Defend Others as Yourself

In the beginning, what?

2008-12-14T01:35:00.004-08:00

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth". Every English Bible I have seen starts with this or its equivalent. When modern readers see this they immediately think of planet earth, because that is the contemporary meaning of 'earth', but the concept of planets did not influence the use of English until after the King James version was written.

Today we are blessed with public well documented Hebrew versions of the original Genesis account which were available only to very few when the King James Bible was translated from an intermediate Latin version, so today any lay person can attempt to determine for themselves what God actually meant, with free Internet resources like a Strong's Hebrew and Greek Concordance integrated with scriptures.

Some might wonder if it is proper for a lay person to question how a Bible was translated. All such doubts are answered by Jesus own command to His apostles that they should not let themselves be called master, father, or teacher because they are all brothers and will continue to have the presence of God Himself to be their Master, Father, and Teacher. He promised that to all believers who trust completely in the resurrected Messiah and what God had written about Him, God Himself would live in their hearts and prompt them what to do, study, teach, and share (Matthew 23). His promise is true even today in my own life, which is why I am here.

Paul put it another way as a command:

But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil. 1st Thessalonians 5:21-22, NASB

So what does God mean when we read "earth"? In most cases of "earth" in any Bible we can usually assume it is a translation of the Hebrew erets(h), which means the land or country where men might pass through or inhabit, much the same as the archaic English meaning of 'earth' contemporary with King James.

The Definer of all human understanding takes care to make this clear in Genesis 1:9-10, which in modern English might be ...

Then God said, "Let the waters below the heavens be gathered into one place, and let the dry (land) appear"; and it was so. God called the dry erets(h) 'the land', and the gathering of the waters He called seas; and God saw that it was good.
Gen 1:9-10, from NASB

So I am advocating that the first verse of Genesis might be better translated as: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the land" (from NASB). Since the "heavens and the land" is a Hebrew term for the entire known universe this changes nothing about Genesis 1:1 but it properly sets up our understanding later for God's creation user's manual when erets(h) is read as land.

But still within Genesis 1:1 there is yet another problem with every English Bible version of Genesis 1:1 I have seen, including the King James.

Modern Bible translations most always have a deliberate purpose of providing a Bible in contemporary English.

Public Bribery

2008-12-11T07:54:00.002-08:00

Please take notice:

The first purpose of all American government is given in the Declaration of Independence: to secure the life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness of our individual people.
The Declaration remains our only legitimate reason to form all American government, it is still the authority by which we make all Federal laws because every US law is signed by the number of years since 1776 the year of our Independence.
Any act which reduces the future power of Americans to secure their personal life, liberty or pursuit of happiness is against the first purpose of all American government, against the liberty and justice for all which we say we give our allegiance to.
The National Debt is now over 10,000,000,000,000 or 10,000,000 times 1,000,000 dollars.
1,000,000 dollars is approximately what most taxpayers hope to take home over a lifetime. Since what goes to taxes is a very large part of what we earn.
Taxes are supposed to be spent to secure life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness of our people.
Voting is an official act of government which voters themselves perform.
Unearned money or power to individuals for an official act is bribery.
If that unearned bribe is taken from public taxes or provided by an official act, it is stealing.
Public taxes come from today's and future taxpayers.
Future taxpayers have no voice in how it is spent.

Justice for All? Pray for Mercy

2008-10-26T20:56:00.003-07:00

7 My mouth speaks what is true,
for my lips detest wickedness.

8 All the words of my mouth are just;
none of them is crooked or perverse.

9 To the discerning all of them are right;
they are faultless to those who have knowledge.

13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil;

I hate pride and arrogance,
evil behavior and perverse speech.

15 By me kings reign and rulers make laws that are just;

17 I love those who love me,
and those who seek me find me.

22 "The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, ^[b] , ^[c]
before his deeds of old;

23 I was appointed ^[d] from eternity,
from the beginning, before the world began.

24 When there were no oceans, I was given birth,
when there were no springs abounding with water;

25 before the mountains were settled in place,
before the hills, I was given birth,

26 before he made the earth or its fields
or any of the dust of the world.

27 I was there when he set the heavens in place,
when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,

28 when he established the clouds above
and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,

29 when he gave the sea its boundary
so the waters would not overstep his command,
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.

30 Then I was the craftsman at his side.
I was filled with delight day after day,
rejoicing always in his presence,

31 rejoicing in his whole world
and delighting in mankind.

32 "Now then, my sons, listen to me;
blessed are those who keep my ways.

33 Listen to my instruction and be wise;
do not ignore it.

34 Blessed is the man who listens to me,
watching daily at my doors,
waiting at my doorway.

35 For whoever finds me finds life
and receives favor from the LORD.

36 But whoever fails to find me harms himself;
all who hate me love death."

JUSTICE FOR ALL AT RISK

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America,
and to the republic for which it stands; one nation, under God,
with liberty and justice for all."

