#3 of 10 REASONS WHY I BELIEVE THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD

 

# 3 of Ten Reasons Why I Believe The Bible Is The Word Of God by R. A. Torrey

On the ground of the unity of the book.

This is an old argument, but a very satisfactory one. The Bible consists of sixty-six books, written by more than thirty different men, extending in the period of its composition over more than fifteen hundred years; written in three different languages, in many different countries, and by men on every plane of social life, from the herdsman and fisherman and cheap politician up to the king upon his throne; written under all sorts of circumstances; yet in all this wonderful conglomeration we find an absolute unity of thought.

A wonderful thing about it is that this unity does not lie on the surface. On the surface there is oftentimes apparent contradiction, and the unity only comes out after deep and protracted study.

More wonderful yet is the organic character of this unity, beginning in the first book and growing till you come to its culmination in the last book of the Bible. We have first the seed, then the plant, then the bud, then the blossom, then the ripened fruit.

Suppose a vast building were to be erected, the stones for which were brought from the quarries in Rutland, Vermont; Berea, Ohio; Kasota, Minnesota, and Middletown, Connecticut. Each stone was hewn into final shape in the quarry from which it was brought. These stones were of all varieties of shape and size, cubical, rectangular, cylindrical, etc., but when they were brought together every stone fitted into its place, and when put together there rose before you a temple absolutely perfect in every outline, with its domes, sidewalls, buttresses, arches, transepts-not a gap or a flaw anywhere. How would you account for it? You would say:

"Back of these individual workers in the quarries was the master-mind of the architect who planned it all, and gave to each individual worker his specifications for the work."

So in this marvelous temple of God's truth which we call the Bible, whose stones have been quarried at periods of time and in places so remote from one another, but where every smallest part fits each other part, we are forced to say that back of the human hands that wrought was the Master-mind that thought.

#2 OF 10 REASONS WHY I BELIEVE THE BIBLE IS THE WORD IOF GOD

 

# 2 of Ten Reasons Why I Believe The Bible Is The Word Of God by R. A. Torrey

 

On the ground of its fulfilled prophecies.

There are two classes of prophecies in the Bible-first, the explicit, verbal prophecies, second, those of the types.

In the first we have the definite prophecies concerning the Jews, the heathen nations and the Messiah. Taking the prophecies, regarding the Messiah as an illustration, look at Isaiah 53, Mic. 5:2, Dan. 9:25-27. Many others might be mentioned, but these will serve as illustrations. In these prophecies, written hundreds of years before the Messiah came, we have the most explicit statements as to the manner and place of His birth, the manner of His reception by men, how His life would end, His resurrection and His victory succeeding His death. When made, these prophecies were exceedingly improbable, and seemingly impossible of fulfillment; but they were fulfilled to the very minutest detail of manner and place and time. How are we to account for it? Man could not have foreseen these improbable events-they lay hundreds of years ahead-but God could, and it is God who speaks through these men.

But the prophecies of the types are more remarkable still. Everything in the Old Testament-history, institutions, ceremonies-is prophetical. The high priesthood, the ordinary priesthood, the Levites, the prophets, priests and kings, are all prophecies. The tabernacle, the brazen altar, the laver, the golden candlestick, the table of shewbread, the veil, the altar of incense, the ark of the covenant, the very coverings of the tabernacle, are prophecies. In all these things, as we study them minutely and soberly in the light of the history of Jesus Christ and the church, we see, wrapped up in the ancient institutions ordained of God to meet an immediate purpose, prophecies of the death, atonement, and resurrection of Christ, the day of Pentecost, and the entire history of the church. We see the profoundest Christian doctrines of the New Testament clearly foreshadowed in these institutions of the Old Testament. The only way in which you can appreciate this is to get into the Book itself and study all about the sacrifices and feasts, etc., till you see the truths of the New Testament shining out in the Old. If, in studying some elementary form of life, I find a rudimentary organ, useless now, but by the process of development to become of use in that animal's descendant, I say, back of this rudimentary organ is God, who, in the earlier animal, is preparing for the life and necessities of the animal that is to come. So, going back to these preparations in the Bible for the truth that is to be clearly taught at a later day, there is only one scientific way to account for them, namely, He who knows and prepares for the end from the beginning is the author of that Book.

#! OF 10 REASONS WHY I BELIEVE THE BIBLKE IS THE WORD OF GOD

# 1 of Ten Reasons Why I Believe The Bible Is The Word Of God by R. A. Torrey

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On the ground of the testimony of Jesus Christ.

  Many people accept the authority of Christ who do not accept that of the Bible as a whole. We all must accept His authority. He is accredited to us by five Divine testimonies: by the testimony of the Divine life He lived; by the testimony of the Divine words He spoke; by the testimony of the Divine works He wrought; by the Divine attestation of the resurrection from the dead; and by the testimony of His Divine influence upon the history of mankind. But if we accept the authority of Christ we must accept the authority of the Bible as a whole. He testifies definitely and specifically to the Divine authorship of the whole Bible.

