will for our lives? Answer: Faith comes by __________ the word of God.

Faith does not come by hearing human opinions, theories, traditions, or man-made creeds. Nor has God ever spoken directly to sinners to reveal to them how to receive forgiveness through Jesus. Now that the Scriptures are completed, true and proper faith comes only by honestly investigating the teachings of the Scriptures.

>>> Please read 2 Timothy 3:16,17 <<<

*8* What means has God given for us to know His will? Answer: The Scriptures are __________ by God to instruct us and provide us to all good works.

>>> Please read Hosea 4:6. <<<

*9* What caused God’s people to be destroyed? Answer: God’s people were destroyed for __________ .

No one can obey God and receive forgiveness without knowing what God requires. The only way to know is through the message He guided inspired men to record in the Bible. Without this knowledge, we are still destined for eternal punishment for our sins. Only when we search the Scriptures diligently with honest hearts can we know how to receive salvation through Christ.

II. Believing the Gospel of Christ

Many hear the gospel, yet they are not saved simply by hearing. More is required. To receive forgiveness by Christ’s death, one must also believe what the gospel teaches. Consider what the gospel says we must believe and why that faith is essential.

>>> Please read Hebrews 11:6. <<<

*10,11* In order to come to God, what must we believe? Answer: We must believe that God __________ and is a rewarder of those who __________ Him.

*12* Why must we believe this? Answer: Without faith it is impossible to __________ Him.

Faith is absolutely essential. Yet it also matters what we believe. Not just any faith is acceptable.

>>> Please read John 4:42. <<<

*13* What did the Samaritans believe about Jesus? Answer: They believed Him to be the Christ, the __________ of the world.

We have learned that Jesus died as the sacrifice to save people from their sins. But in order to benefit from Jesus’ death, each individual must personally believe that Jesus is the Savior.

>>> Please read John 20:28-31. <<<

*14,15* Thomas confessed Jesus to be whom? Answer: “My __________ and my __________ .”

*16,17* The Scriptures were written so we might believe what? Answer: Jesus is the __________ , the __________ of God.

The Bible teaches that Jesus possessed Deity even before He came to earth. He was with the Father in heaven, and all things were made through Him. He possesses all the characteristics of Deity (eternal, all-powerful, all-wise, etc). But He came to earth as a man to live a sinless life and die as the sacrifice for our sins. He was God in the flesh. (Cf. John 1:1-3,14; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:2,8,9; Philippians 2:5-8).

His relationship to the Father is so unique that He is the only-begotten Son of God (John 3:16). Because of His unique position as Creator, Savior, and Deity, Jesus was “the anointed One” (“Christ”) to whom we should submit as our Lord (Master).

>>> Please read John 8:24. <<<

*18* What is the consequence of not believing in Jesus? Answer: We will die in our __________ .

To be saved from sin, we must believe Jesus is the One whom the Bible says He is.

>>> Please read Romans 10:9,10. <<<

*19* What else must we believe to be saved? Answer: We must believe that God __________ Jesus from the dead.

Had Jesus simply died, Satan would have been victorious. In order to defeat Satan, Jesus had to arise from the dead (1 Cor. 15:12-19). To be saved, therefore, we must believe, not just in Jesus’ death, but also in His resurrection.

>>> Please read Mark 1:15. <<

*20* What else did Jesus tell us to believe? Answer: We must believe in __________ .

The gospel includes much more than just the message about who Jesus is. It also includes the message about how we must live in order to please God. To be saved, it is not enough just to believe some things about who Jesus was and what He did; we must also believe His teachings about what He requires of us (2 Thess. 2:13,14; 1:7-9; Col. 1:5).

>>> Please read Mark 16:15,16. <<<

*21* What message should be preached to all the world? Answer: Preach the __________ .

*22* What happens if we do not believe? Answer: He who does not believe will be __________ .

Note that people must believe that which is preached: the gospel. This means, not just believing in Jesus Himself, but also believing in His teaching. Those who do not believe will be condemned.

Without question, faith is essential to salvation. But this faith involves more than many people realize. And we will see that saving faith must lead to proper response in order to result in salvation.

III. Repentance from Sin

A. The Importance of Repentance

Just as there are many who hear but are not saved, so there are many who “believe” – i.e. they accept the truthfulness of the gospel message about Jesus – yet they will not be saved. There is yet more that is required for salvation by the death of Jesus. Consider what the gospel says about the importance of repentance.

>>> Please read Acts 2:36-38. <<<

*23* What did Peter command these people to do? Answer: He told them to __________ and be baptized.

Note that repentance is clearly stated to be a necessary condition in order to receive forgiveness of sin.

>>> Please read Acts 17:30,31. <<<

*24* How many people need to repent? Answer: God commands __________ to repent.

All people must repent because all are guilty of sin.

>>> Please read Matthew 21:28-32. <<<

*25* How did one of the sons illustrate repentance? (a) he said he would go but he did not, (b) he said he would go then he went, (c) he said he would not go, then he changed his mind and went. Answer: ____.

Repentance is changing ones mind. In particular, repenting of sin requires realizing we have been disobeying God. Then we must change our minds and decide to start obeying. This is why repentance is often called “turning.”

>>> Please read 2 Corinthians 7:10. <<<

*26* What leads people to repent? Answer: __________ produces repentance unto salvation.

When a person realizes that he is guilty of sin, he must be truly sorry and wish he had never done it. This sorrow must lead him to decide to change and do right (repent).

>>> Please read 2 Peter 3:9. <<<

*27,28* Why has God not already ended the world? Answer: He is longsuffering, not wanting any to __________ but all to come to __________ .

Note the clear implication that those who do not repent will perish (Luke 13:3,5) because, as we have seen, repentance is necessary to forgiveness. But everyone becomes guilty of sin. So when we are in sin, we must repent or we will perish as punishment for our sins.

B. The Consequences of Repentance

Repentance requires sorrow for sin and a determination to change and serve God. It follows that genuine repentance should lead to a change of conduct.

>>> Please read Acts 26:20. <<<

*29* What did Paul preach that people should do? Answer: They should repent, turn to God, and do __________ .

We earlier studied Matthew 21:28-32, which illustrates this point. In order to be accepted, the son who said he would not obey his father, had to repent and do what the father said to do. Repentance is a change of mind in which we decide to do what God requires. To please God, we must follow through and do right.

>>> Please read Matthew 12:41. <<<

*30* What did the people of Nineveh do? Answer: They repented at the __________ .

This refers to the event described in Jonah 3:4-10. Their repentance led them to turn from their evil ways. Those who do not change their lives have failed to keep the commitment of repentance.

>>> Please read Proverbs 28:13. <<<

*31* To have mercy before God, what must we do? Answer: We must not try to hide our sins but must confess and __________ them.

Note that, to receive mercy, it is not enough just to acknowledge our sins. We must forsake them – quit doing what is sinful.

>>> Please read Ezekiel 33:14-16. <<<

*32* When a person has committed a sin such as stealing, not only must he stop stealing, what else must he do? Answer: He must ___________ what he stole.

This is the principle of restoring or “restitution.” When our sins have caused harm to others, repentance requires us to correct to the extent possible the harmful effect of what we did. This includes giving back what we took that really belongs to someone else. See also Leviticus 6:1-5; Ezra 10:3,11,17,19,44; Luke 19:8; Philemon 10-14,18,19.

Repentance must be followed by actually changing our conduct. We must turn away from sin and begin obeying God. This includes correcting the harmful effects of our sinful conduct. To fail to do so is to fail to bring forth the fruits of repentance.

[See also Luke 15:17-24; 3:8.]

IV. Obedience

Obedience is not a specific condition toward forgiveness, but is a general principle that includes several steps. We emphasize it because some deny that obedience is necessary to salvation; they claim we are saved by “faith only” so no outward actions whatever are necessary.

However, we have already learned that the “fruits of repentance” are necessary to salvation, and this requires doing what is right – i.e., obedience. Obviously, no acts of obedience could ever earn salvation, since we have already learned that all have sinned and therefore salvation is by grace (unmerited). Please consider, however, the following passages showing that obedience is a condition necessary to forgiveness of sins.

>>> Please read Matthew 7:21-23. <<<

*33* Who does Jesus say will enter the kingdom of heaven? Answer: He who enters the kingdom is he who __________ .

Note that these people believed in Jesus and even confessed Him as Lord. But Jesus rejected them because that was not enough. He said we must do God’s will. See also Luke 6:46.

>>> Please read Romans 6:16-18. <<<

*34* What must a person do to be set free from sin? Answer: He must __________ from the heart the doctrine delivered from God.

Please note that this obedience is required in order to cease being a slave of sin and become a slave of righteousness.

>>> Please read Hebrews 5:9. <<<

*35* To whom is Jesus the author of eternal salvation? Answer: To all who __________ Him.

>>> Please read 1 Peter 1:22,23. <<<

*36* How do we purify our souls? Answer: We purify our souls in __________ to the truth.

Note that this is taught in the context of being born again.

>>> Please read Acts 10:34,35. <<<

*37* What must we do to be accepted by God? Answer: We must fear God and __________ .

Note that this is required of all people of every nation.

>>> Please read 2 Thessalonians 1:8,9. <<<

*38* What happens to those who do not obey the gospel? Answer: They will be punished with __________ from the presence of the Lord.

We have already studied other passages that teach the necessity of obedience. For example, we learned that our eternal destiny at the judgment will be determined by what we do, good or bad (Romans 2:6-11; 2 Corinthians 5:10).

The necessity of obedience does not in any sense contradict the need for faith. In fact, the gospel shows that faith will not save if it does not include obedience. The only passage that specifically mentions “faith only” is found in James 2:14-26, and it says we are not saved by “faith only” (v24). Other passages confirm that saving faith must include obedience (Galatians 5:6; Hebrews 10:39; 11:8,30 and other examples in Hebrews 11).

The same is true of love. Surely everyone agrees that love is necessary to please God (Matthew 22:36-39). But the gospel clearly teaches that, in order to please God, love must include obeying God’s commands (John 14:15,21-24; 1 John 5:3; 2:3-6).

To deny that obedience is a necessary step to salvation is to (perhaps unknowingly) deny that love, faith, and repentance are necessary, since all these require obedience. Likewise, to deny the necessity of obedience is to deny the very basis on which the Bible says we will be judged!

As our studies proceed, we will examine specific acts of obedience that are required to be forgiven and to be acceptable to God.

Personal application questions

Have you diligently studied the Scriptures to know how to be forgiven of sin? __________

Do you believe in God, in Jesus, and in the truths taught in the gospel? __________

Are you truly sorry for the sins you have committed, and have you repented of your sins and changed your life to please God? __________

Have you believed in the past that obedience is necessary to salvation, or have you believed that we are saved by “faith only” without obedience? __________

Categorized in Daily Bible Study
Tags: Bible Study, christian, Sin

Nov

The Future of Christian Hip Hop

Categorized in video
Tags: Add new tag, Christian hip hop, video

Nov

Jesus Muzik/Goodness To Repentance – The Holy Hip Hop Hour

[ ART | MUSIC | KNOWLEDGE| HEALTH ]

Categorized in video
Tags: Flame, Jesus Muzik, Lecrae

Nov

The Writing On the Wall

[ ART | MUSIC | KNOWLEDGE| HEALTH ]

Categorized in Art
Tags: Art, Christian Graffiti

Nov

Bible Study: Conversion from Sin

[ ART | MUSIC | KNOWLEDGE| HEALTH ]

Lesson #4: Living a Faithful Life

When one is converted according to the gospel, his sins are forgiven and he is added to the Lord’s church (Acts 2:47). But this is just the beginning of a lifetime of service to God. The Christian must live and grow in Christ. To fail to do so is to fail to bring forth the fruits of repentance and to return to sin.

I. The Importance of Faithfulness

Some churches teach as doctrine that an obedient life after conversion is not essential to salvation

>>> Please read Revelation 2:10. <<<

*1* What must one do to receive the crown of life? Answer: One must be __________ unto (or until) death.

Those who cease to be faithful have no promise of eternal life.

>>> Please read Romans 6:12-18,23. <<<

*2* What does Paul say about the idea that we can continue in sin since we are under grace (v12)? Answer: Do not let __________ reign in your body that you should obey it.

*3* Instead of serving sin, what have we become (v18)? Answer: Having been set free from sin, we become __________ .

If we continue in sin we will be lost (v23); this is true both of sins committed before we are converted or sins committed afterward.

>>> Please read Romans 12:1,2. <<<

*4* What should we do with our bodies? Answer: Each convert should present his body as a __________ to God.

>>> Please read Matthew 6:19-21,24,33. <<<

*5,6* What should be our primary goal in life? Answer: We should seek first God’s ___________ and ___________ .

>>> Please read Matthew 16:24-27. <<<

*7,8* To be a follower of Jesus, what must one do? Answer: He must __________ himself and take up __________ and follow Jesus.

Note that there is no profit in gaining the whole world, if we lose our soul at the judgment.

>>> Please read 1 Corinthians 15:58. <<<

*9* What kind of work does God expect? Answer: We should be steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in ___________ .

The Lord does not expect just a little service from time to time. He expects a firm commitment to continued, faithful labor in His service.

>>> Please read 2 Peter 2:20-22. <<<

*10,11* How does Peter describe people who escape sin but go back to it? Answer: Their latter end (last state) is __________ than the beginning, and they are like a dog that __________ .

>>> Please read John 15:4-8. <<<

*12,13* What happens to a disciple who does not abide in Jesus and does not bear fruit? Answer: He is __________ like a branch and is withered and is thrown into __________ .

The Bible urges all converts to be faithful to Christ. To cease being faithful is to return to sin and be lost eternally. The decision to become a Christian requires a commitment to grow and become an active, useful servant of God (1 Peter 2:2; 2 Peter 3:18).

[See also 1 Cor. 10:1-13; Heb. 12:15]

II. Forgiveness for the Child of God Who Sins

Although the gospel demands faithfulness, it also recognizes that Christians will sin. There is no excuse for sin, but there is forgiveness for those who repent and renew their commitment to overcome it and grow in God’s service.

>>> Please read 1 John 1:8-10. <<<

*14* If we say we have no sin, what is our condition? Answer: We __________ ourselves and the truth is not in us.

*15* What must we do to be forgiven? Answer: If we __________ He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

>>> Please read Acts 8:22. <<<

*16,17* After Simon had been converted (vv 12,13), he sinned again. What was he told to do to be forgiven? Answer: He was told to __________ of his wickedness and __________ .

>>> Please read Matthew 6:12. <<<

*18* What did Jesus teach us here to pray? Answer: We should ask God to __________ like we forgive those who sin against us.

>>> Please read Luke 18:13,14. <<<

*19* How was this tax collector justified of his sins? Answer: He prayed, “God be merciful to me a __________ .”

God does not want His children to be lost. His Son’s death provides forgiveness for us when we sin. But we must meet conditions to be forgiven, just as surely as we had to meet conditions to be converted.

But the conditions for a child of God who sins are different from those for an alien sinner who has never been forgiven. To become a child of God, one must believe, repent, confess, and be baptized. But the child of God who sins must repent of his sins and confess his sins to God in prayer. If he has sinned against other people, he must also confess his sin to those people and seek reconciliation (Matthew 5:23,24; James 5:16; Luke 17:3,4).

Those who try to hide or cover their sins will not proper; only those who confess and forsake them will find mercy (Proverbs 28:13).

III. Specific Requirements of Faithfulness

What does God expect after you become a Christian? Conversion must be the beginning of a lifetime commitment of total dedication to God’s service. We cannot consider here all the requirements of faithfulness, but consider a few specific areas.

A. Study the Bible Regularly.

Diligent Bible study is our only way of learning God’s will and avoiding error.

>>> Please read Acts 17:11. <<<

*20* How did these people learn what God required of them? Answer: They searched (examined) __________ daily with hearts willing to accept it.

God has revealed His will in a way we can understand, if we are willing to study with dedication. Note that these people studied “daily” – a regular commitment to study is required.

>>> Please read Psalms 1:2. <<<

*21,22* How diligently does the godly man study God’s word? Answer: Because he delights in God’s law, he meditates on it __________ and __________ .

>>> Please read Psalms 119:9-12. <<<

*23* Why did the writer want to learn God’s word? Answer: He hid (laid up, treasured) God’s word in __________ that he might not sin against God.

Faithfulness in God’s service requires regular, dedicated study of the Scriptures, so we can know how to please God and avoid error.

Do you study your Bible regularly so you can know God’s will?

[Joshua 1:8; Hebrews 5:12; Deuteronomy 6:6-9; 1 Peter 2:2; 2 Timothy 2:15; Proverbs 2:1-20; Psalms 19:7-11]

B. Pray Frequently.

In prayer, we thank God, praise Him, and ask Him to meet our needs.

>>> Please read Acts 2:42. <<<

*24* How diligently did these early converts pray? Answer: They continued (continually) __________ in prayer, etc.

>>> Please read Philippians 4:6. <<<

*25,26* What should we do instead of worrying? Answer: We should let our __________ be made known to God by prayer and supplication with __________ .

>>> Please read 1 Peter 5:7. <<<

*27* Why should we pray to God? Answer: We should cast our cares on Him because __________ for us.

Prayer is our avenue of speaking to God. When we neglect it, we are not praising Him as we should, and He has not promised to provide what we need.

Are you diligent in prayer as you ought to be?

[Luke 18:1; Ephesians 6:18; Colossians 1:3; 4:2,3; 1 Thessalonians 5:17]

C. Attend All the Assemblies of the Local Church.

New Testament Christians always were recognized as part of a local church – Acts 9:26-28; 11:26; Heb. 13:17. This church must be scriptural in worship, name, organization, salvation, etc. (see other studies for further specifics).

Local churches should arrange meetings for members to worship God, study His word, and grow in strength and knowledge.

>>> Please read 1 Corinthians 11:23-26. <<<

*28,29* What is the purpose of the Lord’s Supper? Jesus said the bread is His __________ and the cup is the new testament in His __________, which we eat and drink in remembrance of Him.

Note that disciples should meet on the first day of each week to do this – Acts 20:7.

>>> Please read 1 Corinthians 16:1,2. <<<

*30* How should the church obtain financial income? Answer: Each local church should take up a collection on the __________ day of the week.

Each Christian is responsible to give according to his prosperity on each first day of the week to support the work of the local church.

>>> Please read Acts 11:26. <<<

*31* What other purpose did this church accomplish in its meetings? Answer: When the church assembled together, many people (considerable numbers) were __________ .

In addition to the Lord’s Supper and giving on the first day of the week, local churches met to study God’s word and to sing and pray (1 Cor. 14:15). These last three activities are nowhere specifically commanded for any particular day of the week, so the church may arrange meetings for them on any day of the week. Whenever the church arranges to meet, Christians should do their utmost to come to benefit from the study and worship.

Are you regular in attending the meetings of a faithful local church whenever you can?

[Heb. 3:12,13; 10:24,25; John 4:24; Eph. 4:16; 1 Thess. 5:11; Acts 2:42]

D. Practice Proper Relations with Other People.

Again we cannot here go into significant detail, but Christians should be willing to treat people around them according to God’s standard. This includes proper conduct in the following relationships:

>>> Please read Colossians 3:18-21. <<<

*32-35* For each verse, tell what group of people is instructed to treat other people properly. Answers: V18 – __________ ; V19 – __________ ; V20 – __________ ; V21 – __________ .

Conversion should lead us to follow God’s teachings in our families. [See also Eph. 5:22-6:4; Tit. 2:4,5.]

>>> Please read Romans 13:1-5. <<<

*36* To whom should we submit according to this passage? Answer: We should be subject to __________ .

[See also 1 Pet. 2:13,14; Matt. 22:17-21.]

Christians are also responsible to treat other people properly in business relationships (Eph. 6:5-9; Tit. 2:9,10; Col. 3:22-4:1; Psa. 37:21) and to help people who are needy (Luke 10:25-37; Acts 20:35; Jas. 1:27; Matt. 25:34-40).

Are you treating other people according to the standard of God’s word?

E. Help Others Learn the Gospel.

When you have been converted, invariably there will be someone else who made some effort to help you learn and obey the truth. Then it becomes your responsibility to help other people to learn and obey.

>>> Please read John 1:43-46. <<<

*37* After learning about Jesus, what did Philip do? Answer: He found _________ and urged him to come and see Jesus.

>>> Please read Acts 8:4. <<<

*38* When the early Christians were scattered by persecution, what did they do? Answer: They went everywhere __________ .

Every convert should learn to become a teacher. This may require time, but meanwhile we can do like Philip did and encourage people to come to someone else who can teach them.

Are you doing all you can to help other people be saved by Jesus’ gospel?

[Eph. 4:16; Prov. 11:30; 2 Tim. 2:2,24-26; John 4:28-30,39; Heb. 5:12]

F. Live an Upright Moral Life.

Besides the works of service that we have studied, Christians must work to remove from their lives the immoral conduct that so often characterizes people of the world.

>>> Please read Titus 2:11-14. <<<

*39,40* What does God’s grace teach us to do? Answer: It teaches us to deny __________ and __________ but live sober, righteous, godly lives.

>>> Please read Galatians 5:19-21. <<<

*41* What can we know about those who practice these works of the flesh? Answer: They will not __________ .

Other passages list other immoral practices that Christians must avoid. If, as already discussed, we do commit sin, then we must repent, ask God’s forgiveness, and make correction with those we have harmed. (See Mark 7:20-23; Rom. 1:26-32; 1 Cor. 6:9-11.)

Is your life morally upright before the Lord?

G. Do ALL God’s Will

>>> Please read Matthew 28:18-20. <<<

*42* After one is baptized, what should he be taught to do? Answer: He should be taught to observe __________ .

This includes developing good qualities the Lord requires (2 Peter 1:5-11) and eliminating unacceptable conduct, speech, and attitudes. God requires complete and total commitment to serving Him. We must be willing to make any sacrifice necessary to please Him. Conversion is not just a means to seek forgiveness of sins; conversion requires committing oneself to serve

Personal application questions:

How diligent are you in your Bible study, prayer, and help others learn the gospel?

Do you attend diligently whenever the local church meets?

What improvements can you make in your family life, in relationships with other people, or in living a godly, moral life?

Have you been living a faithful life in God’s service, or do you have sins in your life that you need to correct?

Categorized in Daily Bible Study
Tags: Daily Bible Study

Nov

What You Need To know about Water

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[ ART | MUSIC | KNOWLEDGE| HEALTH ]

If you’re surprised to find “water” listed as one of the World’s Healthiest Foods, you are not alone.

Many health-conscious people don’t think about water as a food. Even if they do, they don’t think about it as being “much” of a food.

Health Benefits

All creatures on earth – including humans – rely on water more than any other substance to stay healthy. We can go longer without food than water, and virtually all of our other nutrient requirements are impacted by the amount of water we drink. The reason is simple: our bodies are about 60% water by weight, and most nutrients move around through our body in water. Our bloodstream is composed primarily of water, and so are all of our tissues and organ systems. Water is also the key to elimination of toxins from our body (in the form of urine and perspiration). There isn’t a single bodily function – from seeing and hearing and thinking to running and singing and laughing – that does not depend on water.

Exactly how helpful is water to our health? Researchers at Loma Linda University looked at water consumption in a group of more than 20,000 men and women in their Adventist Health Study. In this study, they determined that adults drinking 5 or more glass of water each day were about 50% less likely to die from a heart attack. They made some other comparisons involving water and health, and in their announcement of the results, these researchers ranked increased water drinking equal very close to smoking cessation in terms of heart health! Other research has shown that water drinking helps maintain proper blood pressure, improves mental performance, increases athletic performance, and helps regulate digestion.

It’s helpful to think about the health benefits of water in three basic categories. First is the fluid aspect of water. Water is a lubricant. It keeps things flowing and moving. While it lubricates, water also protects our body parts from damage by surrounding them in a shock-absorbing fluid. This aspect of water is especially important in our joints, and also in our skin. The second aspect of water is its role as a “solvent.” Most nutrients dissolve in water. In our bodies, some of the most important dissolved nutrients are called “electrolytes.” The electrolyte minerals like potassium and sodium stay dissolved in water, and the ability of water to dissolve electrolytes is a key reason why our bodies can conduct electricity. The third aspect of water involves its role as a thermostat. When we are too hot, water lets us shed heat through sweating. Water also helps us retain heat when we need to stay warm.

As mentioned earlier, the minerals in naturally-formed water are indispensable to our health. Most people are not aware of the research in this area. Well-conducted studies in Sweden and in Poland have shown that the risk of heart disease, especially in men, could be substantially reduced if more natural water (like the type of well-water found in rural areas) were consumed. All of these studies focused on the mineral magnesium. Most of the city water in these countries – and in the United States – is very low in magnesium in comparison to the amount of magnesium found in water that has percolated down through the earth’s natural watersheds and soils and been allowed to pick up magnesium and other minerals in this way. One glass of tap water in most cities throughout the U.S. will contain about 0-2 milligrams of magnesium. By comparison, one glass of mineral water (like the bottled mineral waters purchased in a grocery store) will contain about 2-5 milligrams of magnesium, and some bottled mineral waters will contain over 25 milligrams per cup! (Manufacturers don’t always tell you this information on the bottle itself, but you can partly judge by the information they do provide about “total dissolved solids.” In general, the greater the amount of total dissolved solids the better. 1,500 parts per million (ppm) or greater of total dissolved solids is a pretty substantial level in a mineral water, and magnesium is almost always included as one of the dissolved solids). Even though the magnesium in one cup of mineral water might seem small, it can add up very rapidly. The adult requirement for magnesium ranges from 320-420 milligrams per day. 4 cups of mineral could provide about 25-30% of this amount each day. 8 cups could provide over half of the daily requirement! These numbers make water equivalent to a food like Swiss chard in terms of its magnesium content. And all of these health benefits come in exchange for zero calories.

Description

Natural, clean water is virtually crystal clear, and contrary to popular opinion, it has its own unique taste. This taste is not the taste found in ordinary tap water, although many people have become so accustomed to tap water that they cannot distinguish it as having any particular “taste.” The chlorine added to municipal tap waters is probably the greatest single contributor to tap water taste, but unless you’ve had several weeks to adjust to natural water with most of the chlorine filtered out, you may not be able to tell any difference between chlorinated and filtered.

In many ways, water is less mysterious than other foods, because we see it everyday and we see it everywhere, in rain and rivers and lakes and streams and running out of our faucet. But in other ways, water is even more mysterious than other foods, because it’s very difficult to explain how refreshing and soothing it can be. A morning or evening shower, or bath, or just the feel of splashing water on our face can be amazingly revitalizing. So can going for a swim, or even gazing out over a lake, or at the ocean. We don’t always see the beauty in a glass of water like we see the beauty in a fresh salad, but it’s there.

Most of the water that we drink comes from groundwater below the soil that is pumped up and in many cases processed. In science terms, there is a cycle called the hydrology cycle, and this cycle tells the story of natural water. Water arrives at the earth in the form of rain or snow or ice, and it can run off of mountains and hills, or through rivers and streams, down to the ocean. It can also percolate straight down through the soil into groundwater. This passage of water downward through the soil is great for mineralization of water, but it is problematic is we have polluted the soil with garbage and waste in the form of landfills or toxic waste dumps.

History

No civilization has ever survived without focusing on water. As abundant as water seems when we look around us, the natural water that supports health has always been a substance of great value to cultures and communities, and in some cultures, water is the most sacred of all substances. Because water decides where food can grow, many cultures have developed exactly where water was most present and accessible. Most coastal communities have developed in this way. In places where water is scarce, cultures have often had trouble. To some extent, this is exactly the situation that faces many areas of the United States, where the damming up of rivers has upset ecosystems and threatened the future of many creatures who depend upon natural water.

Pollution of water has also been a long-standing part of its history. Without proper attention to sanitation, many towns across the globe experienced health epidemics involving bacteria and other micro-organisms found in water. Diseases like cholera, malaria, and typhus were partly related to the lack of adequate sanitation and pollution of water. Although we worry less about many of these diseases in the United States due to fairly strict standards with respect to sanitation, pollution of water is by no means an outdated concern. Today, however, the pollution of water we are more concerned with involves toxic residues that have contaminated our water due to waste dumping in our lakes and landfills. In our Safety section we will describe this toxic residue situation in more detail.

How to Select and Store

Although there are many different ways to obtain water, we recommend two basic methods above all others. The first method is to attach a high-quality filter to your tap water supply, and to drink this filtered tap water as your main primary source of water. The second method is to purchase bottled water that has already been filtered. Both of these methods require a little more explanation in order for their benefits to be understood.

Virtually all city water supplies in the United States show dozens of different toxic residues, including pesticides, heavy metals, and solvents. A significant number of water supplies are routinely out of compliance with the federal standards and take steps to bring their toxic residues back into acceptable ranges. Over 1,000 potential toxic residues have been identified in drinking waters across the country, and about 300 are routinely tested by the federal government to determine exact toxin levels. To give an example of the widespread nature of this problem, the pesticide atrazine was found to be present in 96% of 374 community water supplies in 12 states surveyed in 2001 by the Environmental Working Group in Washington, D.C.

Due to the almost universal risk of toxic residues, filtering of water is important. In our Safety section, we will describe water filtering options in more detail. There are ways to filter water properly at home, and there are a large number of high-quality filtered waters in the marketplace. In general, most of the spring waters, mineral waters, and carbonated mineral waters on the market are sufficiently high-quality and properly filtered. However, we would recommend that you pay attention to three details when purchasing water. First, we do not recommend water that is packaged in plastic – even the hard polycarbonate plastic that is popular in 5-gallon jugs that can be taken home and used with a water stand. The reason for our recommendation is migration of plastic. Even at room temperature, a very small amount of the plastic in the water container will migrate into the water and increase certain health risks. In some cases, the degree of risk here is very, very small, Nevertheless, since we drink (or should be drinking) water every single day of every single year, any amount of risk here seems worth preventing. Even though glass containers are very inconvenient and more easily broken, we believe that the additional trouble here is worthwhile in terms of health.

The second detail when selecting bottled water is the source. Virtually all high-quality bottle water will identify the source of the water on the bottle. It’s important to ignore the brand name here and focus on the information provided to you on the bottle. Many waters sounding natural and healthy came from a city water supply in the United States that was not high-quality. If you cannot easily find a water that tells you its source, your next best step is to make sure that the water has been filtered by looking on the bottle’s ingredient list to see it the list says “filtered water.” But it’s much better to purchase a water that indicates the source of the water, and the reason that this source is desirable.

The third detail deserving attention is dissolved solids. As described earlier, mineral waters have the important advantage of providing calcium magnesium, and other essential minerals that are often deficient in our food. Some bottled waters list these minerals and their amounts on the label, but most do not. If the mineral content of a water is not specified, the bottle might still indicate “total dissolved solids” in parts per million, or ppm. A level above 1,000 ppm is a very reasonable starting point here, and a level above 1,500 ppm indicates a highly mineralized water. It’s very important to have a high-quality water that is free of toxic residues when purchasing a highly mineralized water, because “total dissolved solids” could include unwanted minerals and other substances in the case of a low-quality water. While we don’t like to recommend specific brand names on our website, we’ve found many commonly available bottled minerals waters that are high-quality according to the principles above.

How to Enjoy

We recommend that water be consumed in large volumes (one cup or greater) between meals rather than at meal times. Although there is not sufficient research to document the potential problems with water during meals, we’ve read many healthcare providers report better food digestion in the stomach, better appetite, and better overall digestive health from limited water drinking during meals. Many hypotheses about the impact of water during meals can be found in the research literature, including hypotheses about dilution of stomach acid and consistency of food as it passes through the digestive tract. Without good research support, however, these hypotheses are only hypotheses, and our recommendation is based on informal reports by healthcare providers who focus on diet and health.

Although there are many healthy and natural flavorings that can be added to water – including lemon juice, lime juice, and pre-mixed vitamin/mineral packets – there is an important role to be played by pure, natural water. Some people report better digestive function with lemon juice added to water, and that practice may be preferable in some cases, even though we have not seen any research in this area. In general, however, too many children and adults throughout the U.S. never consume plain, simple water, and from our perspective, it’s important to develop a taste for water all by itself.

Cold water can be more quickly absorbed from the stomach than hot water, and for this reason, there are times when cold water is helpful for quick rehydration. After a gym workout, for example, many people prefer water at a cold temperature. However, there are definitely exceptions, and for some individuals it is far easier to consume a substantial amount of water at room temperature than the same amount on ice or refrigerated.

One of the biggest questions about water drinking is amount. This question is a matter of ongoing debate, both in the media and in the research world. However, there are several general guidelines that we would like to emphasize in this context. First, although it’s possible to drink too much water, it’s highly unlikely that you will do so! “Water intoxication,” as it’s commonly called in the medical world, usually involves imbalance in some of the body’s physiological systems and not just excessive intake of water. We give you the “green light” to drink as much water as you desire, provided that you stick with the natural and high-quality principles that we have described.

As mentioned previously, we recommend limiting water consumption during meals. 4-8 ounces spread out evenly over the course of a 20-minute meal would not problematic. If you consumed 3 meals per day, this “with-meal” amount would total 12-24 ounces for the day, or about 1.5 – 3 glasses. On top of this 1.5-3 glasses, we would recommend another 4-5 glasses between meals to bring the daily total to 6-8 glasses. We would caution against drinking too much water late in the day, because waking up from sleep to go to the bathroom will not help your overall health. We’d also recommend drinking additional water before, during, and after heavy exercise, or any physical activity that involves sweating.

After a heavy workout and profuse sweating, for example, you may easily need an additional quart of water. You will also need additional water whenever you have obvious water loss, as would occur with even fairly mild diarrhea. We also recommend that you consume water in a somewhat consistent pattern, and keep your water intake adequate on a morning-afternoon-and-evening basis.

Safety

The range of potential contaminants in drinking water is somewhat surprising when you first encounter it. Inorganic chemicals (like mercury), organic chemicals (including solvents like toluene, pesticides like atrazine, and plastics like PVC), disinfectants (like chlorine bleach), microorganisms (like coliform bacteria), and even radionucleotides (like radium or uranium) can be found in many drinking water supplies in the U.S. and throughout the world. In the U.S., the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) monitors toxin levels in our drinking water, and maximum allowable contamination levels (or MCLs) are set for approximately 80 of the 100′s of potential substances involved. Major factors in the contamination of our drinking water are sewage sludge disposal (and fertilizers that can contain residues of sewage sludge), hazardous landfills, and industry pollution of lakes and streams.

One of the best ways to reduce your exposure to all of these potential toxic substances is to filter your water at home. There are two basic styles of filtering. The first style involves your faucet. Water filters that can be placed at or near your faucet are called POU (or point-of-use) filters. The second style of filtering is POE (or point-of-entry) filtering, where you place the filter in a more central location to impact all of the water flowing into your house. Many people cannot afford the cost of POE filters that filter all of the water flowing into their home, and for this reason, select POU filters that only affect a single faucet.

We believe that faucet-level filtering can be very effecting for producing healthy drinking water, but we like the research on under-the-sink filters much better than the research on filters that attach directly at the end of the faucet. One of the major differences we see here involves the use of solid carbon blocks in the under-the-sink filters versus granulated carbon particles in the end-of-the-faucet filters. Granulated carbon does not show the same effectiveness in research for filtering potential toxins as solid block carbon.

Carbon water filters are fairly effective at removing many organic chemicals and chlorine, but they are not necessarily perfect for bacteria or for heavy metals. You can increase your chances of having water that is free of unwanted microorganisms by selecting a carbon block filter that has a very low micron rating. Micron rating refers to the size of the openings in the filter. In general, we recommend filters that have a micron rating no greater than 1 micrometer.

We also recommend an activated carbon block that can tract many organic compounds electromagnetically. Activated carbon is helpful for many volatile organic compounds (VOCs), for heavy metals like mercury and lead, and for many chlorine-associated compounds.

There is a good bit of research on reverse osmosis (or RO) filters. While true reverse osmosis (or RO filters) can get even more selective in filtering out particles than solid carbon block filters, these filters are often experienced as too complicated for home use. In addition, we don’t like the fact that a very selective filter than can filter a substance only 9/1000ths of a micron in size might also filter out too many of the desirable minerals that are found in water.

Several under-the-sink type filters include a solid block of activated carbon as well as a 1-micron prefilter, and these filters make great sense to us as practical options for high-quality drinking water. There have also been advances in water filters that attach at the end of the faucet, and the newer versions of these filters that include solid block carbon and pre-filtering make a logical choice as long as you follow the manufacturer’s instructions for volume of water filtered and routine replacement of the filters whenever their capacity is reached. These filters typically need to be changed more often than under-the-sink versions. Depending on water use, an under-the-sink filter can be expected to last between 6-12 months, and cost approximately $45-$75 dollars.

Nutritional Profile

Due to the enormous variation in drinking water quality, it is impossible to provide any helpful nutrient profile for “water” per se. Many city tap waters will contain less than 5 milligrams of calcium per cup, less than 2 milligrams of magnesium, and only trace amounts of other minerals. As described earlier, some high-quality mineral waters will provide over 25 milligrams of magnesium per cup, over 35 milligrams of calcium, and small amounts of more than a dozen additional minerals. Pure, natural water does not contain protein, fat, carbohydrate or fiber. It is also calorie-free.

References

Brewster D. Dehydration in acute gastroenteritis. J Paediatr Child Health. 2002 Sep;38(3)219-22 2002. PMID:12047685.
Chan J, Knutsen SF, Blix GG, et al. Water, other fluids, and fatal coronary heart disease: the Adventist Health Study. Am J Epidemiol. 2002 May;155(9)827-33 2002. PMID:11978586.
Environmental Working Group. Tough to swallow: how pesticide companies profit from poisoning America’s tap water. 1997.
Iggulden H. Dehydration and electrolyte disturbance. Elder Care. 1999 Nov;11(3)17-22; quiz 23 1999. PMID:10542527.
Rubenowitz E, Axelsson G, Rylander R. Magnesium in drinking water and death from acute myocardial infarction. Am J Epidemiol. 1996 Mar;143(5)456-62 1996. PMID:8610660.
Rubenowitz E, Molin I, Axelsson G, et al. Magnesium in drinking water in relation to morbidity and mortality from acute myocardial infarction. Epidemiology. 2001 Feb;11(4)416-21 2001. PMID:10874548.
Rylander R, Bonevik H, Rubenowitz E. Magnesium and calcium in drinking water and cardiovascular mortality. Scand J Work Environ Health. 1991 Apr;17(2)91-4 1991. PMID:2047817.
Sheehy CM, Perry PA, Cromwell SL. Dehydration: biological considerations, age-related changes, and risk factors in older adults. Biol Res Nurs. 2001 Mar;1(1)30-7 2001. PMID:11225294.
United States Environmental Protection Agency. National water quality inventory: 1998 report to Congress. EPA 841-R-00-001. 1998.
United States Environmental Protection Agency. Office of Water. Estimated per capita water ingestion in the United States. EPA 822-R-00-008. 2000.

Categorized in Health
Tags: Water

Nov

State of Holy Hip Hop

Categorized in video
Tags: Hip hop, Holy Hip, Holy Hip hop, Rap

Nov

Daily Bible Study: Conversion from Sin

Lesson #5: The Church, Motives, and Accountability

I. The Church in Conversion

The church is a common topic in the New Testament. Jesus promised He would build it (Matt. 16:18). All New Testament Christians were added to it when they received forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:47). Let us consider the role of the church in the conversion of sinners.

A. Terms for the Church

Jesus’ church is referred to by various different terms in the New Testament. Familiarity with these terms will help us recognize the church when it is discussed in the passages we study. So consider the following terms used to refer to the church:

>>> Please read Ephesians 1:22,23. <<<

*1* What is the relationship between Christ and the church? Answer: Christ is the Head of the church, which is His __________.

The church is the body of Christ in that He serves as the Head or Ruler over it. [Colossians 1:18]

>>> Please read Matthew 16:18,19. <<<

*2* What did Jesus promise to build? Answer: He said he would build His __________.

*3* What did He promise to give to Peter? Answer: He said He would give him the keys of the __________.

Jesus here uses the terms “church” and “kingdom” interchangeably. The passage makes no sense at all unless these terms refer to the same body or group of people.

>>> Please read Colossians 1:12-14. <<<

*4* What does God put us into when we are delivered from the power of darkness? Answer: We are translated or transferred into the __________ of His Son.

The kingdom is not an institution that will come in the future but does not now exist. Rather, all saved people have been in the kingdom from the first century onward. Note that this kingdom is referred to again in this context as the church or body over which Christ is the Head (v18). The church is Christ’s kingdom because it includes all the people who have pledged allegiance to Him as their King or ruler.

>>> Please read 1 Timothy 3:15. <<<

*5* What did Paul call the church in this verse? Answer: He referred to the __________ of God, which is the church of the living God.

The church is the house (household) of God in the sense that it is His family over which He presides as our spiritual Father (Eph. 2:19).

So the church is the body of Christ, the kingdom of Christ, and the house of God. The church is also called by other terms, such as the temple of God (Eph. 2:19-22). These are not different institutions or groups; rather they are simply different terms that refer to the same group but emphasize different aspects of it.

Notice passages using these terms as we continue our study.

B. The Importance of the Church in Conversion

Some people teach that church membership is irrelevant to conversion: one can be saved in or out of the church. But notice what God’s word actually says about the church in salvation from sin.

>>> Please read Acts 20:28. <<<

*6* What price did Jesus pay to purchase the church? Answer: He purchased the church with His __________.

We are forgiven of sins by the blood of Jesus (Eph. 1:7). But His blood purchased the church. So how could we be saved outside the church?

>>> Please read Ephesians 5:23,25. <<<

*7* Christ is the Savior of what? Answer: He is the Savior of the __________; He gave Himself for the church.

Since Jesus is the only Savior and He gave Himself to save the church (His body), how can we be saved outside the church?

>>> Please read 1 Corinthians 12:13. <<<

*8* How do we enter the one body? Answer: We are all __________ into one body.

We learned earlier that baptism is necessary for us to be cleansed or saved from sin, so we come into Christ at the point of baptism. But here we learn that baptism also puts us into the one body, which is the church. (“By one Spirit” here refers to the fact that the word revealed by the Holy Spirit teaches us to be baptized. Cf. Ephesians 5:26; John 3:5.)

The church itself does not save us. But when our sins are forgiven by the blood of Jesus, He puts us into the church (Acts 2:47). There church, therefore, is the body or group that consists of all people who have received remission of sins. How then can we be saved if we are outside that body?

The church is not insignificant or unimportant in God’s eternal plan for our redemption from sin. Rather it was part of that plan from eternity (Ephesians 3:10,11). Since all saved people will be added to Jesus’ church (the kingdom), they need to be taught about the church even before they are baptized (Acts 8:12; 19:8; 28:23,31; Matt. 4:23).

C. The Number of True Churches

We have seen that membership in Jesus’ church is essential to salvation. But many different denominations exist today. Some people claim that it does not matter which church one joins. Others celebrate the existence of denominations as an advantage or even a blessing. Consider what the Bible teaches:

How many true churches are there?

>>> Please read Matthew 16:18.

*9* What prediction did Jesus make? Answer: He said He would __________ His church.

*10* How many churches would then belong to Him? (a) none, (b) many different churches, (c) one (“my church”). Answer: ____

Jesus promised to build one church that would belong to Him. It is His because He bought it with His blood (Acts 20:28). When people claim that many different churches belong to Him, they contradict His intentions regarding His church and regarding His blood. Since it is His church, bought by His blood, what right does any man have to change His will regarding it?

>>> Please read Ephesians 1:22,23. <<<

*11* What is Jesus’ relationship to the church? Answer: He is the __________ of the church, which is His body.

How many bodies does the Head have?

>>> Please read Ephesians 5:23,25. <<<

*12* The relationship of the church to Jesus is compared to what? Answer: It is compared to the headship of a man over his __________.

How many wives is a man permitted by God to be head over?

>>> Please read Ephesians 4:3-6. <<<

*13* Unity requires the seven things that are listed here. How many of each should there be? Answer: There is (give a number) __________ of each.

In particular, note that there is one “body,” just as surely as there is one God and Father. But the body is the church (1:22,23).

>>> Please read 1 Corinthians 12:20. <<<

*14* The Lord’s church consists of how many bodies? Answer: There are many members but __________ body.

Jesus built, bought, and died for just one church. He adds all saved people to that one church (Acts 2:47). People who are not in that one church, therefore, are not among the saved. Whenever any church claims that God’s true people can be saved in any of several or many different bodies, that church proves that is it not Jesus’ church!

Is religious division acceptable?

Different denominations contradict one another in their teaching and practice about worship, organization, salvation, and work. What does the Bible teach about such disagreements?

We have already learned that we must follow God’s plan for our service to Him without human changes. Denominational differences are wrong, first of all, because they result from human changes in God’s plan.

We also studied Ephesians 4:3-6 which taught the need for unity, including one body and one faith. The different denominations are surely not united and do not all practice the one true faith of the gospel.

>>> Please read John 17:20-22. <<<

*15,16* For what did Jesus pray? Answer: He prayed for all His disciples to be __________ as He and the __________ are one.

Religious division violates the prayer of Jesus.

>>> Please read 1 Corinthians 1:10-13. <<<

*17,18* What instruction did Paul give the church in Corinth? Answer: He said there should be no __________ among them. To prove the point He asked, “Is Christ __________?”

If Jesus’ teaching contradicted itself, we would expect people who followed Him to contradict one another. But He is not divided against Himself, so Paul taught Jesus’ followers there should be no divisions among them.

>>> Please read 1 Corinthians 14:33. <<<

*19* God is not the author or source of what? Answer: He is not the author (God) of __________.

The contradictory doctrines of denominationalism are unquestionably confusing, so we can be sure that such division is not from God.

>>> Please read Mark 3:24,25. <<<

*20* What did Jesus say about a kingdom or house that is divided against itself? Answer: It cannot __________.

It follows from the Scriptures that there can be only one true church and all truly converted people are added by the Lord to it. If any religious group excuses or defends the existence of contradictory denominations, we can be sure that church is not the one true church nor is it any part of it. Jesus’ true church is not a denomination nor is it part of any conglomerate or confederacy of denominations.

Each person who seeks to be saved, must be part of the church that Jesus built and died for.

II. Motives and Accountability

We have examined the Bible teaching about how and why people need conversion. We have also studied the need for faithful living, which includes membership in Jesus’ one true church. Each person must make the decision for himself whether or not to accept God’s will and be converted. Note some points that should be considered in making this decision.

A. The Importance of Proper Motives

The Bible teaches the importance, not just of obeying God, but of doing so for the proper reasons and with proper attitudes. This is important both in meeting the conditions of conversion and in living by God’s teaching after conversion.

>>> Please read Proverbs 4:23. <<<

*21* Why is the condition of ones heart important? Answer: Out of the heart spring (are, flow) the __________.

The heart is where we decide what we will do. It is the seat of our choices. Attitudes are important because they ultimately determine how we act and what kind of person we are.

>>> Please read 1 Chronicles 28:9. <<<

*22,23* What attitude did David teach Solomon to have in serving God? Answer: He said to serve Him with a __________ heart (devotion) and a __________ mind.

David warned that God searches and understands the thoughts and intents of our heart. He does not want just outward motions. He wants sincere meaning and understanding.

>>> Please read Matthew 5:8. <<<

*24 What is God’s reward for the pure in heart? Answer: The pure in heart are blessed because they will __________.

Note that the condition of ones heart is essential to receiving eternal life with God.

>>> Please read Romans 6:17,18. <<<

*25 What role does the heart play in obedience? Answer: People who want to be set free from sin, must obey from the __________ the teaching delivered from God.

We cannot truly be converted by just going through the motions. We must understand and mean from the heart what we do in our obedience to the gospel.

>>> Please read Romans 12:1,2. <<<

*26 Instead of conforming to the world, what should you do? Answer: You should be transformed by __________.

Changing our lives begins by changing how we think. Outward change must come from within, and that requires proper attitudes.

>>> Please read 1 Corinthians 13:1-3. <<<

*27 What quality is needed to make our works of service acceptable? Answer: No matter what good we do, it profits nothing if we do not also have __________.

>>> Please read 1 Corinthians 14:15. <<<

*28 How should we offer our prayers and singing? Answer: We must sing and pray with the spirit and the __________.

God does not accept mere outward ritual unaccompanied by sincere understanding and meaning in the heart.

Proper motives and attitudes are essential in all our service to God. In particular, we must understand the proper purpose and sincerely mean what we do in meeting the conditions of forgiveness. Then we must serve God faithfully with proper motives.

B. The Condition of Those Who Are Not Accountable

It should be obvious that little children cannot make the commitment that serving God requires. They cannot hear, understand, and believe the gospel. They cannot truly repent, confess Christ, and understand the purpose of baptism. They cannot live the faithful life that God requires after baptism, and they surely cannot do these things with a true understanding of the meaning and purpose of what they involve.

So the command to be converted is not addressed to little children. They cannot obey with understanding; therefore, obedience is not required of them. What then is their status before God?

>>> Please read Matthew 18:2,3. <<<

*29* What must we do in order to enter the kingdom of heaven? Answer: We must be converted and become like __________.

When sinners are converted, they become like little children. It follows that little children do not need conversion. They are innocent and acceptable to God just as they are without being converted.

>>> Please read Matthew 19:13,14. <<<

*30* What did Jesus say about the little children that were brought to Him? Answer: He said that of (to) such is the __________.

If the kingdom of heaven consists of those who are like little children, then children must not be counted guilty of sin. Note that Jesus did not require these children to be converted or be baptized. They were acceptable just as they were.

>>> Please read Psalms 106:37,38. <<<

*31* When idol worshipers sacrificed their children to idols, what kind of blood did they shed? Answer: They shed __________ blood.

So God counts little children to be innocent. We already studied that they do not inherit the guilt of sin from Adam or from their ancestors. God does not hold them accountable for their conduct until they are mature enough to be capable of obeying the gospel with understanding of what is involved.

As children grow, they should be taught God’s word to the extent they are able to understand it, so they will gradually grow in understanding as they are able. When they become capable of obeying God’s will with understanding, God holds them accountable. They will eventually sin, as all do. Then the Bible teachings about conversion will apply to them.

Personal application questions:

Do you believe the existence of many different denominations pleases God or displeases Him? Explain. __________

Have you found the one true church that belongs to Jesus? If so, have you become part of it? __________

Do you believe babies are innocent or guilty before God? Explain. __________

If you have once professed to be converted, did you sincerely understand and mean the commitment? __________

Categorized in Daily Bible Study
Tags: Bible Study, Daily Bible Study, Sin

Nov

The Truth About Christmas – Part One

[ ART | MUSIC | KNOWLEDGE| HEALTH ]

SO, WHEN WAS JESUS REALLY BORN?

By now you might guess it wasn’t December 25^th.You now know that the 25^th of December is the time of the Winter Solstice and is the claimed birth date of all the major pagan deities. Now, looking to Israeli meteorologists, they actually tracked December weather patterns for many years and concluded that the climate in Israel has been essentially constant for at least the last 2,000 years. The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible states that, “broadly speaking, weather phenomena and climatic conditions as pictured in the Bible correspond with conditions as observed today” (R.B.Y. Scott, Vol. 3, Abingdon Press, Nashville, 1962, p. 625).

So this means the temperature in the area of Bethlehem in December, which averages around 44 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius) but can drop to well below freezing, especially at night, is essentially the same as it was at the time of Jesus. Describing the weather there, Sara Ruhin, chief of the Israeli weather service, noted in a 1990 press release that the area has three months of frost: December with 29 F. [minus 1.6 C.]; January with 30 F. [minus 1.1 C.] and February with 32 F. [0 C.]. Snow is common for two or three days in Jerusalem and nearby Bethlehem in December and January. These were the winter months of increased precipitation in Jesus’ time, when the roads became practically unusable and people stayed mostly indoors.

This is important evidence to disprove a December date for Jesus’ birth. Note that, at the time of Jesus’ birth, the shepherds tended their flocks in the fields at night and there was a census, so every male was traveling back to the place of their birth, this would have been impractical during the winter months. “Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields,” wrote one Gospel writer, “keeping watch over their flock by night” (Luke 2:8). A common practice of shepherds was keeping their flocks in the field from April to October, but in the cold and rainy winter months they took their flocks back home and sheltered them.

One commentary admits that, “as these shepherds had not yet brought home their flocks, it is a presumptive argument that October had not yet commenced, and that, consequently, our Lord was not born on the 25th of December, when no flocks were out in the fields; nor could He have been born later than September, as the flocks were still in the fields by night. On this very ground the nativity in December should be given up. The feeding of the flocks by night in the fields is a chronological fact, which casts considerable light upon this disputed point” (Adam Clarke’s Commentary, Abingdon Press, Nashville, note on Luke 2:8).

Another study source agrees: “These humble pastoral folk are out in the field at night with their flock—a feature of the story which would argue against the birth [of Christ] occurring on Dec. 25 since the weather would not have permitted it” (The Interpreter’s One-Volume Commentary, Abingdon Press, Nashville, 1971, note on Luke 2:4-7).

The Companion Bible, Appendix 179 says:

Shepherds and their flocks would not be found “abiding” (Gr. agrauleo) in the open fields at night in December (Tebeth), for the paramount reason that there would be no pasturage at that time. It was the custom then (as now) to withdraw the flocks during the month Marchesven (Oct.-Nov.) from the open districts and house them for the winter.

The census described by Luke

Other evidence arguing against a December birth of Jesus is the Roman census recorded by Luke. “And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered… So all went to be registered everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem…, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son…” (Luke 2:1-7).

The Roman and Judean rulers knew that taking a census in winter would have been impractical and unpopular. Generally a census would take place after the harvest season, in September or October, when it would not seriously affect the economy, the weather was good and the roads were still dry enough to allow easy travel. According to the normal dates for the census, this would probably be the season of Christ’s birth. Another author states that this census “could hardly have been at that season [December 25], however, for such a time would surely not have been chosen by the authorities for a public enrollment, which necessitated the population’s traveling from all parts to their natal districts, storms and rain making journeys both unsafe and unpleasant in winter, except in specially favorable years” (“Christmas at Bethlehem,” Holy-Days and Holidays, Cunningham Geikie).

Luke’s account of the census argues strongly against a December date for Christ’s birth. For such an agricultural society, an autumn post-harvest census was much more likely.

THE YEAR OF CHRIST’S BIRTH

Jesus wasn’t born in A.D. 0 either as many may believe. In 525 Pope John I commissioned the scholar Dionysius Exiguus to establish a feast calendar for the Roman Church. Dionysius also estimated the year of Christ’s birth based upon the founding of the city of Rome. Unfortunately because of insufficient historical data he arrived at a date at least a few years later than the actual event. The Gospels record Jesus’ birth as occurring during the reign of Herod the Great. Herod’s death is recorded by Jewish historian Flavius Josephus (Antiquities of the Jews, Josephus, Book 17, Chapter 8 ) and occurred in the spring of 4 B.C. (New Testament History, F.F. Bruce, Anchor Books, p.23). Therefore, Christ’s birth had to take place at least four years before the traditional date of A.D. 0 for historically there is no such date.

WHY WAS DECEMBER 25 POPULARIZED?

In Rome December 25^th was made popular by Pope Liberius in 354 and became the rule in the West in 435 when the first “Christ mass” was officiated by Pope Sixtus III. This coincided with the date of a celebration by the Romans to the sun god Mithras, who is said to have been born December 25^th. The Roman Catholic writer Mario Righetti candidly admits that, “to facilitate the acceptance of the faith by the pagan masses, the Church of Rome found it convenient to institute the 25^th of December as the feast of the birth of Christ to divert them from the pagan feast, celebrated on the same day in honor of the ‘Invincible Sun’ Mithras, the conqueror of darkness” (Manual of Liturgical History, 1955, Vol. 2, p. 67).

Because the Mithraic religion was an oral tradition; given through the Mithraic priesthood, there where no official writings or liturgical history. Thus, the Roman Church adopted those of the Messianic Jews and Messianic Gentiles (1^st Century Christians) as its official canon of sacred writings while teaching and maintaining the oral tradition. This is why most Roman Catholics have very little knowledge of scripture, but they know all the days to fast, the saints, chants, and holidays. It’s also interesting to note here that most of the major Roman Catholic Cathedrals are built upon Mithraic shrines.

Protestant historian Henry Chadwick sums up the controversy: “Moreover, early in the fourth century there begins in the West (where first and by whom is not known) the celebration of December 25th, the birthday of the Sun-god at the winter solstice, as the date for the nativity of Christ. How easy it was for Christianity and solar religion to become entangled at the popular level is strikingly illustrated by a mid-fifth century sermon of Pope Leo the Great, rebuking his over-cautious flock for paying reverence to the Sun on the steps of St. Peter’s before turning their back on it to worship inside the westward-facing basilica” (The Early Church, Penguin Books, London, 1967, p. 126).

The Encyclopedia Americana makes this clear: “In the fifth century, the Western Church ordered it [Christ's birth] to be observed forever on the day of the old Roman feast of the birth of Sol Invictus [Invincible Sun- the sun god], as no certain knowledge of the day of Christ’s birth existed” (1944 edition, “Christmas”).

Paul warned against observing “days, and months, and times, and years” (Gal. 4: 10). There were religious events unauthorized by God. The scriptures say nothing of Christmas or the continued celebration of the birth of Christ. They are post-apostolic; hence, unauthorized by God’s word in the context that we celebrate them today (see Gal. 1: 6-9; Rev. 22: 18, 19).

Christ’s yearly birthday celebration owes its beginning to man, not God. For Jesus always was, always is, and always will be according to the book of John: John 1:1-2 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” Therefore to celebrate a birth seems erroneous as He has always been and always will be!

So, when was Jesus born?

First, we must come to agree that Jesus always has been (John 1:1-2), once we understand that then we can begin to look for the season in which Jesus came to dwell among man. To begin this study, let’s begin in the book of Daniel. Often times when we think of the book of Daniel we think of a young man being thrown into a den of hungry lions or a kid in a fiery furnace; but did you know that Daniel was actually around 80 years old when he was thrown in the lions den? He had been a ruler of Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, and now Darius, the latter of which was tricked into having his vice-president (Daniel) executed.

Daniel and his companions, Azriyah, Haniniyah, and Misha’el where Jewish, where raised in Jerusalem and had been taught Torah (God’s Instructions) from their youth. When they where carried away into Babylon as captives, they where renamed Belteshazzar, Shadrack, Meshech, and Abed-nego and made eunuchs, trained for service in the court of King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 1:1-7). Daniel accurately interpreted one of the kinds dreams and was promoted to Prime Minister, which made him wealthy. The scripture also state that he was multiplied in wealth twice more: during the reigns of Belshazzar and Darius the Mede, making him one of the richest men in the kingdom. Daniel was in charge of the “Chaldeans”, a group of highly trained astronomers and intellectuals, many of which where Jewish captives. During his life, Daniel had many dreams and visions of kingdoms that would come and go.

During the end of his life, he was visited by the angel Gabriel and given specific timing of the coming of the Messiah and he was instructed to seal up some information, which no one was to know but himself. Then we find that Daniel dies a eunuch in Babylon…what happened to his vast fortune? With a fortune so vast there would have been some sort of account for it, it certainly wouldn’t have been left or tossed away… As we read through the historical books we come to find that many Jews stayed behind in Babylon after the captivity had ended, especially those in positions of responsibility. One noted such person is Mordechai and his niece Haddasah (known as Queen Esther). Daniel would have surely delegated the reasonability of his will to trusted companions, the Jewish Chaldean astronomers whom he has trained and who remained behind in Babylon.

Jumping ahead 500 years we see the treasure of Daniel reappear in the Scriptures!

We find that the magi- the Latin translation of a Greek word for an oriental scientist or astronomer have seen the sign of the Messiah in the sky above. Could it be that the same group, once trained by the prophet Daniel to look for signs in the heavens, have come to see the Messiah? For what reason would they seek Him? Let’s find out… in a moment…

The Nativity

Ask anyone you meet “How many wise men came to present gifts to Jesus, where did they find Him and how was He dressed?” As you already know, the common answer will be “Three wise men found Jesus lying in swaddling clothes in a manger.” That however is not what the scriptures teach! We actually read in the King James Version in Matthew 2:11 that an undesignated number of wise men (magi) came to the house where they found the young child, Jesus, living with His mother Mary, step-father, and Joseph. In the Gospels we find that only the shepherds arrived at the manger (Luke 2:8-20).

It’s really absurd to suggest a group of three men traveled in the middle of winter through the desert without an armed caravan. Wise men they would not have been if that was the case… The magi where in fact Chaldeans, astronomers from the east; those of the line trained by the Prophet Daniel. The same entrusted with Daniel’s treasure. Following Daniels instruction, the astronomers watched the skies for 500 years awaiting the Great Sign in the heavens that finally occurred on Tishri 1, and the end of the fourth millennium (Revelation 12:1-5). The constellation Bethula (Hebrew), the Virgin (Virgo [Latin]) was clothed with the setting sun at the time that the first sliver of the new moon appeared beneath her feet. In the twelve stars above her head, the planet Ha Tzadek (The Righteous [Jupiter, pagan]) came into conjunction with the star Ha Maleck (The King [Regulus, Latin]) that is between the feet of the constellation of Ariel (Hebrew [Leo, Latin]), the Lion of Judah.

On the first day of the month of Tishri, on Yom Teruah, the Feast of Trumpets, this one-time celestial alignment announced the coming birth of the Maleck-Tzadeck or Melchizadek, the King of Righteousness of the Tribe of Judah, who of course is Jesus the Messiah (Hebrews 7:11-26). During this feast the trumpets (shofars) are sounded signaling the coming of the Messiah, thus the astronomers (magi) left for Jerusalem. During their journey the Messiah arrived the fifteenth day of the seventh month on the Biblical Calendar (Tishri 15) on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles. How do we know this?

According to the Torah men where required to live in a sukkah of tabernacle for seven days, while women where free to live in the home. However, because a census has been called many men had to travel back to their homelands to be counted, so there was an unusual amount of travel away from Jerusalem. As we read in the Gospels, Mary couldn’t stay in the inn because it was booked up, no room, so she had to stay in a Sukkah (Manger/Stall is a Latin translation) with Joseph. She gave birth in the sukkah and at this moment “the word was made flesh and sukkoted (or tabernacled) among us.” In the King James Version, tabernacled was translated as “dwelt” among us (John 1:14).

40 days after the birth of Jesus, the law required an offering to be made. So, Mary and Joseph went to the temple, but where so poor they could only afford the minimal offering of two pigeons. So, they where obviously not yet in possession of the gold, frankincense, and myrrh as recorded in Luke 2:22-24.

A time later, actually about 500 years after Daniel passed, the executors of his will have brought Daniels treasure laden caravan to the gates of Jerusalem with the proclamation, “We have come to worship Him who is born King of the Jews.” Herod sent them to the neighboring village of Bethlehem, where the prophet Micah said the Messiah would be born (Micah 5:2). However, before Herod sent the magi to Bethlehem, he took private counsel with them asking them to him with information concerning the location of the Messiah.

After the magi delivered Daniels treasure to the Messiah, they where warned in a vision to secretly depart from Israel. Herod became angry that the magi ignored his request, so he ordered all male children throughout the country of Bethlehem “two years old and under according to the time which he had diligently inquired of these wise men” (Matthew 2:16). But this time, Joseph and Mary with the young Jesus where well on their way to Egypt a trip they could not have made unless the Lord set up their flight beforehand (Revelation 12:1-5)! The truth is always so much more awesome than the tradition!

Categorized in Knowledge
Tags: Christmas, Paganism, Paganism in Christianity, Santa

Nov

Bible Study: Unity In the Body

The Unique, Uncommon, Unequaled Church
Does Jesus Want One Church Today or Many?

Modern denominations differ in many ways, all claiming to be Christian and to honor Jesus. Yet the gospel shows that Christ planned and built just one church. Should Christianity be characterized by religious unity or by division? Does Jesus want one true church today, or should we approve and accept the existence of many divided denominations? Is one church as good as another? How many true churches are there?

Introduction:

In most areas of life, people consider it an advantage for something to be unique, uncommon, or unequaled. Sales commercials emphasize that their product is distinctive from other products. An antique is especially valuable if it is rare or uncommon. Athletes are especially honored if they win championships or set records.

In religion, however, many people consider it unacceptable, poor taste, or politically incorrect for a church to claim to be unique or unequaled. They object if members defend a church as being special or better than other groups. Some say, “One church is just good as another. Why are you so intolerant and strict? We need to be broad-minded in religion. Don’t criticize other groups. How can one little group be right and all the others be wrong?” People want members of many different denominations to be acceptable to God, so they object if you believe otherwise.

Unfortunately, instead of considering what God says about these subjects, most people base their views on their own opinion, what some preacher says, what they personally want to believe, or what their parents believed.

In this study, let us set aside the opinions of men and examine what God says in the Bible about the unique, uncommon, and unequaled character of the church that belongs to Jesus. When we do, we will also find the answers to other questions many people are asking.

Did Jesus plan and build just one church or many different denominations? Should Christianity be characterized by religious unity or by division? Should we approve and accept the existence of many divided “Christian denominations,” or should we believe and teach that there should be just one true church?

Consider the Bible answers to the following important questions:

Question #1: How Important Is Obedience?

To understand the uniqueness of Jesus’ church, we must begin by studying the fundamental importance of obedience. Many people believe it does not much matter whether or not a church obeys Jesus. When evidence is given that a church is somehow disobeying God’s word, some people say this doesn’t matter because the people in that church believe in the true God and love God, etc.

This is important to our study because, if Jesus requires obedience, then that is at least one way that the church needs to be unique compared to churches that do not obey. But if disobedience can be overlooked, then there would be no advantage in being part of a church that was obedient.

So what does God’s word say? In a world of religious groups that say obedience is not essential, does God expect His church to be unique by emphasizing the need for obedience?

Ephesians 1:22,23; 5:23,24 – Jesus is the head over all things to the church. The church must be subject to Jesus, just like a body should obey the instructions of its head.

Colossians 3:17; 2:8,19 – Since Christ is head of the church (1:18), all we do should be done in His name – i.e., according to His authority. We must “hold fast the head” by obeying Him instead of following human philosophies and traditions.

Matthew 15:9 – Our worship to God is vain if we follow human doctrines instead of Jesus’ teachings (cf. 2 John 9; Galatians 1:8,9; John 4:24).

Jesus’ church should emphasize obedience to its Head. When a church teaches that we do not have to obey Jesus to be saved, that church is admitting it is not honoring Jesus as its Head! If a church obeys human doctrine, then men are its head.

Matthew 7:21-27 – It is not enough just to call Jesus our Lord. We must do the will of the Father. If we do not obey Jesus’ teachings, we are as foolish as a man who builds a house without a solid foundation. Just as that house will not stand in bad weather, so our lives will not be acceptable in the judgment.

Hebrews 5:9; 2 Thessalonians 1:8,9 – Jesus is the author of salvation to all who obey Him. Those who do not obey the gospel will receive eternal destruction when Jesus returns.

This is not to say that anyone who ever disobeys is forever without hope. Such a person can be forgiven, but to do so he must repent and make up his mind to become obedient and then be forgiven by Jesus’ blood (Acts 2:38; 17:30; 2 Peter 3:9; Mark 16:16).

Clearly it is a serious mistake to think that obedience is not essential. Yet many churches deny the need for obedience. So one way Jesus’ church should be unique is that it should honor Jesus as its Head by obeying Him. Furthermore, as we proceed we will see that this obedience is a source from which necessarily spring many other unique features of the church.

(See also James 1:21-25; 1 Peter 1:22,23; Romans 6:17,18; 1 John 5:3; 2:3-6; 3:6-10; John 14:15,21-24; Romans 2:6-10.)

Question #2: Are God’s People a Minority or a Majority?

Most people somehow believe that they will be saved, and most people like to think that the majority of other people will be saved. If that were true, then those who are saved would not be very unique. And if most people really were saved, then that would make Jesus’ church large. So people tend to reject small churches. Being small would make the church unique, but here again most people don’t like uniqueness.

It is true that God has provided a plan whereby all men can be saved. He would be pleased if everyone would follow that plan and receive eternal life (2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:3-6; John 3:16; Mark 16:15,16). However, we have seen that only those people who obey God’s plan actually will be saved, and all others will be lost. So should we expect the number of saved, obedient people to be large or small compared to the number who disobey? Are most people saved, or does being saved make one unique?

Matthew 7:13,14 – The way that leads to destruction is broad and many travel that road. The way that leads to life is narrow and “few there be that find it.” Many people fail to do the will of the Father, but only a few will obey and be saved (cf. vv 21-27).

1 Peter 3:20 – In the days of Noah, only a few souls were saved – only eight out of the thousands alive (cf. Genesis 6). Men in general were extremely wicked and were destroyed.

1 Corinthians 10:1-6 – Even among those who were God’s chosen people in the Old Testament, with most of them God was not well pleased, so He destroyed them. In fact, of all the older generation who left Egypt, only two were allowed to enter the promised land – Joshua and Caleb (Num. 14:28-30). All the rest died because of disobedience. This is presented by God as an example to us.

Today if you believe your religious views are correct and you disagree with other people, many people will object. They will accuse you of intolerance and narrow-mindedness. To their way of thinking, the very fact you think you are right automatically proves you are wrong! You may be unique, but they don’t like it at all. Yet throughout the Bible, those who pleased God were unique in that they were in the minority.

Romans 9:27; 11:2-5 – In Israel, the number of people who were acceptable to God is frequently called a “remnant” – a small part of the whole number. In Elijah’s day, that remnant consisted of 7000 men. So today those who are God’s true people are a “remnant.” Note that the number of obedient people in Elijah’s day was considerably greater than in Noah’s day or in Joshua’s day. Yet it was relatively small compared to all the people on earth.

The number of people who are truly acceptable to God varies from time to time. The cases we have cited were times of widespread corruption. There may be other times when faithfulness is not as rare as in these times (cf. 2 Timothy 4:2). At any given time, the actual number of faithful people would be known only to God. But in virtually every age, those on the road to life are “few” compared to the “many” on the road to destruction.

We should not expect God’s church to consist of a majority of people in any community. Nor should we reject a church or a teaching simply because it is a minority or its views are unpopular. Jesus’ church is truly “unique” in that it will always be relatively small, and those who are members of it are truly “uncommon.”

(See also Matthew 22:14; Luke 13:23-25; Revelation 3:4).

Question #3: How Many Churches Please Jesus?

In the world today there are many different denominations that teach and practice different and contradictory faiths. They disagree in name, organization, plan of salvation, and worship. People want to believe that, in spite of these contradictions and disagreements, many of these groups are acceptable to God. If that were so, then there would be no one unique church that was right.

We have seen, however, that to please God we must obey Him. Are the few people who obey God to be found in many different denominations, or is there only one unique church teaching and practicing one true faith?

Matthew 16:18 – Jesus promised to build His church – one, not many.

Colossians 1:13 – Christians have been translated out of the power of darkness into the kingdom of God’s Son – one kingdom, not many.

Ephesians 5:22-25 – Christ is the head of His body (the church – 1:22,23), just as your head directs your body and just as a husband is head of his wife. But a head directs one body, not many bodies. A husband is head of only one wife (with God’s approval), not many wives.

And so Christ is head of one body. There are “many members, yet but one body” (1 Corinthians 12:20). If Jesus had many churches, He would be like a man with many wives. This would be spiritual adultery!

John 17:20,21 – Jesus prayed for those who believe in Him to be one as He and His Father are one. Do He and His Father disagree and contradict one another about how people should worship, how people may be saved, or what church people should be members of? They do not, and neither should we, for we are to be one as they are one.

1 Corinthians 1:10,13 – Division is contrary to God’s will. Is Christ divided? Does He give contradictory commands to men? Surely not, for if He did He would be a hypocrite!

Since Jesus’ commands are not contradictory, it is clear that when the practices of people conflict and contradict one another, then someone is not obeying Jesus. Religious division exists, but we must not condone or excuse it. Nor should we participate in error for the sake of unity – to do so would be to disobey God (cf. James 3:17).

Whenever some people obey God and some people disobey God, division will exist between those groups; but the people who will be condemned for the division will be those who disobey God, not those who obey Him. (See 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1; Luke 12:51-53; John 10:19-21; Acts 14:1-4; 19:8,9; 28:22-25; 2 John 9-11.)

Ephesians 4:3-6 – We should strive for unity based on the oneness of each of the seven things listed here. There is one body (church) and one faith, just as surely as there is only one God and Father. To say there are many conflicting and disagreeing bodies, all of which are acceptable, would be as wrong as saying there are many different Gods, all of which are acceptable.

Nor can we say that the one body is made up of many different denominations, for the passage says that the one body must follow one faith, whereas denominations follow different faiths. There may be many different false gods, but there is only one true God. So there may be many different false churches and false faiths, but there is only one true church and only one true faith.

Note that this does not mean there is only one local congregation. In the New Testament, there were many local congregations of God’s people, and there are also many today (Galatians 1:2; Acts 8:1; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Revelation 1:4,11; etc.). But these local churches should all believe and practice the same common faith (Ephesians 4:3-6; Jude 3; Titus 1:4). In this sense, the members of these local congregations are all members of the one true church, but not members of many disagreeing, conflicting denominations.

Truly, Jesus’ church is unique and unequaled, for there is only one true church.

Question #4: Should We Rebuke Those Who Disobey?

As we have discussed, people tend to think that obedience is not essential, and they think most people will be saved. This leads them to believe that we should “leave other people alone and don’t criticize other religious beliefs.”

But we have learned that obedience is essential to please God and that most people are not obeying God. Now should God’s people speak out and warn other people about the danger of not obeying God? Should we rebuke the people in sin and urge them to repent? If we do, once again we will surely be unique, and once again we can expect people to dislike it! But what does God say?

2 Timothy 4:2-4 – We should continually preach God’s word, reproving and rebuking sin (i.e., warn against error). Why? Because we want to help people avoid the danger of departing from truth to follow error.

Those who obey God must contend with the wicked (Proverbs 28:4). They must not participate in sin, but must rebuke it (Ephesians 5:11). They must earnestly contend for the faith (Jude 3). If they fail to do so, they themselves will stand condemned before God (Ezekiel 33:1-9). (See also Titus 1:9-14; 1 Timothy 5:20).

Luke 24:47 – Faithful followers of Christ regularly preached that people need to repent (Matthew 3:1-8; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 17:30). But when a person repents, he must admit he has been wrong and must decide to change. So to preach repentance means to tell people they are wrong.

On almost every page of your Bible, examples can be found of apostles and prophets warning people, even religious people, when they were wrong. (See Matthew 14:1-11; Acts 2:14-41; 6:9; 7:51-54; 13:8-11; 18:24-28; 1 Corinthians; Galatians 1:6-9; 2:11-14; etc.). We should imitate their example (1 Corinthians 11:1; Hebrews 13:7).

Revelation 3:19 – Because Jesus loved people, He reproved and chastened them when they were wrong. He testified that their works were evil (John 7:7). (See examples in Matthew 15:1-20; 22:23-33; chap. 23; John 8:31-55; etc.) We should imitate His example (1 Peter 2:21).

2 Timothy 2:25,26 – This explains why we must correct people who are in sin and why such correction is an act of love. A person in sin is a captive of the Devil; he will be lost unless he repents. If we teach him and he repents, he can be saved from death and have eternal life (James 5:19,20).

When we warn a child not to play with matches, sharp knives, or electrical outlets, are we being egotistical and self-righteous, or are we showing love for the child? So it is also an act of love to try to help people avoid sin.

John 3:20 – The main reason why people say Christians should not point out the errors of other people is that they do not want their own errors (or the errors of their loved ones) to be pointed out. The truth hurts their consciences and makes them feel guilty. They should repent and be forgiven; but if they are unwilling to repent, then they will object to the preaching (cf. Acts 7:51-54; Matthew 14:1-11; John 7:7; Proverbs 28:4).

This is not to say we should rebuke others out of self-righteous motives – to exalt our own pride, to win an argument, or to prove we are right and others are wrong. Nor should we condemn people who are not guilty of sin. But when people are guilty, if we justify their sin, we are as wrong as if we condemned them when they were innocent – note Proverbs 17:15.

When we realize how important obedience is and that there is really only one way to please God, then and only then will we appreciate the importance of speaking out against sin. As long as we think people can be saved while they continue in unforgiven sin, or as long as we think there are many different groups that please God, then we will see no value in warning people to cease sin. When we realize the uniqueness of God’s true church, then we see the value in warning people to turn from sin and become members of Jesus’ church. But this practice will make us even more unique, since most people do not do it.

Conclusion

When we learn the teaching of God’s word, then we understand that Jesus’ church must be unique and unequaled. This does not mean we should deliberately try to be different, just for the sake of being different. Rather, we should simply seek to diligently obey Jesus. But when we do, we will find that we are different from the many people who do not obey Him.

Again, we should want everyone to be forgiven of sins and enter the church. Yet we should not be ashamed of the church if it remains few in number – much less should we think the smallness of the church proves there is something wrong with it. Instead, we should recognize that Jesus said it would be this way.

And finally, members of the church should not become self-righteous and egotistical because they have found the church. Instead, we should thank God for His grace, and we should strive to help others learn about the true church so they can be saved and share the blessings in Christ.

What must a person do to become a member of Jesus’ church? He must simply follow the gospel and be forgiven of sin, for the true church is simply the body of people whom Jesus has forgiven (Acts 2:47; 20:28; Ephesians 5:23,25). To be saved and enter the church, one must hear the gospel, believe it, repent of sins, confess Christ, and be baptized (immersed) in water for the purpose of receiving the forgiveness of sins by Jesus’ blood (Mark 16:15,16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Romans 10:9,10,17; 6:3,4).

Categorized in Daily Bible Study
Tags: Bible Study, the church, Unity, Unity in the Body

Nov

TRIP LEE – HOLLA 116

Categorized in video
Tags: Trip lee

Nov

The Truth About Christmas – Part 2

Veneration of the Virgin and Child

This may come as a stretch to some, but the nativity’s primary imagery, the “Madonna and Child” is actually worship of the “heavenly mother”, the goddess Cybele (also Semiramis and Tammuz). Don’t you find it odd that the United States Government wants God’s name out of the Pledge of Allegiance and other forms of law; but they happily celebrate Christmas, take Sunday’s off, and make a postage stamp for the “Madonna and Child”?

The cult of the Virgin Mary arose in the fourth century as a result of the forceful Christian triumph under Constantine, and blossomed about 100 years later in the fifth century. The Collyridians were, according to Epiphanius in his Panarion, a Christian heretical sect which began in Thrace and, by the time he wrote in 375 AD, had spread to the whole of the area north of the Black Sea and also to Arabia. It was mainly a female sect whose priestesses led the worship of Mary as Queen of Heaven. Their ritual was to cover a throne with a linen cloth, place bread upon it and consecrate it to Mary, and then consume the bread as a communion.

Epiphanius castigated them for their presumption because God had not given Mary any rights of blessing or baptism. His protests show the Collyridian women must have been claiming these rights. The goddess began powerfully reasserting herself in the fifth century. A feminine presence was added to Christianity by the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD when the Virgin Mary was named Theotokos the Mother of God. The Emperor Zeno rededicated the temple of Rhea at Byzantium, not to the son or a saint, but to the Virgin Mary. Gradually she was to be heaped with all the titles of the goddess of old, including that of Queen of Heaven.

When the church began to suppress the cults of the goddesses, Roman goddess worshippers turned to the cult of the Virgin to replace Isis and Cybele. Why? Because Cybele’s son was hung on a pine tree, and the husband and brother of Isis, Osiris, was found in a tree. These images, together with the huge sense of loss of civilization and growth of pessimism with the fall of Rome and the barbarity of Christianity, promoted the crucifixion images and so, the cult of the Virgin continued under the guise of Christianity. From this time, pictures of Christ on the cross began to appear, specifically in a pine cross or mounted on a pine cone. Earlier, Jesus had been shown as the Good Shepherd; an androgynous youth carrying a lamb in his arms or across his shoulders. The Western Empire fell to the Goths in 476 AD and the northern tribes were fond of the cross as a magic symbol. From then on, the Jesus typical of Catholic crucifixes became increasingly common.

Paradoxically Bishop Cyril, murderer of Hypatia, was a passionate advocate of the reverencing of the Virgin Mary and 15 years after the butchery of Hypatia was instrumental in defeating Nestorius and asserting Mary worship within the church. Theoretically the outcome was a compromise but in practice the Nestorians were outlawed and became a deviant sect of Christianity which gradually lost ground. Nestorians believed that Jesus was a man who served as a container for the god, Christ. Jesus died and corrupted but the god ascended to heaven where he had dwelt for all eternity. In Greek, Christ simply means “anointed” and was a common name for all gods including Zeus, Mithra, etc. So claims of the god, the Christ, being separate from the man, where not that uncommon.

Cyril was canonized for his efforts and the Ephesians rejoiced, able once more to worship a goddess now called Mary instead of Diana. The Church of Mary was opened in Ephesus for the flourishing cult of Theotokos. Ephesus had been the home of the cult of Cybele the Great Mother in the guise of Diana or Artemis (Ashtoreth in Hebrew found throughout the Old Testament). But the role of the new Mother Goddess was heavily restricted and included none of the fertility components (sexual initiations) present in Pagan religions.

Once the veneration of the Virgin was accepted, the old temples and shrines devoted to goddesses were given over to churches dedicated to Mary. The church of Santa Maria Maggiore replaced the temple of Cybele on the Esquiline hill. Another church to Santa Maria replaced the temple of Tanit, a Phoenician goddess, on the Capitoline hill. Temples to Isis near the Pantheon and to Minerva (Athena) also became churches to Mary.

Elsewhere the temple of Athena at Athens had the same fate and another at Syracuse. Lesser shrines everywhere were converted and re-dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, Mary Theotokos, Mater Dei, Mother of God. And in the process Mary took the attributes of the goddesses she replaced. Like Juno she was the patron saint of pregnant women and their unborn children, like Isis, the Stella Maris, she protected sailors.

An edict of 754 AD from Constantinople condemns any orthodox Christian who does not:

“Confess the holy Ever-Virgin Mary, truly and properly the Mother of God, to be higher than every creature whether visible or invisible and does not with sincere faith seek her intercessions, as one having confidence in her access to our God.”

On December 8, 2003 Pope John Paul II publicly prayed:
“Queen of peace, pray for us!

“Our gaze is directed toward you in great fear, to you do we turn with ever-more insistent faith in these times marked by many uncertainties and fears for the present and future of our planet. Together we lift our confident and sorrowful petition to you, the first fruit of humanity redeemed by Christ, finally freed from the slavery of evil and sin: hear the cry of the pain of victims of war and so many forms of violence that bloody the earth. Clear away the darkness of sorrow and worry, of hate and vengeance. Open up our minds and hearts to faith and forgiveness!” -Pope John Paul II

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” -Acts 4:10-12

The Pagan sea goddess was called Marian (i.e., Stella Maris) and wore the blue cloak and pearl necklace which gave the normal artistic inspiration to painters of the mother and child and other such graven images. The sea goddess by then was Aphrodite who rose from the surf in a scallop shell. Aphrodite was the Babylonian Ishtar (Easter) and she was also the Phoenician mermaid goddess, depicted as a sea goddess. The moon goddess Eurynome was depicted at Phigalia in Arcadia as a mermaid (So yes, the Little Mermaid is a devil too!). Aphrodite is Venus and therefore the morning and evening stars, and as the sea goddess she is the Stella Maris or Star of the Sea. A pun on this is Stella Maris which is Myrrh of the Sea; myrrh is sacred to the goddess and to Mary.

The crusaders found some heretical Mary worshipping Christian sects in the Middle East that where tolerated by the Muslims, perhaps because they were respected for having influenced Mohammed? The Ebionites might have been among them. Some of them had a cult of Mary and it was brought back to Europe via Santiago de Compostela in Spain and ultimately to Britain as the cult of St Mary of Egypt, or Mary Gypsy. She was dark skinned and dressed in the blue robe of Marian, the sea goddess. She appears often in the ballads of Robin Hood because she was adopted by Richard Lion Heart.

It’s also interesting to note that Starbucks Coffee uses the image of the sea goddess in their logo. So, whose coffee are you really drinking?

The ‘Madonna and Child’ theme is thought of as exclusively Catholic Christian, but it was in fact adapted from earlier pagan religions, notably the much older Egyptian cult of Isis and Horus. Pictured at far left, an Ancient Egyptian statue from the 19th Dynasty (1295-1186 BC), predating Christianity by well over 1000 years, showing the ‘Madonna and Child’ theme with Isis and Horus. Center, this Classical Greek mosaic, predating the advent of Christianity, shows the Greek mythological character, Dionysus, as a holy child. This theme was taken up into Roman Catholicism, as per the ‘Madonna and Child’ portrait, at right.

“Among all the women who have ever lived, the mother of Jesus Christ is the most celebrated, the most venerated…Among Roman Catholics, the Madonna is recognized not only as the Mother of God, but also, according to modern Popes, as the Queen of the Universe, Queen of Heaven, Seat of Wisdom, and even the Spouse of the Holy Spirit.” -Time Magazine, “Handmaid or Feminist?”, December 30, 1991, p. 62-66

Jeremiah 7:18 “… the women knead the dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven; and they pour out drink offerings to other gods, that they may provoke Me to anger!”

Jeremiah 16:19 “…. Our ancestors left us a foolish heritage, for they worshipped worthless idols…”

What say the Pope?

Pius IX, Ubi Primum, 1849: “For God has committed to Mary the treasury of all good things, in order that everyone may know that THROUGH HER are obtained every hope, every grace, and ALL SALVATION. For this is his will, that we obtain everything through Mary.”

Paul VI, Christi Matri. “The Church … been accustomed to have recourse to that most ready intercessor, her Mother Mary … For as St. Irenaeus says, she ‘has become the cause of salvation for the whole human race”

John Paul II, Dives in Misericordia, 1980, quoting Lumen Gentium, “In fact, by being assumed into heaven she has not laid aside the office of salvation but by the manifold intercession she continues to obtain for us the grace of eternal salvation.”

John Paul II again said, “Membership in the Militia means complete dedication to the Kingdom of God and to the salvation of souls through Mary Immaculate.”

“By awarding the Virgin a central place in the cathedral’s narrative, the archdiocese is keeping faith with a long, if fluctuating, Catholic and Orthodox tradition of devotion to Our Lady, a tradition enjoying resurgence under Pope John Paul II. (The pope’s personal motto, “Totus tuus sum, Maria,” or “I am all yours, Mary,” reflects his belief that the Virgin intervened to save his life from an assassin’s bullet in 1981 so that he could help defeat European communism.)” -LATIMES.com Sept 1, 2002 by REED JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer

What does the Nativity Represent?

Beyond the Veneration of the Madonna and Child, the nativity represents the Babylonian trio of Nimrod, Great Grandson to Noah, his mother/wife Semiramis, and their illegitimate child Tammuz. In Genesis 10 and 11 we read of how Nimrod was the world’s greatest hunter and the leader of what seemed at the time to be the entire human race. He orchestrated the planting of cities such as Babel, Asshur, Nineveh and Calah (Genesis 10:10-12). Now if you know any history you’ll know these where some horrid places known for their idolatry and pagan practices.

In Babel we know Nimrod has a Tower constructed which reached high into the heavens. This ziggurat or pyramid like structure can still be found all over the world in cities such as Rome, London, Paris, New York, and Washington D.C. in what we now call an obelisk. The obelisk represents the uncircumcised phallus of Nimrod. This may seem odd to Westerners, but the phallus is a symbol of power to those in the East. Take for instance this quote from Isser Harel, founder of Mossad, Israel’s Intelligence Agency. When asked where terrorism would strike first in America he responded “New York is a symbol of your freedom and capitalism. It’s likely they will strike there first at your tallest building, because it’s your greatest fertility symbol, and a symbol of your power.”^XX

This came true on September 11, 2001 when the tallest buildings in America fell.

XX. The Final Move beyond Iraq by Mike Evans, Interview with Isser Harel, Page 2

When Nimrod eventually died, the Babylonian mystery religion in which he figured prominently continued on. His wife Queen Semiramis saw to that. Once he was dead, she deified him as the Sun-god. In various cultures he later became known as Baal, the Great Life Giver, Baalim, Bel, Chemosh, Molech, etc.

When the beloved Queen gave birth to her illegitimate son because of adulterous affair, she claimed that her son, named Tammuz, was actually Nimrod reborn. She claimed that the son was supernaturally conceived, which lead to them both being worshipped. Nimrod became the sun god and father of creation, Semiramis became the moon goddess and mother of fertility, while Tammuz took the role as the savior of man-kind.

When Tammuz was killed by a wild boar in a hunting accident, Semiramis proclaimed that he passed to the underworld, but through the weeping of his mother he would spring forth as the vegetation each spring season. Thus, Semiramis wept 40 days each spring at the completion of which the spring harvest came forth- a supposed resurrection from the underworld.^X

X. The resurrection of Tammuz [Nimrod] through Ishtar’s grief [Semiramis] was dramatically represented annually in order to insure the success of the crops and the fertility of the people… Each year men and women had to grieve with Ishtar over the death of Tammuz and celebrate the god’s return, in order to win anew her favor and her benefits! [Homer W. Smith, Man and His Gods, p. 86, as cited by Woodrow, p. 157.]

In Ezekiel we read:

“The angel brought me to the gate of the house of the Lord and I beheld women weeping for Tammuz. Then he said to me, you shall see greater abominations. And he brought me into the inner court where about twenty five men had their back to the Temple, they faced east and worshipped the sun.”

- Ezekiel 8:14-16

So, all religious systems and practices in the world have their foundation in the Babylonian Mystery Cults, except for Judaism which is the branch from which true Christianity sprouted. God called a man named Abraham and it was his descendents that would carry the key to knowing the one true God. So, what is a Modern Christian to do? Jesus said in Luke 14:33 “So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.”

We should forsake all the traditions and practices we have that were not taught by Christ or the apostles in scripture. As it says in Jeremiah 16:19- we have inherited nothing but lies and pagan gods from our forefathers, and Jesus has redeemed us from that empty life we have inherited from our families (1 Peter 1:18).

Mark 7:7-9 “And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.” He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.”

This verse spells it out for us. We’re still trying to keep mans traditions over what God said.

Galatians 4:9-11 “⁹ But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? ¹⁰ You observe days and months and seasons and years. ¹¹ I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.”

