ABEL

ABEL

Monday, October 14, 2019

Genesis 4:1-16 … Abel was a keeper of sheep …

  In the Old Testament, very little is said of Abel, son of Adam and Eve, brother of Cain. Why, because he died young? He was good. He was trusting, following God’s order. His brother (and others then?) that refused to do right was offended.

  What can we learn from Abel?

Abel was the first recorded shepherd. Quite interesting, for as time went on, shepherds were considered the low rung of the social ladder. Jesus is our Shepherd and often spoken of as such.

Abel was a child choosing to please God and his parents. Christ-like.

Abel was the first martyr to die for the truth. (Mt.23:35)

Abel is the first member of the Hebrews 11 Hall of Faith. (Heb.11:1-4)

  What can we learn from Abel that is personally applicable to our life?

       +    Dying young or old is of relative unimportance in the scope of God’s eternity. Living by faith, what we do with life is paramount, not longevity.

       +    To do right is to be vulnerable. We are to be Christ-like; playing-it-safe or obeying and pleasing God is ever the choice before us. (Mt.26:35-46)

       +    Social status, recognition and plaudits, with its false hollow esteem is not to be our goal; honoring God as a wise caring undershepherd is.

       +    As with Abel, the record of our heritage is to be one of “good report” according to God’s standards.

       +    Don’t be like Cain!

  ”Dear children, don't let anyone deceive you. Whoever does what God approves of has God's approval as Christ has God's approval. The person who lives a sinful life belongs to the devil, because the devil has been committing sin since the beginning. The reason that the Son of God appeared was to destroy what the devil does. Those who have been born from God don't live sinful lives. What God has said lives in them, and they can't live sinful lives. They have been born from God. This is the way God's children are distinguished from the devil's children. Everyone who doesn't do what is right or love other believers isn't God's child. The message that you have heard from the beginning is to love each other. Don't be like Cain. He was a child of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain murder his brother? Because the things Cain did were evil and the things his brother did had God's approval. Brothers and sisters, don't be surprised if the world hates you.” (GW 1Jn.3:7-13)

EBB4

PS. My readings include benefiting from reading WWII History magazine. The recent issue included “THE EUTHANASIA CONNECTION” by Charles Sasser. The article is a well-documented history of USA and German academic elites’ philosophy and implementation of population control using various methods here and there. Considering the Holocaust et al much is known about European activities, but little is taught about the USA practices. For those interested I suggest acquiring a copy of WWII History magazine. If not convenient, but wanting to know, just ask and provide your postal address and I’ll mail you a copy.

SATAN, KING OF HELL?

GotQuestions.org: "Is Satan the master of hell? Do Satan and his demons punish people in hell?"
Answer: There is a common misconception that Satan is in charge of hell and that he and his demons live there and use their pitchforks to torment souls for eternity. This concept has no basis in Scripture whatsoever. In fact, Satan will be one of the tormented in the lake of fire, not the tormentor (Revelation 20:10).

  Where does the idea that Satan is the master of hell come from, if not from the Bible? Much of the false thinking may come from Dante Alighiere’s epic poem The Divine Comedy. Many other works of art, and literary pieces such as Dan Brown’s novel Inferno, follow Dante’s lead and picture Satan as the one in charge of hell.
  Dante’s poem describes the brutal descent of sinners into the underworld. Dante journeys through different levels of hell and purgatory and eventually arrives in paradise. The poem itself was an amalgamation of myths, Catholic ideas (like purgatory), and Islamic traditions about Muhammad’s “night of ascension” (lailat al-miraj). Dante’s medieval view of hell is influenced more by the Qur’an than the Bible.
  Dante’s literary vision of hell is depicted by Botticelli in his painting Map of Hell as a subterranean funnel of suffering—a wretched underground landscape of fire, brimstone, sewage, and monsters, with Satan himself waiting at its core. It’s all very disturbing, and effective as a work of art, but it is based on the imaginations of men, not the Word of God.
  Satan is not the ruler of hell. It is God who is in charge. Jesus says, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that can do no more. . . . Fear Him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell” (Luke 12:4–5). Jesus is referring to God here. He alone has the power to throw someone into hell. Who holds the keys of death and hades? Jesus has absolute control over that domain (Revelation 1:18). Jesus assures all believers that not even the gates of hades can overcome His church (Matthew 16:18).
  The lake of fire, mentioned only in Revelation 19:20 and 20:10, 14–15, is the final place of punishment for all unrepentant rebels, both angelic and human (Matthew 25:41). The universal punishment for all who reject Jesus Christ as Savior is to be “cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15). The Bible speaks of hell as a place of “outer darkness” where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:12; 22:13). Those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life should have no fear of this terrible fate. By faith in Christ and His shed blood, we are destined to live eternally in the presence of God.
  Satan does not rule hell or lead his demons in tormenting those who are banished there. In fact, the Bible does not say that Satan has been to hell yet. Rather, “eternal fire” is awaiting Satan; the place was originally created to punish Satan and the demons (Matthew 25:41), not to give them a kingdom to rule.
  Until Satan is condemned and thrown into the pit forever, he spends his time between heaven (Job 1:6–12) and earth (1 Peter 5:8). He will not always have freedom of movement, and he knows it. “Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short” (Revelation 12:12).