  We find His testimony as to the Old Testament in Mark 7:13. Here He calls the law of Moses the "Word of God." That, of course, covers only the first five books of the Old Testament, but in Luke 24:27 we read, "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself," and in the forty-fourth verse He said, "All things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and in the prophets and the Psalms." The Jews, divided the Old Testament into three parts-the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms-and Christ takes up each of these parts and sets the stamp of His authority upon it. In John 10:35 Christ says, "The Scripture cannot be broken," thereby teaching the absolute accuracy and inviolability of the Old Testament. More specifically still, it possible, in Matthew 5:18, Jesus says, "One jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled." A jot is the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet-less than half the size of any other letter, and a tittle is the merest point of a consonant-less than the cross we put on a "t,"-and Christ here declares that the Scripture is absolutely true, down to the smallest letter or point of a letter. So if we accept the authority of Christ we must accept the Divine authority of the entire Old Testament.

  Now, as to the New Testament. We find Christ's endorsement of it in John 14:26, "The Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." Here we see that not only was the teaching of the Apostles to be fully inspired, but also their recollection of what Christ Himself taught. We are sometimes asked how we know that the Apostles correctly reported what Jesus said-"may they not have forgotten?" True, they might forget, but Christ Himself tells us that in the Gospels we have, not the Apostles' recollection of what He said, but the Holy Ghost's recollection, and the Spirit of God never forgets. In John 16:13, 14, Christ said that the Holy Ghost should guide the Apostles into "all the truth," therefore in the New Testament teaching we have the whole sphere of God's truth. The teaching of the Apostles is more complete than that of Jesus Himself, for He says in John 16:12, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit, when He, the Spirit of truth is come, He shall guide you into all the truth." While His own teaching had been partial, because of their weakness, the teaching of the Apostles, under the promised Spirit, was to take in the whole sphere of God's truth.

  So if we accept the authority of Christ we must accept that of the whole Bible, but we must, as already seen, accept Christ's authority.

GOD KNOWS

 

GOD KNOWS

Psalm 136:1-9 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever: The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever: The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever. [Also note 1Jn.3:20]

  I recently heard someone ask Gloria Estafon what one line would be appropriate for her epitaph. She answered, “Who knows anything?”

  There is answer to her question: God. He knows everything. We don’t need to be puzzled as Gloria.

  Thanks be to God for all the years He has shown me much about life and death!

Leslie Nivens (12/12/1928-3/1/2020)

10 REASONS WHY I BELIEVE THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD

 10 REASONS WHY I BELIEVE THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD

John 17:17 [Jesus prayed] Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

1Peter 1:24-25 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. 

  God’s Holy Spirit works with mankind in both general ways and individually. The two common areas being experience or intellect, sometimes both.

  I was raised in a moral family. Aesop’s Fable, wise adages, and the 10 Commandments taught but unquoted were mainstays, and high on the list were examples. But other than public school morning ritual of the Lord’s Prayer and readings from Psalms, occasional C & E Methodist church visits, and my involvement in a Roman Catholic BSA troop, a picture Bible that Aunt Edith gifted, I received no regular church training. Challenging Biblical exposure came the Summer and Autumn of my 27^th year.

  October 13, 1955 I began 43 years employment by Western Electric/ ATT/ Lucent and now receive my pension and benefits from them. To get ahead more quickly I took higher graded positions that most men there didn’t want as they were hot, oily, dirty, riskier, and involved more thought and labor than street clothed bench-hand assembly. (By the time I attained upper pay grade with more responsibility and less labor older long-term employees contested my status doing so to no avail as they had never taken the necessary qualifying steps.)

  Irving Garfield “Bud” Bond was a senior grade 36 diecaster in the WECo. aluminum foundry. I was a grade 34 utility working various tasks as needed, sometimes substituting for those ill or injured.

  A lifelong reader I enjoyed my two 10 minute breaks and 20 minute lunchtime library time alone. That is, until Bud asked if he could join me. I agreed on a trial basis.

  Though I’d never heard “evangelical Christian” I soon discovered he passionately was one. Bud was neither loud or pushy. He was gentle and polite.

  The conversations were very interesting, but after 6 weeks I politely told Bud so but that I wanted to end our sessions. Bud asked why. I explained my respect for him and his beliefs but that I could not accept his basic premise that the Bible is the Word of God.

  In response Bud asked if I would read one more piece of literature, and then let him know if I still wanted to terminate our time together. The next day he handed me a booklet detailing the reasons to believe the Bible is the Word of God: 10 REASONS WHY I BELIEVE THE BIBLE IS THE WORD OF GOD, by William W. Orr A.B., M.A., Th.B., DD.