The Galatians where Gentiles brought to Christ through the teaching of the apostle Paul; they fell back into their old pagan worship patterns after hearing the Gospel of Truth preached. We have done the same thing! We are free of the old pagan ways and requirements. It’s the legalistic pagans that demand we celebrate their days, times, and years instead of God’s.

If you wish to become a disciple of Jesus Christ or think you’re a disciple but are practicing these pagan rites; repent for taking part in these practices. Turn from this season of sin and falsehood and follow the word of God only.

James 1:22 “Be ye doers of the word and not just hearers only; deceiving your ownselves.”

Categorized in Knowledge
Tags: Christmas, Pagan, Paganism in Christianity

Nov

Daily Bible Study:Portraits of Jesus

Jesus lived almost 2000 years ago, but even today people all over the world serve Him. We know this man primarily through four Bible books: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. First-hand acquaintance with these writings will help us understand Jesus and His message.

This course surveys Mark’s narrative of Jesus’ life. As you study each lesson, please keep a Bible at your side so that you can verify what you are learning by the Scriptures. You will notice that Mark is divided into sixteen major sections (chapters), each of which contains small divisions (verses). When a notation like 5:12 is used in these lessons, you should look at the fifth chapter of Mark and the twelfth verse.

A couple of items before we get started: to profit most from these lessons, you need an open heart to receive what Jesus taught and did. Allow His words to direct you as you read. A prayer for God’s guidance at the beginning and end of each study is recommended. If you don’t understand something mentioned in this course or in your reading of Mark, please feel free to write your question down and send it to us along with your completed lesson. We’ll be happy to answer it if we can.

John Prepares the Way

>>> Read Mark 1:1-8. <<<

Please read Mark 1:1-8 in your Bible before continuing the lesson. In the very first verse, Mark announced that he would write about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is surprising, therefore, that he did not start out by telling about Jesus Himself; instead, he described the work of John the Baptist. This was because John was to prepare the way for Jesus. John fulfilled this mission by preaching to get people ready for the coming of the Lord.

John’s message focused on two themes that will help us get ready to receive Christ. First, he preached about repentance. To repent means to decide to change. John was telling his hearers that they had to reverse their life’s direction to get ready for Christ; those unwilling to change could not come to Him. Second, John declared the greatness of Jesus. He said Jesus was so great that he himself was not even worthy to stoop down and untie His shoes. This was an amazing declaration because one does not have to have much worth to untie somebody’s shoes. In fact, in John’s day, untying shoes was considered to be a slave’s lowest duty – John wasn’t worthy to be Jesus’ humblest slave! So, for us to be ready to receive Jesus, we must repent (change our lives) and recognize His awesome greatness.

*1* John came to prepare the way for whom? (a) Moses, (b) Mohammed, (c) Jesus, (d) Peter. Answer: (put the letter of the correct answer in the blank) ______.

*2* What word in our study means “to decide to change”? Answer: The word is (put the correct word[s] in the blank) ______ .

*3* John said he was unworthy to: a) untie Jesus’ shoes; b) carry Jesus’ bags; c) stand beside Jesus; d) talk to Jesus. Answer : ______.

Early Events in Jesus’ Career

>>> Read Mark 1:9-15. <<<

Just like thousands of others, Jesus came to John to be baptized. But as He emerged from the water, something startling occurred: The Holy Spirit came down upon Him in the form of a dove and a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” God was showing His approval of Jesus in a dramatic way.

Then Jesus entered the wilderness where the devil tempted Him. While Matthew and Luke provide more specific information about the temptations (Matthew 4; Luke 4), Mark’s brief account shows two things. First, Jesus experienced temptation as all men do. Second, doing what pleases God, as Jesus did when He was baptized, does not exempt one from temptation. Satan often intensifies his efforts when a person begins to serve God.

*4&5* What two amazing things happened when Jesus was baptized? Answer: The ______ came on Him in a form like a dove, and a voice spoke from ______ saying, “This is my beloved Son.”

*6* Where was Jesus baptized (v9)? Answer: He was baptized in the ______ River.

*7* For how many days was Jesus tempted by Satan in the wilderness (v13; cf. Luke 4:1,2)? Answer: ______ days (give a number).

*8* What message did Jesus preach (v15)? Answer: He told people to repent and believe in the ______.

Jesus Calls Four Fishermen

>>> Read Mark 1:16-20. <<<

As Jesus walked along, He saw two of His friends, Peter and Andrew, who were professional fishermen. He asked them to follow Him and become fishers of men. At once, they quit their jobs and began following Christ. He next found James and John, and requested that they do the same. With no hesitation, they left not only their occupation but also their father, and began to accompany the Lord. Clearly, these men recognized Jesus’ greatness. He was the one whose shoes John was unworthy to untie. God had specially acknowledged Him by His own voice from heaven. So when Jesus demanded radical action (to drop everything and follow Him), they responded immediately.

Note — Characteristics of followers of Jesus: These fishermen demonstrated the meaning of discipleship. When Jesus called, they: 1) acted immediately, 2) left both job and family, and 3) started following Him.

Christ calls today through His Word. When we perceive His greatness, we too will: 1) obey immediately all He says, 2) put Him ahead of everything, including our job and family, and 3) follow Him, allowing His example to direct every step.

People who know that Jesus wants them to change, but put it off, are not like these four fishermen.

*9* Which of these things did the disciples not do when Jesus called them? a) decide immediately; b) leave family and job; c) follow Jesus; d) go to school for training. Answer: ______.

*10* What did Jesus say He would make these men (v17)? Answer: He would make them fishers of ______.

Jesus Amazes the Crowds

>>> Read Mark 1:21-28. <<<

Jesus’ teaching astounded the multitude in the synagogue (a synagogue was like a church among the Jews). He taught with authority. He issued His commands as if He had the right to tell others exactly what to do!

Jesus’ actions showed that He really had the authority that He claimed. In this paragraph, He cast out a demon. How? By His words! Nothing more. When Jesus merely said, “Be quiet and come out of him,” the demon left the man. His words had authority even over demons. The calmness with which Jesus expelled demons reflected His power: He never argued or struggled or created a scene. He simply ordered the demons to leave and they left. No wonder people were amazed. He had demonstrated the credentials to prove His authority.

Note — Need for authority: In every area, authority is essential. To determine distance, it is necessary to have a yardstick or standard of measure by which to calculate length. Thus, if someone wishes to know how long a room is, he measures it. There is no other way to know for sure. God has provided a yardstick in religion: Jesus and His words. When we wish to know whether something is right or wrong, we should evaluate it by the standard of the Scriptures. This should be done with every teacher and teaching – even this correspondence course. Therefore, you need to have a Bible at your side while you are studying, and continually refer to it to be sure that what is taught in these lessons is true. The Bible is our yardstick.

*11* What amazed the multitudes about Jesus? a) physical appearance; b) intelligence; c) wealth; d) authority in teaching. Answer: ______.

*12* How did Jesus expel the demon? a) by conducting a seance; b) by a magical formula; c) by a simple command (rebuke); d) by taking up a collection. Answer: ______.

*13* What purpose did Jesus’ miracles serve? a) they made Him rich, b) they demonstrated His authority and proved He was from God, c) they proved people today can do miracles, d) they served no purpose whatever. Answer: ______.

Jesus Heals Many

>>> Read Mark 1:29-34. <<<

Jesus came into Simon Peter’s house and found his mother-in-law sick in bed with a high fever (see Luke 4:38). He spoke to her, raised her up, and the fever left her. She then began waiting on Jesus and the disciples. He also healed many others who were brought to Him.

Several features of Jesus’ healings are noteworthy:

* He healed immediately, with no delay.

* He healed everyone who came to Him regardless of their disease. (Compare Matt. 8:16,17; Luke 4:40,41.)

* He healed so completely that Simon’s mother-in-law was able to get up and start waiting on them. After a fever breaks, it normally takes a few days for a person to recover his strength. Jesus’ healings put people back as if they had never had their maladies in the first place!

* Jesus sought to avoid publicity. He ordered the demons not to announce who He was.

*14* Whom did Jesus heal in this story? Answer: He healed Simon Peter’s ______.

(Thought question: If Peter had a mother-in-law, what does this tell you about Peter? Note that “Simon” is just another name for Peter — Matt. 4:18; 8:14,15.)

*15* Which is not characteristic of Jesus’ healings? a) He healed many (i.e., all of the many who came); b) He healed completely; c) He healed immediately; d) He healed so He could become rich and popular. Answer: ______.

Jesus Continues His Journeys

>>> Read Mark 1:35-39. <<<

Jesus frequently sought solitude for prayer. Prayer during the daytime was nearly impossible since the crowds continually pressed on Him, so He skipped sleep to be able to talk with His Father that He missed so much. After finally finding Him that morning, the disciples reported that everybody in the town where He had been was seeking Him. Nevertheless, since He wanted to be able to get the message to as many people as possible, He insisted on moving on to other towns.

*16* Jesus arose early in the morning for what purpose? Answer: He arose to ______.

Jesus Heals a Leper

>>> Read Mark 1:40-45. <<<

Painful open sores caused everyone to dread leprosy. Those who contracted it were quarantined because the disease was highly contagious. In this story, Jesus did what no one else dared do – He touched a leper. When He did so, the man was healed immediately. His sores were instantly transformed into smooth skin. The Lord then instructed the cleansed leper to report his healing to the priest (a requirement of the law of Moses – Leviticus 13-14), but to tell no one else. The man, however, went out and told everyone – the exact opposite of what Jesus had said. Undoubtedly he was thrilled that he had been healed and probably imagined that spreading the news about Jesus would honor Him. But the fact remains that he did just what Jesus had said not to do. As a result, the Lord was thronged by such large crowds that He could no longer publicly enter into cities, but had to remain in unpopulated areas. We should learn a lesson: All disobedience, even well-intentioned, hurts Jesus’ work.

*17* After Jesus spoke, how long was it till the leprosy was healed? a) several weeks, b) several days, c) immediate, d) the Bible does not say. Answer: ______.

*18* After Jesus had healed the leper, He told the man to show himself to whom? Answer: He was to show himself to the ______.

*19* What result occurred because the leper disobeyed Jesus’ orders? a) he became a leper again; b) Jesus was thronged by crowds so large that He couldn’t enter a town; c) Jesus praised his evangelism; d) he became an apostle. Answer: ______.

Summary: This chapter shows the greatness of Jesus: John was unworthy to untie His shoes; God spoke from heaven endorsing Him; He expelled demons by a mere word; He healed the sick immediately regardless of the nature of their infirmity. This chapter also indicates how we should respond to His greatness: immediately obey everything He says no matter what sacrifice is required; respect the authority of His message; and, obey Him even when His command seems unreasonable.

Categorized in Daily Bible Study
Tags: Bible Study, Daily Bible Study, Jesus, Life of Jesus

Nov

Trip Lee Spittin Acappella

Categorized in video
Tags: Christian hip hop, Freestyles, Hip hop, Trip lee

Nov

The Truth About Christmas – Part 3

The Origins of Christmas

The word “Christmas” means “Mass of Christ,” or, as it came to be shortened, “Christ-Mass.” This term came to the modern world from the Roman Catholic Church.

“Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the Church . . . The first evidence of the feast is from Egypt.” “Pagan customs centering around the January calends [the pagan calendar] gravitated to Christmas.”–Catholic Encyclopedia, 1911 ed., article: “Christmas.”

Origen, an early Catholic writer, said this about celebrating birthdays in the Bible:

“In the Scriptures, no one is recorded to have kept a feast or held a great banquet on his [Christ's] birthday. It is only sinners [like Pharaoh or Herod] who make great rejoicings over the day in which they were born into this world.”–Catholic Encyclopedia, 11th ed., art: “Natal Day.”

The Christ-Mass

It must be attended by the faithful, under penalty of mortal sin for not doing so. At this mass–as at every other,–Christ is offered by the priest in a wafer, which they believe becomes the actual flesh of Christ after being blessed; this is the Catholic doctrine of Transubstantiation. The people are to worship this wafer as the living Christ! Vatican statements on this reveal that this worship of a piece of bread remains unchanged during this season: “There should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that all the faithful ought to show to this most holy sacrament [the communion wafer] the worship which is due to the true God, as has always been the custom of the Catholic Church. Nor is it to be adored any the less because it was instituted by Christ to be eaten.”–Vatican II: The Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents.

This Vatican II statement reaffirms the doctrinal statement made in 1648 at the Council of Trent. (Session 13: Decree on the Eucharist, chap. 5, Denz 78, 1648).

Notice in the photo at right that the monstrance which holds the wafer is designed to look like the sun (Nimrod/Mithras, etc). Thus the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation, which centers upon the wafer as the image of worship, is actually nothing more than another excuse to worship an image of the sun!

Exodus 20:4 “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth” Exodus 20:5 “Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them”. God’s commandment is pretty plain- don’t worship or serve any image or likeness of anything!

When in Rome, Do as the Romans

December 25th as you now know was the birth date of many pagan deities, but it was also the date of the Saturnalia, a vile celebration in honor of the Roman god, Saturn, also known as Mithras. The festival was originally 12 days (12 days of Christmas) which began on December 20/21 , which is the time of the Winter Solstice and went through to the pagan new year, we know as January 1. The Winter Solstice to pagans is the birthday of the gods; thus the sun was worshipped while at its lowest point; and rebirth occurred thereafter which was signified by the sun making it’s way back to its original point in the sky by New Year’s Day.

December 25th was indicated on the old Roman calendar as Dies Natalis Invicti Solis — the Day of the Birth of the Unconquered Sun. The Roman church adopted that date as the birthday of Christ, blending their culture’s pagan traditions with Judeo-Christian beliefs as a way of ‘converting’ souls to Christ. In reality, it was simply a way to maintain authority over the growing number of Christians in the Roman Empire.

Such celebrations were not peculiar to the Romans, however. The ancient Egyptians had long before instituted festivals and even laws which commemorated the birth of the sun. Nearly 1400 years before the birth of Christ, a pharaoh-mystic by the name of Akhenaton made a symbol of the sun with each of its rays ending in a human hand. He called this the Aton (pictured left): the light of the world. Akhenaton declared that Aton gave its light to all nations, to all races, and to creatures of every kind. It did not judge or condemn; it simply gave life and light forever. Today’s religious humanists (e.g., Universalists/Unitarians) present a similar picture of God. This is in keeping with the “gentle Jesus, meek and mild” image that is given to our mighty King at this time of year. It’s also wise to note that Catholic literally means ‘Universal’.

HOW AND WHY DID CHRISTMAS GET INTO THE CHURCH?

In one brief paragraph, the New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge tells us how the December 25 holiday entered the Christian Church:

“How much the date of the festival depended upon the pagan Brumalia [The December 25 celebration], following the Saturnalia [an eight-day December 17-24 festival preceding it], and celebrating the shortest day of the year and the ‘new sun’ . . . cannot be accurately determined. The pagan Saturnalia and Brumalia were too deeply entrenched in popular custom to be set aside by Christian influence . . . The pagan festival with its riot and merrymaking was so popular that Christians were glad of an excuse to continue its celebration with little change in spirit and in manner. Christian preachers of the West and the Near East protested against the unseemly frivolity with which Christ’s birthday was celebrated, while Christians of Mesopotamia accused their Western brethren of idolatry and sun worship for adopting as Christian this pagan festival.”– New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, art: “Christmas.”

Church leaders adopted a pagan holiday, in spite of the protests of some godly local Christians. It was considered idolatry to do this, since it was nothing more than a heathen day of worship. In addition, the day for this worship had been selected in honor of Mithras, the sun god. December 25 was dedicated to the keeping of his birthday. Therefore, sincere Christians considered it to be a form of sun worship. The sun had reached its lowest angle in the sky on December 21 (the winter solstice), and the 25th was the first observable day in which it began rising in the noon sky. So December 25 had, for centuries, been celebrated as the “birth of the sun god.”

But earnest believers recognized that Christians dare not accept pagan practices or pagan holidays. Those heathen customs could not be found in the Bible, so they ought to be shunned by conscientious Christians today.

The Roman world was essentially pagan and many converts to Christianity had come to enjoy those festivities, and did not want to forsake them after baptism into the Christian church. When these half-converted church members rose to leadership positions, they made policy changes in agreement with contemporary heathen customs. And that is how we got Christmas.

“A feast was established in memory of this event [Christ's birth] in the fourth century. In the fifth century the Western Church ordered it to be celebrated forever on the day of the old Roman feast of the birth of Sol, as no certain knowledge of the day of Christ’s birth existed.” –Encyclopedia Americana (1944 edition), art: “Christmas.”

If the Bible contained no certain knowledge of when Christ was born, then we should not select a definite day on which to worship Him. Instead, we should remain with the only weekly worship day God ever gave us: the Seventh-day Sabbath (Genesis 2:1-3; Exodus 20:8-11), which is Saturday.

Sol means “sun” in Latin, and was another name for Mithras, the sun god. A strong controversy arose in the Christian church over this latest apostasy by Western church leaders: “Certain Latins, as early as [A.D.] 354, celebrated on December 25^th which was then a Mithraic feast . . . or birthday of the unconquered sun . . . The Syrians and Armenians accused the Romans of sun worship and idolatry.”–Encyclopedia Britannica, (1946 ed).

MITHRAS AND THE DAY OF THE SUN

All this time there was no particular day that was used for his heathen worship. But then, about the time of Christ, or a little before, the various days of the week were dedicated to specific pagan gods–dies Solis–the day of the Sun, dies Lunae–the day of the Moon, and so on.

The sacred day of the Jews and Christians was the memorial of Creation–the true Sabbath–the Seventh day–the only Sabbath given in the Bible. The sacred day of paganism was the memorial of the Sun-god–the first day of the week. His day was called, “the Venerable Day of the Sun” or Sunday.

Sunday-keeping never occurred in the Old or New Testament, nor was it commended. In the time of Christ and the Apostles, the official religion of the Roman government did not have a sacred day, but gradually Sunday-keeping began to become common among the non-Christian people of the empire. Sunday was never commemorated by the Apostles, they met everyday to break bread (Acts 2:46-47). Also, it wasn’t kept because Jesus rose on Sunday; He rose Saturday evening! Do the math, read the signs He gave (Matt. 12:39-40) – going by the traditional method of a Good Friday death and Sunday resurrection makes the sign He gave us a lie! If the traditional method where accurate He was raised sometime Monday. Now, getting back on point…

The planetary week, each day named after a different planet in the sky, played a very important part in the worship of the sun. By the time of Christ, Sun worship was most powerfully represented in Mithraism. Now, Mithra (or Mithras) was originally an ancient god of Iran, and had been worshipped as the god of strength and war by the descendants of the Persians. But by the first century A.D., he had been transformed, oddly enough, into the leading Sun god, and the foremost pagan god of any kind, of the western civilized world. The Romans often called him by a new name, Sol invictus, “the Invincible Sun.” During the early centuries of the Christian Era, Mithras was the greatest pagan rival of Christianity.

And this was not without a carefully developed plan; for Satan had arranged that this religion would closely approximate in several ways the only true religion in the world—Messianic Christianity. It had such features as a dying, rising savior, special religious suppers, a special holy day out of the weekly seven–the Sun Day, initial baptism of its converts (in the blood of a slaughtered bull), and other similarities. It counterfeited the religion of the true God more cleverly than any other religion up to that time in history.

Gradually, large numbers of non-Christians began observing Sunday as a holy day in honor of Mithra. He was especially liked by the Roman soldiers, for his worship included athletic feats of skill and “warlike manliness.”

Gradually, the worship of the Invincible Sun became even more popular and wide spread among the Roman Empire. Emperor Aurelian (270-275 A.D.), whose mother was a priestess of the Sun, made this solar cult the official religion of the empire. His biographer, Flavius Vopiscus, says that the priests of the Temple of the Sun at Rome were called pontiffs. They were priests of their dying-rising savior–Mithra, and vicegerents in religious matters next to him. (Sounds like the Vatican today huh? That’s because it is!)

By this time, the middle of the second century, worldly Christians, apparently from the records in Alexandria and Rome more than anywhere else, in order to be better accepted by their pagan neighbors, began keeping Sunday with the rest of the pagans, and in order to excuse their practice, since it was not Scriptural, they called it “the Lord’s Day.” Sun worship continued to be the official religion of the empire until Constantine I defeated Licinius in 323, after which it was replaced by Romanized Christianity which is simply a blending of the Mithraic and Babylonian Mystery religions with Christianity.

CONSTANTINE AND A STATE CHURCH

On the retirement of Emperor Diocletian in A.D. 305, it was an uphill fight among several men for the coveted title of Emperor. Fighting continued on and off from 305 till 323. But out of it Constantine emerged as the sole ruler of the vast Roman Empire. The crucial battle occurred just north of Rome in October of 312, following which by the Edict of Milan, he gave Christianity full legal equality with every other religion in the empire. More favors to the church soon followed.

Then, on March 7, 321, was issued the first national Sunday Law in history. This was the first “blue law” (-) to be issued by a civil government. Here is the text of Constantine’s Sunday Law Decree: “Let all judges and townspeople and occupations of all trades rest on the Venerable Day of the Sun [Sunday]; nevertheless, let those who are situated in the rural districts freely and with full liberty attend to the cultivation of the fields, because it frequently happens that no other day may be so fitting for plowing grains or trenching vineyards, lest at the time the advantage of the moment granted by the provision of heaven be lost. Given on the Nones [seventh] of March, Crispus and Constantine being consuls, each of them, for the second time.”–The Code of Justinian, Book 111, title 12, law 3.

- A blue law, in the United States and Canada, is a type of law restricting activities or sales of goods on Sunday, which had its roots in accommodating Christian Sunday worship, although it persists to this day more as a matter of tradition.

Five additional Sunday Laws were to be issued by Constantine within a few years to strengthen this, his basic one.

It is to be observed that Constantine’s Sunday law was just that–a Sunday law–and nothing more. It was a Sunday law that both Mithraites and compromising Christians could easily accept. In that law, Christianity is never mentioned. The day is called “the Venerable Day of the Sun, “(venarabili die solis). This was the mystical name for the Day of the Sun god. Both the heathen and the Christians well knew this. It is a historical fact that when Constantine issued this first imperial Sunday edict of 321, enforcing the observance of Sunday by the people of the Roman Empire, he was still a worshiper of Sol invictus–”the Invincible Sun,” as well as being the Pontifex Maximus (supreme pagan pontiff or priest) of Roman heathen worship as the state religion.

But though Constantine meant the law to unite all contending religions into one giant compromising conglomerate, Christian leaders in Rome saw it as a great victory.

The Pope has amended a Vatican pronouncement that the Roman Catholic Church was the “only way to salvation”, saying that “Heaven is open to all as long as they are good.” He said at an audience that “all of the just on Earth, including those who ignore Christ and his Church” were “called upon to build the kingdom of God”. -Electronic Telegraph (Posted on www.telegraph.co.uk) ISSUE 2023 Friday 8 December 2000 by Bruce Johnston in Rome)

VATICAN CITY, (ZENIT.org) – “How is it possible to explain the unique character of Christ and of the Catholic Church to a Jew or a Lutheran, a reporter asked Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, during a press conference to present the “Dominus Jesus” declaration, which is concerned, precisely, with the unique and universal salvation of Christ and the Church.

Referring to a believing Jew, Cardinal Ratzinger clarified that “we are in agreement that a Jew, and this is true for believers of other religions, does not need to know or acknowledge Christ as the Son of God in order to be saved, if there are insurmountable impediments, of which he is not blameworthy, to preclude it. However, the fact that the Son of God entered history, made himself part of history, and is present as a reality in history, affects everyone.”(Interview by Zenit News Agency)

This was again Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the highest appointed teacher in the Roman Church on Doctrine. He is now known as Pope Benedict XVI.

Romans 3:10-12 “As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

CHURCH ENFORCEMENT

Eusebius, bishop of Caesarea (270-338), generally considered to be Constantine’s outstanding flatterer in the church, made this remarkable statement:

“All things whatsoever it was duty to do on the [Seventh day] Sabbath, these we [the church] have transferred to the Lord’s Day [Sunday].”–Commentary on the Psalms, in Migne, Patrologia Graeca, volume 23, column 1171.

This was the beginning of something new and ominous within the Christian Church. Rome, itself, the capitol of the mammoth empire, was more licentious, dissipated, and political, than any other city. The influence of it all had reached to the local Christian church there, and a concern to meet the world’s standard, as well as a fascination with power-politics had gripped it.

In 325 A.D. the Council of Nicea met, at which time the church leaders decreed that all honor the resurrection of Christ by keeping the Easter festival–and only on a certain Sunday of each year. Immediately, following this ruling, Constantine issued an imperial order commanding all Christians everywhere to obey the decree of this council. Church and State had united, and whenever in history this has happened persecution of religious dissenters has generally followed. Trouble was ahead for the people of God.

Categorized in Knowledge
Tags: Christmas, Pagan, Paganism, Paganism in Christianity

Nov

Daily Bible Study:Portraits of Jesus Part 2

[ ART | MUSIC | KNOWLEDGE| HEALTH ]

Opposition to Jesus Grows

Jesus Heals a Paralytic

>>> Read Mark 2:1-12. <<<

As a result of His teaching and miracles, Jesus’ popularity grew rapidly. So many wanted to hear Him that they filled the house in Capernaum where He was teaching and crowded around it. Just then, five men arrived, eager to see Jesus too. One of them was paralyzed and the other four carried him on a stretcher. It was impossible for them to get in through the door, so they climbed up on the roof, dug a hole in it and let the paralytic down through the opening they had created. You can imagine the commotion among the crowd in the house below.

When Jesus saw the faith they had demonstrated, He told the lame man that his sins were forgiven. That was probably not what the man had expected, but it is every man’s greatest need. The scribes who were present thought Jesus had blasphemed because God alone can forgive sins. Jesus read their minds and asked: Which is easier to say–your sins are forgiven, or get up and walk? To prove His ability to forgive sins (something invisible and therefore impossible to verify), He healed the paralytic who then got up and walked. Jesus proved His power to conquer invisible, spiritual problems by overcoming a visible, physical problem. The crowd was dumbfounded. They had never seen anything to compare with Jesus.

Note — Who will reach Jesus? Consider the five men as they approached the house in which Jesus was teaching. They had come in order to see Him, but their way to Jesus was blocked by a big obstacle: the crowd. Many would have simply turned around and gone back home. Not these men. They were determined, even desperate, in their desire to see Jesus. Their procedure, unroofing the roof, was radical but it worked. Even today, those who want to come to Jesus frequently encounter barriers in their path. The only ones who actually reach Him, are those who are absolutely determined and who refuse to allow anything to keep them from following Him. How determined to be with Jesus are you?

*1* What did the paralytic and his friends do when they were unable to reach Jesus? a) gave up and went home; b) waited for God to open a path through the crowd; c) offered a financial contribution; d) took off part of the roof so the paralytic could enter the house through the opening. Answer: ______.

*2* What did Jesus do for the paralytic before healing him? Answer: He ______ his sins.

*3* Who alone can forgive sins? Answer: Only ______ can forgive sins.

*4* How did Jesus prove He has the power to forgive sins? Answer: He ______ the paralyzed man.

(Thought question: If only God can forgive sins, but Jesus proved that He could forgive sins, what does that prove about the nature of Jesus?)

Jesus Socializes with Outcasts

>>> Read Mark 2:13-17. <<<

One of Jesus’ more surprising actions was calling Levi to be a disciple. Levi had been a tax collector. In that era, tax collectors were viewed as both thieves and traitors because they used dishonest tactics to raise funds for the hated Roman invaders. Adding a tax collector to His inner circle was hardly a move that could be expected to increase Jesus’ popularity! Later, Levi held a banquet in Christ’s honor. He invited his friends: other tax collectors and sinners. The scribes and Pharisees were outraged because they thought it improper for a teacher of religion to eat with immoral people. When Jesus overheard their criticism, He asked: Who needs a doctor–the sick or the well? His purpose, He said, was not to call righteous, but sinners. The Lord never hesitated to break society’s norms and customs.

*5* Name the tax collector whom Jesus called. Answer: His name was ______.

*6* What reason did Jesus give to explain why He socialized with sinful people? a) He wanted to participate in their sins; b) He did not believe that sinful people can be a bad influence on good people; c) He wanted to teach the sinners to repent; d) He believed sinners will be saved, even if they don’t change. Answer: ______.

Jesus’ Disciples Don’t Fast

>>> Read Mark 2:18-22. <<<

Some of the Pharisees and disciples of John came to Jesus asking why He and His disciples didn’t fast like other religious people did. Jesus explained by illustration. He said that no one would fast at a time of celebration, such as a wedding. His own presence on the earth made it a joyous time of feasting because He was the bridegroom. Since fasting should fit the occasion, it was inappropriate in this situation. He also explained that just as no one would put new wine in old bottles or a new patch on old jeans, it was equally out of place to put the newly revealed gospel of Christ into the old traditional forms of the Jews. Fasting was just not the right thing to do when the Son of God Himself was present.

*7* How did Jesus explain why His disciples didn’t fast? a) He said they did fast, but did it secretly; b) He said that His presence made it a time of joy in which fasting was inappropriate; c) He condemned all fasting; d) He admitted they were wrong and should have fasted. Answer: ______.

Disciples Break Sabbath Traditions

>>> Read Mark 2:23-28. <<<

The more popular Jesus became, the more outspoken His opponents’ attacks. Jesus and His disciples provided easy targets for their critics, because they refused to follow the religious traditions of their age. Jewish tradition regarding the Sabbath day prohibited all activity, including plucking grain to eat, but Jesus and His followers ignored these cherished doctrines. When the Jewish officials criticized the disciples, Jesus defended their actions by noting His opponents’ inconsistency: they justified David when he broke God’s law, but they condemned Him when He merely violated men’s traditions. Then He explained that God had intended for the Sabbath command to provide relief for man, not be an additional burden. Finally, Jesus proclaimed His authority over the Sabbath saying that He Himself was Lord of the Sabbath. If Jesus created the Sabbath, surely He knew what activities violated it.

*8* What did Jesus call Himself? Answer: He was Lord of the ______.

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

>>> Read Mark 3:1-6. <<<

As their hatred of Jesus mounted, His enemies searched for every possible chance to attack Him, but He kept evading their traps. On this occasion, a man with a withered hand was in the synagogue. Jesus asked His opponents’ opinion on whether or not to help the man, but they refused to reply. Jesus then told him to stretch his hand out. Apparently He neither touched him nor did any other physical thing–He merely asked the man to reach his hand out. When he did, it was healed. Jesus’ critics were furious and began plotting to assassinate Him.

Note — To save a life or to kill: In 3:4 Jesus asked His opponents: Should one save a life or kill on the Sabbath? They chose not to reply, which showed that they were not interested in truth, but only wanted to discredit Him. It is always easy to find fault, but it is much harder to give a positive recommendation. Normally Christ healed men by laying His hands on them or performing some other physical sign. If He had accompanied the healing by physical action in this case, they would have attacked Him for doing medical work on the Sabbath, something contrary to their tradition. This time, however, Jesus did nothing–He merely told the man to reach his hand out. Even Jesus’ enemies did not believe it wrong to stretch out your hand on the Sabbath. Thus, He outsmarted His opponents; they were furious. When a man in an argument begins to get angry, it is a sure sign that he is losing. As it turned out, Jesus’ enemies are the ones who plotted to kill on the Sabbath, because He had done good.

*9* How many sins did Jesus commit during His lifetime (see 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:21,22; Hebrews 4:15)? Answer (give a number): ______.

*10* The activities Jesus did on the sabbath violated what rules? a) only uninspired Jewish traditions; b) the 10 commands; c) the Law of Moses; d) the New Testament; e) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*11* What did Jesus’ enemies do after He had healed the man with the withered hand? Answer: They plotted to ______ Jesus.

Jesus’ Popularity Grows

>>> Read Mark 3:7-12.<<<

Though Jesus frequently tried to withdraw, people followed Him from everywhere. He continued teaching, healing and casting out demons. While neither the crowd nor the religious leaders seemed to have recognized His true identity, the demons confessed Jesus as the Son of God. He declined their testimony, however, since He did not want the recommendation of the Devil.

Jesus Appoints Twelve as Apostles

>>> Read Mark 3:13-19. <<<

Jesus needed to train apprentices to represent Him and preach the gospel after His departure. He chose twelve of His followers for that job. The twelve He chose were an unlikely bunch: included were four fishermen, a tax collector, a revolutionary (Simon the “Zealot”), a skeptic (Thomas), and a traitor (Judas Iscariot). Jesus proved that He could work with and make something out of even the most unpromising material.

*12* What work did Jesus empower the apostles to do (read Mark 3:15 and Matt. 10:1)? a) preach the gospel; b) heal diseases, c) cast out demons, d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

Accusations of Satanic Influence

>>> Read Mark 3:20-30. <<<

While Jesus’ family thought He had gone crazy, the Pharisees charged that He accomplished His work through the power of the devil. They were desperately seeking to discredit Him and diminish His influence. Jesus’ devastating reply silenced them. First, He said that it would be unreasonable and even disastrous for the devil to begin attacking himself. Civil wars don’t produce strong kingdoms. Second, Christ explained that He had come to rob the strong man (the devil), taking from him the souls that had been under his control. Logically, He would need to disarm Satan to accomplish this goal, so expelling demons was a predictable facet of His strategy. Finally, He warned of the serious consequences of hardening one’s heart to the point of blaspheming the Holy Spirit. These scribes were demonstrating a malicious and possibly fatal attitude toward the work of God.

* 13* How did Jesus’ enemies explain His ability to cast out demons? a) He did it by the power of the devil; b) He did it because He was the Son of God; c) it just seemed like He expelled demons but He really didn’t; d) they didn’t try to explain it. Answer: ______.

*14* What did Jesus say would happen to a kingdom that was divided against itself (v24)? Answer: He said that kingdom cannot ______.

Jesus’ True Family

>>> Read Mark 3:31-35. <<<

Jesus’ physical family didn’t understand Him. They came to try to talk to Him, perhaps to persuade Him to take a break. He refused to give them a private hearing, explaining that His family no longer had a special claim on His attention. Jesus’ true family consists of those who hear and do His will. This incident shows that Mary had no special influence or privilege; Jesus treats all of His obedient followers equally.

*15* Who wanted to talk to Jesus? a) His aunt and cousins, b) His mother and brothers, c) His father, d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*16* Who did Jesus say are His real family members? Answer: Those who ______ the will of God.

Summary: Jesus was continually under attack. He was criticized because He forgave sins, ate with sinners, didn’t fast, didn’t observe the religious establishment’s Sabbath doctrines, and cast out demons. He never cracked under the intense scrutiny and pressure. Much to the contrary, He continually affirmed principles that are extremely important even for our service to Him: 1) the priority of forgiveness of sins over physical healing, 2) the importance of recognizing one’s spiritual sickness, 3) the fact that fasting is to be done only when it fits the circumstances, 4) the uselessness of religious traditions, and 5) the critical danger of hardheartedly rejecting the work of the Holy Spirit.

Categorized in Daily Bible Study
Tags: Bible Study, Daily Bible Study

Nov

Tunnel Rats “TRz” video

Categorized in video
Tags: tunnel rats, video

Nov

Lil Wayne: Best Rap Artist, Biggest Drug Addict or Both!

[ ART | MUSIC | KNOWLEDGE| HEALTH ]

The World Music Awards, held in Monte Carlo on 11/9, honored Lil Wayne as the World’s Best Hip Hop/Rap artist. Jesse Metcalfe and Michelle Williams hosted the event that has been going strong since 1988.

The London-based recording industry has an entity known as IFPPI which notes the worldwide record sales of artists. Already at 3 million, with momentum still rising, Tha Carter 3 dominated others such as Kanye West and T-Pain to give Weezy the win.

Despite the internet hoax that Lil Wayne was murdered in a gang-related shooting, Wayne did have to take a trip to court on 11/6 for a preliminary hearing on felony drug and weapon charges.

According to police records, a January 22 search of Wayne’s tour bus from border patrol DEA agents revealed four ounces of marijuana, an ounce of cocaine, 41 grams of Ecstasy, and a .40 caliber pistol registered to him.

His next scheduled court date will be on 11/21, where he can face the consequences of his actions.

lilwaynemugshot-250 Isn’t this proof enough for people to see that wealth, fame, and sex does not bring true happiness. These so called “real” or “great” rappers should consider telling the truth about their lives. Instead, all the fans get is a bunch of poppin’ bottles, sexin’ women, packin’ heat, money splurgin’, materialistic flauntin’, and self worshippin’ “half truths”. It reminds me of Psalm 12:8, “The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men.”

I figure if youth can learn about all this through Wayne’s songs which tell half the story, they should also learn about the drugs and alcohol he abuses in order to try and stay sane. He and his entourage on that tour bus are obviously trying multiple drugs to cope with the pressure of being in the limelight. It’s also obvious that Wayne is living in fear because he is carrying a .40 gun with him.

When you look at the person behind the mask, you see an individual whose life is wrecked and in desperate need of God. If Lil Wayne continues down the road he is on, he will be even richer, more famous, and more miserably lost than ever. Since I hate to see any individual destroy themselves or others, I am going to say a prayer for him, and hope that God would bring him into a genuine relationship with Jesus.

Job 15: 20
All his days the wicked man suffers torment,
the ruthless through all the years stored up for him.
Terrifying sounds fill his ears;
when all seems well, marauders attack him.
He despairs of escaping the darkness;
he is marked for the sword.
He wanders about—food for vultures
he knows the day of darkness is at hand.
Distress and anguish fill him with terror;
they overwhelm him, like a king poised to attack

Categorized in Music and Uncategorized
Tags: Lil Wayne

Nov

Daily Bible Study – Portraits of Jesus Part 3: Jesus Teaches in Parables

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Parable of the Sower

>>> Read Mark 4:1-20. <<<

Please read this story in your Bible before studying the lesson. Jesus frequently taught in parables. A parable is a story with a spiritual application. Here, Jesus described a farmer who went out to sow seed in his field. Naturally, as he went along scattering it with his hand, the seed fell onto different types of ground. The harvest depended on the kind of soil where the seed fell.

The disciples did not understand what Jesus meant, so they asked Him to explain. Jesus described four types of people who hear the word of the gospel. The first type is like hard-packed soil. These hard-hearted people do not let the word penetrate into their life; they reject it immediately because they have closed their mind. The second type is like seed sown in rocky places. The idea here is of a thin layer of topsoil covering a large rock. When seed is sown in such a place, it will germinate and grow in the shallow soil, but it will not develop deep roots. When the sun comes out and it doesn’t rain for a few days, the plant will wither and die. This represents a person who eagerly receives the word, but doesn’t develop roots through faith and Bible study. This person will not have the ability to withstand the temptations and persecutions that come along in life. Third, Jesus described the thorny soil. In this ground, the plant is overshadowed by taller weeds which suffocate fruit production. This soil symbolizes people who receive the word and although they allow it to continue in their lives, permit competing interests to dwarf it. These other influences may not be bad things in themselves, but they dominate the person’s life so much that the seed can’t bear fruit. Finally, Jesus described good soil in which plants bear abundant fruit. This soil represents Christians who are diligent in the service of God.

Note — Which soil are you? Everyone has a place in the parable of the sower. Jesus wants us to evaluate which type of soil we are. 1) Hopefully, we won’t be the hardened, wayside soil. If we are, we will close our mind to the truth and refuse to allow the gospel to penetrate our heart and change our life. 2) Perhaps we’ll be the rocky soil. On the surface we appear to be growing and serving the Lord enthusiastically. But we aren’t deepening our roots through faith, through study and through a deeper personal relationship with Jesus Christ. When times become tough, we will fall away and others will marvel, because on the surface it looked like we were doing so well. 3) If we end up being the thorny soil, we will continue to “be a Christian,” but our life will be dominated by other activities and we will never have much time or attention to share with spiritual concerns. This is probably the most subtle danger, because the plant in thorny soil never completely falls away. As a result, we can soothe our conscience and believe that we are still doing OK, when in fact, we aren’t bearing fruit. 4) Ideally, we will be the good soil that bears the fruit of righteousness for the Lord.

Note — Meditations on the seed: Jesus explained that the seed represents the word of God (Luke 8:11). There are many lessons that can be learned by the analogy between seed and the word. For example, seed always produces after its kind. That is, rice seed always produces rice plants, corn seed produces corn plants, and pumpkin seed pumpkin plants. There are no exceptions. By the plant that results, one can determine what seed was planted. So it is in the spiritual realm. When the pure word of God is planted, the resulting plants are Christians. When you end up with other things–say Buddhists, Mormons, or Jehovah’s Witnesses, you know that something besides the word of God was planted. To produce a Buddhist, you must plant the teachings of Buddha. To get a Mormon, the book of Mormon and the teachings of the Mormon church must be planted. Jehovah’s Witnesses are formed by planting the teachings of their organizational headquarters, the Watchtower Society. What would happen if you merely planted the Scriptures, without mixing in any other teachings?

Seed never changes. It would be theoretically possible to eliminate pumpkin plants from the face of the earth. Yet if pumpkin seeds were preserved, someone many years later could plant them, and again produce pumpkins. So also in Christ. The seed is the word of God (1 Peter 1:23-25). Even if there had not been servants of Christ on the earth for a long time, when people returned to following the Bible only, they would become Christians. Our goal should be to reproduce pure disciples of Christ in the twentieth century, just like they were in the first.

*1* What is a parable? Answer: A parable is a physical story with a ______ application.

*2* What kind of soil did Jesus describe? (a) wayside soil, (b) stony soil, (c) thorny soil, (d) good soil, (e) all of these. Answer: ______.

*3* What does the seed represent? Answer: It represents the ______ of God.

*4* What does the wayside soil represent? Answer: It represents people whose hearts are hardened, so that Satan takes the ______ from their hearts.

*5* The rocky soil represents people who do well for a while, but then fall away because of what? a) hardened hearts, b) tribulation or persecution, c) too much Bible study, d) all the preceding. Answer ______.

*6* Is it possible for a person who has received the word to fall away (see also Galatians 5:4)? (yes or no) Answer: ______.

*7* In the thorny soil, the thorns represent what? a) hardened hearts, b) false doctrines, c) cares of the world and deceit of riches, d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*8* What was the principal characteristic of the good soil (v20)? Answer: It bore ______, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.

*9* How does seed reproduce (see also Galatians 6:7)? Answer: Whatever a man sows, that is what he will ______.

*10* What causes people to become members of various different religious groups? Answer: They hear and accept the ______ taught by those groups.

Parable of the Lamp

>>> Read Mark 4:21-25. <<<

Jesus compared the Word of God to a lamp. It would be useless to buy a lamp, and then stick it under a bed. After all, a lamp’s purpose is to illuminate–if you can’t see it, it does no good at all. The Bible is a light. But it is useless if it remains closed on the bookshelf. In order to receive profit, we must open it up and read it.

Although studying the Scriptures is essential, many read the Bible in vain, because they don’t read it correctly. It is significant that in the middle of a text stressing the importance of hearing the word, Jesus emphasized the need to be careful how we hear (4:24). The fact that people who read the Bible come to markedly different conclusions about what it means demonstrates that many are not understanding it properly. Some are careless and simply don’t put much effort into their study. Others twist the Scriptures intentionally, misinterpreting them to try to confirm the beliefs and practices they have already determined to follow.

Note — How to study the Bible: There are some common sense principles that can help you understand the Scriptures as you study. First, learn to study in context. The Bible has two main divisions: the Old Testament (first 39 books) and the New Testament (last 27 books). The New Testament is the part that directly relates to us today since it contains the teachings of Christ and the apostles. The Old Testament gives the background of God’s preparation of the Jewish nation for the coming of Christ. These Testaments are subdivided into books (66 in all). It is probably best to study book by book. This Bible course was designed to take a person through the gospel of Mark step-by-step.

You need to concentrate on what you read in the Bible to be able to understand it. Since each book is divided into chapters, it is helpful to approach your Bible study by working with a chapter at a time. Read through the chapter two or three times. On the first reading, work to simply discover what the chapter contains, but on the second reading, you can begin to try to analyze the main points. Keep a notebook handy. Jot down a note or two about the main ideas or events of the chapter. A notebook is a good place to write down questions that arise as you study. Writing them down so that you won’t forget them allows you to progress in your study without getting sidetracked. Later, you can search for the answers to these questions yourself, or you can ask someone else to help you. Those who are mailing you these lessons would be happy to try to help answer your Bible questions.

*11* What does the lamp in 4:21 represent? Answer: It represents the word of ______.

*12* When people do not study the Bible diligently enough, what will result? a) sin, b) false teaching, c) ignorance, d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

Parable of the Seed

>>> Read Mark 4:26-29. <<<

Jesus said that the kingdom of God was like a farmer who planted a seed. That night he went to bed. The next morning he got up and tended to other responsibilities. Meanwhile, the seed germinated, began to grow and finally bore fruit. Jesus was teaching several things by this story. First, the one who plants the seed is not responsible for its growth; that is, the one who teaches the gospel doesn’t control the growth of the word in the heart of the one who heard. Second, the growth of the word in a person’s life is gradual. One does not hear the Bible today and become a mature Christian tomorrow. But if the hearer’s heart is right he will allow the word to shape and mold his life step-by-step so that he can become the kind of person God wants him to be.

*13* What part did the farmer play in the growth of the seed? Answer: He just planted the ______.

*14* Who decides whether or not a person who hears the word will believe and obey it? a) God decides for the person, b) the person who hears decides for himself, c) Satan decides, d) no one decides. Answer: ______.

Parable of Mustard Seed

>>> Read Mark 4:30-34. <<<

Jesus said that the kingdom is like a mustard seed. The mustard seed is tiny, but grows to be a great shrub. So also, God’s kingdom began in a small way during the ministry of an impoverished carpenter, Jesus, but gradually became a dominant world force. Christians’ efforts to work for the Lord’s kingdom may seem insignificant, but God is able to grow large mustard trees from tiny seeds.

*15* What is the lesson of the mustard seed parable? Answer: God’s ______ began small but would grow and become powerful.

Categorized in Daily Bible Study
Tags: Daily Bible Study, Life of Jesus

Nov

THE WAR REPORT: Music News, Mahogany Jones, DJ Rhino

[ ART | MUSIC | KNOWLEDGE| HEALTH ] Written by DaSouth

DJ Rhino releases his long awaited follow up to

“It’s Time” with “Wanted.”This mixtape is packed

with 35 bangin’ tracks including exclusives and

remixes! Artists include Sean Slaughter, Corey Red,

Tonex, Applejaxx, Cy, Braille, Afaar, Theory Hazit, J.Kwest,

Poems, Surreal, YSG Timothy, Cash Hollistah, ManChild,

and many more!This is not a compiliation! It’s a mixtape

blended the way a mixtape should be!

This mixtape was birthed out of the word “wanted.” Wanted is loaded with

meaning… Many people wanted a follow up to “It’s Time.” Wanted, a solid mixtape

that’s not a compilation and doesn’t have a dj hollerin’ all over the place. Wanted is

change beyond rhetoric. Wanted, a call for people to wake up to the ills of the

inner-cities in America. Wanted, is the word written on posters with your picture,

posted by two opposing campaigns; one’s aim is destruction and the other’s is

to give a destiny, a purpose, and a Revolution to join and fight for.

All proceeds from the sales of this project go towards The Revolution,

an inner-city church and ministry, helping to them to continuing

reaching the Gary, IN.

Mahogany Jones Special Feature

mahoganyjones-250 True to the original form of Hip- Hop, Mahogany

Jones began as a poet. Raised in Mt. Vernon,

New York, it was from the ageof thirteen she

began to compile hundreds of poems scribbled

in composition notebooks. It wasn’t until 96′,

during her firstyear of college, that in a small

cafe called the BrooklynMoon, that she began

to hone the art of the Spoken

Word by sharing mics with the likes of Saul Williams,

Mums the Schemer, Sarah Jones, and several others.

From then on she took theater classes, read countless

poetry books, and in addition thrived on the poetic

genius of em-cees from the underground. Livin’

in the heart of BK and being the avant garde

village rat she was is what introduced

her to J-Live, Jean Grae, Stronghold, and a slew of emcee’s whose verbal dexterity

was deadly. Mahogany states “I caught the bug- It was my dream to rock the mic.”

In 2000 she became a member of Toni Blackman’s (“Hip-Hop Ambassador”/Activist)

Freestyle Union and with a rigorous diet of weekly freestyle session, accountability

meetings and movement training an em-cee was born. Through it all there was still

something missing, a void, and in that same year Jesus Christ filled it. It was in 2001,

right before the rise of Poster Boy and Jin, that Mahogany Jones, a timid, 5’11 wordsmith

would go to win B.E.T’s “Freestyle Friday’s” battle competition and come out a four time

Champion and do so in the name of Christ. Now an active member of Holy Hip-Hop’s

movement, The Yuinon, the only battling she is interested in is battling the degregation,

mindless instant gratification, and poverty mentality that’s suffocating Hip-Hop today.

Her travels as both a spoken word artist and em-cee have taken her throughout the U.S.

and have allowed her to grace stage line-ups with Dead Prez, The Roots, India Arie,and

many others. Along with producer, I-ron-ic- Lee, the two have put together Mahogany’s

debut full length project, “Morphed.”

Categorized in Music
Tags: DJ Rhino, Mahogany Jones, Music News

Nov

Album Reviews: D-Maub “Urban Legend”

[ ART | MUSIC | KNOWLEDGE| HEALTH ]

dmaub-urbanlegend-250

After viewing the video “So Professional” by Cincinnati emcee and Route One Entertainment representative D-Maub I approached listening to his latest offering “Urban Legend” with high expectations. Also, two things almost instantly came to mind. One, this cat is definitely what he claims to be – a professional! Two, if Ludacris was a born-again believer/rapper (I’m assuming he’s not) this is what he would sound like (that’s no insult; I believe as an emcee Luda is one of the best in the game!). As I explored the sound scape of this album, I found out that D-Maub was much more complex than my initial thoughts. D-Maub can match rhyme patterns with the best of them. He can also switch styles like you switch a pair of white Air one’s with dirt on them.

As for the sound of this project, technically they did an awesome job. The overall clarity and the mixes were superb and the recording was exceptionably clean. The bulk of the production was handled by Spark It Productions, along with a few notable names as well – k-Drama, Tony Stone, as well as Epic. You know just adding them to the equation will make for some very hot music, as well as pressure for the emcee to deliver. D-Maub’s aim was most definitely to please.

The project starts out with an intro that will probably lead most people to believe this CD will be kinda grimmey or darker style wise (grimmey ala Corey Red, K-nine, etc.). The intro track is hot but suffers a little from overkill. I think it would have been best suited with just the first verse.

There are several stand out tracks on this album. The first being the certified banger “Let’s Go.”
Spark It productions killed this track. It is so out the box and that is part of the reason it is bananas! D-Maub totally destroys this track. If he is campaigning for emcee of the year, based on this song he would have my vote. Everything is working together on this hot joint.

Also the east coast tinged “My Way” which is a lyrical portrait of what the world and the community at large could be if we tapped into the love and leadership of the spirit of the Lord. D-Maub seamlessly communicates what he thinks a perfect world would look and feel like if we saw things the way Gods sees them.

You can’t forget the hood anthem “Urban legend.” In true fashion D-Maub strikes the balance between reppin’ the King of Kings and the hood that helped to shape the man he has become.

D-Maub smooths it out on the Tony Stone gem “F.R.E.S.H,” which stands for “Forever Representing Eternally Staying Holy.” This joint is a laid back ode to the grace and mercy of God and the position that grace and mercy puts us in. D-Maub rides this beat like a pony at a kiddie birthday party. He provides us with more memorable one-liners than the terminator.

Urban Legend did have some flaws. I think some more thought could have gone into some of the hooks. In some songs it was hard to tell the difference between the hooks and the verses because some lacked the punch that a hook needs to be effective. As well as the song “People Crazy” reminded me of a keyboard demo. I thought the song in the beginning was confusing. I didn’t think it fit the concept of the album.

D-Maub certainly carried the album, but it would have been great to hear some features. I’m sure Cinci has a lot of able Christian emcees, (I own a mixtape full of them). Also this album could have used a few more tracks, with only eleven it seemed like it was over before you really got into it.

Overall Urban Legend is a great album minus a few tracks that were so‑so. Biblically speaking the love of God is evident in the songs, its scope is more inspirational as well as testimonial opposed to academic and theological. If you love tremendous wordplay as well as ferocious lyricism, this is the disc for you. If not I still think it would be a great addition to your music library. Plainly put D-Maub is a lyrical beast. Look for him on Brinson’s single “Solar Powered,” as well as the upcoming album Boom Baptism by k‑Drama.

Categorized in Music
Tags: Album Reviews, D-Maub, Urban Legend

Nov

Daily Bible Study: Portraits of Jesus Part 5

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Jesus Does the Impossible
Lesson #4

Jesus Stills the Storm

>>> Read Mark 4:35-41. <<<

Jesus consistently demonstrated His authority by doing things which were totally beyond human capacity. In this case, while the disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee by boat, Jesus fell asleep on a cushion. A great storm arose, and the disciples panicked. In desperation, they awoke Jesus saying: “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He got up and calmly rebuked the wind and the sea. The storm ceased. He then turned to the disciples and reproved them for their lack of faith. Though they had seen Jesus perform many miracles, they were always amazed by each new one. They said: “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

Note — How well do we sleep? Considering the things that the disciples had already seen Jesus do, their doubts about His ability to quiet the storm are astonishing. They had seen Him heal multitudes of people, cast out demons and prove Himself equal to any task at hand. Suddenly, they despaired because of a storm on the sea. Obviously, they didn’t really think Jesus could solve this problem because they were amazed when He did. How could they have been so slow and so distrustful? What about us? Do we not believe that Jesus can handle any situation, if we trust and obey His will? Have we not seen in the Scriptures how Jesus can solve every problem? How do we react when we confront a fresh crisis in our lives–do we trustingly and confidently turn to Jesus, or do we throw up our hands in despair? How well do we sleep?

*1* What was Jesus doing when the storm arose on the sea? (a) praying, (b) reading Scripture, (c) sleeping, (d) rowing. Answer: ______.

*2* How did Jesus calm the storm? Answer: He calmly ______ the wind and the sea.

*3* How did the disciples react to this miracle? (a) They ignored it. (b) They were afraid, (c) They were angry. (d) All of the preceding. Answer: ______.

Jesus Casts out a Legion of Demons

>>> Read Mark 5:1-20. <<<

When Jesus got out of the boat, a wild man met Him. The man, inhabited by thousands of demons, could not be subdued by human force, and so he lived as a savage among the tombs. The demons within the man were scared of Jesus. They asked Him not to send them out of the country (to the abyss, Luke 8:31). Instead, they wanted to be able to enter a nearby herd of swine. Evidently, if the demons had been expelled without having permission to go into another being, they would have had to return to Hell. No doubt it was better to inhabit a pig, if necessary, than to be sent back to that awful place. Surprisingly, Jesus granted the demons’ request. They left the man and entered the pigs. The herd went berserk because of the presence of the demons within them, ran headlong and plunged off the cliff. The pigs drowned and presumably the demons had to return to the abyss. Perhaps they thought they had outsmarted Jesus when He allowed them to enter the swine, but the truth is, Jesus outsmarted them! In the end they had to return to the abyss–they merely took a roller-coaster ride to get there.

Meanwhile, those who had been tending the hogs went into the city and told the townsfolk about what Jesus had done. What a tremendous opportunity for this small town to have Jesus present! They didn’t look at it as an opportunity though; they asked Jesus to leave. The man who had been healed wanted to follow Jesus, but He told him to return to his home and start preaching.

Note — They asked Him to leave! At first, it may seem incredible that the people of the town didn’t want Jesus to stay. But think about what they had just lost: 2000 pigs. Some people owned them; some folks were planning to make money slaughtering, processing and selling them. He had hurt the town’s economy. They evidently loved material possessions more than they loved Jesus; because of that, they missed out on the supreme privilege. They asked Him to leave. Do we ever invite the Lord to leave our lives because we love material things more than we love Him?

Note — Jesus’ surprising instructions: When the man who had been healed wanted to follow Him, Jesus gave him strange orders. He refused to allow the man to accompany Him, but asked him to return and tell about his healing in the city. There are two surprising things about this command: 1) Jesus didn’t allow the man to accompany him. Putting myself in the demoniac’s place, I can see why he would have wanted to be with the one who cured him; but Jesus said no. Would it not have been a wonderful thing to be in Jesus’ presence? Certainly. But what Jesus preferred was for the man to testify of His work in the city. Sometimes God may not want us to remain in secure and comfortable surroundings, but rather go to the lost and preach. 2) Jesus normally was telling folks not to tell about their healings (see Mark 1:40-45). Why the sudden change here? Remember where Jesus was. He was on the east side of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had not wanted to be thronged by spectators in the Capernaum area, west of the Sea, but in this wicked town, He was in no danger of becoming too popular. The people in this place needed someone to report the miracle.

*4* What measures had been attempted to subdue the demoniac (v4)? a) psychology, b) shackles and chains, c) shock therapy, d) drugs. Answer: ______.

*5* What name did the demons wear (v9)? Answer: ______.

*6* Where did the demons say they wanted to go? Answer: They wanted to go into a herd of ______.

*7* What happened to the swine when the demons entered them? Answer: They ran off a cliff and drowned in the ______.

*8* What did the townspeople ask Jesus to do? Answer: They asked Jesus to ______.

*9* What did Jesus tell the demoniac to do after he had been healed? a) Tell no one what had happened, b) Lie about what happened, c) Tell everyone what happened, d) Commit himself to an asylum. Answer: ______.

Jesus Heals Woman with Hemorrhage

>>> Read Mark 5:21-34. <<<

A synagogue official named Jairus requested Jesus to come and heal his daughter who was dying. As Jesus was journeying to his house, a desperate woman in the multitude touched the Lord. She had been bleeding for 12 years, had gone to many doctors, and spent all of her money, but had only worsened. She thought that by touching Jesus she could be healed. Sure enough, when she touched Jesus’ coat, she could sense that the flow of blood immediately dried up and she was well. Suddenly, Jesus asked who had touched Him. The disciples thought it was a strange question since there was a huge crowd thronging Jesus. Many had “touched” Him. But the woman knew what Jesus meant. Terrified, she came forward and confessed. Jesus reassured her saying that her faith had made her well.

Note — Why did Jesus embarrass her? Obviously, the woman with the bleeding was hoping to avoid publicity. She didn’t make her presence known, but silently touched Jesus’ clothes and was healed. Then Jesus put her on the spot by asking who touched Him. She was trembling as she admitted what she had done. Why did He draw attention to this shy lady? Perhaps there are two reasons: 1) If He had not, the woman would have believed that she had been healed by some sort of magic associated with Jesus’ clothes. He wanted her to know that He had consciously healed her. Many touched His clothes and were not healed; she was healed by the will of the Lord. 2) If Jesus had allowed her to leave thinking she had “stolen” the healing, her conscience might later trouble her. By publicly identifying her, He was able to comfort and encourage her, telling her to go in peace.

*10* How long had the woman had her problem of bleeding? Answer: ______ years.

*11* How had she tried to get well previously? Answer: She had spent all her money on ______.

*12* When was the woman with the bleeding healed? a) she was not healed; b) when she believed on Jesus; c) when she asked Him to heal her; d) when she touched Jesus’ clothes. Answer: ______.

*13* How did the rest of the multitude find out about Jesus’ miracle? Answer: He asked who had ______ Him, and the woman confessed.

Jesus Heals Jairus’ Daughter

>>> Read Mark 5:35-43. <<<

During the delay caused by the healing of the woman, people came to tell Jairus not to bother Jesus any longer because his daughter had died. Jesus told them to believe and He continued on to the house. There, the mourners laughed when Jesus told them that the girl was “sleeping.” He wasn’t denying the reality of her death, but was affirming that He would soon raise her; therefore, her death was more like sleep. He took only three disciples and the girl’s parents, went into her room, and told her to get up. She did. The witnesses were astounded.

Please notice the theme that runs through the stories in this section of Mark: Jesus can do what is humanly impossible. First, the storm. The disciples were desperate, but Jesus calmed it with a mere word. Then, the demoniac. Though many had tried, no one had been able to bind nor subdue him. Jesus expelled the demons with a word and the man returned to normal. Then, the woman. No physician had been able to heal her though she had spent all her money in the effort. With one touch, she was completely cured. Finally, the daughter of Jairus. When one dies, all attempts to cure the sickness end, because everyone knows you can’t raise the dead. Jesus did. Four times in this part of Mark, Jesus entered situations that were humanly impossible and emerged victorious.

*14* Why did people suggest that Jairus not bother Jesus any more? Answer: Because the girl had ______.

*15* Who was in the room when Jesus raised the daughter (v37,40)? a) Jesus, b) the girl, c) the girl’s parents, d) Peter, James, and John, e) all the preceding but no one else. Answer: ______.

*16* What does the Bible account say that assures us the girl was really alive again? Answer: She arose and ______.

(Thought question: Considering the nature and purpose of these miracles, who alive on earth today can do such things as these? What can we learn as a result?)

Rejection at Nazareth

>>> Read Mark 6:1-6. <<<

Jesus returned to His hometown of Nazareth. Despite convincing proofs that He was the Son of God, His own townspeople rejected Him. They knew His family and His background and they refused to believe that someone they viewed as a peer could be greater than they. Because the people didn’t have enough faith to bring their sick to Him, Jesus healed few. The people in Nazareth forfeited an ideal opportunity to have the Lord with them.

Note — Great opportunities: It is tragic to see people discarding the fantastic opportunity to be blessed by Jesus. In the country of the Gadarenes, they simply asked Jesus to leave (5:1-20). Here in Nazareth, they refused to believe and therefore didn’t even bring their sick for Jesus to heal. As a result, they missed out on the opportunities that others, like Jairus and the woman with the bleeding, benefited from. What about us? Do we take advantage of the opportunity to know Jesus and to be blessed by Him?

*17* What had been Jesus’ profession before He began His ministry (v3)? Answer: He had been a ______.

*18* Which of Jesus’ family members did the people of Nazareth know (v3)? a) His mother Mary, b) His brothers, c) His sisters, d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

(Thought question: What does this tell you about Mary?)

*19* How did the people of Jesus’ hometown (Nazareth) react to Him? a) They rejected Him, b) They believed in Him, c) They made a hero of Him, d) all of the preceding. Answer: ______.

Categorized in Daily Bible Study
Tags: Daily Bible Study, Life of Jesus

Nov

The Truth About Christmas Part 4

The men of Sodom attempt to have sex with the angelic visitors

The Christ-Mass Tree

Green trees were cut down, mounted, and then decked with offerings of food and precious gifts to the gods, Mithras in particular. Evergreens; because of their ability to remain fresh and green all year, symbolized immortality and fertility. Egyptian priests taught that the evergreen tree sprang from the grave of their god Osiris, who, after being murdered by another god, was resurrected through the energy in an evergreen tree. The fruit of the evergreen is of course the pine cone, which is again symbolic of evergreen tree worship and fertility.

The Bible states in Jeremiah 10: 2-4 “Hear the word which God speaks to you, O house of Israel. 2 Thus says The Lord: “Do not learn the way of the heathens; do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, For the Gentiles are dismayed at them. 3 For the customs of the peoples are futile; for one cuts a tree from the forest, The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. 4 They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with nails and hammers So that it will not topple.

According to A Dictionary of Symbols, by J. E. Cirlot, the Christmas tree is also a symbol in the sense of being a pyramid. “…in European folklores… [The pyramid] is symbolic of the earth in its maternal aspect. Pyramids with Christmas decorations and lights, moreover, express the twofold idea of death and immortality, both associated with the Great Mother.” (p. 267)

Additionally, during the 1600’s it was actually illegal to have a Christmas tree or Christmas service in the new land of America! Those on the American Frontier had just left the confines of the English/Roman religious system and where fresh off the heals of reformation in Europe. It wasn’t until after the Civil War that Christmas and its traditions where widely practiced, this is due primarily to the influx of immigrants from the North (European nations) migrating throughout the country.

The pine cone staff is a symbol of the solar god Osiris. (Egyptian Museum, Turino, Italy) Osiris originated in Egypt, where he was their “Christ”, who died for the good of his people, and who’s mother, Isis, was worshipped as the Virgin Mother. Osiris was the Egyptian counterfeit of Jesus Christ!

This clearly shows that the custom of bringing in a tree and decorating it is associated with the signs of the heathen — the winter solstice in this case — and the Lord God does not want His people learning to do these things.

Jeremiah 3:13 Only acknowledge thine iniquity (lawlessness), that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.

Long before the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ evergreens were used by the pagans in their superstitious worship. In the northern regions of Europe they were brought inside under the superstitious notion that the woodland spirits and fairies would live in them during the winter and thus survive the cold. In Italy, evergreens were used to decorate in honor of Saturn. Added to this is the fact that when Israel went into apostasy they sacrificed under green trees and God punished them for it.

Ezekiel 6:13 Then shall ye know that I am the LORD, when their slain men shall be among their idols round about their altars, upon every high hill, in all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the place where they did offer sweet savour to all their idols.

Offering sweet savors to idols under a green tree sounds like putting milk and cookies and other presents under a “Christmas tree” does it not?

As mentioned previously, it’s also thought that Christ was crucified on a pine tree, because all the other pagan deities where identified with a pine tree which represented fertility and eternity. The pine cone has long been associated with fertility rites as it is the fruit or seed of the tree. It is likened to Easter eggs in it’s methods of offering to the gods. The photo below shows a pine cone from the Vatican’s Court of the Pine Cone- this is the largest pine cone structure in the world. At far right, the arrow points to the pine cone upon which the crucifix is built. The images of ancient paganism are everywhere.

Garland Decorations

The only place garlands show up in the Bible is of course in pagan worship.

Acts 14:12-18 “And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercury, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifices with the people. Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, and saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.

Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. And with these sayings scarce restrained the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them.”

Mistletoe

Mistletoe is also related to pagan sun god worship. Balder, the Norse sun god, was supposed to be immune to all forms of destruction because of spells cast by the other gods. The only thing they missed in their incantations was mistletoe and so Loki, the evil god, contrived to have Balder killed by an arrow made of mistletoe. After the other gods brought Balder back to life, the mistletoe promised never to hurt anyone again. It became the symbol of love. Perhaps because of this legend, or perhaps for other reasons, it was worshipped by the Druids.

They also used it to cast spells, the principal belief being that if they held it over a woman’s head she was powerless to resist, and they could then have their way with her sexually. From this comes our custom of hanging it over doorways, and the tradition that if a girl in caught under the sprig of mistletoe she may be kissed and may not resist. As it all had to do with fertility and sex, the berries on the sprig made its power more potent. Mistletoe is still considered worth more if it has berries.

And if that isn’t enough for you, the practice is believed to have originated with orgiastic celebrations in connection with the Celtic Midsummer Eve ceremony when the mistletoe was gathered. During that festival the men would kiss each other as a display of their homosexuality. The custom was later broadened to include both men and women. Balder as in the image on the previous page suggests, is likened to Christ in art and pagan religious custom. Shakespeare’s Midsummer Nights Dream is in part loosely based around the Celtic ceremony.

2 Corinthians 6:17 “Wherefore come out from among them [the heathen], and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you…”

Advent Wreaths and Holly

Circular wreaths of evergreen branches (especially holly) were a featured part of the Saturnalia festival and other deity birth rites. These were formed in the shape of the sun, and represented life which could not exist without sunlight. These wreaths were placed on inside and outside walls during the celebrations. At the time of initiation into the Dionysian mysteries, these were worn by the initiates as fertility symbols upon the head. They represented the perpetuity of existence through ongoing cycles of life, death, and rebirth. “The use of Advent wreaths is believed by authorities to be traceable to the pagan customs of decorating buildings and places of worship at the feast which took place at the same time as Christmas. The Christmas tree is from Egypt, and its origin dates from a period long anterior to the Christian era.”–Frederick J. Haskins, Answers to Questions.

Today, many people utilize Advent wreaths with four candles going around the wreath. This too is a perpetuation of the sun wheel and couples with pagan fertility customs as the candles represent phallic worship. Advent is from the Latin Adventus, implicitly coupled with Redemptoris, “the coming of the Savior”, which if you have read this far, you know does not refer to Messiah Jesus.

Yule

The Yule Log tradition comes to us from Scandinavia, where the pagan sex and fertility god Jul, or Jule (pronounced ‘yule’), was honored in a twelve-day celebration in December. A large, single log (generally considered to have been a phallic/male genital idol) was kept with a fire against it for twelve days, a different sacrifice to Jul being offered in the fire on each of the twelve days. The Yule log was originally an entire tree, carefully chosen, and brought into the house with great ceremony. The butt end would be placed into the hearth while the rest of the tree stuck out into the room. The tree would be slowly fed into the fire and the entire process was carefully timed to last the entire Yule season.

We noted earlier how the 12 days of Christmas was derived from the original Roman Saturnalia which was practiced throughout the old empire. Part of that old empire encompassed the northern Germanic and Celtic territories which had migrants to the Norse territories of Holland, Scandanavia, etc. After the Pilgrims left England they went to the Norse territories and remained there for about 15 years. They left due to the harsh weather conditions, but not before adopting more of the pagan Yule-tide customs. It was then that the Pilgrims returned to England to replenish their stock to head to the new world, America. That’s how America came to learn about the 12 days of Christmas.

Yuletide, meaning the turning of the sun or the winter solstice, has traditionally been a time of extreme importance in Scandinavia – a time when fortunes for the coming year were determined and when the dead were thought to walk the earth. For a long time, it was considered dangerous to sleep alone on Christmas Eve. The extended family, master and servant alike, would sleep together on a freshly spread bed of straw.

In France, the Yule log is still held in present use in the form of a log shaped cake called “buche de Noel.” This cake has found its way into other countries, among them the USA as “hot cross buns” and “stollens”. Using logs to decorate or shape cakes after, giving yuletide greetings, and any recognition of the Twelve Days of Christmas or Twelfth night; is giving credit to this vile phallic worship of Scandinavia’s past. Yuletide is also observed by witches today as one of their main high days, so if you are “celebrating” you are doing so with witches.

The Norse also sacrificed a boar to their god Freyr during yuletide. It is thought that this is probably where the English tradition of serving boar’s head at “Christmas” came from and our tradition of serving “Christmas Ham”.

Gift Giving

The Romans exchanged food, small statues of gods (we now give snowmen, Santa statues, Jesus statues, etc.), and trinkets to one another during the winter festival. The church in adopting the custom, declared that it was to again be done on December 25 but in their cleverness they deceived the masses by teaching “the three wisemen brought gifts to Christ when He was born, so we do too”.

“The interchange of presents between friends is alike characteristic of Christmas and the Saturnalia, and must have been adopted by Christians from the pagans, as the admonition of Tertullian plainly shows.”–Bibliotheca Sacra, Vol. 12, pp. 153-155.

Should we today give gifts to our friends and to those who need them? Yes, it is well to do this all through the year,–especially to the needy.

Luke 6:30-35 ³⁰Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. ³¹Do to others as you would have them do to you. ³²“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. ³³And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that. ³⁴And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners,’ expecting to be repaid in full. ³⁵But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

Our choicest gifts should be brought to Christ.

“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea . . . and when they [the magi] came into the house, they . . . fell down, and worshipped Him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.”–Matthew 2:1-11.

Give Him the best you have; give Him your life. Dedicate all you have to Him, to be used in His service. Read the Bible daily and obey its commands through the enabling grace of Christ. Only then can you have genuine happiness. But let not ancient paganism select the day on which you will worship God. If we want to have happy gatherings with our loved ones, that is great. But let’s not copy the heathen in doing it.

“Take heed to thyself, that thou be not snared by following them . . . that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, how did these nations serve their gods? Even so will I do likewise? Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God: for every abomination to the Eternal, which He hateth, have they done unto their gods.”–Deuteronomy 12:30-31

“In vain, do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”–Matthew 15:9

Wassailing

Wassailing is the practice of going door-to-door singing Christmas carols and requesting in return wassail (food or drink) or some other form of refreshment. In modern times it is most commonly known through reference in various traditional Christmas carols (e.g., “Here we come a-wassailing among the leaves so green”). Wassailing, however, was originally an important part of a horticultural ritual.

In England, it focused on the apple orchards. The purpose was to salute the trees in the dead of winter to insure a good crop for the coming year. The date varied across the 12 days of Christmas. If done formally, the wassail procession visited the principal orchards of the area, caroling as it went. In each orchard, major trees were selected and cider or liquor was sprinkled over their root systems. Incantations (-) such as: Stand fast at root, Bear well at top, every twig bear apple big, and every bow bear apple now. Also, Here’s to thee old apple tree, Hats full, sacks full, Great bushel baskets full, Hurrah! Incantations such as these were recited. To frighten evil spirits away, guns were fired into the air. Before proceeding, the procession usually danced about the honored trees and then snaked its way out of the orchard. The care with which the ceremony had been executed was measured by the crop yield the following year.

Wassailing actually developed from a spell casting ceremony!

- Incantation: Ritual recitation of verbal charms or spells to produce a magic effect.

Ø A formula used in ritual recitation; a verbal charm or spell.

Ø A conventionalized utterance repeated without thought. (American Heritage Dictionary)

Santa Claus

While many are aware that children should not be allowed to believe in Santa Claus some may not realize that the origins of the legend come so thoroughly from paganism! He is an anti-Christ image through and through.

The name ‘Santa Claus’ is believed to be a corruption of the Dutch ‘Sant Nikolaas’ (Sant-Ni-Klaus). St. Nicholas (as he was canonized by the Roman Catholic Church) was made bishop of Myra because of his reputed piety. He was believed to have venerated the Christ-child and practiced the child-like virtues of meekness and humility. Legend has it that he gave aid to the poor, always providing his gifts anonymously. In memory of his generosity mothers would hide gifts for their children and tell them they were left by St. Nicholas. Because of his alleged piety, and legends attributing ‘miracles’ to him which centered on children and the bestowing of fertility upon childless couples, St. Nicholas is revered by the Roman Catholic Church as the patron saint of children.

The legends of St. Nicholas bear many similarities to those of the ancient Egyptian god Bes, a rotund, gnome like personage who was the patron of little children. Bes was the god of war, slaughter, music and dance and childbirth, but was also supposed to be the protector of homes and children. Among other things, his symbols included bells and drums. Bes was usually depicted as a bearded savage-looking yet comical dwarf, shown full-face in images (highly unusual by Egyptian artistic conventions). However, many texts point to the idea that Bes was a terrible avenging deity, who was as swift to punish the wicked as he was to amuse and delight the righteous.” One source claimed that Bes was Babylonian in origin.

To complete the description of Santa Claus, we find that many pagan societies have worshipped a hearth god, clad in red that came down the chimney to bless those who pleased him and to curse those who didn’t, such as China’s Zaowang. On December 23^rd, the people living in rural areas clean out or rebuild their kitchen stoves or fire places. It is believed that on this day that Zaowang will return to heaven to report on the goings-on in the household. He again returns on the 30^th day of December when people stay up all night eating and celebrating, anticipating the arrival of the New Year. There are other such red-clad hearth gods worshipped in India and throughout Asia today. Taiwan’s hearth god is said to return to heaven to report on the affairs of men on the 24^th day of the December. This is reminiscent of the scripture regarding Israel’s apostasy in these things:

Jeremiah 7:18 The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.

Gathering wood and kindling the fires would be done after the stove or hearth was cleaned of old ash. Making cakes to the “Queen of Heaven” is linked to the hot cross buns and stollens we find this time of year, which are again phallic symbols. Lastly, pouring out drink offerings is linked to eggnog and milk and cookies for “other gods”.

Leaving these offering under the “Christmas tree” has even more significance again when we read:

Ezekiel 6:13“…that they offered sweet savors to their idols under every green tree.”

So, here again we have the fertility connection so prevalent in the “Christmas” tradition and idolatry. Added to this is another horrible fact: “It would surprise many to learn that even the name ‘Christ Child’ has been given to this pagan deity under the name ‘Kriss Kringle’ (a corruption of the German ‘Christ Kindl’). This has to be one of the most subtle of Satan’s blasphemies, yet most Christians are unaware of it.” So, not only is the Egyptian god, Bes, being promoted as a saint; he is even given the name of Christ!

Additionally, Chemosh ( Hebrew כמש, pronounced [χe'moʃ] ), was the god of the Moabites (Num. 21:29; Jer. 48:7, 13, 46). The word Chemosh meant the destroyer, subduer, or fish-god. This deity was looked upon as the god of prosperity and is directly related to Santa Claus in a couple ways… first, this fish god, also known as dagon is the same one worshipped in Ninevah at the time of Jonah, Ninevah of course was founded by Nimrod, King of Babylon. Chemosh is the masculine name for Ashtar (Ishtar/Easter) and could therefore be construed as a husband to Easter. Chemosh was an idol forged of some sort of metal which could be heated hot enough to consume human flesh fairly quickly. It was a pot-bellied god, which is where the fire was housed (the belly). The priests of Chemosh wore the prygian cap (mitre) just like those of Tammuz and Mithra.

It was on December 25^th that the Moabite child-mass began. Followers would come before this pot-bellied god, now red hot with fire, and recite a list of their desires for the next year. Upon completion of their list they would place their child in the lap of this god to be sacrified by fire. The reality is that we allow our children to do the same thing- we parade them before the pot bellied, cherry red Santa in the local mall to recite their desires for Christmas Day only to place them in his lap for judgment. Those guilty of this idolatry will be judged in the holy fire of a living God- Jesus the Messiah.

The Following is a chart showing the comparisons between Santa Claus and Jesus Christ.

SANTA CLAUS

1. Has white hair like wool
2. Beard-curly and white
3. Comes from North Pole
4. Omniscient-knows about all
5. Ageless, eternal
6. Makes List of Judgments
7. Checks list twice
8. Gifts given on basis of a list
9. Christmas rewards once yearly
10. Confess wrongs to Santa
11. Promise to be better next year
12. Asks children to obey parents
13. Comes on “Christ’s birthday”
14. Hour of his coming a mystery
15. Rudolph’s shining nose to guide
16. Calls all children to his knee
17. Be good for goodness sake
18. Has a twinkle in his eye
19. Swift visit to whole world in 1 day.
20. Omnipresent-Found in every mall
21. Says “Ho,ho”

JESUS CHRIST

1. Revelation 1:14 – Daniel 7:9
2. Isaiah 50:6 – Rev. 1:14
3. Ez. 1:4; Ex.26:35 Psa.48:2
4. Revelation 19:6
5. Rev. 1:8,21:6; Hebrews 13:8
6. Rev.20:12; 14:7; 21:27; 2 Cor.5:10
7. Dan. 8:14; Matt. 10:26, 1 Cor.5:10
8. Matt.25:21; Rev. 21:27; 22:14
9. Leviticus 23:26-32
10. I John 2:1, I Tim. 2:5
11. John 14:15,21; 15:10; I Jn. 2:3
12. Eph. 6:1; Prov. 6:20; Col. 3:20
13. Heb. 12:2, 2 Cor. 4:18; Psa. 141:8
14. Luke 12:40; Mark 13:33; Matt.24:36
15. Matt. 2:2,7,9-10; Numbers 24:17
16. Matt. 19:14, Luke 18:16
17. Matt. 19:17; Col 1:29; Phil. 2:13
18. Rev. 1:14, 2:18
19. 2 Peter 3:8; Rev. 18:8, Isa. 47:9
20. Psa. 139:7-10; Eph. 4:6
21. Zecheriah 2:6

Still unsure why Santa is wrong? Allow me to be blunt; Santa is an anti-Christ image. Santa is nothing more than a devil. Just move the “N” in the word SaNta to the end and you have SataN…

SPIRIT & TRUTH

A few years ago, WorldNetDaily published a controversial exposé that spotlighted one of the more frequent skirmishes in our current culture war. Masterfully written by Joe Kovacs, “Christmas in America becomes battleground” reveals the pagan origins of this esteemed tradition and demonstrates why increasing numbers of “fundamentalist Christians” are realizing that one cannot “put Christ” back into something in which He never was.

C.S. Lewis, in his book Mere Christianity, asserts that one of Satan’s most common ploys is to “send error into the world in pairs”—pairs of opposites—”and then he encourages us to spend a lot of time thinking, Which is the worst?” Satan persuades us to argue over two options, or two points of view, neither one of which is true. Regardless of which side carries the argument, Satan wins the day.

In the current war over Christmas and religious symbols, Satan has pitted the secular humanists, who want to blot out Christianity and encourage almost any other form of worship, against mainstream Christians, who are fighting for the right to worship as they see fit by putting evergreen trees in schools per Jeremiah 10:2-5. Atheists and agnostics arrayed against Christmas bent “Christians”—for whom do we root?

The truth of the matter is that Satan is the real winner regardless of the outcome.

Jesus Christ tells us, but the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24); therefore if we worship Christ in anything less than truth it could be said that we do not worship Him at all- for how could we, not knowing the truth of who He is?

DARE TO BE DIFFERENT

Most of us are by nature conformists. We tend to want to blend into the crowd and desire not to stand out as different. Most cultures teach conformity to their children early and often, and this initial training remains with them throughout their lives. Those who stray from conformity are called “black sheep,” and are regarded somewhat suspiciously by “normal” people. As adults, we feel similar peer pressure, but the stakes are higher. Now it is cars, homes, memberships, investments, salaries, résumés, benefit packages, and vacation destinations—not to mention all the latest toys, gizmos, and accoutrements. Not running with the in-crowd is not as devastating to an adult as it is to a teen, but the subconscious desire to fit in is certainly present. We may call it “staying in style” or “not wanting to fall behind,” but it is the same urge not to stand out as different.

We Christians have another ingredient to add to the mix: our calling. God’s invitation to His Family really complicates matters in terms of fitting in to society. He has called us out of this world (John 15:19). The purpose of His invitation is to make us different! If we accept His invitation, we agree to spend the rest of our lives as the proverbial sore thumb. We are set apart from other people in the world, and commissioned—nay, commanded—to widen the gap!

As I hear so often from my family members “Well each one has their own beliefs”, and “Believe what you want, it’s for the kids”.

Notice Paul’s blunt statement in Romans 12:2: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. . . .” John is equally as blunt: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (I John 2:15). As is James: “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4). And God Himself: “Come out of [Babylon, a type of the world], My people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues” (Revelation 18:4).

Paul’s warning in II Timothy 3:12 can be discouraging: “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” The last of Christ’s Beatitudes offers some balance: Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. . . . (Matthew 5:10-12)

Is this enough to dare to be different? I truly believe so; for I know that we will inherit the kingdom of heaven, and I know what we are doing is true to the word of the living God and because I have come to know Him through this refining process.

We’re called to be peculiar people (1 Peter 2:19), what makes us different from everyone else if we celebrate the same holidays and Sabbaths as the heathen? Nothing! That’s why we must separate ourselves unto God.

Joshua 24:15 “But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers (church tradition) served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites(pagans), in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD”. {Emphasis mine}

Categorized in Daily Bible Study
Tags: Christmas, Pagan, Paganism

Nov

What Does the Bible Say About HOMOSEXUALITY, ADULTERY & OTHER SEXUAL SINS

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INTRODUCTION

When God created the world, He established two institutions that continued after Mankind sinned. One was the Sabbath, a memorial of creation. The other was the marriage relationship between a husband and wife. Humans were created in the image of God, and they were given a power, that of procreation, that the angels did not have. The union of husband and wife, through sexual intercourse, made them one.

“A man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. ” (Gen. 2:23, 24)

Satan, in his hatred for God, has done his best to distort and destroy both of the institutions that God had instituted. To destroy the holy marriage relationship, Satan encouraged people to engage in any form of sexual immorality that would pervert what God had created to be beautiful. This included adultery (sex between a man and woman that are not married, incest (sex between close family members, either by blood or marriage), homosexual encounters (sex between members of the same sex), sex with animals, easy divorce, rape and others, all damaging to the institutions of marriage and the family. To encourage this debasement, demonic agencies in their attempt to be worshipped through various pagan religions, encouraged sexually immoral acts (including heterosexual and homosexual prostitution) as part of idol worship.

In the worship of Ishtar (originally pronounced Easter). fetuses aborted from pregnancies brought about through these “acts of worship” were offered to the goddess. Often when a pagan nation conquered another, they ripped open the pregnant women to offer their fetuses to their god. Baby sons and daughters were offered to the god, Molech, being burned or passing through the fire while loud banging music covered the cries of the babes. God decried and detested all such practices. They were an abomination to Him.

When the Lord brought the Israelites into Canaan, He repeatedly gave clear warnings to stay away from such detestable practices. The “perfect” Ten Commandments specifically outlawed worshipping other gods, bowing down to idols, and committing adulterous acts. God knew that His people, whom he had chosen as His “wife” would “prostitute” themselves to other gods. He knew that they would engage in various detestable forms of sexual immorality as a result of worshipping these other gods. He commanded the Israelites to completely destroy the wicked people of Canaan so that the Israelites would not be led into idolatry. This they failed to do, and subsequently, they succumbed to these idolatrous religions and openly practiced immorality even in God’s temple and courtyard.

Especially heinous in God’s sight is homosexuality, even more so than prostitution. Why? Because man in particular was created in God’s express image. By successfully causing men to debase each other, Satan laughs all the more at God. In two compelling stories, one regarding Sodom and Gomorrah, and the second involving Gibeah, a city of the tribe of Benjamin (see Judges 19, 20), men attempted to have sex with out-of-town male visitors. As a consequence, God directed the annihilation of these men, their supporters, towns and region, “that the evil would be done away with.”

More and more individuals and churches are struggling with these issues today in the face of an increasingly promiscuous society and politically active gay community. After watching one “gay rights” demonstration on CNN TV, I was reminded of Psalms 11:8,

“The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men.”

To enable churches and Christians to address these issues from a position of Bible knowledge and to help reveal and clarify God’s position on sins of a sexual nature, I have compiled all the verses in the Bible pertaining to these subjects in this compilation.

The compiled verses are split into two parts. Part I addresses sexual sins as they pertain to men, women and beasts. Part II addresses prostitution as a nation might do in pursuing gods other than the Lord God. There will be some minor repetition between the two sections. The reader should be aware that the comparisons are quite graphic since God does not mince words. Let the Holy Spirit guide you as you study these important topics.

LIST OF WORDS SEARCHED FOR

Parentheses ( ) enclose the various suffixes used. You may wish to look up in a dictionary the words that are unfamiliar to you.

abominable
abomination(s)
adulter(ers, ess, ies, ous, y)
carous(e, ing)
debauchery
emasculate(d)
harlot(s)
homosexual(ity, s)
immoral(ity)
impur(e, ities, y)
lay(s) with
lewd(ness)
lie(s) with
lust(ed, ful, fully, s, y)
male prostitutes
male shrine prostitutes
naked(ness)

Nicolaitans (a group teaching immorality)
orgies
perverse(ness)
pervers(ion, ity)
pervert(ed, ing, s)
promiscu(ity, ous)
prostitut(e, ed, es, ing, ion)
Rahab (name of the prostitute of Jericho)
revel(ed, ers, ing, ry)
seduce(d, s)
seductive
sex(ual, ually)
sexual immorality
sexual relations
sexual sin
shrine prostituties
sleep(ing, s) with

The following words were looked for, but are not used in the New International Version of the Bible. Other words meaning the same were used to express the ideas of the words listed below.

Fornication
incest
intercourse
licentiousness

PART I

Illicit Sexual Relationships

The story of Sodom and Gomorrah

abraham3angels.jpg (11570 bytes) Abraham pleads for Sodom

Gen. 18:17 Then the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? 18Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. 19For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.” 20Then the LORD said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous 21that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.” 22The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD.
23Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? 25Far be it from you to do such a thing –to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

26The LORD said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” 27Then Abraham spoke up again: “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, 28what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city because of five people?” “If I find forty-five there,” he said, “I will not destroy it.” 29Once again he spoke to him, “What if only forty are found there?” He said, “For the sake of forty, I will not do it.” 30Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?” He answered, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.” 31Abraham said, “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?” He said, “For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it.” 32Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?” He answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.”
33When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.

Gen. 19:1 The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. 2“My lords,” he said, “please turn aside to your servant’s house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning.” “No,” they answered, “we will spend the night in the square.” 3But he insisted so strongly that they did go with him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast, and they ate.
4Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom –both young and old –surrounded the house. 5They called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.”
6Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him 7and said, “No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing. 8Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof.”
9“Get out of our way,” they replied. And they said, “This fellow came here as an alien, and now he wants to play the judge! We’ll treat you worse than them.” They kept bringing pressure on Lot and moved forward to break down the door. 10But the men inside reached out and pulled Lot back into the house and shut the door. 11Then they struck the men who were at the door of the house, young and old, with blindness so that they could not find the door.
12The two men said to Lot, “Do you have anyone else here –sons-in-law, sons or daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of here, 13because we are going to destroy this place. The outcry to the LORD against its people is so great that he has sent us to destroy it.” 14So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters. He said, “Hurry and get out of this place, because the LORD is about to destroy the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.

The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah

lotfleeingfromsodom.jpg (19458 bytes) The Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah – Lot’s wife turned into a pillar of salt

15With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished.” 16When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the LORD was merciful to them. 17As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!” 18But Lot said to them, “No, my lords, please! 19Your servant has found favor in your eyes, and you have shown great kindness to me in sparing my life. But I can’t flee to the mountains; this disaster will overtake me, and I’ll die. 20Look, here is a town near enough to run to, and it is small. Let me flee to it –it is very small, isn’t it? Then my life will be spared.” 21He said to him, “Very well, I will grant this request too; I will not overthrow the town you speak of. 22But flee there quickly, because I cannot do anything until you reach it.” (That is why the town was called Zoar. )
23By the time Lot reached Zoar, the sun had risen over the land. 24Then the LORD rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah –from the LORD out of the heavens. 25Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, including all those living in the cities –and also the vegetation in the land. 26But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

27Early the next morning Abraham got up and returned to the place where he had stood before the LORD. 28He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, toward all the land of the plain, and he saw dense smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace. 29So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham, and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived.

Commentary: The burnt out cities of Sodom, Gomorrah and the three other cities were rediscovered recently. The city of Sodom is located next to Mount Sodom and is completely turned to ash. Some of the houses and walls are still standing but are completely turned to ash. The city is covered with millions of pressed powder sulfur balls ranging in size from 1/2 to 2 inches in size. Due to the vitrification of the ash surrounding each sulfur ball, scientists estimate that the balls were around 5,000 degrees Celsius (9,000 degrees Farenheit) at the time they fell. Nowhere in the entire world have similar sulfur balls been found. See the Surprising Discoveries section for pictures of Sodom as it is today!