Recommended Resource: Angels: Elect & Evil by C. Fred Dickason

HELL

Edwin Bullock 4th <mr.ebullock4th@gmail.com>	9:24 AM (6 minutes ago)
to me

From Strong’s:

H7585

[‘H’ stands for Hebrew]

שׁאל    שׁאול

sh^e'ôl  sh^e'ôl

sheh-ole', sheh-ole'

From H7592; hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranian retreat), including its accessories and inmates: - grave, hell, pit.

----------------------------

G1067

[‘G’ stands for Greek]

γέεννα

geenna

gheh'-en-nah

Of Hebrew origin ([H1516] and [H2011]); valley of (the son of) Hinnom; gehenna (or Ge-Hinnom), a valley of Jerusalem, used (figuratively) as a name for the place (or state) of everlasting punishment: - hell.

------------------------

G86

ᾅδης

hadēs

hah'-dace

From G1 (as a negative particle) and G1492; properly unseen, that is, “Hades” or the place (state) of departed souls: - grave, hell.

-------------------------

G5020

ταρταρόω

tartaroō

tar-tar-o'-o

From Τάρταρος Tartaros̄ (the deepest abyss of Hades); to incarcerate in eternal torment: - cast down to hell.

---------------------------

FIVE THINGS PEOPLE BELIEVE ABOUT HELL THAT ARE NOT IN GOD’S WORD

  When was the last time you heard a sermon about hell? Can you even remember? Honestly, I can’t. What about the last time you heard someone mention hell? Now that, I remember vividly. 

I was involved with a huge Christmas musical at my church last year that attracts thousands of people. While in a ballet rehearsal to prepare for the angel dance that comes right before the Nativity, a friend of mine said, “We need to get this together because there are going to be people that see this show and do not know Jesus. They are going to hell and this might be what saves them.” 

I was completely taken aback. My friend had spoken offhand, and yet what she said impacts me to this day. It is so easy to live comfortably in our Christian bubbles without thinking about those who are not saved. But the truth is hell is real and those who do not accept Jesus will spend eternity there (John 14:6). 

  In a blog post titled “7 Truths about Hell,” author and pastor J. D. Greear says that hell is a confusing notion to wrap our heads around. He even admits that when he was a young Christian and learned about hell, he was so disturbed that he nearly lost his faith. But, he says, hell is in the Bible so Christians need to wrestle with the concept to fully understand God.

  It is time to start talking about hell. But first, we need to get our facts straight. Here are five misconceptions that you may have about hell. 

1. Seeing God face-to-face is a warm and fuzzy experience. 

Greear writes that people believe seeing God would be a “warm and fuzzy” experience but they are wrong. The Bible says that God is so holy and perfect that if anyone would see God face to face, he would die (Exodus 33:20). God’s own prophet Isaiah fell to ground in fear when he saw God on his throne because he believed he would die (Isaiah 6:5)

Though we do not like the idea of eternal suffering in hell, Greear argues that it exists for a reason. 

