Why Disasters and Catastrophes? 15 minute video by Norbert Link
How do we not grow weary, frustrated and discouraged in our Christian walk? Well, to echo the words of my physical therapist,"Stop overtraining. Stop trying so hard." Not that we should stop doing or stop trying altogether, but that we should lay aside some of the spiritual weight we are attempting to carry around on our own. If frustration and discouragement are overtaking us spiritually, maybe we need to step back and evaluate how much we are trying and striving and becoming frustrated in our own effort, versus humbling and submitting ourselves to letting God work in us. Maybe we need to take some time to reflect on and appreciate the areas where He is giving us victory.
It is God who is the Author and Finisher of our faith. He knows our weaknesses. He knows our faults. He knows the things we need and when we need them, in order to change and grow. If we are submitting to Him, if our hearts and minds are passionate about Him and His way, we can cast our cares on Him and be confident that He will finish the work that He started within us.
How Much Time Is Left? by Eric Rank, Church of the Eternal God
This is it. The final year of the Mayan calendar has begun. Predictions abound that the end of the world is imminent - this year. However, most of those predictions rely on speculative theories, superstition and misapplication of science. We should all know better than to be influenced by such nonsense. The fact remains, as stated in Matthew 24:36 “… of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” Human predictions, no matter how thoroughly researched, will fail.
What we do seem to know is that many of us will be able to see the end of these days coming if we watch closely for the events of prophecy to unfold. And certainly, based on the current events of the times, prophecy is unfolding before our eyes. Yet even with the ability to see and understand how prophecy will be fulfilled, this knowledge only lets us know that the Kingdom of God is near (compare Luke 22:31). Dates and times of events will remain a secret kept by God the Father alone.
Does it make you uneasy to know that dates and times of the end of this age are hidden to us? Does it make you uncomfortable to know that you may be caught off guard by the return of Christ? Is it disconcerting to you that you cannot answer the question, “How much time is left?”
If the answer is "Yes" to any of the questions above, we need to take some time to meditate on whether we have our priorities in order. The time we have left may be short, but we are not to value this physical life we live more than the eternal life waiting for us (John 12:25). If we want to know how much time we have left before Jesus Christ returns to establish the Kingdom of God, we need to ask ourselves why we want to know dates and times in the first place. Are there things we want to experience in this life before that time comes? Do we need this information so we know how much time we have to prepare ourselves? A deadline certainly helps plan, right? Make no mistake, we need to prepare spiritually so that we are fully converted, but this preparation should begin at the moment we commit our lives to God. Once we make that commitment, our hearts should be faithful to drop everything and follow the path of righteousness in front of us. And that is what it takes to be prepared for the coming of God’s Kingdom.
Every day we have the opportunity to practice how to handle the coming of the end of this age. Every day, we make choices between following the paths of Godly righteousness, or something less. When the day of the Lord is upon us, we will be faced with the very same kind of decisions. Choose right, or not. Choosing what is right and good is all we can ever do, both now and in the future. If we consistently choose what is right and are faithful to do it in the future we should be ready at any time, making the amount of time between now and the return of Christ irrelevant.
Take Heed to Yourself, by Don Harris, Think Red Ink
Growing up in a Pentecostal environment pretty much imprinted my brain with ‘holiness’. All of my growing years were doused with weekly Scripture concoctions delineating how good life would be if I were holy – and how bad life would be if I weren’t! Men considered to be spiritual or holy were somber and somewhat unreal to me. Their lives did not appear joyous or even slightly happy. Religion seemed to be about who was right and who was wrong – and everyone I met gave the appearance of knowing exactly who was who!
Alcohol emerged as the principal evil of my youth. The kids were sneaking Dad’s liquor, the adults were frequenting the bars, and beer was sold in cans that required a device (blasphemously called a church key!) to open. Booze was streaming and churches were screaming! Having only freshly joined the century whose rebellion and victory against prohibition was now being supplanted by tea-totaling preachers such as Billy Sunday, alcohol made a pretty deep imprint in my head. (It is a shame that alcohol and not intoxication was made the culprit. Maybe I wouldn’t have thought that marijuana was okay.)
I don’t like the word intoxication. It sounds too much like we have poisoned ourselves. Perhaps this is true, but what is the sin? Isn’t it actually in UNAWARENESS? How ‘bout a dose of red ink?
Luke 21:34, "And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares."
Jesus didn’t mention the intoxicant or its physical consequences. He mentioned the effect on the consumer’s awareness. Food, drugs and alcohol carry us away; and many of us who have grown up in homes like mine, where alcohol was abhorred, might have learned to eat themselves into a stupor every bit as incapacitating as drink ever was! Whether cannabis, alcohol, or a pan full of chocolate brownies, we sacrifice sobriety and awareness when we deaden our heads from indulgences. Minus sobriety we might (Jesus said) experience first hand the dreaded Day of the Lord come upon us – and not even realize what happened!
The twentieth-century afforded us a new (and acceptable) form of stupor. Even the church has come on board with this one. Since the advent of the cathode-ray tube in the early 1900s, we have been perfecting this newest time-sink. A brightly lit screen sits in front of nearly every individual (I use the term individual advisedly). Who knows how many hours are spent in front of televisions, computers, phones and other game devices? Every hour takes us further and further away from the unpleasantness of reality.
What about those who have learned to busy themselves with ‘good’ activities, such as church-going and the social life surrounding it? The very same result will come to those attending a Gospel sing at the weekend as those going to the night spots and gambling casinos. They are escaping the same things—Messiah called them the “cares of this life.”
People resent their parents and don’t know why. Their children won’t call and they are oblivious, debts can’t be paid, and there is still no control over spending. Almost everyone fears death and wonders about their eternal destiny; but, when they look inside themselves, there are no answers. (Won’t it be a shame to find that all of the answers we sought for our entire lives were waiting for years in the quiet corner of our lives?)