Lot’s daughters commit incest with him

30Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar. He and his two daughters lived in a cave. 31One day the older daughter said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man around here to lie with us, as is the custom all over the earth. 32Let’s get our father to drink wine and then lie with him and preserve our family line through our father.” 33That night they got their father to drink wine, and the older daughter went in and lay with him. He was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up. 34The next day the older daughter said to the younger, “Last night I lay with my father. Let’s get him to drink wine again tonight, and you go in and lie with him so we can preserve our family line through our father.” 35So they got their father to drink wine that night also, and the younger daughter went and lay with him. Again he was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up. 36So both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. 37The older daughter had a son, and she named him Moab; he is the father of the Moabites of today. 38The younger daughter also had a son, and she named him Ben-ammi; he is the father of the Ammonites of today.

Commentary: It is so sad that these cities had so few righteous people in them. Even Lot’s daughters who were saved from the destruction had been so tainted by the evil of the town that they committed incestuous acts with their father. The descendents of the children resulting from these acts, the Moabites and Ammonites, were a constant snare and heartache to God and the Israelite people during their exodus from Egypt and while inhabiting the promised land. Many cities today are just as wicked as Sodom and Gomorrah were and God will overthrown them in the judgments to be poured out at the end of time.

The Ten Commandments define man’s duty to God and his fellow humans

Exod. 20:1 And God spoke all these words: 2“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

I. 3“You shall have no other gods before me.
II. 4“You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6but showing love to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments.
III. 7“You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
IV. 8“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 11For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
V. 12“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
VI. 13“You shall not murder.
VII. 14“You shall not commit adultery.
VIII. 15“You shall not steal.
IX. 16“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
X. 17“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

Seduction and animal sex

Exod. 22:16 “If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife. 17If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins. 18“Do not allow a sorceress to live. 19“Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal must be put to death.

Worship of the golden calf led to immorality

Exod. 32:1 When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”
2Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” 3So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. 4He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”
5When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD.” 6So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry. [Others versions of the Bible say to play, to engage in sexual immorality]
7Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. 8They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, `These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’ . . .
17When Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, “There is the sound of war in the camp.”
18Moses replied: “It is not the sound of victory, it is not the sound of defeat; it is the sound of singing that I hear.”
19When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. 20And he took the calf they had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it.
21He said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?”
22“Do not be angry, my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil. 23They said to me, `Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.’ 24So I told them, `Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!” 25Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies. 26So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the LORD, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him.
27Then he said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: `Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’” 28The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. 29Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the LORD today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.”
30The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.”
31So Moses went back to the LORD and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. 32But now, please forgive their sin –but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.”
33The LORD replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. 34Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.” 35And the LORD struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.

Of semen and periods

Lev. 15:16 “`When a man has an emission of semen, he must bathe his whole body with water, and he will be unclean till evening. 17Any clothing or leather that has semen on it must be washed with water, and it will be unclean till evening. 18When a man lies with a woman and there is an emission of semen, both must bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening. 19“`When a woman has her regular flow of blood, the impurity of her monthly period will last seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean till evening. 20“`Anything she lies on during her period will be unclean, and anything she sits on will be unclean. 21Whoever touches her bed must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean till evening. 22Whoever touches anything she sits on must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean till evening. 23Whether it is the bed or anything she was sitting on, when anyone touches it, he will be unclean till evening. 24“`If a man lies with her and her monthly flow touches him, he will be unclean for seven days; any bed he lies on will be unclean. . . . 32These are the regulations for a man with a discharge, for anyone made unclean by an emission of semen, 33for a woman in her monthly period, for a man or a woman with a discharge, and for a man who lies with a woman who is ceremonially unclean.

Unlawful sexual relations

Lev. 18:1 The LORD said to Moses, 2“Speak to the Israelites and say to them: `I am the LORD your God. 3You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices. 4You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the LORD your God. 5Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. I am the LORD.
6“`No one is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the LORD.
7“`Do not dishonor your father by having sexual relations with your mother. She is your mother; do not have relations with her.
8“`Do not have sexual relations with your father’s wife; that would dishonor your father.
9“`Do not have sexual relations with your sister, either your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she was born in the same home or elsewhere.
10“`Do not have sexual relations with your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter; that would dishonor you.
11“`Do not have sexual relations with the daughter of your father’s wife, born to your father; she is your sister.
12“`Do not have sexual relations with your father’s sister; she is your father’s close relative.
13“`Do not have sexual relations with your mother’s sister, because she is your mother’s close relative.
14“`Do not dishonor your father’s brother by approaching his wife to have sexual relations; she is your aunt.
15“`Do not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law. She is your son’s wife; do not have relations with her.
16“`Do not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife; that would dishonor your brother.
17“`Do not have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter. Do not have sexual relations with either her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter; they are her close relatives. That is wickedness.
18“`Do not take your wife’s sister as a rival wife and have sexual relations with her while your wife is living.
19“`Do not approach a woman to have sexual relations during the uncleanness of her monthly period.
20“`Do not have sexual relations with your neighbor’s wife and defile yourself with her.
21“`Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.

Do not lie with a man as with a woman

22“`Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.
23“`Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it. A woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; that is a perversion.
24“`Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you became defiled. 25Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants. 26But you must keep my decrees and my laws. The native-born and the aliens living among you must not do any of these detestable things, 27for all these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you, and the land became defiled. 28And if you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you.
29“`Everyone who does any of these detestable things –such persons must be cut off from their people. 30Keep my requirements and do not follow any of the detestable customs that were practiced before you came and do not defile yourselves with them. I am the LORD your God.’”

Do not degrade your daughter by making her a prostitute

Lev. 19:2 “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: `Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy. . . . 20“`If a man sleeps with a woman who is a slave girl promised to another man but who has not been ransomed or given her freedom, there must be due punishment. Yet they are not to be put to death, because she had not been freed. . . . 29“`Do not degrade your daughter by making her a prostitute, or the land will turn to prostitution and be filled with wickedness.

Those who engage in unlawful sexual relations must be put to death

Lev. 20:10 “`If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife –with the wife of his neighbor –both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death.
11“`If a man sleeps with his father’s wife, he has dishonored his father. Both the man and the woman must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.
12“`If a man sleeps with his daughter-in-law, both of them must be put to death. What they have done is a perversion; their blood will be on their own heads.
13“`If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.
14“`If a man marries both a woman and her mother, it is wicked. Both he and they must be burned in the fire, so that no wickedness will be among you.
15“`If a man has sexual relations with an animal, he must be put to death, and you must kill the animal.
16“`If a woman approaches an animal to have sexual relations with it, kill both the woman and the animal. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.
17“`If a man marries his sister, the daughter of either his father or his mother, and they have sexual relations, it is a disgrace. They must be cut off before the eyes of their people. He has dishonored his sister and will be held responsible.
18“`If a man lies with a woman during her monthly period and has sexual relations with her, he has exposed the source of her flow, and she has also uncovered it. Both of them must be cut off from their people.
19“`Do not have sexual relations with the sister of either your mother or your father, for that would dishonor a close relative; both of you would be held responsible.
20“`If a man sleeps with his aunt, he has dishonored his uncle. They will be held responsible; they will die childless. 21“`If a man marries his brother’s wife, it is an act of impurity; he has dishonored his brother. They will be childless.

Lev. 21:6 [Priests] must be holy to their God and must not profane the name of their God. Because they present the offerings made to the LORD by fire, the food of their God, they are to be holy. 7“`They must not marry women defiled by prostitution or divorced from their husbands, because priests are holy to their God. 8Regard them as holy, because they offer up the food of your God. Consider them holy, because I the LORD am holy –I who make you holy. 9“`If a priest’s daughter defiles herself by becoming a prostitute, she disgraces her father; she must be burned in the fire. 10“`The high priest, the one among his brothers who has had the anointing oil poured on his head and who has been ordained to wear the priestly garments, must not let his hair become unkempt or tear his clothes. 11He must not enter a place where there is a dead body. He must not make himself unclean, even for his father or mother, 12nor leave the sanctuary of his God or desecrate it, because he has been dedicated by the anointing oil of his God. I am the LORD. 13“`The woman he marries must be a virgin. 14He must not marry a widow, a divorced woman, or a woman defiled by prostitution, but only a virgin from his own people, 15so he will not defile his offspring among his people. I am the LORD, who makes him holy. ‘”

Rules regarding suspected infidelity

Num. 5:12 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: `If a man’s wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him 13by sleeping with another man, and this is hidden from her husband and her impurity is undetected (since there is no witness against her and she has not been caught in the act), 14and if feelings of jealousy come over her husband and he suspects his wife and she is impure –or if he is jealous and suspects her even though she is not impure– 15then he is to take his wife to the priest. He must also take an offering of a tenth of an ephah of barley flour on her behalf. He must not pour oil on it or put incense on it, because it is a grain offering for jealousy, a reminder offering to draw attention to guilt. 16“`The priest shall bring her and have her stand before the LORD. 17Then he shall take some holy water in a clay jar and put some dust from the tabernacle floor into the water. 18After the priest has had the woman stand before the LORD, he shall loosen her hair and place in her hands the reminder offering, the grain offering for jealousy, while he himself holds the bitter water that brings a curse. 19Then the priest shall put the woman under oath and say to her, “If no other man has slept with you and you have not gone astray and become impure while married to your husband, may this bitter water that brings a curse not harm you. 20But if you have gone astray while married to your husband and you have defiled yourself by sleeping with a man other than your husband”– 21here the priest is to put the woman under this curse of the oath –”may the LORD cause your people to curse and denounce you when he causes your thigh to waste away and your abdomen to swell. 22May this water that brings a curse enter your body so that your abdomen swells and your thigh wastes away. ” “`Then the woman is to say, “Amen. So be it.” 23“`The priest is to write these curses on a scroll and then wash them off into the bitter water. 24He shall have the woman drink the bitter water that brings a curse, and this water will enter her and cause bitter suffering. 25The priest is to take from her hands the grain offering for jealousy, wave it before the LORD and bring it to the altar. 26The priest is then to take a handful of the grain offering as a memorial offering and burn it on the altar; after that, he is to have the woman drink the water. 27If she has defiled herself and been unfaithful to her husband, then when she is made to drink the water that brings a curse, it will go into her and cause bitter suffering; her abdomen will swell and her thigh waste away, and she will become accursed among her people. 28If, however, the woman has not defiled herself and is free from impurity, she will be cleared of guilt and will be able to have children. 29“`This, then, is the law of jealousy when a woman goes astray and defiles herself while married to her husband.

The immorality commited at Peor

Introduction: Balaam, a seer, had been called to curse Israel. Instead, he ended up blessing them. In order to get the reward for cursing Israel that had been offered to him by Balak, a Moabite king, he encouraged Balak to involve the Israelites in sexual immorality and a prostituting of themselves before the gods of the land. He recognized that if Israel could be made to sin, that God’s protection would be withdrawn and God would punish Israel Himself. Unfortunately, Balaam’s plan worked all too well. The Israelites succumbed to this seductive idolatry and immorality and subsequently many were destroyed. For the story of Balaam, see Numbers 22-24, 2Pet. 2:14-16, Rev. 2:14.

Num. 25:1 While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women, 2who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate and bowed down before these gods. 3So Israel joined in worshiping the Baal of Peor. And the LORD’s anger burned against them.
4The LORD said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of these people, kill them and expose them in broad daylight before the LORD, so that the LORD’s fierce anger may turn away from Israel.” 5So Moses said to Israel’s judges, “Each of you must put to death those of your men who have joined in worshiping the Baal of Peor.”
6Then an Israelite man brought to his family a Midianite woman right before the eyes of Moses and the whole assembly of Israel while they were weeping at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 7When Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, saw this, he left the assembly, took a spear in his hand 8and followed the Israelite into the tent. He drove the spear through both of them –through the Israelite and into the woman’s body. Then the plague against the Israelites was stopped; 9but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000.
10The LORD said to Moses, 11“Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites; for he was as zealous as I am for my honor among them, so that in my zeal I did not put an end to them. 12Therefore tell him I am making my covenant of peace with him. 13He and his descendants will have a covenant of a lasting priesthood, because he was zealous for the honor of his God and made atonement for the Israelites.”
14The name of the Israelite who was killed with the Midianite woman was Zimri son of Salu, the leader of a Simeonite family. 15And the name of the Midianite woman who was put to death was Cozbi daughter of Zur, a tribal chief of a Midianite family.
16The LORD said to Moses, 17“Treat the Midianites as enemies and kill them, 18because they treated you as enemies when they deceived you in the affair of Peor and their sister Cozbi, the daughter of a Midianite leader, the woman who was killed when the plague came as a result of Peor.”

Moses reiterates the Ten Commandments

Deut. 5:1 Moses summoned all Israel and said: Hear, O Israel, the decrees and laws I declare in your hearing today. Learn them and be sure to follow them. 2The LORD our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. 3It was not with our fathers that the LORD made this covenant, but with us, with all of us who are alive here today. 4The LORD spoke to you face to face out of the fire on the mountain. 5(At that time I stood between the LORD and you to declare to you the word of the LORD, because you were afraid of the fire and did not go up the mountain.) And he said:
6“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
7“You shall have no other gods before me.
8“You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 9You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 10but showing love to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments.
11“You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
12“Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you. 13Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor the alien within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest, as you do. 15Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.
16“Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
17“You shall not murder.
18“You shall not commit adultery.
19“You shall not steal.
20“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
21“You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor’s house or land, his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
22These are the commandments the LORD proclaimed in a loud voice to your whole assembly there on the mountain from out of the fire, the cloud and the deep darkness; and he added nothing more. Then he wrote them on two stone tablets and gave them to me.

Rules regarding virginity and rape

Deut. 22:13 If a man takes a wife and, after lying with her, dislikes her 14and slanders her and gives her a bad name, saying, “I married this woman, but when I approached her, I did not find proof of her virginity,” 15then the girl’s father and mother shall bring proof that she was a virgin to the town elders at the gate. 16The girl’s father will say to the elders, “I gave my daughter in marriage to this man, but he dislikes her. 17Now he has slandered her and said, `I did not find your daughter to be a virgin.’ But here is the proof of my daughter’s virginity.” Then her parents shall display the cloth [with the blood on it from the breaking of the hymen during the initial sexual encounter] before the elders of the town, 18and the elders shall take the man and punish him. 19They shall fine him a hundred shekels of silver and give them to the girl’s father, because this man has given an Israelite virgin a bad name. She shall continue to be his wife; he must not divorce her as long as he lives. 20If, however, the charge is true and no proof of the girl’s virginity can be found, 21she shall be brought to the door of her father’s house and there the men of her town shall stone her to death. She has done a disgraceful thing in Israel by being promiscuous while still in her father’s house. You must purge the evil from among you.
22If a man is found sleeping with another man’s wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel.
23If a man happens to meet in a town a virgin pledged to be married and he sleeps with her, 24you shall take both of them to the gate of that town and stone them to death –the girl because she was in a town and did not scream for help, and the man because he violated another man’s wife. You must purge the evil from among you. 25But if out in the country a man happens to meet a girl pledged to be married and rapes her, only the man who has done this shall die. 26Do nothing to the girl; she has committed no sin deserving death. This case is like that of someone who attacks and murders his neighbor, 27for the man found the girl out in the country, and though the betrothed girl screamed, there was no one to rescue her.
28If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, 29he shall pay the girl’s father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the girl, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives.
30A man is not to marry his father’s wife; he must not dishonor his father’s bed.

Commentary: Note the presumption of innocence or guilt on the part of the girl depending on the location of the stated rape. A girl was expected to scream if she was attacked, not mildly succumb to the attacker’s wishes.

Those emasculated may not enter the assembly of the Lord

Deut. 23:1 No one who has been emasculated by crushing or cutting may enter the assembly of the LORD. 2No one born of a forbidden marriage nor any of his descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, even down to the tenth generation.

Commentary: To emasculate means to “remove the male’s ability to progenate.” This includes by castration, or other methods such as male sterilization.

Deut. 27:20 “Cursed is the man who sleeps with his father’s wife, for he dishonors his father’s bed.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!” 21“Cursed is the man who has sexual relations with any animal.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!” 22“Cursed is the man who sleeps with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!” 23“Cursed is the man who sleeps with his mother-in-law.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

The story of Rahab the prostitute

Josh. 2:1 Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.
2The king of Jericho was told, “Look! Some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” 3So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.”
4But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. 5At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, the men left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.” 6(But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.) 7So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut.
8Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof 9and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. 10We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. 11When we heard of it, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below. 12Now then, please swear to me by the LORD that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign 13that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and that you will save us from death.”
14“Our lives for your lives!” the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the LORD gives us the land.”
15So she let them down by a rope through the window, for the house she lived in was part of the city wall. 16Now she had said to them, “Go to the hills so the pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there three days until they return, and then go on your way.”
17The men said to her, “This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us 18unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your house. 19If anyone goes outside your house into the street, his blood will be on his own head; we will not be responsible. As for anyone who is in the house with you, his blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on him. 20But if you tell what we are doing, we will be released from the oath you made us swear.”
21“Agreed,” she replied. “Let it be as you say.” So she sent them away and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window.

Josh. 6:16 The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the city! 17The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the LORD. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. 18But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. 19All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the LORD and must go into his treasury.”
20When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so every man charged straight in, and they took the city. 21They devoted the city to the LORD and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it –men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.
22Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house and bring her out and all who belong to her, in accordance with your oath to her.” 23So the young men who had done the spying went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother and brothers and all who belonged to her. They brought out her entire family and put them in a place outside the camp of Israel.
24Then they burned the whole city and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the LORD’s house. 25But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho –and she lives among the Israelites to this day.

Judg. 11:1 Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior. His father was Gilead; his mother was a prostitute. 2Gilead’s wife also bore him sons, and when they were grown up, they drove Jephthah away. “You are not going to get any inheritance in our family,” they said, “because you are the son of another woman.”

Judg. 16:1 One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute. He went in to spend the night with her. 2The people of Gaza were told, “Samson is here!” So they surrounded the place and lay in wait for him all night at the city gate. They made no move during the night, saying, “At dawn we’ll kill him.” 3But Samson lay there only until the middle of the night. Then he got up and took hold of the doors of the city gate, together with the two posts, and tore them loose, bar and all. He lifted them to his shoulders and carried them to the top of the hill that faces Hebron.

The account of the Levite, his concubine and the wicked perverts of Gibeah

Judg. 19:1 In those days Israel had no king. Now a Levite who lived in a remote area in the hill country of Ephraim took a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah. 2But she was unfaithful to him. She left him and went back to her father’s house in Bethlehem, Judah. After she had been there four months, 3her husband went to her to persuade her to return. He had with him his servant and two donkeys. She took him into her father’s house, and when her father saw him, he gladly welcomed him. 4His father-in-law, the girl’s father, prevailed upon him to stay; so he remained with him three days, eating and drinking, and sleeping there.
5On the fourth day they got up early and he prepared to leave, but the girl’s father said to his son-in-law, “Refresh yourself with something to eat; then you can go.” 6So the two of them sat down to eat and drink together. Afterward the girl’s father said, “Please stay tonight and enjoy yourself.” 7And when the man got up to go, his father-in-law persuaded him, so he stayed there that night. 8On the morning of the fifth day, when he rose to go, the girl’s father said, “Refresh yourself. Wait till afternoon!” So the two of them ate together.
9Then when the man, with his concubine and his servant, got up to leave, his father-in-law, the girl’s father, said, “Now look, it’s almost evening. Spend the night here; the day is nearly over. Stay and enjoy yourself. Early tomorrow morning you can get up and be on your way home.” 10But, unwilling to stay another night, the man left and went toward Jebus (that is, Jerusalem), with his two saddled donkeys and his concubine.
11When they were near Jebus and the day was almost gone, the servant said to his master, “Come, let’s stop at this city of the Jebusites and spend the night.”
12His master replied, “No. We won’t go into an alien city, whose people are not Israelites. We will go on to Gibeah.” 13He added, “Come, let’s try to reach Gibeah or Ramah and spend the night in one of those places.” 14So they went on, and the sun set as they neared Gibeah in Benjamin. 15There they stopped to spend the night. They went and sat in the city square, but no one took them into his home for the night.
16That evening an old man from the hill country of Ephraim, who was living in Gibeah (the men of the place were Benjamites), came in from his work in the fields. 17When he looked and saw the traveler in the city square, the old man asked, “Where are you going? Where did you come from?”
18He answered, “We are on our way from Bethlehem in Judah to a remote area in the hill country of Ephraim where I live. I have been to Bethlehem in Judah and now I am going to the house of the LORD. No one has taken me into his house. 19We have both straw and fodder for our donkeys and bread and wine for ourselves your servants –me, your maidservant, and the young man with us. We don’t need anything.”
20“You are welcome at my house,” the old man said. “Let me supply whatever you need. Only don’t spend the night in the square.” 21So he took him into his house and fed his donkeys. After they had washed their feet, they had something to eat and drink.
22While they were enjoying themselves, some of the wicked men of the city surrounded the house. Pounding on the door, they shouted to the old man who owned the house, “Bring out the man who came to your house so we can have sex with him.”
23The owner of the house went outside and said to them, “No, my friends, don’t be so vile. Since this man is my guest, don’t do this disgraceful thing. 24Look, here is my virgin daughter, and his concubine. I will bring them out to you now, and you can use them and do to them whatever you wish. But to this man, don’t do such a disgraceful thing.”
25But the men would not listen to him. So the man took his concubine and sent her outside to them, and they raped her and abused her throughout the night, and at dawn they let her go. 26At daybreak the woman went back to the house where her master was staying, fell down at the door and lay there until daylight.
27When her master got up in the morning and opened the door of the house and stepped out to continue on his way, there lay his concubine, fallen in the doorway of the house, with her hands on the threshold. 28He said to her, “Get up; let’s go.” But there was no answer. Then the man put her on his donkey and set out for home.
29When he reached home, he took a knife and cut up his concubine, limb by limb, into twelve parts and sent them into all the areas of Israel. 30Everyone who saw it said, “Such a thing has never been seen or done, not since the day the Israelites came up out of Egypt. Think about it! Consider it! Tell us what to do!”

Gibeah and the Benjamites destroyed

Judg. 20:1 Then all the Israelites from Dan to Beersheba and from the land of Gilead came out as one man and assembled before the LORD in Mizpah. 2The leaders of all the people of the tribes of Israel took their places in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand soldiers armed with swords. 3(The Benjamites heard that the Israelites had gone up to Mizpah.) Then the Israelites said, “Tell us how this awful thing happened.”
4So the Levite, the husband of the murdered woman, said, “I and my concubine came to Gibeah in Benjamin to spend the night. 5During the night the men of Gibeah came after me and surrounded the house, intending to kill me. They raped my concubine, and she died. 6I took my concubine, cut her into pieces and sent one piece to each region of Israel’s inheritance, because they committed this lewd and disgraceful act in Israel. 7Now, all you Israelites, speak up and give your verdict.”
8All the people rose as one man, saying, “None of us will go home. No, not one of us will return to his house. 9But now this is what we’ll do to Gibeah: We’ll go up against it as the lot directs. 10We’ll take ten men out of every hundred from all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred from a thousand, and a thousand from ten thousand, to get provisions for the army. Then, when the army arrives at Gibeah in Benjamin, it can give them what they deserve for all this vileness done in Israel.” 11So all the men of Israel got together and united as one man against the city.
12The tribes of Israel sent men throughout the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What about this awful crime that was committed among you? 13Now surrender those wicked men of Gibeah so that we may put them to death and purge the evil from Israel.”
But the Benjamites would not listen to their fellow Israelites. 14From their towns they came together at Gibeah to fight against the Israelites. 15At once the Benjamites mobilized twenty-six thousand swordsmen from their towns, in addition to seven hundred chosen men from those living in Gibeah. 16Among all these soldiers there were seven hundred chosen men who were left-handed, each of whom could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.
17Israel, apart from Benjamin, mustered four hundred thousand swordsmen, all of them fighting men.
18The Israelites went up to Bethel and inquired of God. They said, “Who of us shall go first to fight against the Benjamites?”
The LORD replied, “Judah shall go first.”
19The next morning the Israelites got up and pitched camp near Gibeah. 20The men of Israel went out to fight the Benjamites and took up battle positions against them at Gibeah. 21The Benjamites came out of Gibeah and cut down twenty-two thousand Israelites on the battlefield that day. 22But the men of Israel encouraged one another and again took up their positions where they had stationed themselves the first day. 23The Israelites went up and wept before the LORD until evening, and they inquired of the LORD. They said, “Shall we go up again to battle against the Benjamites, our brothers?”
The LORD answered, “Go up against them.”
24Then the Israelites drew near to Benjamin the second day. 25This time, when the Benjamites came out from Gibeah to oppose them, they cut down another eighteen thousand Israelites, all of them armed with swords. 26Then the Israelites, all the people, went up to Bethel, and there they sat weeping before the LORD. They fasted that day until evening and presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the LORD. 27And the Israelites inquired of the LORD. (In those days the ark of the covenant of God was there, 28with Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, ministering before it.) They asked, “Shall we go up again to battle with Benjamin our brother, or not?”
The LORD responded, “Go, for tomorrow I will give them into your hands.”
29Then Israel set an ambush around Gibeah. 30They went up against the Benjamites on the third day and took up positions against Gibeah as they had done before. 31The Benjamites came out to meet them and were drawn away from the city. They began to inflict casualties on the Israelites as before, so that about thirty men fell in the open field and on the roads –the one leading to Bethel and the other to Gibeah.
32While the Benjamites were saying, “We are defeating them as before,” the Israelites were saying, “Let’s retreat and draw them away from the city to the roads.”

The Benjamites destroyed

33All the men of Israel moved from their places and took up positions at Baal Tamar, and the Israelite ambush charged out of its place on the west of Gibeah. 34Then ten thousand of Israel’s finest men made a frontal attack on Gibeah. The fighting was so heavy that the Benjamites did not realize how near disaster was. 35The LORD defeated Benjamin before Israel, and on that day the Israelites struck down 25,100 Benjamites, all armed with swords. 36Then the Benjamites saw that they were beaten.
Now the men of Israel had given way before Benjamin, because they relied on the ambush they had set near Gibeah. 37The men who had been in ambush made a sudden dash into Gibeah, spread out and put the whole city to the sword. 38The men of Israel had arranged with the ambush that they should send up a great cloud of smoke from the city, 39and then the men of Israel would turn in the battle.
The Benjamites had begun to inflict casualties on the men of Israel (about thirty), and they said, “We are defeating them as in the first battle.” 40But when the column of smoke began to rise from the city, the Benjamites turned and saw the smoke of the whole city going up into the sky. 41Then the men of Israel turned on them, and the men of Benjamin were terrified, because they realized that disaster had come upon them. 42So they fled before the Israelites in the direction of the desert, but they could not escape the battle. And the men of Israel who came out of the towns cut them down there. 43They surrounded the Benjamites, chased them and easily overran them in the vicinity of Gibeah on the east. 44Eighteen thousand Benjamites fell, all of them valiant fighters. 45As they turned and fled toward the desert to the rock of Rimmon, the Israelites cut down five thousand men along the roads. They kept pressing after the Benjamites as far as Gidom and struck down two thousand more.
46On that day twenty-five thousand Benjamite swordsmen fell, all of them valiant fighters. 47But six hundred men turned and fled into the desert to the rock of Rimmon, where they stayed four months. 48The men of Israel went back to Benjamin and put all the towns to the sword, including the animals and everything else they found. All the towns they came across they set on fire.

King David compounds adultery with planned murder

2Sam. 11:2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, 3and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” 4Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (She had purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then she went back home. 5The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant.”
6So David sent this word to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent him to David. 7When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab was, how the soldiers were and how the war was going. 8Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king was sent after him. 9But Uriah slept at the entrance to the palace with all his master’s servants and did not go down to his house.
10When David was told, “Uriah did not go home,” he asked him, “Haven’t you just come from a distance? Why didn’t you go home?”
11Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my master Joab and my lord’s men are camped in the open fields. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and lie with my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!”
12Then David said to him, “Stay here one more day, and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13At David’s invitation, he ate and drank with him, and David made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his mat among his master’s servants; he did not go home.
14In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. 15In it he wrote, “Put Uriah in the front line where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die.”
16So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were. 17When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David’s army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died.
18Joab sent David a full account of the battle. 19He instructed the messenger: “When you have finished giving the king this account of the battle, 20the king’s anger may flare up, and he may ask you, `Why did you get so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you know they would shoot arrows from the wall? 21Who killed Abimelech son of Jerub-besheth? Didn’t a woman throw an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you get so close to the wall?’ If he asks you this, then say to him, `Also, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.’”
22The messenger set out, and when he arrived he told David everything Joab had sent him to say. 23The messenger said to David, “The men overpowered us and came out against us in the open, but we drove them back to the entrance to the city gate. 24Then the archers shot arrows at your servants from the wall, and some of the king’s men died. Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.”
25David told the messenger, “Say this to Joab: `Don’t let this upset you; the sword devours one as well as another. Press the attack against the city and destroy it.’ Say this to encourage Joab.”
26When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. 27After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the LORD.

The Lord rebukes and punishes David for his adultery and murder

2Sam. 12:1 The LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. 2The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, 3but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.
4“Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.”
5David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! 6He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.”
7Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: `I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. 9Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’
11“This is what the LORD says: `Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. 12You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’”
13Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.”
Nathan replied, “The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. 14But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt, the son born to you will die.”
15After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became ill. 16David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground. 17The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them.
18On the seventh day the child died. David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, “While the child was still living, we spoke to David but he would not listen to us. How can we tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.”
19David noticed that his servants were whispering among themselves and he realized the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked.
“Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.”
20Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.
21His servants asked him, “Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!”
22He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, `Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.’ 23But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”
24Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and lay with her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The LORD loved him; 25and because the LORD loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah.

The account of Amnon and Tamar

2Sam. 13:1 In the course of time, Amnon son of David fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of Absalom son of David. 2Amnon became frustrated to the point of illness on account of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible for him to do anything to her. 3Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Jonadab was a very shrewd man. 4He asked Amnon, “Why do you, the king’s son, look so haggard morning after morning? Won’t you tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I’m in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.” 5“Go to bed and pretend to be ill,” Jonadab said. “When your father comes to see you, say to him, `I would like my sister Tamar to come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare the food in my sight so I may watch her and then eat it from her hand.’”
6So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to him, “I would like my sister Tamar to come and make some special bread in my sight, so I may eat from her hand.” 7David sent word to Tamar at the palace: “Go to the house of your brother Amnon and prepare some food for him.” 8So Tamar went to the house of her brother Amnon, who was lying down. She took some dough, kneaded it, made the bread in his sight and baked it. 9Then she took the pan and served him the bread, but he refused to eat. “Send everyone out of here,” Amnon said. So everyone left him.
10Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food here into my bedroom so I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the bread she had prepared and brought it to her brother Amnon in his bedroom. 11But when she took it to him to eat, he grabbed her and said, “Come to bed with me, my sister.”
12“Don’t, my brother!” she said to him. “Don’t force me. Such a thing should not be done in Israel! Don’t do this wicked thing. 13What about me? Where could I get rid of my disgrace? And what about you? You would be like one of the wicked fools in Israel. Please speak to the king; he will not keep me from being married to you.” 14But he refused to listen to her, and since he was stronger than she, he raped her.
15Then Amnon hated her with intense hatred. In fact, he hated her more than he had loved her. Amnon said to her, “Get up and get out!”
16“No!” she said to him. “Sending me away would be a greater wrong than what you have already done to me.” But he refused to listen to her. 17He called his personal servant and said, “Get this woman out of here and bolt the door after her.” 18So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her. She was wearing a richly ornamented robe, for this was the kind of garment the virgin daughters of the king wore. 19Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the ornamented robe she was wearing. She put her hand on her head and went away, weeping aloud as she went.
20Her brother Absalom said to her, “Has that Amnon, your brother, been with you? Be quiet now, my sister; he is your brother. Don’t take this thing to heart.” And Tamar lived in her brother Absalom’s house, a desolate woman.
21When King David heard all this, he was furious. 22Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad; he hated Amnon because he had disgraced his sister Tamar.

Absalom avenges his sister’s rape

23Two years later, when Absalom’s sheepshearers were at Baal Hazor near the border of Ephraim, he invited all the king’s sons to come there. 24Absalom went to the king and said, “Your servant has had shearers come. Will the king and his officials please join me?” 25“No, my son,” the king replied. “All of us should not go; we would only be a burden to you.” Although Absalom urged him, he still refused to go, but gave him his blessing. 26Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon come with us.” The king asked him, “Why should he go with you?” 27But Absalom urged him, so he sent with him Amnon and the rest of the king’s sons. 28Absalom ordered his men, “Listen! When Amnon is in high spirits from drinking wine and I say to you, `Strike Amnon down,’ then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Have not I given you this order? Be strong and brave.” 29So Absalom’s men did to Amnon what Absalom had ordered. Then all the king’s sons got up, mounted their mules and fled.
30While they were on their way, the report came to David: “Absalom has struck down all the king’s sons; not one of them is left.” 31The king stood up, tore his clothes and lay down on the ground; and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn. 32But Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother, said, “My lord should not think that they killed all the princes; only Amnon is dead. This has been Absalom’s expressed intention ever since the day Amnon raped his sister Tamar. 33My lord the king should not be concerned about the report that all the king’s sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead.”

Absalom lies with his father’s concubines

2Sam. 16:20 Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give us your advice. What should we do?” 21Ahithophel answered, “Lie with your father’s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself a stench in your father’s nostrils, and the hands of everyone with you will be strengthened.” 22So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he lay with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. [And so was fulfilled the curse that Nathan had prophesied against David for his sin in regards to Bathsheba and Uriah in 2Sam. 12:11, 12].

2Sam. 20:3 When David returned to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to take care of the palace and put them in a house under guard. He provided for them, but did not lie with them. They were kept in confinement till the day of their death, living as widows.

King Solomon and the two prostitutes

1Kgs. 3:16 Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. 17One of them said, “My lord, this woman and I live in the same house. I had a baby while she was there with me. 18The third day after my child was born, this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there was no one in the house but the two of us. 19“During the night this woman’s son died because she lay on him. 20So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I your servant was asleep. She put him by her breast and put her dead son by my breast. 21The next morning, I got up to nurse my son –and he was dead! But when I looked at him closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t the son I had borne.” 22The other woman said, “No! The living one is my son; the dead one is yours.” But the first one insisted, “No! The dead one is yours; the living one is mine.” And so they argued before the king. 23The king said, “This one says, `My son is alive and your son is dead,’ while that one says, `No! Your son is dead and mine is alive.’” 24Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword for the king. 25He then gave an order: “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.” 26The woman whose son was alive was filled with compassion for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!” But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!” 27Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother.” 28When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice.

Of male shrine prostitutes and detestable practices

1Kgs. 14:23 They also set up for themselves high places, sacred stones and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree. 24There were even male shrine prostitutes in the land; the people engaged in all the detestable practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.

1Kgs. 15:11 Asa did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as his father David had done. 12He expelled the male shrine prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the idols his fathers had made. 13He even deposed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive Asherah pole. Asa cut the pole down and burned it in the Kidron Valley.

1Kgs. 22:37 So the king died and was brought to Samaria, and they buried him there. 38They washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria (where the prostitutes bathed), and the dogs licked up his blood, as the word of the LORD had declared. 39As for the other events of Ahab’s reign, including all he did, the palace he built and inlaid with ivory, and the cities he fortified, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?

1Kgs. 22:45 As for the other events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, the things he achieved and his military exploits, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 46He rid the land of the rest of the male shrine prostitutes who remained there even after the reign of his father Asa.

2Kgs. 23:6 He took the Asherah pole from the temple of the LORD to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem and burned it there. He ground it to powder and scattered the dust over the graves of the common people. 7He also tore down the quarters of the male shrine prostitutes, which were in the temple of the LORD and where women did weaving for Asherah. 8Josiah brought all the priests from the towns of Judah and desecrated the high places, from Geba to Beersheba, where the priests had burned incense. He broke down the shrines at the gates –at the entrance to the Gate of Joshua, the city governor, which is on the left of the city gate.

Job 24:14 When daylight is gone, the murderer rises up and kills the poor and needy; in the night he steals forth like a thief. 15The eye of the adulterer watches for dusk; he thinks, `No eye will see me,’ and he keeps his face concealed. 16In the dark, men break into houses, but by day they shut themselves in; they want nothing to do with the light.

Job 31:1 “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl. 2For what is man’s lot from God above, his heritage from the Almighty on high?

Job 36:13 “The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help. 14They die in their youth, among male prostitutes of the shrines. 15But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction.

Ps. 50:17 You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you. 18When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers. 19You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit.

Ps. 51:0 For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba. 1Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. 3For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. 4Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.

Prov. 2:12 Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse, 13who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways, 14who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil, 15whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways. 16It will save you also from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words, 17who has left the partner of her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God.

The way of the adulteress

Prov. 5:1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom, listen well to my words of insight, 2that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge. 3For the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil; 4but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword. 5Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave. 6She gives no thought to the way of life; her paths are crooked, but she knows it not. 7Now then, my sons, listen to me; do not turn aside from what I say. 8Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house, 9lest you give your best strength to others and your years to one who is cruel, 10lest strangers feast on your wealth and your toil enrich another man’s house. 11At the end of your life you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent. 12You will say, “How I hated discipline! How my heart spurned correction! 13I would not obey my teachers or listen to my instructors. 14I have come to the brink of utter ruin in the midst of the whole assembly.” 15Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well. 16Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares? 17Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers. 18May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. 19A loving doe, a graceful deer– may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love. 20Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another man’s wife? 21For a man’s ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all his paths.

A prostitute can reduce you to a loaf of bread

Prov. 6:23 For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life, 24keeping you from the immoral woman, from the smooth tongue of the wayward wife. 25Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes, 26for the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread, and the adulteress preys upon your very life. 27Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? 28Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? 29So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished. 30Men do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving. 31Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house. 32But a man who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself. 33Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away; 34for jealousy arouses a husband’s fury, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge. 35He will not accept any compensation; he will refuse the bribe, however great it is.

Wisdom will keep you from the adulteress

Prov. 7:4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding your kinsman; 5they will keep you from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words. 6At the window of my house I looked out through the lattice. 7I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who lacked judgment. 8He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house 9at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in. 10Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent. 11(She is loud and defiant, her feet never stay at home; 12now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks.) 13She took hold of him and kissed him and with a brazen face she said: 14“I have fellowship offerings at home; today I fulfilled my vows. 15So I came out to meet you; I looked for you and have found you! 16I have covered my bed with colored linens from Egypt. 17I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon. 18Come, let’s drink deep of love till morning; let’s enjoy ourselves with love! 19My husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey. 20He took his purse filled with money and will not be home till full moon.” 21With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk. 22All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose 23till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life. 24Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say. 25Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths. 26Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng. 27Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death.

About adulteresses and prostitutes

Prov. 22:13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!” or, “I will be murdered in the streets!” 14The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; he who is under the LORD’s wrath will fall into it. 15Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.

Prov. 23:26 My son, give me your heart and let your eyes keep to my ways, 27for a prostitute is a deep pit and a wayward wife is a narrow well. 28Like a bandit she lies in wait, and multiplies the unfaithful among men.

Prov. 29:3 A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.

Prov. 30:18 “There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand: 19the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a maiden. 20“This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, `I’ve done nothing wrong.’ 21“Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up: 22a servant who becomes king, a fool who is full of food, 23an unloved woman who is married, and a maidservant who displaces her mistress.

Isa. 1:18 “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. 19If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; 20but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the LORD has spoken. 21See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her– but now murderers! 22Your silver has become dross, your choice wine is diluted with water.

Isa. 5:13 Therefore my people will go into exile for lack of understanding; their men of rank will die of hunger and their masses will be parched with thirst. 14Therefore the grave enlarges its appetite and opens its mouth without limit; into it will descend their nobles and masses with all their brawlers and revelers. 15So man will be brought low and mankind humbled, the eyes of the arrogant humbled.

Cities of revelry to be destroyed

Isa. 22:1 An oracle concerning the Valley of Vision: What troubles you now, that you have all gone up on the roofs, 2O town full of commotion, O city of tumult and revelry? Your slain were not killed by the sword, nor did they die in battle. 3All your leaders have fled together; they have been captured without using the bow. All you who were caught were taken prisoner together, having fled while the enemy was still far away. . . .

12The Lord, the LORD Almighty, called you on that day to weep and to wail, to tear out your hair and put on sackcloth. 13But see, there is joy and revelry, slaughtering of cattle and killing of sheep, eating of meat and drinking of wine! “Let us eat and drink,” you say, “for tomorrow we die!” 14The LORD Almighty has revealed this in my hearing: “Till your dying day this sin will not be atoned for,” says the Lord, the LORD Almighty.

Isa. 23:6 Cross over to Tarshish; wail, you people of the island. 7Is this your city of revelry, the old, old city, whose feet have taken her to settle in far-off lands? 8Who planned this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are renowned in the earth?

Isa. 23:11 The LORD has stretched out his hand over the sea and made its kingdoms tremble. He has given an order concerning Phoenicia that her fortresses be destroyed. 12He said, “No more of your reveling, O Virgin Daughter of Sidon, now crushed! “Up, cross over to Cyprus; even there you will find no rest.” 13Look at the land of the Babylonians, this people that is now of no account! The Assyrians have made it a place for desert creatures; they raised up their siege towers, they stripped its fortresses bare and turned it into a ruin. 14Wail, you ships of Tarshish; your fortress is destroyed! 15At that time Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, the span of a king’s life. But at the end of these seventy years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the prostitute: 16“Take up a harp, walk through the city, O prostitute forgotten; play the harp well, sing many a song, so that you will be remembered.” 17At the end of seventy years, the LORD will deal with Tyre. She will return to her hire as a prostitute and will ply her trade with all the kingdoms on the face of the earth. 18Yet her profit and her earnings will be set apart for the LORD; they will not be stored up or hoarded. Her profits will go to those who live before the LORD, for abundant food and fine clothes.

Isa. 24:7 The new wine dries up and the vine withers; all the merrymakers groan. 8The gaiety of the tambourines is stilled, the noise of the revelers has stopped, the joyful harp is silent. 9No longer do they drink wine with a song; the beer is bitter to its drinkers.

Isa. 32:12 Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vines 13and for the land of my people, a land overgrown with thorns and briers– yes, mourn for all houses of merriment and for this city of revelry. 14The fortress will be abandoned, the noisy city deserted; citadel and watchtower will become a wasteland forever, the delight of donkeys, a pasture for flocks,

Isa. 57:2 Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death. 3“But you –come here, you sons of a sorceress, you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes! 4Whom are you mocking? At whom do you sneer and stick out your tongue? Are you not a brood of rebels, the offspring of liars?

The Israelites thronged to houses of prostitutes

Jer. 5:7 “Why should I forgive you? Your children have forsaken me and sworn by gods that are not gods. I supplied all their needs, yet they committed adultery and thronged to the houses of prostitutes. 8They are well-fed, lusty stallions, each neighing for another man’s wife. 9Should I not punish them for this?” declares the LORD. “Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?

Jer. 7:8 But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless. 9“`Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, 10and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”–safe to do all these detestable things? 11Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the LORD.

Jer. 9:1 Oh, that my head were a spring of water and my eyes a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night for the slain of my people. 2Oh, that I had in the desert a lodging place for travelers, so that I might leave my people and go away from them; for they are all adulterers, a crowd of unfaithful people. 3“They make ready their tongue like a bow, to shoot lies; it is not by truth that they triumph in the land. They go from one sin to another; they do not acknowledge me,” declares the LORD.

Jer. 15:16 When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty. 17I never sat in the company of revelers, never made merry with them; I sat alone because your hand was on me and you had filled me with indignation.

Even the “prophets” of Jerusalem committed adultery

Jer. 23:9 Concerning the prophets: My heart is broken within me; all my bones tremble. I am like a drunken man, like a man overcome by wine, because of the LORD and his holy words. 10The land is full of adulterers; because of the curse the land lies parched and the pastures in the desert are withered. The [prophets] follow an evil course and use their power unjustly. 11“Both prophet and priest are godless; even in my temple I find their wickedness,” declares the LORD. 12“Therefore their path will become slippery; they will be banished to darkness and there they will fall. I will bring disaster on them in the year they are punished,” declares the LORD. 13“Among the prophets of Samaria I saw this repulsive thing: They prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray. 14And among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen something horrible: They commit adultery and live a lie. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns from his wickedness. They are all like Sodom to me; the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah.” 15Therefore, this is what the LORD Almighty says concerning the prophets: “I will make them eat bitter food and drink poisoned water, because from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has spread throughout the land.”

Jer. 29:21 This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says about Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying lies to you in my name: “I will hand them over to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will put them to death before your very eyes. 22Because of them, all the exiles from Judah who are in Babylon will use this curse: `The LORD treat you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned in the fire.’ 23For they have done outrageous things in Israel; they have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives and in my name have spoken lies, which I did not tell them to do. I know it and am a witness to it,” declares the LORD.

God is grieved by adulterous hearts

Ezek. 6:8 “`But I will spare some, for some of you will escape the sword when you are scattered among the lands and nations. 9Then in the nations where they have been carried captive, those who escape will remember me –how I have been grieved by their adulterous hearts, which have turned away from me, and by their eyes, which have lusted after their idols. They will loathe themselves for the evil they have done and for all their detestable practices. 10And they will know that I am the LORD; I did not threaten in vain to bring this calamity on them.

Ezek. 18:5 “Suppose there is a righteous man who does what is just and right. 6He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife or lie with a woman during her period. 7He does not oppress anyone, but returns what he took in pledge for a loan. He does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked. 8He does not lend at usury or take excessive interest. He withholds his hand from doing wrong and judges fairly between man and man. 9He follows my decrees and faithfully keeps my laws. That man is righteous; he will surely live, declares the Sovereign LORD.

Hosea 1:1 The word of the LORD that came to Hosea son of Beeri during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the reign of Jeroboam son of Jehoash king of Israel: 2When the LORD began to speak through Hosea, the LORD said to him, “Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the LORD.” 3So he married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.

Hosea’s adulterous wife compared to Israel

Hosea 2:1 “Say of your brothers, `My people,’ and of your sisters, `My loved one.’ 2“Rebuke your mother, rebuke her, for she is not my wife, and I am not her husband. Let her remove the adulterous look from her face and the unfaithfulness from between her breasts. 3Otherwise I will strip her naked and make her as bare as on the day she was born; I will make her like a desert, turn her into a parched land, and slay her with thirst. 4I will not show my love to her children, because they are the children of adultery. 5Their mother has been unfaithful and has conceived them in disgrace. She said, `I will go after my lovers, who give me my food and my water, my wool and my linen, my oil and my drink.’ 6Therefore I will block her path with thornbushes; I will wall her in so that she cannot find her way. 7She will chase after her lovers but not catch them; she will look for them but not find them. Then she will say, `I will go back to my husband as at first, for then I was better off than now.’ 8She has not acknowledged that I was the one who gave her the grain, the new wine and oil, who lavished on her the silver and gold– which they used for Baal. 9“Therefore I will take away my grain when it ripens, and my new wine when it is ready. I will take back my wool and my linen, intended to cover her nakedness. 10So now I will expose her lewdness before the eyes of her lovers; no one will take her out of my hands.

Hosea 3:1 The LORD said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.” 2So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and a lethek of barley. 3Then I told her, “You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will live with you.” 4For the Israelites will live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred stones, without ephod or idol.

There is no love of God, no faithfulness in the land, only sinning

Hosea 4:1 Hear the word of the LORD, you Israelites, because the LORD has a charge to bring against you who live in the land: “There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land. 2There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed. 3Because of this the land mourns, and all who live in it waste away; the beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the fish of the sea are dying. 4“But let no man bring a charge, let no man accuse another, for your people are like those who bring charges against a priest. 5You stumble day and night, and the prophets stumble with you. So I will destroy your mother– 6my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.
“Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children. 7The more the priests increased, the more they sinned against me; they exchanged their Glory for something disgraceful. 8They feed on the sins of my people and relish their wickedness. 9And it will be: Like people, like priests. I will punish both of them for their ways and repay them for their deeds.
10“They will eat but not have enough; they will engage in prostitution but not increase, because they have deserted the LORD to give themselves 11to prostitution, to old wine and new, which take away the understanding 12of my people. They consult a wooden idol and are answered by a stick of wood. A spirit of prostitution leads them astray; they are unfaithful to their God. 13They sacrifice on the mountaintops and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar and terebinth, where the shade is pleasant. Therefore your daughters turn to prostitution and your daughters-in-law to adultery.
14“I will not punish your daughters when they turn to prostitution, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery, because the men themselves consort with harlots and sacrifice with shrine prostitutes– a people without understanding will come to ruin!
15“Though you commit adultery, O Israel, let not Judah become guilty. “Do not go to Gilgal; do not go up to Beth Aven. And do not swear, `As surely as the LORD lives!’ 16The Israelites are stubborn, like a stubborn heifer. How then can the LORD pasture them like lambs in a meadow? 17Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone! 18Even when their drinks are gone, they continue their prostitution; their rulers dearly love shameful ways. 19A whirlwind will sweep them away, and their sacrifices will bring them shame.

Commentary: Note the association of men with shrine prostitutes in verse 14 above. Comparing it to previous passages seems to indicate that the shrine prostitutes were the male shrine prostitutes mentioned earlier.

Hosea 7:1 “Whenever I would restore the fortunes of my people, whenever I would heal Israel, the sins of Ephraim are exposed and the crimes of Samaria revealed. They practice deceit, thieves break into houses, bandits rob in the streets; 2but they do not realize that I remember all their evil deeds. Their sins engulf them; they are always before me. 3“They delight the king with their wickedness, the princes with their lies. 4They are all adulterers, burning like an oven whose fire the baker need not stir from the kneading of the dough till it rises. 5On the day of the festival of our king the princes become inflamed with wine, and he joins hands with the mockers.

Joel 3:2 I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel, for they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land. 3They cast lots for my people and traded boys for prostitutes; they sold girls for wine that they might drink.

Amos 7:12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. 13Don’t prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom.” 14Amos answered Amaziah, “I was neither a prophet nor a prophet’s son, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. 15But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, `Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ 16Now then, hear the word of the LORD. You say, “`Do not prophesy against Israel, and stop preaching against the house of Isaac.’ 17“Therefore this is what the LORD says: “`Your wife will become a prostitute in the city, and your sons and daughters will fall by the sword. Your land will be measured and divided up, and you yourself will die in a pagan country. And Israel will certainly go into exile, away from their native land.’”

Micah 1:6 “Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of rubble, a place for planting vineyards. I will pour her stones into the valley and lay bare her foundations. 7All her idols will be broken to pieces; all her temple gifts will be burned with fire; I will destroy all her images. Since she gathered her gifts from the wages of prostitutes, as the wages of prostitutes they will again be used.”

Nahum 3:3 Charging cavalry, flashing swords and glittering spears! Many casualties, piles of dead, bodies without number, people stumbling over the corpses– 4all because of the wanton lust of a harlot, alluring, the mistress of sorceries, who enslaved nations by her prostitution and peoples by her witchcraft. 5“I am against you,” declares the LORD Almighty. “I will lift your skirts over your face. I will show the nations your nakedness and the kingdoms your shame. 6I will pelt you with filth, I will treat you with contempt and make you a spectacle. 7All who see you will flee from you and say, `Nineveh is in ruins –who will mourn for her?’ Where can I find anyone to comfort you?”

A day of the Lord scenario

Zech. 14:1 A day of the LORD is coming when your plunder will be divided among you. 2I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. 3Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. 4On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. 5You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. 6On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost. 7It will be a unique day, without daytime or nighttime –a day known to the LORD. When evening comes, there will be light.

God Himself will testify against adulterers

Mal. 3:5 “So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me,” says the LORD Almighty. 6“I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. 7Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty. “But you ask, `How are we to return?’

Matt. 1:4 Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, 6and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, 7Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, [etc.]

Commentary: It is very intriguing that each of the three women listed in the genealogical record of Jesus would be considered women of color. Rahab had been a prostitute in Jericho prior to joining the Israelites. Ruth was a Moabite woman who had previously been married to one of Naomi’s sons. Solomon’s mother was Bathsheba, who had previously been married to Uriah. In each case, God was able to work through these women to his honor and glory. Rahab forsook her adulterous ways, Ruth was remembered for her faithfulness to Naomi, Bathsheba and David suffered the loss of the child borne as a result of their affair. Bathsheba then gave birth to Solomon who was to build God’s temple in Jerusalem. God will take us wherever we are if we let Him cleanse us and use us to His glory. There is no sin so large that He cannot forgive us if we ask Him and repent of our evil ways.

If one looks at a woman lustfully, he has already committed adultery

Matt. 5:27 [Jesus said] “You have heard that it was said, `Do not commit adultery.’ 28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. . . . 31“It has been said, `Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.

Matt. 12:38 Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you.” 39He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here. 42The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here.

Out of the heart come evil thoughts and deeds

Matt. 15:17 “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man `unclean.’ 19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20These are what make a man `unclean’; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him `unclean.’”

Commentary: Compare the above list of sins against the prohibitions in the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5.

Matt. 16:1 The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven. 2He replied, “When evening comes, you say, `It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ 3and in the morning, `Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. 4A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus then left them and went away. 5When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread.

Regarding divorce and adultery

Matt. 19:3 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?” 4“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator `made them male and female,’ 5and said, `For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’ ? 6So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” 7“Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” 8Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.” 10The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.” 11Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. 12For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

Matt. 19:16 Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” 17“Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.” 18“Which ones?” the man inquired. Jesus replied, “`Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19honor your father and mother,’ and `love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” 20“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” 21Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Those who sin and recognize their need for cleansing have a greater chance for salvation than the pretentious righteous who feel they have no need of cleansing

Matt. 21:28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, `Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ 29“`I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. 30“Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, `I will, sir,’ but he did not go. 31“Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

What comes out of one’s heart is what makes one unclean

Mark 7:14 Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15Nothing outside a man can make him `unclean’ by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him `unclean.’ ” 1617After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. 18“Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him `unclean’? 19For it doesn’t go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods “clean.”) 20He went on: “What comes out of a man is what makes him `unclean.’ 21For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23All these evils come from inside and make a man `unclean.’”

Mark 8:34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? 37Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 38If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

What God has joined together, let man not separate

Mark 10:2 Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” 3“What did Moses command you?” he replied. 4They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.” 5“It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. 6“But at the beginning of creation God `made them male and female.’ 7`For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, 8and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one. 9Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” 10When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. 11He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. 12And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”

Mark 10:17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good –except God alone. 19You know the commandments: `Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’ ” 20“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

Jesus reaches out to sinners

Luke 15:1 Now the tax collectors and “sinners” were all gathering around to hear him. 2But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3Then Jesus told them this parable: 4“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, `Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
8“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, `Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ 10In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

The parable of the forgiving, loving father

11Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger one said to his father, `Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
13“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17“When he came to his senses, he said, `How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’ 20So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21“The son said to him, `Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. ‘
22“But the father said to his servants, `Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27`Your brother has come,’ he replied, `and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29But he answered his father, `Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31“`My son,’ the father said, `you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

Divorce and adultery

Luke 16:16 “The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it. 17It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law. 18“Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Recognition and repentance of one’s sinfulness leads to salvation

Luke 18:10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: `God, I thank you that I am not like other men –robbers, evildoers, adulterers –or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ 13“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, `God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 14“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
15People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. 16But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
18A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good –except God alone. 20You know the commandments: `Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’ ” 21“All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said. 22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

The story of a woman caught in adultery

John 8:1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger[the sins of the Pharisees that were accusing her]. 7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11“No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Guidance from the church leaders sought for

Acts 15:4 When [Paul and Barnabas] came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.
5Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.”
6The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? 11No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”
12The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 13When they finished, James spoke up: “Brothers, listen to me. 14Simon has described to us how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself. 15The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:
16“`After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, 17that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things’ 18that have been known for ages.
19“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. 21For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”
22Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, two men who were leaders among the brothers. 23With them they sent the following letter:
The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings. 24We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. 25So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul– 26men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.
30The men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. 31The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message.

Commentary: Keep an eye open for further reaffirmations of these requirements that the church leaders made through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. That is, the requirements to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.

God’s righteous requirements have been known from creation

Rom. 1:18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities –his eternal power and divine nature –have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
24Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator –who is forever praised. Amen.

Those committing homosexual acts received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion

26Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
28Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

Commentary: There should be no doubt in the Christian’s mind that the current AIDS crisis among today’s homosexual community is a result of their perverse acts, the reception within themselves of the due penalty for their perversion (v. 27). Nevertheless, it is the Christian’s duty to reach out to the lost, so that some may be brought to repentance, and thus be saved.

It is also a sad commentary on the state of so many of our politicians that many actually court the favor of the politically active gay and lesbian communities. Perhaps the last paragraph above explains the essence of the makeup of these politicians who “approve of those who practice them.”

Rom. 2:17 Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God; 18if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; 19if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, 20an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth– 21you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?

Rom. 6:18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. 19I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. 20When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

After one dies, the law no longer has authority over you

Rom. 7:1 Do you not know, brothers –for I am speaking to men who know the law –that the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives? 2For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. 3So then, if she marries another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress, even though she marries another man. 4So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.

Rom. 13:8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. 9The command-ments, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Rom. 13:12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

Sexual immorality in the early church – Do not associate with sexually immoral people

1Cor. 5:1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife. 2And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this? 3Even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. And I have already passed judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present. 4When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, 5hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord. 6Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? 7Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast –as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth. 9I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people– 10not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. 12What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”

Those who are sexually immoral, adulterers, male prostitutes or homosexual offenders will not inherit the kingdom of God

1Cor. 6:1 If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? 2Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 4Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, appoint as judges even men of little account in the church! 5I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? 6But instead, one brother goes to law against another –and this in front of unbelievers!
7The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? 8Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers.
9Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
12“Everything is permissible for me “–but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me “–but I will not be mastered by anything. 13“Food for the stomach and the stomach for food “–but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” 17But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.
18Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. 19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

If you are tempted by sexual desires, it is better for you to be married

1Cor. 7:1 Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry. 2But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. 3The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. 5Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. 8Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am. 9But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. 10To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. 11But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. 12To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. 15But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. 16How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? 17Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.

The Israelites were sexually immoral at thepagan revelry around the golden calf

1Cor. 10:6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry.” 8We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did –and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.

2Cor. 12:20 For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. 21I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged.

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious

Gal. 5:19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Eph. 4:17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. 20You, however, did not come to know Christ that way.

Eph. 5:1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 3But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person –such a man is an idolater –has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Put to death whatever belongs to your earthly nature

Col. 3:4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

1Ths. 4:2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 3It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; 6and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. 7For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

1Tim. 1:9 We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers –and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine 11that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me. 12I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. 13Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

Hebr. 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days. 31By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.

The marriage bed is to be kept pure

Hebr. 13:4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. 5Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. 12Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment! 14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that –and shudder. 20You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. 25In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

James 4:1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. 4You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?

Arm yourself with the same attitude as Christ

1Pet. 4:1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. 2As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 3For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do –living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 4They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. 5But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

2Pet. 2:12 But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish. 13They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you. 14With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed –an accursed brood! 15They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness. 16But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey –a beast without speech –who spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness. 17These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. 18For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. 19They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity –for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. 20If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. 21It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. 22Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.”

1John 2:15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For everything in the world –the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does –comes not from the Father but from the world. 17The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

There are some who have changed God’s grace into a license for immorality

Jude 3 Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. 4For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. 5Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe.

God dispises the teachings of the Nicolaitans

Rev. 2:5 Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

Commentary: C. Mervyn Maxwell in his book God Cares, Vol. 2, 1985, pp. 99, 100 answers the question, “Who were the Nicolaitans? Irenaeus, a second-century minister who grew up near Ephesus, referred to them in one of his writings. The Nicolaitans claimed to be Christians, he said, but they considered it ‘a matter of indifference to practice adultery, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.’ It appears then that the Nicolaitans were Christians who felt that faith in Jesus released them from obedience to some of the Ten Commandments. In 1 John 2:4, John wrote against similar people who were saying, ‘I know him [Jesus],’ but those same people were breaking the commandments. Anyone who talks this way, John said, is a ‘liar.’

“Calling a commandment flouting Christian a ‘liar’ is strong language. Jesus used strong language when He said He ‘hated’ the teachings of the Nicolaitans. We remember that in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, ‘Not every one who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.’ Matthew 7:21. Such language sobers us, especially when we consider that many people today say that faith releases Christians from keeping one or more of the Ten Commandments. Usually these Christians treat lightly the seventh commandment, about adultery, or the fourth, about keeping the seventh-day Sabbath.”

For more information on the Sabbath, see the Scripture compilation on the ‘Sabbath and the Lord’s Day.’

Let those who have evil propensities overcome them through the power of Jesus in order to inherit the kingdom

Rev. 2:11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.

Rev. 2:14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. 15Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 17He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.

Rev. 2:21 I have given [Jezebel] time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. . . .
26To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations– 27`He will rule them with an iron scepter; he will dash them to pieces like pottery’ — just as I have received authority from my Father. 28I will also give him the morning star.

Rev. 3:5 He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.

Rev. 3:12 Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name.

Rev. 3:21 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.

Babylon seduced the nations of this world by her adulterous teachings

Rev. 14:7 He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.” 8A second angel followed and said, “Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.” 9A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, 10he, too, will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb.

Babylon, the mother of prostitutes described

Rev. 17:1 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. 2With her the kings of the earth committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.”
3Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. 4The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. 5This title was written on her forehead: MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 6I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.
When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. 7Then the angel said to me: “Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns. 8The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come.
9“This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. 10They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for a little while. 11The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.
12“The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast. 13They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast. 14They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings –and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”
15Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages. 16The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to give the beast their power to rule, until God’s words are fulfilled. 18The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”

Commentary: At the time that John saw the vision, the city that ruled over the nations was Rome. Rome sits on seven hills (verses 18, 9).

Symbolically, women often represent churches. The woman of Rev. 12 represented Christ’s true and pure church which fled from persecution into various wildernesses. Thus it appears that the adulterous woman of chapter 17 more specifically represents the Church of Rome. The Church of Rome persecuted the true church for three and a half prophetic years or 1260 actual years, from 538 A.D. to 1798 A.D. In 538, the Church of Rome overthrew the last of the three barbarian kingdoms (the Heruli, Vandals and Ostrogoths) that followed the doctrine of Arianism (see Dan. 7: 8, 20, 24, 25). In 1798, the power of the papacy was broken or wounded when the pope was taken captive by Napoleon’s general Berthier (see Rev. 13).

The prostitutes that follow the harlot represent those churches that follow or retain her erroneous doctrines.

It should be noted here that God is talking about a system of religion, not about individuals, for in Rev. 18, an angel calls for God’s people to come out of her (Babylon). For those who doubt the return to power of the Roman Catholic Church, I encourage you to read “The Keys of This Blood (The Struggle for World Dominion),” by Martin Malachi, a Jesuit priest (published in 1990 by Simon & Schuster). It reviews the Pope’s plan to regain power and discusses how he has been instrumental in causing many of the rapid changes in the eastern block countries. What God says will happen, will happen!

There are some who will argue that Babylon the Great refers to the ancient city of Babylon built by Nebuchadnezzar. They feel this particular city, whose ruins are located in Iraq, will be rebuilt.

God, through Isaiah decreed, “Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the glory of the Babylonians’ pride, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah. She will never be inhabited or lived in through all generations; no Arab will pitch his tent there, no shepherd will rest his flocks there. But desert creatures will lie there, jackals will fill her houses; there the owls will dwell, and there the wild goats will leap about.” (Isa. 13:19-21) This is still true today. Saddam Hussein’s attempt to rebuild the city was thwarted by God using the U.S. led allied forces during the Gulf war.

Additionally, each time Babylon is mentioned in Revelation, the term Babylon is associated with the terms Great or great city. (see Rev. 11:8, 14:8, 16:19, 17:5, 18, chap. 18). Only once in the Old Testament is the word great associated with Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar while walking on the roof of his palace, and surveying the city, exclaimed, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” (Dan. 4:30). He was promptly dethroned by God for seven years. Thus from Biblical evidence, the Babylon of Revelation and the Babylon of the ancient world are not the same.

This author believes that the beast out of the abyss will be the incarnation of Satan. (The abyss, for Jews, is the traditional abode of demons). He will appear as Jesus Christ to the Christians, the Messiah to the Jews, Lord Matreya to the Hindus and New Agers, and Allah to the Muslims. His words and demeanor will be gracious. He will heal the sick, perhaps raise the dead, perform many signs and wonders, and cause fire to come down from heaven. But he will direct people to follow himself and his decrees and teach people to ignore God’s Law. God will allow Satan to appear to confirm the rebellion of those who have rejected God, His love, mercy and decrees (compare: 2Ths. 2:1-12, Rev. 9:11, 11:7, 17:8, 20:1-3). Those that follow God will have received the seal of God, the others by default will receive the mark of the beast.

The ten kingdoms who lend their power to the beast have yet to be identified. Intriguingly, even though the woman (the Roman Church) sits on the beast of the abyss (Satan), and draws her authority from that beast (see Rev. 13:1-10), eventually, the beast from the abyss, along with these 10 kings, turn on the woman (the Roman power) and burn her, The burning is decreed by God, and described in Rev. 18.

The wine of her adulteries are the false teachings and doctrines of the ancient mystery religions that have come down through the ages from ancient Babylon and which are alive and well today. The sacraments from these religions were transferred to pagan Rome when it conquered the known world and later passed into the hands of the Roman church. Much of the symbolism, rites and rituals, “sacred” holidays and doctrines followed by the Roman church come not from the Bible, but rather from the traditions of men as brought through the ages from ancient Babylon. For more on these teachings, see the compilation entitled “Revelation for the Wise” which is part of this series.

Rev. 18:1 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. 2With a mighty voice he shouted: “Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great! She has become a home for demons and a haunt for every evil spirit, a haunt for every unclean and detestable bird. 3For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.” 4Then I heard another voice from heaven say: “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; 5for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes. 6Give back to her as she has given; pay her back double for what she has done. Mix her a double portion from her own cup. 7Give her as much torture and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself. In her heart she boasts, `I sit as queen; I am not a widow, and I will never mourn.’ 8Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her. 9“When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her. 10Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry: “`Woe! Woe, O great city, O Babylon, city of power! In one hour your doom has come!’

Rev. 19:1 After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, 2for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” 3And again they shouted: “Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.”

Rev. 21:7 He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

Nothing impure will enter God’s heavenly kingdom

Rev. 21:26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Rev. 22:12 “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. 13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. 14“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 16“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”

PART II

Prostitution with Other Gods

Following are words that were also boldfaced to indicate the prostitution to these gods that incurred during this time.

idols
gods
god
shrine
Asherah
Asherah pole
Asherah poles
Molech

Do not seek after or worship other gods

Exod. 34:14 Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. 15“Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land; for when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you and you will eat their sacrifices. 16And when you choose some of their daughters as wives for your sons and those daughters prostitute themselves to their gods, they will lead your sons to do the same. 17“Do not make cast idols.

Lev. 17:6 The priest is to sprinkle the blood against the altar of the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and burn the fat as an aroma pleasing to the LORD. 7They must no longer offer any of their sacrifices to the goat idols to whom they prostitute themselves. This is to be a lasting ordinance for them and for the generations to come.’ 8“Say to them: `Any Israelite or any alien living among them who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice

Lev. 20:4 If the people of the community close their eyes when that man gives one of his children to Molech and they fail to put him to death, 5I will set my face against that man and his family and will cut off from their people both him and all who follow him in prostituting themselves to Molech. 6“`I will set my face against the person who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute himself by following them, and I will cut him off from his people. 7“`Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the LORD your God.

Put a reminder on your clothes to keep you from turning to other gods

Num. 15:38 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: `Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. 39You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by going after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes. 40Then you will remember to obey all my commands and will be consecrated to your God.

Deut. 23:17 No Israelite man or woman is to become a shrine prostitute. 18You must not bring the earnings of a female prostitute or of a male prostitute into the house of the LORD your God to pay any vow, because the LORD your God detests them both. 19Do not charge your brother interest, whether on money or food or anything else that may earn interest.

Deut. 31:15 Then the LORD appeared at the Tent in a pillar of cloud, and the cloud stood over the entrance to the Tent. 16And the LORD said to Moses: “You are going to rest with your fathers, and these people will soon prostitute themselves to the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake me and break the covenant I made with them. 17On that day I will become angry with them and forsake them; I will hide my face from them, and they will be destroyed. Many disasters and difficulties will come upon them, and on that day they will ask, `Have not these disasters come upon us because our God is not with us?’

Judg. 2:16 Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders. 17Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped them. Unlike their fathers, they quickly turned from the way in which their fathers had walked, the way of obedience to the LORD’s commands. 18Whenever the LORD raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the LORD had compassion on them as they groaned under those who oppressed and afflicted them.

Judg. 8:26 The weight of the gold rings he asked for came to seventeen hundred shekels, not counting the ornaments, the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian or the chains that were on their camels’ necks. 27Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his town. All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family. 28Thus Midian was subdued before the Israelites and did not raise its head again. During Gideon’s lifetime, the land enjoyed peace forty years.

The Israelites again and again prostituted themselves to other gods

Judg. 8:32 Gideon son of Joash died at a good old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. 33No sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They set up Baal-berith as their god and 34did not remember the LORD their God, who had rescued them from the hands of all their enemies on every side.

1Kgs. 14:23 They also set up for themselves high places, sacred stones and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree. 24There were even male shrine prostitutes in the land; the people engaged in all the detestable practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.

2Kgs. 23:6 He took the Asherah pole from the temple of the LORD to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem and burned it there. He ground it to powder and scattered the dust over the graves of the common people. 7He also tore down the quarters of the male shrine prostitutes, which were in the temple of the LORD and where women did weaving for Asherah. 8Josiah brought all the priests from the towns of Judah and desecrated the high places, from Geba to Beersheba, where the priests had burned incense. He broke down the shrines at the gates –at the entrance to the Gate of Joshua, the city governor, which is on the left of the city gate.

They were unfaithful to their God

1Chr. 5:24 These were the heads of their families: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah and Jahdiel. They were brave warriors, famous men, and heads of their families. 25But they were unfaithful to the God of their fathers and prostituted themselves to the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them. 26So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria (that is, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria), who took the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh into exile. He took them to Halah, Habor, Hara and the river of Gozan, where they are to this day.

2Chr. 21:10 To this day Edom has been in rebellion against Judah. Libnah revolted at the same time, because Jehoram had forsaken the LORD, the God of his fathers. 11He had also built high places on the hills of Judah and had caused the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves and had led Judah astray. 12Jehoram received a letter from Elijah the prophet, which said: “This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: `You have not walked in the ways of your father Jehoshaphat or of Asa king of Judah. 13But you have walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and you have led Judah and the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves, just as the house of Ahab did. You have also murdered your own brothers, members of your father’s house, men who were better than you. 14So now the LORD is about to strike your people, your sons, your wives and everything that is yours, with a heavy blow.

Job 36:13 “The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help. 14They die in their youth, among male prostitutes of the shrines. 15But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction.

Ps. 106:38 They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood. 39They defiled themselves by what they did; by their deeds they prostituted themselves. 40Therefore the LORD was angry with his people and abhorred his inheritance.

Jer. 3:1 “If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him and marries another man, should he return to her again? Would not the land be completely defiled? But you have lived as a prostitute with many lovers– would you now return to me?” declares the LORD. 2“Look up to the barren heights and see. Is there any place where you have not been ravished? By the roadside you sat waiting for lovers, sat like a nomad in the desert. You have defiled the land with your prostitution and wickedness. 3Therefore the showers have been withheld, and no spring rains have fallen. Yet you have the brazen look of a prostitute; you refuse to blush with shame.

Jer. 13:21 What will you say when [the LORD] sets over you those you cultivated as your special allies? Will not pain grip you like that of a woman in labor? 22And if you ask yourself, “Why has this happened to me?”– it is because of your many sins that your skirts have been torn off and your body mistreated. 23Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil. 24“I will scatter you like chaff driven by the desert wind. 25This is your lot, the portion I have decreed for you,” declares the LORD, “because you have forgotten me and trusted in false gods. 26I will pull up your skirts over your face that your shame may be seen– 27your adulteries and lustful neighings, your shameless prostitution! I have seen your detestable acts on the hills and in the fields. Woe to you, O Jerusalem! How long will you be unclean?”

A prophecy against Jerusalem’s protitutions

Ezek. 16:1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2“Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her detestable practices 3and say, `This is what the Sovereign LORD says to Jerusalem: Your ancestry and birth were in the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. 4On the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths. 5No one looked on you with pity or had compassion enough to do any of these things for you. Rather, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despised.
6“`Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, “Live!” 7I made you grow like a plant of the field. You grew up and developed and became the most beautiful of jewels. Your breasts were formed and your hair grew, you who were naked and bare.
8“`Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign LORD, and you became mine.
9“`I bathed you with water and washed the blood from you and put ointments on you. 10I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put leather sandals on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments. 11I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck, 12and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. 13So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was fine flour, honey and olive oil. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen. 14And your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign LORD.
15“`But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute. You lavished your favors on anyone who passed by and your beauty became his. 16You took some of your garments to make gaudy high places, where you carried on your prostitution. Such things should not happen, nor should they ever occur. 17You also took the fine jewelry I gave you, the jewelry made of my gold and silver, and you made for yourself male idols and engaged in prostitution with them. 18And you took your embroidered clothes to put on them, and you offered my oil and incense before them. 19Also the food I provided for you –the fine flour, olive oil and honey I gave you to eat –you offered as fragrant incense before them. That is what happened, declares the Sovereign LORD.
20“`And you took your sons and daughters whom you bore to me and sacrificed them as food to the idols. Was your prostitution not enough? 21You slaughtered my children and sacrificed them to the idols. 22In all your detestable practices and your prostitution you did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, kicking about in your blood.
23“`Woe! Woe to you, declares the Sovereign LORD. In addition to all your other wickedness, 24you built a mound for yourself and made a lofty shrine in every public square. 25At the head of every street you built your lofty shrines and degraded your beauty, offering your body with increasing promiscuity to anyone who passed by. 26You engaged in prostitution with the Egyptians, your lustful neighbors, and provoked me to anger with your increasing promiscuity. 27So I stretched out my hand against you and reduced your territory; I gave you over to the greed of your enemies, the daughters of the Philistines, who were shocked by your lewd conduct. 28You engaged in prostitution with the Assyrians too, because you were insatiable; and even after that, you still were not satisfied. 29Then you increased your promiscuity to include Babylonia, a land of merchants, but even with this you were not satisfied.
30“`How weak-willed you are, declares the Sovereign LORD, when you do all these things, acting like a brazen prostitute! 31When you built your mounds at the head of every street and made your lofty shrines in every public square, you were unlike a prostitute, because you scorned payment.
32“`You adulterous wife! You prefer strangers to your own husband! 33Every prostitute receives a fee, but you give gifts to all your lovers, bribing them to come to you from everywhere for your illicit favors. 34So in your prostitution you are the opposite of others; no one runs after you for your favors. You are the very opposite, for you give payment and none is given to you.
35“`Therefore, you prostitute, hear the word of the LORD! 36This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because you poured out your wealth and exposed your nakedness in your promiscuity with your lovers, and because of all your detestable idols, and because you gave them your children’s blood, 37therefore I am going to gather all your lovers, with whom you found pleasure, those you loved as well as those you hated. I will gather them against you from all around and will strip you in front of them, and they will see all your nakedness. 38I will sentence you to the punishment of women who commit adultery and who shed blood; I will bring upon you the blood vengeance of my wrath and jealous anger. 39Then I will hand you over to your lovers, and they will tear down your mounds and destroy your lofty shrines. They will strip you of your clothes and take your fine jewelry and leave you naked and bare. 40They will bring a mob against you, who will stone you and hack you to pieces with their swords. 41They will burn down your houses and inflict punishment on you in the sight of many women. I will put a stop to your prostitution, and you will no longer pay your lovers. 42Then my wrath against you will subside and my jealous anger will turn away from you; I will be calm and no longer angry.
43“`Because you did not remember the days of your youth but enraged me with all these things, I will surely bring down on your head what you have done, declares the Sovereign LORD. Did you not add lewdness to all your other detestable practices?
44“`Everyone who quotes proverbs will quote this proverb about you: “Like mother, like daughter.” 45You are a true daughter of your mother, who despised her husband and her children; and you are a true sister of your sisters, who despised their husbands and their children. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite. 46Your older sister was Samaria, who lived to the north of you with her daughters; and your younger sister, who lived to the south of you with her daughters, was Sodom. 47You not only walked in their ways and copied their detestable practices, but in all your ways you soon became more depraved than they. 48As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, your sister Sodom and her daughters never did what you and your daughters have done.
49“`Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. 50They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen. 51Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You have done more detestable things than they, and have made your sisters seem righteous by all these things you have done. 52Bear your disgrace, for you have furnished some justification for your sisters. Because your sins were more vile than theirs, they appear more righteous than you. So then, be ashamed and bear your disgrace, for you have made your sisters appear righteous.
53“`However, I will restore the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters and of Samaria and her daughters, and your fortunes along with them, 54so that you may bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all you have done in giving them comfort. 55And your sisters, Sodom with her daughters and Samaria with her daughters, will return to what they were before; and you and your daughters will return to what you were before. 56You would not even mention your sister Sodom in the day of your pride, 57before your wickedness was uncovered. Even so, you are now scorned by the daughters of Edom and all her neighbors and the daughters of the Philistines –all those around you who despise you. 58You will bear the consequences of your lewdness and your detestable practices, declares the LORD.
59“`This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will deal with you as you deserve, because you have despised my oath by breaking the covenant. 60Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you. 61Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your sisters, both those who are older than you and those who are younger. I will give them to you as daughters, but not on the basis of my covenant with you. 62So I will establish my covenant with you, and you will know that I am the LORD. 63Then, when I make atonement for you for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your humiliation, declares the Sovereign LORD.’”

Samaria and Jerusalem prostituted themselves to other gods. Therefore, the Lord will punish them

Ezek. 23:1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2“Son of man, there were two women, daughters of the same mother. 3They became prostitutes in Egypt, engaging in prostitution from their youth. In that land their breasts were fondled and their virgin bosoms caressed. 4The older was named Oholah, and her sister was Oholibah. They were mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.
5“Oholah engaged in prostitution while she was still mine; and she lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians –warriors 6clothed in blue, governors and commanders, all of them handsome young men, and mounted horsemen. 7She gave herself as a prostitute to all the elite of the Assyrians and defiled herself with all the idols of everyone she lusted after. 8She did not give up the prostitution she began in Egypt, when during her youth men slept with her, caressed her virgin bosom and poured out their lust upon her.
9“Therefore I handed her over to her lovers, the Assyrians, for whom she lusted. 10They stripped her naked, took away her sons and daughters and killed her with the sword. She became a byword among women, and punishment was inflicted on her.
11“Her sister Oholibah saw this, yet in her lust and prostitution she was more depraved than her sister. 12She too lusted after the Assyrians –governors and commanders, warriors in full dress, mounted horsemen, all handsome young men. 13I saw that she too defiled herself; both of them went the same way.
14“But she carried her prostitution still further. She saw men portrayed on a wall, figures of Chaldeans portrayed in red, 15with belts around their waists and flowing turbans on their heads; all of them looked like Babylonian chariot officers, natives of Chaldea. 16As soon as she saw them, she lusted after them and sent messengers to them in Chaldea. 17Then the Babylonians came to her, to the bed of love, and in their lust they defiled her. After she had been defiled by them, she turned away from them in disgust. 18When she carried on her prostitution openly and exposed her nakedness, I turned away from her in disgust, just as I had turned away from her sister. 19Yet she became more and more promiscuous as she recalled the days of her youth, when she was a prostitute in Egypt. 20There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses. 21So you longed for the lewdness of your youth, when in Egypt your bosom was caressed and your young breasts fondled.
22“Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will stir up your lovers against you, those you turned away from in disgust, and I will bring them against you from every side– 23the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans, the men of Pekod and Shoa and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them, handsome young men, all of them governors and commanders, chariot officers and men of high rank, all mounted on horses. 24They will come against you with weapons, chariots and wagons and with a throng of people; they will take up positions against you on every side with large and small shields and with helmets. I will turn you over to them for punishment, and they will punish you according to their standards. 25I will direct my jealous anger against you, and they will deal with you in fury. They will cut off your noses and your ears, and those of you who are left will fall by the sword. They will take away your sons and daughters, and those of you who are left will be consumed by fire. 26They will also strip you of your clothes and take your fine jewelry. 27So I will put a stop to the lewdness and prostitution you began in Egypt. You will not look on these things with longing or remember Egypt anymore.
28“For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am about to hand you over to those you hate, to those you turned away from in disgust. 29They will deal with you in hatred and take away everything you have worked for. They will leave you naked and bare, and the shame of your prostitution will be exposed. Your lewdness and promiscuity 30have brought this upon you, because you lusted after the nations and defiled yourself with their idols. 31You have gone the way of your sister; so I will put her cup into your hand.
32“This is what the Sovereign LORD says: “You will drink your sister’s cup, a cup large and deep; it will bring scorn and derision, for it holds so much. 33You will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, the cup of ruin and desolation, the cup of your sister Samaria. 34You will drink it and drain it dry; you will dash it to pieces and tear your breasts. I have spoken, declares the Sovereign LORD.
35“Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Since you have forgotten me and thrust me behind your back, you must bear the consequences of your lewdness and prostitution.”
36The LORD said to me: “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then confront them with their detestable practices, 37for they have committed adultery and blood is on their hands. They committed adultery with their idols; they even sacrificed their children, whom they bore to me, as food for them. 38They have also done this to me: At that same time they defiled my sanctuary and desecrated my Sabbaths. 39On the very day they sacrificed their children to their idols, they entered my sanctuary and desecrated it. That is what they did in my house.
40“They even sent messengers for men who came from far away, and when they arrived you bathed yourself for them, painted your eyes and put on your jewelry. 41You sat on an elegant couch, with a table spread before it on which you had placed the incense and oil that belonged to me.
42“The noise of a carefree crowd was around her; Sabeans were brought from the desert along with men from the rabble, and they put bracelets on the arms of the woman and her sister and beautiful crowns on their heads. 43Then I said about the one worn out by adultery, `Now let them use her as a prostitute, for that is all she is.’ 44And they slept with her. As men sleep with a prostitute, so they slept with those lewd women, Oholah and Oholibah. 45But righteous men will sentence them to the punishment of women who commit adultery and shed blood, because they are adulterous and blood is on their hands.
46“This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Bring a mob against them and give them over to terror and plunder. 47The mob will stone them and cut them down with their swords; they will kill their sons and daughters and burn down their houses.
48“So I will put an end to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not imitate you. 49You will suffer the penalty for your lewdness and bear the consequences of your sins of idolatry. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign LORD.”

Ezek. 43:6 [Ezekiel was taken in vision to a temple built by God] While the [angel, appearing as a man] was standing beside me, I heard someone speaking to me from inside the temple. 7He said: “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet. This is where I will live among the Israelites forever. The house of Israel will never again defile my holy name –neither they nor their kings –by their prostitution and the lifeless idols of their kings at their high places. 8When they placed their threshold next to my threshold and their doorposts beside my doorposts, with only a wall between me and them, they defiled my holy name by their detestable practices. So I destroyed them in my anger. 9Now let them put away from me their prostitution and the lifeless idols of their kings, and I will live among them forever. 10“Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their sins.

A spirit of prostitution led God’s people astray

Hosea 4:9 And it will be: Like people, like priests. I will punish both of them for their ways and repay them for their deeds. 10“They will eat but not have enough; they will engage in prostitution but not increase, because they have deserted the LORD to give themselves 11to prostitution, to old wine and new, which take away the understanding 12of my people. They consult a wooden idol and are answered by a stick of wood. A spirit of prostitution leads them astray; they are unfaithful to their God. 13They sacrifice on the mountaintops and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar and terebinth, where the shade is pleasant. Therefore your daughters turn to prostitution and your daughters-in-law to adultery. 14“I will not punish your daughters when they turn to prostitution, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery, because the men themselves consort with harlots and sacrifice with shrine prostitutes– a people without understanding will come to ruin! 15“Though you commit adultery, O Israel, let not Judah become guilty. “Do not go to Gilgal; do not go up to Beth Aven. And do not swear, `As surely as the LORD lives!’ 16The Israelites are stubborn, like a stubborn heifer. How then can the LORD pasture them like lambs in a meadow? 17Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone! 18Even when their drinks are gone, they continue their prostitution; their rulers dearly love shameful ways.

Micah 1:6 “Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of rubble, a place for planting vineyards. I will pour her stones into the valley and lay bare her foundations. 7All her idols will be broken to pieces; all her temple gifts will be burned with fire; I will destroy all her images. Since she gathered her gifts from the wages of prostitutes, as the wages of prostitutes they will again be used.” 8Because of this I will weep and wail; I will go about barefoot and naked. I will howl like a jackal and moan like an owl.

Categorized in Knowledge
Tags: ADULTERY & OTHER SEXUAL SINS, HOMOSEXUALITY, Same sex marriage

Nov

The Genesis Files

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EVIDENCE FOR CREATION

Following are a number of arguments why the Theory of Evolution (and that’s all it is) cannot be correct, and why Creation has to be correct. More extensive evidence, largely ignored or brushed over by most of the agnostic scientific community, is contained in the excellent book In the Beginning by Walter T. Brown. More on that later. Let’s first look at:

The Male – Female Problem

The simplest and most compelling argument for Creation is the male/female pairing issue.

Abstract: If an animal mates with another animal not of its exact species, the result will be a sterile creature (e.g. a horse mating with a donkey produces a sterile mule). If animals of a given species mate and produce an abnormal offspring (i.e. a mutant), it also is sterile. Therefore, how could the macro evolutionary process advance? How could a “mutant” (i.e. advances in form) reproduce? It would first have to be fertile itself. It would have to find a sexually compatible mate who was also fertile during its relatively miniscule life span on the overall evolutionary time scale. Thirdly, their offspring would also have to be fertile and be able to continue the advance. So if single celled animals formed in the primordial soup and they were asexual (not have either male or female characteristics, but reproducing by themselves, how would they advance to a hermaphroditic state (having both male and female sexual organs) and then to the higher orders of animals which almost always have distinct male and female reproductive organs? All in-between states are sterile.

The Details: Evolution can only explain asexual or self-fertilizing hermaphroditic reproduction. Yet we have tens of thousands of the higher orders of species with perfectly matched sexually sets of males and females. And any deviations from a normal union and offspring is sterile (not capable of reproduction). Why? How could evolutionary processes possibly explain what we see all around us today?

In short, the theory of evolution states that lower life evolved over eons into higher life forms. Many lower life forms (generally single cells or plants) are asexual, which is what one would expect if the theory of evolution had any validity. If the evolutionary process was to continue however, we would expect the continuation of asexual characteristics or possibly hermaphroditic characteristics (i.e. having both sets of sexual reproductive organs). Moreover, an evolving hermaphroditic creature should be able to self-fertilize itself. Without asexual characteristics or self-fertilizing hermaphroditic characteristics, how possibly could a mutant entity reproduce? The chance of such a mutant finding an exact complementary mate within its lifespan would be extremely remote given the infrequency of mutations, and especially fertile mutations.

Yet scientific observation reveals that of all the hermaphroditic creatures, only the flatworm is self-fertilizing. Moreover, there are no (or a statistically insignificant number of) creatures that we might suppose or rationalize as evolving. Given the eons of time for evolution to take place,we should expect to see many creatures at all stages of the evolutionary process. But we don’t see any missing links to speak of, or creatures in transition. (Once in a while some “scientist” will speculate and publish some “finding” which is generally discarded later)

When we find a mutant in the higher level creatures, it is nearly always sterile. Furthermore, the offspring of cross specie types are always sterile (such as the mule, an offspring of a horse and donkey or the offspring of one type of dolphin mating with another type of dolphin.).

Again, how can possibly sterile creatures reproduce and continue the evolutionary process? They can’t!!!

The answer to the male-female problem is pretty obvious. Genesis 5:2 states: “He (God) created them male and female and blessed them.”

Creation’s Tiny Mysteries

The second most compelling evidence for instantaneous creation pertains to the spherical halos caused by the decay of a radioactive core. These halos are found by the trillions in all Precambrian granites, the foundation stones of the earth’s crust. More particularly they are found in biotite, the mica portion of the granite.

As a radioactive particle decays, it progresses through a well know set of elements and isotopes, emitting Beta or Alpha particles of given MeV (Million electron Volts). When alpha particles are emitted by a radioactive speck in a given substrate or material, the alpha particles “run out of energy” a certain distance away from the core and leave a “damage” sphere or ring (when cross-sectioned). See illustrations below. By measuring the diameter of the damaged ring, and also noting the various rings around a core, its fairly straightforward to determine what the exact center core particle was to begin with.

Reviewing: By

understanding the energy levels of particles being emitted from the radioactive core, and

determining how far those “energetic” particles would travel in the material, (leaving a “sphere” of damage as the particles came to a halt), and

slicing a halo and measuring the halo ring diameters under a microscope, and

understanding the elements and isotopes that the core material progresses through as it radioactively decays,

it is easily possible to accurately determine what the composition was of the original radioactive material encased in the substrate.

Following are some illustrations of Polonium halos and photographs of actual cross-sections of halos of those isotopes.

210 Polonium Halo Cross Section (13k)

210 Po Halo Cross Section

Idealized three-dimensional illustration of a 210 Po halo obtained by slicing the halo through the center. Each halo ring is identified by the appropriate isotope and its alpha energy in MeV (Million electron Volts)

210 Polonium Halo Cross Section (4k)

214 Polonium Halo Cross Section (22k)

214 Po Halo Cross Section

Idealized three-dimensional illustration of a 214 Po halo obtained by slicing the halo through the center. Each halo ring is identified by the appropriate isotope and its alpha energy in MeV (Million electron Volts)

214 Polonium Halo Cross Section (4k)

218 Polonium Halo Cross Section (26k)

218 Po Halo Cross Section

Idealized three-dimensional illustration of a 218 Po halo obtained by slicing the halo through the center. Each halo ring is identified by the appropriate isotope and its alpha energy in MeV (Million electron Volts)

218 Polonium Halo Cross Section (4k)

Adapted from Creation’s Tiny Mysteries by Robert V. Gentry. Published by Earth Science Associates, Knoxville, TN.
Copyright Robert V. Gentry. All rights reserved.