  After reading the booklet I saw the obvious; I needed to personally reconcile with Sovereign Jehovah God Almighty. 12:30am driving home from work I made my clumsy submissive plea and my life changed forever. Since that time the Word of God is my foundation, the Bible providing guidance in all things pertaining to life and death.

  The Orr booklet is now out of print so I’ve copied R. A. Torrey’s taking some liberty on redacting the old dialogue. I encourage you to prayerfully look up the Bible verse references, read and consider them in context. I pray that as you read and consider, that you too will respond to the working of God’s Holy Spirit as He speaks His regenerating Word to your heart and mind. EBB4

 

PS.   Depending on our individual personality, I believe the Lord draws all people to Him in different ways. (Jn.12:32) Possibly by emotional experiences. If like me, through intellect. This is not to say we are saved by emotion or intellect. For we are only saved by grace (undeserved favor and spiritual blessing). (Eph.2:1-10)

SEVEN DEADLY SINS?

 SEVEN DEADLY SINS?

Ephesians [MKJV] 2:1-10 And He has made you alive, who were once dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience; among whom we also had our way of life in times past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the thoughts, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love with which He loved us (even when we were dead in sins) has made us alive together with Christ (by grace you are saved), and has raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus, 

so that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them. 

  As taught by some theologians of yesteryear and a few denominations yet today, here are the seven deadly sins:

Pride — An inflated, unrealistic sense of your self-worth.

Envy — The feeling that you deserve the possessions, success, virtues, or talents of another person.

Gluttony — An excessive desire for the pleasure of eating and drinking.

Lust — A selfish focus on sex or a desire to have sexual pleasure with someone other than your spouse.

Anger — An excessive, improper desire to exact revenge.

Greed — A strong desire for possessions, especially for possessions belonging to another.

Sloth — Lack of effort in the face of a necessary task, causing it to go undone (or done badly).

  They’re also improperly referred to as “cardinal” or “capital” sins, sins that can lead to “mortal sins” which will send a person to hell immediately upon death unless such sins are repented of before death. This is a false teaching. An onus that is contrary to God’s love and grace.

  Are the 7 sinful? Yes. I for one personally know this.

  If I or any other John 1:12; 3:3 family die sans repentance of 1 to 7, will we suffer eternity in hell? No. For understanding and relief unto peace read Ephesians 2:1-10 and Romans chapter 4. Justification unto salvation is by faith. It is never by works!

EBB4

 

FAITH TESTED

 FAITH TESTED

John [ESV] 21:15-19 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.” 

  You or I are not likely to face a martyr’s test of faith. But if you’re at times like Peter and me you are tested by the truth that the John 1:1 Word speaks; our Lord’s words disagreeable according to our desires.

  Peter’s prime example being his chicken episode. (Mt.16:21-23; 26:30-35; Jn.18:10-11)

  One of mine being again this year, today, preparing the necessary files for the CPA and the resultant checks written. (Mt.22:21; Mk.12:17; Lk.20:25)

  Other than to honestly pay taxes, what is it that you prefer the Word would not say?

  Faith is not superbly evidenced by our delightfully agreeing with Jesus. The higher testing is laying self on the altar when we don’t want to.

EBB4

A CAUCASIAN CASTE SYSTEM

 

A CAUCASIAN CASTE SYSTEM

  India and such ilk were not alone, it was once commonly thought in white society European and American that birthright was providence. The quality of the sheets you were birthed upon was your fate. Though this is no longer broadly thought there is still individual and group stuck in impoverished thinking. General Booth, founder of the Salvation Army (1865) and others before and those later came to the forefront actively challenging the unbiblical mindset. USA’s “land of opportunity” especially has and continues to strive against a caste system.

  What does God say on the matter socially casting those born rich or poor? I share with you a GotQuestions.org concise summary on the topic. Read on. If necessary, do a Romans 12:1-3 rethink.

EBB4

"What is a biblical view of social action?"