Jesus warned us about the end times coming on the earth. He told us there were several things we need to know in order to make sure we are not deceived. He also said there are three things, in particular, that will assure we will miss the signs of the end. Do you know what they are? Here are they are in red ink:
Luke 21:31-36, “So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand ... And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”
Messiah here warns of impending doom that will catch many of us unaware. He gave us this list of things to avoid. HEAR what He is saying and do not let His warnings go unheeded. Avoid the temptation to use food for more than sustenance. As with wine, moderate intake of food has many benefits, but its overuse causes our ears to close, our eyes to dim, and retards our understanding to the point of allowing danger into our life. Food, drink, (surfeiting and drunkenness) and the general busyness of life should all be handled with the same caution and fear.
Next Exit – Meditation. When we get this right – when we are able to see ALL the indulgences of life as embarrassingly as the fat rolls under our shirts – when we learn to be as ashamed of a Rolex just as we would be of bloodshot eyes the day after a visit with John Barleycorn, perhaps we are about to sober up and are on the way to recovery. When we learn that the fruit of ambition is the cares of this world; and the drunkenness of escape is stupid behavior (whether obtained through medication, inebriation, or occupation); and a body over-taxed with the job of digesting two days worth of food every single day are all the same problem in a different wrapper; when we realize that any one of these things can cause the thick and dull state of mind (the same mind with which you struggle to understand the things of YHVH) the baubles will be removed, we will push away from the table, and will think twice before seeking an escape.
In place of these things, we will embrace reality and simplicity. Substance will rise above symbolism and truth will reign over all. Finally, we will learn how to accomplish what the Red Ink emphasizes, ‘Take heed to yourselves’.
Personal Gospel, by Warren Zehrung, Children of God
Who is supposed to preach the Gospel? Is the preaching of the Gospel one of those things that we should not try at home, because it is better left to the experts? We have always heard that the Gospel is to be preached – but whose responsibility is it?
Most of us remember hearing that the Gospel message and warning were going in great power to all the world for a witness. Today there are billions of people who have never heard it. What should we be doing? So many people are not receiving the witness of the Gospel. This world is not being sufficiently warned. Obviously, brethren, we still have our work cut out for us!
“After John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the Gospel.” (Mark 1:14-15)
What did Jesus mean by “believe the Gospel?” We must ask ourselves, “Do I represent the Kingdom of God in my personal life – in my behavior towards others? Do I live according to the rules of the Kingdom of God – even now? Do I help to make the assembly of Christians – the Christian Body – a place where newly called novices can find an environment suitable for spiritual growth? Does my deportment and demeanor encourage others to set the very highest standard of Godly behavior possible? In short, is my life a personal Gospel to all others with whom I come into contact?
Jesus said, “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of heaven is acquired with an utmost struggle on your part; and it is only the most serious and dedicated ones who obtain the Kingdom.” (Matthew 11:12)
Brethren, we are a small group of Christians, working together to promote unity with like-minded Sabbath-keeping individuals in God's True Church around the world. We believe and hope that the sincere preaching, publishing, and living of the Gospel that Jesus taught will help the eventual unification of God’s people – according to His perfect will and timing.
“The Gospel must first be published among all nations.” (Mark 13:10) “This Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” (Matthew 24:14)
Because the True Church of God is a spiritual entity, we are spiritually affiliated with all those who are striving to live their lives according to the doctrines of Christ, including in particular – going on to perfection. (Hebrews 6:1-2).
We count, as our brothers and sisters in Christ, all those who are led by God's Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14). Please understand that God's true Church consists of a very small number of believers in comparison to this world’s vast population. But Jesus said: “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)
We could all use more supplies and resources; but our faith is that God provides according to His will. God well knows our physical requirements and He has promised to supply everything needed to perform His work – if we will seek His righteousness and Kingdom first. Jesus said: “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33)
No one would look to God if we were rich and doing great wonders because it would be expected; but that is not how God is working with us. “God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.” (1 Corinthians 1:27) “It is not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.” (Zechariah 4:6)
But, my brothers and sisters in Christ, we true Christians are spiritually rich. God has blessed us with the priceless knowledge of His way of eternal life; and that we are able to share with you. “Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have, I give to you.” (Acts 3:6)
We are inheritors of the entire universe! Notice what the Holy Scriptures say: “Hearken, my beloved brethren, has not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which He hath promised to them that love Him?” (James 2:5) “The promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” (Acts 2:39)
We preach the soon coming return of Jesus Christ. We preach a warning message to the entire world. We preach that Jesus will set up His Father’s Kingdom. We are a fellowship of True Believers who are endeavoring to grow toward God’s moral excellence. Our beliefs are founded on the principles and doctrines of the first century Church of God. We point people to God – not to any man or organization. We live Christian lives of caring concern and service to one another.
We know that Jesus left us an example when He laid His life down for us. We believe that it is a salvational matter that we learn to likewise lay our lives down for one another. “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loves not his brother abides in death... Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (1 John 3:14,16)
The most important spiritual accomplishment for us in this life is the development of Godly Character. In these precarious last days when so many people are just limping along spiritually, we are zealously striving to live in accordance with God's highest standard.
It is our desire that God’s Spirit guide us in all that we do. God intends that all His people, who share in our true common faith, be really unified in and by His Spirit. Jesus prayed the night before He died that we would all be “one” with Him and the Father (John 17:11, 21-23). The love and esteem that the Children of God demonstrate toward each other extends to all within our spiritual affiliation – the Body of Christ – the Church of God.
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the Children of God: therefore the world knows us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we the Children of God.” (1 John 3:1-2)
Sabbath Rest for a Mom - Using the Preparation Day Wisely
by Darlene Lausted, United Church of God.
Finding delight and rest in the Sabbath is possible, even with little kids!
I'm so thankful that God has blessed us with the Sabbath day (Mark 2:27And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
(Mark 2:27). God wants us to call the Sabbath a delight.
In Isaiah, it’s written, "If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, and shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own words, then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; and I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the Lord has spoken" (Isaiah 58:13-14).
But I'm a mom. It's not like I get a day off from my "job."
How am I supposed to rest and find delight in the Sabbath?
I sure did struggle with that question when I first became a mom.
Scripture calls the day before the Sabbath the “Preparation Day” (Mark 15:42). I have learned over the years just how valuable this day is, especially since becoming a mom. Proper preparation really allows me to maximize my Sabbath rest, knowing everything is taken care of ahead of the Sabbath day.