Robert Gentry, a government laboratory researcher discovered that many halos were caused by original (not secondary) particles of Polonium 210 (210Po), Polonium 214 and Polonium 218.

The half-lives of the Polonium isotopes are as follows:

	Polonium 210 half-life = 138.4 days
	Polonium 214 half-life = 164 microseconds
	Polonium 218 half-life = 3 minutes

The radioactivity of these cores are of course long extinct.

Now here’s the kicker. How could the Precambrian granites, which scientists state formed over millions of years, possibly contains evidence that would have taken only a few minutes to disappear?

Gentry wondered too, and published his findings in some of the leading scientific journals, hoping there might be some adequate response. But there wasn’t. The most common approach of the scientific community was to ignore the evidence and many journals refused to publish his work. There never was a satisfactory answer.

There are only two ways that the phenomena of having a 3-minute half-life particle entrapped in granite could have occurred.

the granite substrate surrounding the Polonium core particle was instantaneously formed around the particle (at least in under three minutes), or

the substrate surrounded a non-radioactive Polonium core particle and sometime later, the particle became radioactive.

The first option can only have come about through instantaneous creation. The second at some later event (such as the Fall of Adam) at which time the death causing process of radioactivity on earth may have begun.

The first option seems the more reasonable of the two. God spoke and the land (granites included) instantly formed. God left His fingerprint inside these foundation stones and left evidence that will stand forever.

For an excellent and full dissertation on these halos, get Robert Gentry’s excellent book, Creation’s Tiny Mysteries published by Earth Sciences Associates, Knoxville, Tennessee.

Evidence for a Young Universe

Following is a list of natural phenomena, adapted from an article entitled Evidence for a Young Universe, by D. Russell Humphreys of the Creation Science Fellowship of New Mexico, P.O. Box 10550, Albuquerque, NM 87184.

Current evolutionary science states that our galaxy is around 10 billion years old and our solar system over 5 billion years old. However, most scientific evidence (90% according to Humphreys) indicates an earth age much less than that, thereby lending support to the Biblical account of Creation. It should be noted that the time periods or ages given below are maximum possible ages and could be considerably less. All quotations and emphasis are found in the original article.

Based on the observed rotational speeds of the stars about the center of our own galaxy, “if our galaxy were more than a few hundred million years old, it would be a featureless smear of stars instead of its present spiral shape.”

Comets disintegrate rapidly as they approach the sun, most surviving less “than 100,000 years. Many comets have typical ages of 10,000 years.” (Science says the age of cometary material is similar to the 5 billion year age of the solar system.)

At the current rate of erosion from water and winds “it would only take 15 million years to erode all land above sea level,” depositing it into the ocean. (Science says the age of continents is hundreds of millions of years old)

At the current rate of sedimentation, the accumulation of sedimentation from the continents “implies that the present ocean floors have existed less than 15 million years.” Fossil evidence supports the current rate of sedimentation. (Science says the age of the ocean floors is around 200 million years old).

Assuming that the oceans had no salt to start with, at the current rates of sodium entering and leaving the oceans, the oceans would have accumulated their present amount in less than 42 million years. Using the most generous allowances for evolutionary scenarios, still gives a maximum possible age for the oceans of only 62 million years. (Science says the age of the oceans are around 3 billion years old)

The earth’s magnetic field energy has been decaying at a factor of 2.7 over the past 1,000 years. At this current decay rate, the earth could not be greater than 10,000 years old. (Science says the age of the earth is around 5 billion years old)

Many erect fossil trees in Nova Scotia were found “throughout 2,500 feet of geologic strata, penetrating 20 geologic horizons. These trees had to have been buried faster than it took them to decay. This implies that the entire formation was deposited in less than a few years.” (Science says layers were deposited over millions of years)

“Many strata are too tightly bent. In many mountainous areas, strata thousands of feet thick are bent and folded into hairpin shapes. The conventional geologic timescale says these formations were deeply buried and solidified for hundreds of millions of years before they were bent. Yet the folding occurred without cracking, with radii so small that the entire formation had to be still wet and unsolidified when the bending occurred. This implies that the folding occurred less than thousands of years after deposition.”

Radiohalos are spheres (rings in cross section) “of color formed around microscopic bits of radioactive minerals in rock crystals. They are fossil evidence of radioactive decay.” “‘Orphan’ Polonium-218 radiohalos, having no evidence of their mother elements, imply either instant creation or drastic changes in radioactivity decay rates.”

All naturally-occurring families of radioactive elements generate Helium (in the form of an alpha particle) as they decay. Taking into account the amount of helium flowing into and out of the atmosphere, “it would take less than 2 million years to accumulate the small amount of helium in the air today.”

“Helium produced by radioactive decay in deep, hot rocks has not had time to escape. Though the rocks are supposed to be billions of years old, their helium retention suggest an age much less than millions of years.”

There are not enough stone-age skeletons to account for the approximately 4 billion Neanderthal and Cro-magnon people that evolutionary anthropologists say lived during the 100,000 years of the stone age. “Yet only a few thousand skeletons have been found implying that the stone age was much shorter, a few hundred years in many areas.”

And there is much more evidence for a young earth and instant creation as well as a worldwide flood.

The truthfulness of the Genesis account is being verified by the rediscovery of Noah’s Ark, the Red Sea crossing site, and the real Mt. Sinai in Arabia. If these “previously held fables” have been proven accurate, then it lends credence to the Genesis account of Creation as well.

Probably the best source of scientific evidence for Creation is the book, In the Beginning by Walter T. Brown. Brown does an excellent job of collating all the evidence from multiple researchers (including Gentry and Humphreys) and presenting it an a concise fashion. Brown also has an excellent theory, revealed in a chapter called the Fountains of the Deep on the process of the worldwide Flood.

The book may be picked up or ordered through a local Christian bookstore, or ordered directly from the:

Center for Scientific Creation
5612 N. 20th Place,
Phoenix, AZ 85016
(602) 955-7663
website: http://www.creationscience.com/

You may also view much of the book online. Don’t forget to bookmark this bibleplus.org site before you go, or add it to your favorites.

CREATION, THE FLOOD, AND CARBON-14 DATING

One commonly used argument against the Creation week as detailed in Genesis is that the sun and moon were created on day four. This was after the creation of plant life on day three. How could the plants survive without sunlight?

Having an engineering background with a logical perspective, I don’t really have any problem accepting the Creation week account as reported in Genesis. God is the source of light and life (see John 1:4). Light was created on day one (see Gen. 1:3). The sun is incidental to God’s light and while modern man sees the sun as the source of life, it is not — God is!

Revelation indicates that when God dwells in the New Jerusalem, the sun and moon are not necessary to produce light.

“The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.” (Rev. 21:23-25)

Secondly, since God had created the world from water (2 Peter 3:5, 6), separating the water into the sea and a protective cover over the sky (Gen. 1:6-8), this would have produced a very controlled greenhouse. Subsequently, there would have been minimal climatic changes from season to season prior to the flood. Ron Wyatt’s analysis of the petrified wood of the ark formation (see the Surprising Discoveries section) indicated that the wood lacked growth rings. Growth rings are caused by rapid growth during warm wet periods (spring and summer) and slow growth during cold or dry periods (fall and winter). Again this supports that the world was like a controlled greenhouse. Given the heat holding ability of water, there is no reason, why vegetation could not survive one 24-hour day, from day three of Creation to day four when the sun and moon were created. Certainly even now, plants do not die when they don’t get the sun for one day, let alone in the presence of God, the source of life.

The upper expanse providing the protective cover collapsed during the Flood, combining its waters with those that “God had placed in storehouses” during the creation process. These were released in the fountains or springs of the deep (see Gen. 7:11, 8:2, Prov. 8:28). The immense amount of water released, upon forming into seas or vaporizing after the flood, primed the hydrodynamic cycle and rain became a common occurrence. With the protective expanse gone, seasons became more pronounced, thus producing the subsequent growth rings found in trees today.

One intriguing theory posed regarding this protective expanse is that this “water blanket” would have been able to absorb the majority of high energy particles caused by solar radiation. (This idea was first proposed to me by Dr. Griffith Thomas). It is these high energy particles that are responsible for the formation of radioactive Carbon-14 in the atmosphere. All living entities, plant or animal life absorb C-14 while they are living, either directly or by eating other plant or animal life. After the plant or animal dies, the C-14 ingested continues to radioactively decay. Scientists commonly measure the age of an object by how much C-14 is still in the fossil. The claim is made that greater the amount of C-14, the more recently the object lived.

However, organisms living prior to the flood would have absorbed little or no C-14 during their lives since there was little or no C-14 in the air that they breathed. Thus using current C-14 dating methods, preflood organisms would give the appearance of dating in the order of “millions” or “billions” of years old. Even the petrified wood from the Noah’s Ark rediscovery mentioned earlier dated (using C-14 methods) in the 100s of thousands of years old. Yet we know that this took place less than 5,000 years ago!

After this expanse collapsed, C-14 would have begun forming immediately in the atmosphere. However, it would have taken some time for the C-14 levels to stabilize to where the rate of C-14 formation equaled the rate of C-14 disintegration, i.e. reached an equilibrium point.

Chart showing change of C-14 levels After the Flood and during the time that the C-14 levels in the atmosphere were reaching equilibrium, living objects would take in less C-14 than their modern counterparts for the same time period. Thus using the C-14 method on the fossils of these animals would date them in the tens or hundreds of thousands of years old.

Fossils of animals dying after the C-14 level had reached equilibrium would be dated fairly accurately using current methods.

Thus in light of the Biblical account of Creation and the Flood, it is not reasonable to accept the dating methods generally used by evolutionary scientists for dates prior to and for several hundred years after the Flood. And the student of Scripture has a much surer footing on the Word of God than the theories of man.

With regards to an apparent stratification of various life forms, it is also possible that the dinosaurs and “more primitive” creatures could have sank or been buried in reverse proportion to their buoyancy, i.e. denser life forms, such as reptiles and amphibians sank before less dense mammalian life forms. Alternatively, as the fountains of the deep broke open and etched the crack through which they exploded wider and wider, the copious water movement and movement of soils could have “sloshed” back and forth over certain areas, leaving stratified sediment. This might explain the general stratification of various life forms in sedimentary rocks, but it does not exclude the possibility that a horse and dinosaur could be buried together by some other means. Footprints of horses and people have been discovered next to those of dinosaurs. Evolutionary scientists have a hard time explaining this evidence.

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Tags: Add new tag, Creation, EVIDENCE FOR CREATION, Genesis

Nov

DATING CREATION AND UNDERSTANDING THE JUBILEE CALENDAR

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In 1650, James Ussher assembled a chronology of Old Testament events. From them he concluded that the Creation of the world took place in approx. 4004 B.C. This view is commonly held by many Christians. However, it is difficult to substantiate this date, but it has served as an adequate estimate of the date of Creation for some time. However, is it possible to do a better job of calculating the date? And if a more accurate date is determined, can we draw some interesting inferences from it that would apply to our day and time? I believe there is!

The Jewish people currently use a calendar that they feel is based on the date of the Creation of the world in 3761 B.C., some 5753 years ago. Is this date correct or even closer than James Ussher’s date?

Based upon the genealogy of the patriarchs as contained in Scripture, once one has determined the date of the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, one should be able to arrive at a reasonably close determination for the Date of Creation.

Several dates posed as the date of the Exodus include 1290 B.C. held by the Reformed Jews and 1280 B.C. held commonly by the Orthodox Jews.

As more ancient artifacts and manuscripts are rediscovered, dates of important events have been modified and their accuracy improved. Most archaeologists now place the date of the Exodus around 1446 B.C., during the reign of Amenophis II (1450 – 1426 B.C.), a pharaoh of Egypt. This would place the Jewish calendar off by around 166 years or so.

However, any proposed date for the Exodus must be coordinated with the start of the Jubilee and Sabbatical Years calendar, a time keeping system instituted by God (see Exod. 12:2 and Lev. 25). Let’s see if we can determine an even more accurate date.

A Sabbatical cycle consisted of 7 years with the last year being a Sabbatical Year. During this 7th or Sabbatical Year, no farming was to be done. The land was to have its rest.

God also instituted a Jubilee cycle, a cycle of seven Sabbatical cycles for a total of 49 years. The 50th year (which was the same as the 1st year) of the 49 year jubilee cycle was also a Sabbatical Year during which again no farming was to be done. This 50th year was called the Year of Jubilee. People were to return to their ancestral homelands, and all land was to be returned to the original titleholders as determined at the time of entrance into the Promised land of Canaan. Jubilee or freedom for the land was declared on the Day of Atonement in the 49th year (Lev. 25:9).

For those who may need further understanding of what a Sabbatical Year or a Year of Jubilee is, I suggest studying Leviticus chapter 25. Click here to view the texts.

There are only several dates recorded that are known to be Jubilee or Sabbatical Years.

In Isaiah 37:30, God declares back-to-back Sabbatical Years, indicating the 49th and 50th years of the 49 year jubilee cycle.

“This will be the sign for you, O Hezekiah: ‘This year you will eat what grows by itself, and the second year what springs from that. But in the third year sow and reap, plant vineyards and eat their fruit.’”

This occurred in conjunction with Sennacherib, king of Assyria’s siege on Jerusalem. This has been dated between 701-703 B.C.

In 1 Maccabees 6:48, 49, in the Apocrypha, a siege is noted that occurred during a Sabbatical Year.

“The soldiers of the king’s army went up to Jerusalem against them and the king encamped in Judea and at Mount Zion. He made peace with the men of Beth-Zur, and they evacuated the city, because they had no provisions there to withstand a siege since it was a Sabbatical Year for the land.”

The date given in the verse footnotes for this siege is 162 B.C. or possibly 163 B.C. (p. 236, The Oxford Annotated Apocrypha, RSV)

If we plot these pairs of dates (701, 702 B.C. and 162, 163 B.C.) on a graph of 49 year cycles, then we should expect these two sets of dates to line up. See the dates associated with the large circled “1″ and “2″ on the chart following. Since the points fortunately do line up, it provides strong evidence that we have found back-to-back Sabbatical Years indicating the 49th and 50th years of the 49 year Jubilee cycle. Furthermore, we note that the dates of 1427 B.C. and 1280 B.C. line up perfectly, being consistent with the fact that the Orthodox Jews had maintained a knowledge of where the Sabbatical years were in the ancient past. The importance of this will become apparent shortly.

timejews.gif (16967 bytes)

Additionally, the precision with which other significant prophetic dates fall on Sabbatical Years/Jubilee Years in the calendar confirms our find of the 49th and 50th years and thus the placement of the other Sabbatical Years. No other orientation or matching up would result in as many dates falling on Sabbatical/Jubilee Years.

Beside the above date pairs, ALL prophecies containing prophetic dates interpreted using the “day for a year” principle (see Num. 14:33, 34; Ezek. 4:5, 6) have either a beginning or end point on a Sabbatical Year! These include the:

1	70 sevens or 490 year prophecy of Dan. 9:24 (457 B.C. to 34 A.D.) including the seven sevens (408 B.C.), and the sixty-ninth seven (27 A.D.) The date for the decree to “restore the walls of Jerusalem” by Artaxerxes which began the 70 sevens of Daniel 9:24 and Ezra’s journey to Jerusalem was accurately determined to be entirely in 457 B.C. (The Chronology of Ezra 7, Sigfried Horn, 1970). Each of the dates of this prophecy are shown as green dots in the chart, along with the 1844 ending date for the 2300 year prophecy mentioned next.
2	2300 day (year) prophecy of Dan. 8:14 (457 B.C. to 1844 A.D.). At that time, Christ moved His intercessory ministry from the Holy Place in the heavenly tabernacle to the Most Holy Place.
3	Time, times and half a time prophecy (3½ prophetic years, 1260 literal years) of the little horn power (Papal Rome) after it had overthrown three of the ten kings of Dan. 7:24 (538 A.D. to 1798 A.D.)

In fact, ALL of the above dates mentioned fall on Sabbatical Years, with the exception of 1844 A.D. (But there is additional significance to its location which won’t be discussed in this paper.)

Moreover, even some dates relevant to the transfer of power between the major world empires as recorded in Daniel fall on Sabbatical Years! These include the:

4	Rise of the Grecian empire as recorded in Dan. 8:20, 21 and other locations. The Greeks overthrew the Medo-Persian empire in 331 B.C.
5	Rise of the little horn power and the beginning of the overthrow of the three horns. Dan. 7:24, 25. (476 A.D.)
6	The solidification of power of the little horn power, the Papacy or Holy Roman Empire (538 A.D.). Symbolized in prophecy as the little horn power finishing uprooting the three other horns (Dan. 7:8, 24).

When I first plotted out these dates and saw the precision with which the dates for these prophetic events fell on Sabbatical Years, I was filled with a greater sense of awe of God. There was order and precision beyond coincidence, evidence for a master plan.

For God, there is an appointed time for everything. Asaph, one of the psalmists wrote:

Ps. 75:1,2 We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds. You say, “I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge uprightly.

Further Scripture supports this:

Isa. 46:10 I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.

Dan. 2:21 He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.

Interestingly enough, the phrase appointed time is used 22 times in the New International Version of the Bible. And the word time or times is used 888 times. God is a God of order. He sets the appointed times by His will and power.

Now that we can feel confident that we have found the Jubilee calendar system as instituted by God, we can more accurately determine the date of the Exodus.

The year when the Israelites partook of the food of Canaan land (food which they had not planted) completed the first jubilee cycle, even though it was a partial one.

Josh. 5:10-12 On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover. The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain. The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate of the produce of Canaan.

This “Jubilee” for the Israelites was a forerunner, a type, of the great Jubilee when we will cross over the Jordan of the great tribulation and eat the produce of the heavenly Canaan land.

Thus according to the Jubilee chart, the Israelites would have entered Canaan and celebrated their first Jubilee in the Spring of 1387 B.C.

Since the Israelites spent around 40 years wandering in the wilderness, going back 40 years places the date of the Exodus around 1427 B.C. (1387 B.C. + 40 years = 1427 B.C.) This correctly falls during the aforementioned reign of Amenophis II and in fact, it is possible that Amenophis II drowned along with many of his soldiers as he attempted to recapture the children of Israel as they passed through the Red Sea.

Now that we have established a fairly accurate date for the Exodus, we turn to the ages of the patriarchs as recorded in Scripture, and more specifically, Genesis chapters 5 and 11. At this point, we are faced with two more questions. Are the ages given in Scripture given using 1) inclusive reckoning, or 2) the more standard form as we use now? In other words, when it says that Adam was 130 years old when he had Seth, does it mean he was in his 130th year of life, or that he had passed his 130th birthday? The NIV translates the first age reference as:

Gen. 5:3 When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth.

A literal translation interprets the text as:

“And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years and fathered a son in his own likeness, according to his image, and called his name Seth.” (The Interlinear Bible, Hebrew-Greek-English, with literal English translation)

While the Hebrew term sheloshiym (Strong’s 7970) is translated as thirty, it can also be translated as thirtieth for ordinal numbers. However, in the sentence structure we are studying, it appears to mean thirty as in one hundred and thirty. Thus we will take the text and those following at face value, i.e. that Adam was at least 130 years old when Seth was born, etc.

Given this then, we must take into consideration another factor that other calculations of the date of Creation have not taken into consideration. The son of a patriarch would rarely be born during the same month or on the same day as his father’s birthday. In fact, the father could be anywhere from 1 day to nearly 12 months older than the age given in the Bible states. Common sense would dictate that if you had a large number of generations, that the age of a father at the birth of a son would be some age plus an average of 6 months or ½ a year. Neglecting this factor can produce an appreciable error. In fact, over the number of generations as recorded in Genesis, this error would be between 10 and 11 years. Therefore, the ages for the patriarchs shown below in the calculations reflect the additional ½ year average unless the Bible specifically indicates that the birth or event occurred on or around the exact birthday of the patriarch (i.e. Noah) or anniversary of an event (the migration into Egypt).

Taking the above information into consideration and using the above date of 1427 B.C. for the Exodus, the date of Creation would be around 4106 B.C. The Flood of Genesis chapters 6 – 9 would have began around 2445 B.C.

Ages of the Patriarchs

Ages of the Patriarchs - Chart

The above chart shows the birth and death relationships of the patriarchs as given by the genealogies provided by the Bible. The white square indicates the birth of the patriarch, the black diamond, his age at the birth of the below named son, and the rightmost square indicates the patriarch’s death. The longevity that antediluvian people had is quite astounding. God did not create people to die. Even after mankind sinned, the vitality of the antediluvians was remarkable. Several points worth noting in the chart are:

Methuselah, the grandfather of Noah could have known Adam quite well since they overlapped each other by over 200 years. Methuselah died around the year of the flood.

Abraham was around 53 years old when Noah died.

Shem, who was born 98 years before the flood, died 31 years after Abraham died.

The enormous intellect and memory capacity of the patriarchs and the extensive overlapping of their lives provide additional evidence that the Creation account as provided in Genesis chapter 1 is accurate. If a person did not believe what his father or those around him told him, he could go right to the source and find out the “rest of the story.”

Calculations, Biblical References and Other Considerations:

Description	Years	Reference
Adam to Seth	130.5	Gen. 5:1-32
Seth to Enosh	105.5
Enosh to Kenan	90.5
Kenan to Mahalalel	70.5
Mahalalel to Jared	65.5
Jared to Enoch	162.5
Enoch to Methuselah	65.5
Methuselah to Lamech	187.5
Lamech to Noah	182.5
Noah to Flood	600.5	Gen. 7:11
Adam to Flood	~1661.0	years

Gen. 7:11 is somewhat enigmatic. It could be interpreted to read “in the 600th year of Noah’s life, on the 17th day of the second month of the calendar year” or “in the 600th year, second month, 17th day of Noah’s life.” I have seen it translated both ways. In the event the latter is correct, then the Noah to Flood span would be 600.2.

Description	Years	Reference
Flood to Arphaxad	2.5	Gen. 11:10-32
Arphaxad to Shelah	35.5
Shelah to Eber	30.5
Eber to Peleg	34.5
Peleg to Reu	30.5
Reu to Serug	32.5
Serug to Nahor	30.5
Nahor to Terah	29.5
Terah to Abraham	70.5
Abraham to Isaac	100.5	Gen. 21:5
Isaac to Jacob	60.5	Gen. 25:26
Jacob to Egypt	130.5	Gen. 47:9
Egypt to Exodus	430.0	Exod. 12:41
Flood to Exodus	1018.0	years
If Date of Exodus is:	1427 B.C.	(Spring)
Then the Date of Flood	~ 2445 B.C.
and the Date of Creation	~ 4106 B.C.

I have taken Gen. 11:10 to read as “2 years after the flood waters began” or about one year after the flood waters receded. This would mean that Shem impregnated his wife shortly after disembarking from the Ark. However, if the ancients considered the whole duration while Noah’s family was in the ark as “the flood,” the correct interpretation would be “two years after the flood waters receded and the family came out of the ark . . .” If the latter is correct, then the Flood (beginning) to Arphaxad span should be 3½ years, and the date of Creation is pushed back one additional year to around 4107 B.C.

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Tags: date of creation, How old is the world

Nov

DJ Wade-O Interviews Japhia Life (Wade-O Radio Ep. 65)

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Tags: DJ Wade-O, Interviews, Japhia Life

Nov

Daily Bible Study: Portraits of Jesus Part 6

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Jesus Sends out the Twelve

>>> Read Mark 6:7-13. <<<

Please make sure to pick up your Bible and read each paragraph as you proceed with this lesson. In this section, Jesus sent His twelve apostles out in pairs on a preaching tour. This marked the fourth stage in their career. Earlier, they had heard Jesus, been called by Him, and been chosen as apostles. Here they were sent out as His representatives to proclaim the message of repentance. The mission was urgent, so Jesus forbade them to take extra provisions. This restriction was not intended to be permanent (see Luke 22:35-36), but was appropriate for this brief mission (see Mark 6:30). Sending out six pairs of preachers both facilitated the spread of Jesus’ message and gave the apostles valuable practical experience.

*1* What message did Jesus’ apostles preach (v12)? Answer: They said people should ______.

*2&3* What were they to do when people would not receive their message (v11)? Answer: They should shake off the ______ from their ______.

Herod Fears Jesus

>>> Read Mark 6:14-29. <<<

Perhaps because of the additional groups of preachers being sent out, Herod, the governor, heard about Jesus. His guilty conscience made him worry that Jesus was John the Baptist whom he had beheaded some time earlier. This paragraph tells why Herod had killed John. John had been preaching against his marriage telling him that it wasn’t right for him to have Herodias, who had been his brother’s wife. As a result, he imprisoned John, but did not wish to kill him. Herodias did. One day, he had a party with many important guests. His stepdaughter provided “live entertainment.” Because of her provocative dance, Herod rashly vowed to give her anything she asked, up to half of his kingdom. Upon receiving instructions from her mother, the girl requested that John’s head be served to her on a platter. Herod hated to do it, but he didn’t want to lose face in front of his dinner guests, so he obliged the girl’s request and John was murdered.

Note — Sins that beheaded John the Baptist: John was a righteous preacher who was murdered because of several sins: 1) an unlawful marriage; 2) resentment and bitterness on the part of Herodias; 3) a lustful dance; 4) a rash promise; and 5) Herod’s lack of courage in not breaking the sinful vow. Actions that produced such bitter fruit should be carefully avoided by Christians today. 1) Despite the frequency of divorce and remarriage in our society, Christians must not act against the Lord’s instructions (see Mark 10:2-10; Matthew 19:9). 2) All disciples must rid their lives of resentment and bitterness, because they build up and lead to hatred, harsh words and revengeful actions. 3) Lustful behavior provokes every form of sexual sin in our society. Followers of Christ should avoid nightclubs, dances and other activities that encourage sensual feelings. 4) No one should make any promise without careful thought. 5) All should have the courage to do what is right regardless of the presence of others.

*4* Who did Herod think Jesus was? Answer: He thought He was ______.

*5* Why had Herod arrested John the Baptist? Answer: John had preached that it was not lawful for Herod to have his brother Philip’s ______.

*6* How did Herodias’ daughter please Herod? Answer: She ______ before him on his birthday.

*7,8,&9* What promise did Herod make to Herodias’ daughter, and what did she ask for then? Answer: He promised to give her anything up to half of his ______, so she asked for the ______ of ______.

(Note: For more information about unscriptural marriages, see lesson 7 on Mark 10.)

Unsuccessful Attempt to Rest

>>> Read Mark 6:30-44. <<<

When the disciples returned from their preaching trip, Jesus sought to leave the multitude in order to spend time with them privately. They had been so busy they hadn’t even had time for meals. Therefore, Jesus and the twelve crossed the Sea of Galilee by boat. The multitude followed Jesus on foot and were already there waiting when the Lord and His apostles landed. Instead of being perturbed, Jesus felt compassion for them because He knew that they were like sheep without a shepherd. He taught them. Then He discussed the options for feeding the huge crowd. The disciples had only five loaves of bread and a few fish. To buy enough food at the market would have been prohibitively expensive. So Jesus simply had the crowd sit down by hundreds and fifties on the grass and He multiplied the food. All ate, were filled and more leftovers were gathered than the amount they had started with. Once again we see Jesus as the One who had the authority to handle every situation.

*10* How did Jesus feel toward the multitude who pursued him while he was trying to get away for a time of rest? a) He was angry, b) He was compassionate, c) He didn’t care about them, d) all of the preceding. Answer: ______.

*11,12,13,&14* Fill in the numbers. Jesus’ disciples had ______ loaves and ______ fishes. They fed ______ men and had ______ baskets of leftovers.

The Trip Back across the Sea

>>> Read Mark 6:45-56. <<<

Jesus sent the disciples in a boat across the sea. Meanwhile, He went to a mountain to pray. In the wee hours of the morning, He saw the disciples still struggling in their boat. A storm had arisen and they were strenuously rowing trying to get across. He simply walked across the sea to them. At first they thought He was a ghost, but He identified himself, got into the boat, and the storm suddenly stopped. Though the disciples had seen Jesus do many amazing things, every new incident seemed to surprise them. When they landed on the shore, many recognized Jesus and began to bring sick folks for Him to heal. As usual, the Lord healed all that were brought to Him.

*15* While the disciples got on a boat to cross the sea, what did Jesus do? Answer: He went to a mountain to ______.

*16&17* How did Jesus go to the disciples? Answer: He ______ on the ______.

Jesus vs. Traditions

>>> Read Mark 7:1-13. <<<

The Pharisees and scribes challenged the disciples because they ate with unwashed hands. The issue here was not hygiene, but religious ritual. The Pharisees had developed elaborate cleansing procedures that they believed were a part of God’s will. The truth is, God had never commanded these washings; they originated with the doctrines and traditions of men. Jesus answered His critics by pointing out the difference between God-given commandments and human traditions. He showed that their insistence on following rules established by men caused them to actually break God’s law. He cited the case of “Corban.” This was a Jewish tradition that prohibited a person from using his resources to provide for his aging parents if he had previously declared those resources “dedicated” to God. Their obedience to men’s doctrines led them to disregard God’s will.

Note — Men’s doctrines vs. God’s commands: Men continue to follow their own traditions and doctrines rather than God’s word. Just like the scribes and Pharisees, people today believe that their doctrines actually are God’s will. They haven’t learned how to distinguish between unnecessary rules and binding commands. Jesus showed how easy it is to tell the difference: Look at their source. Any religious practice or teaching that comes from man is wrong; those which come from God are right. We should examine everything we do to see whether it comes from God or man. Everything from God is in the Bible. So if what I believe isn’t taught by Scripture, I can know it must be from man.

*18&19* What criticism did the Pharisees and scribes raise against Jesus’ disciples? Answer: The disciples did not ______ their hands before they ______ food.

*20* What was the authority behind this religious practice? Answer: It was a ______ of the elders.

*21* What did Jesus say about service to God that is based on the doctrines of men (v7)? Answer: He said their worship was ______.

Emphasis on the Heart

>>> Read Mark 7:14-23. <<<

The Pharisees focused primarily on external things. But Jesus showed that what actually defiles a person are the things inside his heart. In the Bible, the heart refers to the mind or spirit of man. Every sin germinates and grows within man’s spirit and is then expressed in external action. In this way, the Lord showed how foolish it was for the Pharisees to be frantically seeking external purity by a ritual hand washing procedure. This principle also proved that God no longer had rules prohibiting the eating of certain foods.

Note — We need a heart check-up: Jesus’ words should motivate us to carefully examine our own heart. Heart disease is a warning symptom, and if not detected and cured, will result in all manner of sin. Jesus warned about greed, envy, pride, and lust. These attitudes are wrong, and must be checked at their onset. We must care for our heart by feeding on the pure Word of God and constantly seeking the Lord.

*22* What causes a person to be defiled? Answer: A person is defiled by things that come from out of his ______.

Jesus Heals a Gentile Woman’s Daughter

>>> Read Mark 7:24-30. <<<

Jesus had traveled to a predominantly Gentile area. Before this, almost all of His work had been done with Jews. He had healed Jews; His apostles were Jews; and He preached to Jews. Jesus wanted to have some time alone with the apostles, so He withdrew to a Gentile region north of Galilee. He had hoped to stay there undetected, but a Syrian woman found out He was there and came requesting that He heal her demon-possessed daughter. At first, Jesus refused. He said that it was not good to take bread from the children and feed it to the dogs. What he meant was that according to God’s plan it wasn’t time yet to heal and teach the Gentiles; the Jews (the children) were the ones God intended to be the recipients of the bread (healings and blessings in general) first. God planned that later on through the Jewish people the gospel would be introduced to the Gentiles. This woman showed great faith, humility and quickness because she responded: Yes, but even the dogs under the table get to eat the crumbs. She implied that just a mere crumb of Jesus’ miraculous power would be sufficient to heal her daughter. She also recognized that this did not signal the beginning of a major Gentile “campaign.” As a result, Jesus healed her daughter. The conversation had made it clear that she would not misinterpret the healing as a sign that the time for the Gentiles had come.

*23* Of what race or nationality was the woman who came to Jesus? (a) Jewish, (b) Hindu, (c) Greek/Gentile (Syrophoenician), (d) American. Answer: ______.

*24* What problem did she want Jesus to solve? Answer: She wanted Him to cure her daughter who had a ______.

*25,26,&27* What did Jesus tell her, and how did she respond? Answer: He said that the children’s bread should not be thrown to ______. She said that even the dogs get to eat the ______ that fall from (or are under) the ______.

Jesus Heals a Deaf Man

>>> Read Mark 7:31-37. <<<

Please read this paragraph in your Bible before continuing. You undoubtedly noticed that Jesus used an unusual procedure to heal this deaf man. After taking him away from the crowd, Jesus put His fingers into the man’s ears, and touched the man’s tongue with His own saliva. Apparently, Jesus was using “sign language” to communicate with him, and to let him know who was about to heal him. Had Jesus not done this, the man would have suddenly begun to hear, but would not have understood why. The multitude’s affirmation was absolutely correct: “He has done all things well!”

*28* Where did Jesus put His fingers? Answer: He put them into the deaf man’s ______.

*29* What effect did the miracle have on the crowds? Answer: They were amazed and said that Jesus did everything ______.

Categorized in Daily Bible Study
Tags: Book of Mark, Daily Bible Study, Life of Jesus, Mark

Nov

Daily Bible Study: Portraits of Jesus Part 7

Defective Spiritual Vision
Lesson 6

Jesus Feeds 4000 Men

>>> Read Mark 8:1-10. <<<

Huge crowds were constantly following Jesus. On this occasion, they had been in a wilderness area and hadn’t eaten for three days. Jesus didn’t want to send them home hungry for fear they would faint during the trip. So He asked for a food inventory: there were seven loaves and a few small fish. Jesus directed the multitude to sit down, and then began serving the food. Miraculously, the supply didn’t dwindle. Each loaf generated a large basketful of leftovers besides feeding 4000 men. Jesus’ power could not be disputed.

*1* How many men did Jesus feed on this occasion? (a) 4000, (b) 5000, (c) 12, (d) none. Answer: ______.

*2* How many baskets of food were taken up from the seven loaves and few fish (v8)? Answer: ______ baskets.

Warning about Leaven

>>> Read Mark 8:11-21. <<<

Despite much evidence of Jesus’ power and authority, the Pharisees challenged Him to show a sign from heaven. He refused their request. They were simply blind to all evidence and no sign would ever be enough to convince them. Then Jesus and His disciples began to cross the sea by boat. The disciples were worried because they had forgotten to take enough bread with them for the trip. Jesus warned about the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod. Immediately, the disciples imagined that He was criticizing them for having forgotten the bread. Jesus knew what they were saying to each other and rebuked their hard-heartedness. After all, He had twice produced enough food to feed thousands with abundant leftovers. They should have known that He could handle problems with insufficient food. His warning wasn’t about the leaven of bread, but about the false teaching and hypocrisy of the Pharisees and Herod. Bad attitudes spread like leaven and He was worried that the disciples might be contaminated by them.

*3* What request did the Pharisees make that Jesus refused to grant? Answer: They wanted Him to perform a ______ from heaven.

*4* What warning did Jesus give to His disciples? Answer: They should beware the ______ of the Pharisees.

*5&6* In saying this, what did Jesus mean by “leaven” (see also Matt. 16:12; Luke 12:1)? Answer: He referred to their false ______ and their ______.

Jesus Heals a Blind Man in Two Stages

>>> Read Mark 8:22-26. <<<

Normally, Jesus’ healings were complete and immediate. This case was different–He applied saliva to on the eyes of the blind man, laid His hands on him, and then asked what he saw. The man reported seeing men like trees walking around. So Jesus touched his eyes again, and his vision was perfectly restored. Why didn’t Christ heal this man all at once, like He normally did? Jesus’ healings were signs, symbols of spiritual truths. In this case, the two-stage healing of the blind man symbolized how men’s understanding and insight is often healed in two steps. The disciples, for example, weren’t totally blind, for they understood that Jesus was the Son of God (see 8:29). But, on the other hand, they still didn’t perceive Jesus’ complete ability and therefore had defective vision (see 8:17-18, 31-33). They needed to be touched again so they could see clearly.

Note — Don’t be satisfied to see men like trees walking: Consider the situation of the blind man. While blind, he saw absolutely nothing. When Jesus first touched him, his vision improved: he saw men, though they looked like trees. To one who had been totally blind, that was fantastic progress. But Jesus could do more–He touched the man again and he began to see perfectly. Unfortunately, in the spiritual realm, some are satisfied with one touch. They see, but not clearly. Many don’t even realize that they need a complete cure, that they should not be content to see men like trees walking. Consider, for example, someone whose life has been totally devastated by sin. He hears about Jesus, begins to follow many of His teachings and his life improves. Sadly, however, He is unaware that he lacks understanding of Jesus’ word in many areas and that he should not settle for distorted vision. Let’s check out our own lives. Could it be that we still are not seeing clearly and that Jesus could restore our vision perfectly?

*7* How did the blind man see after Jesus first touched him? Answer: He saw men that looked like ______ walking around.

*8* How did he see after Jesus finished with him? Answer: He saw everything ______.

The Strength and Weakness of Peter

>>> Read Mark 8:27-33. <<<

Jesus asked what the public thought about Him. The disciples reported varying opinions: John the Baptist, Elijah, etc. When Jesus asked their own opinion, Peter boldly responded: Thou art the Christ. It was a brilliant insight. Nevertheless, when Jesus went on to warn about how He was going to be rejected and crucified, Peter was horrified. He could not imagine the Lord being killed. He began to correct Jesus telling Him that this would never happen! Jesus sternly rebuked Peter: “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” Peter was tempting Him not to suffer. Temptations are often strongest when they come through people we are close to. So Jesus flatly rejected Peter’s advice. Isn’t it strange that one minute Peter proclaimed Jesus to be Christ, the next he was calling Him aside to inform Him that He was mistaken! If Jesus was truly the Christ, Peter had no business arguing with Him. Nor do we.

*9* Who did people consider Jesus to be? a) John the Baptist, b) Elijah, c) one of the prophets, d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*10* What did Peter confess regarding Jesus’ identity? a) He was a great teacher; b) He was a sublime philosopher; c) He was the Christ; d) He was a prophet, but not Divine. Answer: ______.

*11* How did Peter react to Jesus’ announcement of His coming suffering? Answer: He took Jesus aside and began to ______ Him.

*12&13* What did Jesus say was the reason Peter would not believe Jesus was going to die? Answer: He was not minding the things of ______ but the things of ______.

The Conditions of Discipleship

>>> Read Mark 8:34-9:1. <<<

Jesus plainly explained what was required to become His disciple. He said that you must deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Him. These requirements are demanding. A person does not naturally deny himself; rather, he usually does what he wants. Death to self is painful, but that is exactly the meaning of taking up one’s cross. The cross was an instrument of death–to take it up would be to die to oneself and to one’s own desires in order to serve Christ. There is no profit in gaining the entire world, only to lose one’s soul in the transaction. It is worth everything to submit to God’s stringent requirements for discipleship.

Note — Deceptive discipleship: Jesus highlighted the requirements for being a disciple because it is so easy to imagine that you are a follower of Jesus when, in fact, you aren’t. Discipleship is not mere church membership or moral living. It is total devotion to Jesus Christ. It is to die to self and live 100% for the Lord. Am I really Jesus’ disciple?

*14* Which of the following was not given as a requirement for being a disciple? a) deny self; b) take up ones cross; c) follow Jesus; d) speak in tongues. Answer: ______.

*15&16* How did Jesus teach the importance of proper priorities? Answer: He asked what profit a man would have if he could gain the whole ______ but then lose his own ______.

*17&18* Jesus said some of the people standing there would not die before they saw what (9:1)? Answer: They would not die till they saw the ______ of God come with ______.

(Thought question: How can this statement be harmonized with the doctrine that says Jesus’ kingdom still has not come even today?)

Jesus Is Transfigured

>>> Read Mark 9:2-13. <<<

Jesus had taken three of His closest friends with Him to a high mountain. There, he began to glow with breathtaking brilliance. Just then, Elijah and Moses appeared, talking with Jesus. The disciples were awestruck. Moses was the great Lawgiver, the one who had led Israel out of Egyptian bondage and through the wilderness. Elijah was a great prophet, one of two men in the Old Testament who went directly to heaven without dying. And there they were talking to Jesus. Peter was profoundly moved by the occasion and suggested that they build three tabernacles: one for Jesus, one for Moses and one for Elijah. No doubt he felt that it would honor Jesus to receive a tabernacle alongside Moses and Elijah. But God’s voice boomed from heaven: This is My beloved Son, listen to Him. Moses and Elijah vanished. Only Jesus remained. As they descended, Jesus told the disciples not to tell anyone about what had happened until after He was raised from the dead.

Note — The greatness of Jesus: God’s rebuff of Peter’s suggestion to construct three tabernacles teaches volumes. The problem with Peter’s plan was that it put Jesus on the same level as Moses and Elijah. He isn’t. Jesus is above everyone–in this case, above the greatest figures of the Old Testament era. Our problem is like Peter’s. We often tend to build multiple tabernacles. One for Jesus and one for our parents. Or one for Jesus and another for our pastor, for our church, or for a favorite activity. This won’t do. Jesus must have the only tabernacle; He must be the supreme authority in our life. Nothing else can be on a par with Him.

*19&20* What two Old Testament characters appeared on the mountain and talked with Jesus? Answer: ______ and ______.

*21* What did Peter want to do on the mountain when he saw Jesus together with these men? Answer: He wanted to build three ______.

*22&23* What did the Father then say about Jesus? Answer: He said that Jesus was His ______, so people should ______ to Him.

*24&25* When were Peter, James and John permitted to tell about the transfiguration? Answer: They could tell about it after Jesus had ______ from the ______.

The Disciples Fail to Cast out a Demon

>>> Read Mark 9:14-29. <<<

As Jesus descended the mountain, He noticed great commotion in the valley. The crowd ran to meet Him. While Jesus had been with three of the apostles on the mountain, the others had been unable to cast a demon out of a boy. Since the apostles had normally been able to cast out demons (notice Mark 6:13), this failure puzzled them and surprised the bystanders. Jesus’ enemies were taking advantage of this lapse to discredit Him. The father of the tormented lad asked Jesus to do something, if He could. The Lord turned his statement back on him: “If you can! All things are possible to him who believes.” The father said that he believed, but recognizing the possibility that his faith was not as strong as it needed to be, he begged Jesus to help his unbelief. With that, Christ commanded the unclean spirit to leave the boy. The demon cried out and threw the boy into convulsions, but left. Later, the disciples asked why they had been unable to cast out the demon. Jesus explained that they were not relying on God enough, but on their own power: “This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.” Perhaps their prior success in expelling demons had caused them to be self-reliant, and they had neglected to pray in faith to God so that He would cast out the demon.

*26* What problem did the man’s son have? Answer: He was possessed by a ______ that caused him to be mute.

*27* What happened when Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit (demon)? The spirit (demon): a) cried out, b) convulsed or tore him, c) came out, d) all of the preceding. Answer: ______.

Summary: Time and again the disciples demonstrated a lack of clear spiritual understanding. They saw Jesus multiply loaves and fishes, but failed to see that He could handle another food emergency. Peter affirmed that Jesus was the Christ, but thought it best to give Him some needed “advice.” He believed Jesus was great, but on the same level with Moses and Elijah. The nine disciples in the valley boldly attempted to expel a demon, but without relying on the Lord. They were like those formerly blind who even now saw men like trees walking.

Categorized in Daily Bible Study
Tags: Bible Study, Jesus, Life of Jesus

Nov

theBREAX RELEASE “GET IGNORANT” REMIX FEATURING BRAILLE, THEORY HAZIT, NOMIS, ERIC CROSS, PROPH 1, WHUTEVA, SEV STATIK, & R SWIFT IN PROMOTION FOR NEW HYBRID DVD/ALBUM.

San Marcos, CA- Fresh off the release of their critically acclaimed and successful sophomore album, When theBREAX Sold Out, Hip-Hop/Spoken Word band theBREAX are at it again with the release of the Get Ignorant Remix.

The Get Ignorant Remix marks the first time that an artist from every major camp in Christian Hip-Hop appears on the same song. Braille (of Light Headed), Theory Hazit (of Scribbling Idiots), NomiS (of Gallery Drive), Eric Cross (Beatmart Recordings), (Proph 1 of the Frontlynaz), Sev Statik (of Deepspace 5 & Tunnel Rats), R Swift (of Rhyme Council & Cross Movement Records) and Rockwilder’s Fuel/KIK Records artist Whuteva. The Remix was first exclusively released to DJ Wade-O and premiered on episode 80 of the Wade-O radio show: “I’m just joyed that all of those different cats can get on one record, with one common theme… I’m real encouraged by that… you had all these different people on there who some people might say, ‘their crews don’t like each other’, or ‘people don’t get along’ or whatever it is… and I’m just real encouraged that all those different guys from different crews can come together and make one record that still has the focus of preaching the Gospel, even with all the sarcastic elements in there… man I’m real encouraged by that… to get all those people on one accord, crazy man, that’s how big our God is!” DJ Wade-O – Wadeoradio.com

Get Ignorant originally appeared on When theBREAX Sold Out, the new Remix will appear as a bonus track on theBREAX new album Restocked, which will be exclusively available on their new Hybrid DVD Broken Television coming out in February 2009. Broken Television features a documentary, live performance footage, music videos, over an hour of bonus footage, and theBREAX entire music catalog.

Categorized in Music
Tags: Braille, ERIC CROSS, GET IGNORANT REMIX, NOMIS, PROPH 1, R SWIFT, SEV STATIK, THEORY HAZIT, WHUTEVA

Nov

Corey Red & Precise – No Grey Lines

Categorized in video
Tags: christian, Corey Red & Precise, No Grey Lines

Nov

Daily Bible Study: Portraits of Jesus Part 8

Jesus Accepts the Lowly
Lesson #7

Jesus Announces His Death, Rebukes Pride

>>> Read Mark 9:30-37. <<<

Please read the text in your Bible as you study each part of the lesson. Jesus wanted to prepare His disciples for the tragedy that was nearing. He warned them that He would be betrayed into men’s hands and be killed, but encouraged them by announcing that three days later He would rise again. The disciples did not understand; they were too busy arguing about who would be the greatest in Jesus’ coming kingdom. Knowing what they had been disputing, Jesus took a child into His arms and used him as a model of the humility that should characterize disciples. It must have disappointed Him greatly to see the disciples vying for power while He was preoccupied with His coming suffering.

*1&2* What did Jesus predict was going to happen to Him? Answer: Men would ______ Him, but on the third day He would ______ from the dead.

*3* About what subject were the disciples arguing? Answer: They disputed about which of them was the ______.

*4&5* What did Jesus say one should do, if he wants to be first of all (v35)? Answer: He should be the ______ of all and the ______ of all.

Jesus Warns of the Dangers of Stumbling

>>> Read Mark 9:38-50. <<<

John related how he had seen someone expelling demons in Jesus’ name and had forbidden him to do so. Evidently John thought that no one should have been doing any work for the Lord who was not following in their immediate company. But Jesus had commissioned many to go out, preach, and expel demons (see Luke 10). He was pleased with those who were faithfully serving Him in other places.

Jesus went on to warn of the danger of causing someone to fall. He said that it would even be better to tie a huge stone around a man’s neck and cast him into the sea than for him to cause another to stumble. He also warned of the danger of allowing anything to cause us to stumble. The Lord encouraged radical, decisive action: cutting off a hand or a foot or plucking out an eye in order to avoid abandoning Him. He was not speaking literally–but He was forcefully declaring that we should sacrifice anything that is tempting us to sin. He described Hell as a horrendous place of maggots and perpetual fire that must be avoided at all cost.

*6* What had John tried to stop someone else from doing? Answer: Someone was casting out ______.

*7* A person would be better drowned in the sea rather than to do what? Answer: It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone around the neck rather than to cause someone to ______.

*8* What lesson is taught by Jesus’ statements about cutting off a hand, foot, or eye? a) if we pray, He will miraculously restore the missing member; b) He doesn’t care if we suffer; c) we should be willing to make great sacrifices to avoid the consequences of sin; d) we won’t miss the body part anyway. Answer: ______.

Question about Divorce

>>> Read Mark 10:1-12. <<<

Jesus’ opponents decided to test Him with a hard question. They asked Him whether it was right to divorce. In their society as in ours, there was much disagreement, even among religious people, as to whether or not it was right to divorce and, if so, under what circumstances. Jesus answered their question by reminding them that in the beginning God created only one man and one woman. He intended for marriage to be a permanent union. Because God joins people together when they marry, it is wrong for man to separate them. Later He explained to the disciples that it is not only wrong to divorce, but that a divorced person who remarries is committing adultery.

Note — The need for commitment in marriage: Many people today enter marriage with the notion that they will divorce if it doesn’t work out. This is wrong. Throw-away marriages are opposed to God’s created order. God forbids divorce. The only exception is when one divorces his mate because of sexual immorality (Matthew 19:9). In any other case, divorce is sinful and remarriage is adultery. The fact that men frequently disobey God does not change what He said.

*9* What principle did Jesus use to forbid divorce (v9)? Answer: What God has joined together, man should not ______.

*10* In what circumstance did Jesus allow divorce and remarriage (Matt. 19:9)? a) when one of the partners no longer loves the other; b) when there is abuse; c) when one divorces a spouse because he/she committed fornication; d) when irreconcilable differences exist. Answer: ______.

*11* If a man or woman divorces his/her spouse (not for fornication) and remarries, what did Jesus say about the remarriage (v11,12)? Answer: It is ______.

Jesus Blesses the Children

>>> Read Mark 10:13-16. <<<

The disciples never seemed to want Jesus to be bothered, so they were constantly trying to keep certain kinds of people away from Him (see 10:46-52). In this case, it was children. When Jesus saw that they were hindering the children from approaching Him, He was indignant and rebuked them. He said that the kingdom of God itself belongs to people who become like children. He took the young people into His arms and began to bless them. He always had time for children.

*12* Whom did the disciples try to stop from coming to Jesus? a) Pharisees; b) children; c) sinners; d) tax collectors. Answer: ______.

*13* What reason did Jesus give why He wanted to receive children? a) He wanted to baptize them; b) He wanted to give them candy and ice cream; c) He hoped their parents would give Him money; d) the kingdom of God belongs to people who are like little children. Answer: ______.

(Thought question: If the kingdom belongs to those who are like little children, then are little children born guilty of sin?)

Rich Man Considers Cost too High

>>> Read Mark 10:17-31. <<<

A rich young man ran up to Jesus requesting information on how to receive eternal life. Jesus first told him to keep the commandments, which the man said he had done. Then Jesus ordered him to sell all that he owned, give the proceeds to the poor, and start following Him. The man wanted eternal life, but not at that price. He turned away, saddened. Many follow in this young man’s steps. They desire eternal life . . . as long as they don’t have to make too many sacrifices. Jesus referred to these people when He remarked about how difficult it is for those who are rich to enter heaven. He said that it is easier to thread a camel through a needle than for a rich man to be saved. The disciples were shocked. The Lord explained that with God all things are possible, but that it is hard for rich people to go to heaven, because of the tendency to trust in material possessions and not in God.

Note — The lack of one thing: As Jesus talked to the rich man, He observed that he lacked only one thing: he only needed to get rid of his possessions. It became obvious that Jesus had properly diagnosed the man’s need, because the man was unwilling to do so. He indeed was valuing his possessions over the Lord. To follow Jesus, we must give up anything in our life that is more important to us than He is. It is interesting that this man lacked only one thing. Some people have the idea that one sin is not all that bad. They think that while they may be failing in one area, at least they serve the Lord faithfully in all the others. This story shows clearly that even one thing can keep a person from being accepted by God. Is there one thing in your life that is separating you from faithfulness in the Lord’s service?

*14* What did the rich man want Jesus to tell him? Answer: He wanted to know what he should do to inherit ______.

*15* What was the rich man’s reaction when Jesus told him that he needed to sell all and give the money to the poor? Answer: He went away ______.

*16* How many things in our lives that we refuse to repent of does it take to keep us from pleasing God? (a) none, (b) one, (c) we must do more evil than we do good, (d) the Bible does not say. Answer: ______.

Greatness in God’s Kingdom

>>> Read Mark 10:32-45. <<<

For the third time, Jesus warned the disciples about what was going to happen when they got to Jerusalem. He gave a detailed description of the suffering He would experience there. Meanwhile, James and John were imagining a different scenario. They asked Jesus to agree to do whatever they would request. Jesus asked them what they wanted; He was not going to sign a blank check by agreeing before they made the request. They replied that they wanted to sit on Jesus’ right and left hand; that is, they wanted the chief positions in His administration. Jesus responded by asking if they could drink the cup He was going to drink or be baptized with His baptism, and they said they could. Jesus was referring to His sufferings which were often spoken of as a cup of agony that He would have to drink (see Mark 14:36) and as a baptism (immersion) in pain (see Luke 12:50). They had no clue as to His real meaning, but they enthusiastically accepted the challenge. Jesus then replied that He did not have the authority to grant their request, because He was not the one who assigned the positions of honor in the kingdom.

The other disciples were incensed. James and John had gotten the jump on them. They themselves wished to have the highest positions and resented the fact that the sons of Zebedee had requested them first. Jesus took some time to define what greatness in the kingdom really meant. He said that in human affairs, whether government or business, the greatest have the most authority. But, He explained, it isn’t that way in the kingdom of God. Rather, the greatest is the one who humbles himself most and serves most. He pointed to Himself as the model. He had not come to be served, but to serve and to offer Himself as a sacrifice for others.

Note — True greatness: We still desperately need these lessons of Jesus. Many, even in religion, are seeking to be great by trying to gain honor, glory and power. Churches are infested with “politicians” who want the limelight and who vie for positions of maximum control and authority. We should be ashamed. Jesus was born in a stable outside a small town. He lived His life as a village carpenter and itinerant preacher. He accumulated neither riches nor worldly power. Yet, today, many of His self-proclaimed followers seek and promise the very things He rejected, as they pursue higher and higher positions in churches. It is hard to imagine that Jesus would feel at home in their costly cathedrals. It is impossible to believe that He would preach the “gospels of health and wealth” so popular today. Jesus said the way to true greatness was the road of service and suffering.

*17&18* What did James and John want Jesus to do for them? Answer: They wanted to sit one at Jesus’ ______ and the other at His ______in His glory (kingdom).

*19* According to Jesus, how can you become great in the kingdom? a) attend the biggest church with the most beautiful building; b) give lots of money; c) take a high position of authority in the church; d) humble yourself and serve others. Answer: ______.

Jesus Heals Bartimaeus

>>> Read Mark 10:46-52. <<<

As Jesus passed through Jericho, a blind beggar cried out. The crowds tried to silence him, thinking that the Lord should not be bothered with such unimportant people. But Jesus called the blind man to come to Him and healed him. The beggar began to follow Him. Few rich men followed the Lord (see 10:17-22), but many of the poor and downtrodden did.

*20* What was the name of the blind man Jesus healed (v46)? a) Peter; b) Bartimaeus; c) Thomas; d) Andrew. Answer: ______.

*21* What did the blind man keep calling Jesus (v48)? Answer: He called Him ______.

Summary: Jesus accepted the humble folks, even though the disciples tried to turn them away. He accepted the man who worked for Him but was not in His personal company; He welcomed the children; He invited the blind beggar. He rejected those we might have accepted: a rich ruler with so much to offer, and all those who sought position and greatness. The great one in the kingdom is the servant.

Categorized in Daily Bible Study
Tags: christian, Christianity, Jesus Announces His Death, Pride

Nov

Lecrae ft. Tedashii- Go Hard LYRICS, Lecrae featuring Cam – Desperate (with lyrics)

Check Out Our New Social Network for christian Hip Hop heads! You can add your own videos, photos, or music. You can upload your own podcasts. You can blog. you can comment. You can rate. You can discuss. You can meet new people. You can make friends. Or, you can just look around. Plus we update daily with new music video and new. The link is theoraclemag.ning.com

Categorized in Music and video
Tags: christian bands, Christian hip hop, featuring Cam Go Hard LYRICS, Hip hop, Holy Hip hop, Lecrae- Desperate (with lyrics), Rap, rap videos

Nov

Daily Bible Study: Portraits of Jesus Part 9

Jesus vs. Jewish Leaders
Lesson 8

Jesus Enters Jerusalem

>>> Read Mark 11:1-11. <<<

Jesus sent two disciples into Jerusalem to bring him a colt. As He rode it into the city thousands of people lined the route, spreading their clothes and leafy branches in His path tohho honor Him. While the enthusiastic crowd cheered, Jesus remained calm. Why had He chosen to enter the capital on a donkey, not on some great white steed (see Zechariah 9:9-10)? His life reflected one of His favorite sermons: greatness in the kingdom comes to the one who humbles himself.

*1* What did Jesus ride when He entered Jerusalem? (a) a horse, (b) a boat, (c) a chariot, (d) a donkey colt. Answer: ______.

*2* As Jesus entered Jerusalem what did the crowd not do? a) put their clothes in the road; b) shout praises; c) try to prevent Him from entering the city; d) lay leafy branches in His path. Answer: ______.

Jesus Curses a Fig Tree and Expels Commerce from the Temple

>>> Read Mark 11:12-26. <<<

Jesus was hungry and saw a fig tree in leaf. When He approached, He observed that it had no fruit. He cursed it and by the next day, it was withered up. Jesus’ action taught the amazed disciples some lessons. First, people who bear no fruit will be cursed by God. This principle applied to the Jewish nation as a whole, because it was bearing no fruit for the Lord. Second, Jesus noted that God has the power to wither fig trees and move mountains; in short, to respond to prayer. What we must do is to trust Him and turn to Him with our needs.

When Jesus entered the temple He saw a stockyard and money-changers’ booths. Some people were selling the special coin used to pay the temple tax, while others sold animals for sacrifices. Jesus began to cast out these merchants, overturning the money-changers’ tables and the vendors’ chairs. He said that the temple was supposed to be a place of prayer but had been turned into a robbers’ den.

Note — Would Jesus cleanse the temple again? Why did Jesus vehemently oppose these activities? It wasn’t because He was against selling animals or changing money; rather, He opposed the perversion of the temple’s function. God had given the temple for spiritual purposes, and it was wrong to make it a bazaar. We must never use what God has given us for purposes He has not authorized. God gave us a pattern for the local church. Its function is to worship, teach the gospel and help needy Christians. But many churches have begun to do other things: they sponsor recreation, entertainment, secular education, etc. If Jesus returned, would He not come to churches and begin to cast out all of the unauthorized practices that have crept into them?

*3* What was on the fig tree that Jesus saw? a) figs; b) leaves, but no figs; c) neither figs nor leaves; d) rotten figs. Answer: ______.

*4* Whom did Jesus expel from the temple? a) money changers and animals sellers; b) priests; c) harlots and murderers; d) Gentiles. Answer: ______.

*5* What was the main problem with the money changing and animal sales? a) it was always wrong to sell animals and change money; b) they were cheating people in the transactions; c) these activities weren’t a part of God’s purpose for the temple; d) there was no problem with it. Answer: ______.

(Thought question: What else have we already studied about people who change what God has revealed in His will? Hint: Restudy Mark 7.)

Question about Jesus’ Authority

>>> Read Mark 11:27-33. <<<

Jesus’ bold actions in the temple stirred opposition. The Jewish leaders thought that the temple belonged to them, so they questioned Jesus’ right to come into it and make such drastic revisions. Jesus replied to their challenge with a question. He asked whether John’s baptism came from God or men. They consulted among themselves and decided that it would be politically unwise to answer. Their refusal demonstrated that they were not sincerely seeking truth. Therefore, Jesus refused to answer their question.

Note — Jesus’ question is a model: Jesus asked the Jewish leaders an outstanding question: Did John’s baptism come from God or man? This is the question that we should ask about every religious practice. Anything that originates in man should be rejected; all that God commands should be carefully observed. There is an easy way for us to determine whether a given teaching or activity comes from God or man. Everything that comes from God is in the Bible. If a particular doctrine or practice is not in the Bible, it is not from God. We should verify everything we do by this simple test: Does it come from God or from man?

*6&7* When Jesus asked the Jewish leaders about John’s baptism, what two choices did He give for its origin? Answer: He asked whether it came from ______ or from ______.

*8* Why did Jesus refuse to answer the Jewish leaders’ question? Answer: They proved they were dishonest because they refused to ______ His question.

Parable of the Vineyard

>>> Read Mark 12:1-12. <<<

Jesus told about a man who planted a vineyard, equipped it with first-class installations and then rented it out. His rent was to be a share of the crop. When the harvest time arrived, he sent servants to collect, but the renters beat, mistreated and even killed them. Finally the owner of the vineyard sent his son to demand payment, but they killed him too. How outrageous! The owner would undoubtedly destroy his tenants and rent the vineyard out to others. The story meant this: God was the owner of the vineyard; the Jews were the renters. God blessed the Jews greatly and expected them to bear the fruit of righteousness, truth, mercy, etc. He sent prophets to collect this “fruit,” but they were mistreated and killed. Finally He sent His son, Jesus, whom they murdered. God would certainly destroy the Jewish nation and give His blessings to others. The religious leaders understood that Jesus had spoken this story against them (12:12).

Note — God’s stone: Jesus spoke of the stone the builders rejected which God used as His chief cornerstone (12:10-11). He was speaking of Himself, rejected by the Jewish leaders, but selected by God as the foundation of His great building. These words were being fulfilled as Christ spoke. The Jewish authorities, intent on building their own religion, decided Jesus was unsatisfactory–He wasn’t suitable for their building. God often reverses human values, however. That which men rejected, God chose and exalted above all (see Philippians 2:5-11).

*9* What did the renters not do to the ones sent to collect the fruit? a) mistreat; b) beat; c) kill; d) give the fruit. Answer: ______.

*10* Jesus spoke this parable to rebuke whom? a) His disciples, b) the religious leaders of the Jews, c) Old Testament prophets, d) no one. Answer: ______ .

*11* In the Scripture about the stone rejected by the builders, the stone referred to whom (see also Acts 4:11)? Answer: The stone was ______, who was rejected by the Jews’ religious leaders.

Question about Taxes

>>> Read Mark 12:13-17. <<<

The Jews were desperately seeking to discredit Jesus. To do so, various groups began to ask Him questions designed to trap Him. They asked about paying taxes. At this time, the Jews were ruled by the Romans, who were the ones receiving the tax money. The people hated the Roman government and thought it was contrary to the will of God. So Jesus was trapped. If He said not to pay taxes, He would be guilty of treason and liable to prosecution. If He told them to pay, patriots would view Him as a traitor and even disloyal to God. Jesus didn’t answer the question at first. Instead, He requested a coin. He asked whose name and picture were on it. They replied: Caesar’s. Since you put your name and picture on something you own, Caesar’s markings on the coin showed that it belonged to him. The Jews had no right to withhold Caesar’s property from him when he requested it. So Jesus said simply: Give back to Caesar what belongs to him; and give to God what belongs to Him. His answer could not be challenged. It still provides the basis for our relationship to government. We should pay our taxes and serve the Lord.

*12* What question was Jesus asked (v14)? Answer: Is it lawful to ______ to Caesar.

*13&14* What answer did Jesus give (v17)? Answer: Render to Caesar the things that are ______ and to God the things that are ______.

Question about the Resurrection

>>> Read Mark 12:18-27. <<<

The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection. They asked a question designed to show that the doctrine of the resurrection was absurd. It involved the invented case of a woman who was married to seven brothers in succession. They asked Jesus to tell them whose wife she would be in the resurrection, since all of them had been married to her. Jesus’ reply revealed the ignorance of the Sadducees: There is no marriage in heaven. Furthermore, Jesus showed how even the Old Testament proved the resurrection. He cited the text where God appeared to Moses in the burning bush and described Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, even though they had been dead for hundreds of years. If death was the end of existence (as the Sadducees believed), then God would have been calling Himself the God of that which doesn’t exist. For God to call Himself their God, in some sense Abraham, Isaac and Jacob must still have been “alive” and thus the Sadducees’ view of death was wrong.

*15* What did the Sadducees believe? Answer: They believed there is no ______.

*16* How did Jesus answer their question about marriage? Answer: He said that, when we rise from the dead, there will be no ______.

*17* How did Jesus prove the Sadducees’ belief about resurrection was wrong? Answer: He quoted a passage in which God said, “I am the ______ of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,” even after those men were dead.

Question about the Greatest Commandment

>>> Read Mark 12:28-34. <<<

A scribe tried his hand at stumping Jesus. He asked Him to name the greatest commandment in the law. Jesus easily replied that it was to love God. He added that the second was to love others. This response demonstrated remarkable insight. Instead of choosing a specific command, Jesus cited the principles that form the foundation for all of the God’s laws. Even the scribe had to admit that Jesus’ answer was right.

*18&19* What did Jesus say are the greatest commands? Answer: The greatest command is to ______ God, and the second greatest is to ______ your neighbor as yourself.

Jesus Condemns the Scribes

>>> Read Mark 12:35-40. <<<

After weathering their barrage of questions, Jesus asked His opponents a question: How could the Christ be both David’s son and David’s Lord? This question was crucial, because the scribes’ objection to Jesus was that He (a mere man they thought) claimed divine authority. Jesus showed by His question that the Old Testament had predicted that the Messiah would be both David’s son (human) and David’s Lord (divine).

*20* How did Jesus show that the Jewish leaders misunderstood the Christ? Answer: They thought the Christ would just be David’s son (i.e., He would be human), but Jesus quoted a passage showing He would also be David’s ______ (i.e., He would be Divine).

Observations on the Collection

>>> Read Mark 12:41-44. <<<

Jesus sat and observed people contribute into the temple treasury. He saw many rich people deposit large offerings. He also saw an impoverished widow give two small coins which were nearly worthless. The Lord explained that the widow had contributed more than the rich–she put in everything she had, while they had simply given their surplus.

Note — Jesus contradicts modern views of giving: Many modern churches seem to regard large donations more highly than small ones. Some honor wealthy donors in special ways and allow them more influence in church policy; occasionally they even ridicule small contributions as unworthy of the Lord. It is clear that the Lord Himself viewed giving in a very different way. He was unimpressed by the absolute size of the offering, whether large or small, but very concerned with the attitude of the giver. To Jesus, the gift of the widow, while having almost no monetary value, was worth much more than the large and impressive donations of the rich. We need to think of riches like Jesus did.

*21* How did Jesus’ view of giving differ from that of most religious leaders then and now? He said the most important thing is: a) how much we give, b) the attitude with which we give, c) we must give a tenth, d) we must give as much as others give. Answer: ______.

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Tags: bible, Daily Bible Study, Jesus, Jesus vs. Jewish Leaders, Jewish

Nov

Video Premiere: “Gimme Dat” by Ambassador

Cross Movement Records artist and veteran Christian hip hop emcee The Ambassador released a music video online today for his hit single “Gimme Dat” off of his album The Chop Chop. Check it out!

Categorized in Music and video
Tags: Ambassador, christian, christian bands, Christian hip hop, Christian music, Gimme Dat, Holy Hip hop

Nov

Daily Bible Study:Portraits of Jesus – A Study of the Gospel of Mark

Final Teachings of Jesus
Lesson 9

Jesus Warns of Coming Events

>>> Read Mark 13:1-13. <<<

As they left the temple area, one of the disciples pointed to the magnificent buildings and commented on their splendor. Jesus replied that they all would be torn down. This remark astonished the disciples and they asked when this would happen and what sign there would be of the temple’s impending destruction. Jesus began answering by telling about some things that would happen before the temple was destroyed. He warned of false Christs, wars, natural disasters and great persecution. These events would be unsettling for the Christians, but Jesus assured them that they were not signs of the overthrow of the temple. It is remarkable that some people have taken these things that Jesus said were not signs of the destruction of the temple and used them to try to predict the date of the return of Christ.

*1* According to v1-4, what subject was Jesus discussing in these verses? Answer: The destruction of the ______ in Jerusalem.

*2* Instead of saying that the events of these verses were signs of the immediate end, what did Jesus say in v7? Answer: The end is ______.

The Destruction of the Temple

>>> Read Mark 13:14-30. <<<

This paragraph is one of the most difficult in the gospel of Mark. Several things should be carefully observed: 1) Jesus said that all of these things were going to occur within that generation (13:30). 2) We know that Jerusalem and the temple within it were destroyed by Roman armies in the year 70 A.D. Contemporary reports chronicle Jerusalem’s horrible siege and tell that thousands (possibly more than a million) died in the conflict. 3) Jesus warned the Christians to flee to the mountains. History records that the disciples fled to a mountain fortress near the Dead Sea. As far as we know, no Christians perished in that war. It always pays to listen to Jesus.

*3* What did Jesus tell the disciples in Judea to do when they saw the evil thing in the temple (v14)? Answer: They should ______ to the mountains.

*4* When did Jesus say all the things in 13:1-30 would occur? a) when He returns for the final judgment; b) within that generation; c) no one knows; d) 2000 years later. Answer: ______.

Jesus Warns of His Return

>>> Read Mark 13:31-37. <<<

In verse 30 Jesus said that the destruction of the temple would occur within that generation. But in verse 32, He spoke of an event that would occur at a totally unknown time. He was referring to His own return and the destruction of the world. Not even Jesus Himself knew when that would occur. So, He exhorted everyone to be alert and constantly prepared His return.

Note — Practical lessons: 1) We should not believe anyone who claims to be able to predict the date of the Lord’s return. If Jesus didn’t know, surely no mere man does. Anyone who claims to be able to discern the time of Jesus’ return by a careful study of prophetic texts is claiming to know more than the Lord Himself and should not be taken seriously. 2) Since we don’t know when the Lord will come back, we should always be ready. If you knew for sure that the Lord would come back today, would you change some things in your life? Then why not just assume that He is returning today (for He might), and make the changes immediately. It is utterly foolish to procrastinate in our repentance.

*5* Who knows when Jesus will return (cf. 1 Thess. 5:1,2)? a) those who study prophecies; b) the angels; c) Christians; d) only the Father. Answer: ______.

Anointing of Jesus

>>> Read Mark 14:1-11. <<<

What contrasting attitudes toward Jesus! The chief priests and scribes searched for a way to kill Him. Judas offered to betray Him. But a single woman spent 300 days’ wages for perfume which she poured over His head. The disciples criticized her for this extravagant act of love. They viewed it as a waste of money, and thought it would have been better to have sold the perfume and given the money to the poor. But Jesus defended her saying that she had anointed His body for burial and that in all the world people would tell of her deed.

*6* What did the woman pour over Jesus’ head? Answer: She poured out a flask of expensive ______ made from nard (spikenard).

*7* What did the disciples think should have been done with the perfume? Answer: They thought it should be sold and the money given to the ______.

The Last Supper

>>> Read Mark 14:12-26. <<<

Passover was an annual feast commemorating God’s sparing the Jews in the tenth plague on Egypt (see Exodus 11-12). Jesus sent the disciples to prepare the feast, then He ate it with them. During the meal, Jesus warned that one of them would betray Him. He was trying to prepare the apostles for the traumatic night to follow. The Lord also took some of the bread and grape juice of the Passover and said that it was His body and blood. In this way, He initiated the observance of the Lord’s Supper, a feast that was continued by the early Christians (Acts 2:42; 20:7; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34).

Note — Is it I? It is interesting to observe the disciples’ reaction to Jesus’ prediction that one of them would betray Him. Each asked: Is it I? They were thinking of the possibility of their own fall. Unfortunately, this moment of introspection soon vanished and in the next paragraph they return to brash overconfidence. Surprisingly, they did not ask: Is it Judas? Apparently they had not observed anything in Judas’ behavior during the months they had spent together that signaled that he was disloyal. When we read Jesus’ warnings in the Bible, we also should ask: Is it I?

*8* When Jesus predicted that one of the disciples would betray Him, what did they ask? Answer: They asked, “______?”.

*9&10* In the Lord’s supper, what do the bread and fruit of the vine remind us of? Answer: The bread reminds us of Jesus’ ______, and the fruit of the vine reminds us of His ______.

Jesus Predicts the Flight of the Disciples

>>> Read Mark 14:27-31. <<<

Jesus told the disciples that they would all fall away. Peter retorted that though the others might, he would never abandon Him. Christ replied that he would deny Him three times that very night. Again Peter denied it saying that he would even be willing to die with Him. Perhaps Peter’s overconfidence was one reason he fulfilled this very prophecy a few hours later.

*11* What did Jesus predict Peter would do that very night? Answer: Peter would ______ Jesus three times.

*12* How did Peter respond to this prediction? Answer: He said he would rather ______ than deny Jesus.

Jesus Prays in the Garden

>>> Read Mark 14:32-42. <<<

Jesus took His disciples into a garden and asked them to watch and pray. He told them that He was deeply distressed. He went a little farther and prayed that God would take the cup of suffering away from Him. Jesus knew how terrible His death would be. He asked, however, that God’s will be done above all. Each time He returned to His disciples, they had fallen asleep. Jesus wrestled with His griefs and fears alone, without human support.

Note — The true suffering of Jesus: This paragraph reveals Jesus’ deep grief as He thought about what He was going to suffer. He knew exactly what was about to happen and He dreaded it. Was He thinking only of physical pain? Crucifixion certainly was an agonizing experience–the victim slowly suffocated as he grew gradually weaker and finally unable to pull his body up against the nails to breathe. But others have suffered similar executions with less dread than Jesus. There must be something Jesus feared besides pain. Several passages teach that Jesus bore the sins of the world on the cross (Isaiah 53; 1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 5:21). He suffered the punishment for man’s sin, which was spiritual death, separation from God. His greatest agony was being cut off from His Father on the cross (study Mark 15:34). Because He suffered this punishment of utter separation from God, His faithful followers will never have to.

*13* What did Jesus pray for in the garden? Answer: He asked for the ______ to pass from Him.

*14* Whose will did Jesus say should be done? (a) His own will, (b) His Father’s will, (c) the will of the Jewish leaders, (d) all of the preceding. Answer: ______.

Jesus Is Arrested

>>> Read Mark 14:43-52. <<<

Judas had bargained with the chief priests to betray his Master. He had promised to lead them to the place where He spent the night, away from the crowds. Although Jesus knew the plan, He went again to the usual spot where He knew Judas could easily find Him. A troop of soldiers with the traitor leading the way interrupted the calm of the night. Judas kissed Jesus, a signal that it was safe to arrest Him. One disciple tried to defend Jesus by sword, severing the ear of a man in the arrest party in the process (see Luke 22:50-51; John 18:10-11 for more details). But then the disciples lost their nerve and fled. Jesus remained alone with His captors and Judas.

*15* Who betrayed Jesus for money (cf. v10,11)? Answer: Jesus was betrayed by ______.

*16* What sign did he use to identify Jesus for the captors? Answer: He betrayed Jesus with a ______.

Jewish Trial of Jesus

>>> Read Mark 14:53-65. <<<

Though it was very late at night, Jesus was brought before the Jewish supreme court and tried. They bribed false witnesses who told contradictory stories about Him. For a time, it appeared that the court would be unable to find consistent testimony by which to convict Jesus. Finally, the high priest asked Him if He were the Christ. When Jesus said, “Yes,” they used this statement as evidence of blasphemy and convicted Him. Then they spat on Him, mocked Him and beat Him.

*17* Why was the Jewish court unable to convict Jesus on the basis of the testimony of the false witnesses? a) their testimony was inconsistent; b) the witnesses refused to testify; c) they could not allow false witnesses to testify in their court; d) Jesus refuted what they said. Answer: ______.

*18* What was finally used to convict Jesus in the Jewish trial? Answer: He admitted that He was the ______, the Son of the Blessed One.

Peter Denies Jesus

>>> Read Mark 14:66-72. <<<

Peter had slipped into the courtyard to watch the trial. Various people began to recognize him. A servant-girl asked him if she hadn’t seen him with Jesus. Peter claimed not to understand what she was talking about. Then she began to tell others that he was a disciple and he flatly denied it. Finally, others noticed his Galilean accent and accused him of following Jesus. With this, Peter panicked, vehemently denying Jesus, even asking God to curse him if He knew the man. The cock crew and Peter remembered Jesus’ warning. He came to himself with a sickening awareness of the horrible deed he had done. He rushed out and began weeping in despair.

Note — Failure of the disciples: The disciples failed Jesus miserably in His hour of greatest need. They fled. Peter denied Him. Why? They had been such loyal supporters. Think back upon contributing factors in their failure: 1) They hadn’t listened when Jesus had frequently warned them of His impending suffering. They had been too eager to argue about who would be the greatest in the kingdom. 2) They were overconfident. Earlier that evening, Jesus warned them that they would flee, but they didn’t believe it. 3) They didn’t watch and pray in the garden as He instructed. Thus, they were not mentally prepared to face the challenge. We could fail in the hour of temptation for these same reasons.

*19* How many times did Peter deny Jesus during the Jewish trial? Answer (give a number): ______.

*20* How did he react when he realized that he had denied Jesus? a) killed himself; b) apologized to Jesus; c) gave up being an apostle; d) fled away and began to cry. Answer: ______.

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Tags: Bible Study, Daily Bible Study, Jesus, Life of christ, Life of Jesus

Nov

T-Bone: Rapping Backstage At The Doves

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Tags: Christian hip hop, Hip hop, t-bone, video

Nov

Daily Bible Study: Portraits of Jesus – A Study of the Gospel of Mark

Jesus’ Death, Burial and Resurrection
Lesson 10

Jesus on Trial before Pilate

>>> Read Mark 15:1-21. <<<

Please read each section in your Bible as you study the lesson. Although the Jewish leaders had tried Jesus and convicted Him of blasphemy, they led Him to the Roman governor Pilate for yet another trial. The Jews did not have authority to carry out sentences of capital punishment that were determined by their own courts; capital crimes had to be tried by Roman officials. Thus, very early the next morning they brought Jesus to Pilate, hoping that he would concur with their decision. They accused Jesus of many things, but He remained silent. Pilate was amazed that He didn’t try to defend Himself. The governor perceived that this was not really a question of criminal action, but that the Jews were jealous of Jesus. Therefore, he made several attempts to release Him. He was eager to appease the Jews, however, and was unable to persuade them that Jesus should be released. Though he did not believe Jesus was guilty, he ended up sentencing Him to death because he feared the start of a riot. Roman soldiers scourged Jesus, mocked Him, and led Him out to be crucified.

Note — Physical suffering of Jesus: Jesus suffered intensely in his last few hours. After being up all night, subjected to the stress of six different trials (if we compare the accounts in Matthew, Luke and John also), He was scourged. Scourging was accomplished by tying bits of bone, metal and glass to a whip and then striking the victim’s back. This procedure produced excruciating pain, much loss of blood and sometimes even death. The victim’s back became a bloody mass. After scourging Him, they took thorns, wove them into a crown, put it on Jesus’ head, and began to beat on it, causing intense pain. They put a scarlet robe on Him [see Matt. 27:28; Mark's account calls it "purple"], only to later rip it off, undoubtedly tearing open the blood-dried wounds on His back in the process. Then came the crucifixion. In an execution of this type, they would literally nail the “criminal’s” hands and feet onto a piece of wood and then set it upright into a hole. To breathe, the victim had to continually raise himself so that his lung cavity could expand. Pain and fatigue would begin to diminish the effectiveness of this effort and the lungs would begin to fill with fluid. As exhaustion took hold, the victim would be slowly asphyxiated because of a lack of oxygen and finally die.

*1* What did Pilate conclude was the real reason the Jews wanted Jesus to be crucified (v10)? (a) They believed in Him, (b) they envied him, (c) they wanted Him to be king, (d) they were sincerely disappointed in Him. Answer: ______.

*2* Why did Pilate sentence Jesus’ execution despite believing He was innocent (v15)? Answer: He wanted to please the Jews and avoid a ______.

*3* The man who was released in Jesus’ place was guilty of what (v7)? Answer: He had participated in an insurrection in which he had committed ______.

*4&5* After Jesus had been scourged, what did the soldiers put on His head? Answer: A ______ made of ______.

Jesus’ Crucifixion

>>> Read Mark 15:22-41. <<<

It was a standard act of mercy to give a narcotic to condemned criminals when they were crucified. The drug would dull the pain a bit and allow the victim to pass away more comfortably. Jesus refused this tranquilizer. He was determined to suffer in full consciousness.

The ridicule grew. The soldiers who guarded the cross gambled for Jesus’ clothes. Bystanders laughed at the idea that He could rebuild the temple when He couldn’t even save Himself. Come down from the cross, they taunted, and we’ll believe in You! Some Jewish officials standing nearby smirked that He had been able to save others, but was powerless to save Himself. Even the two thieves who were executed on either side of the Lord ridiculed Him.

From noon until 3 p.m. the sky was dark. Shortly thereafter, Jesus cried out in anguish, using the very words of Psalm 22:1: “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?” Then after a few more minutes, He cried out again and died. At that moment the temple veil split in two, and a centurion who was observing exclaimed, “Truly this man was the Son of God.”

Note — The majesty of Jesus’ death: There were multiplied ironies in the events of those final hours. As they ridiculed Jesus saying that He had saved others, but now couldn’t save himself, they were unaware that He was fully capable of saving Himself, but that if He had, He would not have saved others. He died voluntarily. He had at His disposition thousands of angels that could have rescued Him, but He deliberately chose to lay down His life because He loved us. Jesus had the power to do anything He wanted against His tormentors, but he subdued all desire for revenge and actually prayed for God to forgive those who were treating Him so cruelly (Luke 23:34). By dying as He did, Christ provided the sacrifice that would forgive men’s sins. Therefore, the temple veil was torn in two from top to bottom. The veil had blocked access to God’s presence–it was a symbol of man’s sin. Since Jesus’ death atoned for sin, the veil was severed, demonstrating that with sin removed men could once again enter into fellowship with God. Truly, this man was the Son of God!

*6&6* What was written above Jesus, while He hung on the cross (v26)? Answer: A sign over Him said, “The ______ of the ______.”

*8* The people mocking Christ said they would believe on Him if He would do what? Answer: They would believe if he would ______ from the cross.

*9* What occurred in the temple when Jesus died? Answer: The ______ of the temple was torn in two.

*10* Jesus was crucified with what kind of men? Answer: He was crucified between two ______.

Jesus’ Burial

>>> Read Mark 15:42-47. <<<

Joseph, a prominent Jewish official and secret disciple of Christ (see John 19:38), asked Pilate for permission to bury Jesus’ body. He had to act quickly since according to Jewish law He could not bury the body on the Sabbath day, which officially began at sundown. He gathered the corpse up in a sheet and put it in a hole chiseled into the wall of a cave, which served as a typical grave in that era. He closed off the cave by rolling a large rock over the entrance.

*11* In whose tomb was Jesus buried (v43)? Answer: The tomb belonged to ______. (Cf. Matt. 27:57-60.)

*12* How did Pilate make sure Jesus was dead (v44,45)? Answer: He asked the ______ if Jesus was dead.

*13&14* What was the tomb made of, and how was the opening sealed (v46)? Answer: It was hewn out of ______, and the opening was covered with a large ______.

Body is Missing!

>>> Read Mark 16:1-8. <<<

A few loyal women had prepared spices and went out to Jesus’ tomb early on Sunday morning. They were planning to embalm His body in order to give it a more honorable burial than had been possible in the few minutes that had been available on Friday afternoon. As they walked down to the cave, they thought about how hard it was going to be for them to roll that large rock away from the entrance of the burial cave. When they arrived, however, they saw that the rock had already been removed and the cave was open. Inside, an angel told them that Jesus had arisen and was on His way to Galilee. He asked them to tell the disciples and Peter. The women fled away very frightened.

Note — Tell the disciples and Peter: The angel told the women to invite the disciples “and Peter” to meet Jesus in Galilee. Since Peter was himself a disciple, it seems unusual that he would be singled out and receive a special invitation. Perhaps it was because the Lord knew that Peter would no longer feel himself worthy to be counted as a disciple after having denied Him, and therefore, Jesus gave him a special invitation to the meeting. What tenderness the Lord showed!

*15* On what day did Jesus arise from the dead (v1,2)? Answer: The ______ day of the week.

*16* Why did the women go to the tomb early on the first day of the week? Answer: They wanted to ______ Jesus’ body.

*17* What did the young man (angel) say had happened to Jesus? Answer: He said Jesus was not there because He had ______.

Jesus Commissions the Disciples

>>> Read Mark 16:9-20. <<<

The disciples had never expected to see Jesus again. They watched Him die and knew about His burial. They were very sad. Because of this, the news of the empty tomb and Jesus’ appearances seemed too good to be true. They refused to get their hopes up. Later, when He did appear to them, He rebuked them for being so slow to believe. Then He gave orders for their future work, telling them to go everywhere and preach the gospel to all. He told them what to preach: The one who believes and is baptized will be saved. He gave them signs to confirm their message.

Note — He that believes and is baptized shall be saved: Jesus set forth the conditions of salvation. He requires faith and baptism. Unfortunately men of our day have tried to eliminate one or the other of these two requirements. Some try to eliminate faith. They teach that infants, who are too young to believe, should be baptized. But Jesus’ order was belief first, then baptism. Throughout Scripture only those who believed and repented were considered qualified for baptism (study Acts 2:38, 41; 18:8; John 6:44-45). Others teach salvation by faith only, without baptism. But Jesus clearly said that baptism was a requirement to receive salvation (see John 3:5). In accordance with this command of Jesus, the apostles insisted that water baptism was a prerequisite to receiving forgiveness of sins and the new life in Christ (Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Peter 3:21).

The gospel of Mark closes with a note about the results of the great mission Jesus entrusted to the apostles. After He had ascended back to heaven, they went out and began to preach everywhere, just like Jesus told them. The Lord blessed their revelation of the gospel message with signs to confirm it, just as He said He would.

*18* What did Jesus say His disciples should do with the gospel (v15)? Answer: They should go into all the world and ______ the gospel.

*19* What did Jesus say one must do to be saved (v16)? a) just believe in Jesus; b) just be baptized; c) pray the sinner’s prayer; d) believe and be baptized. Answer: ______.

*20* What purpose was to be accomplished by miraculous signs (v20)? Answer: As inspired men preached the gospel, the accompanying signs served to ______ the word.

Mark’s story of Jesus is over, but we hope that your study of Jesus’ life and teachings is not. Besides Mark, three other New Testament books tell about Him: Matthew, Luke and John. Perhaps now you would like to begin to read them to learn more details of His story. Or, perhaps you prefer to continue your study by learning the story of how the apostles began to take the gospel all over the world: read the book of Acts. Bible study is a great journey and your adventure has just begun. Please be sure that you meditate and reflect on the great message of the Word of God as you read, and make sure you apply what you learn to your life.

Categorized in Daily Bible Study
Tags: Bible Study, Book of Mark, Jesus, Life of christ, Life of Jesus

Nov

Album Reviews: J’son “Life on Life”

J’son “Life on Life“
Indie
Released: 2008
Review by: Don Tony
Committee Rating: 3.39 (of 5)

3.39 (of 5)

20 tracks, people!
That’s a lot of music.

As soon as this album kicks off, J’son sets the tone for the next 19 tracks. Hard-hitting bass and aggressive mid-west beats is what you should expect musically from this project with a few exceptions. The album is consistent that way. Those of you who have The Seasoning, J’son’s freshman album, will definitely enjoy the improvement of production on Life on Life.

This album definitely hits the mark. “Sitting Big” is one of the standout tracks with its catchy hook, great production and hot lyrics. The first line of the album really made me do a double-take: “Speakin’ of paint, see how I change when the Son hits me?” Glorious. Trip, Titus and our boy J’son get together for another one of my personal favorites, “What It Do”. Just listen to it, you’ll see why.

All in all, this project is congruent (Picked up that word from J’son–see, it’s an educational too!) with what you’d expect from someone affiliated with 116 Clique. If you like RR, then you’ll like this album as it doesn’t really stray from their traditional formula. Musically, the trunk-rattlin’ beats are perfect for listening in the car. Lyrically, Life On Life is relatively theological as you’d expect. As you listen to the album, you start to piece together J’son’s ultimate goal in this project, to actively pour into the listener. As a matter of fact, he takes time on several tracks to speak directly to the listener. The project is a step up in quality from his previous album, but still has room for improvement in a few areas–none of which are particularly distracting. As a commercial project, the album is musically and lyrically sound. However, this project is particularly effective as a ministry tool.

My Fav’s
Trk 6-What It Do
Trk 11-Sitting Big
Trk 5-Turning Point

My Not-Fav’s
Trk 7-Listening Choice
Trk 18-Grow

Categorized in Music and Uncategorized
Tags: Album Reviews, Christian hip hop, Hip hop, J'son, Life on Life

Nov

Deepspace5 – Talk Music

Categorized in Music and video
Tags: Christian hip hop, Deepspace5, Hip hop, hip hop videos, Music, Talk

Nov

Daily Bible Study: Why Should You Believe in God, Jesus, and the Bible? – Part 1

Jesus Is Lord – Lesson #1

Introduction:

Have you ever wondered whether God exists, whether Jesus really is God’s Son, or whether the Bible is really true? If not, you are an unusual person. All people ask these questions at times. The purpose of this study is to examine the evidence for some of the most basic claims of the Bible.

What Claims Does the Bible Make?

1. The Bible claims that God does exist.

>>> Read HEBREWS 11:6. <<<

*1* To please God, what must we believe? (a) whatever our parents taught us, (b) whatever our preacher says, (c) that God exists and rewards those who diligently seek Him. Answer (type the letter of the coreect answer in the blank): ______.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1).

2. The Bible claims to be an infallible revelation of God’s will.

>>> Read 2 TIMOTHY 3:16,17. <<<

*2* Where did the Scriptures come from? (a) they are inspired by God, (b) they express the opinions of men, (c) they are ancient legends of unknown origin. Answer: ______.

“…The things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 14:37). [See Eph. 3:3-5; 2 Pet. 1:21; 1 Thess. 2:13.]

3. The Bible claims that Jesus is God’s Son.

>>> Read JOHN 20:26-31. <<<

*3&4* What did Thomas call Jesus? Answer (type the correct word[s] in each blank): My ______ and my ______.

*5&6* What must we believe in order to have eternal life? Answer: Jesus is the ______, the Son of ______.

“…we have heard for ourselves and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world” (John 4:42). [See also John 8:24; Luke 19:10; Matt. 16:15-18; 10:37; John 1:1,14.]

Note: these claims do not permit compromise. We cannot say, “The Bible is just a good book,” or “Jesus was just a great man.” The Bible claims it is God’s word, and Jesus claimed to be God in the flesh. If these claims are not true, then Jesus is a liar and the Bible is a fraud!