Today there seems to be a rising tide of voters and politicians favoring special privileges for themselves and for political power, at the expense of justice for all Americans. This is despite what virtually all of us have pledged to provide other Americans "under God". Because of that willingness to oppress other Americans, we all need to pray for Mercy toward those who may face greater oppression, and for those who choose to join in oppression of their neighbors.

The Fifth Amendment* to the United States Constitution says: no person shall "be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law". That usually means a hearing or trial before an impartial judge, with the right of the accused to know the charges, to be present, to be represented, and to cross examine witness.
* http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Am5

Especially dear to the heart of God is the issue of abortions, but first I must say we cannot begin to imagine the Compassion, the Healing God has for anyone who has been involved with an abortion, regardless of how they might be involved. Come earnestly to Jesus and repent of what you have done, you will discover His compassion is very Great and the healing very Real indeed ! More about how I know God's feeling later. [for counselling with the incredible burden of abortions, look at www.FocusOnTheFamily.com]

ROE v WADE and INJUSTICE

Our current laws about "choice" have no protection as "persons" for unborn babies, even after they become fully viable during the second trimester, with faces, fingers, and toes easily seen in scanner pictures . This is entirely the responsibility of the Federal Legislature because "All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives."*
* Article I, Section 1. http://usconstitution.net/const.html#Article1

How then would I revise the effect of the Roe v Wade decision? Provide justice for the child, meaning an impartial medical supervision which receives the same compensation regardless of what becomes of the unborn child. As Roe v Wade now works, the supervising doctors are paid only for the death half of the mother's choices when the child dies, which is only half the choices Roe v Wade was about and INJUSTICE at its worst. That impartial supervision should also review whether the mother receives acceptable quality care. Roe v Wade was demanded partly to ensure there was no need for unsupervised amateur abortions, which pose considerable threat to the mother. The shame and irony of Roe v Wade as implemented is that it tends to shield the doctors from impartial medical review that virtually all other doctors undergo to keep their license to practice. Besides Roe v Wade only providing half the choices a mother should have, she often has no way to be sure the doctor is choosing a good procedure for her own life and fertility.

Partial birth abortion was legal until recently. There are legislators now running for higher office who voted to continue the practice despite the following advice about it published by the American Medical Association in 1997, when a ban was passed by both houses of the legislature but vetoed. The AMA refers to the same procedure with the term "intact dilation and extraction" and below recommends several related steps which have not yet been implemented in the eleven years since then. The AMA said as follows:

(1)Intact D&E refers "to a specific procedure comprised of the following elements: deliberate dilatation of the cervix, usually over a sequence of days; instrumental or manual conversion of the fetus to a footling breech (usually considered a high risk situation for the mother); breech extraction of the body excepting the head; and partial evacuation of the intracranial (rear of the head) contents of the fetus to effect vaginal delivery of a dead but otherwise intact fetus. This procedure is distinct from dilatation and evacuation (D&E) procedures more commonly used to induce abortion after the first trimester."
(2)According to the scientific literature, there does not appear to be any identified situation in which intact D&X is the only appropriate procedure to induce abortion, and ethical concerns have been raised about intact D&X. The AMA recommends that the procedure not be used unless alternative procedures pose materially greater risk to the woman. The physician must, however, retain the discretion to make that judgment, acting within standards of good medical practice and in the best interest of the patient.
(3) The viability of the fetus and the time when viability is achieved may vary with each pregnancy. In the second-trimester when viability may be in question, it is the physician who should determine the viability of a specific fetus, using the latest available diagnostic technology.
(4) In recognition of the constitutional principles regarding the right to an abortion articulated by the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade, and in keeping with the science and values of medicine, the AMA recommends that abortions not be performed in the third trimester except in cases of serious fetal anomalies incompatible with life. Although third-trimester abortions can be performed to preserve the life or health of the mother, they are, in fact, generally not necessary for those purposes. Except in extraordinary circumstances, maternal health factors which demand termination of the pregnancy can be accommodated without sacrifice of the fetus, and the near certainty of the independent viability of the fetus argues for ending the pregnancy by appropriate delivery.
(5) The AMA urges the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as state health department officials to develop expanded, ongoing data surveillance systems of induced abortion. This would include but not be limited to: a more detailed breakdown of the prevalence of abortion by gestational age as well as the type of procedure used to induce abortion at each gestational age, and maternal and fetal indications for the procedure. Abortion-related maternal morbidity and mortality statistics should include reports on the type and severity of both short- and long-term complications, type of procedure, gestational age, maternal age, and type of facility. Data collection procedures should ensure the anonymity of the physician, the facility, and the patient.
(6) The AMA will work with appropriate medical specialty societies, government agencies, private foundations, and other interested groups to educate the public regarding pregnancy prevention strategies, with special attention to at-risk populations, which would minimize or preclude the need for abortions. The demand for abortions, with the exception of those indicated by serious fetal anomalies or conditions which threaten the life or health of the pregnant woman, represent failures in the social environment, education, and contraceptive methods.