Here are a few things that I like to do as part of my Sabbath preparation.
Prepare the Bags
That means my bag and my toddler's bag. My bag, of course, is the diaper bag, so I make sure I have diapers and such. Also, my Bible and notebook and snacks. And a few toys for the baby. My two-year old has her own rolling bag she brings along to church. I rotate toys out of that every week and load it up with snacks.
Prepare Breakfast for the Sabbath Day
We have morning church services, so we need to get up and go. On Friday, I prepare cereal in baggies and have our water bottles ready to go.
Prepare Potluck
Our church has a potluck meal after each Sabbath service. I prepare the meal on Friday. Or if it is something I plan to cook in the slow cooker during services, I have all the ingredients laid out and ready to be dumped in the pot Sabbath morning.
Prepare Clothes
I always pick out the clothes that my girls and I are going to wear to church. No decisions have to be made Sabbath morning as we are rushing around.
Prepare the House
A clean house makes for a happy mom (or at least it does for me). On Fridays I make sure to clean the floors, pick up random objects and have the kitchen counters cleaned off. With that taken care of, I can go into the Sabbath evening with no extra mess to clean up, and it helps to come home Saturday afternoon after church to a clean house. It sets the mood for relaxation and focus; no distractions.
Prepare the Kids
We start the Sabbath off with fun family time. Our Friday night tradition is making home made pizza. Everyone helps out with that. We then enjoy a nice evening of eating, talking and studying God’s word. On Sabbath day, after services, we might take a walk around the yard or take a nap (maybe Dad can take the kids so mom can rest?) or read together. We try to make the Sabbath enjoyable, relaxing and focused for all.
Prepare My Mind
Sabbath services can be a challenge with a two-year-old and a six-month-old (as I know any parent can relate to). It can be very difficult for me to stay focused and feel spiritually fed. In order to overcome this, I have found ways to find quiet study time on my own. Sometimes, I get up earlier on Sabbath morning to have quiet alone time, or sometimes I am able to find time on Friday night after the kids go to bed.
All these little steps help me, as a mom, find delight in the Sabbath. How do you use the Preparation Day?
Edge Induced Cohesion : 2011 in Review and 20 most popular posts
Nathan Albright's 3 most popular posts in 2011 were :
#3: Be Careful What You Wish For
In case someone doesn’t know, someone wished me dead 70 times 7, and I wrote about it. This was the first post of the year that was immensely popular, and throughout the year people continued to check up on it. I don’t think anything more needs to be said about that.
#2: Facing The Grim Arithmetic: The Paid Ministry of COGWA
Well, this post has a bit of a “see, I told you so,” angle about it, as COGWA congregations didn’t grow throughout the year and some of them are being shuttered because of a lack of members, with ministers being transferred in an effort to cut costs. I’m not surprised about any of this, because I wrote about it near the beginning of the year. This was the most popular post for most of the year, and ended up #2. The arithmetic is still grim in 2012 – one cannot build a strong house on a foundation of deceit and theft.
#1: The Tragedies Of Amy Winehouse And Jennifer Eliott
After a huge (and very puzzling) surge at the end of the year, my rant against the corruption of Rupert Murdoch and Fox News charged to the #1 spot with over 1200 views. When I originally wrote this post after the death of Amy Winehouse, I had thought it was her death that would draw some interest, but as it happened way more people wanted to find out about Jennifer Elliott and the News of the World scandal, and my impassioned hostility to the political hypocrisy of using corrupt cops to support moralistic politics struck a nerve with a lot of readers. I wish I would have known how popular it would have been, so I could have made my points even in greater detail. But what I have written, I have written.
The Church of God is Not a Franchise, by Dennis Mouland, Big Sandy ChurchWe’re all familiar with food businesses that are franchised. Whether it be McDonald’s, Denny’s or Hawaiian Shaved Ice snow cones, food products have been franchised as a way to expand and maintain levels of product satisfaction.When a small-business owner buys a franchise, he signs a strict contract that requires him to serve only his master’s products and bans them from any modification, addition or subtraction from the line of products approved. Appearance, advertisement, speed of service and exact contents are closely controlled.I know of a Denny’s in Phoenix for which the owner did not maintain the appearance of the facility. He was sternly warned and then his franchise revoked within weeks of his refusal to comply. Within two hours of his removal, the Denny’s HQ had contractors on site doing major repairs. Franchises control everything, and they have little room for any second-rate operations.Recently, a large corporate Church of God offshoot sponsored a 50-year anniversary celebration of the Church of God in a Western city. They wanted you to come, whether you were a member of that group or not. Even those who had completely left the Church of God tradition were welcomed. I applaud their effort in this regard. I was privy to some of the planning e-mails. There was quite a bit of discussion and concern over what the organizers were calling the “disenfranchised members.”The tone and the attitude seemed to imply that those of us not in their group were second-class members at best. I have felt that attitude at almost every occasion to meet someone from that group. I know that the planners in no way wanted to insult outsiders, but the fact that they early on discussed such a group was telling. Some people attended the gathering just for the reconnecting of old social ties. Others went out of curiosity. Some attended just to see who had survived. I did not attend because I felt I had already been separated and identified by them through this and other actions as something other than a full-fledged member of the Church of God.I happen to know of two circumstances during this past Feast of Tabernacles, where ministers of this same large group refused to anoint people, because they were not members of their group. You see, you cannot even consider the possibility of equality of the no-franchise merchandise.At the independent Feast site I attended, I met an elder from that same large church who knew he would be removed from the speaking schedule, if not from the church, because he attended a non-franchised festival site. Were he to dare to speak, publicly, pray or otherwise serve at our second-rate festival site, he would be removed from the ministry: no longer a franchisee.You see, no matter how they try to clothe it, they still consider you and me second-class Christians at best. This is sad but telling that the fear of the so-called government of God on earth (i.e. the ministry) is watching over its franchise. Franchisers generally turn their backs on unapproved products, sometimes even forbidding communication and fellowship.So I got to thinking about the term and attitude embraced by calling us the disenfranchised members. Then it struck me: I am a disenfranchised member and do not ever want to be trapped in one of those franchise churches