What Kind of Evidence Will We Study?

God the Father is invisible (1 John 4:12). We cannot perform laboratory experiments to determine if He exists, but this does not mean we must accept “blind faith” without evidence. Jesus claimed to be God in the flesh. His life can be investigated like any other historical fact. Likewise, many other claims of the Bible can be investigated by logical and historical evidence.

In our daily lives, all of us determine our beliefs on the basis of this kind of evidence. For example, a hunter may not see an animal, but from its footprints he knows it exists and he knows much about its nature. In the same way, God has left “footprints on the sands of time.”

A judge and jury do not physically observe a crime, yet they reach a verdict about what happened by the testimony of witnesses.

>>> Read ACTS 14:17. <<<

*7* God did not leave Himself without what? (a) people, (b) witness, (c) time, (d) money. Answer: ______.

Let us call God’s “witnesses,” and you be the judge. Weigh the testimony honestly, then reach a verdict (Rom. 10:17), but remember that you are not determining the guilt or innocence of someone else. Rather, your verdict will determine your own eternal destiny!

Witness #1: The Existence of the Universe

No one can deny the existence of the universe. The question is: what is the origin of the universe?

Only two explanations are available: (1) there is an all-wise, all-powerful God who created it; or (2) matter is eternal and, beginning from an original simple life form, all living things developed gradually over millions of years by process of evolution. Consider which of these two views best fits the evidence.

A. Life Comes Only from Life.

>>> Read ACTS 17:24-28. <<<

*8* What does this verse say is the origin of life? (a) life on earth has always existed, (b) an unplanned accident of nature produced the first primitive life by spontaneous generation in an ancient swamp, (c) life on earth was created by a living, wise, powerful God. Answer: ______.

One of the most firmly established laws of science is the Law of Biogenesis, which says that life comes only from living things. There is no evidence that dead matter can spontaneously generate life.

The Bible agrees with scientific fact, for it says that life came from the eternal, living Creator (cf. Acts 14:15). However, evolution contradicts scientific proof, since it requires that dead matter sometime spontaneously came to life. Which view best fits the evidence?

B. Living Things Reproduce after Their Own Kind.

>>> Read GENESIS 1:11,21,24,25. <<<

*9* What kind of offspring do living things have? (a) the same kind as the parents, (b) with enough time, entirely different things may evolve, (c) you never know. Answer: ______.

Every year millions of living things reproduce, and the offspring is always the same kind as the parent. This is exactly what the Bible says. The offspring of dogs will be other dogs, not fish, birds, or people!

Evolution, however, teaches that all the present kinds are the offspring of previous different kinds, all the way back to one original life-form. But there is no convincing evidence for this. Living things adapt to their environment, but where is the proof that they produce totally different kinds of living things (fish to reptile to bird, etc.)?

If evolution was true, there should be many fossils of intermediate “links” between present kinds of living things. However, the “links” are still missing!

C. The Human Race Is Unique.

>>> Read GENESIS 1:26-28. <<<

*10* Man is created in whose image? Answer: In the image of ______.

*11* Man has dominion over what? (a) fish, (b) birds, (c) animals, (d) earth, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

Simple observation shows that man is far above the animals.

Only man has rational intelligence. What animal uses abstract symbols (letters and numbers) to speak, write, or do mathematical calculations? What animal invents new tools and machines, trains animals, uses fire, or records wisdom to pass on to future generations?

Among animals there are many shades of intelligence. If man evolved from animals, why are there no animals with shades of intelligence right up to ours, instead of so vast a gulf?

Only man creates new beauty to appreciate in the form of music, art, poetry, humor, etc.

Only man has a conscience and sense of religious values. What animal by nature feels a sense of guilt or seeks to find and worship the cause of its existence?

If man evolved from animals, how do we explain these vast differences? If we develop new characteristics according to “survival of the fittest,” how does appreciation of art, etc., make us more fit to survive?

The Bible, however, easily explains all these differences. Man shares these characteristics in common, not with the animals, but with God in whose image we were made.

D. Design Must Come from a Designer.

>>> Read ROMANS 1:20. <<<

*12* How can we see the power and Deity (Godhead) of God? Answer: We see them by the things God ______.

>>> Read PSALMS 19:1. <<<

*13* What do the heavens declare? Answer: The heavens declare the ______ of God.

Intelligent beings can recognize the work of another intelligent being.

When an intelligent being designs something to accomplish some purpose, that thing bears the marks of intelligence – it is intelligible. Other intelligent beings can study how it works, etc. Even if we have never met the maker, we know he must exist and we can appreciate the degree of his intelligence.

To confirm this concept to yourself, take this test. Try to name one thing that has these characteristics: (1) It appeals to your intelligence – it “makes sense” as a logical, reasonable way to accomplish some purpose. But, (2) you know it did not originate as the effort of some intelligent being – it “just happened” by blind chance. Can you name any such thing? A car? house? bridge?

The universe bears countless marks of being designed by an intelligent Being.

Cameras are designed by intelligent beings, but no camera can match the overall performance of the human eye. Where did your eyes come from?

Computers are made by intelligent beings, but the human brain can surpass computers in many ways. Where did your brain come from?

Factories are made by intelligent beings to manufacture a product. But who made the human reproductive system?

>>> Read HEBREWS 3:4. <<<

*14* As a house must have a maker, who ultimately built all things? Answer: The ultimate maker of all things is ______.

When you consider all the organs of the human body, then all the other plants and animals, the heavenly bodies, and all the complex laws of nature, is it reasonable to argue that all this came without intelligent planning?

Science is founded on the conviction that the universe is intelligible – it is so orderly and systematic that the human intelligence is able to grasp much about its working. Doesn’t this, of itself, prove that an intelligent Being invented it? And doesn’t the fact that much of its working is beyond our ability to understand and to duplicate, prove that the intelligent Being who made it is far superior to us?

Every effect must have an adequate cause! Evolution says that life began by blind chance and then random mutations produced all advanced life forms. The Bible, however, says that the all-wise, all-powerful, living God intentionally planned and created the universe and all the life forms in it. As you reach your verdict, you must determine which view is more reasonable and best fits the evidence.

*15* Every effect must have an adequate what? Answer: ______.

Witness #2: The Accuracy of the Bible

Although the Bible is a textbook on religion, it often touches on other subjects such as history, geography, or science. It was written 2000-3500 years ago, when scientific error abounded. Skeptics have searched it mercilessly to disprove it. But if, despite this, we find that it contains none of the common errors of its day – if it actually speaks truths that were unknown to scientists till centuries later – then this should strengthen our confidence that it is not from men but from God.

Consider the following examples in which the Bible has been proved to be accurate, even when “scholars” disagreed with it.

A. History and Geography

1. The Hittite nation

>>> Read 2 SAMUEL 11:3. <<<

*16* Uriah was of what nationality? Answer: Uriah was a ______.

The Bible often mentions Hittites (Gen. 15:19-21; Num. 13:29; Josh. 3:10), but for years skeptics said the Bible was wrong. Then in 1906, Hugo Winckler excavated Hattusa, the Hittite capital. We now know that, at its height, the Hittite civilization rivaled Egypt and Assyria in glory! (See Biblical World, pp. 290ff.)

2. Pithom and Raamses

>>> Read EXODUS 1:11. <<<

*17&18* Name the two cities the Israelites built in Egypt. Answer: They built ______ and ______.

The Bible says that Israelite slaves built these cities using bricks of clay mixed with straw, then clay and stubble, then clay alone (Exodus 5:10-21). In 1883, Naville examined the ruins of Pithom and found all three types of brick. (See Biblical World, pp. 458,459.)

3. The Book of Acts

Sir William Ramsay was a skeptic who sought to disprove Acts by tracing Paul’s journeys. Instead, his studies converted him! The turning point came when he proved that, contrary to accepted views, the Bible was right when it implied Iconium was in a different region from Lystra and Derbe (Acts 14:6). (See Archaeology and Bible History, Free, p. 317.)

Consider these quotations from prominent archeologists:

“…it may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted a Biblical reference. Scores of archaeological findings have been made which confirm in clear outline or in exact detail historical statements in the Bible. And, by the same token, proper evaluation of Biblical descriptions has often led to amazing discoveries.” – Dr. Nelson Glueck (Rivers in the Desert, p. 31)

“…archaeology has confirmed countless passages which have been rejected by critics as unhistorical or contradictory to known facts … Yet archaeological discoveries have shown that these critical charges … are wrong and that the Bible is trustworthy in the very statements which have been set aside as untrustworthy … We do not know of any cases where the Bible has been proved wrong.” – Dr. Joseph P. Free (Archaeology and Bible History, pp. 1,2,134)

B. Science

>>> Read ISAIAH 40:22. <<<

*19* What is the shape of the earth? (a) circle, (b) flat, (c) cylinder. Answer: ______.

Isaiah wrote this when men thought the earth was flat (“circle” = “a circle, sphere” – Gesenius). Today we have pictures taken from space to show the earth’s shape, but how did Isaiah know?

>>> Read JOB 26:7. <<<

*20* How is the earth held up? Answer: The earth hangs on ______.

Ancient men believed many errors. How did Job know the truth?

>>> Read PSALM 8:8. <<<

*21* Fish pass through what in the seas? Answer: They swim or pass through the ______ of the seas.

Men knew of no paths in the sea until Matthew Maury read this verse. He searched till he discovered the ocean currents, and became known as the Father of Oceanography. (Impact, 9/91, pp. 3,4).

>>> Read ECCLESIASTES 1:7. <<<

*22* What does this verse tell us about rivers? (a) rivers run to the sea, (b) the sea does not get fuller, (c) rivers go back where they were before, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

Today we understand how this happens by the water cycle and evaporation. How did Solomon know?

The Bible has contradicted unproved theories, but properly understood it has never contradicted any proved scientific fact. Yet it has often stated scientific truths centuries before men knew them.

While the Bible has been repeatedly proved accurate, those who criticize the Bible have been consistently unable to disprove it. This surely strengthens our faith in other Bible teachings.

(To be continued in lesson 2.)

Personal application questions:

(These questions are for you to ponder. Your answers will help us understand your thinking, however they will not affect your “score.”)

*23* Do you believe that the hypothesis of evolution agrees with the Bible? __________

*24* What is your reaction to the evidence in the lesson showing the accuracy of the Bible in history, geography, and science? _________

*25* Which view do you believe agrees best with what we observe in nature: evolution or creation? _________

Categorized in Daily Bible Study
Tags: Bible Study

Nov

Album Review

Canton Jones “Kingdom Business“
Arrow Records
Released: 2008
Review by: Holy Ridaz
Committee Rating: 4.02 (of 5)

4.02 (of 5)

Released in September of 2007 Canton Jones “Kingdom Business” is serious bizzness! If there is an intersection where the Church meets the block, “Kingdom Business” is it. “Kingdom Business”, CaJo’s fourth release, shows that Canton has been paying attention and taking notes along the way as he sitsin as both writer and producer on this project. As I listened to this cd I felt like I had been drawn into a corporate praise event. The beats and hooks of some of the songs were absolutely contagious.

In “Kingdom Business”, Canton Jones creates a unique blend of Praise and Worship and Attitude and Swagger. (Imagine that!) From start to finish there is a constant theme built on the Kingdom Agenda, however there are a few possibly problematic tracks for CaJo on this CD. (More later.) Fans of Canton Jones will not be disappointed. New comers will find plenty of reason to become a fan. The album contains a mix of bangin beats and mellow smooth r&b-type joints. Most of the
time Cajo keeps it moving, but he does actually slow it down a few times with a couple of intimate worship-type tracks, but the flow from track to track works for “Kingdom Business”.

The lyrical content is easy to comprehend and follow and most of the songs actually lure you into singing along. I mentioned before that there were a few possible problematic tracks on this projects. “24′s” is one of those tracks. As an analytical listener I could decipher that on this particular track CaJo is expressing that he can push a nice whip without having to compromise who he is or push drugs to do so. However, some listeners might just hear the repetitive hook, which continually repeats that they ride on 24′s, and the song mentions drop-tops and Lambo doors. In my opinion it might be a turn off for some listeners, and they may mistake the song for talking about material gain. As a result they might not lend their ear to hearing the message in this song. Another possible problematic track would be “Pimp Hard” which tells the story of a wanna be pimp who meets with a bad end. The message of the song is that no matter how cool thuggish, or how much of a pimp you think you are you you don’t posses enough game to out game God. Again, someone not listening closely might just hear the hook and think the song is about being a Pimp. Although I refer to these track as possibly problematic, I personally think that they fit in with the overall theme and flow of “Kingdom Business”.

Canton Jones shares the love on this project inviting a few friends to join in with him. Some of the friends joining CaJo are Big Ran, Mouthpiece, Joey, Messenja and Mr Holy South Himself Mr Del. “Kingdom Business” is a perfect counter-balance to most of the messages being promoted in the music world. It holds value for both believers and non-believers alike, and would be a welcome addition to any music
collection.

Of the 15 tracks on this CD I had several favorites “Hater Day” (which I’m thinking about making my theme song), “Kingdom Business” (really motivated me to pick up the pace and do what I can while I still can) and “The Professional” (the new Praiser’s Anthem).

Overall I personally rated this at 4.25 “Kingdom Business” is all that you would expect from a Grammy Award nominee. It is solid enough to serve as a blueprint for how to produce an Urban Gospel project, as it packs all of the power and potency of a Sunday Morning Service and then presents it with swagger that the block can feel and relate to. Ridaz will be pleased with this one as well as it has plenty of knock for those who like a little bang in the trunk.

Categorized in Music
Tags: Canton Jones, Christian music, Kingdom Business, Music

Nov

Daily Bible Study: Why Should You Believe in God, Jesus, and the Bible? – Part 2

Jesus Is Lord – Lesson #2

Introduction:

This lesson continues examining the evidence for God, Jesus, and the Bible. Please review lesson #1 before beginning.

Witness #3: The Unity of the Bible

The Bible includes 66 books written by 40 different men over 1500 years.

These were men of widely different generations, localities and backgrounds. There were kings, slaves, fisherman, physicians, etc. They lived in Israel, Babylon, Rome, etc., from 1400 BC to 100 AD.

But their writings, when collected, show no contradictions.

Paul does not disagree with Moses, John does not argue with David, etc., though they wrote on the most controversial subjects known to man. Instead, their teachings strengthen and support one another.

Some skeptics claim contradictions exist in the Bible, but ask them to produce one. Most will not even try! Usually they have never really studied the Bible, but are taking someone else’s word about it. Proper study can reconcile any supposed contradictions that are suggested.

Mere human wisdom could never achieve such unity.

*1* Consider religious teachers who write by human wisdom. How often do you find them completely agreeing among themselves? (a) they always agree on everything, (b) they usually agree, (c) complete agreement is rare. Answer: ______.

*2* If the 40 Bible writers, having such different backgrounds, do agree completely, what would this indicate? (a) they were not writing by their own wisdom, (b) the Bible must be the product of one supreme Mind, (c) God exists, (d) the Bible is God’s word, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

Witness #4: Fulfilled Prophecy

A. The Purpose of Prophecy

Prophecy proves that the true God exists.

>>> Read JAMES 4:14.<<<

*3* Can men consistently predict the future? (yes or no) Answer: ______.

>>> Read ISAIAH 41:21-23; 42:8,9. <<<

*4* What can God do that false gods cannot do? Answer: God can predict the ______.

*5* God refused to allow His praise to be given to whom? Answer: ______.

Only a Supreme Being can foretell the future accurately. If the God of the Bible can do this, then He must exist and must be the true God.

Prophecy shows which men were spokesmen for God.

>>> Read DEUTERONOMY 18:20-22. <<<

*6* If a man tries to predict the future and fails, what can we know? Answer: We can know that what he speaks is not from ______.

If the Bible writers could infallibly predict the future, surely this would indicate God was working through them. [See also Jer. 28:9.]

Prophecy proves that Jesus was God’s Son.

>>> Read LUKE 24:25-27,44. <<<

*7* What did Jesus say about Old Testament Scriptures? (a) they no longer have any value, (b) He was unable to understand them, (c) they spoke about Him and He fulfilled them, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

Jesus’ disciples often quoted Old Testament prophecy to prove that Jesus was the Messiah and that His claims must be true [cf. John 5:39; Acts 2:25-36; 3:18- 26; 10:43; 13:27-39].

B. Examples of Fulfilled Prophecy

Here are just a few of the hundreds of prophecies Jesus fulfilled:

SUBJECT	PROPHECY	FULFILLMENT
Place of birth: Bethlehem	Micah 5:2	Matthew 2:1-6
Lineage: Seed of David	Jeremiah 23:5	Acts 13:22,23
Virgin Birth	Isaiah 7:14	Matthew 1:18-25
Prophet, priest, and king	Deuteronomy 18:17-19 Psalm 110:1-4	Acts 3:20-23 Hebrews 7:17; 8:1
Fore-runner: John Baptist	Isaiah 40:3,4	Luke 3:2-5
Triumphal entry	Zechariah 9:9	Matthew 21:1-9
Death by crucifixion	Psalm 22:16-18; 34:20	John 19:18-37
Died for others’ guilt	Isaiah 53:4-12	1 Peter 2:21-25
Buried in rich man’s tomb	Isaiah 53:9	Matthew 27:57-60
Resurrection	Psalm 16:10	Acts 2:24-32

Though a man might fulfill one or two of these by coincidence, to fulfill all of them would be impossible except by plan of God.

In addition, the Bible often accurately predicted the future of nations and cities such as Israel (Deut. 28:15-64), Tyre (Ezek. 26:3-14), Nineveh (Zeph. 2:13-15), and Babylon (Isa. 13:19-21; Jer. 51:37-58).

Mere men, writing by their own human wisdom, could never have predicted the future like this, but the Bible writers did so time and again. This witness testifies that God exists and that He spoke through these men. Since Jesus fulfilled these prophecies, He must be the Messiah, the King, the Prophet, and Savior God sent into the world.

Witness #5: Miracles

A. Examples of Miracles

A miracle, according to the Bible, is not just any unusual event, nor would an event be called a miracle just because God caused it. A miracle is an event that is impossible by natural law, but is brought to pass by the supernatural power of God. For each passage below, state in the answer blank what miraculous event occurred.

>>> Read JOHN 11:38-44 (cf. Acts 9:36ff).

*8* The miracle was: Jesus raised a man from the ______.

>>> Read MATTHEW 14:22-33 (cf. 8:23-27).

*9&10* The miracle was: Jesus ______ on the ______.

>>> Read MATTHEW 14:14-21 (cf. 15:32-38).

*11* The miracle was: Jesus fed (give a number) ______ men with five loaves and two fish.

Jesus also instantaneously and completely healed all kinds of diseases such as leprosy, blindness, deafness, lameness, withered hands, etc. (John 4:46-54; 5:1-9; 9:1-11,30-38; Acts 3:1-20; 4:22; 14:8-10; 5:12-16; 19:11,12; 9:32-35; Mk. 2:1-12, etc.).

B. The Purpose of Miracles

>>>Read JOHN 5:36. <<<

*12* What did Jesus say His works proved? (a) that the Father sent Him, (b) that He was a skilled magician, (c) that God will do miracles today for anyone who loves Him. Answer: ______.

>>>Read ACTS 14:3. <<<

*13* What purpose was served by the miracles done through Paul? (a) they made Paul wealthy, (b) they proved the Lord spoke through Paul, (c) they proved everybody can do miracles, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

People need a way to distinguish God’s true spokesmen from false teachers. This was the purpose of miracles – they “confirmed the word” (Mark 16:20). If men claimed to be directly guided by God and they could do works that could occur only by the power of God, then people would know God was working in those men and they would believe their message (Heb. 2:3,4; Acts 2:22; John 20:30,31; 4:48; 2 Cor. 12:12).

C. Evidence that Miracles Occurred

Since Jesus and His apostles are not personally in our presence, how can we today reach a verdict whether or not miracles were really performed? We must call the witnesses.

1. The Bible contains testimony from many eyewitnesses to confirm that miracles occurred (John 20:30,31 – note the many examples listed above). Remember that the Bible has been proved to be historically trustworthy.

2. Even the enemies of the gospel testified that Jesus and His apostles did miracles.

>>>Read ACTS 4:16.

*14* What did the rulers say Peter and John had done? Answer: They had done a great ______.

>>> Read JOHN 11:47. <<<

*15* What did the rulers say Jesus did? Answer: They said He did many ______.

Whether friend or foe, no one who really saw the works of Jesus and His apostles could deny that miracles were done. Their testimony becomes evidence on which we can base our faith (cf. Matt. 12:22-24; Acts 8:5-13; 13:10-13; Ex. 8:17-19; 1 Kings 18:17-39).

Miracles are God’s stamp of approval on the teaching of Jesus and the Bible writers. This witness testifies that there is a God who possesses supernatural power. Since Bible writers did miracles, they must have been guided by God’s power. And since Jesus did miracles, His claims also must be valid: He was the Son of God.

Witness #6: The Resurrection

>>> Read ROMANS 1:4. <<<

*16&17* The resurrection declared Jesus to be who? Answer: He was declared to be the ______ of ______ by the resurrection from the dead.

The resurrection is God’s proof that Jesus is His Son. It is the greatest of all miracles in that, if we accept it, all other Bible miracles are easy to accept. Yet if we reject the resurrection, the other miracles will not matter, since we cannot be saved if we reject the resurrection (cf. Rom. 10:9,10; John 20:28-31).

A. The Facts Surrounding Jesus’ Death

>>>Read 1 CORINTHIANS 15:3-8. <<<

*18,19,&20* List in historical order three facts Paul preached about Jesus in verses 3,4. Answers: Jesus ______, He was ______, and He ______on the third day.

*21* Verses 5-8 list how many times that Jesus appeared to people after His resurrection? Answer: (give a number) ______ times.

The four gospel accounts confirm the following facts. Remember that the Bible is historically trustworthy. Virtually everyone concedes these events to be true:

1. Jesus was beaten, nailed to the cross, and pierced by a spear.
2. Roman soldiers examined His body to be sure He was dead.
3. His disciples prepared His body for burial and placed it in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea.
4. Jews sealed the tomb and placed soldiers to guard it.
5. On the third day afterwards, the body was gone.
6. Many people claimed they had seen Jesus alive again.
7. The disciples began to preach that His resurrection proved He was Christ (Acts 1:3; 2:24-36; 3:15, etc.).

Any explanation offered for these events must account for all the facts. Especially one must explain the empty tomb and the eyewitness testimony of those who claimed to see Jesus alive. (Note the accounts in Matt. 27 and 28; Mark 15 and 16; Luke 23 and 24; John 18-21; and Acts 1.)

B. Possible Explanations for the Evidence

1. The theory that the disciples stole the body.

The soldiers were paid to say this (Matt. 28:11-15), but consider:

* This involves men testifying about what happened while they slept! Should we accept this as valid testimony?

* How did the disciples evade the guards who were there to prevent the theft of the body? Note: the punishment for losing a prisoner, especially while sleeping on duty, was death (cf. Acts 12:19; 16:27). If this really had happened, would the soldiers admit it?

* What motive would the disciples have for this? They were persecuted and most died for preaching the resurrection. None gained power, riches, or pleasure. Yet none ever denied his testimony regarding the resurrection. Why do this if they knew it was a lie?

* How would this explain the personal appearances of the body, especially to foes and doubters like Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9) and Thomas (John 20:26ff)?

2. The theory that Jesus did not really die but only “swooned” on the cross and then later recovered in the tomb.

* How can this explain the testimony of the Roman soldiers, the centurion, and the disciples who embalmed Jesus, all of whom said He was dead (John 19:32-34,38-42; Mk. 15:44,45)?

* Jesus had been scourged, crucified, and pierced by a spear. He was three days in the tomb without food, water, or medication. How could He revive, roll away the huge stone, evade the guards, walk the length of Palestine, and still appear healthy enough to convince the skeptical disciples that He was resurrected? This would be a miracle almost as great as the resurrection!

* Would the character of Jesus allow this? Remember, this would make Him a liar and blasphemer.

3. The theory that the disciples had “hallucinations” and only imagined they saw Jesus alive after the crucifixion.

* What happened to the body? This theory would mean it would still be in the tomb where the enemies could bring it forth to disprove the claims of a resurrection.

* Were the disciples in a state of mind to hallucinate? People who hallucinate see what they expect to see, but the disciples did not expect to see Jesus alive again. They did not even believe when they did see (Mark 16:11-14; Luke 24:11). Did doubting Thomas and unbelieving Saul hallucinate too?

* How does this explain the number and nature of the appearances? How could so many people have the same hallucination, many of them at the same time? The tone is factual and historical. The witnesses saw, heard, and handled the body (Luke 24:39; John 20:26-29).

None of these theories fit the evidence. The only reasonable verdict is that Jesus presented Himself alive “by many infallible proofs” (Acts 1:3). He truly was raised from the dead. Therefore, He truly is the Divine Son of God, just as He claimed.

Conclusion

The witnesses have now testified, and you must reach your verdict. Remember that the verdict other people reach is not nearly so important to you as the verdict you reach. Your eternal destiny depends on your decision. In order to conclude honestly that God does not exist, the Bible is not God’s word, and Jesus is not God’s Son, here is what you must do:

1. Explain the existence of the universe without God to create it. What reasonable explanation is there?
2. Disprove the accuracy of the Bible. Skeptics have tried this for centuries without success.
3. Disprove the unity of the Bible. Again, this has been tried repeatedly and unsuccessfully.
4. Explain the fulfilled prophecies. What explanation can there be, other than that the writers were inspired by God?
5. Disprove the miracles. But even Jesus’ enemies in the first century could not do this!
6. Disprove the resurrection. What explanation can you give?

What verdict will you reach? Do you believe God exists, the Bible is God’s word, and Jesus Christ is the divine Son of God?

Personal application questions:

(These questions are for you to ponder. Your answers will help us understand your thinking, however they will not affect your “score.”)

*22* How convincing do you find the evidence we presented regarding the existence of God? _________

*23* If Jesus was not the Son of God as he claimed to be, do you believe He could have fulfilled prophecy and done miracles as the Bible says He did? _________

*24* Can you think of an alternative explanation which would fit the facts following Jesus’ death without His being resurrected? _________

*25* State what you believe about the inspiration of the Bible. _________

Resources

The following books were especially helpful in preparing this study and will be helpful to you in further study:

Indestructible Foundations, by Peter Wilson.
Internal Evidences of Christianity, by Homer Hailey.
Introduction to Christian Evidences, by Ferrell Jenkins.
Twilight of Evolution, by Henry M. Morris.

See also Biblical World, edited by Charles W. Pfieffer, distributed by Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1966.

Categorized in Daily Bible Study
Tags: bible, Bible Study

Nov

Biblical Health Principles

The Bible rates health right near the top of the list in importance (3 John 1:2). Man’s mind, spiritual nature, and body are all interrelated and interdependent. God gave health rules because He knows what is best for the body (Deuteronomy 6:24, Exodus 23:25). A bondservant of Christ should eat and drink all to the glory of God – using only “that which is good” (Isaiah 55:2, 1Corinthians 10:31). If God says a thing is not fit to eat, He must have a good reason. He is not a harsh dictator, but a loving Father. All His counsel is for our good, always. So if God withholds a thing from us, it is because it is not a good thing for us (Psalm 84:11). The diet God gave people at the beginning of Creation was fruit, vegetables, grains, nuts, and seeds (Genesis 1:29, 2:16; 3:18).

These items are unclean and forbidden: All land animals which do not have a split hoof and chew the cud (Deuteronomy 14:6); all fish and water creatures that do not have both fins and scales (Deuteronomy 14:9); all birds of prey, carrion eaters, and fish eaters (Leviticus 11:13-19), and most “creeping things” (or invertebrates) are also unclean (Leviticus 11:21-23, 41-43). Also, if a clean food touches any unclean food, the clean food must not be eaten (Leviticus 7:19, Haggai 2:12-13).

The Bible clearly forbids the use of alcoholic beverages to induce drunkenness (Leviticus 10:9, Deuteronomy 21:10; 29:19, 1Samuel 1:14, 1Kings 16:9-10, Psalm 69:2, Proverbs 20:1; 21:17; 23:20-21,29-35; 26:9; 31:4-7, Isaiah 5:11-12,22; 19:14; 24:9,11; 28:1,3,7; 56:12, Jeremiah 25:27, Ezekiel 44:21, Hosea 4:11; 7:5,14, Joel 1:5; 3:3, Amos 2:8,12, Micah 2:11, Nahum 1:10, Habakkuk 2:5,15-16, Matthew 24:49, Luke 12:45; 21:34, Romans 13:13, 1Corinthians 5:11; 6:9-10, Galatians 5:19-21, Ephesians 5:18, 1 Thes.5:7, 1 Peter 4:7). Strong drink, by itself, is not unclean. It is only when one abuses strong drink that it’s condemned. God himself gave His approval of strong drink (Deuteronomy 14:26), and therefore cannot be evil in itself. At a marriage feast, Jesus performed the miracle of changing water into wine (John 2:1-11), which He would not have done if it was sinful to drink wine. Drunkenness is condemned, not wine.

Some of the simple, yet very important, health laws found in the Bible are to:

Eat your meals at regular intervals (Ecclesiastes 10:17).
Don’t overeat (Proverbs 23:2, Luke 21:34).
Make mealtime a happy time (Ecclesiastes 3:13).
Don’t harbor envy or hold grudges (Proverbs 14:30, Matthew 5:23,24).
Maintain a cheerful, happy disposition (Proverbs 17:22; 23:7).
Balance work and exercise with sleep and rest (Exodus 20:9,10, Ecclesiastes 2:22,23; 5:12, Psalm 127:2).
Keep your body clean (Isaiah 52:11).
Be temperate in all things (1 Corinthians 9:25, Philippians 4:5).
Avoid all harmful stimulants [Note: Medical science has confirmed the fact that coffee, and soft drinks that contain the addictive drug caffeine and other harmful ingredients are all positively damaging to the body]
Help those who are in need (Isaiah 58:6-8).
Bury body waste to avoid disease (Deuteronomy 23:12-13). [Note: This is obviously for health reasons, because history and science has shown that if this was not done, diseases would spread and people would die from them]
Avoid eating animals that were strangled (Acts 15:20,29; 21:25).
Avoid eating animals that die by themselves (Leviticus 17:15; 22:8, Deuteronomy 14:21, Ezekiel 4:14). Do not boil a young animal in its mother’s milk (Deuteronomy 14:21).
Do not eat animal fat or blood (Genesis 9:4, Leviticus 3:17; 7:23-27; 17:10-14, Deuteronomy 12:16). [Note: Recent scientific studies have confirmed the fact that most heart attacks result from a high cholesterol level in the blood -and that the use of "fats" is largely responsible for this high level. Also, the blood can transfer diseases. Science is just catching up with the Bible. ]
Put full trust in the Lord (Proverbs 4:20-22; 19:23).

Those who break God’s rules regarding the care of the body machine will reap broken bodies and burned-out lives (Galatians 6:7), just as one who abuses his automobile will have serious car trouble. And those who continue to break God’s laws of health will ultimately be destroyed by the Lord (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). God’s health laws are not arbitrary. They are natural, established laws of the universe, like the law of gravity. Ignoring these laws always brings certain disastrous results.

Nothing defiling or unclean will be permitted in God’s kingdom (Revelation 21:27, Ezekiel 11:21). The use of improper foods defile a man (Daniel 1:8). Choosing their “own ways” and that in which God “delighted not” shall be slain by the Lord (Isaiah 66:3-4), especially eating pork & swine’s flesh (Isaiah 66:15-17), because it’s considered rebellion against God.

Sincere bondservant’s of Christ will bring their lives into harmony with God’s rules, because they love Him (2 Corinthians 7:1, 1 John 3:3, John 14:15). God’s counsel and rules are always for our good, just as good parents’ rules and counsel are best for their children. God holds us accountable (James 4:17). The reason for restricting our diet is because we are the holy children of God (Deuteronomy 14:1-3).

Take all of these habits to Christ and lay them at His feet. He will joyfully give you a new heart and the power you need to break any evil habit and become a child of God (Eze.11:18,19). How thrilling and heartwarming it is to know that “with God all things are possible” (Mark 10:27). Jesus says, “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). Jesus is ready to break the shackles that bind us (John 1:12). He longs to set us free, and will, if only we will permit it. Our worries, evil habits, nervous tensions, and fears will be gone when we do His bidding (Philippians 4:13). He says, “These things have I spoken unto you … that your joy might be full” (John 15:11). The devil says freedom is found in disobedience, but this is a falsehood (John 8:44).

Your Questions Answered

1) “Are health laws and eating and drinking really important to me personally? If I love the Lord, isn’t that enough?”

Answer: They are a matter of life verses death, because these laws involve obedience (Hebrews 5:9, Matthew 7:21, John 14:15). When we truly love the Lord, we will gladly obey Him without dodging or making excuses. This is the supreme test.

2) “What did God make the hog for, if not to eat?”

Answer: He made it for the same purpose that He made the buzzard, shrimp, and crab – as a scavenger, to clean up garbage. They are God’s sewerage disposal system. Contrary to this, the clean beasts are “ruminants.” their bodies are designed to eat things that are unclean (such as a lizard) without taking on that uncleanness into their own flesh (cows for instance, have four compartments in their stomach in which to digest their food in this way). The unclean beasts are not ruminants, so the unclean foods they eat stay in their flesh. Pigs eat excrement, it merges with their flesh, which then enters us.

3) “What health problems does pork pose?”

Answer: First, pork is loaded with saturated fats, the highest meat in fats, and filled with cholesterol. Second, cancer in the pig’s skin, kidneys, the lymphatic system and other internal organs is common. The more cancer affects animals, the more (scientists tell us) that there is potential to affect man. Third, pork products are regularly preserved with nitrates that are known to be cancer-causing compounds. Fourth, pork contributes to numerous digestive and stomach problems. And fifth, Pork contains trichina larvae, and trichinosis can be a major problem, it kills people. You eat the pork, the trichina larvae enter the stomach, and as the eggs hatch in the stomach, they invade muscles and tissues. Sometimes it shows up as rheumatism or arthritis.

4) “Mark 7:18-19 and Matthew 15:11 says, “Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out.” How do you explain this?”

Answer: If Jesus had intended to do away with the law of unclean meats, His listeners could not have missed the point. If He had made a statement that all foods are now clean, it would have created one of the biggest controversies of His ministry. Did His listeners understand Jesus to he abrogating the Old Testament dietary laws? There were Pharisees present when Jesus made the statement. How would we expect them to respond if Jesus had plainly said that swine’s flesh was good for food? There is not a hint in the account that they understood Jesus that way. If they had, they would not have needed to hire false witnesses against Jesus at His trial (Matthew 26:59-60, Mark 14:56-57). They could have simply charged Him with speaking against Moses and the Law. But no such charge was ever made!

The subject in Matthew 15:1-20 is eating without first washing the hands (verse 2). The focus is not eating, but washing. The scribes taught that eating any food without a special ceremonial washing defiled the eater. Jesus said the ceremonial washings were meaningless. In verse 19, He listed certain evils – murders, adulteries, thefts, etc. Then He concluded, “These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man” (verse 20).

5) “What about “Whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake” in 1 Corinthians 10:27?”

Answer: 1 Corinthians 10:25-29 says that “anything that is sold in the market eat, and ask no questions for conscience sake. If an unbeliever invites you [for dinner] and you consent to go, eat whatever is put before you and ask no questions for conscience sake [but, of course, you can ask questions for health sake, and many already do: low sodium diets, fat-free diets, allergies etc.]. But if anyone tells you, ‘This food has been offered in sacrifice’, abstain from eating it for the sake of him who warned you, and for conscience sake – I mean his conscience, not your own”. The point this passage is making is that it is best to courteously warn your host ahead of time as to your food preferences.

Besides, the above passages are in reference only to meats “offered in sacrifice” (1 Corinthians 10:28). Only clean animals were offered in sacrifices, never unclean animals. In the sacrifices, usually only a part of the animal was consumed. The rest was given to the priest or sold again in the market. Anyone might therefore unknowingly purchase meats offered to idols, and Paul was saying that it was okay to eat meat that was offered in sacrifice.

Remember that the apostle Paul was writing to folowers of Christ whose sole “Scripture” was what we term the Old Testament! His teaching to the Corinthian Church was founded on the writings of the Old Testament. They were thoroughly familiar with the division of food into “clean and unclean”! As Paul wrote to Timothy: “Cling to the truths that you have learned and of which you are convinced, knowing who your teachers were, and that from infancy you have known the sacred writings which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is profitable for instruction in righteousness:” (2 Timothy 3:14-17). With their respect for the Old Testament, it would take some convincing that Paul was telling them to flaunt God’s Laws! Especially in view of Jesus’ attitude to God’s Law – “I have not come to destroy [abolish] the Law” (Matthew 5:17).

6) “1 Timothy 4:4 says, “Every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused.” Can you explain this?”

Answer: This Scripture passage refers to meats “which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving” (verse 3). Therefore, it may be presumed that He created things which were not to be received as food. These meats, as we have already discovered, are the meats listed in Leviticus chapter 11 and Deuteronomy chapter 14. Verse 4 makes it clear that all creatures of God are good and not to be refused, provided that they are among those created to “be received with thanksgiving” (the clean animals).

Verse 5 tells the reason why these animals are acceptable foods: because they are “sanctified [set apart] by the word of God.” Where in the Bible are foods “set apart” for consumption? In Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14. Paul did not say that everything created by God was good for food without qualification. This verse also says it is sanctified by a “prayer” of blessing, which is offered before the meal. Please note, however, that God will destroy people who try to “sanctify themselves” while eating unclean foods (Isaiah 66:17).

7) “Some people claim that to abstain from certain meats is a “doctrine of demons”. Is this true?

Answer: There is one reference to this subject in Paul’s letters. It is his warning to Timothy (I Timothy 4:1-5), he said, “Many shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons.” One of these “doctrines of demons” is “commanding to abstain from meats, which God has created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.”

What, precisely, does this mean? Well, it is important to note that this is not merely a discussion of eating meat. The term, “meat” does not mean animal flesh, but food in general. The Greek word is broma, which means “food”. Upon taking a closer look, this cannot refer to a command not to eat the “unclean meats” of Leviticus 11. If it did, it would be tantamount to calling Leviticus 11 a doctrine of demons! And as we all know, Leviticus 11 is a doctrine of God.

8) “Romans 14:3,14,20 says: “Let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth.” “There is nothing unclean of itself.” “All things indeed are pure.” Can you explain this?”

Answer: Verses 3-6 are a discussion of those who eat certain things versus those who do not. The passage does not say either is right, but rather counsels that neither pass judgment on the other. Instead, let God be the Judge (verses 4,10-12). Verses 14 and 20 refer to foods that were first offered to idols (and were thus ceremonially unclean) – not to the clean and unclean meats of Leviticus chapter 11. (Read 1 Corinthians 8:1,4,10,13). The point of this discussion is that no food is “unclean” or “impure” just because it has first been offered to idols, because an idol is “nothing in the world” (1 Corinthians 8:4). But if a someone’s conscience bothers him for eating such food, he should leave it alone. Or even if it merely offends a brother, he should likewise abstain. Compare the similarity of Romans 14:15 with 1 Corinthians 8:11. Also, compare the use of the term “weak” in Romans 14:1-2 with 1 Corinthians 8:7-12. If you read Acts 15:29; 21:25, you will see it confirms all the above.

9) “Genesis 9:3 says, “Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you, even as the green herb have I given you all things.” So didn’t God say all animals are food for them?”

Answer: This is when God first allowed man to eat meats. God did not tell Noah to eat all animals, because this verse likens meat to green herbs, all of which God gave man to eat (Genesis 1:29). We all know there are green plants which are deadly if eaten, and we wouldn’t consider eating them.

God intended for Noah’s family to eat only clean animals, which is why God commanded Noah to gather the clean animals by 7, and the unclean animals by 2 (Genesis 7:2). In fact, if Noah did kill any unclean animal, that species would have ceased to exist, since there were only 2 of each unclean animal. Which is why Noah only used clean animals when making burnt offerings on the altar (Genesis 8:20). Besides, if literally all “moving things“, are meat for us, are not men and women living things? I’m sure you wouldn’t eat your neighbor! We must interpret scripture with scripture (Isaiah 28:9-10).

Even Abel sacrificed “the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions” (Genesis 4:4) and – as with many of the types of sacrifice – it’s likely that he would have eaten a portion of it as part of the “sacrificial fellowship” with God. These sacrifices were of the ‘clean’ animals only, or cattle (Genesis 18:7ff).

10) “But God did not describe which plants are poisonous in Genesis 9:3. He allowed man to discern which plants are good. Likewise, some animals are not good for food, and God allowed Noah and his descendants to discern which were good for food.”

Answer: This is speculation, and contradicts the fact that God has identified these good foods for us in His dietary laws. There is a difference between plants and animals. Plants do not have blood, or a soul. The life (nephesh, which means “soul”) of living creatures is in the blood (Leviticus 17:10-14). This is why this command applies to the “stranger” (all people) as well, and not just to the Jews, and why it was commanded to Noah (Genesis 9:4), before Israel or Jews existed in the world. You see, there seems to be a righteous issue involved here. It is not righteously wrong to eat a plant, because plants have no soul. But “moving creatures” do have a soul, the life of which is in the blood.

11) “Doesn’t the law of unclean foods apply to Jewish people only?”

Answer: There were no Jews in Noah’s day when this restriction was laid by God upon all men (Genesis 7:2,8; 9:3). Ponder this significant fact carefully: if certain animals were identified as unclean before the flood (Genesis 7:2,8); if they were still counted as unclean when Peter rejected them in his vision 10-20 years after Christ’s death (Acts 10:14; 11:8); if they are still called unclean in Revelation 18:2, where it speaks of “unclean” birds; and if Isaiah said that all those who are eating swine (such as pork, ham, bacon, sausages, hot-dogs, baloney, pepperoni) at the coming of the Lord will be consumed with fire (Isaiah 66:15-17), how can we feel that they are now fit to eat? When did they become clean?

Notice this last passage well (Isaiah 66:15-17). God said those who eat unclean meats will be consumed with fire by Him. Also, look at:

Leviticus 20:25, “Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean.”

God said anyone who eats unclean meats is abominable!

12) “How did Jesus feel about Swine (Pork)?”

Answer: First, let’s review a principle which appeared often in the ministry of our Lord. He was never wasteful. In fact, He commanded the gathering of all the scraps of food following the feeding of the multitudes. On two occasions, Christ specifically ordered that nothing be thrown away. The Scriptures even detail the exact number of baskets of food which were salvaged from the two mountain-side miracle feedings – twelve and seven. (Luke 9:17, Mark 8:20).

With this firm principle in mind concerning our Lord’s disposition to conserve every tiny bit of edible food, please consider His experience with the inhabitants of Gadara. Jesus had just cast out devils, and transferred them inside a herd of 2000 swine and drowned them (Matthew 8:30-32, Mark 5:11-14, Luke 8:32-33). Keep in mind there was a famine around this time and people were starving (Acts 11:28). Why did Jesus precipitate the wholesale destruction of that valuable herd of animals? Because Jesus did not consider swine to be suitable for food! It is impossible to believe that our compassionate Saviour would needlessly allow such a waste of resources when the hungry and needy were on every side. We can only conclude that Jesus did not view the animals, which His Father had declared an abomination, as acceptable items of diet.

13) “But didn’t God cleanse all animals in Peter’s vision, as recorded in Acts 10?”

Answer: No! In fact, the subject of this vision is not animals, but people. God gave Peter this vision to show him that the Gentiles were not unclean, as the Jews believed. God had instructed Cornelius, a Gentile, to send men to visit Peter. But Peter would have refused to see them if God had not given him this vision, because Jewish law forbade entertaining Gentiles (verse 28). But when the men finally did arrive, Peter welcomed them, explaining that ordinarily he would not have done so, but “God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean” (verse 28). In the next chapter (Acts 11), the church members criticized Peter for speaking with these Gentiles. So Peter told them the whole story of his vision and its meaning. And Acts 11:18 says, “When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.” So, Peter interprets this vision as pertaining to Gentiles, not animals.

14) “But in Acts 10, how could Peter have understood that the unclean beasts referred to the Gentiles if the unclean beasts in his vision were not literally made clean?”

Answer: Peter understood this vision because the comment from the Holy Spirit in Acts 10:19-20 allowed Peter to finally interpret what his vision meant. Remember, this is a vision, a dream, and a dream does not have to be literally true in order for it to be understood. For example, look at Genesis 37:5-10. When Joseph dreamed that his “sheaf arose, and stood upright”, and his brother’s sheaves bowed down to Joseph’s’ sheaf (verse 7), did his brothers sheaves literally have to bow down to Joseph’s’ sheaf before they understood that the sheaves were symbolic of his brothers? No, of course not. When Joseph dreamed that “the sun and the moon and the eleven stars” bowed down to Joseph (verse 9), did the sun, moon, and stars literally have to bow down to Joseph before they understood that his symbols applied to his mother, father, and brothers? No, of course not. So why would the unclean meats have to be made literally clean before Peter understood these beasts were symbolic of the Gentiles?

15) “I’m still a little confused about this chapter. Can you give a breakdown of Acts 10, verse by verse?”

Acts 10:1-2: Cornelius was a Gentile, but a devout man. He feared God, prayed to God, and wished to know more about God. What this means is that the Holy Spirit called Cornelius to reverence God, because no man can come to God unless the Holy Spirit draws him to God (John 6:44).

Verses 3-6: shows that Cornelius’ desire to be shown the way to salvation was met. God sent him a vision of an angel to instruct him as to whom he should seek to be taught these things: Peter! At this time, Peter would not teach, or have anything to do with, a Gentile. Peter looked on Gentiles as unclean because they didn’t keep the clean food laws, making themselves unclean, abominable, and defiled (Leviticus 11:43). Gentiles were considered as dogs or swine, because they ate all manner of unclean beasts.

But remember, Cornelius was not one who broke God’s Laws. Verse 2 says he was striving to reverence God. Peter was brought up in the Laws of God, and he knew and kept the Dietary Laws of the clean and unclean meats. The angel instructed Cornelius to go to Peter for instruction and knowledge.

Verses 11-14: is the vision. Notice in verse 14 that Peter himself states that he has never eaten anything unclean. This was some 10-20 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus. If Jesus taught Peter to eat unclean meats, why had Peter not eaten it?

Verse 15: is still part of the vision, and says, “Do not call anything unclean that God has made clean.” But just what does this vision mean? The vision contained all manner of unclean beasts. Did Peter jump up and down and shout for joy that he could now eat all these cleansed animals?

Verse 17: has Peter still wondering what this vision meant. Peter had no idea what his vision meant at this point. (Some people think they know what this vision means, but let’s have Peter tell us, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit…)

Verse 19-20: While Peter wondered about this vision, the Holy Spirit said to him, “three men seek thee.” These three men were the men Cornelius sent to find Peter (verse 8). This comment from the Holy Spirit allowed Peter to finally interpret what his vision meant. We are told the interpretation of this dream. It is made clear in Acts 10:28.

Verse 22: Notice Cornelius is a “just man” and had a good report among the Jews. Anyone living contrary to all or any one of God’s Laws, including the Dietary Laws of the clean and unclean beasts, would not have any good report with any Jew.

Verse 27: Many had come together to hear what Peter had to tell them.

Verse 28: We are told what Peter’s vision actually meant, “…God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.” This verifies that it was considered unlawful for a Jew, even one who accepted Jesus as the Messiah and Saviour, to keep company with a Gentile, no matter how observant that Gentile was of God’s Laws. The vision was not to show Peter that all beasts are now clean, but to show that any man, no matter what race or color or nationality he might be, when he turns to Jesus and becomes clean, he is no longer to be considered common or unclean.

Verses 34-35: Again, Peter explains what is commanded thee of God in verse 33. “But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” Again, confirming that no man is unclean who believes in God.

Verse 48: Peter then “commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord”. Before this time, repentance was considered to have only been given to the Jews. Afterwards, it was accepted that God had granted repentance to the Gentile nations as well.

In the next chapter (Acts 11), the church members disputed and criticized Peter for speaking with these Gentiles. So Peter told them the whole story of his vision and its meaning. Acts 11:18 repeats the biblical interpretation of this vision. It says, “When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.” This vision made Gentiles clean, it did not make the unclean beasts clean. We must let scripture interpret scripture.

16) “What was the penalty if one ate an unclean animal?”

Answer: Some sins required people to bathe themselves and their clothes in water (Numbers 19:19-20 – all the washings and sprinklings under Levitical institutions were designed to teach the necessity of the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost – Titus 3:3-7), but at the end of the year, an animal would be killed for those sins (Exodus 30:10, Leviticus 16:34, Hebrews 7:27; 9:7).

As far as eating unclean animals, anyone who came in contact with any thing unclean was to wash their clothes and themselves in clean water, and were considered unclean till the evening (Leviticus 11:24-31), then blood would be shed at the end of the year for those sins as well. However, if somebody touched an unclean animal through ignorance, and he was not aware at the time that it was wicked, then he was guilty (Leviticus 5:2), and he had sinned (Leviticus 5:5), and since he did not wash himself in water that very day, he must now shed the blood of an animal immediately (Leviticus 5:6-13).

Additional thoughts

Obviously somebody has to touch dead bodies, clean up blood after a traffic accident, and treat patients with skin diseases. Breaking the cleanness laws is not automatically a sin, but there are penalties. In ancient times, the usual penalty was that you became “unclean until sunset” (Leviticus 11, Numbers 19). This meant that you were not allowed to enter the Temple that day. This was not a severe penalty, unless you were a priest on duty. This is probably one of the rationalizations that the priest used in the parable of the Good Samaritan when he “passed by on the other side” (Luke 10:31). So uncleanness was a short term inconvenience. However, we can now see that there are also long-term penalties not mentioned in the Bible. For instance touching HIV-infected blood is a major hazard for medical personal.

Conclusion

In the Middle Ages, Jews were accused of sorcery because they escaped many of the sicknesses that afflicted others. It is now known that this was because they observed the laws of “cleanness”. The laws of uncleanness also include other (obvious to us) instructions such as avoiding contact with blood, contaminated water, skin diseases, rats and fleas, and not touching dead bodies. Isn’t it logical that a God who created and loves mankind will also have given guidance on the best “fuel” for his body?

Unclean meats of the Bible

Land Creatures

Swine – Boar, Peccary, Pig (Hog), Bacon, Ham, Lard, Pork.
Canine – Coyote, Dog, Fox, Hyena, Jackal, Wolf.
Feline – Cat, Cheetah, Leopard, Lion, Panther, Tiger.
Equine – Donkey, Horse, Mule, Onager, Quagga, Zebra.
Miscine Munimus – Badger, Coney, Hare, Monkey, Opossum, Porcupine, Raccoon, Skunk, Squirrel.
Miscine Maximus – Bear, Camel, Elephant, Gorilla, Hippo, Kangaroo, Lama, Rhino, Wallaby, Chevrotain.

Water Creatures

Fish – Catfish, Eel, Marlin, Shark, Sturgeon.
Hard Body – Abalone, Clam, Crab, Crayfish, Lobster, Mussel, Prawn, Oyster, Scallop, Shrimp.
Soft Body- Cuttlefish, Jellyfish, Limpet, Octopus, Squid.
Sea Mammals – Dolphin, Otter, Seal, Walrus, Whale.
Others – Crocodile, Turtle, Frog, Newt, Salamander, Toad, Lizard.

Air Creatures

Albatross, Bat, Bittern, Condor, Cormorant, Crane, Crow, Cuckoo, Eagle, Flamingo, Grosbeak, Gull, Hawk, Heron, Kite, Lapwing, Loon, Osprey, Ostrich, Owl, Woodpecker, Pelican, Penguin, Plover, Raven, Stork, Swallow, Swan, Swift, Vulture, Water Hen.

Clean meats of the Bible

Land Creatures

Cattle – Beef, Hamburger, Veal.
Sheep – Lamb, Mutton.
Others – Antelope, Buffalo (Bison), Caribou, Deer (Venison), Elk, Gazell, Giraffe, Goat, Hart, Ibex, Moose, Reindeer, Locust.

Water Creatures

Anchovy, Bass, Bluefish, Carp, Cod, Croppie, Flounder, Grouper, Grunt, Haddock, Halibut, Herring, Mackerel, Minnow, Perch, Pickerel, Pike, Rockfish, Salmon, Shad, Smelt, Snapper, Sole, Steelhead, Sunfish, Tarpon, Tuna (Albacore, Bonita, Yellowtail).

Air Creatures

Chickens, Dove, Duck, Goose, Grouse, Guinea Hen, Partridge, Peacock, Pheasant, Pigeon, Songbird, Sparrow, Quail, Turkey.

Exodus 15:26, “…if thou wilt indeed hear the voice of the LORD thy God, and do things pleasing before him, and will hearken to his commands, and keep all his ordinances, no disease…shall I bring upon thee, for I am the LORD thy God that heals thee.”

Exodus 23:25, “And thou shalt serve the LORD thy God, and I will bless thy bread and thy wine and thy water, and I will turn away sickness from you.”

Deuteronomy 7:12,15, “And it shall come to pass when ye shall have heard these ordinances, and shall have kept and done them, that…the LORD thy God shall remove from thee all sickness.”

Psalm 103:2-4 (Psalm 102:2-4 – LXX), “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His praises. Who forgives all thy transgressions, who heals all thy diseases; He redeems thy life from corruption; who crowns thee with mercy and compassion.”

Jeremiah 30:17 (Jeremiah 37:17 – LXX), “For I will bring about thy healing, I will heal thee of thy grievous wound, saith the LORD.”

Categorized in Health
Tags: Christian health, Health, Natural Health

Nov

Daily Bible Study:How Can We Learn Jesus’ Will?

Introduction:

In our last lesson we learned that we should honor Jesus as the Lord of our lives. He is the Son of God who died to save us from our sins, and He will one day return to judge us. We should obey His will, imitate the principles He lived by, and serve Him as our highest priority.

However, Jesus is no longer on earth to personally teach us. Where can we go to learn His will today? This is the theme of this lesson.

I. Jesus’ Teachings Are Recorded in the Bible.

Jesus knew that He would leave earth and return to heaven, so during His lifetime He carefully gave instructions to His apostles. After He left, He sent the Holy Spirit to guide the apostles to write His instructions in the New Testament Scriptures.

>>> Read JOHN 16:13. <<<

*1&2* What did Jesus say the Spirit of truth would do for the apostles? Answer: The Spirit would ______ them into ______ truth.

>>> Read JOHN 20:29-31. <<<

*3* How can people believe in Jesus even when they have not seen Him? (a) they can’t believe, (b) they need a modern-day prophet, (c) they can believe by reading what the inspired men wrote in the Bible. Answer: ______.

*4* What blessing can people receive if they believe what is written? Answer: By believing we can have ______ in His name.

>>> Read EPHESIANS 3:3-5. <<<

*5* What did Paul do with the knowledge revealed to him? (a) he wrote it down, (b) he kept it a secret, (c) it is still an unknown mystery. Answer: ______.

*6* How can other people learn what Paul knew? Answer: We can understand when we ______ what he wrote.

Note that, although the gospel message had been unknown (a mystery) in the past, it was revealed or “made known” to the New Testament apostles and prophets. Now we can know it by reading what they wrote.

>>> Read 1 CORINTHIANS 14:37. <<<

*7* Whose commands did Paul write? Answer: Paul wrote the commands of the ______.

You and I today can know the teachings of the Lord Jesus by reading the New Testament Scriptures written by His inspired prophets.

[See also Matt. 10:19f; Luke 10:16; John 14:26; 1 Cor. 2:10-14; 11:23; 15:3; Gal. 1:11,12; 2 Peter 1:12-15,21; 3:1,2; 1 John 1:1-4; 2:1-17; Rev. 1:11.]

II. The Gospel Is a Perfect Revelation.

Sometimes people wonder how adequately the Scriptures reveal the teachings of Jesus for us today. Do they contain all we need to know, or are there teachings that we need but do not have? Can we understand what is taught? Has the message been lost or perverted over the years, so that we today no longer have the true and complete will of Jesus?

A. The Scriptures Reveal All God’s Will for Us.

Remember, Jesus promised that the apostles would receive “all truth” (John 16:13), and they wrote down what they received.

>>> Read ACTS 20:20,27. <<<

*8* How much of God’s will did Paul teach to others? (a) he kept back parts that were needed, (b) he preached the whole counsel of God, (c) there were important truths that he never even received. Answer: ______.

>>> Read 2 PETER 1:3. <<<

*9* How much of God’s will had people in Peter’s lifetime received? Answer: They received ______ things pertaining to life and godliness.

>>> Read 2 TIMOTHY 3:16,17. <<<

*10* For what purposes are the Scriptures profitable? (a) teaching and instructing us in righteousness, (b) reproving and correcting us, (c) completely providing all good works, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*11* If the Scriptures provide us to all good works, then do we need some standard of religious authority in addition to the Bible? (yes or no) Answer: ______.

The gospel is the perfect law of liberty, which is able to save our souls (James 1:21,25). We need no further revelation because the Bible completely reveals all God’s will for man. It teaches everything we need to know to be saved. Since the first-century apostles and prophets received all truth, it follows that any doctrine taught today, which they did not record in the Bible, must not be true.

[See also Matt. 28:20; Col. 4:12; Heb. 13:20,21.]

B. The Scriptures Are Understandable.

Remember that the apostles wrote down what had been revealed to them, so that others could understand the message (Ephesians 3:3-5).

>>> Read MARK 7:14. <<<

*12* What did Jesus expect his hearers to do? Answer: They were supposed to hear and ______.

Notice that Jesus spoke here to the “multitude” of common people and He required “everyone” of them to understand what He taught.

>>> Read ACTS 17:11. <<<

*13* How did these people determine whether or not the things they heard were true? (a) they searched the Scriptures daily, (b) they needed a college education, (c) they needed a priest to explain it to them. Answer: ______.

Could they do this if the Scriptures are impossible to understand? If people cannot understand the Bible, why did God give it to us?

>>> Read 1 CORINTHIANS 14:33. <<<

*14* God is not the author (or cause) of what? Answer: ______.

God is the author of the Scriptures. Now if the Bible has been written in such a way that it is impossible for men to study and understand it, then God would be the author of confusion. Since He is not the author of confusion, then the Bible must be a book that we can understand.

Remember that the Scriptures are profitable to teach, reprove, instruct, and supply us completely to all good works (2 Timothy 3:15-17). They are able to make one wise to salvation. But if we could not understand the Scriptures, then they would not profit in any of these things.

God revealed the Scriptures so men could understand His will. Anyone who believes God is all-wise and all-powerful, must also believe the Bible is a book that can be understood.

[See also 2 Tim. 2:15; Eph. 5:17; Isa. 55:11; Psalm 119:104,105,130.]

C. The Scriptures Have Been Accurately Preserved.

The Holy Spirit guided the New Testament writers to record Jesus’ teachings so those teachings could guide future generations. In order for the Scriptures to accomplish this, God would have to preserve them.

>>> Read 2 PETER 1:12-15; 3:1,2. <<<

*15* Peter was writing so that people would have a record of his teachings after he died. What would this message do for them? Answer: It would ______ them of the apostles’ commands.

>>> Read JOHN 12:48. <<<

*16* By what standard will men be judged? (a) by their own consciences, (b) by the teachings of their priests, (c) by Jesus’ words. Answer: ______.

Jesus’ words will judge men at the last day. This means that Jesus’ words must endure till the judgment and must be available to men, so we can know what to do to prepare for the judgment. Jesus’ words are preserved for us in the written word of the Scriptures.

>>> Read 1 PETER 1:22-25. <<<

*17* What is the seed by which we are born again? Answer: We are born again by the incorruptible seed, which is the ______ of God.

*18* How long will God’s word endure? (a) forever, (b) 2 generations, (c) like a plant that grows then dies, it was lost in the middle ages. Answer: ______.

>>> Read 2 JOHN 2. <<<

*19* How long will the truth be with us? Answer: The truth will be with us ______.

God intended for the faith to be delivered to His people only “once” (Jude 3). He delivered it in the first century, then He preserved it through the centuries till today. We today have the perfect and complete teachings of Jesus in a form we can understand in the Scriptures.

[See also Psa. 12:6,7; Heb. 13:20; Isa. 30:8; 59:20,21; Matt. 24:35.]

III. Jesus’ Instructions for Today Are Found in the New Testament, Not the Old.

Some people believe that we today need a special priesthood or should rest on the seventh day of the week because the Old Testament law required this. Others claim that God never changes His law, so if He ever commanded anything, then everyone must always keep that command. But God once commanded a man to build an ark and another man to sacrifice his son (Gen. 6:13-7:5; 22:1-19). Must we do these today?

God Himself says He has changed His laws about circumcision (cf. Gen. 17:9-14 to 1 Cor. 7:18-20; Gal. 5:1-8; 6:12-16), the Levitical priesthood (cf. Ex. 40:12-16; 29:1-9 to Heb. 7:11-18; 1 Pet. 2:5,9), and animal sacrifices (cf. Num. 15:1-6 to Heb. 10:1-18), just to name a few examples.

These Scriptures clearly prove that God has made changes in his laws. Some commands were intended just for certain specific people, not for all people everywhere. Other commands served a temporary purpose. When they fulfilled their purpose, they were no longer needed, so God removed them.

What about the Old Testament laws, including the laws given through Moses. Are they still in effect today, or do we follow only the teachings of the New Testament?

>>> Read ROMANS 7:2-6. <<<

*20* When is a woman free from her husband? (a) when she divorces him, (b) when she becomes a Christian, (c) when he dies. Answer: ______.

*21* What is our relation to the law? (a) we are subject to it, (b) we are freed from it and joined to Christ, (c) we should still keep parts of it. Answer: ______.

>>> Read HEBREWS 10:9,10. <<<

Hebrews is a lengthy comparison of the “first” or “old covenant” compared to the “second” or “new covenant.” The first covenant included the animal sacrifices, the Levitical priesthood, the tabernacle, and the “tables of the covenant” or the 10 Commands (see 7:11-14; 9:1-5; 10:1-8). In fact it included “every precept” given through Moses (9:18-21).

*22&23* What did Jesus do to these two covenants? Answer: He ______ the first that He may ______ the second.

Because of what Jesus did, “the law” (first covenant) was changed or annulled (7:12,18). It was made old, so it vanished away (8:6-13). All this was done in harmony with God’s will, not contrary to it.

>>> Read COLOSSIANS 2:14,16. <<<

*24&25* What did Christ do to the handwriting of ordinances? Answer: He took it ______ nailing it to His ______.

*26* Should we let people judge us for not keeping the sabbath? (yes or no) Answer: ______.

The Old Testament law, given through Moses, applied only to the nation of Israel and only till Jesus died. The teaching of Jesus for people today is recorded in the New Testament, the gospel. It is the “power of God unto salvation” (Romans 1:16).

[See also 2 Cor. 3:6-11; Gal. 3:24,25; 5:1-6; Eph. 2:11-16.]

IV. We Should Reject Man-Made Doctrines.

Many people today claim to follow Jesus, but they participate in religious practices and organizations that are not authorized in the gospel. Yet the New Testament provides us to all good works, so other practices cannot be from Jesus. They are human in origin [cf. Matt. 21:25].

A. What Does Jesus Think of Man-Made Doctrines?

>>> Read MATTHEW 15:9,13,14. <<<

*27* How does Jesus describe our worship if it is based on human doctrine (v9) ? (a) it is vain, (b) it is acceptable, (c) it doesn’t matter. Answer: ______.

Fallible men cannot know what pleases God without revelation from God. The “way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jeremiah 10:23). Only by following the teaching of Jesus can we know what is pleasing to God.

>>> Read GALATIANS 1:8,9. <<<

*28* What is the condition of one who preaches a different gospel? Answer: He is ______.

“There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12).

>>> Read 2 JOHN 9. <<<

*29* What happens to someone who teaches things not found in the teachings that come from Jesus? Answer: He does not have ______.

Remember that all Jesus’ teachings were recorded in the New Testament by the original apostles and prophets. To follow Jesus, we must do only the things taught in His word. If we follow practices He has not authorized, then we are following men instead of following Jesus.

Even if no passage specifically forbids a certain practice, that does not mean the practice is acceptable. Instead, we should ask, “Where did Jesus say we should do this?” If a practice is not authorized in His word, we should avoid it.

[See also Rev. 22:18,19; Col. 3:17; Prov. 3:5,6; 2 Cor. 10:12,18.]

B. Some Examples of Human Authority in Religion

People often accept man-made religious practices without realizing why they accept them. Often they are following human authorities such as those we are about to consider. (Note that some of these things do have a right to exist. The danger comes when they are viewed as authority which people follow to determine what they believe or practice.)

Family Religion

Some people think, “It was good enough for my mother (or wife, etc.), so it’s good enough for me.” This makes the family our authority, instead of Jesus. We should be glad if our families follow the Bible, but most people’s families are in error (Matthew 7:13,14). Most Christians in the New Testament had to leave their family religion.

*30* If our family is involved in practices not found in the gospel, should we still practice as they do? (yes or no) Answer: ______.

[Note Matt. 10:34-37; Acts 5:29; Gal. 1:13,14.]

Conscience, feelings, sincerity

We need sincerity and a good conscience, but these become the standard for some people. “Just let your conscience be your guide. It doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you’re sincere.”

>>> Read ACTS 23:1; 26:9. <<<

*31* Even before his conversion, Paul was sincere and had a good conscience. At that time was he (a) right, (b) wrong, (c) it didn’t matter? Answer: ______.

One can be sincere and have a good conscience, yet be the chief of sinners (1 Timothy 1:13-15). Your conscience only tells you whether or not you are doing what you believe to be right. Like a clock, it will not be reliable unless it has been set properly.

[See also Prov. 14:12; 28:26; Matt. 7:21-23; 2 Cor. 10:18.]

Preachers

Some people just accept whatever their preacher says. “My preacher is well educated, and he would not mislead me?.” Preachers can help us learn Jesus’ will, but they must not become the standard of authority. Preachers are wrong when they differ from what Jesus said. [See also Acts 17:11; 20:29,30; Matt. 7:15; 15:14; 1 John 4:1,6; 2 Cor. 11:13-15.]

*32* Should we accept what our preacher says if he cannot show it in the Bible? (yes or no) Answer: ______.

Church creeds, traditions, and decrees of councils

Many denominations write books that the group follows as authority or doctrinal standards. Any creed that contains more than the Bible contains too much. Any creed that contains less than the Bible contains too little. All human creeds and church laws are made on the assumption that fallible humans can write a better standard than the Bible!

Conclusion

“And by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments” (1 John 2:3-6). A true disciple devotes his lifetime to serving his Master’s will. During your lifetime you must choose whether or not you will serve Jesus. “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15; cf. 1 John 5:3). Do you follow Jesus or do you follow men?

Personal application questions:

(These questions are for you to ponder. Your answers will help us understand your thinking, however they will not affect your “score.”)

*33* Do you believe we need any source of religious authority other than the Bible? ___________

*34* What conclusion do you believe we should reach about religious doctrines or practices that are not found in the Bible? __________

*35* What do you believe about Old Testament practices that are not included in the New Testament? __________

Categorized in Daily Bible Study
Tags: bible, Bible Study, Daily Bible Study, Jesus, Life of christ, Life of Jesus

Nov

Json- Sittin’ Big

Categorized in video
Tags: Christian hip hop, Hip hop, hip hop videos, J'son, Sittin' Big

Nov

Where Can You Find the Church That Belongs to Jesus? Part 1

Introduction:

Jesus built His church in the first century (Matthew 16:18). All serious Bible students agree that He built only one church, and all saved people then were in that one church. But today there are hundreds of denominations, differing from one another in name, worship, organization, plan of salvation, etc. Yet all claim to follow Jesus and to please God.

The purpose of this study is to determine what Jesus wants us to practice regarding church membership. What was Jesus’ church like in the first century? Does the church that Jesus built still exist today? If so, how can we find it and become members of it? What does God think about all the many different modern churches?

How Important is Jesus’ Church?

Why should we study about Jesus’ church? Some people think the church has nothing to do with salvation, so people can be saved outside the church. How important is the church to Jesus the Lord?

>>> Read ACTS 20:28. <<

*1* How did Jesus make the church His? Answer: He purchased the church with His ______.

*2* Can we be saved without Jesus’ blood? Answer (yes or no): ______.

*3* Then can we be saved outside Jesus’ church? Answer (yes or no): ______.

Jesus shed His blood to save us from sin (Ephesians 1:7; Revelation 1:5; Romans 5:6-9). But the people who have been saved and purchased by that blood are the people who are in the church!

>>> Read EPHESIANS 5:23,25. <<<

*4* For whom is Christ the Savior? (a) the nation of Israel only, (b) the body (church), (c) all people will be saved. Answer: ______.

Salvation can be obtained only through Jesus’ death (Acts 4:12; John 14:6; Hebrews 5:9; 7:25). But Jesus died to save the church. If the church has nothing to do with our salvation, why did the Lord die for it?

The Lord adds to the church those who should be saved – Acts 2:47. Christ is the Savior, but all those whose sins He has forgiven are in the church. Those outside the church are yet in their sins. This is why it is vitally important for us to learn about Jesus’ church. (See also Ephesians 3:10,11; Colossians 1:12-14; Hebrews 10:25; etc.)

The Word “Church” Has Different Meanings.

In the Bible, the “church” always refers to a group of people, never to a physical building. The word has two primary uses:

1. The church universally – the body of all saved people everywhere (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 5:22-25; Acts 2:47).

2. The church locally – a congregation of saved people in a certain area who meet, work, and worship together (Jerusalem, Corinth, etc. – Acts 8:1; 13:1; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 1:2; Revelation 1:4).

We will study many examples of this word as we proceed.

First let us study the characteristics of the New Testament church, then we will study the origin of the modern denominations.

Part I: What Should Jesus’ Church Be Like?

If the police were searching for a missing person, how would they identify the correct person? They would need a description or list of identifying characteristics: age, name, height, weight, etc. Likewise, if Jesus’ church exists today, how could we identify it?

>>> Read MATTHEW 7:15-21. <<<

*5* How can false teachers be identified? (a) by their outward appearance, (b) by their unkind manners, (c) by their fruits. Answer: ______.

*6* What are the “fruits” of God’s followers? (a) they do the will of the Father, (b) they just call Jesus “Lord,” (c) they just believe. Answer: ______.

The true church can be identified because it teaches and practices the will of God. By learning Jesus’ will for His church, we can know the identifying marks of His church. Consider these characteristics:

A. The Doctrinal Standard of the Church

What law or rules should the church follow to determine what it believes, teaches, and practices?

>>> Read EPHESIANS 1:22,23. <<<

*7* Who is Head over all things to the church? (a) John the Baptist, (b) Peter, (c) Jesus, (d) Mohammed, (e) a human headquarters. Answer: ______.

*8* Whose control, then, should the church submit to? Answer: The control of ______.

>>> Read COLOSSIANS 3:17. <<<

*9* What must be done in Jesus’ name (by His authority)? Answer: ______we do, in word or deed.

Since Jesus built and purchased the church, it must follow His directions. Remember, His will is revealed in the New Testament.

(See also Ephesians 5:23; John 12:48; Acts 3:22,23; Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 6:46; Colossians 1:18; 2:19; Hebrews 5:9; 1 Corinthians 14:37.)

May the church follow man-made laws?

>>> Read 2 JOHN 9. <<<

*10* What happens if we do not abide in the teachings of Jesus? Answer: We do not have ______.

>>> Read MATTHEW 15:9. <<<

*11* What does God think of worship that is based on man-made teachings? (a) it is vain, (b) He encourages it, (c) it doesn’t matter. Answer: ______.

>>> Read GALATIANS 1:8,9. <<<

*12* What happens if we preach a different gospel? Answer: We are ______.

*13* Would a church be honoring Jesus as Lord if it follows doctrines or practices not found in the Bible? Answer (yes or no): ______.

If Jesus’ church exists today, it must strive to listen to all His teachings and must avoid practices not found in His teachings.

(See Revelation 22:18,19; Proverbs 14:12; 3:5,6; Jeremiah 10:23.)

B. The Origin or Beginning of the Church

>>> Read MATTHEW 16:15-18. <<<

*14* What did Jesus promise to build? (a) a social club, (b) an entertainment, recreational club, (c) His church, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*15* Did the church exist when Jesus said this? Answer (yes or no): ______.

*16* How many churches did Jesus promise to build? (a) one, (b) ten, (c) hundreds. Answer: ______.

This passage and all passages before Acts 2 speak of the church as coming in the future (see also Isaiah 2:2,3; Daniel 2:44; Mark 1:15; 9:1; Acts 1:4-8).

>>> Read ACTS 2:47. <<<

*17* Who was adding people to His body (the church)? (Cf. v38,41.) Answer: The ______.

Many other passages after Acts 2 speak of the church as being in existence (see Acts 5:11; 8:1-3; 11:22,26; Colossians 1:13; etc.).

So the church that belongs to Jesus began in Jerusalem on Pentecost after Jesus’ ascension.

*18* Suppose men begin a church at a place and time other than Jerusalem on Pentecost. Would it be Jesus’ church? Answer (yes or no): ______.

If Jesus’ church exists today, it must be the church that He began on Pentecost in Jerusalem.

C. The Names or Designations of the Church

Names are important to God. He sometimes named people before they were born, or changed their names later (Genesis 17:5,15,19; 32:27,28; Luke 1:13; Matt. 1:21; Isaiah 62:2; etc.). What terms or phrases does the Lord want people to use to refer to the church and its members?

Terms used for the church:

The church of Christ or of God (Matthew 16:18; Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 1:2; etc.).
The house or family of God (1 Timothy 3:15; Ephesians 2:16,19; Galatians 6:10).
The kingdom of Christ (Colossians 1:13; Matthew 16:18,19; Revelation 1:9; Hebrews 12:28).
The body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22,23; 4:4-6; Colossians 1:18).

Note that all these terms give honor to God the Father or the Son, and show our relationship to them.

Terms used for individual members of the church:

Disciples (Acts 11:26; 20:7; 8:3; 9:1).
Children of God (2 Corinthians 6:16-18; 1 John 3:2).
Christians (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16).

>>> Read 1 CORINTHIANS 1:10-13. <<<

*19* What sin occurred at Corinth? (a) groups were named after men, (b) men were exalted instead of Jesus, (c) division, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

Naming the church after a particular doctrine likewise violates the principles of this passage, promotes division, and fails to exalt God.

One of the fruits of Jesus’ church was that it wore names that glorify God and Christ. It never wore names that honored men, were invented by men, or exalted some particular Bible doctrine.

D. The Steps to Enter the Church

Some churches teach that there are things a person must do to be saved, and then afterward there are other things he must do to join the church. But the church is the body of all saved people (Ephesians 5:23,25; Acts 20:28; Colossians 1:13). Therefore, whenever one receives the forgiveness of his sins, he automatically becomes a member of the church at the same time and by the same steps.

You cannot be voted into the Lord’s church, you cannot purchase membership in it, and you cannot “join” it. You simply obey the gospel and let God add you (Acts 2:47).

To be forgiven of sins, one must take the following steps:

* Hear the gospel (John 6:44,45; Romans 10:17).
* Believe it (Romans 1:16; Hebrews 11:6;John 8:24).
* Repent (Acts 17:30; 2 Corinthians 7:10; 2 Peter 3:9).
* Confess Christ (Romans 10:9,10; Acts 8:37).
* Be baptized (immersed) for the purpose of receiving forgiveness (Acts 2:38; 22:16; Mark 16:16; Romans 6:3,4; 1 Peter 3:21).

At baptism, one’s sins are forgiven and the Lord then adds him to the church (Acts 2:38,47; 1 Corinthians 12:13).

*20* Suppose a church teaches some other way for people to be saved. Would it be honoring Jesus as Lord, and would the people who believed the doctrine of that church really be saved? Answer (yes or no): ______.

If Jesus’ church exists today, it must still teach just what the gospel says about salvation.

E. The Worship Offered in Church Assemblies

The Lord taught His church to do five things when they meet.

1. Teaching

>>>Read ACTS 2:42. <<<

*21* In what activities did these disciples continue steadfastly? (a) the apostles’ doctrine, (b) prayer, (c) breaking of bread, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

We should teach only God’s word. (Cf. Acts 20:7; 11:26; Heb. 10:25.)

2. Prayer (see Acts 2:42 above)

In Bible study, God talks to us. In prayer, we talk to God. (Cf. 1 Corinthians 14:15; Philippians 4:6; Acts 4:23-31; 1 Timothy 2:5.)

3. Giving

>>>Read 1 CORINTHIANS 16:1,2. <<<

*22* How did the church obtain financial income? (a) raffles and bingo, (b) bake sales and rummages, (c) collections, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*23* When were the collections taken up? (a) on the seventh day of the week, (b) on the first day of the week, (c) as often as possible. Answer: ______.

*24* How did the members decide how much to give? Answer: Each one gave according as he had ______.

The church took up collections from the members on the first day of the week. Each member gave generously according to prosperity. The church never used tithing (requiring 10%), nor man-made fund-raising methods like bingo, raffles, rummages, etc. (Cf. 2 Cor. 8:1-5; 9:6,7.)

4. Lord’s Supper (communion or breaking of bread)

>>> Read 1 CORINTHIANS 11:23-26. <<<

*25&26* What do the bread and cup remind us of? Answer: The bread reminds us of Jesus’ ______. The cup reminds us of Jesus’ ______.

*27* May we use bacon and eggs on the Lord’s table? Answer (yes or no): ______.

We should eat the bread and drink the fruit of the vine in memory of Jesus’ body and blood. (Cf. Matthew 26:17-30; Acts 2:42.)

>>> Read ACTS 20:7. <<<

*28* When did the disciples break bread? (a) at Easter and Christmas, (b) on the last day of the week, (c) on the first day of the week. Answer: ______.

*29* How often does the first day of the week occur? Answer (give a number): The first day of the week comes (give a number) ______ time each week.

When God specified memorial feasts, He always told people when to do them. If He said to do it on a certain day of a certain month of the year, it would be an annual feast (Ex. 12:6,14,24ff; Lev. 23:24,27). If He said to do it on a certain day of the month, it would be a monthly observance (Ezek. 46:1,6,7). If He said to do it on a certain day of the week, then it would be observed weekly (like the sabbath – Ex. 20:8-11).

Likewise, God has revealed that disciples had the Lord’s supper on the first day of the week, so we should do it as often as that day occurs. The collection and communion occurred on the same day. When churches today practice annual or monthly communion, do they also take up collections only annually or monthly?

5. Singing

>>> Read EPHESIANS 5:19. <<<

*30* What act of worship is commanded here? Answer: The verse instructs us to ______ and make melody in our hearts to the Lord.

*31* What purpose(s) are accomplished by singing? (a) praising God and teaching others, (b) showing off musical ability, (c) entertainment to draw big crowds, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

Every New Testament passage that mentions music in worship, specifies singing (Colossians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 14:15; Romans 15:9; Hebrews 2:12; James 5:13). There are two kinds of music – singing (vocal) and playing (instrumental).

*32* Since Jesus expressly says to “sing,” are we honoring Jesus if we add another kind of music (playing on instruments)? Answer (yes or no): ______.

To use instruments of music in worship is to follow human authority. It fails to honor Jesus just like bacon and eggs on the Lord’s Table.

>>> Read HEBREWS 10:25. <<<

*33* What error should Christians avoid? Answer: We should not forsake the ______ of ourselves together.

*34* Would a church be following Jesus as Lord if it worshipped in ways that are not found in the gospel? Answer (yes or no): ______.

If Jesus’ church exists today, it must worship by this same pattern.

F. The Work or Mission of the Church

>>> Read ACTS 11:26. <<<

*35* What work did the church in Antioch accomplish? Answer: The church assembled so people could be ______.

The church is the “pillar and ground of the truth” – 1 Timothy 3:15. It teaches the gospel to the lost and edifies the members (see also Acts 11:22; 20:7; Hebrews 10:24,25; Ephesians 4:11-16; Philippians 4:14-18). The church also cares for its own physically needy members (Acts 4:32-35; 6:1-6; 1 Corinthians 16:1,2; 2 Corinthians 8 and 9; 1 Timothy 5:16).

The primary work of the church is spiritual. It helps people be right with God so they can receive eternal life. If Jesus’ church exists today, it is not a social or recreational club nor a general welfare society. Any church that does these other works fails to honor the Lord. (See also John 18:36; 6:63,27; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5.)

Personal application questions:

(These questions are for you to ponder. Your answers will help us understand your thinking, however they will not affect your “score.”)

*36* What church have you been a member of in the past? __________

*37* Does that church properly teach people how to be saved from sin as taught in the gospel? __________

*38* Does that church teach the gospel truth about how to worship God, what the church should be called, etc.? __________

Categorized in Daily Bible Study
Tags: bible, Bible Study, church, Daily Bible Study

Nov

Reach Records announces DON’T WASTE YOUR LIFE 2009 summer tour!116 Clique Live, Unashamed, London, UK 08.08.2008

[ ART | MUSIC | KNOWLEDGE| HEALTH ]

Announcing the DON’T WASTE YOUR LIFE 2009 summer tour!

Help bring the 116 Clique to your city! Lecrae, Tedashii, Sho Baraka, Trip Lee and FLAME will be touring the country challenging people to put their faith in Christ and live a life devoted to Him.

Are you interested in hosting a stop on the tour? If you know an organization or ministry that would be willing to have the tour in your area, CLICK HERE to learn more!

Categorized in Uncategorized
Tags: DON'T WASTE YOUR LIFE 2009, Reach Records

Nov

“DISCIPLINES FOR THE DISCIPLE”

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discipline

Introduction To Spiritual Discipline

INTRODUCTION

1. In 1Ti 4:7, we find Paul exhorting Timothy to…

a. “exercise yourself toward godliness” (NKJV)

b. What does this mean?

2. Compare other translations…

a. “train yourself for godliness” (ESV, NET)

b. “train yourself to be godly” (NIV, NLT)

c. “discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness” (NASB)

3. Consider what some commentators have written…

a. “cultivate piety, and seek to become more holy” – Barnes

b. “Timothy is told that as an athlete trains his body, so the

Christian must train his soul.” – Barclay

c. “Such exercise involves reading and studying the Bible, prayer,

meditation…” – BBC

4. The value of such spiritual exercise is seen in 1Ti 4:8…

a. “godliness is profitable for all things”

b. “having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to

come”

[The disciple, therefore, is to engage in various "exercises" or

"disciplines" that cultivate godliness or piety. In this series, we

shall take a look at such "Disciplines For The Disciple." But in this

lesson, some introductory thoughts regarding...]

I. THE CONCEPT OF SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE

A. DEFINITION OF SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE…

1. In general terms, discipline means:

a. “any training intended to develop moral character, or

produce a pattern of behavior.”

b. “training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental

faculties or moral character – Merriam-Webster

2. Regarding spiritual disciplines in particular:

a. “A spiritual discipline is, when practiced faithfully and

regularly, a habit or regular pattern in your life that

repeatedly brings you back to God and opens you up to what

God is saying to you.”

- http://www.spirithome.com/spirdisc.html

b. “Spiritual disciplines can be described as behaviors that

facilitate spiritual growth.”

- http://www.wcg.org/lit/spiritual/group/discip1.htm

– Spiritual disciplines, then, are spiritual exercises that one

engages in habitually which bring one closer to God and thus

become more godly in character and behavior

B. EXAMPLES OF SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES…

1. Prayer – in which one spends time talking to God – e.g., Dan

6:10; Col 4:2

2. Meditation – in which one contemplates on God’s Word, or other

things worthy of such attention – cf. Ps 1:1-2; Php 4:8

3. Fasting – usually accompanied with prayer, in which one

abstains from food – e.g., Neh 1:4; Ac 13:2-3; 14:23

4. Singing – through which one can praise God and be edified

- e.g., Ps 71:23; Ac 16:25

5. Giving – by which we can please God and be blessed – cf. He 13:16; Ac 20:35

6. Assembling – where we can exhort one another – cf. Ps 122:1;

He 10:24-25

7. Hospitality – showing kindness to strangers, which often

results in a blessing – cf. He 13:2

8. Teaching – which usually benefits the teacher more than the

student – cf. He 5:12-14

– Such spiritual activities help to discipline or train one to be

more godly

[We shall examine these more carefully in future lessons. But to

appreciate the importance of spiritual disciplines for those who call

themselves disciples of Christ, let's review...]

II. THE CONCEPT OF DISCIPLESHIP

A. THE WORD “DISCIPLE”…

1. Literally means a learner

2. It denotes “one who follows another’s teaching” – Vine

3. A disciple was not only a learner, he was also an adherent

– For such reasons, disciples were spoken of as imitators of

their teachers

B. THE GOAL IN BEING A DISCIPLE…

1. Stated by Jesus himself: to be like the teacher – Lk 6:40

2. To be Christ’s disciple, then, is to strive to be like Him!

3. This coincides with God’s goal in the redemption of mankind,

that they be conformed to the image of His Son – Ro 8:29

– Since Jesus is the Son of God, the goal of a disciple is to be

more godly

CONCLUSION

1. Are you a disciple of Christ…?

a. Jesus wants you to become His disciple – Mt 28:19-20

b. Jesus wants you to become like Him – Lk 6:40

2. With the aid of spiritual disciplines, we are more likely to become

what Jesus wanted…

a. For Jesus Himself often taught His disciples to engage in such

activities

b. Through both precept and example, Jesus taught His disciples

regarding such activities

If you are a disciple of Jesus Christ, then I trust that this series,

“Disciplines For The Disciple” will be of special to interest to you.

Remember what Paul wrote to Timothy…

“But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself

toward godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but

godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the

life that now is and of that which is to come. This is a faithful

saying and worthy of all acceptance.”

- 1Ti 4:7-9

"DISCIPLINES FOR THE DISCIPLE"

Categorized in Daily Bible Study
Tags: Bible Study, DISCIPLINES

Nov

Dirt – “Shanghai Burning”

Another gem. Watch RedCloud debut his acting skills as he discovers a long lost emcee in the dirt (a.k.a. dirt). Check for Cameo’s by E-Roc and some others if you have a good eye. Syntax get’s down on shoe-string budget’s!

Categorized in Music and video
Tags: dirt, e-roc, Hip hop, plague, redcloud, shadow of the locust, war to restore

Nov

Daily Bible Study: Where Can You Find the Church that Belongs to Jesus? Part 2

Introduction:

In this lesson we continue studying the characteristics of Jesus’ church. Please review the previous lesson carefully before continuing.

G. The Organization of the Church

Universal Church Government

>>> Read EPHESIANS 1:22,23. <<<

*1* Jesus is head over how many things to the church? Answer: Jesus is Head over ______ things to the church.

*2* What is left for men to be head over in the church? (a) church laws, (b) things on earth, (c) nothing. Answer: ______.

*3* Where is Jesus now (Hebrews 8:1; 1 Peter 3:22; Eph. 1:20)? Answer: Jesus is in ______.

*4* Then where is the headquarters of Jesus church? (a) heaven, (b) Rome, (c) Salt Lake City. Answer: ______.

Jesus’ church has no earthly headquarters or governing body. No man or group of men may make laws for the church.

Local Church Organization

>>> Read ACTS 20:17,28 and 1 PETER 5:1-3. <<<

*5* What is the work of elders? (a) feed (shepherd) the flock, (b) oversee the church, (c) set a good example, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*6* An eldership should have oversight of the work of how many churches? (a) two, (b) every one in the diocese, (c) the one among them. Answer: ______.

Note: Reading the above verses closely will show that “elder” is just another name for an overseer or “bishop” and a shepherd or “pastor.”

Each local church must work to appoint a plurality of elders (Acts 14:23). To be appointed, these men must possess certain qualifications (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9). When they have been appointed, they guide the local church in obeying God’s word. The oversight of each eldership is limited to the one local church where they have been appointed.

Jesus’ church has no earthly headquarters or centralized institutions. Each congregation functions independently under its own officers.

*7* If a church changes this pattern, would it be honoring Jesus? Answer (yes or no): ______.

We have now studied the “fruits” or characteristics of Jesus’ church. Since God is no respecter of persons, He still requires His church to possess these same characteristics today. Any church that does not have these characteristics, cannot be the church Jesus built.

II. How Did Modern Denominations Begin?

Jesus built one church, and the Bible tells us what it should be like. Today there are many different denominations. Is God pleased by their existence? Where did they come from?

A. Warnings of Departure from the Gospel

>>> Read ACTS 20:28-30. <<<

*8* What danger does Paul warn about? Answer: Elders might draw away ______ after themselves.

*9* Can religious leaders lead people into error? Answer (yes or no): ______.

>>> Read 2 TIMOTHY 4:2-4. <<<

*10* What error will people be guilty of? Answer: They may turn from the ______ and follow fables.

>>> Read 1 TIMOTHY 4:1-3. <<<

*11* What does the Spirit predict will happen? Answer: Some will ______ from the faith.

*12* What particular doctrines will be taught? (a) some food (meat) should not be eaten, (b) some people should not marry, (c) both of these. Answer: ______.

Many false teachers have come among God’s people. In particular, Jesus warned that error would enter among the elders, and some would forbid marriage and command to abstain from meats. God’s true people must reject these false teachings. (See also Matthew 7:15-23; 15:14; Galatians 1:6-10; 1 John 4:1,6; 2 Corinthians 11:13-15; 2 John 9-11; Eph. 5:11.)

B. The Beginning of the Catholic Church

(Note that we do not seek to hurt people in any particular religious group. We present these facts so people can know the truth and honor Jesus as their Lord – Luke 6:46; Rev. 3:19.)

Jesus is the only head of His church. It has no man-made laws or earthly headquarters. No officers oversee more than one local church.

However, after the church began, departure occurred just as the Scriptures predicted. Certain congregations began to exalt one elder above the others. This exalted “bishop” would assume the oversight of several churches in a region called a “diocese.”

Soon, bishops met in councils to issue “church laws.” The first universal council, to which all churches were invited to send representatives, was in Nicea in 325 AD. Later, discussion arose regarding who would be the earthly head of the whole church. Finally, in the sixth or seventh century AD, the Bishop of Rome was generally recognized as “Pope.” Clearly, this is a departure from Jesus’ plan for church organization.

Meanwhile, the church was adopting other new practices. Listed below are the approximate dates when many of the practices came to be generally accepted. (Note: This historical information can be documented by checking encyclopedias or church history books.)