“God tells us about hell to demonstrate to us the magnitude of his holiness. Hell is what hell is because the holiness of God is what it is. Hell is not one degree hotter than our sin demands that it be,” he says.

2. Jesus didn’t talk about hell. 

There are some who believe hell is not relevant because Jesus is “meek and mild” and only about love and compassion. They say that God only talked about hell in the Old Testament and transformed in the New Testament with the birth of Jesus. But this is simply not true. 

Greear points out that Jesus did talk about hell, and he talked about it more than anyone else in the Bible.

“In fact,” he writes, “if you count up the verses, Jesus spoke more about hell than he did about heaven.”

3. Hell is a great blemish of God’s love. 

Now that we know Jesus did talk about hell, the question becomes why he talked about it so much. Greear answers, “Because he wanted us to see what he was going to endure on the cross on our behalf.”

Jesus was crucified and endured both physical and mental pain. He was separated from God during his crucifixion, and in doing so, took “the hell of our sin into his body.” 

“People often feel that hell is some great blemish on God’s love,” Greear said. “The Bible presents it as the opposite. Hell magnifies for us the love of God by showing us how far God went, and how much he went through, to save us.”

4. God sends people to hell. 

Yes, those who do not accept Jesus will go to hell. But Greear says this is not God sending people to hell. They send themselves by rejecting Christ. 

God has offered you the light of love, friendship and creation, Greear says. “But when you tell God you don’t want him as the Lord and center of your life, eventually you get your wish, and with God go all of his gifts.”

5. It’s enough for God to take us out of hell.

Some people accept Christ because they are scared of hell. This is not enough. Greear says, “It’s not enough for God to take us out of hell; he must take hell out of us.” 

He means our hearts must be changed by loving and trusting God. 

“If you accept Jesus just to ‘get out of hell,’ then you’d hate being in heaven, because only those who love and trust God will enjoy heaven,” Greear says. “If you don’t love the Father, then living in the Father’s house feels like slavery. It would be like forcing you to marry someone you didn’t want to marry. The only way you’ll enjoy heaven is when you learn to love and trust God.”

How are we to live our lives as Christians knowing the reality of hell? Russell Moore, President of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission has the answer. 

“...hell is horrifying,” he writes. “God deems it so. Our response to such horror should not be denial, but the fervent evangelism of the nations.” 

“Hell ought to drive us not to find misplaced hopes for the lost, but to the only hope for us, and for the whole world, the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Carrie Dedrick is the editor of ChristianHeadlines.com.

From Nave’s Topical Bible                            

The translation of the Hebrew word “sheol,” which signifies the unseen state. Sheol is also translated as “pit,” “lowest pit,” “Sheol,” and “grave” in some versions

Isa_5:14; Isa_14:9; Isa_14:15; Isa_28:15; Isa_28:18; Isa_57:9; Eze_31:16-17; Eze_32:21; Eze_32:27; Amo_9:2; Jon_2:2; Hab_2:5; Deu_32:22; Psa_86:13; Psa_55:15; 2Sa_22:6; Job_11:8; Job_26:6; Psa_9:17; Psa_16:10; Psa_18:5; Psa_116:3; Psa_139:8; Pro_5:5; Pro_7:27; Pro_9:18; Pro_15:11; Pro_15:24; Pro_23:14; Pro_27:20; Gen_37:35; Gen_42:38; Gen_44:29; Gen_44:31; 1Sa_2:6; 1Ki_2:6; 1Ki_2:9; Job_7:9; Job_14:13; Job_17:13; Job_21:13; Job_24:19; Psa_6:5; Psa_30:3; Psa_31:17; Psa_49:14-15; Psa_88:3; Psa_89:48; Psa_141:7; Pro_1:12; Pro_30:16; Ecc_9:10; Son_8:6; Hos_13:14

The translation of the Greek word “gehenna”

Mat_5:22; Mat_5:29-30; Mat_10:28; Mat_18:9; Mat_23:15; Mat_23:33; Mar_9:43; Mar_9:45; Mar_9:47; Luk_12:5; Jas_3:6