  In recent years Christians have stepped more boldly into the social arena and made their voices heard. Both Christians and non-Christians alike have taken another look at the Bible’s emphasis on helping the poor and speaking up for those who cannot speak for themselves (Leviticus 25:35; Exodus 22:25; James 2:14–16). Whereas a few decades ago religion was thought to be best practiced behind church doors on Sundays, today’s Christians are realizing that was never Jesus’ intent.
  One fact that is often overlooked in our post-Christian culture is that most major humanitarian efforts, such as hospitals, orphanages, and universities, were initiated by Christians seeking to make a difference in the world. The abolitionist movements in England and the United States were spearheaded by followers of Christ. Christians are one of the most socially active groups in existence because our Leader, Jesus Christ, taught us to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:39). Organizations such as Samaritan’s Purse, Compassion International, Focus on the Family, the A21 Campaign, Open Doors, and countless others exist because Christians saw a need and took action.
  It’s when Christians use their influence to try to correct moral and ethical issues that the objections begin. Some argue that “separation of church and state” requires all religion to stay out of the public square. Although the idea of separation of church and state has been used to silence the timid, it appears nowhere in the Constitution of the United States, and Christians need not fear that by expressing a biblically based opinion that they are somehow violating a fundamental aspect of our nation’s freedom.
  Despite His lifestyle of always doing good (Acts 10:38), Jesus did not come into the world to be a social reformer. His miracles, healing, and teachings were not efforts to right all wrongs or to permanently relieve suffering. If that had been His purpose in coming, why would He have waited until that period of history? There had been eons of suffering prior to the birth of Christ. If Jesus had come to address social issues, why spend only three years doing so? Why not start at age 12 when He realized He was to be about His Father’s business (Luke 2:49)? Why not avoid crucifixion at age 33 so that He could spend decades reforming?
  Jesus’ kindness to the oppressed and ostracized was well known, but He was clear that His purpose in coming to earth was not humanitarian; it was spiritual. Jesus said, “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). He came to preach the good news of the kingdom (Mark 1:36–38). He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17). He came “to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45; cf. John 12:27) and “to destroy the devil’s work” (1 John 3:8).
  Jesus’ major objective in coming to earth was the salvation of mankind. He brought God to fallen Man (John 10:10; 14:9), and then He died for the sins of the world (Matthew 16:21; 20:28; Mark 8:31; John 10:18). After His resurrection, Jesus left the good news of salvation with a handful of followers who used it to change the world (see Acts 17:6). Earlier, Jesus had told them of the difference they would make in society: “You are the salt of the earth. . . . You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:13–16).
  Salt brings out the flavor of any food. It also preserves, cleans, and helps heal infection. In order for Christians to be “salt” in the world, we must maintain those distinct properties that come from abiding in God’s Word. When we assimilate the world’s way of thinking and behaving, we lose our saltiness. Our presence on social issues adds balance to an otherwise out-of-control system controlled by Satan (see 2 Corinthians 4:4).
  Light banishes darkness. But a light hidden under a basket cannot illuminate anything. When we hide inside our churches and refuse to bring that light into the community, we are spiritually useless. But when, with Holy Spirit boldness, we speak up, run for office, and illuminate social issues with the truth of God’s Word, we are letting His light shine through us. When we see culture praising the murder of unborn children, we must let God’s light shine brightly on the scene and speak His truth in contrast to the neutral words used to defend the indefensible (see Psalm 82:4; Proverbs 24:11). When we learn of poverty-stricken people, we must apply God’s truth to our lives and do what we can to help (Isaiah 58:6–7; James 2:15–17). When injustice rules, we must speak out on behalf of the oppressed, like the Lord Jesus did (Luke 20:46–47; Mark 7:9–13).
  Christians should be socially active to the extent God would have them do so. The responsibility of every Christian is to know God’s Word and apply it. James 4:17 says, “If anyone . . . knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.” Social action will look different for different individuals because God has gifted us differently. For some, social action will mean holding political office and working to bring truth and justice to a broad arena. For others, social action means using the material wealth God has provided to eliminate hunger and other effects of poverty at home and around the world.
  Social action for Christians means we live our faith 24/7 whether at home, at our jobs, or at our places of worship. There is no switch to flip off our “light” whenever we feel like it. As believers, we take the Holy Spirit with us wherever we go (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). [And I believe He sometimes takes us where we need to be. EBB4] And, because we live in communities and have connections available like never before, God expects us to be salt and light in those communities, flavoring, challenging, and illuminating everywhere we can.

QAnon RESPONSES

 

QAnon RESPONSES

  I received several responses of one sort or another. I’ve selected 2 to share with DT readers for their consideration and edification. The avowed aggressively challenging atheist has been actively retorting on his regular schedule for years. The other is also someone that also stirs my thoughts, a Christian young man with a research engineer’s talented mind. Please take time to carefully consider what each has to say.

EBB4

+++

“The alternative religion that’s coming to your church.”

  It's ironic, isn't it?  An even crazier crazy than Christian-crazy is finding a ready-made audience in Christian congregations.  Who could have prophesied that?!

  The irony is that it makes perfect sense.  Why be just 85% loony when you could go all in for total wack-a-doodle?  

  Thanks, Ed!  I needed a good laugh this morning!

  (I dare you to forward my perspective (unedited) to your mailing list!)

  Okay, all mockery aside, thanks for sending this article, Ed.  It is an excellent encapsulation of the extent and effect of QAnon.  All Christians should read it.

  But, in all seriousness, it can't really come as a surprise that people who are already predisposed to magical thinking (all theists) that defies logic and reason would readily embrace a new kink of insanity.

  When you draw your line in the sand that says this level (the historical Christian level) of absurd is acceptable, but that level (the QAnon level) of absurd is a bridge too far ... doesn't that make you just the tiniest bit self-aware?

Hal T.