PRACTICE	DATE
Use of images in worship	4th century
Infant baptism	4th century
Celibacy of priests	4th century
Purgatory	6th century
Instrumental music (first used)	7th century
Confession to priest	9th century
Indulgences	12th century
Sprinkling for baptism	1311
Cup withheld from laity	1416
Infallibility of the Pope	1870

Note especially celibacy, which forbids priests to marry. The Catholic Church has also commanded members to abstain from meats on Fridays during Lent. This expressly fulfills 1 Timothy 4:1-3.

The changes we have described resulted in the Roman Catholic Church. Does the Catholic Church show the fruits of being Jesus’ church? Contrary to its claims, the Catholic Church is not truly “the first church,” but is rather the first major apostasy from the true church. If we wish to find Jesus’ church, we must look elsewhere.

C. The Beginning of Protestant Denominations

As Rome moved further from God’s word, many Catholics began to object. In the 1400′s and 1500′s the church allowed only Latin translations of the Bible, which the common people could not understand. Then, men like John Wycliffe and William Tyndale translated the Bible into English. For this, the church burned Wycliffe’s bones and made a martyr of Tyndale!

In 1517, a Catholic monk named Martin Luther nailed his “95 Theses” (or points of disagreement) to the door of a church building in Wittenburg, Germany. Other men like Zwingli and Calvin joined the movement of “protest,” not to start a new church, but to “reform” the Catholic Church. Instead, however, the followers of these men eventually began new churches separate from Rome and from one another.

Here are some examples:

NAME	DATE	PLACE	FOUNDER
Lutheran	1530	Germany	Martin Luther
Church of England	1534	England	Henry VIII
Presbyterian	1536	Switzerland	John Calvin
Baptist	1609	Holland	John Smyth
Methodist	1739	England	John Wesley
Mormon	1830	America	Joseph Smith
7th Day Adventist	1846	America	Miller/White
Jehovah’s Witnesses	1872	America	C. Russell

(Again, this information can be verified in a good encyclopedia or church history. Note that some dates are approximate.)

Now let us compare the fruits of these denominations to the characteristics of Jesus’ church.

AUTHORITY – Most denominations follow man-made creeds as law in addition to the Bible.

ORIGIN – No Protestant denomination existed as an organized, functioning body, separate from the Catholic Church, prior to 1500 AD. They were all begun by men in times and places other the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem (Acts 2).

NAME – Nearly all have names invented by men and not found in the gospel. Many names honor men and doctrines, not God and Christ.

SALVATION – Most have infant baptism, sprinkling and pouring. Most teach “faith only” (baptism is not necessary to salvation).

WORSHIP – Most have annual or monthly communion, instrumental music, holy days, tithing, and man-made fund-raising methods.

WORK – Most denominations practice the “Social Gospel” – church-sponsored recreation, entertainment, etc.

ORGANIZATION – Nearly all denominations have earthly headquarters, central governing bodies, boards and institutions of all kinds that centralize the work and government of the church.

Protestant leaders had some admirable goals, but all of them (or their followers) clung to basic errors of Catholicism and even added some new ones. Every Protestant denomination differs from the church of Christ on many or all of the above points. Again, if we wish to find the church belonging to Jesus, we must look elsewhere.

D. God’s Attitude Toward Religious Division

Denominations contradict and disagree with one another. Yet people often say, “All the churches are following Jesus. It doesn’t matter where you attend, or what you believe, as long as you worship the true God. Just join the church of your choice.” What does Jesus say?

>>> Read JOHN 17:20-22. <<<

*13* In what way should we be like the Father and the Son? Answer: We should be ______ as the Father and Son are.

*14* In what ways do the Father and Son contradict one another? (a) about how to worship, (b) about how to be saved, (c) about what church to attend, (d) none of the preceding. (See also John 12:49,50.) Answer: ______.

The existence of denominations contradicts Jesus’ prayer for unity.

>>> Read 1 CORINTHIANS 1:10,13. <<<

*15* What does God say about division? Answer: There should be no ______ among us.

*16* Is Christ divided? Does He contradict Himself? Answer (yes or no): ______.

*17* Jesus does not contradict Himself, but churches do contradict one another. So are “all the churches following Jesus”? Answer (yes or no): ______.

When a preacher knowingly contradicts himself, we call him a hypocrite. But denominations contradict one another, yet they all say they get their teaching from Jesus. What would that make Jesus? Denominationalism violates God’s law against division (Galatians 5:19-21).

>>> Read 1 CORINTHIANS 14:33. <<<

*18* What is God’s relationship to confusion? Answer: God is not the author (cause) of ______.

*19* Is the existence of many churches confusing? Answer (yes or no): ______.

*20* Is God the source of all the denominations? Answer (yes or no) ______.

God did not create the modern denominations, so they must have been begun by men. They are not in the Bible, therefore they exist contrary to God’s authority. When churches disagree, one may be right and the others wrong, or they may all be wrong, but they cannot all be right!

>>> Read EPHESIANS 4:3-6. <<<

We must strive to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

*21* How many true “God and Fathers” are there? Answer (give a number): There is ______ God and Father.

*22* Can we please God if we think there are many acceptable gods, and we may just worship the god of our choice? Answer (yes or no): ______.

*23&24* How many “bodies” and “faiths” are there? Answer (give a number): There is ______ body and ______ faith.

*25* Can we please God if we think there are hundreds of acceptable bodies and faiths, so we can just take our choice? Answer (yes or no): ______.

There may be many false gods, but there is only one true God. In the same way, there is only one true body (church) and only one true faith. All others are false. [Cf. 1 Corinthians 12:12-20]

>>> Read 2 CORINTHIANS 6:17-7:1. <<<

*26* To be God’s true children, what must we do about practices and churches that God has not authorized? Answer: We must come out from among them and be ______.

The Lord established one church, not many denominations. He condemned division. He requires us to follow His true gospel pattern, but Catholic and Protestant churches are departures from His pattern. Therefore, we must not be members of any of these groups. Are you a member of a man-made church? [Cf. 2 John 9-11; Eph. 5:11; Matt. 15:14]

E. The Existence of Jesus’ True Church Today

If neither the Catholic nor the Protestant churches are Jesus’ church, where can we find it? Does it exist? Since we must be members of His church to be saved, how can people today be saved?

>>> Read 1 PETER 1:22-25. <<<

*27* How do we purify our souls? Answer: We purify our souls in obeying the ______.

*28* What is the seed by which we are born again? Answer: We are born again by God’s ______.

*29* How long will this seed endure? Answer: ______.

“The seed is the word of God” – Luke 8:11. God’s creations, including the church, reproduce by means of seed. When men hear the gospel with receptive hearts, they will believe and obey. As a result, they are “born again” into God’s family, the church. (See James 1:18; Luke 8:15; Romans 1:16; 10:17; Mark 16:15,16; John 3:3-5.)

>>> Read GALATIANS 6:7. <<<

*30* How does the seed relate to the harvest? Answer: Whatever a man sows, that is what he will ______.

At any time or place, the same seed always produces the same kind of living thing. Like seed, doctrines reproduce after their own kind. To get the right “fruit,” we must plant the right “seed.” Denominations do not produce the right fruit, because they plant the wrong seed.

*31* Suppose you believed and obeyed Buddhist doctrine. What would that make you? (a) a Christian, (b) a Hindu, (c) a Buddhist. Answer: ______.

Man-made doctrines reproduce after their own kind and make people members of man-made religious groups.

*32* In the first century, when people obeyed Jesus’ gospel, what kind of Christians did they become and what church did they become members of? (a) Lutherans, (b) Catholics, (c) just Christians, members of Jesus’ church. Answer: ______.

*33* If you were to obey simply the gospel today, without any man-made changes, what kind of Christian would you become and what church would that make you a member of? (a) the same as in the first century, (b) a modern denomination, (c) no one knows. Answer: ______.

Anytime and anyplace, when a person obeys only the gospel, he becomes a Christian, exactly like people were in the first century. They were not members of any of the modern denominations and neither should people today be. The Lord will add people today to His church, just as He did in the first century (Acts 2:47). These saved people must then work and worship with a faithful local church.

Conclusion

People who wish to be saved must be members of the Lord’s one true church. Since salvation is free to all, you too can obey the gospel and enter Jesus’ true church (Matthew 28:18-20; Romans 1:16; Acts 2:39; Titus 2:11,12; 2 Peter 3:9). Have you obeyed Jesus? Are you part of His one true church? If not, why not obey Him today?

Personal application questions:

(These questions are for you to ponder. Your answers will help us understand your thinking, however they will not affect your “score.”)

*34* What conclusions do you reach regarding what the Bible teaches about the existence of Catholic and Protestant denominations? __________

*35* How can a person be faithful to the Lord today in an age with so much religious error and confusion? __________

*36* If you have been part of a church, is that church following Jesus’ true pattern for His church, or is it a group that has departed from His way? ___________

*37* While you have been studying this course, have you made any significant changes in your faith, spiritual conduct, church membership, or relationship with God? If so, please explain. ________________

Categorized in Daily Bible Study
Tags: bible, Bible Study, Christianity, church, Daily Bible Study

Dec

Daily Bible StudyPreparing for the Church to Begin – Acts 1

Lesson 1

Introduction:

The book of Acts records the history of the early church and the spread of the gospel.

It discusses these themes:

Themes in Acts

* Examples of conversion (how to be forgiven of sin)
* Evidence Jesus is God’s Son and the Bible is God’s word
* Basic truths about the church (its origin, organization, worship, etc.)
* Information about the work of the Holy Spirit through the apostles

Note: To complete this study we suggest you have a Bible with cross-references and concordance. The best translations would be New King James Version, King James Version, or New American Standard Version, though others may work acceptably.

Additional special note: Please be aware that this lesson introduces some subjects and raises some questions which are discussed further in future lessons. This may make this lesson seem somewhat more difficult than others. Please be patient and continue the studies so you can study the subjects further in future lessons.

Author of the book

>>> Please read Acts 1:1,2 and compare Luke 1:1-4. <<<

*1* The books of Acts and Luke are both addressed to whom? Answer: Acts and Luke are both addressed to ______.

Comments: For the following reasons, Luke is generally considered to be the inspired author of Acts:

* The author of Acts had written a former account of Jesus’ life.
* Both Luke and Acts are addressed to Theophilus.
* Luke was a physician (Col. 4:14), and Acts contains several medical terms.
* The use of “we” in describing Paul’s journeys indicates the author was one of Paul’s traveling companions.

I. Promise of the Spirit and the Kingdom – Acts1:1-8

The Apostles and the Evidence for Faith

>>> Please read Acts 1:1-5. <<<

*2&3* To what men (v2) did Jesus show Himself alive, and for how long? Answer: Jesus showed Himself to the ______ for ______ days.

*4&5* What did He promise would happen to them and where? Answer: They would be baptized with the ______ in the city of ______ not many days later.

*6* Holy Spirit baptism was which of the following (read vv 4,5 carefully)? (a) a command, or (b) a promise from the Father? Answer: ______.

Comments: “Apostle” means “one who is sent on a mission.” Jesus chose His apostles to serve as eyewitnesses of His resurrection (see 1:21,22). He appeared to them repeatedly over a period of 40 days. Other people also saw Him, but the apostles were especially commissioned to preach and testify of Him (v8).

Our faith in Jesus is based on “many infallible proofs” (v3). The Christian’s faith is not based on myth, speculation, prejudice, family religion, or gullibility. God knew the gospel faith would be challenged, and men would need convincing evidence that it is true. So He has provided us with solid eyewitness testimony that would stand up in any legitimate court.

To preach Jesus’ message (v8) the apostles needed special guidance of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised to send the Spirit to them in Jerusalem soon after His ascension (cf. Matt. 3:11; John 14:26; 16:7-13).

Predictions of the Kingdom and the Holy Spirit

>>> Please read Acts 1:6-8. <<<

*7* What question did Jesus’ disciples ask? Answer: They asked if He would restore the ______ to Israel then.

*8* What would they receive when the Holy Spirit came? (a) riches, (b) fame, (c) good health, (d) power, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*9* What would they do as a result? Answer: They would be ______ of Jesus.

*10* In what area does v8 say the apostles would preach? (a) Jerusalem, (b) Judea and Samaria, (c) the uttermost parts of the earth, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

Comment: Verse 8 summarizes the spread of the gospel as recorded in Acts.

The Spread of the Gospel in Acts

Acts 1-7 – The gospel preached in Jerusalem
Acts 8-12 – The gospel preached in Judea and Samaria
Acts 13-28 – The gospel preached throughout the world

>>> Please read Mark 9:1. <<<

*11* What would come with power in their lifetime? (a) the kingdom, (b) the Pope, (c) Jesus’ second coming, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

Jesus predicted His kingdom.

Comments: Jesus and His apostles had been discussing His coming kingdom (v3). Jesus’ kingdom was a major theme of the gospel (see Matt. 3:2; 4:17; 10:5-7; Mark 1:14,15; Acts 8:12). Nevertheless, Jesus’ disciples seriously misunderstood it, and so do many people today.

When the apostles asked when the kingdom would come, Jesus did not tell them (v6,7). But He said they would receive power to testify of Him when the Holy Spirit came (v8). They already knew the kingdom would come when the power came (Mark 9:1), and He had just said the Spirit would come in Jerusalem soon (Acts 1:4,5). Consider what we have learned about the kingdom:

Facts about the Coming of the Kingdom

* The kingdom would come with power during the lifetime of the apostles (Mark 9:1).
* The power would come when the Holy Spirit came (Acts 1:8).
* The Holy Spirit would come in Jerusalem soon after
Jesus’ ascension (Acts 1:4,5).

Conclusion: The kingdom would soon come with power in Jerusalem when the Holy Spirit came on the apostles.

Great events were about to occur!

Think: Some people today say the kingdom still has not come but will come when Jesus returns. Can this be true in light of the above passages? (See also Col. 1:13; 1 Cor. 15:21-26; Rev. 1:9; Heb. 12:28.) We will study much more about the coming of the kingdom as our studies proceed.

Jesus promised the Holy Spirit.

Comments: Jesus here promised that the Holy Spirit would give the apostles power to testify of His resurrection. Note what we have learned about Holy Spirit baptism:

Facts about Holy Spirit Baptism

* Not a command but a promise (v4).
* Not in water, but in the Holy Spirit (v5).
* Promised, not to people in general, but to the apostles (v2-5).
* Came, not when the people chose, but when God chose (v4,6).
* Came in Jerusalem (v4)
* Gave apostles power to teach about Jesus (v8)
* Came when the kingdom came (v2-8 cf. to Mark 9:1).

Think: Some folks claim that any Christian, even today, can receive Holy Spirit baptism if he wants it or knows how to receive it. Some even claim that, in this way, anyone today can do or receive miracles in his life. Can this be harmonized with the above facts?

>>> Please read Mark 16:15,16 and Matthew 28:18-20. <<<

*12* The gospel of the Great Commission was to be preached where? Answer: The gospel should be preached to all the ______.

*13* This baptism was which of the following? (a) a command or (b) just a promise? Answer: ______.

*14* Who needs to obey this instruction? (a) just a small group of people, (b) everyone. Answer: ______.

Comment: Comparing these passages to Acts 1, we can learn that Holy Spirit baptism and the baptism of the Great Commission were two separate baptisms. The baptism of the Great Commission was a command required of all people throughout the whole world. We will see many examples of this baptism in the book of Acts and will learn much more about it. We will learn that it is a baptism in water, and that its purpose was to give salvation through the death of Jesus (Mark 16:15,16; see also Acts 8:35-39; 2:38; 22:16; 1 Peter 3:21; etc.).

Holy Spirit baptism, on the other hand, was a special promise to special people so they could do special work before the Bible had been completed. We will also learn much more about the work of the Holy Spirit as our study proceeds. We will see that there are only two events in all the Bible that are described as Holy Spirit baptism. There are no instances of Holy Spirit baptism after Acts 10 and 11.

II. Jesus’ Ascension – Acts 1:9-11

>>> Please read Acts 1:9-11. <<<

*15* What happened to Jesus in these verses? Answer: Jesus was taken up into a ______.

*16* What promise did two men (angels) make? Answer: Jesus would ______ like He went.

Comment: The ascension took place from the Mount of Olives east of Jerusalem (v12). It was another great miracle witnessed by men to prove Jesus was from God.

The two men who spoke were clearly angels. Their promise that Jesus will come again is repeated in many other passages. See 1 Thess. 4:16,17; Rev. 1:7; Matt. 25:31-46.

Note that Mark 16:19 says that, when Jesus was received up into Heaven, He sat down at the right hand of God. This is the very place where the Christ is to reign and serve as King and Priest according to Psalm 110:1-4. We will learn more about this also in chap. 2. Indeed, all preparations were being made for the kingdom to begin!

III. A Replacement for Judas – Acts1:12-26

>>> Please read Acts 1:12-14. <<<

*17* How many apostles are named in v13? Answer (give a number): V13 names ______ apostles.

*18* Who was with them? (a) Jesus’ mother Mary, (b) His brothers, (c) other women, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

>>> Please read Acts 1:15-19. <<<

*19* Which apostle was not present here? Answer: The missing apostle was ______.

*20* What sin had he committed? Answer: He served as guide for those who ______ Jesus.

*21* How had he died? Answer: He ______ and his body burst open.

Comment: Judas had betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver (Matt. 27:3-10). Afterward in remorse he had committed suicide. The current account shows how a replacement was chosen for him.

>>> Please read Acts 1:20-22. <<<

*22* What did Peter say should be done? (a) appoint him to serve as Pope, (b) take up a collection, (c) appoint a replacement for Judas, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*23* What qualification did one need to serve as an apostle? Answer: Apostles had to be witnesses of the ______.

Comments: Note that a witness is someone who can testify about what he has personally seen or experienced with his physical senses. Many other passages confirm that apostles had to be personal eyewitnesses that Jesus was alive after His death and resurrection. See Acts 1:2,3,8; 2:32; 3:15; 1 Cor. 9:1; Luke 24:48; John 15:27; 1 John 1:1-3; etc.

Think: Some folks say that their church has had successors to the apostles throughout the ages even till today. Are these “successors” all eyewitnesses of Jesus’ resurrection? If not, how can they be true successors of the apostles? In fact, how can there be such a thing as a successor to an eyewitness?

The work of the apostles was to testify to the resurrection of Jesus and preach the gospel by direct revelation. The apostles completed that work in the first century and recorded their testimony and their message in the New Testament Scriptures. That message now instructs us in righteousness and provides us to all good works (2 Tim. 3:16,17). It will live and abide forever (1 Peter 1:22-25).

The original apostles completely accomplished the work God intended apostles to complete. God never intended to have apostles or their successors throughout the history of the church, but He did want 12 at the beginning. Obviously we will learn more about the work of the apostles as we continue our study of “the Acts of the Apostles.”

>>> Please read Acts 1:23-26. <<<

*24,25,&26* What two men were suggested to take Judas’ place? Answer: ______ called ______ and ______.

*27* Who actually chose the new apostle? (a) the Lord, (b) the apostles, (c) a council of Cardinals. Answer: ______.

*28* How many apostles were there then? Answer (give a number): There were now altogether ______ apostles.

Comment: All apostles had to be chosen personally and directly by Jesus (cf. Acts 1:2). Some folks today claim that their church chooses successors to the apostles by a vote of church leaders. But the Scriptures clearly say that the Lord chose all the apostles. (Note: Casting lots was used here as a means for God to reveal His will directly. See Josh. 14:1,2; 1 Sam. 14:41,42; Prov. 16:33.)

>>> Please read Acts 2:1. <<<

*29* “They were all … in one place” refers to what group of people (read carefully 1:26 and 2:1-4,14)? (a) the apostles, (b) all of Jesus’ disciples, (c) a large group of believers and unbelievers. Answer: ______.

*30* What day was it? (a) Passover, (b) Christmas, (c) Pentecost. Answer: ______.

Comments: “Pentecost” means literally “fifty days.” It was a Jewish holy day that occurred about fifty days after the Passover. Since Jesus had been crucified at the Passover, the events of Acts 2 occurred about fifty days after Jesus’ death.

Leviticus 23:15,16 shows that Pentecost always came on a first day of the week. Jewish males were required to assemble for this holy day, just as they had been for Passover (2:5). The events in this chapter occurred in Jerusalem (2:5,14).

In Acts 1 Jesus had instructed the apostles to wait in Jerusalem to receive the Holy Spirit. Chapter 2 begins by describing a meeting of the twelve apostles (cf. 2:1 to 1:26). They had assembled in Jerusalem waiting for the Spirit, just as Jesus had told them to do.

Conclusion

In this lesson we have learned several important facts that prepare us for the great events of Acts 2:

1) The apostles were men specifically appointed by Jesus to act as eyewitnesses that Jesus had been raised from the dead.
2) Before He ascended to heaven, Jesus promised the apostles that they would be guided by the Holy Spirit in preaching His message and bearing testimony of Him.
3) They would receive the Holy Spirit in the form of Holy Spirit baptism, which they were to wait in Jerusalem to receive a few days later.
4) The kingdom of Christ would come when the Holy Spirit came and gave the apostles the power to spread His message.

Chapter 1 has provided the background and set the scene for the events of chapter 2. As mentioned in the introduction, you may be wondering what the answers are to several questions that this lesson has raised. As we study chapter 2 and as we continue studying future lessons, we will see the fulfillment of the great promises of the coming of the Spirit and the beginning of the kingdom. This should answer many of your questions.

(Note: Lessons in this course include “personal application questions.” These questions do not affect the student’s “score,” but they do help the student examine his commitment to the truths in the lesson, and they help us understand the student’s viewpoints. Please answer the application questions below.)

Personal application questions:

*31* Do you believe the apostles were guided by the Holy Spirit to preach the truths of the gospel? __________________

*32* Do you believe that all apostles had to be eyewitnesses of Jesus’ resurrection? __________________

*33* Do you recognize that Holy Spirit baptism was a different baptism from that of the Great Commission? __________________

Categorized in Daily Bible Study
Tags: Acts, bible, Bible Study, church, Facts about the church, the book of Acts

Dec

“DISCIPLINES FOR THE DISCIPLE”

The Discipline Of Prayer

INTRODUCTION

1. In our previous study we defined the spiritual disciplines as...
a. Spiritual exercises that one engages in habitually which bring one
closer to God and thus become more godly in character and behavior
b. Spiritual activities such as prayer, meditation, fasting, singing,
giving, etc.

2. Now we shall consider such disciplines more carefully, beginning with
prayer...
a. An activity in which Jesus Himself frequently practiced - Lk 5:16
b. A spiritual exercise enjoined upon Christians - Col 4:2; 1Th 5:17

[To encourage us to pray more often, let's first examine...]

I. THE PURPOSE OF PRAYER

A. AS TAUGHT BY JESUS...
1. To praise God, expressing adoration
a. As indicated by the phrase "Hallowed be Your name..." - Mt
6:9
b. As exemplified in one of David's prayer - 1Ch 29:10-13
2. To pray that God's will to be done
a. As indicated by the phrase "Your kingdom come..." - Mt 6:10
b. As exemplified in the Lord's own prayer - Mt 26:39,42
3. To make requests for our daily needs
a. Such as our daily food - Mt 6:11
b. Such as our bodily health - 3Jn 2
4. To confess our sins, seeking mercy
a. Asking forgiveness, as we forgive others - Mt 6:12
b. Assured that God will justly and faithfully cleanse through
Jesus' blood - 1Jn 1:9
5. To ask for God's providential care
a. Keeping us away from evil - Mt 6:13
b. Directing our path if it be His will - Ro 1:9-10
-- From "The Lord's Prayer", we can learn much about the purpose
of prayer

B. AS TAUGHT BY HIS APOSTLES...
1. To express thanksgiving - 1Th 5:17-18
2. To find peace in the midst of anxiety - Php 4:6-7
3. To receive strength and boldness from God - Ep 3:14-16,20; 6:
18-20
4. To find opportunity for service to God - Col 4:3
5. To receive wisdom from God - Jm 1:5-8
6. To intercede on behalf of others - Jm 5:14-16; 1Ti 2:1-2
-- From the apostles' writings, we learn much about the purpose of
prayer

[There is much good that can come from prayer, both for ourselves and
those for whom we pray. It is an activity in which Jesus and His
apostles engaged in frequently, so now let's consider more closely...]

II. THE PRACTICE OF PRAYER

A. AS TAUGHT BY JESUS...
1. Jesus taught the value of secret prayer
a. By precept, in His sermon on the mount - Mt 6:5-6
b. By example, in finding solitary places to pray - Mk 1:35
2. Jesus taught the value of simple prayer
a. Many words are not necessary - Mt 6:7
b. Our Father already knows our needs - Mt 6:8; cf. Ro 8:26-27
3. Jesus taught the value of steadfast prayer
a. In response to His disciples' request to teach them to pray
- Lk 11:1,5-10
b. In telling them the parable of the persistent widow - Lk 18:
1-8
-- Thus the discipline of prayer should include the elements of
secrecy, simplicity, and steadfastness

B. AS PRACTICED BY GODLY MEN AND WOMEN...
1. David, a man after God's own heart, prayed morning, noon, and
evening - Ps 55:17
2. Daniel, a man greatly beloved by God, prayed thrice daily for
many years - Dan 6:10
3. Anna, a prophetess, served God in prayers night and day - Lk 2:
36-37
4. Real widows continue in prayers night and day - 1Ti 5:5
5. Epaphras labored fervently in prayers for those in his church
- Col 4:12
6. Paul prayed frequently for his brethren in other churches - Ro
1:9; Php 1:3-4; Ep 1:15-16;
1Th 1:2
-- Clearly the discipline of prayer involves a habitual, daily
practice of prayer

CONCLUSION

1. The discipline of prayer, done habitually, is truly a spiritual
exercise...
a. "Prayer is the spiritual gymnasium in which we exercise and
practice godliness." - V. L. Crawford
b. "...Prayer is educative. The man who prays grows; and the muscles
of the soul swell from this whipcord to iron bands." - Frederick
B. Meyer
c. The opposite is also true: "Seven days without prayer makes one
weak." - Allan E. Bartlette

2. The discipline of prayer is truly an exercise that leads to
godliness...
a. For Jesus, at the right hand of God, makes intercession for us
- Ro 8:34
b. Indeed, Jesus always lives to make intercession - He 7:25

If we desire to be true disciples of Christ, if we want to become more
like Him, then "The Discipline Of Prayer" is a spiritual exercise that
we must engage in frequently...

And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the
mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was
alone there. - Mt 14:23
Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight,
He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He
prayed. - Mk 1:35
So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.
- Lk 5:16

Categorized in Knowledge
Tags: DISCIPLE, DISCIPLINES, Prayer

Dec

Why You Should Avoid White Flour Products Such as White Breads and Pastas

Then it gets even worse. What little is left is then bleached, preserved, and aged with chlorine dioxide. It is further whitened by adding chalk, alum, and ammonium carbonate to make it look and feel more improved and appealing to the consumer. An anti-salting agent called sorbitan mono-saturate is added in the final stage.

A few synthetic nutrients are then added back into the white flour and it is then called “enriched.” In actuality, there has been no real “enrichment” of the original product, but deception and destruction of the life-giving properties of one of the many perfect creations we find in nature.

Laboratory rats usually die in a week to ten days when placed on a diet of white flour. All of the chemicals from white flour and other elements in our environment wreak havoc on the human body. Humans were not designed nor equipped to ingest cumulative chemicals. A tremendous amount of strain is placed on the pancreas when it is forced to try to protect the body from chemicals. It cannot, at the same time, adequately perform its critical role of protecting the body from diseases.

Don’t be deceived by products that are advertised as whole grain, but really are not. They may have some whole grains in them, but there may be a lot of other unnecessary and unhealthy ingredients. For example, if bread is soft, it is not primarily whole grain. It should be firm, heavy, and “grainy” with texture — not spongy. Make sure you read all ingredients carefully on all products.

Categorized in Health
Tags: bread, Wheat, white flour

Dec

Deep Space 5 – The Night We Called It Day

Categorized in Music
Tags: christian bands, deepspace 5, Hip hop, Music

Dec

Daily Bible Study: The First Gospel Sermon – Acts 2:1-41

Lesson 2

Introduction:

The events of this chapter begin as the 12 apostles (1:26) were gathered in Jerusalem waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit as Jesus had instructed in Acts 1. Please review the previous lesson before beginning.

I. The Coming of the Holy Spirit – Acts 2:1-13

The Promise of the Holy Spirit Fulfilled

>>> Please read Acts 2:1-4. <<<

*1&2* What filled the apostles, and what were they able to do (v4)? Answer: The were filled with the ______, so they spoke in ______.

Comment: Clearly this fulfilled the promise of the Holy Spirit that Jesus had told the apostles to wait for. It came in Jerusalem not many days after Jesus’ ascension, just as He had said it would. But remember that the kingdom was to come when the Holy Spirit came. As our study proceeds, watch for more evidence that the kingdom had indeed begun.

The Gift of Speaking in Tongues

>>> Please read Acts 2:5-13. <<<

Jewish males were required to attend the feast of Pentecost, so Jews were present in Jerusalem from all over the world. The nations from which these men came are listed in vv 9-11. As people heard about what had happened to the apostles, a great crowd gathered to listen to them.

*3* Note v6. What did the hearers recognize when the apostles spoke? Answer: Each one heard them speak in his own [[[________]]].

Note that the “tongues” the apostles spoke (vv 4,11) are clearly identified as being “languages” (vv 6,8).

*4* From where had all the speakers come (v7)? (a) Jerusalem, (b) America, (c) Judea, (d) Galilee, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*5* What subject did the apostles speak about (v11)? Answer: They spoke about the ______ of God.

Comment: Note what we learn here about the miracle of tongues: The miracle of Bible tongues consisted of men being miraculously enabled to speak existing languages they had never studied. This miracle accomplished two purposes: (1) It enabled the apostles to teach people who did not speak their language, and (2) the miracle would show people the apostles were from God (Mark 16:17,20).

People today sometimes claim to receive “the Pentecost experience” of tongue-speaking, but they do not do what was done on Pentecost. Rarely do they claim to speak in an existing language; and if they do claim it, they cannot prove it is a language. No one else can recognize it as an existing language. What they actually speak is gibberish.

Tongue-speaking on Pentecost

* Speakers spoke previously existing languages.
* People who knew the language could recognize it.
* Hearers could understand the content and be instructed by it.
* Speakers had not learned the languages by studying them.

II. Peter’s Sermon – Acts 2:14-36

A Prophecy of the Coming of the Spirit

The Holy Spirit had come to enable the apostles to preach about Jesus (Acts 1:8). Using the opportunity, Peter began by showing that the apostles were not drunk (as some thought), because it was too early.

>>> Please read Acts 2:14-21. <<<

*6* What Old Testament passage was fulfilled here (use your cross-references)? (a) Joel 2, (b) Genesis 2, (c) Judges 2, (d) Jonah 2. Answer: ______.

*7* What did the prophecy say would come on the people? Answer: God’s ______ would be poured out on the people.

*8* What could people do as a result? (a) prophesy, (b) see visions, (c) dream dreams, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*9* When would this happen? Answer: It would happen in the ______.

Comment: “The last days” refers, not to the time of Jesus’ second coming, but to the entire gospel age. Peter said the events on this day of Pentecost occurred “in the last days.” Hebrews 1:1,2 says the last days were when God spoke through His Son, in contrast to the time past when he spoke to the fathers by the prophets. (Cf. 1 Peter 1:20; 1 John 2:18.)

Peter’s point is that events on Pentecost began the fulfillment of God’s promise to send the Holy Spirit on His people.

*10* What could happen to those who turned to the Lord (v21)? Answer: Those who called on the Lord would be ______.

Peter used the opportunity to begin preaching the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. This is what the people really needed to hear.

Jesus’ Miracles

>>> Please read Acts 2:22,23. <<<

*11,12&13* What had God done through Jesus among the people? Answer: Jesus had been empowered to do ______, _______, and ________ among them.

*14* Why does the Bible record Jesus’ miracles (John 20:30,31)? Answer: By reading the record of Jesus’ signs, we can ______ that He is the Christ, the Son of God.

Comment: Peter was preaching to the same people who had killed Jesus at the previous Passover. He intended to prove that the one they had killed was in fact the Christ, the Son of God (cf. v36). He used three proofs to convince them. The first proof was Jesus’ miracles.

*15* What had the people done to Jesus? (a) crowned Him King, (b) honored Him, (c) crucified Him, (d) believed in Him. Answer: ______.

*16* Who had foreknown that this would happen? Answer: This was done by the foreknowledge of ______.

Comment: Many premillennial folks claim that Jesus came to earth expecting to set up an earthly kingdom, but unexpectedly the people rejected and killed Him. However, the Bible says that God knew all along this would happen (cf. Isaiah 53).

God sent Jesus knowing He would die as the sacrifice for our sins (John 3:16; Eph. 1:7; Rom. 5:6-9; Matt. 26:28; 20:28).

Jesus’ Resurrection and Fulfillment of Prophecy

>>> Please read Acts 2:24-28. <<<

*17* What did God do after men crucified Jesus? Answer: God ______ Jesus from the dead.

Comment: God does not expect people to believe in Jesus without proof. Peter’s second proof was the resurrection, and he proved this by two lines of evidence: fulfilled prophecy and eyewitness testimony.

*18* Name the book and chapter quoted in v25-28 (see cross-references). Answer: The passage is (give book and chapter only) ______.

*19* Who spoke this prophecy? (a) Moses, (b) David, (c) Joseph Smith, (d) Mohammed, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*20&21* What did the prophecy say would happen to his soul and flesh? Answer: His soul would not stay in ______; His flesh would not suffer or undergo ______.

Comment: Hades (“hell” in some translations) here refers to the abode of departed or disembodied spirits (cf. Luke 16:19-31). The man described here would die, and his spirit would go to Hades but would not stay there. His flesh would not decay. How can this be? Peter explains.

>>> Please read Acts 2:29-32. <<<

Peter proved David was not prophesying about himself, since David did die and see corruption (cf. Acts 13:34-37).

*22* About whom was David speaking? (a) himself, (b) Buddha, (c) Christ, (d) Mary Baker Eddy, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*23* Where would Christ then sit? Answer: Christ would sit on ______.

Comment: If Jesus sat on David’s throne, then he must be king!

*24* What event was David predicting? (a) the end of the earth, (b) the fall of Jerusalem, (c) his own death, (d) the resurrection of Christ. Answer: ______.

*25* How did Peter confirm that this had really occurred? Answer: The apostles were ______ that Jesus had been raised.

Comment: Peter showed that David was speaking as a prophet about his descendant the Christ, who would sit on David’s throne. The prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus arose from the dead. The testimony of the apostles confirmed this to be true.

Note that the apostles were bearing testimony of the resurrection, exactly like Jesus had said they would. And the Holy Spirit was empowering them to do so, as promised in Acts 1:8. This proved that Jesus was king and His kingdom had begun. Jesus was on David’s throne!

>>> Please read Acts 2:33-36. <<<

*26* What promise was fulfilled by the things the people were seeing and hearing? (a) the Holy Spirit had come, (b) Peter was Pope, (c) Abraham had returned, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*27* What passage is quoted in vv 34,35 (see cross-references)? (a) Isaiah 53, (b) Jeremiah 31, (c) Genesis 2, (d) Psalm 110. Answer: ______.

*28&29* What conclusion did Peter want the people to reach (v36)? Answer: Jesus is both ______ and ______.

Comments: Peter clearly says that the promise of the Holy Spirit had been fulfilled, just as had been predicted in Acts 1:3-8. But remember the kingdom would come when the Spirit came.

Peter quoted Psalm 110:1-4, which said Jesus would rule at God’s right hand as a priest after the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 6-8 explains that this means He would be both king and priest at the same time. Peter here shows this has been fulfilled. The Spirit had come and Jesus was at God’s right hand. Hebrews shows He is our priest now. Therefore, Jesus must be king now and His kingdom must have begun.

Proofs that the Kingdom Had Begun

* The Holy Spirit had come with power (cf. Mark 9:1; Acts 1:8)
* Jesus is on God’s right hand (vv 33,34; cf. Psalm 110:1-4)
* Jesus is on David’s throne (v30).
* Jesus would be King when He is priest (Psalm 110).
See also Colossians 1:13; Revelation 1:9.

Some people say Jesus’ kingdom still has not come even today. But Peter showed that Jesus’ kingdom was in existence then, and people could become part of it. If Jesus is priest and king at the same time, then His kingdom must be spiritual in nature, not an earthly civil government (John 18:36). Our future studies will show that the kingdom is Jesus’ church (Matthew 16:18,19). See the links at the end of this study to learn more about the beginning of the kingdom.

The conclusion of this great gospel sermon was that Jesus is Lord (ruler) and Christ (the anointed one or the Messiah). God had anointed His son to serve as King over His people. The Jews had been responsible for the death of their own Messiah, the Son of God!

III. The Reaction of the Multitude – Acts 2:37-41

Requirements of Forgiveness

>>>Please read Acts 2:37,38. <<<

*310* How did the people react to Peter’s sermon? Answer: The people were cut to the heart and asked, “What shall we ______?”.

*31* Were these people: (a) forgiven people asking how to show they had been forgiven, or (b) guilty people asking how to be forgiven? Answer: ______.

*32&33* What did Peter tell them to do about their sins? Answer: Peter said to ______ and be ______ in Jesus’ name.

*34* For what reason did he say they should be baptized? Answer: They should be baptized for the ______ of sins.

Comment: Clearly Peter’s sermon had convicted these people of their guilt. They wanted forgiveness, so Peter told them how to receive it.

To “repent” means to change ones mind about sin (Matt. 21:28-32). A person must recognize his guilt and must decide to turn away from sin and begin obeying God. Many other passages show repentance is necessary to forgiveness (Acts 17:30; 2 Peter 3:9; Luke 13:3,5; 2 Cor. 7:10).

Peter also said to “be baptized.” Clearly Acts 2:38 does not refer to Holy Spirit baptism as promised to the apostles in Acts 1:3-8. That promise had been fulfilled in 2:1-4. Verse 38 refers to the baptism of the Great Commission, which all people are commanded to obey.

Note how this passage harmonizes with the Great Commission:

Facts about Baptism	Great Commission	Acts 2
Baptism commanded	Mark 16:16; Matt. 28:19	Acts 2:38
For all people	Mark 16:16; Matt. 28:19	Acts 2:38,39
Preceded by hearing	Mark 16:15	Acts 2:14-40
Preceded by faith	Mark 16:16	Acts 2:36
Preceded by repentance	Luke 24:47	Acts 2:38
Necessary to salvation	Mark 16:16	Acts 2:38

So here for the first time the apostles preached salvation through the death of Jesus as commanded in the Great Commission. All people (“every one of you” – v38) need to obey this instruction, because all need forgiveness (Rom. 3:23). This applies to future generations (“your children”) and “all who afar off” (v39). This includes all of us today.

The Multitude’s Response

>>> Please read Acts 2:40,41. <<<

*35* What further instruction did Peter give? Answer: He told them to be saved from that ______ generation.

*36* How many obeyed and were baptized? Answer (give a number): ______.

*37* How soon were they baptized? (a) Six months later, (b), never, (c) the same day, (d) they waited till a baptismal service weeks later. Answer: ______.

Comments: Some people say baptism is not necessary to salvation. So they believe Peter was speaking to saved people, telling them how to outwardly express that they had already been saved. But that is clearly not the case.

Peter was addressing lost sinners telling them how to be “saved.” This is clear because: (1) They were “cut to the heart” when Peter preached they were guilty of crucifying Christ (v36,37). (2) They asked what to do about it (v37). (3) Peter told them what to do to be saved, including repentance (v38,40). Do innocent people still need to repent?

Furthermore, Peter said to be baptized “for the remission of sins” (v38). Compare this to Matthew 26:28, where Jesus said He would die for many “for remission of sins.” He died in order that people might receive remission. So Acts 2:38 must mean that people should be baptized “in order to receive the remission of sins.” This agrees with many other Scriptures (see Mark 16:16; Acts 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4; Gal. 3:27; 1 Peter 3:21). So Peter was here telling these people how to call on the name of the Lord, so they could be saved, as he had mentioned in v21.

When God specifies the purposes for which we should do an act, we displease Him when our motives or reasons for acting do not harmonize with His will. For example, we must partake of the Lord’s Supper in memory of Jesus’ death. We displease God if we do the actions for the wrong reasons (see 1 Cor. 11:23-29). Likewise, people must be baptized for the right reason: for remission of sins. Think: What would be our condition if we were baptized for some reason other than what God has specified?

We will study many examples of conversion in the Book of Acts. As we do, we will summarize what we learn. Sometimes when people tell a story they give many details, but other times they give fewer details. The same is true in Bible history. As we summarize Bible conversions, we will list only the facts that are specifically mentioned. By considering several examples, however, we will learn all that sinners must do to be forgiven.

The conversion of the Jews on Pentecost may be summarized as follows:

The Conversion of the Jews on Pentecost – Acts 2

Hearing	Belief	Repentance	Confession	Baptism	Result
v14-41	(v36)	v38		v38,41	Remission v38

Conclusion

Note the urgency of baptism in this case. 3000 people were baptized on that same day (v41). When people today decide they want to be baptized, denominations often postpone their baptisms till a “baptismal service” weeks or even months later. They do this because, as we have seen, they do not believe baptism is necessary for salvation. They don’t believe people are still guilty of their sins, even though those people have not been baptized. Such teaching disagrees with the gospel of Christ (Gal. 1:8,9).

Baptism in the Bible was always an urgent act, because people are not saved till they are baptized. People must be baptized for the purpose of receiving remission of sins, so before baptism they are still guilty of their sins. Jesus’ church today must faithfully teach and practice the gospel just as Jesus inspired the apostles to teach it.

Jesus’ kingdom had begun! 3000 souls were added to it in response to the first gospel sermon!

Personal application questions:

Remember that these questions do not affect your “score.” But they do help you make application of the lesson, and they help us be aware of what our students understand and believe.

*38* Do you believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God? __________________

*39* Have you repented of your sins? __________________

*40* Have you been baptized? __________________

*41* If you have been baptized, did you do it for the purpose of receiving remission of your sins by the blood of Jesus Christ? __________________

Categorized in Daily Bible Study
Tags: Acts 2:1-41, bible, Bible Study, Christianity

Dec

What You Need To Know About Honey

First International Symposium on Honey and Human Health

This wonderfully rich golden liquid is the miraculous product of honey bees and a naturally delicious alternative to white sugar. Although it is available throughout the year, it is an exceptional treat in the summer and fall when it has just been harvested and is at its freshest.

The fascinating process of making honey begins when the bees feast on flowers, collecting the flower nectar in their mouths. This nectar then mixes with special enzymes in the bees’ saliva, an alchemical process that turns it into honey. The bees carry the honey back to the hive where they deposit it into the cells of the hive’s walls. The fluttering of their wings provides the necessary ventilation to reduce the moisture’s content making it ready for consumption.

Food Chart
This chart graphically details the %DV that a serving of Honey provides for each of the nutrients of which it is a good, very good, or excellent source according to our Food Rating System.

Health Benefits

In addition to its reputation as Nature’s nutritive sweetener, research also indicates that honey’s unique composition makes it useful as an antimicrobial agent and antioxidant.

Raw Honey – An Anti-Bacterial, Anti-Viral, Anti-Fungal Substance

The health benefits of honey – like all foods – depend on the quality of the honey. But in this case, the situation is even more extreme, because the pollen that collects on the bees’ legs as they move from plant to plant is only as healthful and as diverse as those plants. In addition, the processing of honey often removes many of the phytonutrients found in raw honey as it exists in the hive. Raw honey, for example, contains small amounts of the same resins found in propolis. Propolis, sometimes called “bee glue,” is actually a complex mixture of resins and other substances that honeybees use to seal the hive and make it safe from bacteria and other micro-organisms. Honeybees make propolis by combining plant resins with their own secretions. However, substances like road tar have also been found in propolis. Bee keepers sometimes use special screens around the inside of the hive boxes to trap propolis, since bees will spread this substance around the honeycomb and seal cracks with the anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal resins. The resins found in propolis only represent a small part of the phytonutrients found in propolis and honey, however. Other phytonutrients found both in honey and propolis have been shown to posssess cancer-preventing and anti-tumor properties. These substances include caffeic acid methyl caffeate, phenylethyl caffeate, and phenylethyl dimethylcaffeate. Researchers have discovered that these substances prevent colon cancer in animals by shutting down activity of two enzymes, phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C and lipoxygenase. When raw honey is extensively processed and heated, the benefits of these phytonutrients are largely eliminated.

Is the Cough from an Upper Respiratory Infection Keeping Your Child Awake? Try a Dose of Buckwheat Honey

In a study involving 105 children aged 2-18 years with upper respiratory tract infections of 7 days or less and night-time coughing, a single night-time dose of buckwheat honey was an effective alternative treatment for symptomatic relief of nocturnal cough and sleep difficulty, compared to a single dose of dextromethorphan (DM).

Researchers from the Penn State College of Medicine asked parents to give either honey, honey-flavored dextromethorphan (DM), or no treatment to the children. The first night, the children did not receive any treatment. The following night they received a single dose of buckwheat honey, honey-flavored DM, or no treatment 30 minutes before bedtime. The trial was partially blind as parents could not distinguish between the honey and the medication, although those administering no medication were obviously aware of the fact. Parents were asked to report on cough frequency and severity, how bothersome the cough was, and how well both adult and child slept, both 24 hours before and during the night of the dosage.

Significant symptom improvements were seen in the honey-supplemented children, compared with the no treatment group and DM-treated group, with honey consistently scoring the best and no-treatment scoring the worst. Based on parental “symptom points,” children treated with honey improved an average of 10.71 points compared with 8.39 points for DM-treated children and 6.41 points for those who were not treated.

These results might be good news for parents of children two years and older, since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently recommended that children under six should not be given over-the-counter cough and cold medicines, due to potentially harmful side effects. However, it’s important to note that this study did not attempt to test the potential benefits of buckwheat honey for children under two, and recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and other children’s health organizations for a total avoidance of honey by children one year and younger still make good sense. (The AAP’s major concern here is unnecessary risk of infantile botulism that might result from the presence of Clostridium botulinum bacteria in the honey).

An International Symposium Discusses Likely Benefits of Honey

Speakers at the First International Symposium on Honey and Human Health, held in Sacramento, CA, January 8, 2008, presented a number of research papers. (Fessenden R. Report to the Committee for the Promotion of Honey and Health) Findings include:

Different varietals of honey possess a large amount of friendly bacteria (6 species of lactobacilli and 4 species of bifidobacteria), which may explain many of the “mysterious therapeutic properties of honey.”
Lactobacilli, which deliver protective and beneficial benefits to bees as well as humans, were not found in the bees’ honey stomach during the winter months when the bees under investigation were fed sucrose, indicating that certain bee-feeding practices may have dangerous and unwanted effects on bees.
Honey may promote better blood sugar control. Proper fueling of the liver is central to optimal glucose metabolism during sleep and exercise. Honey is the ideal liver fuel because it contains a nearly 1:1 ratio of fructose to glucose. Fructose “unlocks” the enzyme from the liver cell’s nucleus that is necessary for the incorporation of glucose into glycogen (the form in which sugar is stored in the liver and muscle cells). An adequate glycogen store in the liver is essential to supply the brain with fuel when we are sleeping and during prolonged exercise. When glycogen stores are insufficient, the brain triggers the release of stress hormones – adrenalin and cortisol – in order to convert muscle protein into glucose. Repeated metabolic stress from cortisol produced when less than optimal liver glycogen stores are available during sleep, leads over time, to impaired glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, diabetes, and increased risk for cardiovascular disease and obesity.
Experimental evidence indicates that consumption of honey may improve blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity compared to other sweeteners. The body’s tolerance to honey is significantly better than to sucrose or glucose alone. Individuals with greater glucose intolerance (e.g., those with mild diabetes and Type 1 diabetes) showed significantly better tolerance to honey than sucrose. In addition, the antioxidants in honey, which have been shown to reduce oxidative stress, frequently by a larger factor than can be explained by their actual amount, may be beneficial for diabetics and help to improve endothelial function (the function of the cells that make up the lining of our blood vessels) and vascular health.
In a year-long animal study comparing the effects of sucrose, honey and a low glycemic index (GI) sugar-free diet, rats on the honey-based diet showed: reduced weight gain and percentage of body fat, decreased anxiety, better spatial recognition memory, improved HDL cholesterol (15-20% higher than rats fed sugar or sucrose diets), improved blood sugar levels (HA1c), and reduced oxidative damage.
Honey has been shown to be a more effective cough suppressant for children ages 2-18 than dextromethorphan (see “One Study Finds Buckwheat Honey To Be a Successful Cough Medicine” earlier in this Health Benefits section)
Honey boosts immunity. Research conducted in several hospitals in Israel found honey effective in decreasing the incidence of acute febrile neutropenia (when high fever reduces white blood cell count) in 64% of patients. Honey also reduced the need for Colony Stimulating Factor (a compound produced in the cells lining the blood vessels that stimulate bone marrow to produce more white blood cells) in 60% of patients with acute febrile neutropenia; increased neutrophil count (another type of white blood cell), decreased thrombocytopenia (low platelet count), and stabilized hemoglobin levels at >11 gm/dl (a bit low but way better than full blown anemic).
32% of the cancer patients involved in the above immunity research reported improved quality of life.

Practical Tip: Look for honey produced in the summer by flower-fed bees-it’s most likely to contain friendly lactobacilli and bifidobacteria.

Improve Athletic Performance and Heal Wounds with Honey?

Primarily honey has been used as an energy source, but recent research has examined the use of honey as an ergogenic aid (a food or ingredient that helps an athlete’s performance) and wound healing agent, both of which were once considered merely age-old anecdotes.

In the time of the ancient Olympics, athletes were reported to eat special foods, such as honey and dried figs, to enhance their sports performance. Recently, however, one group of researchers has investigated the use of honey as an ergogenic aid in athletes. The study involved a group of 39 weight-trained athletes, both male and female. Subjects underwent an intensive weight-lifting workout and then immediately consumed a protein supplement blended with either sugar, maltodextrin or honey as the carbohydrate source. The honey group maintained optimal blood sugar levels throughout the two hours following the workout. In addition, muscle recuperation and glycogen restoration (carbohydrates stored in muscle) was favorable in those individuals consuming the honey-protein combination.

Sustaining favorable blood sugar concentrations after endurance training by ingesting carbohydrates before, during and after training is important for maintaining muscle glycogen stores (glycogen is the form in which sugar is stored in muscle as ready-to-use fuel), so that muscle recuperation is more efficient and the athlete is ready to perform again at their highest level the next day. The best-studied ergogenic aid is carbohydrates because they are necessary for maintaining muscle glycogen stores. For now, honey appears to be just another source of carbohydrates that can help athletes perform at their best, rather than a superior choice over any other carbohydrate.

The wound healing properties of honey may, however, be its most promising medicinal quality. Honey has been used topically as an antiseptic therapeutic agent for the treatment of ulcers, burns and wounds for centuries. One study in India compared the wound healing effects of honey to a conventional treatment (silver sulfadiazene) in 104 first-degree burn patients. After one week of treatment, 91 percent of honey treated burns were infection free compared with only 7 percent receiving the conventional treatment. Finally, a greater percentage of patients’ burns were healed more readily in the honey treated group. Another study examined the wound healing benefits of honey applied topically to patients following Caesarean section and hysterectomy. Compared to the group receiving the standard solution of iodine and alcohol, the honey treated group was infection free in fewer days, healed more cleanly and had a reduced hospital stay.

Several mechanisms have been proposed for the wound healing benefits that are observed when honey is applied topically. Because honey is composed mainly of glucose and fructose, two sugars that strongly attract water, honey absorbs water in the wound, drying it out so that the growth of bacteria and fungi is inhibited (these microorganisms thrive in a moist environment). Secondly, raw honey contains an enzyme called glucose oxidase that, when combined with water, produces hydrogen peroxide, a mild antiseptic.

In addition to the specific enzymes found in honey, which may help in the healing process, honey also contains antioxidants and flavonoids that may function as antibacterial agents. One antioxidant in particular, pinocembrin, which is unique to honey, is currently being studied for its antibacterial properties. One laboratory study of unpasteurized honey samples indicated the majority had antibacterial action against Staphylococcus aureus, a common bacteria found readily in our environment that can cause infections, especially in open wounds. Other reports indicate honey is effective at inhibiting Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. Darker honeys, specifically honey from buckwheat flowers, sage and tupelo, contain a greater amount of antioxidants than other honeys, and raw, unprocessed honey contains the widest variety of health-supportive substances.

A Spoonful a Day Keeps Free Radicals at Bay

Daily consumption of honey raises blood levels of protective antioxidant compounds in humans, according to research presented at the 227th meeting of the American Chemical Society in Anaheim, CA, March 28, 2004. Biochemist Heidrun Gross and colleagues from the University of California, Davis, gave 25 study participants each about four tablespoons buckwheat honey daily for 29 days in addition to their regular diets, and drew blood samples at given intervals following honey consumption. A direct link was found between the subjects’ honey consumption and the level of polyphenolic antioxidants in their blood.

Honey Helpful for Healthy Individuals and Those with High Cholesterol, Type 2 Diabetes

In a series of experiments involving healthy subjects and those with either high cholesterol or type 2 diabetes, honey has proved itself the healthiest sweetener.

For 15 days, 8 healthy subjects, 6 patients with high cholesterol, 5 patients with high cholesterol and high C-reactive protein (a risk factor for cardiovascular disease), and 7 patients with type 2 diabetes were given solutions containing comparable amounts of sugar, artificial honey or natural honey.

In healthy subjects, while sugar and artificial honey had either negative or very small beneficial effects, natural honey reduced total cholesterol 7%, triglycerides 2%, C-reactive protein 7%, homocysteine 6% and blood sugar 6%, and increased HDL (good) cholesterol 2%. (Like C-reactive protein, homocysteine is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease.)

In patients with high cholesterol, artificial honey increased LDL (bad) cholesterol, while natural honey decreased total cholesterol 8%, LDL cholesterol 11%, and C-reactive protein 75%.

And in patients with type 2 diabetes, natural honey caused a significantly lower rise in blood sugar than either dextrose or sucrose (refined sugars). So, enjoy a little honey in your morning coffee, lunchtime yogurt or afternoon cup of green tea. Looks like a daily spoonful of honey may help your need for medicine go down.

Although our food ranking system did not qualify honey as a dense source of traditional nutrients, it did emerge as a source of vitamin B2, vitamin B6, iron and manganese.

Description

Honey is a delicious viscous sweetener made naturally by bees for their own nourishment. The fascinating process of making honey begins when the bees feast on flowers, collecting the flower nectar in their mouths. This nectar then mixes with special enzymes in the bees’ saliva, an alchemical process that turns it into honey. The bees carry the honey back to the hive, where they deposit it into the cells of the hive’s walls. The fluttering of their wings provides the necessary ventilation to reduce the honey’s moisture content, making it ready for consumption.

Honey comes in a range of colors including white, amber, red, brown and almost black. Its flavor and texture vary with the type of flower nectar from which it was made. While the most commonly available honeys are made from clover, alfalfa, heather and acacia flowers, honey can be made from a variety of different flowers, including thyme and lavender.

History

Honey has been used since ancient times both as a food and as a medicine. Apiculture, the practice of beekeeping to produce honey, dates back to at least 700 BC. For many centuries, honey was regarded as sacred due to its wonderfully sweet properties as well as its rarity. It was used mainly in religious ceremonies to pay tribute to the gods, as well as to embalm the deceased. Honey was also used for a variety of medicinal and cosmetic purposes. For a long time in history, its use in cooking was reserved only for the wealthy since it was so expensive that only they could afford it.

The prestige of honey continued for millennia until one fateful event in culinary and world history – the “discovery” of refined sugar made from sugar cane or sugar beets., Once these became more widely available, they were in great demand since they provided a relatively inexpensive form of sweetening. With their growing popularity, honey became displaced by sugar for culinary use. Since then, although honey is still used for sweetening, much of its use has become focused on its medicinal properties and its use in confectionary.

How to Select and Store

Honey is sold in individual containers or in bulk. It is usually pasteurized, although oftentimes at farmer’s markets you can find raw honey. Raw honey that has not been pasteurized, clarified, or filtered – provided it is of the highest organic quality – is your best choice. Look for honey that states “100% pure.” While regular honey is translucent, creamy honey is usually opaque and is made by adding finely crystallized honey back into liquid honey. Specialty honeys, made from the nectar of different flowers, such as thyme and lavender, are also available. Remember that the darker the color, the deeper the flavor.

You might also look for darker-colored “honeydew” varieties produced by bees that collect the sugary secretions insects leave on plants, which is called honeydew.

While all honey has impressive levels of disease-fighting antioxidants, a recent study of Spanish honey varieties shows that honeydew honey has even higher levels of antioxidant polyphenols than honeys bees make from nectar. (Perez RA, Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture)

Spanish researchers looked at 36 varieties of Spanish honey in two groups: clover honey, which bees make from the nectar of flower blossoms, and honeydew honey, made by bees from a sweet, sticky substance secreted by insects such as aphids that live off plants. Honeydew honey tends to be darker and more acidic than clover varieties. Although harder to find than clover honey in the U.S., honeydew honey produced in America should also provide higher levels of antioxidants, noted study co-author Rosa Anna Perez, a researcher with the Instituto Madrileno de Investigacion y Desarrollo Rural, Agrario y Alimentario in Madrid.

It is important to keep honey stored in an airtight container so that it doesn’t absorb moisture from the air. Honey stored this way in a cool dry place will keep almost indefinitely. One reason for this is that its high sugar content and acidic pH help to inhibit microorganism growth. Honey that is kept at colder temperatures tends to thicken, while honey that is kept at higher temperatures has a tendency to darken and have an altered flavor.

Tips for Cooking with Honey:

If your honey has crystallized, placing the container in hot water for 15 minutes will help return it to its liquid state. Do not heat honey in the microwave as this alters its taste by increasing its hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content. To prevent honey from sticking to measuring cups and spoons, use honey that is in its liquid form.

Honey makes a good replacement for sugar in most recipes. Since honey is sweeter than sugar, you need to use less, one-half to three-quarters of a cup for each cup of sugar. For each cup of sugar replaced, you should also reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by one-quarter of a cup. In addition, reduce the cooking temperature by 25ºF since honey causes foods to brown more easily.

A Few Quick Serving Ideas:

Use honey in place of table sugar as a sweetener in your tea.

Drizzle apple slices with honey and sprinkle with cinnamon.

To enjoy sweetened yogurt without excess sugar, mix a little honey into plain yogurt.

A delicious sandwich that is enjoyed by kids of all ages is a combination of peanut (or almond) butter, with bananas and honey.

In a saucepan over low heat, combine soymilk, honey and unsweetened dark chocolate to make a deliciously nutritious chocolate “milk” drink.

Safety

Remember that the quality of honey is a function of the plants and environment from which pollen, saps, nectars and resins were gathered. Other substances found in the environment – including traces of heavy metals, pesticides, and antibiotics – have been shown to appear in honey. The amount varies greatly.

Do not feed honey-containing products or use honey as a flavoring for infants under one year of age; honey may contain Clostridium botulinum spores and toxins that can cause infant botulism, a life-threatening paralytic disease. Honey is safe for children older than 12 months and adults.

Nutritional Profile

For an in-depth nutritional profile click here: Honey.

In-Depth Nutritional Profile

In addition to the nutrients highlighted in our ratings chart, an in-depth nutritional profile for Honey is also available. This profile includes information on a full array of nutrients, including carbohydrates, sugar, soluble and insoluble fiber, sodium, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids and more.

Introduction to Food Rating System Chart

In order to better help you identify foods that feature a high concentration of nutrients for the calories they contain, we created a Food Rating System. This system allows us to highlight the foods that are especially rich in particular nutrients. The following chart shows the nutrients for which this food is either an excellent, very good, or good source (below the chart you will find a table that explains these qualifications). If a nutrient is not listed in the chart, it does not necessarily mean that the food doesn’t contain it. It simply means that the nutrient is not provided in a sufficient amount or concentration to meet our rating criteria. (To view this food’s in-depth nutritional profile that includes values for dozens of nutrients – not just the ones rated as excellent, very good, or good – please use the link below the chart.) To read this chart accurately, you’ll need to glance up in the top left corner where you will find the name of the food and the serving size we used to calculate the food’s nutrient composition. This serving size will tell you how much of the food you need to eat to obtain the amount of nutrients found in the chart. Now, returning to the chart itself, you can look next to the nutrient name in order to find the nutrient amount it offers, the percent Daily Value (DV%) that this amount represents, the nutrient density that we calculated for this food and nutrient, and the rating we established in our rating system. For most of our nutrient ratings, we adopted the government standards for food labeling that are found in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s “Reference Values for Nutrition Labeling.”

Honey 1.00 oz 42.38 grams 128.82 calories
Nutrient	Amount	DV (%)	Nutrient Density	World’s Healthiest Foods Rating

World’s Healthiest Foods Rating	Rule
excellent	DV>=75%	OR	Density>=7.6	AND	DV>=10%
very good	DV>=50%	OR	Density>=3.4	AND	DV>=5%
good	DV>=25%	OR	Density>=1.5	AND	DV>=2.5%

In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Honey

References

Al-Waili NS. Natural honey lowers plasma glucose, C-reactive protein, homocysteine, and blood lipids in healthy, diabetic, and hyperlipidemic subjects: comparison with dextrose and sucrose. J Med Food. 2004 Spring;7(1):100-7. PMID:15117561.
Ensminger AH, Ensminger, ME, Kondale JE, Robson JRK. Foods & Nutriton Encyclopedia. Pegus Press, Clovis, California 1983.
Ensminger AH, Esminger M. K. J. e. al. Food for Health: A Nutrition Encyclopedia. Clovis, California: Pegus Press; 1986. PMID:15210.
Fessenden R. Report to the Officers and Board of Directors of theCommittee for the Promotion of Honey and Health, January 21, 2008. http://www.prohoneyandhealth.com/UserFiles/Image/Symposium%20Report.pdf.
Fortin, Francois, Editorial Director. The Visual Foods Encyclopedia. Macmillan, New York 1996.
Gribel’ NV, Pashinskii VG. [The antitumor properties of honey]. Vopr Onkol 1990;36(6):704-9. PMID:13980.
Gross H, Polagruto J, Zhu Q, Kim S, Schramm D, Keen C. Effect of honey consumption on plasma antioxidant status in human subjects. Paper presented at the 227th American Chemical Society Meeting, Anahein CA, March 28, 2004. .
Keast-Butler J. Honey for necrotic malignant breast ulcers. Lancet 1980 Oct 11;2(8198):809. PMID:13990.
Paul IM, Beiler J, McMonagle A, Shaffer ML, et al. Effect of honey, dextromethorphan, and no treatment on nocturnal cough and sleep quality for coughing children and their parents. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2007 Dec;161(12):1140-6. PMID:18056558.
Perez RA, Iglesias MT, Pueyo E, Gonzalez M, de Lorenzo C. Amino acid composition and antioxidant capacity of Spanish honeys. J Agric Food Chem. 2007 Jan 24;55(2):360-5. PMID:17227066.
Rao CV, Desai D, Kaul B, et al. Effect of caffeic acid esters on carcinogen-induced mutagenicity and human colon adenocarcinoma cell growth. Chem Biol Interact 1992 Nov 16;84(3):277-90. PMID:13970.
Rao CV, Desai D, Rivenson A, et al. Chemoprevention of colon carcinogenesis by phenylethyl-3-methylcaffeate. Cancer Res 1995 Jun 1;55(11):2310-5. PMID:13950.
Rao CV, Desai D, Simi B, et al. Inhibitory effect of caffeic acid esters on azoxymethane-induced biochemical changes and aberrant crypt foci formation in rat colon. Cancer Res 1993 Sep 15;53(18):4182-8. PMID:13960.
Tanzi MG, Gabay MP. Association between honey consumption and infant botulism. Pharmacotherapy. 2002 Nov;22(11):1479-83. PMID:12432974.
Wood, Rebecca. The Whole Foods Encyclopedia. New York, NY: Prentice-Hall Press; 1988. PMID:15220.

Categorized in Health
Tags: Christian health, Health, Honey, Sweeteners

Dec

The War Report

Classic Video: Tunnel Rats “TR’z”

XROSS set to reach millions with CC Entertainment & KOCH Distribution

Minneapolis, MN (December 1, 2008) —- One Way Entertainment gospel hip hop artist, XROSS, is set to reach millions with the upcoming release of the much anticipated CD “Tell’em tha Truth”. Scheduled to hit store shelves everywhere on January 27th 2009, “Tell’em tha Truth” is the third independent project written and executive produced by XROSS, and the first nationally distributed release by XROSS backed by a powerhouse, leading distributer of hip hop music – KOCH Distribution.

No stranger to the Christian Hip Hop scene, as a part of Holy Hip Hop vol. 1 and vol. 3, XROSS is a GRAMMY® NOMINATED songwriter, for “Dedication to Holy Hip Hop” by wife Mariaha Markel, which topped the billboard charts at #15 [2004]. XROSS landed on Gospel Billboard’s top 40 list, with hit single “Who’s Ya Daddy” ranked #39, [2006] the initial version released in a partnership with Holy Hip Hop Inc & EMI Gospel.

In the recent signing of a major distribution deal with CC Entertainment/Koch Distribution for the release of “Tell’em tha Truth” Bobby Z, former Drummer for “Prince & The Revolution” & CCE Executive states, “XROSS brings his talent, integrity, and passion to his music, and his life. We are proud to be working with an artist at the forefront of the Holy Hip Hop movement.”

XROSS’ new album “Tell’em tha Truth” is a master piece and loaded with hits! Certain to be a major staple in its primary genre of music; the label and the artist are confident in the projects ability and undeniable appeal to move the ears of mainstream audiences and listeners. “Ride to it and let it play”, proclaims XROSS in an interview….”every song is hot, so no need to skip through the CD looking for a hit, they all are bangers”. Songs like ‘Y U Runnin” which won him best rap/spoken word artist at Dr. Dorinda Clark-Cole Singers & Musician Conference this summer as well as a featured performance slot along with his 14-year-old son KJ www.sonicbids.com/kj2 on Gospel Music Channel’s “Next Generation”. “Tear It Up” is a club song in which XROSS brags about living a saved lifestyle. This joint is sure to win over the listeners in the mainstream markets; XROSS is bold about the rich quality of Holy Hip Hop music – which is not only good for the ears, but good for the soul.

“Look 4 Me” is the Holy Hip Hop anthem, the cornerstone of hip hop ministry which proclaims “If ya looking for the truth, I’ll leave it up to you, but you know where to find me at… I’m not just in the church but I’m on the block, and that’s where you’ll find me at” XROSS becomes very transparent with his hit Look 4 Me, with piercing lyrics that clearly articulate the method of fulfilling the great commission. It’s not about religion or just church as usual, but it’s about going out of the four walls into the community and reaching the lost where they are. “Who’s Ya Daddy {Remix}” is simply out the box, revamped that proves XROSS to be more than just a performing artist, but musically a creative genius. XROSS goes into the enemies camp and literally takes back what the pimp stole, the phrase “Who’s ya Daddy” and delivers it back to its rightful place; Who’s Ya Daddy on this album boasts of our one and only “true father” – Jesus Christ. “He’s Still With Me” is a love song God commissioned XROSS to write a couple months in advance of the untimely deaths of his Grandmother (Big Mama) and his older brother, Michol Dean. A great loss for XROSS and his family; both pivotal members of the Dean family died less than a month apart after the song had been completed.

Hit song “No Water” is a smooth laid back melody that speaks life into the young person who is struggling to find purpose. The hook of No Water says, “I’m standing in a boat with no water, wasting my time away, I’m sitting in a car with no keys, throwing my life away, I’m going to the store with no money knowing I’m about to cause some trouble, I gotta, (I gotta) do something” The song “Tell’em tha Truth” was birthed after much prayer and fasting for God to reveal his true and ultimate purpose for Holy Hip Hop ministers world-wide. The song cuts like a double edged sword and sends a crystal clear message to repent for the kingdom of God is at hand! This cut will send chills down your spine!

Tell’em tha Truth is a universal album with endless boundaries as to whom it will reach; the compact disc in its entirety defies all rules of music theory & business that relates to target markets. It’s articulate and harmonious enough to inspire the most seasoned or mature Christian, while versatile and crunk enough to capture and encourage youth of all ages. Tell’em tha Truth deals with real issues that challenge the churched and the un-churched to be transparent with God; a requirement for finding and fulfilling the truth that God placed in us. This CD is a collection of songs that reaches deep into the back pocket to tell some of life’s most vile and/or successful moments while celebrating the saving grace of Christ.

“The soulful, street-wise, spirit-filled rhymes, rhythms, music and message of XROSS immediately establish him as an Artist Extraordinaire, a force to contend with, and a voice to be heard”…..Gary Hines, Music Director / Producer, GRAMMY® Award-Winning Sounds of Blackness

For audiences, get ready to experience Tell’em tha Truth by XROSS live on stage. In concert, the new album allows XROSS the freedom to go bananas, get buck, and raise the roof during live performances. Yet, he’s consistently sensitive to the Holy Spirit, allowing it to take free course to create a smooth, intimate atmosphere resulting in the saving of many souls, not what you would expect to witness at a hip hop concert.

To be a blessing to the masses, the album will sell at wholesale to the people who purchase online or pre-order at:
XROSSmusic.com Look for the Buy 1 < BLESS 2 special online or at live performances; this entitles the buyer to get 3 albums for $19.95. XROSS is a true servant and for him, It’s about ministry, not industry.

For more information on XROSS visit www.myspace.com/xross or www.xrossmusic.com XROSS press kit: www.sonicbids.com/xross

Be on the lookout for Tell’em tha Truth Week and promo info/2009 tour dates.

3HP Records introduces Mark Daniel

The story began in 1980 when a yet unseen and unheard gift was born into the world, only noticed by the God who gave it and who created a beginning, middle, and an unknown end to Mark Daniel’s story.

As a child raised by a strong single mother, it was apparent that Mark was blessed with a talent to perform. Growing up listening to and imitating musical icon Michael Jackson, Mark caught the eye of many throughout his childhood, and his gift to write lyrics at such an early age also caught the attention of musical instructors.

“I always had an understanding of song formats when i was younger, not really knowing where it came from”. Writing became a way to vent and express his feelings. His creativity kept himself entertained.

“Hip hop became a love of mine when I heard L.L. Cool J’s “Bad” album for the first time. That’s when I knew what I truly wanted to be.” Hip-hop stayed with him. As time passed, he continued working toward perfecting his writing and lyrical ability.

In his teenage years, Mark started to make his love for the hip-hop art more vocal; joining in on the lunch room cyphers, studying the art of graffiti, and even break dancing.

Always carrying the dream with him like the backpack stuffed with lyrics. Filling notebooks with poetic verses and reciting them to his peers. His confidence grew stronger and his will to win became more powerful as his heart began to take his talent more serious.

He started recording in 2000, finding his lyrical ability to be more than just a talent, more than just a dream… but a goal. Recording songs with a friend, they teamed up to take their music to a higher level. Following many heart-breaking disappointments and shattered expectations, the groups’ outlook on life changed. They matured and began to build a relationship that had unknowingly been evolving in their hearts. In 2005 the group turned to God for the answers they had long been questioning.

“The music became more positive as we built our relationship with God.” They started to record and perform songs in and around the Atlanta area creating a small buzz for themselves both locally and internationally, having been featured on many mix-tapes not only in the United States but also in Europe.

As Mark’s relationship with God grew, he was led to express his love for Christ even more in his lyrics. Knowing the struggles of today’s Christian hip-hop artists hasn’t stopped him from committing to his goals, and expressing his past and present through his form of testimony. He’s also showing his vulnerability by keeping his music as honest and “real” as possible, in order to speak to those who really hear the message behind the music.

This is not your average story of a rose through concrete. This is a story of learning to walk without legs to stand on. This is having faith your feet are there and just pushing with what you have. This is the realization that what’s under those feet is a strong foundation and relationship with an unbreakable God. This is the Grace that Jesus gives through his compassion and love for us that pours out in blessings like talent and drive.

This is not your average story. It’s the following of a calling to strive to be above the “average” molded for you. A story that can inspire another, in it’s truth, to carve their own destiny and follow their calling.

“This is my life; one given, then spared, then blessed abundantly in Jesus’ name. This is my Muzik.”

For additional info on Mark Daniel visit: www.myspace.com/markdanielmuzik
Check out Mark Daniel’s free Mixtape: Click here to Download

“North Carolina Gospel Announcers Guild (NCGAG) Forms Strategic Alliance with Holy Hip Hop Radio

Atlanta/Charlotte. December 1, 2008. North Carolina Gospel Announcers Guild (NCGAG) and Holy Hip Hop Radio announced today that they have entered into a strategic alliance. The terms of the strategic alliance provide generally that: (1) Holy Hip Hop Radio, syndicated exclusively worldwide by Superadio, will serve as the music provider of choice for the North Carolina Gospel Announcers Guild as related to diverse and powerful Holy Hip Hop Trax; and (2) North Carolina Gospel Announcers Guild will serve as a key platform for Holy Hip Hop Radio to feature Holy Hip Hop emcees representing North, South, East and West.

“It is no secret that the entire state of North Carolina, home of INSP, Billy Graham Youth Ministries and hundreds of progressive Ministries seeking ways to connect with and uplift youth, children and young adults, has been and will always be a powerful beacon and advocate for Holy Hip Hop.

This is also why the timing of this alliance is important and Holy Hip Hop Radio is humbled to have been able to align with such a powerful and influential radio platform such as the North Carolina Gospel Announcers Guild, and to receive the full-backing and support of its leadership, as we continue to fulfill our works and mission,” said Minister eDDie Velez (Da Preachin Puerto Rican), host of Holy Hip Hop Radio.

“With over 25 years of radio broadcast experience, I have been fortunate and blessed to have seen and lived through multiple evolutions of music. This is why when I witnessed the Holy Hip Hop artist known as “Lecrae” recently reach the #1 spot on Billboard Top Gospel Chart (following Holy Hip Hop Emcee Canton Jones rise to #2 earlier this year), with virtually zero or non-existent radio airplay as compared to all others on the Chart before them, that this was of no surprise to me whatsoever.

But instead, this remarkable feat served as a further clear indicator that the time for Holy Hip Hop to move to higher ground, as predicted by the Gospel Announcers Guild just three (3) years ago at our Annual Retreat, is very near at-hand; and Holy Hip Hop Radio, Holy Hip Hop emcees and the legions of fans who have supported this music underground for the past 20+ years have earned my support and the support of the North Carolinal Gospel Announcers Guild,” said Pastor Arvetra Jones, President, North Carolina Gospel Announcers Guild.

About Gospel Announcers Guild:
The Gospel Announcers Guild is a voluntary association of Religious Announcers who have come together to address their common needs as professional broadcasters. This organization was born out of the lack of emphasis and concern placed on religious broadcasting, as well as religious broadcasters, by the nation’s major broadcast and record industry conventions and associations.

For over 35 years the GAG has experienced many milestone moments and yet its members remain committed to its central mission. No matter what their Gospel endeavors, through their continued service and giving both locally and nationally, they bring our motto of “One Voice, Crying in the Wilderness, the Coming and the Goodness of Christ,” into an ongoing reality.

We invite you to travel with us as we continue on our journey to “Bless the Kingdom” and to bring Gospel Music to the forefront by way of the airwaves, printed media, TV, the Internet, and other forms of media. For more information on the North Carolina Gospel Announcers Guild, please go to: www.NCGAG.com

About Holy Hip Hop Radio:
Based in Atlanta and hosted by eDDie Velez (a/k/a Da Preachin Puerto Rican), Since 1999, Holy Hip Hop Radio remains today as the longest running nationally-syndicated weekly radio show of its type consistently providing FM and AM radio affiliates nationwide with powerful and uplifting holy hip hop trax and bangin beats, combined with news, interviews and uplifting fellowship and ministry with 1500 hours of programming and 500 (3 Hour Shows) produced to date. For more information, email: radio@holyhiphop.com or go to: www.HolyHipHopRadio.com

Radio Station Program Directors: For more information on the Holy Hip Hop radio show (a 3-hour weekly radio program featuring blazin Holy Hip Hop Trax, Interviews, News and Street Gospel hosted by eDDie Velez, since 1999) or to add it to your radio station’s line-up, go directly to Superadio at: www.Superadio.com; email: radio@holyhiphop.com or go to: www.HolyHipHopRadio.com

For Emcees & Labels: Digitally-Mastered CD Submissions only, for radio airplay consideration, can be sent to: Radio; P.O. Box 1023; Pine Lake, GA 30072. eDDie Velez also hosts, (since 2003), the Holy Hip Hop Video Show and Holy Hip Hop Music Awards (since 2000).

About eDDie Velez:
eDDie Velez (a/k/a Da Preachin Puerto Rican) has been featured on national media such as, BET, CBS – The Early Show, FOX, PBS and C-SPAN. In January of 2002, eDDie Velez was invited by the late Coretta Scott King to be a guest speaker at the Annual Martin Luther King Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA. In front of many dignitaries, including the First Lady of the United States, Mrs. Laura Bush, he gave a compelling speech on how the vision of Dr. King cannot die within the Hip Hop Culture.

eDDie Velez currently hosts the nationally syndicated Holy Hip Hop Radio Show syndicated worldwide by Superadio, as well as the Holy Hip Hop Music Awards, aired worldwide on JC-TV (TBN Affiliate) in over 10 million homes. eDDie also serves as the Chairman and CEO of the Fellowship of Holy Hip Hop, an organization that focuses on ministering the Gospel to the Hip Hop culture. Eddie Velez is bilingual, speaking both fluent English and Spanish.

About Superadio:
Based in New York, since 1988, Superadio is the leading producer and distributor of marquis radio programs in a variety of formats including Urban, Urban Adult, Gospel, Mainstream Top 40, Rhythmic, Talk, Country, Hot AC, Rock, Dance, Alternative and Oldies.

Since 1988, Superadio has boasted a line-up of personalities second to none including but not limited to: Inspiration Jam; Joe Cortez, Retro Pop Reunion; John Garabedian and Kane, Open House Party; Warren Ballentine; Ace and TJ, The Ace and TJ Morning Show, Steve and DC, The Steve and DC Morning Show, Ken Cooper, Retro Country USA; Rev. Al Sharpton; PK, PK’s Playhouse; Derrick Jonzun, Lost in the 80′s; Holy Hip Hop; Romeo, Romeo’s Playhouse; Jay Gordon, Elvis Only; Terry Bello, The Soul Lounge; R-Dub!, Sunday Night Slow Jams. For more information, go to: www.Superadio.com

Categorized in Music
Tags: 3HPRecords, Add new tag, Christian hip hop, Hip hop, Holy Hip Hop Radio, Mark Daniel, Music, Music News, Tunnel Rats "TR'z", XROSS

Dec

Daily Bible Study: The First Converts at Work – Acts 2:42-3:26

Lesson 3

Introduction:

In Acts 2:14-36 Peter had preached the first gospel sermon after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. 3000 people obeyed and became the first converts to the gospel. Please review Lesson 2 before proceeding. Let us see what these people did as new converts to the gospel.

I. Worship – Acts 2:42

>>> Please read Acts 2:42. <<<

*1,2,3&4* In what four things did early converts “continue steadfastly”? Answer (list them in order): They continued in the apostles’ ______, in ______, in ______, and in ______.

The apostles’ doctrine

Jesus had sent the Holy Spirit to guide the apostles in their preaching (John 16:13). Their message was the very will of Jesus Himself (Luke 10:16; 1 Corinthians 14:37; Matthew 10:19,20). We should study their message diligently today, just as these early Christians did. No commands should be taught that differ from what they taught (Matthew 15:9; Galatians 1:8,9; 2 John 9-11; Colossians 3:17).

Fellowship

“Fellowship” means sharing. Early Christians shared many blessings (see vv 43-45). V42 refers to activities they shared together in worship. All Christians have spiritual fellowship with one another because of our fellowship with God (1 John 1:3-7). But we should never share or have fellowship in sin (Eph. 5:11; 2 John 9-11).

Breaking of bread

“Breaking bread” can refer to a common meal (as in v46). But v42 clearly refers to worship, so this must be the Lord’s Supper.

>>> Please read Matthew 26:26-28; 1 Cor. 11:23-26. <<<

*5* What is the meaning of the unleavened bread in communion? Answer: The bread is a memorial to Jesus’ ______.

*6* What is the meaning of the cup (fruit of the vine)? Answer: The cup is a memorial to His ______.

Old Testament feasts memorialized various important events. In the New Testament we remember Jesus’ death in the Lord’s Supper. We will later see that this should be done each first day of the week (Acts 20:7).

Prayer

Prayer refers to speaking to God (Acts 4:23-31), in which we praise and thank Him and make requests (Philippians 4:6,7; 1 Peter 5:7).

>>> Please read 1 Timothy 2:5,6. <<<

*7* How many mediators are there between men and God? Answer (give a number): There is ______ mediator between God and men.

*8* Who is this mediator? (a) Mary, (b) the priesthood, (c) Buddha, (d) Jesus, (e) dead saints, (f) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

Comments: Jesus is the only Mediator between men and God, because His death makes it possible for us to approach God in prayer. Since only Jesus did this, no one else can mediate between men and God.

We will see that other acts of Scriptural worship include singing and giving. Like these early converts, we too should “continue steadfastly” in all these acts of worship (Heb. 10:25).

II. Caring for Needy Members – Acts 2:43-45

>>> Please read Acts 2:43-45. <<<

*9* What work is described here? (a) building a cathedral, (b) a pilgrimage to Mecca, (c) caring for needy members, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*10* Who gave to help people who were in need (v44)? Answer: Those who gave were all who ______.

Comment: The purpose of this collection was to relieve individuals in need, not to distribute property equally (2:45; 4:35). Each disciple decided voluntarily how much to give (2 Cor. 9:7; Acts 5:4). Christians did not practice mandatory communal living. People continued to own houses to live in (Acts 2:46; 21:8; chap. 12). This special need likely arose because people had come to Jerusalem from all over the world (vv 5-11). After being converted, they stayed to be taught before going home. Other Christians went to great lengths to provide for them.

Many other verses show that local churches helped needy members (Acts 4:32-5:11; 6:1-6; 11:27-30; 2 Corinthians 8:4; 9:1,12). We will learn that churches received funds to do their work by taking collections on the first day of the week. All members gave generously according to their prosperity. See 1 Corinthians 16:1,2; 2 Corinthians 9:6,7.

III. Church Growth – Acts 2:46,47

>>> Please read Acts 2:46,47. <<<

*11* Who adds people to Jesus’ church? (a) the Pope, (b) the Lord, (c) the priests, (d) the other members vote them in, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*12* Whom does the Lord add to the church? Answer: The Lord adds those who are ______.

Comments: To accommodate meetings of thousands of Christians, the Jerusalem church apparently met in a porch of the temple (cf. Acts 3:11; 5:12). However, they ate their meals at home.

We will see that the work of the early church involved worshiping God, studying and teaching God’s word, and caring for needy members. As a church, they never became involved in modern Social Gospel activities, such as entertainment and recreation, etc. Even common meals were eaten apart from church meetings (see also 1 Cor. 11:22,34). The church is a spiritual body, dedicated to the salvation of souls. We need to imitate this spiritual emphasis in the church today.

From verse 47 on, Acts describes the church as a living, working group of people (Acts 5:11; 8:1-3; 11:22,26; etc.). The church is not a physical building or a denomination. It is the body of all people who have been saved by Jesus’ blood and over whom He rules as Head (Matt. 16:18; Eph. 1:22,23; 5:23,25; Acts 20:28). If, as some believe, the church is not essential to salvation, that would mean that Jesus’ blood and Headship are also non-essential!

One cannot purchase membership or be voted into the church that Jesus’ built. One must submit to the gospel, so Jesus’ blood cleanses him. Then Jesus adds him to the church (v47).

The church promised by Jesus had begun. It is the kingdom of Christ, and all saved people are in it! Are you part of it?

IV. The Healing of the Lame Man – Acts 3:1-10

The Problem

>>> Please read Acts 3:1,2. <<

*13* What problem did the man at the temple gate have? Answer: The man was ______.

*14* What proves he really had this problem? (a) he was lame from birth, (b) he was 40 years old (Acts 4:22), (c) people carried him to the temple, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

Comment: The Holy Spirit gave the apostles power to do miraculous signs (Acts 2:43). These miracles confirmed that God sent the men to act on His behalf. Satan sends false prophets, who claim to be from God (2 Cor. 11:13-15; Matt. 7:15). Today, we can recognize false prophets by comparing their teaching to the Bible, but when the church had just begun the Bible was not completed yet. People needed a way to distinguish true prophets from false prophets. Miracles accomplished that purpose (cf. Acts 1:3; 2:22; 14:3; Mark 16:20; John 20:30,31; Hebrews 2:3,4).

To do this, true miracles had to be signs that false prophets could not duplicate. They were always clearly impossible by natural law but could be accomplished only by God’s supernatural power. They always possessed characteristics that marked them as true miracles. These characteristics also distinguish Bible signs from the so-called miracles of modern false healers. The healing of the lame man demonstrates the characteristics of true miraculous Bible signs.

The first characteristic was that miraculous healings solved obvious diseases that clearly existed. This man had been lame all his life (over 40 years). He had to be carried to the temple gate. Bible miracles never cured invisible or psychosomatic diseases, but always clear, obvious physical diseases. Modern “healers” often profess to heal problems that cannot be seen or that could result from a person’s state of mind.

>>> Please read Acts 3:3-5. <<<

*15* What did the man ask Peter and John to give him? (a) healing (b) a miracle, (c) alms (a charitable gift), (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

Comment: The man asked for money, not for a miracle. This shows that people who were healed in the Bible did not always have faith to be healed. This man was not even expecting to be healed. Modern “healers” often fail to accomplish a healing, so they blame the sick person for not having enough faith. When Jesus tried to heal, He never failed, nor did the apostles fail after the Spirit came on Pentecost. And they never excused a failure on other people’s lack of faith.

The Healing

>>> Please read Acts 3:6-8. <<<

*16&17* Why didn’t Peter give the man money? Answer: Peter said he had no ______ or ______.

*18* What did Peter do for the man? Answer: Instead of giving money, Peter told him to rise up and ______ in the name of Jesus .

*19* How do we know the man was healed? (a) he stood up, (b) he leaped and walked, (c) he reacted immediately, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

Comment: This shows other characteristics of true Bible miracles.

Miracles were never done for the personal glory or financial gain of the teacher. Peter had no wealth and asked for none. He gave the glory to God (“in the name of Jesus”). Modern healers always ask for contributions, even from people in abject poverty. Often such men are very rich.

Also, the healing was instantaneous – the man “immediately” received strength. This is true of all Bible healings (cf. Luke 13:11-13; Mark 2:10-12; 5:25-29, 35-42; etc.). Modern “healers” often claim miracles if people gradually improve over a period of days, months, or years!

Further, the healing was complete and obvious. All symptoms of the disease were removed. The man stood up leaping and walking. Even if his strength had returned, he would naturally need to learn to walk. But this man could immediately leap and walk. Modern “healers” often claim miracles when improvement is only partial or not obvious at all.

>>> Please read Acts 3:9,10. <<<

*20* Who observed the man walking? (a) all the people, (b) only the apostles, (c) no one, (d) only the man himself saw it. Answer: ______.

*21* How did this affect the people? Answer: The people were filled with ______.

Comment: Again note that the people could observe for themselves the effect of the miracle. It occurred to a man they knew locally. They were not asked to believe on the basis of unconfirmed testimony about events that occurred to unknown people in faraway lands. They could observe the proof for themselves.

Finally note that the miracle caused wonder and amazement. This illustrates the purpose of miracles. They always occurred to confirm that men were sent by God (see references above).

Consider what we have learned about miraculous Bible healings:

Characteristics of Miraculous Healing

Bible Miracles	Modern “Healings”
* Impossible by natural law * Obvious ailments * No failures * Not for the gain of the healer * Instantaneous * Complete, obvious healing * Purpose: to confirm the word	Explainable by natural law Often invisible or psychosomatic * Often try but fail * Healers become wealthy * Gradual or progressive * Improvement partial or no proof * Confirms no new revelation

V. The Second Gospel Sermon – Acts 3:11-26

>>> Please read Acts 3:11-15. <<<

*22* What happened as news of the healing spread? Answer: As news spread many people ran together and met on Solomon’s ______.

*23* What did Peter accuse the people of doing to Jesus? Answer: Peter said they had ______ Jesus.

*24* What did God do? (a) killed the people, (b) forgave everyone, (c) raised Jesus from the dead, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*25* How did Peter prove Jesus had been raised? Answer: The apostles were ______ that Jesus had been raised.

Comment: People gathered as they heard about the miracle, so Peter used the opportunity to preach to them. The message is similar to Acts 2.

Peter convicted the people of killing Jesus and again gave the apostles’ testimony that Jesus had been raised (see Acts 1:8; 2:32). Sinners must come to believe in Jesus. Peter’s first proof was the resurrection.

>>> Please read Acts 3:16-18. <<<

*26* Who had sent the power that healed the lame man? Answer: The power to heal came through faith in ______.

*27* Did the people kill the Christ: (a) knowingly, or (b) ignorantly? Answer (a or b): ______.

*28* Who had foretold the suffering of Jesus? Answer: God foretold Jesus’ suffering through all His ______.

Comment: Peter said that the healing of the lame man was done by the power of Jesus. So his second proof of Jesus was miracles.

When the people killed Jesus, they had not known He was their Christ, God’s Son. But they were still guilty. Ignorance of God’s law is not an excuse (see Acts 17:30).

As in Acts 2:23, Jesus’ death was not unexpected. God knew all along it would happen, and had predicted it by the prophets. So Peter’s third proof of Jesus was fulfilled prophecy, just like in Acts 2:23-36.

>>> Please read Acts 3:19-21. <<<

*29* What did Peter say they should do about their sins? Answer: He told them to repent and ______.

*30* Heaven must receive Jesus until what happens? (a) the times of restoration, (b) He establishes an earthly kingdom, (c) the Rapture. Answer: ______.

Comments: “Conversion” refers to a change of life, so one ceases being alienated from God and enters into His fellowship (Matt. 18:3; 13:15).