again. That is, in essence, the problem. The franchise will always fight to protect itself, its image, its ways and especially its resources.The franchised-church members are often under tight contracts with their masters (not with God) as to their priorities, desires to join brethren of other franchises and just how to live. The franchise contract forbids most things and especially the consideration of the perceived outsiders as a real part of the true church. This is sad, but it’s predicted in 3 John 1:9-10 and other places in Scripture.We are surrounded by a barrage of franchised Churches of God, all of them the “only true church,” all of which cannot comprehend the choices we independents made never to be under the tight control of a franchise master. From Oklahoma to Britain to Texas to Ohio, the franchises rule over their contracted slaves, forbidding at times even basic human kindnesses and family values. Shame on every one of you! As you work so hard to protect your part of the pie, you run over the rest of the church. The so-called only true churches have spent as much time sorting the brethren as they have preaching the gospel. As they weigh, rate and calculate the church, they simply prove how anxious they are to merchandise the brethren (2 Peter 2:3).As I close, I think I will go into a Coca Cola store with a Pepsi in my hand. I’ll see how long I last. Purity of the supreme only-true franchise must be maintained. We outsider heathens are second-rate. Please don’t talk about unity until you are willing to quit disobeying the first two Commandments and until you sincerely apologize to the disenfranchised church. We are out here and we are doing quite well without your brand of control or your endorsement. We thank God because He has been so kind to all of us to be part of His church. Thankfully, whether you acknowledge us as full members of the church of the Great God is irrelevant to Him and us.Ingratitude, by Brian Gale, Global Church of GodThis is the time of the year in the Gregorian calendar when many may be contemplating making some New Year’s resolutions. Perhaps some may think about appreciating their family, friends and standard of living more than they have in the past. However, those who have been called to God’s way of life shouldn’t need one of the world’s festivals to remind them about something that should be an ingrained Christian habit.
When we hear about and maybe receive letters from brethren in other countries who don’t enjoy all of the amenities, the standard of living, the freedom that we have and many other things that we may take for granted, does this jolt our conscience and, perhaps, only temporarily, stir us to action?
When we read about ancient Israel, we may find it difficult to understand how ungrateful they were at times, particularly after seeing many heart-stopping miracles and manifestations of God’s great power on their behalf. And yet, if we had to go days without food as happened to them on occasion, wouldn’t most of us be just as complaining?
Ingratitude must be something that we have left behind, or are strenuously working at leaving it behind. Are we grateful for our calling, first and foremost, and for the teaching we are constantly given for the way of life that sets us apart from the world? We should give God thanks for the food we have in such abundance, and the protection and help that HE gives us, but does it stop there?
Let us ALL be more grateful for all the good gifts that God gives us and never take anything for granted. And when we succeed, we may then not be found guilty of the sin of ingratitude, which is so prevalent in our societies today.
An Annual Confidence Trick, by John Jewell, What Next MediaIt’s been threatening everyone for a number of weeks, in fact ever since the school summer holidays ended and the monthly bank statements arrived and now, instead of the cry “what are we going to do this summer?” it becomes “what am I going to get for Christmas” or “what can we get for your mother, uncle, aunt, etc. Are we going to have a tree again this year?
Then comes all the planning! Often encouraged by local councils putting up a large tree in the shopping area and intended to bring in as many as possible with its coloured lights and a local choir singing carols around it. The domestic planning is carried out mainly by wives and mothers, as they are inevitably the ones who carry the burden of providing the Christmas dinner and Christmas tea. They are the ones who hold the Christmas card list, buy the cards and actually post the majority of them. The earlier cries of “I’ll be glad when its all over” or “I wish we didn’t have to keep Christmas!” now change to “that’s it for another 12 months” - then the nervous anticipation of the inevitable bank statement, or credit card account arriving and revealing some unpleasant truths.
Why do so many people in the western world keep Christmas! Gifts become more and more expensive and in the case of the young teenagers more and more electronically complex. In the end the reality is that the ones who benefit most from Christmas are the Chinese manufacturers who make almost all the toys, decorations and gifts. Who else makes all the coloured lights hanging in the shopping precincts? Or packed in boxes in local shops for the domestic tree! The Chinese indeed certainly celebrate Christmas! One British author said of Christmas, that it had become a grotesque orgy of consumption. And nothing has changed.
You know, you don’t have to keep Christmas! Everyone has been conned into believing it’s a Christian holy day, when it is no such thing. And in fact has nothing to do with Jesus Christ in any way whatsoever! It has everything to do with pagan beliefs and practices. On Christmas Day and in the days leading up to it the usual Christmas carols will be sung, often by choirs in town centres, in church services, end of school terms or in a Christmas concert. The carols have catchy melodies and emotional words and are very effective in locking people into the practice of Christmas. But have you ever thought about those words? Most people can remember them and, as the saying goes, at the drop of a hat can render at least the first verse of Good King Wenceslas! How bad the night was when a poor man was out gathering scraps of wood in order to make a fire. Many can recall most of the words of the next two verses, but after that get completely lost.
Wenceslas was the king of Bohemia in the 10th century. He was a Catholic and was assassinated by his brother Boleslaw and supporters. He has been accorded a Saint’s Day and is the Patron Saint of the Czech Republic. St. Stephen, mentioned in the first verse, is recognized by his feast day which is the 26th of December and so the song is sung as a Christmas carol. However, there are various reasons given for 25th December being chosen as Christmas Day. It certainly is not the day that Jesus Christ was born. It would appear that the decision to celebrate Christ’s birthday on 25th December was made by Constantine, the Roman Emperor together with the Council of Nicea in 325 AD and declared to be on the same day the Persian Sun god Mithras was born.
However the choice of 25th December would seem to go back to an event which took place 300 years before the birth of Christ. This was the consecration of the ancient world’s largest sun god statue, the Colossus of Rhodes. This stood 100 feet high and weighed roughly 200 tons. The date was chosen because the winter solstice occurred at about sunrise on 25th December.