+++

  Thanks Ed for sending this.  This topic has some gray areas for me that I try to discern through with a sharp sword as they take some precision.

  Do I think QAnon is completely reliable 100% of the time?  Not even close.  Should it/he/they/whatever replace Jesus?  Absolutely not.  No way, no how.

  I have some friends who previously read a lot in everything Q said and still spend lots of time researching videos, blogs, etc to search out the latest "hidden" truth.  I can't help but see the spirit of fear influencing them and it tends to manifest itself with an overly controlling personality, lack of trust and rest, and a critical mindset that tends to tear others down instead of building others up.

  With that said, do I think there's some truth to some of the things mentioned on there, and should Christians at least be aware of them?  I would say yes to both of those questions.

  We must balance being wise as serpents but innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16) with not calling conspiracy everything this people calls a conspiracy (Isaiah 8:12).

  There are a few things that have happened relatively recently that have made me wonder what exactly is going on behind the scenes in the US and the world.  The below is not meant to be exhaustive and is in no particular order:

1) Epstein somehow being murdered in a maximum security prison when he supposedly had damning evidence against many international power brokers

2) Mainstream and social media's obvious and severe slant towards one specific party

3) Some of the images, artwork, and documents that came out as a result of the "pizzagate" situation

4) The most recent election having enough of a smoking gun about it being stolen to support reasonable doubt

  I don't claim to know how all the pieces fit and I'm skeptical of just about anybody who does claim that but there is too much there for me to brush it all away as nothing.

  Now, the main question that Christians should focus on is "how should I/we respond?", and the reference as always for that question should be God's inspired Word.

  Is our hope and salvation in our elected officials?  No, only in Jesus (Romans 10:9-10)

  Does God sometimes allow wicked people to come to power?  Yes, since he appoints all leadership (Romans 13:1) and some have obviously been wicked (Hitler, Saddam, etc) Can those people further His purposes, even if unknowingly?  Yes (e.g. Nebuchadnezzar)

  Can we say for certain that economic collapse/civil war will happen?  No  (James 4:14)

  Could one or both of those things happen?  Yes  (Matthew 24:6-8)

  Should we panic or change how we live because of it?  No.  God does not change (Mal 3:6, Heb 13:8) and we should live every day as if it is the day of His coming no matter the current social, political, etc. climate is. (Matthew 25:1-13).

  So, to summarize my opinion, we should be aware of what's happening around us as part of not losing our saltiness but it really shouldn't change anything from a big picture perspective.

David R.

Do the most with the least

 

THINK ON THESE THINGS

 THINK ON THESE THINGS

Philippians 4:4-8 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 

  I get lonely! There’s no getting around the fact. One night when I went to bed the emptiness of the bed hit my heart and I started to sob. For just a moment I could think of nothing else.

  But then I started to pray. I thanked God out loud for everything I could think of: starting with my birth, my parents, my grandparents, my sisters, my little brother that my parents had taken into our home, my teachers, my husband, my children and their families, my friends, the trees, the birds, rocks ------- EVERYTHING! ------- I especially thanked Him for my Savior and all the years I have known Him. I even thanked Him for the little footlets on my feet and the pain that made me wear them. At that point the tears stopped and the peace came.

  You see, at my age I have a lot of good things to think on!

Leslie Nivens (12/12/1928-3/1/2020)

THE RIGHT CHOICE

 

THE RIGHT CHOICE

Luke [GW] 10:38-42 As they were traveling along, Jesus went into a village. A woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary. Mary sat at the Lord's feet and listened to him talk. But Martha was upset about all the work she had to do. So she asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work all by myself? Tell her to help me." The Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha! You worry and fuss about a lot of things. There's only one thing you need. Mary has made the right choice, and that one thing will not be taken away from her."

  I enjoy reading Joel C. Rosenberg’s insightful novels. I recommend THE KREMLIN CONSPIRACY and his other books. I read “Jesus wasn’t about projects; he was about people.” “Love your neighbor, not your work.” That set me to thinking about the importance of those two statements; Mary and Martha and Jesus explaining situational priorities in ministering to one another.

  There are times when we must decide the priority of the moment and act accordingly. Not an easy thing for those that prefer things to be “just so”. Have you ever been in a Martha setting where you wished they’d simply set the table with peanut butter, a jar of jelly, and loaf of bread?

  Beware Martharization of life.

EBB4

WHAT IS QAnon?

Crosswalk: What Is QAnon?

·          Dr. James Emery WhiteDr. James Emery White's weblog 2020Aug 27

  I have been quietly keeping an eye on QAnon for a while, including reading with great interest the recent in-depth article in The Atlantic on its dynamics. But it wasn’t until Katelyn Beaty’s reporting on its spread among Christians that I knew it was time to speak out. The title of her article was telling: “The alternative religion that’s coming to your church.”

  So what is QAnon?