Now compare Acts 3:19 to Acts 2:38:

2:38 – Repent and be baptized for remission of sins
3:19 – Repent and be converted so your sins may be blotted out

The parallel shows that baptism is the point at which one is converted. “For remission of sins” (2:38) means “that your sins may be blotted out” (3:19). So again, baptism is necessary to receive forgiveness of sins. Then one receives “times of refreshing” – he is born again so that all things have become new (2 Cor. 5:17; John 3:5; Rom. 6:3,4).

What are the “times of restoration” (v21)? Man’s sin brought spiritual consequences including alienation from God (Gen. 3:1-15). Jesus’ death can “restore” sinners to God’s favor. The gospel age is the time when this saving message is preached so all have the opportunity to be restored, as prophesied in the Old Testament. At the end of the gospel age Jesus will come to judge men for their lives.

>>>Please read Acts 3:22,23. <<<

*31* Who predicted the coming of a prophet like himself? (a) Isaiah, (b) Mohammed, (c) Joseph Smith, (d) Moses. Answer: ______.

*32* How much of that prophet’s message must we listen to? Answer: We must hear ______ He teaches.

*33* What happens to those who do not give heed to Him? Answer: Those who don’t give heed will be ______ from among the people.

Comments: Again, various cults claim that their leader was the prophet predicted to be like Moses. But the whole context describes the work of Christ. V26 clearly says great blessings came through Jesus. In Acts 7:37 Stephen again quotes this passage and applies it to Jesus. Jesus is the prophet who was like Moses. What could be more fitting?

People today must listen to all that Jesus teaches us. Some want to pick and choose, accepting what they like and rejecting the rest. The prophecy says that those who do so will be utterly destroyed.

>>> Please read Acts 3:24-26. <<<

*34* What prophets had foretold “these days” when Peter spoke (v24)? Answer: This was foretold by ______ the prophets.

*35* What covenant had been made with Abraham? Answer: God promised all families of the earth would be ______.

*36* What blessing fulfilled the covenant? Answer: We are blessed through Jesus if we turn away from our ______.

Comment: God’s covenant with Abraham was known by every Jew. It was the basis of Israel’s special position in God’s plan. But the greatest hope it offered was a blessing for people of all nations, not just Jews. Peter here clearly identifies that blessing: It was forgiveness of sins through the death of Jesus Christ (cf. Gal. 3:8,16). This great blessing had come! The covenant with Abraham had been fulfilled! Salvation was available to all! Have you received that forgiveness?

Personal application questions:

*37* How should worship in the church today compare to that of the early church? __________________

*38* Do you believe miracles like in Acts 3 really did occur? __________________

*39* Do you believe membership in Jesus’ church is essential to eternal life? __________________

Categorized in Daily Bible Study
Tags: Acts, Acts 2:42-3:26, Bible Study, early church, The First Converts at Work

Dec

God’s Dietary Laws: Abolished in the New Testament?

READERS: The purpose of this article is not to condemn or insult those who hold to the standard Christian teaching that God’s dietary laws are abolished under the New Covenant. The purpose of the article is to examine the New Testament passages which are commonly quoted in support of this teaching, and to show that these passages do not really teach what most Christians think they teach.

The Bible tells us that there was a distinction between clean and unclean animals for at least a thousand years before the Torah was given to Moses. This distinction between clean and unclean animals is mentioned in Gen. 7:2 and 8:20, in the account of Noah’s Flood. Genesis does not tell us which animals were clean and which were unclean, but it is obvious that Noah knew the difference.

About a thousand years later, when the Torah was given to Moses, God went into great detail and listed which animals were clean (kosher; fit for human consumption) and which were unclean (non kosher; not fit for human consumption). The entire 11th chapter of Leviticus is devoted to this subject. A shorter version of the list is repeated in Deuteronomy 14.

Orthodox Jews take these commandments literally, and do not eat pork, shellfish, or any of the other forbidden meats. Christians, on the other hand, feel that there is nothing wrong with eating these things. Many Christians (and doctors and nutritionists, too) will admit that people would be a lot healthier if they followed God’s dietary laws, and a small number of Christians actually do make an effort to avoid meat from unclean animals. But the great majority of Christians do not view the dietary laws as Divine commandments which ought to be obeyed.

A number of arguments have been put forth to support the standard Christian position. Probably the oldest argument is drawn from the Second Century Epistle of Barnabas. The writer spiritualizes the dietary laws, and says that the various unclean animals represent different types of behavior in which a Christian should not engage. While there may be a legitimate analogy here (Christians shouldn’t behave like pigs, etc.), the analogy fails to prove that God does not want His people to take the commandments literally and abstain from these meats.

Of course the most common argument against the validity of the dietary laws is the claim that God abolished them in the New Testament. This claim is often coupled with the idea that God originally gave the dietary laws because people didn’t have refrigeration in Old Testament times. I’ve got news for you. People didn’t have refrigeration in New Testament times, either. If God’s dietary commandments had anything at all to do with the absence of refrigeration, He wouldn’t have “abolished” them until about a hundred years ago, when refrigeration was invented.

There are six New Testament passages which can give the impression that God did, indeed, abolish the dietary commandments which He established in the Old Testament. However, a close look at these passages reveals that they really prove no such thing. The only way a person can use any of these passages to “prove” the nullifying of the dietary laws is to: 1) ignore the context of the passage; 2) ignore the historical background of the passage; 3) ignore what the rest of the Bible says about the subject; 4) ignore the implications and logical conclusions of this theological position.

Before we look at the six New Testament passages, let us consider two important questions:

1) Were the dietary laws, as written in the Bible, man-made traditions, or were they commandments of God? Bible-believers must admit that these were commandments which God expected His people to obey;

2) Did the Son of God teach His disciples to disobey the commandments of God? Some might think this is a ridiculous question, yet this is exactly what some Christians actually believe Jesus did in Matt. 15, the first passage we will look at.

Matt. 15:11, 17f

“Not what enters into the mouth defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man . . . Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.”

Many sincere Christians believe that Jesus abolished the Old Testament dietary laws when He made these statements. This idea is given further support in modern translations of the parallel passage in Mark 7:19, where the NASB adds, “Thus He declared all foods clean)” and the NIV says, “(In saying this, Jesus declared all foods ‘clean’).”

What most Christians do not know is that this parenthetic interpretation of Jesus’ words does not exist in the Textus Receptus, the “Received Text” that was accepted by the Church as the only authoritative Greek New Testament text until about a hundred years ago. This parenthetic interpretation of Jesus’ words was obviously a comment that some scribe wrote in the margin of the text. Later scribes accidentally or deliberately incorporated the marginal comment into the text itself, so the statement appears only in corrupted texts. But the statement does not appear in the Textus Receptus, so the KJV says nothing about Jesus “declaring all foods clean.”

Let us examine this passage, though, and see if Yeshua really was declaring all foods clean. If we back up a few verses, we see Yeshua rebuking the scribes and Pharisees for disobeying the commandments of God: “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God?” (Mt. 15:3), He asks them. “Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men. You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! You invalidate the word of God by your tradition.” After making statements like these, are we to suppose that Jesus would then set aside and invalidate one of the commandments of God by declaring “all foods,” including meats God had forbidden, “clean”? If so, this would make Jesus either a hypocrite, or stupid, or both. These are charges I would certainly not want to make against Him! Yet this is exactly what the standard Christian position makes Him out to be.

The real meaning of Yeshua’s words can be clarified by looking at the context. The controversy in this chapter was not over whether or not pork is kosher. The controversy was initiated when the scribes and Pharisees criticized Yeshua’s disciples for eating with unwashed hands. The Pharisees believed that Shibia, an evil spirit, sat upon the hands at night, and this spirit had to be washed off before eating (Dake Reference Bible, 42, fn.r). Jewish beliefs about hand washing are stated in the Talmud:

· “A person who despises the washing of the hands before a meal is to be excommunicated” (Ber. 47b).

· “Whoever eats bread without first washing his hands is as though he had sinned with a harlot” (Sot. 4b).

· “Whoever makes light of the washing of his hands will be uprooted from the world” (Sot. 4b).

· “Whoever eats bread without scouring his hands is as though he eats unclean bread” (Sot. 4b).

These beliefs are rooted in the traditions of men, not in the commandments of God. When Yeshua made His statements that seem to be “declaring all foods clean,” He was simply saying that kosher food does not become unkosher if it is eaten with unwashed hands. He was simply disagreeing with the belief that “whoever eats bread without scouring his hands is as though he eats unclean bread.” His final statement makes it clear that this was the point He was making: “ . . . but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man,” (Mt. 15:20).

The issue was not over whether or not pork and shellfish are kosher. God had already made that clear in the Torah. The issue was over whether or not unwashed hands caused kosher food to become unkosher. The only way we can say He “declared all foods clean” is to say that He “declared all kosher foods clean,” even if eaten with unwashed hands. Yeshua, a Torah-observant Jew, would not have considered pork or shellfish to be “food.”

Acts 10

Acts 10 tells about Peter’s vision of a great sheet descending from heaven. The sheet is filled with unclean animals, and a voice says, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” Peter says, “Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.”

This was many years after the Crucifixion and Resurrection. If Yeshua had “declared all foods clean” several years earlier, Peter certainly didn’t know anything about it! Yet many Christians believe that God sent this vision to tell Peter that He had “changed His mind” about the dietary laws, and abolished them. However, the context shows that the vision had nothing at all to do with a change in God’s dietary laws.

The message of the vision was that God was cleansing the Gentiles through their faith in the Messiah, and God wanted these Gentiles to be part of the body of Messiah, a body which at this time consisted of only native-born Jews and of proselytes who had undergone a full, formal conversion to Judaism. The unclean animals in the sheet were symbolic of the Gentile nations. This kind of symbolism would not have seemed unusual to Peter, a Jew who was familiar with the Scriptures. In the writings of the Prophets, the Gentile nations are symbolized by unclean animals such as the eagle, the lion, the bear, and the leopard. (See Ezekiel 17 and Dan. 7).

To properly understand Peter’s vision, we must put ourselves in Peter’s shoes. Like the Messiah he followed, Peter was a Torah-observant man. He knew God had clearly commanded His people to not eat certain animals. This is why he said, “Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.”

To put yourself in Peter’s shoes, imagine that you, as a born-again Christian man, go into a trance and see a great sheet let down from heaven. The sheet is filled with naked women. You hear a voice address you by name and say, “Arise, take and commit adultery!”

Like Peter, you would be taken aback by such a vision, because you know that the Scriptures dearly forbid such an act. The only conclusion you could draw from such a vision would be: a) it is of the devil; or b) it is of the Lord, but certainly not meant to be taken in a literal sense.

When the messengers of Cornelius arrived, Peter understood that the vision was indeed from the Lord. The fact that these men were Gentiles led Peter to understand the true meaning of the vision: “God hath shown me that I should call no MAN common or unclean” (Acts 10:28). Peter’s explanation makes it clear that the vision was meant to be understood in a figurative sense.

Peter had the brains to know that God would not command him to do something that the Scriptures clearly forbid. Peter understood that the vision had nothing at all to do with a change in the dietary laws; it was God’s way of showing Peter His intention to graft the Gentiles into the commonwealth of Israel through their faith in Israel’s Messiah. And those grafted into Israel should obey the commandments which God gave to Israel.

Colossians 2:16

“Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink,” Paul wrote. Does this mean that Christians are absolutely free from any dietary restrictions? If that is the case, then I can be a glutton and a drunkard. “But gluttony and drunkenness are condemned in other Bible passages!” you object. True. And eating meat from unclean animals is condemned in other Bible passages, too.

As with other New Testament passages, we just need to look at the context of this statement to understand its intended meaning. Verses 13-14 tell us we have been forgiven because the “certificate of debt” has been “taken out of the way.” This “certificate of debt” is not God’s Torah. This is the cheirographon. This word is used only one time in the New Testament. It is a legal term used in extra-Biblical Greek writings, and it means “certificate of indebtedness” (Gingrich Lexicon).

In this context, it means that the record of our sins has been thrown out of God’s Court. Because the Messiah died for our sins, this record of our transgressions is inadmissible evidence in the Courtroom of Heaven. Because of the work of our Advocate, Yeshua, we have triumphed over our accuser (verse 15). It is for this reason that we are to let no man judge us: “Let no man therefore judge you . . . .” The word “therefore” points us back to the previous verses which I have just discussed. One way we could paraphrase the passage is this:

· You have been forgiven. (v.13)

· The record of your sins has been removed from God’s Courtroom through the work of your Advocate, Yeshua. (v. 14)

· He triumphed over your accuser, the devil, so you can be victorious over sin. (v.15)

· For that reason ["therefore"], don’t give anyone the opportunity to condemn you ["let no man judge you"] in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or the new moon, or the sabbath days. In other words, through the Messiah you have the power to obey the commandments of God which regulate these things. Therefore walk in obedience so that no man can condemn you for not obeying God’s commandments regarding food, drink, holy days, new moon, and sabbaths.

· These things are important because they are shadows [not "were" shadows] of things yet to come [not "of things that have already come"]. (v.17)

The above paraphrase affirms God’s dietary laws rather than abolishing them. Even if someone wants to interpret Col. 2:16 to mean “don’t worry about dietary laws,” the context forces us to understand this to mean “don’t worry about man-made regulations concerning food and drink.” The entire passage is dealing with man-made regulations of human origin:

· “ . . . lest any MAN should beguile you,” (2:4)

· “Beware lest any MAN spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of MEN . . . .” (2:8)

· “Let no MAN therefore judge you . . . ,” (2:16)

· “Let no MAN beguile you . . . ” (2:18)

· “ . . . why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances . . . after the commandments and doctrines of MEN?” (2:20-22)

Six times the word man/men is entioned in Col. 2. The NIV acknowledges that these verses are talking, not about God’s commandments, but about man-made regulations: the NIV titles this section “Freedom From Human Regulations Through Life With Christ.” Paul was dealing with teachers who were imposing man-made regulations as a means to attaining spirituality. Paul was not saying that the laws of God’s Torah are not important. The word law does not appear even one time in the entire Book of Colossians.

I Timothy 4:1-5

Paul tells Timothy that “in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” One mark of these deluded apostates is “commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving by those who know the truth.” Paul continues: “For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving. For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”

Is this passage telling us that we can disregard God’s commandments that forbid the eating of unclean animals? We might come to this conclusion if we ignore two phrases which qualify and limit the meaning of “every creature.” The first qualifying phrase is “which God hath created to be received [i.e., received as food; created to be eaten].”

Which creatures did God create to be received as food? Did God create swine, shellfish, rats, maggots, lizards, bats, and moles to be received as food? Obviously the phrase “every creature” means “every creature which God created to be received as food.”

How do we know which creatures God created to be received as food? The answer to that question is in the second qualifying phrase, “sanctified by the word of God.” Where does the Word of God tell us which animals are sanctified and set apart to be received as food? In Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14, the chapters that give the dietary laws.

If we say that “every creature” is not limited and qualified by the phrases “which God hath created to be received” and “sanctified by the word of God,” then we have a problem, because the meat of some animals is poisonous and will kill a person. These creatures are obviously not intended to be received as food.

Words such as all and every are often limited in their meaning. In this same epistle Paul tells Timothy that God “richly gives us all things to enjoy” (6:17). Does “all in this verse mean “all” in an unlimited sense? Does God give us Playboy magazine and other pornography to enjoy? Does He give us our neighbor’s wife to enjoy? Does He give us heroin, cocaine, and marijuana to enjoy? Obviously, “all things” does not include those things which God has forbidden, nor those things which are deadly. In the same way, “every creature” does not include those animals which God has forbidden.

We see a similar use of “every” in Gen. 1:29, where God says to Adam, “Behold, I have given you EVERY herb bearing seed which is upon the face of all the earth … to you it shall be for food.” Does this mean that all herbs are suitable to eat? How about hemlock, poison ivy, and marijuana? In the 1960s I saw a hippie poster with this Bible verse from Genesis in bold letters superimposed over a large marijuana leaf. Under the Bible verse in smaller letters it read, “This has been overruled by a ‘higher authority’.”

The standard Christian position declares that there are no restrictions on what we eat. But Christians do not think through to the logical implications of this theological position. If there are no restrictions, then we cannot criticize people who eat marijuana brownies. We cannot criticize gluttons and drunkards. We cannot even criticize cannibals, for man is also one of God’s creatures.

Luke 10:8 and I Corinthians 10:27

“ . . . eat such things as are set before you” (Luke 10:8).

“ . . . Whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake,” (I Cor. 10:27).

Did Yeshua mean that when we are a guest we should eat anything a host offers us, even if it is meat which God has forbidden in the Torah? Did Paul mean that we should not even ask whether or not the meat is from an unclean animal?

There are a few things we need to consider. Let’s look at Luke 10:8 first. Yeshua spoke these words when He sent out the seventy. These were seventy Torah-observant Jews who followed a Torah-observant Rabbi.

Rabbi Yeshua had told His disciples, “Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not; But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,” (Matt. 10:6).

It is obvious from this statement that the disciples would be lodging in Torah-observant Jewish homes, where the kosher laws were followed. It is ridiculous to suppose that the disciples might have been offered a pork chop in one of these Jewish homes. Even if this very unlikely possibility had occurred, the disciples would have had enough sense to know that this is not what their Master meant when He said to, “eat such things as are set before you.” He simply meant to be content with the food which your host provided.

Paul’s statement in I Corinthians is very similar to Yeshua’s statement, but the context is quite different. Paul is dealing with the question of eating food which has been offered to idols. The New Testament clearly teaches that it is wrong for Christians to eat food offered to idols. Four times this is written, in Acts 15:20, 21:25; Rev. 2:14, 20. On the surface, Paul’s teaching in I Cor. 8 seems to contradict these verses in Acts and Revelation. But Paul clarifies the issue in I Cor. 10, when he writes that “the things which the Gentiles sacrifice [to idols], they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and the table of devils,” (v. 20-21).

The problem the Corinthians were facing was this: they did not want to eat meat which had been offered to idols. Sometimes meat sold in the public markets came from animals which had been sacrificed to idols. It might be difficult or impossible to find out whether or not a specific cut of beef came from a cow which had been offered to an idol. Should the Corinthian Christians continue to buy meat at the public market, not knowing whether or not the animal had been offered to an idol?

Paul answered this question: “Whatsoever is sold in the market, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake,” (I Cor. 10:25). Apparently, Paul was telling the Corinthians that a person was guilty of eating meat offered to idols only of he knew that the meat had been offered to an idol. If a host offering you meat happened to say, “This was offered in sacrifice to idols,” Paul said that a Christian should “eat not,” (10:28). But if the host said nothing, then the Christian was free to eat the meat. It is in this context that Paul writes “whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake,” (10:27). In other words, do not ask whether or not the meat has been offered to idols. However, this does not mean that we cannot ask what kind of animal the meat came from.

Here is a real-life illustration. In 1989 I was standing with some friends near a Hindu temple in India. A Hindu man took some dried fruit from a plate sitting at the foot of one of the idols outside the temple. He came over and offered us some. Because I knew it was food which had been offered to an idol, I politely refused it. Yet I felt free to eat in Indian restaurants, because I had no way of knowing whether or not the food being served to me had previously been offered to idols.

Many well-meaning Christians believe that Jesus’ and Paul’s instructions to “eat what is set before you” means that a missionary should not refuse food that a host offers, even if it is meat from an unclean animal. Refusing the food might insult the host and hinder him from accepting the gospel. Again, Christians do not think through to the logical implications and conclusion of this position. If it is permissible (and actually preferable) to knowingly disobey God’s dietary laws to avoid offending one’s host, then why would it not be permissible (or preferable) to disobey other Divine laws to avoid offending one’s host? In some cultures a man shows hospitality to a guest by letting the guest sleep with his (the host’s) wife. If the guest refuses this offer, it is a great insult to the host and the host’s wife. In other cultures it is an insult if a guest refuses to get drunk with the host. In the drug culture it is an insult to refuse to get high with the host. Our quiet, humble, obedience to God’s commandments will sometimes offend people who are ignorant of God’s commandments. Offending some people is one of the unpleasant side effects of obedience.

Isaiah 65 and 66

In Isaiah God speaks about “a rebellious people which walk in a way that is not good, after their own thoughts; a people that provoke Me to anger continually to My face,”

(65:2, 3). One of the reasons these people provoke the Lord is because they “eat swine’s flesh, and the broth of unclean meat is in their pots,” (65:4).

“But that’s not talking about Gentiles!” someone objects. “That verse is talking about Israel! Paul says so in Romans 10!” True. And in Romans 11, the very next chapter, Paul says that Gentiles who believe in the Messiah are grafted into Israel. Paul also says that believing Gentiles are made a part of “the commonwealth of Israel” (Eph. 2:12). The context of Isaiah’s prophecy is after the Gentiles have been grafted in and made a part of Israel. Therefore these words are not addressed only to Jews. They are also addressed to non-Jewish Christians living under the New Covenant, because these Christians are grafted into Israel.

Before the new heavens and new earth are established, Yahweh declares that He will consume those people “who eat swine’s flesh, detestable things, and mice” (Isa. 66:17). The context of this prophecy is the end times, right before the new heaven and new earth are established. This tells us that at this time of history, the Lord still expects His people to obey His dietary laws.

I will not presume to speculate on the standing or the fate of Christians who knowingly disregard God’s commandments concerning meat from unclean animals. God is merciful, and I believe He forgives His people when they err in ignorance, when they honestly do not know any better. Of course there is a difference between willful ignorance and innocent ignorance.

I believe that, before the Lord destroys those who “eat swine’s flesh, detestable things, and mice,” He will make it clear to those who truly love Him that the dietary laws are still valid and for our own good. It is my prayer that this article will be instrumental in helping to open the eyes of those who truly love Him.

– written by Daniel Botkin, Litt. D. This article is from the November/December, 1997, issue of Mr. Botkin’s free bimonthly publication, Gates of Eden, PO Box 2257, East Peoria, IL 61611-0257.

Categorized in Health
Tags: Christian health, God deitary Laws

Dec

Classic Video: Sackcloth Fashion – Rising Sons (feat. Man of War, E-Roc)

Shot in the infamous “New California Theatre” in downtown San Diego, this could easily be what started it ‘all’ whatever it ‘all’ is. A young MaxOne, Man of War, and a Syntax Records w/o distribution or catalog wanted to make it’s mark. A rather ingenious way to do so as well. We achieved the accelerated response need to launch a new Label. Until then, there was no such thing as indie’s with a real music video shot on film with a fully staffed lighting and production crew. This video shot all the way to #18 on the over all CCM music video chart, with no actual cd or single in stores. At the end of the day, this was fun. Also it might be fun to know that the song was written, produced and recorded, and about a half hour in a local studio. We had very little time to prepare, but we didn’t want to pass up on the oppurtunity to have Fortress Entertainment (Xzibit, Eminem, P.O.D., Papa Roach & more) to shoot a music video for us.

Categorized in video
Tags: hip hop videos

Dec

Daily Bible Study: The Beginning of Persecution – Acts 4&5

Lesson 4

Introduction:

To this point in our study, most people looked favorably upon the early Christians (see 2:47). However, Jesus had promised that His disciples would be opposed as He had been (John 15:18-16:4). These chapters record the beginning of opposition.

I. The Arrest and Trial of Peter and John – 4:1-22

The Arrest

>>> Please read Acts 4:1-6. <<<

*1* Who arrested Peter and John in the temple? (a) the priests, (b) the captain of the temple, (c) the Sadducees, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*2&3* What effect did the miracle and Peter’s sermon have? Answer: Many people ______. The total number came to be (give a number) ______ men.

Comment: The early Christian were persecuted for several reasons. (1) Preaching the resurrection offended the Sadducees, who denied life after death (Acts 23:8). (2) The preaching accused the leaders of having killed an innocent man. (3) This caused loss of popularity for the rulers.

Despite the rulers’ concerns, however, many people were converted by the miracles, the testimony of the resurrection, and fulfilled prophecy.

Having arrested the apostles, the rulers convened a council. This was the Sandedrin – the Jewish “Supreme Court.”

Peter’s Defense

>>> Please read Acts 4:7-12. <<<

*4&5* The apostles were asked what question? Answer: They asked by what ______ or by what ______ the man had been healed.

*6* By what power did Peter say the man had been healed? (a) Peter’s own power, (b) Jesus’ power, (c) medical treatment, (d) witchcraft. Answer: ______.

*7* What did Peter conclude about salvation (v12)? Answer: Peter said salvation can be found only in ______.

Comment: When the leaders asked about the miracle that had been done, Peter affirmed it had been done by the power of Jesus. He then proceeded to boldly state that the Jewish leaders had killed Jesus, but God had raised Him from the dead. This summarized previous sermons.

Peter cited a prophecy in Psalm 118:22 in which some builders rejected the most important stone in a foundation – the chief cornerstone. This had been fulfilled by the Jewish leaders, who ought to have honored their Messiah but instead they rejected and killed Him.

Peter concluded that no one but Jesus can provide salvation. We cannot be saved by Buddha, Mohammed, Joseph Smith, or the Pope. And no one can be saved by his own power. Salvation comes only through Jesus’ sacrificial death. See John 14:6; 3:16; 8:24; Mark 16:16.

In his speech, Peter shows us the significance of the expression “in the name” or “by the name” of Jesus. Some folks so emphasize the word “Jesus” that they claim we must say “in the name of Jesus” when we baptize folks (yet compare Matt. 28:19).

Note the expressions used in v7-10

by what power” = “by what name” (v7) = “by what means” (v9) = “by the name of” = “by Him” (v10)

So “in the name of Jesus” means by His power or authority, according to His will. To do miracles in Jesus’ name meant to do them by His power. So to baptize in His name means to do it by His power or authority (cf. Col. 3:17). It is not so much a matter of mouthing a word formula, but a matter of what power or authority is being obeyed. Baptism in the name of Jesus (Acts 2:38) is the same as baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19), because the three Beings together make up God. They all possess the authority of Deity, and all agree in what work they command us to do. When we act, we obey them all.

Verse 12 then shows that this same name (power, authority, or will) is the only name in which we can be saved!

The Conclusion of the Trial

>>> Please read Acts 4:13-18. <<<

*8* What training had the apostles received? (a) seminary courses, (b) college degrees, (c) being with Jesus, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*9&10* What did the leaders conclude about the lame man’s healing? Answer: It was a notable ______, and they could not ______ it.

*11* How did they try to stop the spread of the gospel? Answer: They commanded the apostles not to ______ about Jesus.

Comment: Many people think that men must be trained in special schools in order to become preachers. But like Jesus, the apostles had not done so (cf. Mark 6:2,3; John 7:14-17). To be effective teachers, men simply need a good understanding of the teachings of Jesus.

The rulers could not deny the miracle done through the apostles, since everyone in Jerusalem could see the proof of it. This demonstrates still another characteristic of Bible miracles: Evidence of the miracles was so clear that even the enemies of truth could not deny them. This is not the case with modern so-called miracles. Note similar Bible examples: John 11:47; Acts 8:5-13; Acts 13:6-12; Exodus 8:17-19; 1 Kings 18:20-40; Daniel 2.

Like many people today, the rulers could not disprove the gospel message, but they still did not want anyone to listen to it!

>>> Please read Acts 4:19-22. <<<

*12&13* How did Peter respond to the rulers? Answer: Peter said they must speak what they had ______ and ______.

*14* What did the rulers do then? (a) they were converted, (b) they threatened them further, (c) they killed the apostles. Answer: ______.

Comment: Christians are law-abiding people, but gospel preaching is so important that nothing should be allowed to stop it (cf. Acts 5:29).

The leaders here showed their dishonesty. They could not disprove the evidence that confirmed the gospel, but they still rejected the message. They were not motivated by love for God or respect for truth. Like many modern rulers, they just wanted to maintain their popularity.

Further, despite the fact they strongly objected to the resurrection, they made no effort to refute it. Note that a supreme court, consisting of the greatest enemies of the gospel, could not disprove the resurrection in the presence of people who had witnessed it. What are the chances anyone today could disprove it?

II. Disciples Care for One Another – 4:23-37

>>> Read Acts 4:23-31. <<<

*15* What did the disciples do when Peter and John were released? Answer: The disciples met and raised their ______ in prayer to God.

*16&17* What prophecy did they quote? Answer: The prophecy said people would stand against the ______ and His ______ .

*18* What request did they make? (a) death to the Jews, (b) political power, (c) strength to preach boldly and do miracles, (d) none of these. Answer: ______.

Comment: When truth is opposed, disciples should not give up. Instead we should encourage one another and seek God’s help in prayer. Note that church meetings were not restricted to the first day of the week. Disciples met to pray and teach the word whenever it was needed.

They found comfort in God’s prediction in Psalm 2:1,2 that people would oppose the message about Jesus. Instead of turning from the Lord or keeping quiet, they asked for power to boldly continue speaking God’s word. We need that same attitude.

Note again that this opposition to Jesus was not unexpected by God, as some teach; rather, He knew beforehand that it would happen.

>>> Please read Acts 4:32-37. <<<

*19* What did they do to care for the needy among them (v35)? Answer: They collected money and distributed it to people as anyone had ______.

Comment: We studied a similar example to this in Acts 2:44,45. Here we learn that the church continued to meet this special need, and people demonstrated great generosity in doing it.

This section also introduces Barnabas. Clearly he was a generous man and an effective gospel teacher. He will become very important later as the story of the spread of the gospel continues.

III. The Death of Ananias and Sapphira – 5:1-11

>>> Please read Acts 5:1-11. <<<

*20&21* Who sold a property and gave part of the price? Answer: A man named ______ and his wife named ______ sold property and gave part of the price.

*22* Who had the right to decide how much people should give? (a) the preacher, (b) the elders, (c) the Pope, (d) the givers. Answer: ______.

*23&24* What sin did they commit and what happened to them? Answer: They told a ______ and for that they ______.

Comment: Ananias and Sapphira were killed, not because they didn’t give the whole price of their property, but because they lied. Some people worship God to make a show and receive the praises of other people. God will not accept such worship. Acceptable worship must be motivated by sincere love. (See Matt. 6:1-6; 1 Cor. 13:1-3.)

Christians are commanded to give to the church, but no specific amount or percentage is stated in the New Testament. Each one should give according to prosperity (1 Cor. 16:2). But each should decide for himself the exact amount (v4; 2 Cor. 9:7; Acts 11:29). And note again that the early church received its income by taking up a collection, not by modern humanly invented fund-raising schemes, such as raffles, bingo, carnivals, pledge cards, and pressure tactics.

Further, this story clearly distinguishes church action from individual action. Some folks claim that the church can/should do anything individual members can/should do. But members should decide what to do with their own property and how much to give to the church. The church cannot decide this for them. Furthermore, individuals worked at gainful employment to obtain funds, but the church gets money by taking collections. God has made distinctions between church work and individual work, and we must honor those distinctions.

Then note the importance of discipline among God’s people. Children of God may fall into sin and be lost (Gal. 5:4). When they do, the church needs to oppose their sin, so other members will know to avoid that error. God has always ordained discipline among His people. In this case, God Himself directly punished the sinners. Later He commanded that, when members sin and won’t repent, the church should refuse to keep company with them. See 1 Corinthians 5; 2 Thessalonians 3:6,14,15; Matthew 18:15-17; Titus 3:10,11; Romans 16:17,18.

IV. Arrested Again – 5:12-26

Miracles Continue

>>> Please read Acts 5:12-16. <<<

*25* How is the growth of the church described (v14)? (a) multitudes were added, (b) the church died out, (c) a few occasionally obeyed. Answer: ______.

*26* How many of the sick people were miraculously healed? Answer: They were ______ healed.

Comment: The church had faced opposition from outside and sin within. Both problems were dealt with by faith in God and obedience to His will. As a result, the spread of the gospel and growth of the church continued. Multitudes believed and were added to the number.

The working of miracles by the hand of the apostles also continued. People came from all around bringing sick people, and all were healed. This confirms a characteristic of miracles that we studied earlier. No disease was too hard for the apostles to heal. They never tried and failed, after the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2. When people come to modern “faith healers,” they are often turned away. Or the healers try but simply cannot heal them. This proves they do not have the power of true miracles, as they claim to have.

Released by an Angel

>>> Please read Acts 5:17-26. <<<

*27* When the angel released the apostles, what did he say to do? Answer: He said to speak to the people all the words of ______.

*28* When the rulers sent for them, what was found? (a) prison doors shut, (b) guards outside, (c) no one inside, (d) all the preceding. ______.

*29* Where did they find the apostles? Answer: They found them preaching in the ______.

Comment: The apostles had been commanded to quit preaching about Jesus (4:17,18). But they continued preaching anyway, so once again the High Priest and Sadducees arrested them. An angel released the apostles and, obeying him, they went right back to preaching in the temple. Imagine the courage this required!

Note again the evidence that true miracles are clearly impossible by natural law. The prison doors were closed and locked. Soldiers stood outside the doors, confident that they were guarding the prisoners within. But there were no prisoners! And all this was admitted by the enemies of the truth! Instead of recognizing this as proof these men were really from God, the rulers arrested the men again.

V. A Second Trial – 5:27-42

The Apostles’ Defense

>>> Please read Acts 5:27-32. <<<

*30&31* What charge did the High Priest bring against the apostles? Answer: They had filled ______ with preaching and blamed the rulers for Jesus’ ______.

*32&33* Toward whom did the apostles offer the highest allegiance? Answer: We ought to obey ______ rather than ______.

*34&35* What did they say had happened to Jesus? Answer: The Jews had ______ Jesus, but God ______ Him.

*36* Who bore witness to the resurrection? (a) no one, (b) the apostles and the Holy Spirit, (c) everyone, (d) the High Priest and Sadducees. Answer: ______.

Comment: When Jesus had been on trial before Pilate, the Jews willingly accepted responsibility for His blood (Matt. 27:25). Now they wanted to deny it! This is what was really upsetting them.

God instructs Christians to obey civil law (Rom. 13:1-5; 1 Peter 2:13-17). However, when rulers command us to sin against God’s law, we must obey God instead. Note that this does not say we may disobey whenever we think a law is unfair or unreasonable or even when the rulers themselves commit sins. We may disobey only when they command us to sin. And then we must disobey!

The apostles boldly affirmed everything the rulers had commanded them not to say: (1) The Jews had murdered Jesus. (2) God had raised Him from the dead. (3) The apostles were witnesses that all this was true. The apostles were supposed to be on trial, but instead they took the witness stand against the rulers! What courage!

Note that the Holy Spirit witnessed for the resurrection by the miracles He did, which confirmed the apostles were telling the truth (Mark 16:20). Note also that they again claimed Jesus is on God’s right hand, where He was to reign as King over God’s people (cf. Acts 2:30,33). Through Him Israel (and all people) can repent and be forgiven of sin.

Gamaliel’s Advice

>>> Please read Acts 5:33-39. <<<

*37* What did some want to do? (a) be baptized, (b) bring witnesses to contradict the apostles, (c) kill the apostles, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*38* What did Gamaliel predict, if the apostles were wrong? Answer: If they were not from God their work would come to ______.

Comment: Note the contrast to the people in Acts 2. Both those people and these people were told they had killed Jesus, and both were cut to the heart. Those in Acts 2 repented and were baptized. These tried to kill the messengers! The same message causes some people to change and others to rebel. It all depends on the hearts of the hearers.

Gamaliel rightly concluded that all religious movements are from God or from men (cf. Matt. 21:25; 15:3-9). His advice benefited the apostles, but was he correct in believing that all false movements will die out of themselves? Should we not oppose false teachers? In fact, many false systems have lasted for centuries. We do not kill opponents of truth, but we should oppose them by preaching the truth, just as the apostles were doing with these rulers. See Rev. 3:19; Eph. 5:11; 2 Tim. 4:2-4.

The Final Outcome

>>> Please read Acts 5:40-42. <<<

*39&40* What was done to the apostles? Answer: They were ______ and told not to ______ in the name of Jesus.

*41* How did they react? Answer: They rejoiced and did not cease ______ Jesus as Christ.

Comment: Gospel preaching is so important that nothing should cause us to quit. No one likes to be persecuted, but we can rejoice knowing God is pleased and we are suffering like other faithful servants of God throughout history (Matt. 5:10-12; 1 Peter 4:14,16).

Verse 42 shows that the gospel should be preached to large groups or small. We should teach, not just when we are assembled together, but wherever and whenever we can. We too must not cease to teach and preach Jesus as the Christ.

Personal application questions:

*42* What is your attitude when people oppose the gospel? __________________

*43* What does it mean to do a thing “in Jesus’ name”? __________________

*44* How much should a person give to the church? __________________

Categorized in Daily Bible Study
Tags: Acts, Acts 4&5, Bible Study, church, Facts about the church

Dec

Can We Prove God Exists? Creation vs. Evolution

Where did I come from?

How can we prove God exists? Would it not be great if He would show Himself every morning, say around seven a.m., and greet us from the clouds with a “Good morning, America”? That would certainly tell us that God exists. Too bad He does not do that. Well, even if He would appear on this cloud, still many would explain this as only a freak natural phenomenon, or mass hypnosis, or the result of drug abuse.

As many others before me – I realized that I could turn to science to prove God’s existence by researching the origins of our existence.

Studying our origins has, over the centuries, always attracted much attention and only three serious alternatives have ever been proposed:

We’ve always existed and will always exist – a steady state universe.
We are created by a Creator God.
We are the product of natural processes solely influenced by chance and time.

It is interesting to realize how these three views of origins are reflected in the three main views of the world religions: Pantheism believes we’ve always existed, Monotheistic religions such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam believe we are created by a Creator God. And finally Atheism rejects the existence of any intelligent force (Creator) in the universe.

How can modern science help us find clues to our origins?

Let’s start by eliminating the first alternative view – that we have always existed. Through astronomy we know as a virtually undisputed fact, that the universe, our solar system and our planet have not always existed and also that our sun and earth at some point in the future will cease to exist. We can also prove that the universe is expanding, showing that there was some central point of beginning. Also through paleontology (studying early life on earth) and archaeology we know that mankind has not always existed on earth, but has only been around for a relative short period of time. So, no serious scientist believes anymore in a steady state universe, and we can focus our research on studying:

How did we come into existence?

Creation vs. Evolution

Before mankind became “enlightened” there was never a question demanding proof for God’s existence. However, over time, man has grown more impressed with himself at the center of the universe. In 1859 Charles Darwin published The Origin of Species[1], presenting an alternative theory to explain our existence. Darwin’s theory became the basis for a belief system independent from God.

It has been said that Darwin has done more harm to the Christian faith than any persecution in history. The evolutionary model, largely due to its posture as the “scientific” explanation for the origins of life, caused many believers to doubt the existence of God and the truthfulness of the Bible. It planted a serious seed of doubt as to the credibility of the Bible: “If the first chapter of the Bible is not true, then likely the rest of the Bible is questionable as well!”

We need to emphasize up front that – despite many claims – evolution is NOT a fact. Neither evolution nor creation is a natural law or a scientific fact, but each is merely a model. What does this mean? The process of evolution, just as the act of creation, cannot be observed or repeated, so both models remain unproved by science. Therefore neither can be called a natural law (such as the law of gravity or the laws of thermodynamics, which describe well proved and observed behavior subject to laws of nature) nor a scientific theory (which requires the possibility and evidence of repeated observations). So evolution – just as creation – is only a model used to explain the observations in the world as we know it. It is not a fact, not a natural law, not even a scientific theory, but just a model!

I would also like to emphasize, that there are only two possible models for the origins of life: evolution or creation. There is no alternative, and these two are mutually exclusive. Either our space/time based universe needed a Creator God or it did not. This has an important implication: If we can prove that evolution is NOT a viable model/explanation, than we have indirectly found proof that God exists! Therefore in studying the evidences we will focus both on evidence to show that evolution is a faulty model as well as evidence pointing to the existence of a Creator God.

What is Evolution?

In the evolution model, the entire universe is considered to have evolved by natural processes and random selection into its present state of high organization and complexity. In this model the universe began in a state of pure randomness. Gradually it has – by “survival of the fittest” – become more ordered and complex. In order for the complex structure of the universe to have been produced by present natural processes, a vast amount of time was required.

As taught in our public schools today, the Organic Theory of Evolution account for the origin of mankind goes something as follows:

“Life on this planet originated several billion years ago, when electrical disturbances caused reactions in the chemicals of the primeval ocean. These reactions produced amino acids, which organized themselves into living cells. In time, the descendants of these one-celled organisms at random began to mutate, developing into various multi-celled plants and animals. As each new organism appeared, a natural selection would occur. Each life form was either better or less suited to its environment, and accordingly it would flourish or disappear. Those species of plants and animals more adaptable to their environments developed; those that could not adapt simply died. Man is the highest product of this development. He descended from the same ancestors as did the apes; more remotely, from the same ancestors as all mammals. He is himself still developing; that process is stalled by our present lifestyle, but biologically ongoing evolution is inevitable.”

The concept of evolution is associated with Charles Darwin, who set forth evolution in The Origin of Species and further developed his ideas in the later The Descent of Man. These concepts have been applied to many scientific disciplines, and the theory has been revised along the way. More recently its tenets have been upgraded with more recent scientific discoveries especially in the areas of genetics/DNA (usually called Neo-Darwinism).

The basic elements of the evolutionary model remain:

Change over long periods of time: entities/organisms change over time. These changes are random and are only based on pure chance.
Natural Selection: positive changes strengthen the organism and increase its chances for survival. Therefore (random) positive changes will be preserved and even favored over the original organism.
The only forces at work are random change (chance) and (long periods of) time: evolution is completely controlled by natural processes and the natural environment. There is no controlling power or other influence.

Simplified, evolution’s equation for mankind becomes this:

Change + Time à Mankind

Many education systems have spoon-fed and brainwashed us with these concepts. These ideas sound so reasonable and have been taught by many highly educated people, therefore many believe it is the truth. However, is it actually true? In the following chapters we will examine the concept to find if scientific observation does support this model.

We like to believe in chance!

Have you noticed how many people tend to think that if there’s a chance something can happen, it actually will occur? The statistical probability might be very small, and all odds are against it, yet many still are willing to wager. That’s the idea behind gambling. The odds are against us – we all know that – but we might be …. lucky. So many folks are willing to bet their money on it. Casinos and lotteries capitalize on this tendency of many to think that if they only try, and keep trying, they have a good chance at winning.

Evolution is an identical concept. This idea is that, even if its chances are tiny, it could happen, and if you just try enough times it will happen; that’s exactly the idea behind evolution. That’s probably why it appeals so strongly to so many.

What is the Creation model?

The Creation model, on the other hand, postulates a Creator God or Intelligent Designer. Random chance and lots of time simply cannot combine to create life. Intelligent intervention is required. This occurs either by a comprehensive act of creation, bringing basic systems of nature into existence at once, fully functioning at the start, or by a process directed over time by the Creator God towards completion.

Among Christians there are different models on HOW God created our world. These differences largely relate to timing; that is, did God directly and immediately create the world, or did He only design and guide the natural processes? To simplify, we identify two main views:

Creationism (also called Scientific Creationism, Young Earth Creation, and Six Day Creation). This view believes God created everything in six literal 24-hour days. Everything was created by the direct act of God. The creative sequence is described precisely in Genesis chapter 1 and occurred 6,000-10,000 years ago. Proponents base this view on the literal reading of the Bible and support this interpretation by data from natural sciences interpreted to show a young age of planet earth. Well known creationist organizations are the Institute for Creation Research[2], Answers in Genesis[3] and the Creation Research Society[4] which present programs to demonstrate the evidences for a young world, limits to the original created species, the uniqueness of human life, and a global flood about 5,000 years ago.
Intelligent Design (also called Theistic Evolution, Old Earth Creationism or Progressive Creationism). This view accepts the majority view of scientists that the universe is old; several billions of years old, in fact. Proponents agree with evolutionists that species of organisms formed over extraordinarily long periods of time, but dispute and deny that this happened only by random chance. Divine interventions and/or guidance over the course of time have brought about present life forms. There are a number of different approaches within this view.

Dialogue, existence of God

Evolution vs. Creation and the Role of the Creator

- The Intelligent Design movement argues that certain features of the universe and living organisms can be explained logically only by an intelligent cause and certainly not by undirected natural forces. A well-known organization in this movement is the Discovery Institute[5].
- Proponents of the Gap Theory believe in direct creation by God, but also in an old earth, explaining the age of the earth by postulating a large time gap between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2.
- The Day-Age Theory is probably the most popular view among Old Earth believers. To explain the age of the universe and earth, adherents translate the Hebrew word “yowm” as period or age rather than day. Thus God created the earth as described in Genesis, however each creation “day” lasted an entire age. Various Christian organizations are proponents of this view. Reasons To Believe[6] is likely the most well known.

Do not allow time to become the focus of discussion!

Unfortunately many discussions about the existence of God end up being discussions over a young earth versus an old earth.

The non-believer argues the earth is much older than the Bible claims; therefore the Bible is not true, and its God does not exist. Often the believer starts to defend the Bible and the discussion quickly centers upon arguments about “time.”

A famous illustration of this is the 1925 “Scopes Monkey Trial.” Lawyers William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow (the latter representing teacher John T. Scopes) tested a state law which barred the teaching, in any state-funded educational establishment in Tennessee, of “any theory that denies the story of the Divine creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man has descended from a lower order of animals.” This is often interpreted as meaning that the law forbade the teaching of any aspect of the theory of evolution. The state won, but the defense was made to look ridiculous defending – by only using scripture – the young age of the earth. On a side note, the Scopes trial was presented in a very distorted and biased movie titled Inherit the Wind that portrayed Christians supporting the creation view as scientifically ignorant and closed-minded.

The age of the earth is not relevant to the discussion of God’s existence. The evidence that the evolution model is not adequate to explain our existence is supported by scientific observations. As we will see, these scientific data are also consistent with the claims of the Creator model.

Lastly, always keep in mind God created time, therefore He has total control over it and it can never limit Him in anyway. “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day” (2 Peter 3:8).

So there are multiple views on how God created human life. These views differ mostly on how to reconcile Biblical creation with scientific observations. According to surveys over the last twenty years, Christians are evenly divided between the Young Earth and Old Earth views.

In our approach to creation, the question of “how God did it” will not be further debated as it is irrelevant to prove God’s existence. We will explore the proofs that support the existence of a Creator God/Intelligent Designer, not how the process worked.

Note that all views of creation share these points in common:

The concepts of time and three-dimensional space are designed by the Creator God.
God, the Creator, designed all natural laws to support His creation.
Life forms are too complex to come into existence just by natural laws. The Creator God was involved in their development/formation.
Mankind is created in the image of God, and not just a more advanced animal.

A Framework for Discussion: the Big Bang

As we prepare to examine the evolution model in more detail, we need to understand its claims about human origins. As this is the model taught in schools and universities and is widely accepted by non-believers, it provides an excellent framework for discussions with honest seekers of truth.

For this reason we will use from here on the Big Bang model and the associated time line as a reference for our discussions.

According to many in the scientific community, a significant amount of data suggests the universe came into existence via the so called Big Bang event. This is said to have occurred perhaps 15-20 billion years ago, when the universe began to expand outward from one infinite small point in space. Through nuclear fusion processes hydrogen (the first element) was converted to helium followed by other heavier elements and through the force of the initial “explosion” – the Big Bang – these elements pushed outward. Even as stars and planets are formed from dust, the universe is still expanding. Observations of the so called red shift have led scientists to postulate that stars at the edge of the universe are moving outward at velocities approaching the speed of light (186,000 miles per second). This expansion has left various traces (cosmic background radiation) that have been measured[7] and seems to confirm the theory of the Big Bang event. Currently this model is generally accepted by the vast majority of cosmologists and astronomers.[8]

An evolution timeline

A “Scientific” Timeline

Through analysis of our solar system and the earth’s geology, the majority opinion among scientists is that that earth was formed 4.6 billion years ago. The first microscopic life forms (bacteria) are said to have appeared 3.7 billion years ago. There is a wide range of views on how long humankind has been around, but recently most estimates are in the 50,000 – 100,000 years range.

This framework identifies four major events that each allows us to study what science can teach us about how these events came about:

Each of these events on the evolutionary timeline will be the main subject of one of the next chapters. We will enter the realm of cosmology and astronomy, and use a telescope to find out how “random” the Big Bang, and how “common” our planet really are. Later we will use a microscope to study molecular biology and genetics to discover what these disciplines can teach us about the complexity of even the simplest life forms and genetic mutations.

[1] Charles Darwin<!–[if supportFields]> XE “Darwin, Charles” <![endif]–> <!–[if supportFields]><![endif]–> , On the Origin of Species<!–[if supportFields]> XE “Origin of Species (1859)” <![endif]–> <!–[if supportFields]><![endif]–> by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life (1859).

[2] Institute for Creation Research<!–[if supportFields]> XE “Institute for Creation Research” <![endif]–> <!–[if supportFields]><![endif]–> in Santee , CA. Website www.ICR.org.

[3] Answers in Genesis<!–[if supportFields]> XE “Answers in Genesis” <![endif]–> <!–[if supportFields]><![endif]–> , Petersburg , KY. Website www.AnswersInGenesis.org.

[4] The Creation Research Society<!–[if supportFields]> XE “Creation Research Society” <![endif]–> <!–[if supportFields]><![endif]–> , St. Joseph , MO. Website www.CreationResearch.org.

[5] Discovery Institute<!–[if supportFields]> XE “Discovery Institute” <![endif]–> <!–[if supportFields]><![endif]–> , Seattle , WA . Website www.Discovery.org.

[6] Reasons To Believe, Pasadena , CA. Website www.Reasons.org.

[7] Among many sources: Dr Hugh Ross<!–[if supportFields]> XE “Ross, Hugh” <![endif]–> <!–[if supportFields]><![endif]–> , The Creator and the Cosmos<!–[if supportFields]> XE “Creator and the Cosmos (2001)” <![endif]–> <!–[if supportFields]><![endif]–> (2001), chapter 4.

[8] All ages and dates mentioned are current estimates supported by a majority of scientists. However these dates are derived using techniques subject to various criticisms.

Categorized in Knowledge
Tags: Can We Prove God Exists, Creation vs. Evolution, science, science and faith

Dec

Raised in Harlem – Hero(feat T-bone, Micheal Tait, Donnie)

Categorized in Music
Tags: Donnie, feat T-bone, Hero, Hip hop, Micheal Tait, Music, Raised in Harlem

Dec

What You Should Know About Organic Foods

[ ART | MUSIC | KNOWLEDGE| HEALTH ]
Organic Foods

Just what does it mean when a food is labeled organic? The U.S. Department of Agriculture finally issued a new national seal designed to bring clarity and assurance to consumers that foods bearing the seal are certified organic following USDA standards which were 10 years in the making.

Organic Label Beginning Oct. 21, only foods certified as at least 95 percent organic – that is, produced without most pesticides, toxic fertilizers, growth hormones and antibiotics – will be allowed to carry the official “USDA organic” seal.

One caveat: The new rules apply only to food produced on or after Oct. 21, so it may be several months before the seal becomes commonplace in grocery aisles, particularly on packaged foods where the turnover is slower.

The new USDA national standards replace what had been a mishmash of certification systems run by individual states and private groups. The USDA seal will ensure consumers are actually purchasing a product that is truly organic rather than a creatively worded package that advertises itself as organic when only a few ingredients actually are.

Under the new rules, foods will be labeled as belonging to one of four categories:

Food that is 100 percent organic may carry the new “USDA organic” label and say “100% organic.”
Food that is at least 95 percent organic may carry the new seal.
Food that is at least 70 percent organic will list the organic ingredients on the front of the package.
If a product is less than 70 percent organic, the organic ingredients may be listed on the side of the package but cannot say “organic” on the front.

The national organic program rules prohibit the use of conventional pesticides, petroleum- or sewage-sludge-based fertilizers, bioengineering or ionizing radiation and synthetic substances. Foods certified as organic must be produced using growing methods that minimize soil erosion and that maintain or enhance the fertility of the soil. Organic farms need to prove that these materials have not been used for at least three years. Organic meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones, must be fed organic feed and have access to the outdoors. Before a product can be labeled “organic,” an inspector visits the farm where the food is produced to make sure the farm meets USDA standards.

Look for the word “organic” and a small sticker version of the USDA organic seal on vegetables or pieces of fruit or on the sign above the organic produce display. The word “organic” and the seal may also appear on packages of meat, cartons of milk or eggs, cheese and other single-ingredient foods. Use of the seal is voluntary.

The federal government’s stamp of approval is an important step toward mainstream acceptance for the rapidly growing industry. Organic food sales in the U.S. are increasing by about 20 percent a year and are expected to surpass $11 billion in 2002 and $20 billion in 2005.

The new USDA’s national criteria for labeling are aimed at enabling consumers to make an educated choice among the foods they purchase and also include the safeguard of fines for misrepresentation. New federal laws for organic certification assess penalties of up to $10,000 for each violation of selling or labeling products “organic” when they are not or when organic food is contaminated with non-organic compounds. This means that the organic grapes can.t be contaminated by the non-organic apples. Separate tubs and wash water are used to trim and clean produce and if there is an organic display in a place where non-organics have been, it is required that the nonskid mats be replaced and the area cleaned with a mild, bleach solution.

For more detailed information on the USDA organic standards, visit http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop, call the National Organic Program at 202-720-3252, or write USDA-AMS-TM-NOP, Room 4008 S. Building, Ag Stop 0268, 1400 and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250.

Categorized in Health
Tags: Christian health, Health, Organic Foods

Mar

“DISCIPLINES FOR THE DISCIPLE”



http://www.reverendfun.com/add_toon_info.php?date=20040909&language=en

"DISCIPLINES FOR THE DISCIPLE"
 
                      The Discipline Of Meditation

INTRODUCTION

1. In this series we have defined spiritual disciplines as...
   a. Spiritual exercises that bring one closer to God, to become more
      godly in character and behavior
   b. Spiritual activities such as prayer, meditation, fasting, singing,
      giving, etc.

2. Our previous study examined the discipline of prayer...
   a. Noting especially the value of secret, simple, and steadfast
      prayer
   b. In which we praise God, make supplication for our needs, intercede
      for others

3. Closely tied to prayer is the disciple of meditation...
   a. A spiritual exercise practiced by men of God - Gen 24:63; Ps 1:
      1-2
   b. A spiritual duty given to those who are Christians - Php 4:8; 1 Ti
      4:15

4. But some questions may come to mind...
   a. What exactly is meditation?
   b. Why should we take time to meditate?
   c. How should we meditate?

[This study will attempt to provide answers to these questions...]

I. MEDITATION IN THE BIBLE

   A. WHAT IS NOT MEDITATION IN THE BIBLE...
      1. That practiced by many Eastern religions
         a. Like Hinduism, Buddhism, or Transcendental Meditation
         b. Where the object is to experience truth, peace, or being,
            usually inexpressible
      2. That practiced by Christian mystics
         a. Such as Quakers, and others often found among Catholics and
            Protestants
         b. Who meditate to experience God, or to receive some
            revelation from God
      3. Both Eastern and Christian mystical meditation usually seek to
         empty the mind so as to find or receive truth within (i.e., a
         subjective form of meditation)

   B. WHAT IS MEDITATION IN THE BIBLE...
      1. To contemplate on truth or reality already revealed (i.e., an
         objective form of meditation)
      2. For example, the man "after God's own heart" is one who
         meditates on:
         a. The Lord Himself - Ps 63:6
         b. His wonderful Works - Ps 77:12
         c. His revealed Word - Ps 119:15,23,48,97-99,148
      3. In the words of Paul, we are to meditate on "things" - Php 4:8
         a. Things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good
            report
         b. Things that are of any virtue, and are praiseworthy

[There is a very real difference between Biblical meditation and that
commonly practiced by many religions:  Christian meditation dwells on
that already revealed in creation or inspired revelation, whereas other
forms of meditation seek some new truth or experience to be revealed.
Understanding the difference, why is Biblical meditation important...?]

II. WHY CHRISTIANS SHOULD MEDITATE

   A. A SOURCE OF JOY AND STRENGTH...
      1. As seen from such passages like Ps 1:1-3; Isa 40:28-31
      2. This alone should motivate us to meditate more often

   B. AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR TRANSFORMATION...
      1. The goal of the Christian is to become more like Christ - cf.
         Ro 8:29
      2. This requires a "transformation" - Ro 12:1-2
      3. But notice that this is possible only by "renewing the mind"
         - Ro 12:2
      4. This "renewing" is possible only when we "set our minds" on
         proper things
         a. On things above
         b. Not on things on the earth - Col 3:1-2
      5. Only then, when our minds are "set on things above", will we be
         successful in completing the "transformation" which includes
         "putting off the old man" and "putting on the new man" - cf. Co
         3:1-2 with Col 3:5-14

   C. MANY FALL BECAUSE THEY MEDITATE ON THE WRONG THINGS...
      1. They "mind the things of the flesh", which leads to "death" and
         "enmity with God" - cf. Ro 8:5-8
      2. You cannot be a spiritual person if you "dwell" on carnal
         things
         a. "Recent studies conducted by a Stanford University research
            team have revealed that 'what we watch' does have an effect
            on our imaginations, our learning patterns, and our
            behaviors." - Denis Waitley, Seeds Of Greatness, p. 47-48
         b. " First we are exposed to new behaviors and characters.
            Next, we learn or acquire these new behaviors. The last and
            most crucial step is that we adopt these behaviors as our
            own." - ibid.
         c. "One of the most critical aspects of human development that
            we need to understand is the influence of 'repeated viewing'
            and 'repeated verbalizing' in shaping our future." - ibid.
         d. The information goes in, 'harmlessly, almost unnoticed,' on
            a daily basis, but we don't react to it until later, when we
            aren't able to realize the basis for our reactions." - ibid.
         e. "In other words, our value system is being formed without
            any conscious awareness on our part of what is happening!"
            - ibid.
         f. "You are what you watch and think." - ibid., p. 45
         g. "If a sixty second commercial, by repeated viewing, can sell
            us a product, then isn't it possible for a sixty minute soap
            opera or 'smut-com', by repeated viewing, to sell us a
            lifestyle?" - ibid., p. 47
      3. Fill your mind with positive and spiritual thoughts if you
         really want to:
         a. "renew the mind"
         b. "be transformed"

[If Christians are to succeed, they must set their minds (meditate) on
the things of the Spirit, on things above, where Christ is!  Only then
will they with God's help put off the old man and put on the new man.
Finally, a few thoughts on...]

III. HOW TO MEDITATE

   A. FIND A QUIET TIME AND PLACE...
      1. For Isaac, it was in the field at evening - Gen 24:63
      2. For David, it was in bed during the night watches - Ps 4:4; 63:6;
         119:148
      -- A time and place free from distraction

   B. CONTEMPLATE SOMETHING OF VALUE...
      1. David focused his meditation on three things:
         a. The Lord Himself - Ps 63:6
         b. His wonderful Works - Ps 77:12
         c. His revealed Word - Ps 119:15,23,48,97-99,148
      2. Paul mentioned things that possess virtue and are praiseworthy
         - Php 4:8
         a. Whatever is noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report
         b. Which could include devotional writings by uninspired authors
         -- A subject or object worthy of mindful contemplation

   C. LET THE BIBLE BE YOUR PRIMARY FOCUS...
      1. Read it contemplatively every day - Ps 1:2; 119:15
      2. Read it with a prayer in your heart - cf. Ps 119:18
      3. As you read, occasionally read it aloud to yourself
         a. The Hebrew word in Ps 1:2 for meditate means "to mutter"
         b. Reading slowly and audibly helps to focus one's mind on the
            words
      4. As you read, you might ask yourself the following questions:
         a. Is there some truth I should know from this verse?
         b. How does this passage affect a previously held conviction?
         c. Is there something I should stop doing in light of this
            verse?
         d. Is there a practice I should change?
         e. Is there a habit I ought to begin?
      5. You might end with a prayer such as David's - cf. Ps 119:10
      -- "Hold the Word of God in your heart until it has affected every
         phase of your life...this is meditation."

CONCLUSION

1. In Ps 19:14, we find David praying:

   "Let the words of mouth and the meditation of my heart
      Be acceptable in Your sight,
   "O Lord, my strength and my redeemer."

2. By heeding Paul's command ("meditate on these things" - Php 4:8), we
   can ensure that our meditations will be acceptable in the sight of
   our Lord!

Together with frequent prayer, the practice of meditation will go a long
way toward exercising one's self unto godliness...!
"DISCIPLINES FOR THE DISCIPLE"

Categorized in Uncategorized
Tags: Bible Study, christian, Christian Living, Christianity, Daily Bible Study, DISCIPLINES, Jesus, Life of Jesus, The Bible

Dec

Daily Bible Study: Problems Inside & Outside the Church – Acts 6&7

Lesson 5

Introduction:

All local churches face problems. The first congregation was no exception, but they realized problems do not just go away by themselves. They must be confronted.

The church’s first internal problem had been about collecting funds (the case of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5). We will see that the second internal problem concerned distribution of funds. Money has often been a center of conflict, whether in the early church or today’s church.

I. Men Appointed to Care for Widows – Acts 6:1-7

>>> Please read Acts 6:1-7. <<<

*1* What problem did the church face? Answer: Some Grecian ______ were neglected in the daily distribution.

*2* What solution did the apostles reveal to solve the problem? Answer: They said to appoint (give a number) ______ men to watch over the matter.

*3* What work did the apostles themselves continue to emphasize? (a) making new laws, (b) prayer and the word, (c) recreation and sports. Answer: ______.

Comments: A problem arose when certain Hellenists (Greek-speaking Jews) in the church claimed that their widows were not being cared for as well as other widows. To solve the problem, the apostles said that men should be especially appointed to see that the distribution was handled fairly and properly.

The men chosen had to be wise and spiritually minded, having a reputation for righteousness. Not just any men may be appointed leaders among God’s people. 1 Timothy 3:1-13 and Titus 1:5-9 list qualifications men must have to serve as elders or deacons in local churches. As in Acts 6, when God has spelled out the qualifications, the local church is expected to determine which men meet those qualifications.

The issue here concerned what needy people should be cared for by church funds. This “business” was accomplished under the guidance of men within the framework of the local church. This is the first of many passages that emphasize local church independence (cf. 1 Peter 5:1-3; Acts 14:23; 20:28). Specifically, each local church should decide for itself what needy members it will care for.

Instead of this, modern churches often form boards, societies, and institutions to centralize and supervise the work on behalf of many local churches. Such was never done in the New Testament, neither in evangelism nor in benevolence. Each local church was completely capable and responsible to make decisions about its own local work without supervision or guidance from any central earthly organization.

Finally, note that the church did care for the physical needs of its own destitute widows. But the highest officers, the apostles, did not consider such work to be their primary focus. Physical concerns were delegated to others, while the highest leaders concentrated on spiritual concerns: worship and teaching God’s word. This harmonizes with other passages showing that the emphasis of local churches should be on spiritual matters. The church exists to help people be saved, grow in their relationship with God, and receive eternal life. See 1 Peter 2:5; John 18:36; Acts 20:28-30; John 3:3,5; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Thessalonians 1:8; 1 Timothy 3:15; Ephesians 4:11-16.

Think: Even the authorized work of caring for destitute members should not be allowed to hinder the spiritual emphasis of the church. Should the church then allow itself to become involved in Social Gospel practices which appeal to people’s physical, material interests but are not even authorized activities for local churches to engage in?

In order to prosper in God’s work, a local church must deal with its internal problems (cf. v7).

II. Stephen’s Preaching and Arrest – Acts 6:8-15

>>> Please read Acts 6:8-15. <<<

*4* What work did Stephen do? (a) started a monastery, (b) blessed the holy water, (c) did miracles and disputed with false teachers. Answer: ______.

*5* How effective was his teaching? Answer: People could not resist the ______ of his speech.

*6* How did his opponents deal with Stephen (v13)? Answer: They had ______ testify against him.

Comments: For several chapters now the record of Acts will follow the work of two of the seven men appointed in Acts 6.

Stephen was the first man after Pentecost who was said to do miracles but not an apostle. Interestingly, verse 6 said the apostles had laid hands on these men. Acts 8:14-22 will show that people, who were not apostles, could receive miraculous power by having apostles lay hands on them; but only apostles could so impart these powers.

Think: Many people today say we should “tolerate” all other views and should not say other religious people are wrong. But Stephen boldly disputed with men in error, just as the apostles and other faithful preachers did throughout Acts. Should we should imitate their example? See also Rev. 3:19; Gal. 6:1,2; Eph. 5:11; 2 Tim. 4:2-4.

As with the apostles in Acts 4,5, Stephen’s effective preaching of truth led to opposition. People could not disprove his teaching, but they still refused to accept it. Instead, they resorted to lies and persecution. This is just what Jesus predicted (Matt. 5:10-12).

Note that John 2:19-22 clearly says that Jesus’ statement about destroying the temple and raising it up referred to his body, not to a place of worship.

III. Stephen’s Defense – Acts 7:1-53

When the high priest allowed him to speak, Stephen presented one of the best overviews of Old Testament history to be found anywhere.

The Promises to Abraham

>>> Please read Acts 7:1-8. <<<

*7* What Old Testament character did Stephen begin describing? (a) Moses, (b) David, (c) Eve, (d) Abraham, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*8* What command did God give him (v3)? Answer: He was to leave his country and go to a land that God would ______ him.

*9* What promise did God make to him (vv4,5)? Answer: He promised to give the land of Canaan to his ______.

*10* What covenant did God make with him (v8)? (a) circumcision, (b) the 10 Commands, (c) the sabbath day, (d) the rainbow. Answer: ______.

Comments: Stephen may appear to be ignoring the charges against him. However, he had already proved the Jews could not answer his evidence (6:10ff). By summarizing Jewish history, he began with a subject the Jews knew and loved, then he used it to show that they had rejected God’s word like their ancestors had repeatedly done.

God had commanded Abraham to leave his homeland not even knowing where he was going (Gen. 12:1). Because of Abraham’s obedient faith (Heb. 11:8-10), God gave him three great promises. Abraham’s descendants would become a great nation, would inherit Canaan, and through them would come a blessing on all nations. These blessings were to come on Abraham’s descendants, yet at the time he was childless! In Acts 3:25,26, Peter had explained that the promise of the blessing on all nations referred to salvation through Jesus’ death.

Circumcision of male children was the sign of this covenant (Gen. 17:9-14). The promises were repeated to Abraham’s heirs: Isaac, Jacob, and Jacob’s twelve sons. Before these promises would be fulfilled, however, Israel must undergo slavery. See Gen. 12:2,3,7; 22:17,18; 26:3,4.

Joseph’s Role in the History of the Nation

>>> Please read Acts 7:9-16. <<<

*11&12* What did Joseph’s brothers do to him, and what did God do? Answer: His brothers sold him into ______, but God made him ______ of the land.

*13* What caused Joseph’s brothers to go to Egypt? (a) they were lost, (b) a famine, (c) they went to fight a war, (d) a religious pilgrimage. Answer: ______.

*14* Whom did Joseph then bring to live in Egypt with him? Answer: He brought his father (named) ______ and his relatives went to Egypt.

Comments: In fulfillment of God’s prediction, Abraham’s descendants became slaves in Egypt. This began because, of Jacob’s twelve sons, the favorite was Joseph. In envy, his brothers sold him as a slave into Egypt (Gen. 37). Yet God blessed Joseph by a series of fascinating providential acts, so that he became governor of the land (Gen. 39-41). When famine came, Joseph had prepared the Egyptians. But Joseph’s brothers were unprepared, so they went to Egypt to buy food.

There Joseph recognized his brothers and, unknown to them, tested their repentance. Finally, he revealed himself to them and forgave them (Gen. 42-45). He then brought Jacob and the whole family to Egypt, so he could provide for them. So the Israelites escaped the famine, but other trials awaited them.

Slavery and the Birth of Moses

>>> Please read Acts 7:17-22. <<<

*15* How did a later Egyptian king treat the Israelites? (a) he mistreated (dealt treacherously with) them, (b) he made slaves of them, (c) he caused the death of their babies, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*16* Who was eventually born? (a) Jesus, (b) Peter, (c) Moses. Answer: ______.

*17* Who brought him up as though he were her own son? Answer: Moses was brought up by ______.

Comment: Years later an Egyptian king or Pharaoh came to power who did not know Joseph. He enslaved the Israelites and caused the death of their sons, because he feared their growing numbers. God heard the prayers of His oppressed people and sent a deliverer named Moses. By God’s providence, Moses escaped death as a baby by actually being raised as the son of Pharaoh’s own daughter!

Moses’ Flight from Egypt

>>> Please read Acts 7:23-29. <<<

*18* What attempts did Moses make to help the Israelites? Answer: He killed an ______ and tried to reconcile two Israelites.

*19* Where did he go when he realized his deed was known? (a) Midian (Madian), (b) Jerusalem, (c) Rome, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

Comment: When Moses grew up, he realized he was really an Israelite, so he decided to try to help the Israelites. First, he killed an Egyptian who was mistreating an Israelite. Then he tried to make peace between two Israelites. One of them rejected him saying, “Who made you a ruler and judge over us?” When he realized that people knew he had killed the Egyptian, he fled to the land of Midian.

The Call of Moses at the Burning Bush

>>> Please read Acts 7:30-37. <<<

*20* How did God appear to Moses? (a) as a woman, (b) in a cloud, (c) in a dream, (d) in a bush that burned but was not consumed. Answer: ______.

*21* What did God instruct Moses to do for the Israelites? Answer: God wanted Moses to deliver Israel from ______.

*22* Whom did Moses predict that God would later raise up? Answer: Moses predicted God would send a ______ like Moses.

Comments: Later God appeared in a burning bush and called Moses to go to Egypt to free the Israelites. He empowered Moses to do great miracles, including the Ten Plagues on the Egyptians, the crossing of the Red Sea, and providing for Israel in the wilderness. By the time Israel left Egypt, the first of God’s promises to Abraham had been fulfilled: they had become a great nation.

Moses also predicted the coming of a later prophet like himself. This prophet was Jesus (see on Acts 3:22,23). Note the similarities:

Similarities between Moses and Jesus

Both were lawgivers and judges (vv35,38).
Both delivered people from bondage (v35).
Both were prophets and mediators (vv37; cf. Gal. 3:19).
Both did great signs and wonders (v36).
Both were rejected by the people (vv35,39-41,52).

The Israelites’ Idolatry

>>> Please read Acts 7:38-46. <<<

*23* Where did God speak to Moses (v38)? Answer: God spoke to Moses at Mt. ______.

*24* What did Israel worship (vv39-43)? (a) a calf, (b) images, (c) the host of heaven, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*25* God instructed Moses to make the tabernacle in what way? Answer: He made the tabernacle according to the ______ God had showed him.

Comments: Stephen here approaches the main point of his defense. God gave laws to Israel through Moses and led them into the promised land of Canaan. But the people worshiped idols repeatedly throughout their history. God kept His promises, but the people disobeyed Him and did not keep their part of the covenant.

Note that the second promise to Abraham had now been fulfilled: his descendants had received the land of Canaan. Some people, even today, claim that Israel never really received the land, so Jesus will give it to them when He returns. But the Bible clearly says they did receive all that God had promised (Josh. 23:14; 21:43-45).

Stephen’s Rebuke of the Jews

>>> Please read Acts 7:47-53. <<<

*26* What did Solomon build? (a) an idol, (b) a temple to God, (c) the city of Rome, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*27* How did Israel treat the prophets that God sent them? Answer: The Jews had ______ the prophets.

*28* What application did Stephen make to the Jews of his day? Answer: The Jews disobeyed the law and murdered the ______.

Comments: In Canaan, Israel was led by judges then later by kings, including David and Solomon. Solomon built the temple. Stephen quotes Scripture showing that, though God approved of the temple, no building could ever contain God. This showed that the Jews misunderstood the significance of God’s gifts to them.

God had given the Israelites great promises through Abraham, deliverance and the law through Moses, and the temple through Solomon. They seemed to think these things assured them of God’s favor. Stephen showed that they were mistaken. They still had to obey God. But despite God’s goodness, the people became more disobedient. God sent prophets to teach the people and call them to repentance. Yet Stephen asked which of those prophets the people had failed to persecute or kill.

This brought Stephen to his climax. The prophets had foretold of the coming Messiah. The Jews knew their ancestors had mistreated the prophets and disobeyed the law. Yet they themselves also had disobeyed the law and had even killed the Messiah that the prophets predicted!

Once again the defendant became the accuser! The Jews had put Stephen on trial, claiming he disrespected the law and the temple. He proved they were really the ones who disrespected the law.

IV. The First Christian Martyr – Acts 7:54-60

>>> Please read Acts 7:54-60. <<<

*29* What did the Jews do to Stephen for his message (v58)? Answer: They cast him out of the city and ______ him.

*30* What did he see in heaven? Answer: He saw Jesus standing (where?) at the ______ of God.

*31* What plea did he make on behalf of his murderers? Answer: He asked the Lord to not charge them with this ______.

Comments: Stephen had just accused the Jews of being like their ancestors, who persecuted and killed the prophets. They proceeded to prove he was correct by doing the very same thing to him!

Note again the contrast to the Jews on Pentecost in Acts 2. When they had been accused of having killed Jesus, they repented and were baptized. But when Stephen made the same accusation against these Jews, they killed him! The effect of the gospel depends on the hearts of the hearers.

Before dying, Stephen was allowed to see Jesus at God’s right hand. This further confirms that Jesus now reigns as King (see on Acts 2:33).

And note once again the importance of bold proclamation of truth. Many today want the gospel message to be watered down and compromised with “a positive message.” The gospel does contain positive truth, but people will not appreciate it till they first see their own error and their need for repentance. Faithful preachers did not fail to tell people their errors. Stephen was willing to die rather than compromise.

The “first Christian martyr” died calling on Jesus to receive his spirit and to not charge this sin against the murderers. He died as his Master had died. Among the murderers was a young Jew named Saul. He never forgot Stephen’s death (see Acts 22:20). In Saul’s case, Stephen’s prayer was fulfilled, not immediately, but later when Saul repented and was converted (see Acts 9).

Personal application questions:

*32* Should church supervision be local or centralized? __________________

*33* How common is disobedience among God’s people? __________________

*34* Should Christians show other people their errors, even in religion? __________________

Categorized in Daily Bible Study
Tags: Acts, bible, Bible Study, Daily Bible Study, Jesus

Dec

THE COLOR OF SCRIPTURE

[ ART | MUSIC | KNOWLEDGE| HEALTH ]

The issue of race and /or color in the Bible is one that has been over looked and/or disregarded by the church for years. Todays Christians assume the characters of the Bible had European features. Sadly this is what we are taught and we accept it. These assumptions are enhanced by illustrations in Christian education and Sunday School material. In fact any time a film studio even conceder’s allowing a black man to play the role of Jesus, there are vast protest and calls of blasphemy.

Most English-language information on Christianity gives the false subliminal impression that Jesus was a dark haired Anglo or Caucasian. Though Christianity is frequently portrayed as “the White Man’s Religion”. The truth is that most of the people in the Bible were people of color: Semitics, black, and Mediterranean.

CONCERNING ADAM AND THE ORIGIN OF MANKIND

When you conceder the likely location of the Garden of Eden, the climate of the time and the likely diet of the people, the evidence will leave little doubt that those that occupied the garden were people of color. Adam could not have resembled today’s traditional white man, for he, Eve and their offspring lived in a tropical environment unlike any known today, Making it impossible for a man to live life with pale skin. Genesis describes Eden as a tropical paradise. The Bible names the countries Havilah (a Country near Egypt) and Ethiopia, placing the garden in Africa and in the mist of the “lands of Ham and Crush, “the father and grandfather of black nations”(see Gen. Chapt. 2) Furthermore science confirms it is not possible for a Caucasian couple to produce offspring with skin that is dark in color. It is however possible for a black couple to produce offspring with skin dark in color. Based on this Scientific truth alone you must conclude that the original man had to be black.

THE ORIGIN OR MANKIND AFTER THE FLOOD.

According to genesis 9:19 and the table of Nations in Genesis. 10, all mankind is descended from the three sons of Noah: Shem, Ham and Japheth. The descendants of Japheth, the youngest son, settled in Anatolia, modern Turkey, and from there moved to the Caucasus mountains of Western Russia. As a result they settled Europe and Russia becoming he ancestors of the Caucasian Peoples. Their main impact on Israel was though the Persians, the Greeks, and the Romans.

Ham’s descendants became the various black peoples who settled the African continent and parts of the Arabian peninsula. His son were Cush, whose descendants settled in Egypt, Put, whose descendants settled in Libya and Canaan, whose descendants settled in Palestine and founded the cities of Sidon, Tyre and Carthage among others, were the ancestors of the Phoenicans. Collectively, in ancient times the decedents of Cush formed a large ethnic group and were the main populace of the Cushite Empire which extended from present day libya to Ethiopia and Nubia, South of Egypt, all of present day Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula into the Mountains of Turkey. They Spoke a variety of Languages and had Skin Pigmention ranging from dark black to medium brown. One of Cush’s sons was Nimrod, founder of Babylon, Akkad, Assyria and Nineveh, several of early mankind’s most powerful nations And cities. There Languages are generally.

referred to as belonging to the Western Semitic group, although they are actually Hamitic.

Mizraim’s descendants became the Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, Pathusim, and Casluhim (Phillistines). According to the Jewish0Roman Hisorian Flaviua Josephus, Most of these people were destroyed in the Ethiopic Wars.

THE MYTHICAL CURSE OF HAM AND THE ACTUAL CURSE OF CANAAN

It its often claimed that the black race resulted from a curse that Noah placed on his son Ham because Noah become drunk with wine and Ham “looked upon his fathers nakedness.” Some scholars interpret this as a euphemism and believe that Ham had Homosexual intercourse with his father; others believer the reason for the curse was the disgrace Ham Caused by telling others. The claim is that the curse turned ham black in the spot. The truth is Genesis 9:25-27 records that in fact Noah cursed Ham’s youngest son Canaan, not Ham: [25] he said, “cursed be Canaan!” Canaan’s decendants founded Sidon and among others were the ancestors of the Jebusites, Amorities, Girgashites, Hivites, Arkites, Sinited, Arvadites, Zemarites and Hamathithes. There is ample historical evidence that indeed cursed with depravity including temple prostitutes and human sacrifice. One scholar, Lenormeant, said of the Canaanite religion: “no other people ever rivaled them in mixture of bloodshed and debauchery with which they thought to honor the deity.”

THE LINEAGE OF JESUS FROM NOAH

Jesus descended from the line of shem: his lineage from Noah though Abraham is shown in Genesis 11:10-27 and Luke 3:34-38. Jesus’ Lineage from Abraham though David is shown in Matthew 1 and Luke 3.

Jesus as a Person of Colour

The oft-asked question “What did Jesus look like?” is sometimes paired with related questions like “Was Jesus black?” or “Was Jesus a man of colour (color)?” Our difficulty is the sheer scarcity of the source materials that would help us to give properly informed answers to these questions. Nevertheless, it seems likely that it is appropriate to describe the historical Jesus as a person of colour, but appreciation of this likelihood has been impeded in much Christian art, culture and scholarship for several reasons:

There exists no early description of Jesus akin to the one we have, for example, of Paul in The Acts of Paul and Thecla. The few short descriptions we do have tend to focus more on his stature than on his appearance (Justin Martyr, Tertullian), and those are most likely derived from inferences based on Isaiah 52:14 and 53:2-3.
The description of the heavenly, apocalyptic Jesus in Revelation may have exercised an undue influence. The Jesus of Revelation 1 has hair “white like wool”, though one might draw attention to the fact that Ethiopians in antiquity were characterized as having “woolly” hair,⁽¹⁾ in which case the mentions of the word “white” (leukos) here should be seen purely as informed by the apocalyptic nature of the passage. But ultimately this passage tells us much more about apocalyptic than it does about first century Galilean peasants like Jesus.
Politics of omission: recent New Testament scholarship has drawn attention to a shameful politics of omission in both Biblical authors (e.g. Luke-Acts) and modern Biblical scholars, the tendency of which is to exaggerate the role of Rome and the Roman orbit and to marginalize darker races outside of that orbit.⁽²⁾
Reconstructing Jesus in their own image: the perennial problem of historical Jesus research, highlighted nearly a century ago by Albert Schweitzer yet still prevalent – and historical Jesus scholarship, as a sub-discipline of Biblical Studies, has been carried out primarily by white, male American, German and British scholars working with the modernist historical-critical approach. A quick survey of the depictions of Jesus on the covers of recent books on the Historical Jesus, most of which have portraits in the white, western artistic tradition, confirms how far most of these scholars are from even tacitly acknowledging that Jesus was a man of colour.⁽³⁾

The New Testament itself tells us nothing directly about Jesus’ appearance. No doubt many of the first tradents, themselves Jews emanating from the same part of the world, would have taken for granted that Jesus, like them, was a person of colour. But for many a contemporary western audience, some rethinking needs to be done, not least given the legacy of Anglo-Saxon Jesuses presented by so many for so long. There is a marked influence, for example, from the Jesus films emanating from America and Europe in the 20th Century, all of which use American or European actors of a particular hue, tending to prefer sandy-haired, blue-eyed Jesuses. When black actors appear in the films, they are placed opposite Jesus and in contrast with him (e.g. Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar (dir. Norman Jewison, 1973). The Miracle Maker (dir. Derek W. Hayes & Stanislav Sokolov, 2000) marks a distinct and welcome departure from this trend in its depiction of a dark, swarthy Jesus who, it might be added, is probably supposed to evoke the notion, in contemporary viewers, that he is Jewish.

But what is the evidence that Jesus might be described as a person of colour?

The region in which Jesus lived: the African American Biblical Scholar Cain Hope Felder⁽⁴⁾ makes the case that we should see the Middle East of Jesus’ day as a kind of eastern extension of Africa, using archaeological and linguistic evidence to demonstrate the interaction between these peoples in these regions.⁽⁵⁾
Jesus’ General Ancestry: A key element in the narrative of the Hebrew Bible is the Hebrews’ move to, sojourn in and liberation from Egypt. Felder claims that they were a mixed race of Afro-Asiatics. Moses had a Cushite, or Ethiopian wife (Num.12:1); a son of Aaron, the one who begot the priestly line, was Phinehas (Ex.6:25), which in Egyptian means “the Nubian”, referring to the area of Sudan or Ethiopia (Jer.38:7).⁽⁶⁾
Jesus’ Genealogy – four Afroasiatic women are mentioned in the Genealogy that opens Matthew’s Gospel: Rahab. Tamar, Ruth and Bathsheba. (Matt. 1.2-17)
Jesus’ Connection with Egypt: in both Christian and non-Christian texts, Jesus is placed in Egypt during his formative years. Celsus, a Jewish critic of Christianity from the second century, reported the tradition that Jesus learnt his magical powers in Egypt (Origen, Contra Celsum, 1.28). And Matthew’s Gospel famously reports the holy family’s flight to Egypt (Matthew 2) and announces the return with the scriptural “Out of Egypt I have called my son” (Matt. 2.15).

Some Useful Quotations

“If the truth be insisted upon, the family stock of Jesus himself was none other than Afroasiatic. His parents probably resembled the typical darker Palestinian, Egyptian or Yemenite of today; many African-Americans would have similar features . . . It may not be going too far to suggest that the “Sweet Lil’ Jesus Boy” of the Negro Spiritual is probably most accurately described as an Afro-Asiatic or “a person of color.” While the Negro spiritual intones: “We didn’t know who you was,” it paradoxically reminds many modern Christians that what Jesus actually looked like may come as a surprise.” (Cain Hope Felder, “Blacks in the Bible and in Bible Lands”, Sphinx (Summer 1999), on-line journal, http://www.apa1906.org/sphinx/sum99/p069.htm)

“. . . Jesus and his family spent more than a fleeting moment in Egypt. It is not inconceivable, for example, that Jesus might well have learned to walk and talk right here in Africa. Further, Jesus and his Jewish family, being Afro-Asiatic in colour and culture, would have appeared more chocolate-brown than Caucasian in complexion — more like a typically miscegenated African American, Kenyan Kikuyu or South African ‘coloured’.” (Gosnell L. Yorke, “Biblical hermeneutics: an Afrocentric perspective”, Religion and Theology 2/2 (1995), pp. 145-158; reproduced on-line at http://www.unisa.ac.za/dept/press/rt/22/theol2w.html)
Select Bibliography

Randall C. Bailey & Jaquelyn Grant (eds.), The Recovery of Black Presence: An Interdisciplinary Exploration. Essays in Honor of Dr Charles B. Copher (Nashville: Abingdon, 1995)

Charles Copher, Black Biblical Studies: Biblical and Theological Issues on the Black Presence in the Bible (Chicago: Black Light Fellowship, 1993)

Cain Hope Felder (ed.), The original African heritage study Bible (Nashville: James C. Winston Publishing Company, 1993)

Cain Hope Felder (ed.), Stony the road we trod: African American biblical interpretation (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1991).

Cain Hope Felder, Troubling Biblical Waters; Race, Class, and Family, (New York: Orbis Books, 1994)

Cain Hope Felder, “Blacks in the Bible and in Bible Lands”, Sphinx (Summer 1999), on-line journal, http://www.apa1906.org/sphinx/sum99/p069.htm

Rosemary C. Rodman and Vincent L. Wimbush (eds.), African Americans & the Bible: Sacred Text and Social Texture (New York: Continuum, 2000)

Gosnell L. Yorke, “Biblical hermeneutics: an Afrocentric perspective”, Religion and Theology 2/2 (1995), pp. 145-158; reproduced on-line at http://www.unisa.ac.za/dept/press/rt/22/theol2w.html
Notes

1. Frank M. Snowden, Jr., Blacks in Antiquity: Ethiopians in the Greco-Roman Experience (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1979), p. 23.

2. See, for example, Cain Hope Felder, “Racial Ambiguities in the Biblical Narratives,” in Gregory Baum and John Coleman (eds.), The Church and Racism, (Concilium 151; New York: Seabury, 1982); and Clarice J. Martin, “A Chamberlain’s Journey and the Challenge of Interpretation for Liberation,” Semeia 47 (1989), pp. 105-135.

3. I can think of only one possible exception to this rule, John P. Meier, A Marginal Jew: Rethinking the Historical Jesus: Volume 2: Mentor, Message, Miracles (Anchor Bible Reference Library; New York: Doubleday, 1994), which depicts a Jesus with a dark complexion, with long black hair and beard.

4. Felder is professor of New Testament languages and literature at Howard University Divinity School in Washington, D.C., U.S.A.

5. Cain Hope Felder, Troubling Biblical Waters; Race, Class, and Family, (New York: Orbis Books, 1994), pp. 8-14.

6. Ibid

Categorized in Knowledge
Tags: Daily Bible Study, Jesus, Jewish, Life of Jesus, was Jesus black

Dec

Put some healthy sweetness in your life

[ ART | MUSIC | KNOWLEDGE| HEALTH ]

A lot of people ask what replacements are available for sugar. They know that they should not be eating so much processed sugar, and are quickly learning that it is nearly impossible to avoid it if you are eating any packaged foods, as it is literally in everything regardless of what food you purchase. If you don’t believe me – I challenge you to go to your food cupboard, grab 2-3 items and look at the ingredients – not the nutrition facts (because all food contains some sugars), but the actual ingredients – all of the following are considered processed sugar, beet sugar, cane sugar, sucrose, glucose, dextrose, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, and maltodextrin – just to name a few. Seventy-six percent of the 134 lbs. of sugar the average person eats is hidden in foods (Teresa Paul, from HW, Vol. 28). What is a person to do?

The Artificial Sweeteners

First lets talk about artificial sweeteners that are on the market that are not truly considered natural or healthy. All of these by the way were discovered by accident. The first artificial sweetener was saccharin, invented over 130 years ago by two chemists who where experimenting around with coal tar derivatives. Coal tar is the liquid by-product of the distillation of coal to make coke. It is very viscous brown or black liquid, with smell of naphthalene, or mothballs. It can be made into coal tar soap, which is used to treat eczema, seborrheic dermatitis, and other skin disorders via prescription. Many people still believe that saccharine is dangerous because of the “cancer warning” that is still on some saccharine packages. This scare was because some researcher tested rats on saccharine in dosages 1000 times more than would be “normal” for a human in the same weight/size ratio. Further testing by many laboratories has since changed this, and this label has recently been removed. It can leave a yucky aftertaste, which many people don’t like. Saccharine, which is 300 times sweeter than sugar, is also known as Sweet N’ Low, or “the pink stuff” and amazingly is the number one-selling brand today in terms of units and volume. A sweetener from coal – no thanks, I’ll pass.

The next big artificial sweetener to hit the market was Asparatame, also known as Nutra-Sweet, or Equal – which is documented in many books and many sites on the web as being unhealthy, causing everything from digestive problems, brain tumors, etc. Two sources you can check out are www.mercola.com and books by Dr. Russell Blaylock. This sweetener was found by accident by a medical chemist who was investigating a drug for ulcers. More and more people are noticing health problems from these sweeteners. If you want to know if it may be affecting your health – stop using all of these sweeteners for 1 month. See if you notice a difference in your health. In addition, the companies that make these products must add fillers to the product because the sweetener is so strong, 180 times sweeter than sugar. Some add cornstarch, which is bad for people with corn allergies, and others add silica or sand. If you think all those “lite” drinks and “diet” products you are eating are healthy for you, I would reconsider.

The latest artificial sweetener discovered is sucralose, or Splenda, discovered in 1976 by a graduate student. The August Issue of Discover Magazine, 2005 has an article on all of these artificial sweeteners with pictures of each in their chemical structure, and states that the graduate student’s “… head researcher had told him to test some compounds, but he misunderstood and tasted them instead. Of the three sweeteners, sucralose has been touted as the most natural, but that claim ‘has more to do with clever marketing than with chemistry,’…” In fact, in what we find a very humorous note is both the sugar association and Merisant Worldwide, manufacturer of the artificial sweetener Equal, are suing to stop Splenda from making the claim ‘made from sugar, so it tastes like sugar.’ They say the phrase misleads consumers into thinking Splenda is natural when it is actually ‘a highly processed chemical compound.’ Adding fuel to the fire is this Internet poll: In a poll of 426 people, 47 percent of respondents thought Splenda was natural. Only 8 percent knew it was made from sucralose, which is made by chlorinating sucrose, or sugar.” (Dale Buss, April 28, 2003) Yes, you read that right – chlorinating – with chlorine. Another popular new sweetener that is up and coming is Acesulfame-K – also known as Sunette, Sweet One, and Sweet ‘n Safe. Suzanne Somers uses this in her SomerSweet product. Acesulfame-K was discovered in 1967 and is 150-200 times sweeter than sugar. Acesulfame-K is a highly stable, crystalline sweetener with a chemical structure that is similar to saccharin. Acesulfame-K is usually used in combination with aspartame or other sweeteners because it has a synergistic effect to enhance and sustain the sweet taste of foods and beverages. Acesulfame-K is found in many foods, and it was approved for use by the FDA in 1988. “Even compared to aspartame and saccharin which are afflicted with their own safety problems, acesulfame K is the worst. The additive is inadequately tested, the FDA based its approval on tests of acesulfame K that fell short of the FDA’s own standards. But even those tests indicate that the additive causes cancer in animals, which means it may increase cancer risk in humans. In l987, CSPI (The Center for Science in the Public Interest) urged the FDA not to approve acesulfame K, but was ignored. After the FDA gave the chemical it’s blessing, CSPI urged that it be banned. The FDA hasn’t yet ruled on that request.” This is from http://www.holisticmed.com/acek/ . It isn’t something I want to take a chance with for my health.