'Christmas' in the 1st Century, by James McBride,
Churches of God Outreach Ministries
Innovations—in science, politics, sociology, religion—have their small beginnings. A thought, for example, bears fruit in the finished product. A burning match becomes a raging inferno. Take, for example, the observance of Christmas, which is assumed to originate in the fourth century of our era—but which in fact has its roots in New Testament times.
The birth of Jesus wasn’t specifically celebrated by the early Christians, but was noted as part of their observance of the Festival of Tabernacles. But the celebration was a far cry from what passes today for the celebration of the birth of our Saviour! For many believers, of course, December 25 is holy time and observed with due reverence. But Christmas has become an almost universal celebration, observed by individuals of non-Christian faiths—and even by avowed atheists and humanists! For them it is often a time to worship at the altar of the god of consumerism.
The ‘spirit of Christmas present’ has donned the trappings of ‘Christmas past’—the age-old Saturnalia. The latter was celebrated with hedonist excess and is reflected today in so many Christmas celebrations—in the office and in family gatherings .... and Past .... The apostle Peter addresses scattered Christians in that Rome-dominated world: ‘You have already lived long enough [ie, before becoming Christian] like people who don't know God. You were immoral and followed your evil desires. You went around drinking and partying and carrying on. In fact, you even worshiped disgusting idols’ (I Peter 4:3 CEV).
And isn’t the covetousness of our gross consumerism a form of idol worship (Colossians 3:5)? Peter’s message could almost be this year’s post-Christmas newspaper report! Idolatry is a ‘work of the flesh’ (Galatians 5:19-21). The apostle continues, however: ‘Now your former friends wonder why you have stopped running around with them, and they curse you for it. But they will have to answer to God, who judges the living and the dead ‘ (vv.4-5).
Those who had turned to Christ, in other words, had abandoned such festivities, and encountered derision and hostility from family and friends.
Later in the century the apostle John amplifies that ‘disgusting idols’ comment. Some churches were tolerating such behaviour as outlined by Peter, even inappropriate sexual shenanigans (Revelation 2-3). Idolatry isn’t just erecting some form of idol such as a totem pole, a carved or graven image, a statue. It was accompanied by a form of worship peculiar to the god it represented.
A major factor was over-indulgent feasting—often leading to licentiousness, and at specific times of the year. The Roman Saturnalia, for example, in the week ending December 25. Jesus corrects the church in Pergamos for accepting this ‘doctrine of Baalam’, who encouraged Israel to join this idolatrous feasting (Numbers 25). Fornication’ (Gk pornos) was, as with ancient Israel, at that time integral to much heathen worship.
We gather from Peter’s observations that those first Christians inhabited a world not unlike our own. They were enveloped by a culture that despised the ‘faith once for all delivered to the saints’ (Jude v.3), a culture which reviled them for their chaste behaviour, their loyalty to the true faith handed down by Jesus through the apostles, their rejection of idolatrous practices.
Every Bible believer should stand strong on that foundation teaching. Friends and family may be puzzled—or outright angry—at your submission to the Scriptures. In an age when most of us live lives free from serious persecution for our faith, that’s surely a small price to pay.
Should we preach? publish?, or proclaim the Gospel - Yes? No? Maybe?
by Samuel Martin, Century One Foundation
In reviewing Michael Pearl's book, To Train Up a Child, I opened up the front cover and saw a little box which says: "All Scripture quotations are from the King James Holy Bible." So, I went to page 35 and found Mr. Pearl's references to 'prove' his arguments in favor of spanking children. The texts he quoted were very familiar to me and to many of us. They are commonly known as the 'rod' verses: Proverbs 13:24, 19:18, 22:15, 23:13-14, 29:15, 29:17.
So there it was - Case Closed. The Bible advocates spanking children. End of story. Well, not quite so fast. I got to thinking about this whole issue once again and thought about this book and its assertions. Here is a well intentioned Christian brother, living thousands of miles away from the region where the Bible was written, using a 400 year old Bible version, attempting to bring information which in some cases is over 3,000 years old into our modern day.
When I look on the front cover of the book, I saw the following page and you can review it at the following link.
http://www.newreleasetuesday.com/bookdetail.php?book_id=851
The front cover of the book shows a family riding in a horse drawn cart, with a father at the reins, with a wife at his side, carrying a babe in arms, with four other children in the wagon. When I thought about this book and its teachings, I thought this cover was really appropriate because the information that you find in this book represents a type of a theological perspective which reflects a time about 400 years ago when people moved around by horse and buggy.
The good news is, theologically speaking, we no longer move around with horses and buggies. Today, we have airplanes that take us around the world to libraries where we can study thousands of Bible manuscripts; where online resources are the fingertips that even the non-expert can reach into the treasure troves of Bible scholarship and study at the feet of modern day Gamliels.
The bad news though is that many dear people like Michael Pearl, God bless him, continue to drive around the same old tired arguments, which are based on a Bible translation, which was a monument to great scholarship in 1611, but today, it represents one of the biggest obstacles to understanding God's messages to mankind, especially concerning what the Bible means in the book of Proverbs.
And here is where we come to the title of my blog post :
Should we preach? publish?, or proclaim the Gospel - Yes? No? Maybe?
I remember once my father telling of an experience he had when he first got into researching the Bible and in fact it relates to this issue we are here discussing. It concerned the issue of preaching, publishing and proclaiming the Gospel of Christ to the world.
My father [Ernest L. Martin] was a minister as well as a college professor. The church that he was a member of was led by a very charismatic leader. The Bible of choice in that particular denomination was the King James Version of the Bible.
The Church had a wide ranging ministry with numerous methods of outreach. They had a 'preaching' ministry and a 'publishing' ministry. Yes, the Church used all different types of outreach methods to get the Gospel message out to the world including radio and televsion.
The head of the Church not only insisted, however, in the 'preaching' ministry, but he made a big deal about the need for the Church to also engage in a 'publishing' ministry. This meant a top quality, slick four color magazine, books, booklets, pamphlets, newsletters, etc. Now, these methodologies were used to 'proclaim' the Gospel. Anything wrong with that? No, not at all.
However, when Dad began to just do a bit of study in the New Testament, he learned that the Greek word keerusso is translated in the King James Version by several different English words: preach, proclaim, publish.