  See if any of this sounds familiar: 5G radio waves are used for mind control; George Floyd’s murder is a hoax; Bill Gates is related to the devil; face masks can kill you; the germ theory isn’t real; there is a ring of pedophiles made up of deep state leaders.

This from Beaty’s reporting:

  Conspiracy theories – grand narratives that seek to prove that powerful actors are secretly controlling events and institutions for evil purposes – are nothing new in the U.S. But since 2017, a sort of ur-conspiracy theory, QAnon, has coalesced in online forums and created millions of believers. “To look at QAnon is to see not just a conspiracy theory but the birth of a new religion,” wrote Adrienne LaFrance in The Atlantic in June.

  Named after “Q,” who posts anonymously on the online bulletin board 4chan, QAnon alleges that President Donald Trump and military officials are working to expose a “deep state” pedophile ring with links to Hollywood, the media and the Democratic Party. Since its first mention some three years ago, the theory has drawn adherents looking for a clear way to explain recent disorienting global events.

  Once the fascination of far-right commentators and their followers, QAnon is no longer fringe… it has gained credibility both on the web and in the offline world: In Georgia, a candidate for Congress has praised Q as “a mythical hero,” and at least five other congressional hopefuls from Illinois to Oregon have voiced support.

  One scholar found a 71% increase in QAnon content on Twitter and a 651% increase on Facebook since March.

  Please hear me. This is not about politics. It is not about whether you plan to vote for Trump or Biden. It is about the way a set of ideas and sentiments are infiltrating the minds of those who claim to follow Christ, even when those ideas do not reflect the mind of Christ.

Again, from Beaty’s article:

  Jon Thorngate is the pastor at LifeBridge, a nondenominational church of about 300 in a Milwaukee suburb. In recent months, he said, his members have shared “Plandemic,” a half-hour film that presents COVID-19 as a moneymaking scheme by government officials and others, on Facebook. Members have also passed around a now-banned Breitbart video that promotes hydroxychloroquine as a cure for the virus.

  Thorngate, one of the few pastors who would go on the record among those who called QAnon a real problem in their churches, said that only five to 10 members are actually posting the videos online. But in conversations with other members, he’s realized many more are open to conspiracy theories than those who post.

  Thorngate attributes the phenomenon in part to the “death of expertise”—a distrust of authority figures that leads some Americans to undervalue long-established measures of competency and wisdom. Among some church members, he said, the attitude is, “I’m going to use church for the things I like, ignore it for the things I don’t and find my own truth.

  “That part for us is concerning, that nothing feels authoritative right now.”

  So why would Christians, of all people, fall prey to subjective truth in place of authoritative truth? Particularly when the Christian faith is rooted in the belief in authoritative truth and the wholesale rejection of subjective truth? Beaty observes that “suspicion of big government, questioning of scientific consensus (on evolution, for example) and a rejection of the morals of Hollywood and liberal elites took hold among millennial Christians, many of whom feel politically alienated and beat up by mainstream media. They are natural targets for QAnon.”

  Ed Stetzer, executive director of the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College, has noted that distrust of mainstream news sources “can feed a penchant for conspiracy theories.” The distrust of mainstream news, and the rejection of science, has become so acute among some Christians that it has led to a plea from prominent Christian thinkers titled “A Christian Statement on Science for Pandemic Times.”

Of even deeper concern is how this is harming the witness of the church. Again, from Beaty:

Jared Stacy said the spread of conspiracy theories in his church is particularly affecting young members. The college and young adult pastor of Spotswood Baptist Church in Fredericksburg, Virginia, Stacy said some older members are sharing Facebook content that links the coronavirus to Jeffrey Epstein and secret pedophile rings.

  He says his and other pastors’ job is to teach that conspiracy theories are not where Christians should find a basis for reality.

  “My fear… is that Jesus would not be co-opted by conspiracy theories in a way that leads the next generation to throw Jesus out with the bathwater,” Stacy said, “that we’re not able to separate the narrative of taking back our country from Jesus’ kingdom narrative.”

  Others are concerned the theories will become grounds for more mistrust. “Young people are exiting the church because they see their parents and mentors and pastors and Sunday school teachers spreading things that even at a young age they can see through,” said Jeb Barr, the senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Elm Mott outside Waco, Texas. He said conspiracy theories are “extremely widespread and getting worse” among his online church networks.

  “Why would we listen to my friend Joe… who’s telling me about Jesus who also thinks that Communists are taking over America and operating a pedophile ring out of a pizza restaurant? … Why would we be believed?”

  We all know that nobody shares a conspiracy theory. They only share what they believe to be the “truth.” Even further, when confronted, the “media cover-up” is used to dismiss anything that would discount the real “truth.”