The translation of the Greek word “hades,” which signifies the unseen world

Mat_11:23; Mat_16:18; Luk_10:15; Luk_16:23; Act_2:27; Act_2:31; Rev_1:18; Rev_6:8; Rev_20:13-14

The future abode of the wicked

Psa_9:17; Pro_5:5; Pro_9:13-18; Pro_15:24; Pro_23:13-14; Isa_30:33; Isa_33:14; Mat_3:12; Mat_5:29-30; Mat_7:13-14; Mat_8:11-12; Mat_10:28; Mat_13:30; Mat_13:38-42; Mat_13:49-50; Mat_16:18; Mat_18:8-9; Mat_18:34-35; Mat_22:13; Mat_25:28-30; Mat_25:41; Mat_25:46; Mar_9:43-48; Luk_3:17; Luk_16:23-26; Luk_16:28; Act_1:25; 2Th_1:9; 2Pe_2:4; Jud_1:6; Jud_1:23; Rev_9:1-2; Rev_11:7; Rev_14:10-11; Rev_19:20; Rev_20:10; Rev_20:15; Rev_21:8; Rev_2:11

ANGER 101

ANGER 101

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

  John [GW] 1:9-12 The real light, which shines on everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into existence through him. Yet, the world didn't recognize him. He went to his own people, and his own people didn't accept him. However, he gave the right to become God's children to everyone who believed in him.

  Ephesians 2:19-22; 4:26-27 That is why you are no longer foreigners and outsiders but citizens together with God's people and members of God's family. You are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Christ Jesus himself is the cornerstone. In him all the parts of the building fit together and grow into a holy temple in the Lord. Through him you, also, are being built in the Spirit together with others into a place where God lives. … Be angry without sinning. Don't go to bed angry. Don't give the devil any opportunity to work.

  Philippians 1:27-30 Live as citizens who reflect the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come to see you or whether I stay away, I'll hear all about you. I'll hear that you are firmly united in spirit, united in fighting for the faith that the Good News brings. So don't let your opponents intimidate you in any way. This is God's way of showing them that they will be destroyed and that you will be saved. God has given you the privilege not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for him. You are involved in the same struggle that you saw me having. Now you hear that I'm still involved in it.

  I’m asked about anger as a personal issue. I’ve previously given the emotion much thought, reading time, and written about and taught on a number of times, quite often in inmate classes. I could do a simple pull-and-copy-redact on the emotion but know that responsibly in and toward good health I should not. I will begin without opening binder, then shall review file.

  As a consequence of my temperament I was called “Sunny” until as an adult I insisted on “Ed”. What the designators didn’t know was that I had an anger problem, the passive aggressive kind. And as with many passive aggressive types, I abhorred the overtly violent furious fellows, even in self-pride considering myself superior in intellect and the strikers an ignorant unsophisticated bunch. Then there was the family tradition to uphold; I never once saw a Bullock overtly angry. We were the cool controlled family.

  How to begin addressing the emotional problem? How do I, we, “be angry and sin not”? Lest shame be mine later, by the weight of God’s Word of course! (2Tim.2:15)

  For my, your, study and serious contemplation I share from ISBE:

Anger: an´gẽr: In the Old Testament, the translation of several Hebrew words, especially of אף, 'aph (lit. “nostril,” “countenance”), which is used some 45 times of human, 177 times of Divine, anger (OHL). The word occurs rarely in the New Testament (Mar_3:5; Eph_4:31; Col_3:8; Rev_14:10), its place being taken by the word “wrath” (see WRATH). As a translation of words denoting God's “anger,” the English word is unfortunate so far as it may seem to imply selfish, malicious or vindictive personal feeling. The anger of God is the response of His holiness to outbreaking sin. Particularly when it culminates in action is it rightly called Has “wrath.” The Old Testament doctrine of God's anger is contained in many passages in the Pentateuch, Psalms and the Prophets. In Proverbs men are dissuaded from anger (Pro_15:1; Pro_27:4), and the “slow to anger” is commended (Pro_15:18; Pro_16:32; Pro_19:11). Christians axe enjoined to put away the feeling of self-regarding, vindictive anger (Eph_4:31; Col_3:8), and to cherish no desire of personal revenge (Eph_4:26).