So when we read in Mark 13:10 in the King James Version saying: "And the gospel must first be published among all nations," we can compare this to another section in the Gospel of Matthew which describes the same event and time period. It is found in Matthew 24:14 saying: "And this gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations."
So, Dad quickly found out that the words "published" and "preached" in these two verses are from the exact same word in the Greek language, which is the original one for the New Testament. Therefore, to say that one must have a "preaching" and a "publishing" ministry on the basis of these verses is really not justified in Scripture at all. Of course, that message is not one that Church leaders want to hear. This is because they often gain great power and influence through their "preaching" and "publishing" ministries.
There is of course nothing wrong with preaching, publishing or proclaiming the Gospel. On the contrary. What is wrong, however, is misusing the Holy Scriptures to attempt to prove that a particular Church or religious leader must engage in preaching and publishing, and that Church members should pay to see that these things take place. Preaching and publishing ministries are fine and excellent things in and of themselves, but one should not use these passages as justification for demanding that Church members pay the bills for these ministerial elements based upon a wrong understanding of Scripture.
But here we get to the crux of the matter. If these well intentioned ministers of the Gospel will use the modern tools that we have available, instead of continuing to drive our Christian brethren around in the theological equivalents of horses and buggies, we might be able to avoid some of these nonsensical teachings promoted by many well intentioned but misguided religious leaders. Look at the ESV, which makes this whole issue clear.
And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. (Mark 13:10 ESV)
And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations. (Matthew 24:14 ESV)
So, the answer to my question is. Yes! We should proclaim the Gospel.
But, this all helps to contextualize something which I have dealt with in much greater detail in my book and that concerns the interpretation of those six verses that Michael Pearl uses to open and close his arguments on spanking children.
The question we have to ask Mr. Pearl and many other dear brethren in Christ is this: Should we spank? chasten? hit? switch? strike? our children in the way you tell us? Yes? No? Maybe?
Michael Pearl and many others say "Yes."
After reading my book, Thy Rod and Thy Staff, They Comfort Me, I think you'll agree that the answer to this question is a resounding: No!
In God We Trust, by Leon Sexton, Legacy Institute
This has been the official national motto of the United States since signed into law by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1956, but the words “In God We Trust” have appeared on U.S. coins since 1864. It was during the dark hours of the War Between the States that Treasury Secretary Salmon P. Chase pushed to adopt the motto and place it on U.S. money. He wrote to the Director of the Philadelphia Mint in an 1861 letter, “No nation can be strong except in the strength of God, or safe except in His defense. The trust of our people in God should be declared on our national coins."
Today there is a powerful effort to get this motto—which acknowledges the country’s dependence upon the God of our fathers—removed from all our money. In fact, the movement is to remove this motto and any other acknowledgment of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, completely from all aspects of our government and the American way of life. It is a great evil and will add even more fuel to the flames of destruction that are engulfing America.
God has always been an important part of the American way of life. President Ronald Reagan once said, “If we forget that we are one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.” His words are proving prophetic. God has always been the most important thread woven into the fabric of every part of our American way of life. But America is going under because of a concerted effort to erase God’s name from our national lives. America is in serious trouble. America is on the decline and deeply in debt—not to their friends, but to their enemies. When we need God the most is when evil men are working overtime to get God out of our way of life.
Recently the words “In God We Trust” had to be reaffirmed as our national motto by an act of Congress. Why reaffirmed? Because this national motto is under attack! An article from the Christian Science Monitor explains:
The House on Tuesday passed a non-binding resolution reaffirming “In God We Trust” as the national motto .... The measure sponsored by Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va., supports and encourages the motto's display in all public schools and government buildings.
Congressman Forbes went on to give the reason he sponsored the resolution: Forbes said the resolution was needed because President Obama had once called "E pluribus unum" the national motto, and the Latin phrase, meaning "from many one", was engraved in the new Capitol Visitors Center until Congress ordered that it be corrected. The Latin phrase E pluribus unum, meaning “Out of many, one," appears on the Great Seal of the United States, but was never officially chosen as the National Motto. Only the motto “In God We Trust” was made the motto of the United States of America by enactment as law.
President Obama felt it was a waste of time to reaffirm the national motto, saying the passage of bills he introduced was more important for the country. But there is NOTHING more important than continuing to acknowledge God as the source of our blessings and protection—ABSOLUTLY NOTHING!
Ignoring the Big Bad Wolf? by Jeff Patton, The World Tomorrow
Do you remember that it was the financial crisis of the 1930s that led to the rise of the Nazis in Germany, the fascists in Spain and Italy, the militarists in Japan, and the isolationists and appeasers in the United States, the United Kingdom, and France? The final outcome of all that economic volatility and bad or inadequate political leadership in the 1930s was the Second World War.
Craig Alexander, who is Senior Vice President & Chief Economist of the TD Bank Group (one of the major Canadian banks), sent out an unusually sober briefing on November 21, 2011, to the bank’s investing clientele, observing:
“The European debt crisis is like the Energizer bunny. It keeps going, and going, and going. Financial markets remain gripped by events in Europe; and, this is entirely appropriate. If Europe loses control of the situation, the resulting government debt defaults could lead to European bank failures that could, in turn, create a global financial crisis akin – if not worse– to that in late 2008.”
There have been several recent key developments. First, major European banks now face the very real possibility of failing in the near future. As Porter Stansberry wrote in the S&A Digest last Friday:
“Most of Europe’s major banks are insolvent. But only in the last week have they lost most of their access to additional funding. Their key source of funding has been U.S. money-market funds. But these funds are bailing out of Europe as quickly as they can. The result is a run on Europe’s banks. This crisis is now past the point where the authorities can hope to control the situation. We are now days (not weeks or months) away from the first major bank failures.”
The United State’s renowned investment Oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffet, while traveling in Japan on November 21, commented about the Euro zone crisis stating:
“The system as presently designed has revealed a major flaw. And that flaw won’t be corrected just by words. Europe will either have to come closer together, or there will have to be some other rearrangement, because this system is not working.”