  But confront this we must. As Beaty rightly notes:

  QAnon is more than a political ideology. It’s a spiritual worldview that co-opts many Christian-sounding ideas to promote verifiably false claims…

  QAnon has features akin to syncretism—the practice of blending traditional Christian beliefs with other spiritual systems (Underling mine. EBB4)…. Q explicitly uses Bible verses to urge adherents to stand firm against evil elites. One charismatic church based in Indiana hosts two-hour Sunday services showing how Bible prophecies confirm Q’s messages. Its leaders tell the congregation to stop watching mainstream media (even conservative media) in favor of QAnon YouTube channels and the Qmap website.

  And it’s having life-and-death effects: It’s hampering the work of anti-sex trafficking organizations. The FBI has linked it to violence and threats of violence. And its adherents are downplaying the threat of COVID and thus putting others’ lives at risk….

  At a time when church leaders are having to host digital church and try to meet members’ needs virtually, the idea of adding “fight heresy” to their to-do list might sound exhausting. But a core calling of church leaders is to speak the truth in love. It’s not loving to allow impressionable people to be taken in by falsehood. Nor is it loving to allow them to spread falsehood and slander to others.

  “Conspiracy theories thrive on a sort of cynicism that says, ‘We see a different reality that no one else sees,’” said Stacy. “Paul says to take every thought captive—addressing conspiracy theories is part of that work.”

Yes.

Sources

Katelyn Beaty, “QAnon: The Alternative Religion That’s Coming to Your Church,” Religion News Service, August 17, 2020, read online.

Terry Mattingly, “Evangelicals Split on the Notion of ‘Fake News’ and QAnon,” Knox News, June 4, 2020, read online.

Ari Shapiro, “How QAnon Conspiracy Is Spreading in Christian Communities Across The U.S.,” NPR, August 21, 2020, read online.

Adrienne LaFrance, “The Prophecies of Q,” The Atlantic, June 2020 Issue, read online.

“A Christian Statement On Science for Pandemic Times,” BioLogos, view the statement.

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For more detailed info go to wikipedia

LAW AND/OR GRACE

 

LAW AND/OR GRACE

2Timothy [MKJV] 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfected, thoroughly furnished to every good work.  

  Is there those confused as to the place of the law, especially the 10 Commandments, under the new blood covenant? There was. There is. And there will be.

  Being saved by grace, then what place does the law have in the believer’s life?

  Are we, though saved by grace, kept by keeping the law . . . or in keeping rules to then grow in lawful holiness . . . or is the law our teacher with grace our enabling?

  Consider God’s Word on the matter of grace:

  Romans [GW] 3:20-31 Not one person can have God's approval by following Moses' Teachings [the laws given to him by God]. Moses' Teachings show what sin is. Now, the way to receive God's approval has been made plain in a way other than Moses' Teachings. Moses' Teachings and the Prophets tell us this. Everyone who believes has God's approval through faith in Jesus Christ. There is no difference between people. Because all people have sinned, they have fallen short of God's glory. They receive God's approval freely by an act of his kindness [grace] through the price Christ Jesus paid to set us free from sin. God showed that Christ is the throne of mercy where God's approval is given through faith in Christ's blood. In his patience God waited to deal with sins committed in the past. He waited so that he could display his approval at the present time. This shows that he is a God of justice, a God who approves of people who believe in Jesus. So, do we have anything to brag about? Bragging has been eliminated. On what basis was it eliminated? On the basis of our own efforts? No, indeed! Rather, it is eliminated on the basis of faith. We conclude that a person has God's approval by faith, not by his own efforts. Is God only the God of the Jews? Isn't he also the God of people who are not Jewish? Certainly, he is, since it is the same God who approves circumcised people [Jews] by faith and uncircumcised people [others] through this same faith. Are we abolishing Moses' Teachings by this faith? That's unthinkable! Rather, we are supporting Moses' Teachings. 

  Ephesians [MKJV] 2:8-10 For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them. 

  Titus [MKJV] 2:11-12 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that having denied ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live discreetly, righteously and godly, in this present world, 

   Believers are, in trusting Jesus, saved by grace, kept by grace, and by grace grow in godliness!

  The law could not, can not be kept unto salvation obtained or sustained. Salvation initially and thereafter is by God’s unearned and undeserved favor alone. His salvation cannot be improved by our attempting to keep the law.

  As God’s faithful penman Paul explained to his protégé Timothy that “the law is not made for a righteous one, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners,” (1Tim.1:9) (Please note that though Christians may sin, God never in His Word refers to them as sinners; a classification describing those identified in John 1:18 as “condemned already”) 

  God’s John 1:12 children are saved by His grace, sustained by His grace, and matured by His grace. And should be at peace in His grace.

EBB4

   

 

NOSTALGIA

 

NOSTALGIA

Hebrews [ESV] 12:12-14 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 

and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 

  I’m now past eight and a half decades. Liking reminiscing is part of my daily life. Spend more than two minutes with me and I may delight in telling you a tale from my past, the past sometimes being just yesterday. Hopefully you too will enjoy the narrative, especially if I’m able to present it as a life parable with meaning for you.