  In reviewing the Bible references in the above paragraph from ISBE I am again reminded of the clear distinction between sinful and righteous anger.

• Harmful sinful anger is centered in self-regard, a life-is-all-about-me worldview.
• Constructive anger is edification centered in seeing life eternally about John 1:12 family and citizenship

  “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, my brothers [and sisters], whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are right, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue and if there is any praise, think on these things. Do those things which you have also learned and received and heard and seen in me. And the God of peace shall be with you.” (MKJV Phil.4:6-9)

EBB4

FROM WHENCE COMETH GENDER TENSION?

FROM WHENCE COMETH GENDER TENSION?

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

  When I refer to gender it is Biblically man and woman, as created.

  I like to stimulate discussions above and beyond Husker football. Today’s title question is such a question that I ask Christians and non-Christians. I do so in the hope of pointing, if and as needed, both groups to God’s Word for important answers providing understanding.

  For all the reasons given for gender tension there is but one foundational one in God’s Word. As with many doctrinal questions, the answer is first of all in Genesis: The ongoing tension is the result of the first couple’s unbelief resulting in their acquiring the knowledge of good and evil.

  I leave you with a followup question: What were two of the immediately obvious evidences of their newly acquired knowledge of good and evil?

EBB4

A KJV ADVANTAGE

A KJV ADVANTAGE

Monday, October 7, 2019

  Matthew 4:1-4 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he [Jesus] answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. [Also note Lk.4:4]

  2Timothy 2:14-16 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

  There is a KJV advantage that we elder pre-multiple versions students benefit from. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance (SEC) as a study tool, which I’ve used extensively, but have yet to exhaust.

  In hardback SEC is a physically large weighty tome. Remember the old library dictionary on a sturdy stand?

  SEC is KJV linked. My being first and foremost familiar with KJV, when studying, pondering, writing, answering inquiries, I frequently make use of SEC. And I have taught others how to do so in years past and presently if they don’t have the advantage of computer with e-Sword or other Bible software.

  How does one make use of SEC?

  Knowing that we are to first go to the Word, not simply initially and/or always rely on the writings of men and women, including this man -- When doing a study on a topic look up words using SEC that you remember associated with the subject. By the word you will see chapter and verse Bible references.

  Personal example: When I was first exposed to the eternal security debate among my fellows I was troubled, confused, fearful, and at times terrified. A mentor suggested using SEC to lookup and study pertinent verses containing “sealed”. Doing so I gained the peace of God’s blessed assurance.

  SEC is not the Word of God. It is a convenient helper that saves time and energy. Which reminds me of friend Rodger saying that before he realized the convenience of using SEC his brain was cooked at times.

  If you read other than KJV then forget about trying to use SEC. Attempting to do so is like trying to use metric toolkit working on SAE built equipment. (People have requested and I’ve given away copies of SEC donated to me by those for such use when they switched to software programs. Not until years later did I discover it was a waste because the recipients did not, do not, read KJV saying “The language is too confusing.”

  Fear not! There are other resources in print that are quite useful. Here are 3 that I use and recommend:

Nave’s Topical Bible, A Digest of the Holy Scripture.

Where To Find It In The Bible, lists compiled by Ken Anderson.

Meredith’s Book of Bible Lists.

NIV concordance.

  May God bless you richly this day as you continue to seek His Word living and written.

EBB4

HOW DO I LOOK?

HOW DO I LOOK?

Sunday, October 6, 2019

1Thessalonians [MKJV] 5:16-22 Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophesying. Prove all things, hold fast to the good. Abstain from every appearance of evil. 

  Before I submitted to God’s redemption, Grandmother McGee was one of my main teachers. Though I didn’t agree with her if inconvenient, I don’t remember her loving advice ever being wrong. One point that I resisted at times was “Appearances matter.”, thinking that if I wasn’t a participant it was okay to be in the middle or on the fringe of exciting wrongdoings.

  Indeed how things look matters greatly, hence God’s Word cautions us to abstain from every appearance of evil lest we are a hindrance.

  “How do I look?” is a good question before stepping out.

EBB4