The bottom line for Mr. Buffet is that the survival of the European Union (EU) itself is “in doubt now.” Buffet is following the European situation closely, because he has more the U.S.$2 billion invested in Munich Re, a German re-insurance company.
Even that old staid Swiss bank, Credit Suisse — where I once had a bank account during my 1970s student days in Switzerland — believes that the Euro sovereign debt crisis is now so bad that it will require a dramatic, massive intervention by the European Central Bank to cover the losses:
“We seem to have entered the last days of the Euro as we currently know it. That doesn’t make a break-up very likely, but it does mean some extraordinary things will almost certainly need to happen – probably by mid-January – to prevent the progressive closure of all the Euro zone sovereign bond markets, potentially accompanied by escalating runs on even the strongest banks.”
Something dramatic is going to happen — soon — that is going to reshuffle the world’s geo-political-financial deck of cards in order to save Europe’s house of cards. Some astute financial commentators are expecting that we will see the most massive government intervention in history to the tune of trillions in order to adequately monetize the bad European debt. This is going to mean big time inflation.
As Mr. Alexander wrote in his investment news update:
“The recent developments leave the end game for Europe still unclear. A default by Greece is inevitable, but that is old news now. The worry last month was about contagion, and the risks on this front have clearly intensified. European leadership still appears to be lacking. Despite announcements of new plans to address the crisis in mid-July and late-October, implementation of those policies has not occurred. Progress needs to be made urgently …. It seems the final outcome in Europe will be some form of a fiscal union and the launch of Eurobonds — but this will not happen soon. If the political system cannot deliver this end game and conditions start to spiral out of control, the ECB will step in and act as lender of last resort. This would arrest the financial crisis, but also create a new set of economic and financial problems. We’ve gone from a world of banks too big to fail, to a world of countries too big to fail. The implication is that three of the top financial themes will be volatility, volatility, and more volatility.”
A series of soon-coming events are going to affect your life and my life — and not for the good! Just think. Over the last few weeks the German Chancellor and the French President forced the democratically elected prime ministers of Greece and Italy to step down and to be replaced with unelected European Union bureaucrats, whose self-interest and obligations for their position rest with the EU rather than the people they are now governing.
There’s a lot I could say about how what is presently going on in this world is leading to a dramatic fulfillment of biblical prophecy. How Germany is using and will continue to use its pre-eminent financial position to achieve what it could not gain in Europe by force of arms both 72 and 97 years ago. Wealth is power in 2011. Watch out!
The spiritual bottom line to our current financial crisis, really, is that neither the 99.9% of this world’s elite nor the average person in the street really believes in using the teachings and instructions written in Bible as a basis for organizing our financial and social systems. Why? Because they don’t really believe that the God of the Judeo-Christian scriptures actually exists or that He has the authority to instruct us on what should be done. So, we ignore the cornerstones of the biblical economic system with its periodic secured and unsecured debt forgiveness and mortgage write-downs, real property asset re-allocations (see Deuteronomy 15:1-11 and Leviticus 25:9-18), as well as the responsibility to establish sound money based on a combined gold/silver standard (Ezekiel 45:10-12).
These elements of the divine economy would have prevented the perfect financial storm fueled by debt, fiat paper money, greed, and fraud that is soon to hit this world. We have ignored God at our peril and will pay the consequences. Nevertheless, our merciful God is not out of the picture and He does have a plan to pick up the pieces after humanity will have proven itself incapable of organizing a financial and political system that is just, equitable, fair, and just plain works without regularly throwing the entire world into a state of economic volatility with its recessions/depressions and sometimes war. As the prophet said so long ago:
“Remember this, you sinners; consider what I have done. Remember what happened long ago; acknowledge that I alone am God and that there is no one else like me. From the beginning I predicted the outcome; long ago I foretold what would happen. I said that my plans would never fail, that I would do everything I intended to do” (Isaiah 46:8-10 Good News Translation).
This is better news than anything you will hear, see, or read about over the next few years.
The Beat Goes On, by Dixon Cartwright, The Journal
I don’t recall any warning signs, except I seemed especially tired in the days just before I experienced what I’ve learned that medical people like to call a myocardial infarction. Now I know what a heart attack feels like.
So what conclusions should I draw from my recent experience? One is that a life can change in the twinkling of an eye. Another is that it’s nice to have family and friends. Thank you, family and friends, for the well-wishing E-mails, cards, letters, visits and phone calls and the prayers.
A related conclusion, subjective, is that it wasn’t my time to die. But if I’m privileged to reside several more years on the planet, what are the implications for me? Are there things I need to do I haven’t done? Do I need to shift to another gear, either higher or lower?
The Journal, an independent Church of God newspaper, has been my pride and joy in many ways for nearly 15 years, since February 1997. Some of my reasons for publishing The Journal are the same as they were back then. Some are different.
The similarities and differences in my reasoning in 1997 compared with 2011 have been on my mind since I left the hospital a few weeks ago.
Some 1997 vs. 2011 similarities:
I think it’s helpful for members of the Churches of God to have access to a medium that lets them read about each other because, thanks to our beliefs and traditions, many COG publications will typically say nothing about the people in other groups—unless it’s to criticize them or even mark somebody as a heretic. I don’t mean to be critical here. I know people, our churches’ leaders included, are doing what they believe God wants them to do, even when it can be unpleasant to sit on the receiving end of some of their more colorful pronouncements.
I think the Churches of God (and everybody) should have access to a free press: freedom of speech, freedom of expression.
I believe in peer review, and I think a free press, including The Journal, can help with the ideal of inviting one’s peers to examine one’s doctrinal ideas. Otherwise we end up with a bunch of what a friend refers to as farmer theologians out there. They have creative thoughts and genuinely spiritual impulses but little access to the course corrections that would come if they shared their conclusions in interactive discussions rather than dogmatic pronouncements.
Some 1997 vs. 2011 differences:
I no longer think efforts such as publications and radio and TV broadcasts are as important as I once thought. That doesn’t mean I don’t think The Journal is helpful and that God hasn’t blessed its production. I just mean that no one is remotely in danger of losing his salvation based on whether anyone publishes anything or not. In other words, I think our calling, our favorable status in God’s sight, is much more durable than I believed it was in 1997. I believe God is not nearly as picky as we are about religion.