  Liking reminiscing is healthy. Loving reminiscing is not, for a Hall of Memories can be a ponderous edifice displacing the throne of Jehovah God Almighty in one’s life.

  An old Cherokee proverb sums up the issue wisely, “Don’t let yesterday use up too much of today.” This especially applicable for silver-haired John 1:12 sons and daughters.

EBB4

A REVEALING QUESTION

 

A REVEALING QUESTION

Proverbs 18:24a A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly:

2Corinthians [CEV] 13:5a Test yourselves and find out if you really are true to your faith.

  I like meeting people. More than that I like edifying people. One method being respectful questions showing genuine interest in getting to know them. A variant of my Dad’s practice is asking “What is important about you that you’d like me to know?”

  One Sunday morning a young woman and boy occupied the pew forward of where I sat. After the service I greeted them and we chatted. Among other information I discovered was the boy was in the 6^th grade. After a few minutes of conversation I asked him the question.

  Without hesitation he replied “I have good friends.” . . . his 4 word answer telling a great deal about himself, especially pertaining to his level of maturity. I responded telling him he had revealed a great deal of good about himself.

  At this point in reading today’s DT you’re asking yourself how you’d answer the question and what it would reveal about yourself, aren’t you?

EBB4

WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?

 

"What is the gospel?"
  The word gospel literally means “good news” and occurs 93 times in the Bible, exclusively in the New Testament. In Greek, it is the word euaggelion, from which we get our English words evangelist, evangel, and evangelical. The gospel is, broadly speaking, the whole of Scripture; more narrowly, the gospel is the good news concerning Christ and the way of salvation.
  The key to understanding the gospel is to know why it’s good news. To do that, we must start with the bad news. The Old Testament Law was given to Israel during the time of Moses (Deuteronomy 5:1). The Law can be thought of as a measuring stick, and sin is anything that falls short of “perfect” according to that standard. The righteous requirement of the Law is so stringent that no human being could possibly follow it perfectly, in letter or in spirit. Despite our “goodness” or “badness” relative to each other, we are all in the same spiritual boat—we have sinned, and the punishment for sin is death, i.e. separation from God, the source of life (Romans 3:23). In order for us to go to heaven, God’s dwelling place and the realm of life and light, sin must be somehow removed or paid for. The Law established the fact that cleansing from sin can only happen through the bloody sacrifice of an innocent life (Hebrews 9:22).
  The gospel involves Jesus’ death on the cross as the sin offering to fulfill the Law’s righteous requirement (Romans 8:3–4; Hebrews 10:5–10). Under the Law, animal sacrifices were offered year after year as a reminder of sin and a symbol of the coming sacrifice of Christ (Hebrews 10:3–4). When Christ offered Himself at Calvary, that symbol became a reality for all who would believe (Hebrews 10:11–18). The work of atonement is finished now, and that’s good news.

The gospel also involves Jesus’ resurrection on the third day. “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (Romans 4:25). The fact that Jesus conquered sin and death (sin’s penalty) is good news, indeed. The fact that He offers to share that victory with us is the greatest news of all (John 14:19).
  The elements of the gospel are clearly stated in 1 Corinthians 15:3–6, a key passage concerning the good news of God: “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living.” Notice, first, that Paul “received” the gospel and then “passed it on”; this is a divine message, not a man-made invention. Second, the gospel is “of first importance.” Everywhere the apostles went, they preached the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. Third, the message of the gospel is accompanied by proofs: Christ died for our sins (proved by His burial), and He rose again the third day (proved by the eyewitnesses). Fourth, all this was done “according to the Scriptures”; the theme of the whole Bible is the salvation of mankind through Christ. The Bible is the gospel.
  “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” (Romans 1:16). The gospel is a bold message, and we are not ashamed of proclaiming it. It is a powerful message, because it is God’s good news. It is a saving message, the only thing that can truly reform the human heart. It is a universal message, for Jews and Gentiles both. And the gospel is received by faith; salvation is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8–9).
  The gospel is the good news that God loves the world enough to give His only Son to die for our sin (John 3:16). The gospel is good news because our salvation and eternal life and home in heaven are guaranteed through Christ (John 14:1–4). “He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3–4).
  The gospel is good news when we understand that we do not (and cannot) earn our salvation; the work of redemption and justification is complete, having been finished on the cross (John 19:30). Jesus is the propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:2). The gospel is the good news that we, who were once enemies of God, have been reconciled by the blood of Christ and adopted into the family of God (Romans 5:10; John 1:12). “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1). The gospel is the good news that “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
  To reject the gospel is to embrace the bad news. Condemnation before God is the result of a lack of faith in the Son of God, God’s only provision for salvation. “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:17–18). God has given a doomed world good news: The Gospel of Jesus Christ!

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