There is another new sweetener coming on the market called neotame – which is 13,000 times sweeter than sugar. Why we need that, I have no idea.

So what is wrong with Honey?

There are many natural sweeteners. These include simple sugars such as honey, molasses, date sugar or syrup, turbinado sugar (raw sugar – they take the sugar cane, dry it, and crush it – making true brown sugar – the popular brown sugar you purchase in the grocery store is really white sugar with molasses added after the fact, true raw sugar has the molasses still in tact without removing valuable minerals), Sorghum (a grain syrup), Succanat (dried cane juice – where they take the sugar cane, and extract out the juice), maple sugar or syrup, fructose (fruit sugar) and fruit juice concentrate. One popular brand of fruit juice concentrate is Mystic Lake Syrup.

Then there are the complex sugars like, brown rice syrup, and barley malt. Fruit can also be substituted in recipes (for example; replace applesauce for oil in banana bread), as fruit is 33% complex sugar. The complex sugars take your body longer to break down and are considered healthier than the simple sugars. There are complex sugars in all whole grains as well.

Once you have optimum health, eating these in moderation is considered okay. Remember it is important that our bodies do get some form of sugars – sugars turn to carbohydrates and that is what our bodies burn for energy. So once you are healthy eating simple sugars in moderation is a good thing. In the meantime we recommend people get their sugars from fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

The problem with all of these natural sweeteners is that they still act as sugar in the body. This means they raise blood sugar levels, are high on the glycemic index scale, which is bad for diabetics and others with blood sugar issues. For people that are trying to get rid of fungus, parasites or other health issues, they can feed these organisms and make it harder to rid the body of these unfriendly body guests. The biggest issue of all is weight loss, all sugar turns to carbohydrates and must be burned by the body. And let’s face it, people like to eat sweets, but don’t like to exercise – so sweeteners that don’t affect the glycemic index are considered beneficial for weight loss.

Healthy Alternative Sweeteners

Fortunately there are some healthy alternative sweeteners out on the market today. Four of the most popular are Agave Nectar, Lo Han, Stevia and Xylitol.

Agave Nectar

The first of these is Agave Nectar from the Agave cactus. This agave nectar is what they make tequila out of. It is similar in taste and texture to honey. It can be purchased in a raw form – which means it is not heated or cooked, a dark form, which has more minerals intact and has a richer flavor similar to barley malt, or a light form, which is lighter and looks more like honey or brown rice syrup. It is 1.4 times sweeter than sugar, but has nearly half the amount of carbohydrates. Agave has a glycemic index of 48, and honey has one of 58. Most agave nectar is organic and is easy to use and cook with. I make lemonade with it often – using water, lemon juice, and agave to sweeten. I also use it as a sweetener in my chai tea as it adds body to the tea, so with the oat milk, and the Yogi Tea Redbush Chai Tea – it is very yummy.

Lo Han

Another favorite sweetener of is Lo Han Kuo. Also known as just Lo Han, it is a fruit from China. Lo Han is so low in calories that one serving has no measurable caloric value, it also has an incredibly low glycemic index. It does not cause sweet or food cravings, nor does it stimulate fat storage. Lo Han does not raise blood sugar and is safe for most diabetics and hypoglycemics. Best of all, it tastes great. Flavor is slightly softer or some would say, more fruity than sugar, a bit like maple syrup. It can be used in cereals, tea, or wherever you would sweeten with sugar. There are recipes in the boxes as well and there are starting to show up on websites as well. Lo Han is 10-15 times as sweet as sugar. Prices have dropped on this product and it is now much more cost-effective, but it is still considered more expensive than the other sweeteners listed here. Lo Han is sold by TriMedica as SlimSweet, and a few other makers as well. There are even beverages available by many companies that use Lo Han as a sweetener.

Stevia

Stevia has been used for over 1500 years in Paraguay and surrounding countries. In the 1970’s the Japanese developed a method of refining the sweetness out of the plant – creating a new term called steviosides, which are 300 times sweeter than sugar. In Japan stevia is sold in most of their soft drinks and many other products, as they do not allow any artificial sweeteners to be used.

When using the whole leaf extract, there is a bitter taste with the sweetness, and an aftertaste of licorice when the product is diluted with water or other liquid. I have many people tell me that they have “tried stevia” and don’t like it. I encourage people to try several brands, because each is very different from the next. Each brand can vary between 20-200 times sweeter than sugar, some are liquids and some are powders. Cooking with stevia can be a challenge – but there are some great cookbooks out there – check your local library first or Amazon.com for some used ones. I am sure your local health food store will have some of the most recent ones, or just surf the Internet as there are many out there as well. Recipes that call for 1 cup of sugar, will usually only use 1/8th of a teaspoon of stevia – which of course changes the bulkiness of the finished product. Cookies for example, wouldn’t have that much bulk to them – so it is important to find a recipe that will give you the end result that you are looking for.

Xylitol (wood sugar)

Xylitol is approved for use as a sugar substitute in 35 countries and has been in the U.S. since the 1960’s. Xylitol is an all-natural wood sugar and is naturally extracted without chemicals using steam. The human body naturally produces xylitol and it is also a natural carbohydrate that is found in fibrous fruits and vegetables.

The benefits of xylitol include: stops the growth of yeast (including Candida Albicans), safe for diabetics, very low on the glycemic index scale – 7, fights plaque, improves breath odor, strengthens tooth enamel, 40% fewer calories than sugar (9.6 calories per serving), 75% fewer carbohydrates than sugar, helps to boost the immune system and reduces middle ear infections by 40% in children, reduces infections in the mouth and relieves dry mouth.

Xylitol can be used in all baking except where yeast is involved. It works great in hot drinks, but doesn’t dissolve well in cold drink. There are xylitol cookbooks available. Xylitol was originally made from birch trees, but after damaging many birch forests, with no other use for the extracted wood, many companies have now switched to corncobs. Almost all xylitol is now extracted from corncobs. Some companies use non-GMO corn, and others do not. Check where you purchase xylitol as each source is different and many of our customers notice the difference between the brand names.

Xylitol is unique of all the sweeteners as it actually helps your teeth. It is now used as a sweetener in many gums, and candy products, as well as toothpaste, mouthwash and even nose spray, as it is beneficial for sinus and ear infections because it kills the fungus and bacteria that cause these conditions.

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol and there are many other sugar alcohols out there on the market; sorbitol comes from cherries, maltitol that comes from malt sugar, mannitol comes from seaweed, and lactitol from milk sugar. The negatives for xylitol are that when you use too much xylitol in some baking, there is a cooling effect aftertaste, which of course is perfect for gum, candy or other products where there is mint present. Xylitol gum lasts forever, which is great. .

There is another new sugar alcohol called Erythritol that we are seeing in some new products. It doesn’t cause the intestinal problems like the other sugar alcohols, but it also doesn’t have all the benefits of the xylitol either.

I encourage you to try these new healthy sweeteners and put some healthy sweetness in your life.

Categorized in Health
Tags: Artificial Sweeteners, Christian health, sugar

Dec

Daily Bible Study: Persecution Helps Spread the Gospel – Acts 8,9

Lesson 6

Introduction:

Chapter 7 ended with the death of Stephen. We will see that this led to severe persecution, but the result simply helped spread the gospel.

I. Saul Leads the Persecution – Acts 8:1-4

>>> Please read Acts 8:1-4. <<<

*1* Who arrested and imprisoned the disciples? (a) Peter, (b) Saul, (c) Mohammed, (d) Pharaoh, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*2* What did the disciples do when they were scattered (v4)? Answer: The disciples went everywhere preaching the ______.

Comment: Saul had consented to Stephen’s death, but that was not all. He persecuted disciples so fiercely that they had to flee Jerusalem.

The scattered disciples still did not stop preaching. Instead, everywhere they went they told people about Jesus. Even death and persecution did not stop their commitment to preaching. Note that all Christians became teachers. They did not leave this work up to a few leaders (cf. v4 to v1). The gospel spreads effectively when all members teach.

This begins the second major section of Acts. The gospel here began to spread from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria (see Acts 1:8).

II. Philip’s Work in Samaria – Acts 8:5-13

>>> Please read Acts 8:5-13. <<<

*3* What miracles did Philip do? (a) casting out demons, (b) healing paralyzed people, (c) healing lame people, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*4* How had Simon fooled the people? Answer: Simon used sorcery to convince them he had great ______ from God.

*5* What resulted from Philip’s work (v12,13)? (a) people believed, (b) people were baptized, (c) Simon was baptized (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

Comment: Philip had been one of the seven servants chosen in Acts 6, but the persecution sent him to Samaria. Jerusalem was in Judea. Samaria was the region north of Judea (see a Bible map). Jews hated Samaritans, because they were a mixed breed; but like their Master, Christians should love the souls of all men (cf. John 4:9 in context).

A man named Simon had used sorcery to fool the Samaritans into believing he had great power from God. But even Simon recognized the true miracles Philip did. As a result, Simon and many Samaritans believed and were baptized.

Once again miracles achieved the purpose of confirming the gospel to be from God (see on Acts 3:1,2). In order to serve this purpose, true miracles had to be superior to what was done by fakes and false prophets. In this case, even the false miracle worker recognized the superiority of true miracles (see also on Acts 4:13-18).

In particular, true miracles were clearly superior to the power of sorcery. Sorcery, witchcraft, astrology, and all Occult powers are repeatedly condemned in Scripture. They come from Satan and therefore are inferior to God’s miracles. See Deuteronomy 18:9-14; Galatians 5:19-21; Revelation 21:8; 22:15; Acts 19:18-20; 13:4-12.

This event records the second great example of conversion in Acts. It may be summarized as follows:

The Conversion of the Samaritans – Acts 8:5-13

Hearing	Belief	Repentance	Confession	Baptism	Result
v5,6,12	v12,13			v12,13	(cf. Mark 16:16)

III. Laying on of Hands and Simon’s Sin – Acts 8:14-25

The Coming of the Holy Spirit on the Samaritans

>>> Please read Acts 8:14-19. <<<

*6* Who came to Samaria from Jerusalem? (a) Jesus (b) John the Baptist, (c) Peter and John, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*7* How did the Samaritans receive the Holy Spirit? Answer: The apostles laid their ______ on the Samaritans.

Comment: The Samaritans had been saved from sin when they believed and were baptized (vv 12,13; cf. Mark 16:16). But the Holy Spirit had not fallen on them. In a sense all saved people have a relationship of fellowship with the Holy Spirit (see 2 Cor. 13:14; 1 Cor. 6:19,20; Rom. 8:9), but clearly Acts 8 refers to something more than that. The Samaritans had received no miraculous gifts of the Spirit. Contrary to the beliefs of some, not all saved people receive supernatural gifts.

The apostles had received supernatural gifts when they were baptized in the Holy Spirit on Pentecost (Acts 2). We will see just one other recorded example of Holy Spirit baptism (Acts 10). But the Samaritans received power from the Spirit, not by Holy Spirit baptism, but by having apostles lay hands on them (Acts 8:17-19).

Note that Philip could do miracles, but apostles had to come from Jerusalem to give other people spiritual gifts. This shows that people, other than apostles, could not pass on the powers of spiritual gifts to others, even if they themselves possessed the powers. Only apostles could pass these powers on. See also Acts 19:1-7; Rom. 1:11; 2 Tim. 1:6.

Simon’s Sin

>>> Please read Acts 8:18-25. <<<

*8* What sin did Simon commit? Answer: He tried to buy the power to give people the ______.

*9* How did Peter describe him? (a) his heart was not right. (b) wicked, (c) bitterness, (d) iniquity, (e) he would perish, (f) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*10&11* What was he told to do to be forgiven of his sin? Answer: Peter told Simon to ______ and ______ for forgiveness.

Comment: Simon had been converted as surely as had the other Samaritans (vv 12,13; cf. Mark 16:16). But he apparently allowed his old conduct to take control again. He sinned and clearly stood condemned. This shows that a child of God can so sin as to be lost. The doctrine of “once saved, always saved” contradicts many Scriptures. See John 15:1-6; Rom. 6:12-18; Gal. 5:1-4; 6:7-9; 1 Cor. 9:25-10:12; 2 Peter 2:20-22.

Simon was also told what to do to be forgiven. One who is not a child of God needs to believe, repent, and be baptized to be forgiven. If after that a child of God sins again, he does not need baptism again. Instead, he must repent and pray for forgiveness (v22). See also 1 John 1:8-10; Matthew 6:12; Luke 18:13,14. Other Christians may also pray for us, as Simon requested here (v24; see also James 5:16).

IV. Conversion of a Treasurer – Acts 8:26-40

Introduction to the Treasurer

>>> Please read Acts 8:26-31. <<<

*12* Whom did Philip find on the road to Gaza? Answer: Philip met a treasurer from the land of ______.

*13* What was this man doing as he returned from Jerusalem? Answer: He was reading from the prophet ______.

Comment: An angel told Philip to go to the road from Jerusalem to Gaza (see a map). There he found a eunuch from Ethiopia, who was the queen’s treasurer.

Note that this man was clearly religious. He had traveled by chariot from Ethiopia to Jerusalem to worship God. As he returned home, he was reading the Old Testament. But we will see that he was still lost, because he did not know about Jesus (cf. John 8:24; 14:6; Mark 16:16; Acts 4:12). Clearly a person can be a sincere, devout religious person and yet be lost. See also Acts 10:1-4,22; 11:14; 23:1; 26:1-11; 1 Tim. 1:12-16.

The Spirit led Philip to teach this treasurer (v29ff). Never in the Bible did angels, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit ever tell a lost sinner how to be saved, although sometimes they would get a preacher together with the sinner (cf. Acts 9:1-19; 10:1-11:18). So today do not expect that God or the Holy Spirit will directly tell a sinner how to be saved. They must hear the message from inspired teachers, whose word today is recorded in the Scriptures. See also Rom. 10:14; 2 Cor. 5:18; 4:7; 2 Tim. 3:16,17.

The Baptism of the Treasurer

>>> Please read Acts 8:32-40. <<<

*14* About whom did Philip preach to the treasurer? (a) Peter, (b) Moses, (c) Jesus, (d) John the Baptist, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*15* What did the treasurer want to do as a result? Answer: He asked what hindered him from being ______.

*16* What did he have to do first? (V37 – this may be in a footnote). Answer: He confessed that he believed Jesus Christ to be the ______.

*17* How is baptism described? (a) they went down into the water, (b) Philip baptized him, (c) they came up out of the water, (d) all of these. Answer: ______.

Comment: The treasurer was reading Isaiah 53:7,8 about one who died without resistance. This is one of many Old Testament prophecies that Jesus fulfilled. Philip used this passage to preach Jesus to him.

Preaching Jesus includes teaching about His will for our lives. As a result, the treasurer realized his need to be baptized and wanted to do so immediately. Bible examples emphasize the urgency of baptism (see Acts 2:41; 9:18; 16:33; 22:16). This is because baptism is essential in order to receive salvation (Mark 16:15,16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Romans 6:3,4; Galatians 3:27; 1 Peter 3:21).

However, Philip said that, before the treasurer could be baptized, he must believe in Jesus. When the treasurer confessed his faith, Philip baptized him. Note that baptism is only for people who understand God’s word and choose baptism on the basis of their own faith in Jesus (Mark 16:15,16; Gal. 3:26,27; Acts 8:12; Rom. 10:9,10). Do babies qualify?

Also note that Bible baptism involved going down into the water and coming up out of it (cf. Mark 1:9,10). Is this what denominations do when they practice sprinkling or pouring? Bible baptism involved a burial and a resurrection – please read Romans 6:4 and Colossians 2:12. This fits immersion, but not sprinkling or pouring.

Bible baptism was a complete immersion in water of a person who had chosen for himself to obey on the basis on his own faith and understanding. Any other water “baptism” is a human change in God’s plan (cf. Matt. 15:9,13; Gal. 1:8,9; 2 John 9-11; Col. 3:17; Jer. 10:23 Rev. 22:18,19).

This example of conversion may be summarized as follows:

The Conversion of the Treasurer – Acts 8:26-39

Hearing	Belief	Repentance	Confession	Baptism	Result
v35	v37		v37	v38,39	Rejoicing (v39)

V. The Conversion of Saul – Acts 9:1-19

Jesus’ Appearance to Saul

>>> Please read Acts 9:1-9. <<<

*18* Why did Saul go to Damascus? (a) to capture Christians, (b) to worship Christ, (c) to see relics, (d) to attend a “Christian rock concert.” Answer: ______.

*19* Who appeared to him as he traveled? Answer: ______ appeared to Saul from a bright, shining light.

*20* What disability did he receive as a result? Answer: As a result Saul was struck with ______.

Comment: Saul was still persecuting Christians (cf. 8:1ff). As he traveled, Jesus appeared to him. This would have especially amazed him, because he believed Jesus was a fraud. When Jesus appeared, this convinced Saul that Jesus had been raised from the dead and therefore He was the Christ as His disciples had been preaching.

As in the case of the treasurer, God did not directly tell Saul how to be saved. Saul had to go into the city and be told by an inspired man. No one learns how to be saved by direct revelation. Jesus appeared to Saul, not to save him or to tell him how to be saved, but to make him an eyewitness that Jesus had been raised. This would convince him to believe in Jesus and qualify him to be an apostle (Acts 26:16; 1 Cor. 9:1; 15:1-8).

Jesus said that, in Damascus, Saul would be told what he “must do.” Many preachers say there is nothing one must do to be saved. Is this what Jesus believed? See also Matt. 7:21-27; Acts 10:34,35; Rom. 6:17,18; Heb. 5:9; 2 Thess. 1:8,9; James 2:14-26; 1 Pet. 1:22,23; 1 John 5:3; 2:3-6.

After Jesus’ appearance, Saul was blind. This continued to remind him that Jesus really had appeared to him. Also, when his sight was restored, he would be sure that the one who restored it was the one sent to tell him what he must do. As with all miracles, the purpose was to confirm that a message or messenger was really from God.

The Visit of Ananias

>>> Please read Acts 9:10-18. <<<

*21* What did Saul do as he waited in Damascus (v11)? (a) rejoiced, (b) prayed, (c) celebrated, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*22* What task did the Lord say he had for Saul to do? Answer: Saul would bear Jesus’ ______ to Gentiles, kings, etc.

*23* What did Saul do as soon as his sight was restored? Answer: Immediately Saul arose and was ______.

Comment: The Lord sent a disciple named Ananias to tell Saul what to do. At first Ananias was reluctant to visit such a dangerous persecutor. But Jesus said He wanted Saul to preach the gospel, and that this man who had caused so much suffering would himself suffer for Jesus.

Ananias went to Saul, restored his sight, and told Saul what he must do. As a result, Saul arose and was baptized.

Some people believe a sinner is saved by “faith alone” or by praying, without baptism. But Saul clearly believed in Jesus on the road, and in Damascus he was praying. But he still had not been told what he must do to be saved. When Ananias told him what to do, he immediately was baptized. Read Acts 22:16 to see what Ananias told him. There is no example anywhere in the gospel of an unbaptized sinner being forgiven by prayer.

This conversion may be summarized as follows:

The Conversion of Saul – Acts 9:1-19 (cf. 22:3-16; 26:1-17.)

Hearing	Belief	Repentance	Confession	Baptism	Result
9:6				9:18	(Cf. 22:16)

VI. Saul’s Preaching – Acts 9:19-31

Preaching in Damascus

>>> Please read Acts 9:19-25. <<<

*24* What effect did Saul’s preaching have? Answer: People were ______ because he formerly opposed the gospel.

*25* How did he escape those who tried to kill him? Answer: He was let down through the wall in a ______.

Comment: After Saul’s conversion, he preached Christ in Damascus. People were amazed that he was proclaiming what he had so opposed.

Jesus had predicted that Saul would be persecuted for his new faith. After his conversion, Saul became the apostle Paul. Throughout his life, Jews resented him, because his conversion demonstrated the power of Jesus’ resurrection. In Damascus, he escaped a death plot when disciples lowered him through the wall in a basket.

Saul’s Work in Jerusalem

>>> Please read Acts 9:26-31. <<<

*26* What did Saul try to do at Jerusalem? (a) commit suicide, (b) convert back to Judaism, (c) join the disciples, (d) deny Jesus. Answer: ______.

*27* Who explained to the apostles about his conversion? Answer: ______ told the apostles how Saul had been converted.

*28* Why did Saul eventually leave Jerusalem? Answer: He fled because again people tried to ______ him.

Comment: When Saul went to Jerusalem, he tried to become part of the congregation of Christians there. However, they feared him, remembering his former persecutions. Barnabas informed the apostles about his conversion, so the church received him. He immediately began preaching, but again persecution forced him to flee.

The Bible mentions many congregations or churches of disciples in various localities. Saul’s example shows that a Christian should always associate himself or herself with such a local church. Christians have group responsibilities that can be fulfilled only in a local church. This includes worshiping, teaching, and group Bible study. To fulfill these responsibilities, each Christian should choose a faithful local church and commit himself to its work.

Like Saul, when a Christian moves to a new locality, he should search out a faithful church and express his desire to be received as a member of that group. No Christian in the Bible ever, with God’s approval, neglected to commit himself to be part of a local church.

Personal application questions:

*29* Do you believe a child of God can so sin as to be eternally lost? __________________

*30* Is baptism an immersion, sprinkling, or pouring? __________________

*31* Can prayer save an unbaptized sinner? __________________

Categorized in Daily Bible Study
Tags: Acts, bible, Bible Study, Paul, Persecution, Saul, The Gospel

Dec

The Big Bad Wolf:What Is the Word of Faith Movement?

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Word of Faith teaching is decidedly unbiblical. It is not a denomination and does not have a formal organization or hierarchy. Instead, it is a movement that is heavily influenced by a number of high-profile pastors and teachers such as Kenneth Hagin, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Paul and Jan Crouch, and Fred Price.

The Word of Faith movement grew out of the Pentecostal movement in the latter 20th century. Its founder was E. W. Kenyon, who studied the metaphysical New Thought teachings of Phineas Quimby. Mind science (where “name it and claim it” originated) fit well with the emerging Pentecostal movement and its emphasis on the supernatural, so he combined them and created a peculiar mix of orthodox Christianity and mysticism. Kenneth Hagin in turn studied under E. W. Kenyon and made the Word of Faith movement what it is today. Although individual teachings range from completely heretical to completely ridiculous, what follows is the basic theology most Word of Faith teachers align themselves with.

At the heart of the Word of Faith movement is the belief in the “force of faith.” It is believed words can be used to manipulate the faith-force, and thus actually create what they believe Scripture promises (health and wealth). Laws supposedly governing the faith-force are said to operate independently of God’s sovereign will and that God Himself is subject to these laws. This is nothing short of idolatry, turning our faith—and by extension ourselves—into god.

From here, its theology just strays further and further from Scripture: It claims that God created human beings in His literal, physical image as little gods. Before the fall, humans had the potential to call things into existence by using the faith-force. After the fall humans took on Satan’s nature and lost the ability to call things into existence. In order to correct this situation, Jesus Christ gave up His divinity and became a man, died spiritually, took Satan’s nature upon Himself, went to hell, was born-again, and rose from the dead with God’s nature. After this, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to replicate the Incarnation in believers so they could become little gods as God had originally intended.

Following the natural progression of these teachings, as little gods we again have the ability to manipulate the faith-force and become prosperous in all areas of life. Illness, sin, and failure are the result of a lack of faith, and are remedied by confession—claiming God’s promises for oneself into existence. Simply put, the Word of Faith movement exalts man to god-status and reduces God to man-status. Needless to say, this is a false representation of what Christianity is all about. Obviously, Word of Faith teaching does not take into account what is found in Scripture. Personal revelation, not Scripture, is highly relied upon in order to come up with such absurd beliefs, which is just one more proof of its heretical nature.

Countering Word of Faith teaching is a simple matter of reading the Bible. God alone is the Sovereign Creator of the Universe (Genesis 1:3; 1 Timothy 6:15), and does not need faith—He is the object of faith (Mark 11:22; Hebrews 11:3). God is spirit, and does not have a physical body (John 4:24). Man was created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26, 27; 9:6), but this does not make him a little god or divine. Only God has a divine nature (Galatians 4:8; Isaiah 1:6-11, 43:10, 44:6; Ezekiel 28:2; Psalms 8:6-8). Christ is Eternal, the Only Begotten Son, and the only incarnation of God (John 1:1, 2, 15; 1:14, 18; 3:16; 1 John 4:1). In Him dwelt the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9). By becoming a man Jesus gave up the glory of heaven but not His divinity (Philippians 2:6-7), though He did choose to withhold His power while walking the earth as man.

The Word of Faith movement is deceiving countless people, causing them to grasp after a way of life and faith that is not biblical. At its core is the same lie Satan has been telling since the Garden: “you shall be as God” (Genesis 3:5). Sadly, those who buy into the Word of Faith movement are still listening to him. Our hope is in the Lord, not in our own words, not even in our own faith (Psalm 33:20-22). Our faith comes from God in the first place (Ephesians 2:8; Hebrews 12:2) and is not something we create for ourselves. So, be wary of the Word of Faith movement and any church that aligns itself with Word of Faith teachings.

The Word of Faith (WF) movement emerged within Charismatic/Pentecostal Christianity in the latter 20th century. The Word of Faith movement as a whole has no formal organization or authoritarian hierarchy, though the movement does have a number of high-profile teachers who heavily influence Word of Faith theology. It’s basic theology is a peculiar mix of orthodox Christianity and mysticism.

Kenneth Hagin is often referred to as the “father” of the Word of Faith movement, but in reality it was Phineas Parkhurst Quimby (1802-1866) who laid the foundations. It was Quimby’s metaphysical teachings that influenced E.W. Kenyon, and it was E.W. Kenyon’s teachings that in turn influenced Kenneth Hagin. Most prominent Word of Faith teachers today draw their inspiration from Kenneth Hagin.

The “force” of faith, an unbiblical view of faith, is the foundation of Word of Faith theology. Proponents believe they can use words to manipulate the faith-force, and thus actually create what they believe Scripture promises (health, wealth, etc.). Laws supposedly governing the faith-force are said to operate independently of God’s sovereign will — God Himself being subject to the “laws” of faith.

Doctrines considered essential by historic Christianity are not necessarily considered essentials in Word of Faith theology. Word of Faith teachers often redefine or reinterpret Christian essentials in order to fit them into their own peculiar theological systems. These reinterpretations are often derived from “revelation knowledge” (i.e. special revelations supposedly from God, given specifically to the WF teacher). Placing “revelation knowledge” above Scripture is one reason why WF teachers often blatantly contradict Scripture (and often each other). For example, one WF teacher, when speaking of God said, there are nine of them; and yet another WF teacher, when speaking of Jesus said, I (Jesus) never claimed to be God.

Word of Faith teachers are notorious for teaching everything from the heretical to the downright ridiculous. For example, one WF teacher (who recently renounced WF) once stated that Adam could fly, and women were originally designed to give birth from their sides. Many sincere Christians within the WF movement are unaware that their favorite teachers are teaching doctrines that flatly contradict the Word of God. One reason for this lack of discernment is that followers are told that questioning the teacher is synonymous with “touching God’s anointed,” or “quenching the Spirit.” They are unaware that Scripture encourages us to test all teaching by the written Word of God.

The Word of Faith movement is a serious threat to the Church — this because WF is assaulting Christianity from within the Church. What follows is a comparison of Word of Faith theology, as espoused by many of these prominent teachers, with the teachings of historic Christianity. Since this pamphlet represents a cross-section of Word of Faith teachings, Word of Faith adherents will believe some, but not necessarily all of these unbiblical doctrines.

GOD

WF: God is not sovereign. God needs permission to act. “Satan had gained ascendancy in the earth by gaining Adam’s authority, and God was left on the outside. God couldn’t come here in His divine power and wipe them out. He had to move in an area where it would be ruled legal by the Supreme Court of the Universe” (Capps, Authority in Three Worlds, p. 51).

BIBLE: God is sovereign over all creation. Man does not control God. “‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy” (Romans 9:15-16).

JESUS CHRIST

WF: You control Jesus with your mouth. “You create the presence of Jesus with your mouth….He is bound by your lips and by your words … Remember that Christ is depending upon you and your spoken word to release His presence” (Cho, The Fourth Dimension, Vol. I, p.83).

BIBLE: Christ is sovereign over all creation. Man does not control Christ. “These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation….You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked” (Revelation 3:14, 17).

THE ATONEMENT

WF: Word of Faith theology has completely rewritten and redefined the atonement. In WF, Jesus suffered and died on the cross, descended into hell (supposedly the seat of Satan’s government), spent three days serving a sentence in hell (where He was tortured by demons), was then born again and released from hell on a technicality.

When Jesus was in the pit of hell, in that terrible torment, no doubt the Devil and his emissaries gathered around to see the annihilation of God’s Son. But in the corridors of hell, there came a great voice from heaven: “Turn Him loose! He’s there illegally!” And all of hell became paralyzed. (Capps, Authority in Three Worlds, p. 143, emphasis in original)

Jesus was born again before his eyes! (Ibid, p. 189, emphasis in original)

BIBLE: Jesus was not “born again.” He could not be born again since He did not have a sinful nature. The sacrifice had to be perfect — Christ alone had no sin nature. “(B)ut with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake” (1 Peter 1:19-20).

Christ did not descend into hell. He descended into Hades (Sheol) and preached to the Old Testament saints in paradise. “The he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus answered him, ‘I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise’” (Luke 23:42-43).

Hell (Gehenna) is not the seat of Satan’s government. Hell is currently unoccupied. Hell is a place of punishment and torment where Satan, demons, and the unregenerate will eventually be cast. Christ did not serve a sentence in hell; He atoned for our sins on the cross. “When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished (tetelestai).’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit” (John 19:30).

MAN

WF: Man is a god, though a lesser god than God the creator. “Adam was an exact duplication of God’s kind!….Adam was subordinate to God. God created him, gave him all this authority and power, and said to him, ‘Be god over the earth as I am God over the heavens’” (Capps, Authority in Three Worlds, pp. 16-17).

BIBLE: Man is not, nor ever will be, a god. There is only one true God (John 17:3); if man is a god then man has to be a false god. “Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me” (Isaiah 43:10).

FAITH

WF: Faith is a force. “Faith is a power force. It is a tangible force. It is a conductive force” (Copeland, The Force of Faith, p.13).

Words activate the force. “The force of faith is released by words. Faith-filled words put the law of the Spirit of life into operation” (Ibid. p. 18).

BIBLE: Faith is not a force. Faith is trusting in the promises of God. Faith is synonymous with ‘being sure’: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). We exercise faith when we trust in the promises of God.

AN EXAMINATION OF THE

WORD-FAITH MOVEMENT

“You don’t have a god in you, you are one.”(1)

“Pray to yourself, because I’m in your self and you’re in Myself. We are one Spirit, saith the Lord.”(2)

“I say this with all respect so that it don’t upset you too bad, but I say it anyway. When I read in the Bible where he [Jesus] says, ‘I Am,’ I just smile and say, ‘Yes, I Am, too!’”(3)

What group would say such outrageous things? What group would have the nerve to perpetuate such blasphemous doctrines? Could it be the Jehovah’s Witnesses? the Mormons? the Unitarians? the New Agers? Could it be—the Christians?

The Word-Faith Teachers

The Word-Faith Teachers. This is the group that would seek to convince us that Jesus and His disciples were rich, that to be poor is a sin, to be sick is a sin, and that faith is a creative force that we can use to shape our world just like God supposedly created this world and universe that we live in through His “faith”!

Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, Paul Crouch, John Avanzini, Robert Tilton, Fred Price, and Benny Hinn (who at the time of this writing has authored the number one best selling Christian book in America, “Good Morning, Holy Spirit”) are just a few that spew out this theological vomit.

A Sampling of Error

To name just a few of the more outrageous things that have been said by these so-called teachers will stagger the senses:

John Avanzini is convinced that “Jesus had a nice big house”,(4) “Jesus wore designer clothes”,(5) and “Jesus was handling big money”.(6)

Fred Price also claims that Jesus was rich and that He left us with an example to follow. That is why Fred drives a Rolls Royce; he is following Jesus’ example!

Mr. Price also communicates one of the more sickening beliefs of the Word-Faith teachers which shocks even those with a mild amount of common sense. He says, “How can you glorify God in your body, when it doesn’t function right?….What makes you think the Holy Ghost wants to live inside of a body where He can’t see out through the windows, and He can’t hear out the ears?”(7) This insulting and insensitive comment regarding the handicapped and crippled among us stirs up anger in even the most hardened of consciences. Yet this statement by Mr. Price is followed by exuberant applause and approval from his congregation (I would like to hear Mr. Price say this to Joni Eareckson, or Tony Melendez).

These kind of statements boggle our minds and stagger our senses. It would seem that most people would see the error in these teachings, yet millions follow these men with a militant passion.

The Tip of the Iceberg

If this was as far as the teaching of these men went, if their only error was that they think everyone should be wealthy and healthy, then we could maybe shrug this movement off as a novelty and realize that soon people with an ounce of common sense will see the error in these teachings. Unfortunately, these teachings are but the tip of the iceberg. They are but the rotten fruit of a foul, putrid, blasphemous and heretical root. The erroneous actions of the faith teachers is but the symptom of their twisted and diseased teachings concerning the nature of man and the nature of God. I think you will see, after examining what they believe in these two key areas, that we are not dealing with a Christian sect gone awry, but that we are dealing with a non-Christian heretical group that is as deadly in their doctrine as any major cult.

The Error Begins

Who is God to the faith teachers? Kenneth Copeland will tell you first off that “God is the biggest failure in the Bible…the reason you’ve never thought that is because He never said He was one”.(8)

Copeland also teaches us that “God is a being that stands somewhere around 6’2″, 6’3″,(9) intimating that God has a body, an error subscribed to by the Mormons. Copeland states, without any biblical warrant, that the earth we live on is a “copy of the mother planet”(10) which God lives on, again imitating a Mormon doctrine. Never mind that the Bible plainly states that God is spirit (John 4:24), never mind that the Bible never says a thing about this earth being a copy of any so-called mother planet. Yet these arguments don’t work with the faith teachers because they have supposedly received these teachings by direct revelation from God. Therefore to oppose them is to oppose God. These men have lifted themselves above any critical investigation yet they have forgotten the biblical mandate that anything not in accord with the Word of God must be rejected. We will examine shortly their reactions to any kind of criticism.

After the faith teachers have thoroughly belittled God to slightly more than an exalted man, they then proceed to exalt man to the status of God. Adam, to the faith teachers, was an exact duplicate of God. Copeland teaches, “Gods reason for creating Adam was His desire to reproduce Himself. I mean a reproduction of Himself. He [Adam] was not a little like God, he was not almost like God, He was not subordinate to God even”.(11) Copeland even states that “Adam is God manifested in the flesh”,(12) a title that can only be truly applied to Christ Jesus alone.

The perceptive man can easily see that the problem here is a confusion about what it means to be made in the image of God. The faith teachers claim that being made in the image of God is synonymous to having the nature of God. To be made in the image of God is to be a “little god” they would admit. Yet is that what the church has commonly taught. The overwhelming consensus of the church has been that man is created in the image of God in the sense that he is a person as God is a person, possessing mind, will, and emotions, that he is reasonable, unique among creation, a ruler over creation, and capable of personal fellowship with God. We bear the image of God, but we do not share His nature or substance or make-up. We are not omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, or infinite. God is the only being that is holy in and of Himself (Rev. 15:4). We are made in His image and have dignity because of that, but we are not an exact duplicate of God in any sense of the word. That status is reserved for the Lord Jesus Christ alone (see Col 2:8, Heb. 1:3, 2 Cor. 4:4).

The Error Grows

Beginning with this foul root of error, the faith teachers proceed into more putrefying departures from the Christian faith. The faith teachers claim that when Adam fell in the garden he forfeited the nature of God and took on the nature of Satan. This error is but a link in the chain that connects the faith teachers exalting of man and belittling of God. You see, salvation for the faith teachers is not the removal of sin through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation for the faith teachers is not the forgiveness of sins and the restoring of a right relationship between God and man. Salvation for the faith teachers is instead the removal of the nature of Satan from man and the restoring of the nature of God in man.

How is the restoring of the nature of God in man to come about? The answer that the faith teachers give is that Jesus had to take on the nature of Satan on the cross. In fact, the whole sacrifice of Christ on the cross takes on a completely different emphasis and meaning for the faith teachers.

You see, it is not enough that Christ died physically in the theology of the Word-Faith teachers. In order to take away our Satanic nature and restore our God nature, Jesus Christ had to die spiritually as well as physically. He then had to descend to hell. Then while in hell he was born again and through His act of being born again He conquered the devil.

The Error Examined

You must follow the steps of this error very carefully for it is but the doorway into the single most blasphemous and heretical teaching of the Word-Faith teachers.

1) On the cross Jesus took upon Himself the nature of Satan. The Bible says that Jesus is God the Son, God manifest in the flesh. Jesus therefore possesses the attributes of deity such as omnipotence, omniscience, eternalness, immutability, etc. Though in His incarnation, He chose not to exercise all of His attributes, He still retained them. One of God’s attributes which Jesus shares is His immutability. This means that God is unchangeable in His person. Although He acts in time, and establishes and changes relationships in time, His essence, which includes His perfect and holy attributes, never changes. God does not change (Mal. 3:6) and neither does Jesus. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb 13:8). But the faith-teachers begin their error by claiming that the Holy, undefiled, unchangeable Son of God became evil to the core taking upon Himself the nature of Satan. Blasphemy! Our holy God does not become unholy.

2) Jesus died spiritually. Again the unchanging God-man did not die spiritually, but physically. 1 Pet. 3:18 states that Jesus was put to death in the flesh but made alive in the Spirit. Jesus did not need to die spiritually as well as physically to gain our salvation. The offering of His body was enough. Colossians 1:13 states “He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death”; Hebrews 13:12, “therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood”; Hebrews 10:10, “We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ”. Was Jesus lying when He cried upon the cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30)? Was there yet more to be done to secure our salvation? That comforting cry from the lips of our blessed Lord can be nothing but true and our salvation was completely bought and paid for at this most climactic moment of all of history!

3) Jesus descended into hell a mortal man. Seeing that there is no need for Christ to have done any more to procure our salvation then what had already been accomplished, this point becomes nothing more than an embellishment to the truth. Jesus Christ did not suffer in hell. He descended to Hades, to the abode of the dead. There was no need for Him to do anymore for our salvation. Satan had already been defeated and conquered (Col 2:14-15). Also, Jesus was not, nor ever will be, a mere mortal human being. To be a mere mortal, He would have to stop being God, and that is one thing that is against God’s nature and attributes.

4) Jesus was born again. Jesus had no need to be born again. Jesus was not a lost and hell-bound sinner who needed regeneration. He was the Almighty, Eternal, and Holy Son of God. The faith teachers will drag Jesus to the lowest depths in order that their teaching will have at least a hint of logic. This idea that Jesus was born again is the crucial link for the faith teachers that enables them to cry out at the end of their wicked formula for salvation, “I am a little god”. Observe.

5) Jesus defeated the devil by being born again. We now have Jesus, a mere mortal man, suffering in hell. Jesus then decides to be born again. He defeats the devil and becomes the first-born among many brethren. Now here is where the Scripture twisting really becomes ludicrous. Copeland states that nowhere in the Bible after the book of Acts is Jesus called the unique and only begotten Son of God. He then twists Romans 8:29 to mean that Jesus is the first born again man. This first reborn man, Jesus, has set the pattern for a new race to come. And according to the Faith Teachers, we are that new race to come. We are equal to Jesus for we are born again just as He was. Do you see what has happened here? The faith teachers have so suppressed the deity of Jesus that they have, in essence, denied it. Copeland goes the farthest in this revelation He supposedly received from Jesus, “Don’t be disturbed when people accuse you of thinking you’re God. The more you get to be like Me, the more they’re going to think that way of you. They crucified Me for claiming that I was God. But I didn’t claim I was God; I just claimed I walked with Him and that He was in Me. Hallelujah. That’s what you’re doing.”(13)

The Jesus of the faith teachers has so little in common with the Jesus of the Bible that it is clear to anyone with a grain of discernment that the Jesus of the faith teachers is not the Jesus of the Bible but instead is the kind of religious decoy that Paul warned us to be on the lookout for. “But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you put up with it easily enough” (2 Cor. 11:3-4). And we are putting up with it. We are taking this so calmly. Another Jesus, another gospel, another spirit is mocking the true Jesus, the true gospel, and the true Spirit and we are so tolerant of it that we allow it on our TV set and call it Christian!?

The Fruit Of The Error

Why is it so important for the Faith-Teachers to ignore such explicit passages as “It is finished,” etc? Why must they have Jesus dying spiritually as well as physically, entering hell as a mortal man capable of failure, and being born again to defeat the devil? The reason is that the faith teachers have a diminished view of Jesus. When Jesus is downplayed as nothing more than an anointed man, it brings the faith teachers up to the level of Jesus. In fact, both Kenneth Copeland and Fred Price have publicly stated that if it was just the physical death of Jesus on the cross that saves us then anyone could have done it. Kenneth Copeland says, “And the whole New Testament calls Him the first-born….The word “born” began to ring in my spirit; it just began to roll around: born, born. I never had let Him go through that in my own thinking….And while I was laying there thinking about these things, the Spirit of God spoke to me. And He said, “Son, realize this: Now follow Me in this, don’t let your tradition trip you up.” He said, “Think this way: A twice-born man whipped Satan in his own domain.” And I threw my Bible down. I said, “What?” He said, “A born-again man defeated Satan. The first-born of many brethren defeated him.” He said, “You are the very image and the very copy of that one.” I said, “Goodness gracious, sakes alive!” And I began to see what had gone on in there, and I said, “You don’t mean–you couldn’t dare mean, that I could have done the same thing?” He said, “Oh, yeah, if you’d had the knowledge of the Word of God that He did, you could have done the same thing, ’cause you’re a reborn man, too.”"(14) No mention is made of the sinlessness of Christ. No reverence is shown toward the unique virgin birth of Christ. See the depths to which the Word-Faith teachers have desecrated our Lord. Jesus Christ could pay for our sins because He was sinless, being uniquely born of a virgin, and thus not sharing in the sin nature of Adam and his descendants, a fact to which neither Copeland nor anyone can likewise boast of.

The sickening outcome of this wickedness is that the Gospel message is no more “Turn to the cross of Jesus, ye wretched sinners, and plead for God’s forgiveness. Find rest for your sin and guilt beneath the blessed cross of the great and mighty Savior.” Instead the faith Teacher’s gospel message is, “You shall be like God”! The original lie of the devil is now the gospel message and is broadcast around the world for all to hear! He must be pleased! And the end result is the blasphemous cries of those who subscribe to this wickedness. Kenneth Hagin: “You are as much the incarnation of God as Jesus Christ was…the believer is as much an incarnation as was Jesus of Nazareth”.(15) Benny Hinn: “Are you ready for some real revelation knowledge….you are god”(16) “You are a little god on earth running around”.(17) Kenneth Copeland: “I say this with all respect so that it don’t upset you too bad, but I say it anyway, when I read in the Bible where he [Jesus] says, ‘I Am,’ I just smile and say, ‘Yes, I Am, too!’”(18) “You don’t have a god in you, you are one.”(19) Paul Crouch: “Do you know what else that’s settled then tonight? This hue and cry and controversy that has been spawned by the devil to try to bring dissension within the body of Christ that we are gods. I am a little god. I have His name. I am one with Him. I’m in covenant relation. I am a little god. Critics be gone!”(20)

A Time For Action

Am I just theologically splitting hairs here? If this were a matter of when and how to baptize, or how many times a year should the Lord’s Supper be observed, or whether the rapture was post, mid, or pre-trib, then I could rightfully be accused of that. Yet this is not a minor issue. At stake here is the very character of our God and Savior Jesus Christ and the great salvation that He has given us. If you have the wrong Jesus, you have the wrong salvation and it should be clear from the evidence presented above that the Jesus of the Word-Faith movement is a far cry from the Jesus of the Bible!

When Shirley MacClaine chants over and over on national TV , “I am God, I am God!” we evangelicals go into an uproar. Yet when those who claim to be in our own ranks say, “I am a little god”, we don’t even flinch, but rather applaud them and their supposed evangelical efforts. Michael Horton has rightly written, “It must cause our heavenly Father much grief that we would consider unity more important than the One in whom we are united. It must quench the Spirit to see Christians treating blasphemies, heresies, and scandalous statements as though they were no more than odd “emphases.”

The simple fact is that it is not the ones that are zealous for sound doctrine and orthodoxy who are the divisive ones. The Word-Faith teachers are the ones who are guilty of being divisive. They are fully aware that what they are teaching is relatively new. They constantly ask us to put away our traditions and forget our creeds. Benny Hinn says to an audience, “Are you ready for some real revelation knowledge?” then proceeds to inform them “you are god”.(21) Hinn also, after teaching his audience that God consists of nine distinct substances, boasts “You think you’re in this church to hear things you’ve heard for the last 50 years?”.(22)

The Word-Faith teachers expect everyone to accept their authority and teachings without criticism or testing. Whenever anyone challenges their teachings they promote division instead of discussion. Before his death, Dr. Walter Martin sought to dialogue with Kenneth Copeland over his teachings, yet Copeland refused to meet with Martin. Fred Price has publicly stated that he will not meet with a critic unless he has as many followers as him. Last Spring, the Christian Research Institute, a very reputable and trustworthy counter-cult and apologetic ministry, devoted a week of radio programs to exposing the errors of the Word-Faith movement. Immediately after the shows were aired, Paul Crouch had this to say about CRI during his televised “Praise-a-thon” program amid shouts of “amen” and “you tell ‘em brother” from the studio audience:

“I think God’s given up on a lot of that old rotten Sanhedrin religious crowd, twice dead, plucked up by the roots. I think they’re damned and on their way to hell and I don’t think there’s any redemption for them…the heresy hunters that want to find a little mote of illegal doctrine in some Christian’s eye and pluck that little mote out of their eye when they’ve got the whole forest in their own lives and in their own eyes. I say to hell with you! Oh hallelujah. Get out of God’s way, quit blocking God’s bridges or God’s gonna shoot you if I don’t! I refuse to argue any longer with any of you out there. Don’t even call me. If you want to argue doctrine, if you want to straighten out somebody over here, if you want to criticize Ken Copeland for his preaching on faith, or Dad Hagin. Get out of my life! I don’t even want to talk to you or hear you. I don’t want to see your ugly face! Get out of my face in Jesus’ name.”(23)

Notice that there is no desire to dialogue about the issues. Notice that Paul Crouch doesn’t explain why they believe what they believe and subsequently why CRI was in error for presenting the programs. All that Paul does is attack the people, he does not give an account for the hope that is in him. The Faith teachers erroneous and blasphemous teachings are what are promoting division. It is not those who criticize them and seek to dialogue with them in a reasonable matter that are to blame. It is the childish and unresponsive Word-Faith teachers that are to blame.

But you say, what about the good they do? Dear friend, no one gets everything wrong! Even the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Mormons, the New Age, etc. get a few things right every once in while. But isn’t that the substance of deception? The skin of the truth stuffed with a lie. An appearance of righteousness yet inside rottenness and dead man’s bones. No, the evil propagated by these teachers so outweighs the good that we must reject them entirely. A little leaven leavens the whole lump.

I, for one, am embarrassed by the Word-Faith teachers and I am ashamed to be represented by them. These men represent Christianity to millions. They present a false picture of what it means to be a Christian and I think it is abhorrent. Michael Horton has rightly asked, “Do those who occasionally view televangelistic programming know that evangelical Christianity offers an intelligent interpretation of and hope for human existence? Does the average unbeliever come away from an ordinary telecast with a better grasp of the substance of the Christian faith?” The Word-Faith teachers and Trinity Broadcasting Network on the whole defeat their very purpose. They seek to evangelize but they are only preaching to the choir. The vast majority of people who watch already claim to be Christian, and the occasional non-believer that tunes in is quick to see the unreality presented and the apparent con-game that is going on. And to make matters worse, the sparse amount of teaching that is usually presented to the Christian is of the lethal type that we have been discussing and instead of strengthening the body of Christ, it poisons it.

What should we do? I see at least three things that can be done and they are not minor operations. When a cancer is first recognized in a body, the procedure to remove it is quick, easy, and relatively painless if the cancer has been caught in its early stages. But when a cancer has gone unnoticed for years and has been allowed to nurture and infiltrate an entire body, then the procedure to remove it will be much more complicated, slow, and painful. The Word-Faith teaching is a spiritual cancer that has infiltrated the church to its very marrow. We must take action now and it will not be pleasant.

First, the most obvious thing to do is to not support any of these ministries monetarily. Don’t watch any of the Word-Faith teachers programs and encourage and warn others to do the same. Don’t buy their books. If your local Christian bookstore carries their material let them know that you will not frequent their stores if they continue to carry this spiritual cancer.

Second, take a stand for Jesus! Why won’t the church take a stand? I have asked myself that question over and over. Are we afraid to attack evil in the supposed name of unity? Is it that we are so far gone that we don’t figure that it matters what you believe as long as you “love Jesus”? If so, let’s quit calling other religions false and accept the cults into our fold. Let’s bring in the Jehovah’s Witnesses who love their Jesus (even though to them he is the archangel Michael, the first and greatest created being). Let’s bring in the Mormons, and the Unitarians, etc. Let’s say good-bye to the creeds and sound doctrine. Let’s forget the stern warnings of the Apostle Paul to beware of false teachers and false doctrine which spreads like gangrene. Let’s all just “love Jesus” (whoever that Jesus might be to us)? NO! We cannot forget the creeds, we will not abandon truth. We must obey our Lord when He tells us to “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits” (Mat. 7:15-16). The fruit of the Word-Faith teachers is none other than the fruit that the devil deceived our ancient mother Eve with. It is still as deadly and still as putrid in God’s sight as it was then. The Word-Faith teachers and their movement must be actively opposed and rejected as non-Christian! Who will stand for Christ?

Third, this would not have come about if more Christians knew their Bible and what it taught. This would not have come about if more Christians knew what the Bible has to say about the nature of man, the nature of God, the doctrine of the trinity, etc. It is time to return to teaching sound doctrine so that the common Christian man can be armed against error. It is time to study the great foundational doctrines of our faith so that we won’t be deceived by religious charlatans. Doctrine is not just for theologians. Words like propitiation, sanctification, justification, trinity, incarnation, predestination, redemption, etc. are not just useless theological words but are the very foundations of the faith.

It’s time to use our minds again. It’s time to quit being so emotional, mystical, and man-centered in our doctrine. It’s time that Christians took some in-depth journeys into the wonder of the Holy Scriptures to find out about truth and reality. Christianity is truth, and as Art Lindsley has rightly stated, “There is nothing that produces emotion like the truth”. Do you want a vibrant growing faith? Search the Scriptures. Do you seek truth, real truth? The kind of truth that infiltrates every area of your life with purpose and meaning and joy! You won’t find it on a TV station. You’ll find it when you spend time alone in an attitude of worship and prayer with an open Bible and the very God of the Universe teaching you and loving you through His blessed Holy Spirit applying His most Holy word directly to your life. Theology is not always entertaining but it is always enriching. It is a lot easier to turn on that TV and turn off your mind but you’ll be at a loss because of it, and you will miss out on one of the most wonderful blessings of life: communion with the Living Lord.

Conclusion

Stated most simply, the error of the faith movement is that they exalt man and decrease God. They exalt man to God status and reduce God to man’s status. They are aware that what they are teaching is unorthodox and controversial to say the least, yet they have no wish to change their tune. They refuse to be accountable to anyone.

No man is an island unto himself. These men who are spokesmen for the Christian faith to the public and represent the Lord Jesus to millions through their television programs are preaching a different Jesus, a different gospel, and a different spirit than what is revealed to us in Holy Scripture.

The Apostle Paul has some strong words for these men and with them I close. I pray we will take them to heart and that the Spirit that so moved Paul to action against false teachings will move within us to produce in us a holy zeal for truth!

“I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you, and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed.” (Gal. 1:6-9)

REFERENCES

1. Kenneth Copeland, “The Force Of Love” tape # 02-0028

2. Kenneth Copeland, “Believer’s Voice of Victory”, Feb. 1987, p.9

3. Kenneth Copeland, “Believer’s Voice of Victory” broadcast on TBN, recorded 7/9/87

4. John Avanzini, “Believer’s Voice of Victory” broadcast on TBN, recorded 1/20/91

5. John Avanzini, “Believer’s Voice of Victory” broadcast on TBN, recorded 1/20/91

6. John Avanzini, “Praise the Lord” broadcast on TBN, recorded 9/15/88

7. Fred Price, “Is God Glorified Through Sickness?” tape # FP605

8. Kenneth Copeland, “Praise-a-thon”, broadcast on TBN, recorded 1988

9. Kenneth Copeland, “Spirit, Soul, and Body”, tape # 01-0601

10. Kenneth Copeland, “Following the Faith of Abraham” tape # 01-3001

11. Kenneth Copeland, “Following the Faith of Abraham” tape # 01-3001

12. Kenneth Copeland, “Following the Faith of Abraham” tape # 01-3001

13. Kenneth Copeland, “Voice of Victory” Vol. 15, No. 2, 2/87

14. Kenneth Copeland, “What Happened from the Cross to the Throne” tape # 02-0017

15. Kenneth Hagin, “Word Of Faith” Dec. 1980, p. 14

16. Benny Hinn, “Our Position In Christ”, tape # AO31190-1

17. Benny Hinn, “Praise-a-thon” broadcast on TBN, November, 1990

18. Kenneth Copeland, “Believer’s Voice of Victory” broadcast on TBN, recorded 7/9/87

19. Kenneth Copeland, “The Force Of Love” tape # 02-0028

20. Paul Crouch, “Praise The Lord” broadcast on TBN, recorded 7/7/86

21. Benny Hinn, “Our Position In Christ”, tape # AO31190-1

22. Benny Hinn broadcast, recorded 10/13/90

23. Paul Crouch, “Praise-a-thon” broadcast on TBN, recorded 4/2/91

Categorized in Knowledge
Tags: Benny Hinn, Christianity, church, E. W. Kenyon, Fred Price, Kenneth Copeland, Kenneth Hagin, Paul and Jan Crouch, Word of Faith Movement

Dec

Mars ILL – Pro Pain (A Review of a Classic Must have Album)

[ ART | MUSIC | KNOWLEDGE| HEALTH ]

Mars ILL – Pro Pain
(Gotee)

Quite possibly the best super duo since Batman and Robin… ATL’iens Soulheir the manCHILD (emcee) and master of the crate diggers, Dust (producer) hits you hard with their latest release “Pro Pain”. A solid release.

Mars ILL - Pro Pain (Gotee Records) Beginning in 2001 with their debut album “Raw Material” these two have put a new sound into the melting pot that is hip hop music. 5 years and several albums later, with no gripes about it they stick to the underground like a rebellion clamoring troops to take the front-lines. This confrontationalism through positive messages is even more evident in their word play and sound.

Mars ill is harsh dirty drums and complex collages of vinyl sampled gritty guitar licks, soulful abstract horns and keys, plus grimy bass lines that set aside a soundscape for raw truthful lyrics which smack you upside your head. A truly unique find among the culture.

Pro Pain was supposed to be released in July of 2005. But due to a sample clearing issues the album was recalled from the shops and the release was delayed until May of 2006. Now, with the addition of a few new songs and some surprising collabs such as Cappadonna of Wu-Tang Clan, and Prince Po of Organized Konfusion… Pro Pain makes its mark.

Key tracks include: The single “More” that features Ahmad of 4th Avenue Jones, “Dog Eared Page”, and “Effortless” that features X:144 who also comes with the beat on this banger… But there is a whole lot more worthy of your ear play! The M.I.A. tracks from the original track listing are: Change Your Ways, All Out, Movement, and Loud. Nevertheless, Pro Pain is a must have for the underground hip-hop fan. Not to mention Mars ill fan. Quite arguably their best album to date. An instant classic.

My one and only gripe is I wish the producer Dust would use deeper kicks or layer allot more depth to his drums. Often times it doesn’t hit as hard as I would like and feels more like a 70′s rock album on the drum kit rather than hip-hop. This seams to be intentional and Dust’s steelo, so its somewhat excusable in comparison to the rest of the dope soundscape. Although in comparison to the two beats not produced by Dust such as “Effortless” by X:144 and “Dog Eared Page” produced by T.R.E.K. you can really hear the difference as those stand out sonically and hit much harder than the rest on the album.

Over all this album is jam packed with solid lyrics and a natural flow about them that is refreshing to underground hip hop fans… and a reason to be fearful for aspiring emcee’s on the come-up. But with enough content focused more on building up then destroying, its inspiring to hear something this original.

My suggestion. Pick this one up for sure.

For fans of: Deepspace5, 4th Avenue Jones, Listener, Sintax,the.terrific, Sev Statik, Stu Dent, Tunnel Rats

Video For The Song “More” By Mars Ill feat. Ahmad

Categorized in Music
Tags: Album Reviews, Christian hip hop, Christian music, Hip hop, Holy Hip hop, Mars ill, Music

Dec

Mars ILL – Freestyle

[ ART | MUSIC | KNOWLEDGE| HEALTH ]

Categorized in Music
Tags: Christian hip hop, Freestyle, Hip hop, Mars ill, Music

Dec

Daily Bible Study: To Judea and Beyond – Acts 9:32-11:26

Lesson 7

Introduction:

Jesus had said that, after being preached in Jerusalem, the gospel would go to Judea and Samaria (Acts 1:8). Acts 8 described the preaching of the gospel in Samaria. Now we will see it spread in Judea and beyond.

I. Healing of Aeneas and Dorcas – Acts 9:32-43

The Healing of Aeneas

>>> Please read Acts 9:32-35. <<<

*1&2* What problem did Aeneas have, and how long had he had it? Answer: Aeneas was ______ and had been bed-ridden for (give a number) ______ years.

*3* When Peter told him to arise, what happened? Answer: Aeneas immediately ______.

Comments: Note again the characteristics of true Bible miracles. The man had an obvious ailment. He had been bed-ridden for eight years. His cure was equally obvious, for he immediately got out of bed! The cure was instantaneous and complete. Even if a bed-ridden man was cured, it would normally take time to regain the strength to walk, but Aeneas could get up immediately. Like all miracles, this was clearly impossible by natural law, yet it occurred by God’s supernatural intervention. The purpose was to confirm Peter’s message, so people would believe it. This is exactly what happened (v35). No money was made and an offering basket was not passed.

The Raising of Dorcas

>>> Please read Acts 9:36-43. <<<

*4* What kind of woman was Dorcas? (a) full of good works and charitable deeds, (b) lazy and indifferent, (c) a career business woman, (d) all of the preceding. Answer: ______.

*5* What did Dorcas receive through Peter? (a) a new house, (b) a college education, (c) resurrection from the dead, (d) a financial gift. Answer: ______.

Comment: Godly women sometimes wonder what work they can do for the Lord. Dorcas’ example shows there is plenty for women to do. Among many other responsibilities, such as caring for her husband and children (Titus 2:4,5; 1 Tim. 5:14), a woman should look for opportunities to help widows, orphans, and other people in need.

Dorcas’ case also again demonstrates the nature of true miracles. She was clearly dead. Friends had gathered to mourn her. Yet Peter raised her. The problem was obvious, but was immediately and completely removed. The result was impossible by natural law and gave people reason to believe in God and His message. If, as they claim, modern “faith healers” have the same power the apostles had, why don’t they do miracles like these Peter did? If they make such claims but cannot do such miracles, then they are not from God but are frauds.

II. Revelations to Cornelius and Peter – Acts 10:1-22

The Appearance of an Angel to Cornelius

>>> Please read Acts 10:1-8. <<<

*6* What kind of man was Cornelius? (a) a centurion, (b) devout, (c) generous, (d) diligent in prayer, (e) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

*7* What did an angel tell him to do? Answer: He should send for ______.

Comments: A centurion was a leader of a hundred soldiers. Cornelius was a devout religious man; but of special importance is the fact he was a Gentile (11:1-3). Jews believed that Gentiles were unfit for Jews to associate with (10:28). To this point, the gospel had been preached only to Jews. Jewish Christians apparently believed the gospel was only for their own nation, like the Old Testament had been. Conversion of a Gentile would be a major turning point. Special revelations were needed to convince Peter to preach the gospel to Gentiles.

The first revelation came to Cornelius. An angel told him to send for Peter to tell him words by which he could be saved (11:14). Note again, as in the case of Saul and the Ethiopian, that religious devotion by itself will not save. One must learn the true gospel and obey it. Further, though direct revelation occurred in all three cases, God refused to directly tell the sinner how to be saved. The angel spoke to Cornelius, but only to get him together with the inspired teacher. The gospel today is revealed to sinners through inspired teachers (the Scriptures), not by direct revelations.

Peter’s Vision

>>> Please read Acts 10:9-22. <<<

*8* When he saw the vision, what did Peter not want to eat? Answer: He did not want to eat ______ animals.

*9* When Peter objected, what did God say? Answer: Peter was not to call unclean that which God had ______.

*10* While Peter thought about this, messengers arrived from whom? Answer: Messengers came from ______ to find Peter.

*11*. What did the Holy Spirit then tell Peter to do? (a) go with the men, (b) pray some more, (c) stay where he was, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

Comments: In that climate, housetops were often used for daily activities (like balconies). Peter was praying there, when God sent a revelation by way of a trance (v10) or a vision (v17; 11:5).

In the vision, Peter saw various animals that were forbidden as unclean according to the Old Testament, yet God said to eat them. When Peter objected, God told him not to condemn as unclean that which God had cleansed. This was done three times for emphasis.

Peter pondered the meaning of the vision, showing that the meaning had not yet been made clear.

As the messengers from Cornelius arrived, Peter received yet another revelation. The Holy Spirit told him to go with these messengers, without expressing doubts. When the men explained their purpose, Peter learned that an angel had directed Cornelius to send for him.

Peter now had three revelations to consider: (1) A vision told Peter not to oppose as unclean anything that God had cleansed. (2) The Holy Spirit had told him to go to Cornelius as the messengers requested. (3) An angel had told Cornelius that Peter would preach the gospel to him.

III. Peter’s Sermon to Cornelius – Acts 10:23-43

The Gathering at Cornelius’ House

>>> Please read Acts 10:23-33. <<<

*12&13* What did Peter find at Cornelius’ house? Answer: Cornelius had gathered his ______ and ______.

*14* When Cornelius bowed to him, what did Peter do? (a) thanked him, (b) accepted it because he was Pope, (c) ignored it, (d) forbade it, (e) all of these? Answer: ______.

*15* What did Peter say he had learned (v28)? Answer: We should not call any man ______.

Comments: Peter took six Jewish Christians with him to witness the event (v23; 10:45,46; 11:12). When they arrived, Cornelius had gathered together his friends and relatives to hear the message. This demonstrates the zeal we should have that all our loved ones learn the truth.

Cornelius bowed as an act of religious honor to Peter, but Peter refused saying he was just a man. Some churches encourage people to bow religiously to a Pope or a statue of Mary or a saint. They claim Peter was the first Pope, yet Peter himself clearly forbade all such acts.

Peter then explained what he had learned from the inspired revelations he had received. Jews refused to associate with people of other nations (Gentiles). They considered such people to be unclean. But Peter had learned not to consider any man to be unclean (v28). This was the lesson the revelations were intended to teach. No one is unfit for our association simply because of race or nationality. And above all, people of all nations are fit subjects to receive the gospel (vv 34,35). Unlike the Old Testament, the gospel is for people of all nations.

The Sermon

>>> Please read Acts 10:34-43. <<<

*16&17* What had Peter learned about those whom God accepts? Answer: He accepts those who ______ God and ______.

*18&19* What did people do to Jesus, and what did God do (v38-41)? Answer: People ______ Jesus, but God ______ Him the third day.

*20* What evidence did Peter offer that Jesus was from God? (a) miracles, (b) the resurrection, (c) fulfilled prophecy, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

Comments: Peter began his sermon by stating the spiritual consequences of what he had learned about Gentiles. Not only may we associate with people of other nations (v28), but God willingly accepts them without partiality or respect of persons (v34,35; cf. Rom. 2:11). Our standing before God is not determined by race, nationality, or other physical conditions for which we are not responsible. What matters is our faith and conduct toward God. Note that we are not saved by “faith only” as some claim. Proper works of obedience are also necessary (cf. Matt. 7:21-27; Rom. 2:6-10; 6:17,18; Heb. 5:9; 10:39; 11:8,30).

Peter then preached a sermon briefly describing Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. This was similar to his sermons in Acts 2 and 3, but here Peter preached to Gentiles, because Jesus is “Lord of all” (v36 – i.e., other nations too, not just Jews). Again, Jesus’ claim to be from God was confirmed by His miracles (v43), by His resurrection and appearances (vv 39-41), and by fulfilled prophecy (v43).

IV. The Coming of the Spirit – Acts 10:44-48

>>> Please read Acts 10:44-48. <<<

*21* What happened to the Gentiles as Peter preached? Answer: The ______ fell on them as Peter spoke.

*22* What did the Gentiles do as a result? Answer: They spoke in ______ and magnified God.

*23* What did Peter command them? (a) to pray for forgiveness, (b) to be baptized in water, (c) to honor him as Pope, (d) all the preceding. Answer: ______.

Comments: At this point, Peter was already aware of three revelations showing that the Gentiles were subject to the gospel. Here we read of one last proof. The Spirit Himself came upon the Gentiles, enabling them to speak in tongues (restudy Acts 2 to review what tongues were).

This gift amazed the Jewish Christians who had come with Peter. Having already considered the other three revelations, Peter realized that God was willing for these Gentiles to be converted. So he commanded them to be baptized in water (vv 47,48).

Note that Peter was supposed to tell Cornelius words whereby he could be saved (11:14), and those words included the command to be baptized in water. Furthermore, baptism in the name of the Lord is water baptism (10:47,48), and this is the baptism that is necessary for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). Hence, water baptism is included in what people must do to be saved from sin. See again Mark 16:15,16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Romans 6:3,4; Galatians 3:27; 1 Peter 3:21.

V. Peter’s Defense – Acts 11:1-18

>>> Please read Acts 11:1-14. <<<

*24* What issue was raised when Peter went to Jerusalem? Answer: Jewish Christians said he ate with ______.

*25* What events did Peter retell? (a) the vision about animals, (b) the Spirit’s message, (c) the angel’s message to Cornelius, (d) all of these. Answer: ______.

Comments: The preaching of the gospel to Gentiles was big news to Jewish Christians. In Jerusalem, they confronted Peter about it. This shows how strongly Jewish Christians felt. It also shows why God had used such strong evidence to change people’s thinking.

Peter responded by summarizing the evidence that God wanted the Gentiles to be taught. This helps us also to learn what God’s purpose was. Peter told about: (1) the vision of unclean animals, (2) the message of the Spirit that he should go with Cornelius’ messengers, and (3) the angel’s message telling Cornelius to send for Peter to tell him how to be saved.

Note that the six Jewish brethren who had accompanied Peter served as witnesses of what had happened. Peter expected his conduct to be questioned. Further, note again that people who are lost in sin must be told by inspired men what to do to be saved. Teaching from the inspired message is essential to salvation (cf. John 6:44,45; 8:31,32; Rom. 1:16; 10:13,14,17; Mark 16:15,16; Acts 8:26,29,35; 9:6; 11:14; 18:8).

>>> Please read Acts 11:15-18. <<<

*26* What event did Peter tell next? Answer: The ______ fell on Cornelius’ household.

*27* What promise from God did this remind Peter of? Answer: The promise of ______ in the Holy Spirit.

*28* What conclusion was reached? (a) baptism is not necessary, (b) we are saved by faith only, (c) Gentiles can repent and be saved. Answer: ______.

Comments: The fourth and final event Peter retold was the coming of the Holy Spirit on Cornelius’ household. He said this reminded him of the promise made through John about Holy Spirit baptism (see on Acts 1:3-8). What had happened to Cornelius was like what came “on us at the beginning.” This clearly refers to the apostles who received Holy Spirit baptism and spoke in tongues in Acts 2.

So Cornelius’ household had received the Holy Spirit in a way similar to Pentecost. In all the Bible at most two events are described as Holy Spirit baptism: the coming of the Spirit on the apostles in Acts 2 on the occasion of the first Jewish converts, and the coming of the Spirit on Cornelius’ household on the occasion of the first Gentile converts.

Clearly the coming of the Spirit was a special circumstance to convince Jewish Christians that Gentiles could obey the gospel. Like Holy Spirit baptism is Acts 2, this was a unique circumstance that does not need to be repeated today. Holy Spirit baptism was a rare event, intended to provide special confirmation for certain unique situations. It was never intended to be needed or to continue throughout history.

Cornelius’ household, therefore, received two baptisms: Holy Spirit baptism (10:44-46; 11:15,16) and water baptism (10:47,48). Ephesians 4:4-6 shows that today there is “one baptism,” just like there is just one God, etc. Other baptisms had occurred before, but by the time Ephesians 4 was written, these other baptisms had ceased. The “one baptism” that continues is water baptism for the remission of sins. We summarize:

The Conversion of Cornelius’ Household – Acts 10 and 11

Hearing	Belief	Repentance	Confession	Baptism	Result
11:14	10:43	11:18		10:47,48	saved (11:14)

In Acts 8, disciples had been scattered from Jerusalem. We have read of their work in Samaria and Judea. Now the message goes further.

VI. The Gospel In Antioch – Acts 11:19-26

>>> Please read Acts 11:19-26. <<<

*29,30&31* In what areas was the gospel preached next (v19)? Answer (list in order): Disciples preached in ______, ______, and ______.

*32* Who went to encourage the disciples in Antioch (v22)? Answer: The church in Jerusalem sent ______ to Antioch.

*33* Whom did he seek to help in the work of teaching (v25)? Answer: He went to Tarsus to seek for ______.

*34* What special name was first given to the disciples here? (a) Baptists, (b) Lutherans, (c) Catholics, (d) Christians, (e) all of these. Answer: ______.

Comments: A significant change occurs in these verses. Here for the first time the gospel goes beyond Judea and Samaria into areas north of there (cf. Acts 1:8). Disciples from Jerusalem made converts as far away as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch.

Hearing this, the Jerusalem church sent Barnabas to exhort and encourage them (cf. Acts 4:36,37). His diligent work led to many conversions. He in turn brought Saul to help, and many more were taught.

For the first time the term “Christian” was used to refer to followers of Christ. This term is also used in Acts 26:28 and 1 Peter 4:16. Note that denominational labels were not used, for the simple reason that denominations did not exist! Jesus had one universal church, and all saved people were in it (Acts 2:47; Eph. 4:4-6; 5:23-25). It was Jesus’ church (Matt. 16:18), bought with His blood (Acts 20:28), and He is Head of it (Eph. 1:22,23). Whose name should it wear but His (Rom. 16:16)? Paul rebuked those who began wearing names to honor men (1 Cor. 1:10-13).

Note also that the church was a spiritual body focusing its work on man’s relationship with God. The church taught the word to save lost souls and to exhort saved people to remain faithful (v23,26). The early church grew by teaching God’s word and worshiping Him. Never did the church attract people by carnivals, parties, theatrics, banquets, or fun and games. It never involved itself in modern Social Gospel promotions.

The first lesson of our next course will also emphasize the independence of local churches of Christ. They accomplished their work without forming centralized organizations or governing bodies of any kind.

The beginning of the Antioch church marks a major turning point. In Acts 13, this church began sending preachers throughout the Roman Empire. Indeed, the gospel was about to go throughout the world (Acts 1:8). And it was all accomplished by individual Christians and local churches relying on the power of Gods’ word (Rom. 1:16).

Personal application questions:

*35* Are you concerned like Cornelius for the salvation of your loved ones? __________________

*36* What does the preaching of the gospel to Gentiles mean to you? __________________

*37* Can you find any event in the Bible that is called “Holy Spirit baptism” other than Acts 2 (the apostles) and Acts 10&11 (Cornelius’ household)? _____________

Categorized in Daily Bible Study
Tags: Acts, Bible Study, The Bible

Mar

Baaaaaaall’n: The truth About Tithing and Sowing Seeds

Are you Giving to God with a Cheerful Heart

or Tithing by law to Benefit Yourself?

Have you been promised a great return if you give money to God through a church or a TV ministry? Maybe you heard some testimonies of people getting rich and you were drawn to give whatever you can because someone said that if you sow your seed into their anointed ground it bring a hundred fold return. The stories and testimonies are endless and so are the devastated lives from the unfulfilled promises to them.

There are two different groups of people on different sides; those who see these men as scam artists and are questioning the validity of their practices by the Bible and the other group believes whatever they say, thinking it is biblical and they do not question a thing.

http://www.reverendfun.com/add_toon_info.php?date=20080808&language=en

Many preachers, churches and ministries have become very wealthy – especially television evangelists from practicing what they call seed faith. Many today live as king’s in what would be called palaces and justify their opulence by using tithing as the law of God to have these blessings. However in closer examination there is no comparison between the enjoyers of the prosperity teaching in the modern day church today and the life Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, or how the Apostle Paul lived. Don’t get me wrong, we should give, it is important to give (not just money). I assure you I’m not saying you should not support the church that you go to or ministries that do God’s work. What I am asking you to do is two things. Question what your motive is in giving or more importantly, what is their motive in why they are telling you to give? And second: to look into the Scripture to see if what they are saying is Biblical by its context. Both of these will be covered in this article.

God does bless truth and people who want to give with the correct motives. Isn’t this what it is all about motives–the givers motive and the receiver’s motive.

Tithing for Israel is not the same as the tithe that we hear of today– in fact tithing was rarely money. There were three tithes in the Old Covenant. More often tithes were the crops, the produce of the soil was to be tithed, grains, the fruit of the trees, every year new wine and oil, the firstborn of their herds and flocks (Leviticus 27:30-33). If the place the nation of Israel were to tithe and was too far away to carry their goods (such as Jerusalem), it could be exchanged for money. They were to use their money to buy anything the owner chose: cattle, sheep, wine (Deuteronomy 14:22-26). Every third year the tithe was to be reserved as a festival tithe where they brought out all the tithe, and their produce where the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, the widow, the poor who were in their town, could come and eat and be content (Deuteronomy 14:28-29; 26:12-15). You can expect not to see those who teach tithing as an obligation to practice the third year tithe.

The degree that prosperity teachers manipulate God’s people is more than most schemers in the world would dare to do, and they do it without shame. It’s all done in the name of our God. The apostles made it clear “But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the Word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth”(2 Corinthians 4:2-3).

No other Scripture has had greater mileage than Malachi 3:10 “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.” Malachi 3 has been greatly misused for God’s blessing to come to his people. A closer look of this verse in the context shows that it has nothing to do with wealth or material blessings. We first find this same term used by God back in Genesis 7:11 the windows of heaven were open and rain contributed to the flood, as the fountains of the deep were broken open. In Genesis 8:2 it says the windows of heaven were stopped and the rain from heaven was restrained. Isaiah 24:18 it also mentions the windows from on high; this phrase is consistently used for water. In Genesis it was a judgment. In Malachi 3 it was to be a blessing on their crops. The nation lived by their agriculture (Husbandry) and depended upon the rain. God’s blessing had to do with his provision of water; no rain and they would starve. If they did not give God their tithes which was part of the blessing in the Mosaic covenant God would bring a curse on them, the ground would not yield food because he would not allow it to rain.

By the nation Israel tithing under the Law of Moses, they were to trust God acknowledging that everything belongs to Him. It is impossible to tithe as given to Moses, for it was mostly agricultural. Today we hear that we are to obey the tithe law. The tithes were not gifts, they were taxes, tithes were given in addition to other numerous offerings which ended up to be over 22% (not just 10%). Under the law if you were only giving 10 percent on your tithes you would still be robbing God. One tithe was used to support the Levites (Numbers 18:21-32), who were not allowed to own property like the other tribes of Israel. However, this tithe from the people brought to the Levitical priests was not just money. The goods the Levites received would provide their living for their work in the tabernacle. They also were to tithe on part of the goods that they received, and were to dedicate to the Lord a tenth to the office of the high priest (Numbers 18:21-28). It was the Levites who were to “bring up the tenth of the tithes to the house of our God, to the chambers of the storehouse” (Nehemiah 10:38). The Malachi passage that so many use to prove we are to tithe is not rebuking the people, he is rebuking the Levites for keeping the tithe that went to them. When modern day prosperity teachers use this verse on the people to be faithful, but they are really pointing at themselves-except they are biblically ignorant to recognize what it’s actually saying. 1 Timothy 1:5-7 “Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.” The New Testament teaches grace giving, tithing was not a freewill cheerful giving, it was a commandment in Moses’ law to a nation under God, Israel. Nowhere in the New Testament does it require any obligation or a legal portion of ones income.

page-152-a Prosperity teachers who promote tithing like to point out that Jesus commanded tithing. In the New Testament tithe and tithing are found eight times (Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42; 18:12; Hebrews 7:5-6,8-9). All of these passages refer to the Old Testament usage under the law. Tithing was still practiced under the law when Jesus was on earth, however, the only time Jesus mentioned the tithe was a rebuke to the religious leaders “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. In Matthew 23:23 he explains they “have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith.” These you ought to have done” Here Jesus makes it clear that living the life of faith toward God included love toward man and was more necessary than what you give to God; and this was under the law, not grace. Think about what is Jesus addressing? Justice, the Pharisees were unfair in the in dealings with the people, they ripped them off in their sacrifices brought to the temple. Mercy, they had none, everyone had to be as religious (spiritual) as they were. They constantly looked down upon people, remember the story Jesus told of “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.” The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men– extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. ‘I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess. “And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:10-14).
So we see giving is not enough to make one justified before God, yet many have been convinced to rely on their obedience in this area to have God’s blessings.

The Pharisees said they have faith but they were more interested in the money, in fact Jesus said: “Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.” ( so did Judas John 12:5-6). Then Jesus scolded them saying “what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God,” and He then summed it up by giving another parable–the rich man and Lazarus. The poor man entered where the faithful were, finding rest in Abraham’s bosom but the rich man entered torment. The rich man was punished, not because he was rich but because he lived for self, he had no compassion for poor Lazarus whom he walked by and ignored each day as he sat by his gate.

The weightier matters of the law, what are they? The Christians are to focus on giving to those in need. “And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these” (Mk. 12:31; Gal. 5:14). “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2). The principle is to help others, especially the less fortunate brethren (following in principle Deut.14,26)

You’ll notice that those promoters of tithing will always use the Old covenant law to justify their teaching this method of blessing. What the prosperity teachers do is bring people out from grace and under law. Under the New Testament covenant there is no specific amount required to give, you determine the amount you can freely give. “Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver.”

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So on the question of tithing in the New Testament. Nowhere does Paul or any other apostle mention a required amount. On the other hand, Israel was under the law, being a theocratic nation they were obligated to tithe. Jesus had kept the law before He was crucified, for this reason Jesus had Peter pay the temple tax (Matthew 17:24). After Jesus was crucified the New Covenant began and the Old was finished (Heb.8:7,13). New Testament Christians were NEVER under the Old covenant law? One cannot conclude tithing is required under the New Covenant the same as the Lord’s Supper and Baptism. Not once does any epistle contain any admonitions or a rebuke for failing to tithe. The necessity of giving is mentioned but only with the right attitude, to help and support others. You do not have to tithe to have God’s blessing, in fact, those who are well off are asked to give away their things away when necessary. “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life” (1 Timothy 6:17-19).

Today we find the poor desiring to be rich and the rich often look upon themselves as blessed and using their abundance as proof of their spiritual condition. They have trained themselves in covetousness ignoring Mark 4:19: “the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires of other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” One can have an abundance of material blessings and still be bankrupt in their spirituality. We have Jesus saying this about the church of Laodicea. We have too many examples of spiritual giants who have followed this path of abundance to their own demise, Solomon for one. Jesus spoke about money probably more than any other subject, but often with warnings and rebukes, not as a blessing promised for all who follow Him. From today’s prosperity preaching one would never know Jesus said to “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15-2). We are cautioned through the whole body of Scripture to be careful of coveting and pursuing riches. Solomon who had more money than most of us will ever see wrote in Proverbs 28:20-23: “A faithful man will abound with blessings, but he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished. To show partiality is not good, because for a piece of bread a man will transgress. A man with an evil eye hastens after riches, and does not consider that poverty will come upon him. He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward than he who flatters with the tongue.” Solomon gave both sides of this issue, being poor and being rich. A faithful man is one who serves the Lord no matter what he has, much or little. In other words, we are to be content no matter what we have. We can mistakenly focus our pursuit on only the blessings without realizing that we have abandoned a spiritual life and moved ourselves into a position of severe chastening. Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? We already have promised what we need according to the love and provision found in Christ Jesus.

It is doubtful we can pinpoint where or when tithing as a legalistic requirement came into the Church, but we can certainly trace its current popularity to the modern prosperity teachers with their promotion of seed faith giving. Many teachers use Mark 10:30 as a promise that anything we give to the Lord will be multiplied one hundred times back to us. Jesus was not speaking about giving, but leaving these things and relatives to follow him. In fact, neither money nor giving is mentioned in association with the hundredfold found in Mark. There is no excuse for teaching this and leading the congregation into collective coveting by their giving. Read the passage carefully! Regardless of what they say it says, did you ever consider that it is because they only want to be on the receiving end? Solomon wrote, “The leech has two daughters–give and Give!” (Proverbs 30:15).

Some teach tithing is the only way the local church is to be supported and tithing to the local church determines a person’s spirituality, some have gone as far as to suppose that tithing is a requirement of salvation, if one does not give 10% they are not a true Christian. Some teach from Malachi 3 that you are cursed! What manipulation. If you want to understand the book of Malachi, read Malachi 4:4, “Remember the Law of Moses…” its not just tithing. If you choose by obligation to submit yourself to even part of the Law of Moses, you are obligated to keep it all. For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the Law, to perform them” (Galatians 3:10). It is actually the opposite, if you tithe by obligation then you are bound by all the law. Galatians 5:4 explains “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.”

If you run into financial difficulties and are unable to feed your family or pay the mortgage, you are not obligated to continue giving 10% to the church. The Apostle Paul said in 1 Tim 5:8, “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” This is ones first ministry; rest assured the church will get along without your money.

If you have set aside money for your family needs, but do not use it for them and instead pay it to a church or a ministry as tithes, or as an offering of seed to get out of debt your are not being a good steward. If you owe money on your house don’t fall for the scammers that say the $1,000 you have saved for the mortgage will not pay for the house so send it in as a seed to get more money. They are feeding on your carnal nature and making you covet–be responsible to God. Scripture does not teach to give more than you can afford, nor give so God can give you more. There was no mention of the poor becoming rich in the gospel, Jesus did not promise a hundred-fold blessing. “For there are many unruly, vain talkers and deceivers, especially they of the circumcision: whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucere’s sake” (Titus 1:10-11). Their motivation is money, what is your motivation? It has been said “He that serves God for money will serve the Devil for better wages”(Roger L’eStrange). What did Jesus tell us, you can’t serve God and Mammon at the same time.

If your family is hungry and you need help to pay the rent you shouldn’t be obligated to tithe the church should instead be helping you-willingly. That is what they are there for. We have this example in the early church (Acts 4:37). It is to be the “love of Christ that constrains us” (2 Corinthians 5:14). For it is the heart of God to help those in need, in money if necessary. We as the church should be looking for opportunities to give to those less fortunate around us not to those who already have it all. I hear of too many stories of rich ministries being supported for years and then someone who is hurting asks for some help and they get none. Where is your motivation? Is it of legalism, by law, or from the heart. It is to be the Lord Jesus reaching out and meeting the needs of others through us — love is the principle that governs the Christians life, it is active not passive. “Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not (His) love, it profits me nothing (1 Corinthians 13:3). Yes you can actually give it all away as required and still not do it as a response from your heart.

Then there is the rich young ruler who gives us all an example. Mark 10:21 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” The man could not do this. Jesus did not tell the man to tithe to him. After the rich man left Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:23) Those who had less were often able to respond more easily because it did not get in the way, they had less to give up to follow Him.

Jesus did not teach to give to his ministry but to help the less fortunate “Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail” (Luke 12:33-34). Zacchaeus understood this and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham” (Luke 19:8-9). Want to be blessed, don’t give to get more, give from your heart to others that are needy because it is the right thing to do.

We should not be supporting false teachers and those who abuse the money and the gospel for gain. We should be looking to support those who are sincere and are in need of help in doing the Lords work. Those who are involved in full-time ministry are to be supported by the people they serve (1 Cor 9:7-14, 1 Tim 5:17-18), and those who do ministry and mission work need to be supported by those who are home with the goods. A careful review of New Testament giving reveals to us that our contributions should not only be to support our local church and ministries, but also meet the basic needs of our fellow Christians (Acts 2:44-45, 4:32-37; 1 Cor. 16:1-3; 2 Cor. 8:1-13; 1 Tim. 6:17-19). There was organized giving within local assemblies to care for believing widows and orphans who had no other family to rely on (Acts 6:1-4; 1 Tim. 5:1-16).

There is NO example of the early Church (book of Acts) “tithing.” In Acts 4:32-37, there were many wealthy Christians who sold portions of their assets and put the money at the Apostles’ feet. Was it for the apostles? No, but for the Christian community, those in need. The apostles distributed it. The only time we find a judgment having to do with money is in Acts 5:1-11. Ananias and Sapphira were condemned for lying, because they held back part of the proceeds from the sale of the land that they had promised along with everyone else. This had absolutely nothing to do with “tithing,” as much as it had to do with keeping their word, let your yes be yes, and no, no.

Proverbs 22:16 “He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty.” The prosperity teachers increases their wealth by giving unbiblical promises of becoming prosperous to the poor and those giving their money to them are doing what this Scripture says not to. The poor, the homeless, the fatherless, and the widow have always been the focus of God (Exodus 23:11; Deuteronomy 14:28-29, 24:17-22; Psalm 12:5, 72:4,11-12). Today they are neglected you can expect not to see those who teach tithing as an obligation to practice the third year tithe. Every third year the tithe was to be reserved as a festival tithe where they brought out all the tithe, and their produce where the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, the widow, the poor who were in their town, could come and eat and be content (Deuteronomy 14:28-29; 26:12-15). How much consideration we have for the poor and needy, is an indication of our spiritual condition (1 John 3:17, James 2:1-9). Seen any poor or needy invited to any big parties at the ministries expense lately?

Our giving is to be voluntary, willing, and cheerful as an offering. As believers we are to be generous by sharing our material possessions with the needy and support Christian ministries (authentic ones). Every Christian should give to the place they are fed by and support the work that is taking place in their own community by the local church they attend. Giving to our church, missionaries, wherever we think the need is greater or where the Holy Spirit may put on our heart. Other offerings would be for ministries they would like to bless in their work. In principle, 10 percent may be a good goal; some may be able to give much more, some less. One should not be made guilty for whatever amount they give; the only requirement in the New Testament is to give cheerfully and willingly (Romans 12:6,8; 2 Corinthians 9:7). Tithing to get out of debt is not the answer for relieving anyone of any money problems; it’s not a Biblical practice but a myth started by the prosperity teachers of seed faith. We need to teach responsibility in handling our money. It’s time to give to those who really need the support for God’s work.

The New Testament when it speaks about giving goes against “tithing as a doctrine. 2 Cor. 9:7 says, “Every man according as he purposed in his heart, so let him give: not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver.” Notice there is no amount mentioned, it what you have settled in your own heart. The Greek word for cheerful is hilaros, it is the English word “hilarious,” meaning give in a joyful, cheery, and exuberant manner. We should be happy and joyful to give to expand God’s Kingdom. We are specifically told not to give grudgingly. The Greek word for grudgingly is lupe. It carries the meaning of sorrow, grief, being annoyed. If you are compelled to give, or give out of necessity and you have sorrow and annoyance in your heart don’t give. If someone has convinced you or forced you to give by making you feel guilty or promised you a greater return, then you are no longer a cheerful giver.

The Apostle Paul also says in 1 Cor. 16:2, “On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. Again, it is not “tithing,” only giving as one has purposed in his heart and as one has prospered, you choose the amount. God does not pressure us, or manipulate us by guilt or hold a bonus out to us to motivate us to give. Have you ever noticed Jesus did not take any offerings!
Love is to be our motivation, not compulsion or legalism (Hosea 6:6; Micah 6:6-8; Mark 12:28-34; 1 Cor . 13:1-7). The more a person loves God the more he will want to give to see his work exp and, and this not always mean money.

Again I’m not saying ministries do not need support, they do, but to twist the word of God to mean something it does not to get this support by promising hundred/ thousand fold blessings is seditious. Money itself is not the issue, but how you relate to money; God is looking at our heart, what’s our motivation. We are not to look to the “here and now” for our reward, but toward heaven where our treasure is being stored up. If you give to get more, to increase that is giving for reaping on earth. Where are you looking, where is your heart today? Jesus said: “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Our Motivation is what is important; we should not give up something for the purpose to get something better, and neither should we give something to get something.

We should all support those we can in ministry, we should support the churches work, we should also look where God can use us to support those in need.

Under the conditional covenant of the Old Testament tithing was a necessity. It is not a command in the New Testament, it is a principle — we give out of love, from the heart because we are under a new unconditional covenant not the Old Testament law. oracle-logo17

Categorized in Daily Bible Study
Tags: Bible Study, christian, Christian Living, Christianity, DISCIPLINES, Money, money management, The truth about tithing, tithing

Dec

I GET MONEY: The Truth About Tithing