I have a different view of the significance and importance of doctrine compared with my view in 1997. I think doctrine is overrated. As I’ve written here a few times, I’ve noticed the obvious divisions among churches and the brethren that doctrine causes.
A small example: The more detailed, and longer, a group’s statement of beliefs, the more exclusivist that group, by definition, is. The more we spell out and insist on imposing our doctrines, the more people we exclude from our fellowship. Yet, in my opinion, God does not exclude those people from His fellowship. God accepts them whether we accept them or not.
A sane way to handle the question of doctrine is to let people work out their own salvation, which is a time-honored biblical principle. Yes, there are trunk-of-the-tree doctrines, but they’re fewer than I once believed. What are they? I’d say they are implied in the Two Great Commandments of Matthew 22 and the Golden Rule (Leviticus 19; Matthew 7; Luke 6). Christians can draw inferences from those three great overlapping principles, and their handling of those inferences should remain between them and God.
Am I saying anything different from what most of us already believe? Maybe. The Churches of God—and other expressions of conservative, fundamentalist Christianity—are overwhelmingly exclusivist. Such exclusivism—the belief and teaching that I am right and everybody else is suspect—is easy to notice when we’re talking about the Church of God wars and the internecine battles of other conservative Christians.
But is there a remedy for the sad state of affairs in fundamentalist religion as a whole, including conservative Christianity? I think the problem boils down to preachers, traditions, mighty edifices and vain babblings usurping God’s prerogative to value the content of people’s hearts. That godly principle lies at the heart of worthy scriptures like Philippines 2:12: “Work out your own salvation.”
I’m not as fond of the “fear and trembling” part of the verse, because I don’t believe God is a tyrant. Maybe “fear and trembling” is a mistranslation or was inserted by a well-meaning monk laboring under a hard deadline in the Dark Ages. People’s intents of the heart are what matters to God. This is not a polemic for grace and against law. God’s grace—His love—makes little sense without the existence of eternal right.
Beyond the Two Great Commandments and the Golden Rule, we draw inferences based on our understanding and sense of the eternal. We work out our salvation. In doing so, we acknowledge the folly of judgmentalism, and we grant everybody else the freedom and responsibility God graciously grants us.
What could change our hearts to enable some of these ideals to gain acceptance? It would probably take another Reformation, at least one within COG Christianity.
An Age of Discovery, by Samuel Martin, Century One FoundationIn 1966 a professor named W.E. Filmer published a paper stating his belief that Jesus was born in 3 or 2 BC and that Herod died in 1 BC, which is a very different date than most scholars today accept. Most scholars believe King Herod died in 4BC. The ancient Jewish historian Josephus is crucial in this debate. In Filmer’s paper, he noted that an 18th century monk had seen editions of Josephus which pointed to the possibility that a different year was referenced than appears in most printed editions of Josephus today.David Beyer, a layman with an interest in ancient history, took it upon himself to travel to the British Museum and the Library of Congress and physically check 46 separate editions of Josephus. To make a long story short, his research proved that 18th century monk correct! There was a scribal error identified to have happened in 1544. All editions of Josephus published before 1544 had the number correct. This one error has thrown off the understanding of this dark decade of history, but now many scholars agree with Mr. Beyer, including the late Professor Jack Finegan, the recognized authority on Biblical Chronology and the author the “Handbook of Biblical Chronology.”The efforts of this one lay person revolutionized the study of this important time period when Jesus was born. Mr. Beyer only published his research officially in 1995, so this is all very new, however, the point is, this was unknown a few short years ago, yet we now have more facts to help understand the Gospel narratives about the Nativity of Jesus Christ.We are now in a period of time which in some ways resembles the time when St. Paul lived. During that time, new mechanisms were created to disseminate information that was before that time not in existence.For example, it has been noted in the important book, “The Birth of the Codex” by Skeat and Roberts, that the modern form of book that we have today, with leaves attached to a spine positioned between two covers, was created in the last part of the First Century. Scholars are now realizing that this development came from the Christian community. In fact, we can point to St. Paul as the inventor of the book form that we have today (for more information on this, please be in touch with me).This allowed for a revolution in knowledge and organization of information at that time. You no longer needed to carry around cumbersome and expensive scrolls made of animal skins or of papyrus to have your books. You could now have them organized in a single volume and in a specific order.This was a revolution in knowledge which gave access to information to so many including the common person on the street. This is happening again today due to one development - the Internet. The Internet is the modern equivalent as an invention of what the codex form of book was in ancient times. As was the case in ancient times, the playing field was levelled. Now information of a religious nature could be secured by so many more people. Men and women could access it. It was no longer restricted to priests who could enter Temples. Now women had access just like men.This was, of course, started by Jesus himself. Joachim Jeremias, speaking about Jesus and his custom of allowing women to follow Him, said it was “an unprecedented happening in the history of that time” and the consequence was that one of them, Mary Magdalene, not Peter, was the first to witness Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.” (John Stambaugh & David Balch, The New Testament in its Social Environment” p.104)This was a change at that time and it is a change again today. Now the playing field of scholarship and information is open to all without restriction and information is flowing like never before. Don’t think we have reached the plateau. Far from it! This is especially the case for theological knowledge. The changes taking place are dramatic and far reaching. It is really an exciting time to be alive if one is interested in theology. I can even say that some of the whispers that I hear today in the halls of academia here in Jerusalem will in some cases not come out officially for the next 3-5 years and some of these discoveries are really amazing. Stay tuned!Let us note that almost on a daily basis here in Israel archaeological discoveries are being made, but while physical discoveries are being made in the field with spades, tractors and digging implements, new discoveries are also being made in libraries on university campuses and other places around this world. Thankfully, some forward thinking presses are embracing this new trend in knowledge and taking risks to see the cause of learning advanced by allowing scholars (like Bailey among thousands of others) to share their new ideas with us.Thank God that this is happening because truth will be advanced because of this. And what is this new truth going to show? It is going to show that that good old Book, known as the Holy Bible was, is and always will be God’s Holy Word to mankind: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”x