[Google for "partial birth site:www.ama-assn.org". This is an MS Word document on that page. http://www.ama-assn.org/ama1/pub/upload/mm/471/523a06.doc ]

When you vote or discuss how one should vote, or what to ask your representatives to do, remember many officials now running for high office voted to continue intact D&X (partial birth abortion) "to protect Roe v Wade".

Why is this an issue of top priority? This country was founded to secure the equal unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness of all men and women here. It was less than successful for many until after the Civil War but regardless of that, we as voters and officials have all pledged allegiance to "justice for all". Why should we trust any official who openly votes for such injustice toward in some cases what can scientifically and practically only be a viable human baby? If they do such things openly, what might they do in secret? If they so easily dismiss the Constitutional requirement for due process before punishment, what other part of the Constitution do they hold secret mental reservations about, in apparent violation of their oath of office?

HOW COULD I KNOW WHAT GOD WANTS?

God put this call for prayers of mercy on my heart beginning with how He has made Himself known to me. Many times despite my sins, procrastination, hardened heart, and worship of unholy things to do, He has given me hints from the Bible in unexplainable ways: by radio, by sermons, by what someone says, by verses found "accidentally" or deliberately that have supernatural precision about my concerns or lack of action. That doesn't necessarily make my case unusual, I think He does or tries to do that with many people who are not listening for it.

The clearest example happened near 1997 (three years after these things started) about a friend at work named Sam. He was a Vietnamese speaker who asked me for a Bible in Vietnamese. When I had it alone in my car, I wondered what verse I should give him. If you EARNESTLY seek messages from God in the Bible, and look for His hints around you, you MAY become sensitive to when He is ready to give you one, and bold about looking for them. He gave me the boldness then to put my finger blindly in that new 2,000 page Bible where I couldn't read one word. It was on the left page most of the way down on the left column. All I could read were the chapter and verse numbers, but the table of contents matched my own Bible. The verse for Sam was:

"He who forms the mountains,
creates the wind,
and reveals His thoughts to man,
He who turns dawn to darkness,
and treads the high places of the earth—
the LORD God Almighty is his name.

(Amos 4:13, NIV)

ALL CREATION IS ABOUT LIFE

When you read Genesis One literally, the first four days each end with the consequence of increasingly clearer physical light, and the last two days end with increasingly clearer vision of God's purpose for all creation - it all hinges on Life itself. That Life is to thrive and enjoy this creation with each life lived in abundance and joy, with men and women being stewards of all other life.

When you read Genesis, do not be discouraged by many who assume God means time itself began the "first day". God created miraculously the heavens and the earth from nothing in the beginning (Gen 1:1); the seas were made sometime after that with natural appearing bursting forth of the waters, which ended with a thick cloud covering the earth (Job 38 and Proverbs 8); when God commanded the light to appear through that darkness at the surface of the waters therefore is the best time to assume the first day begins - at God's command about it of course. No where in the Bible does it ever say something was "created" during the first day for the purpose of instructing mankind. God clearly says the heavens and the earth were completed during the six days (Exodus 20:11).

There are human translation assumptions about "evening" and "morning" which should be examined carefully, because on the third and sixth "days" God says He commanded the earth to produce fruit trees and produce land animals, in exactly the way a contemporary of Moses would have understood took years to accomplish. Perhaps the root meanings of those two words is closer to what God actually had Moses record ("darkened" and "clarified" are perhaps more accurate). It helps also to realize God is defining "earth" as "dry land" in Genesis 1:10. The word translated as "earth" in most Bibles means "the land" in the old English sense, not the planet earth. There are also human assumptions in the translation of "father" and "son" in the generations before and after Noah. The actual Hebrew words in the original Genesis account may mean "ancestor" and "heir" also. Because there was no concept of planets in Biblical Hebrew it is a serious error to assume any part of Genesis is about the whole planet, including the flood. It is best like as an eye-witness account of one who makes no mistakes but has limitations on what he can communicate to peers.

More important is the understanding that the seventh day is all about the Creator's incredibly Holy character, that we are to seek Him with all our hearts, and thinking one might ever do anything to become worthy of God is worshiping oneself. When the stewards of all life disobeyed, the consequence was turning over that stewardship to the Prideful Father of Lies in the body of a serpent. That one remains the god of this world to this day, but only temporarily. The seventh day's ending is not given clearly, because until the Creator's Holiness and His work establishing that He would publicly choose to let a whole city witness Him be tortured and to suffocate visibly to death on a cross to pay for Our Pride of self worship. The message of the seventh day could not be completed there and then. Read Proverbs 8 to remind yourself Who it was on that cross, saying "it is finished". Read Zecariah ???

GOD IS FOR BABIES and MERCY

I claimed above that abortions are an issue dear to the heart of God. Some may doubt that. When the President issued that veto in 1997 is about the time I found what the AMA had to say above.

Mercy for the least of us - the unborn who have no legal right to life. We need to give that Mercy, we the voters and officials we vote for; but pray that the Creator of the universe will give it also. The rest of us need Mercy as well because all of us, beginning with me, have tried not to know about and turned away from the plight of the unborn. Beyond the unborn and we who vote for this government, remember also the mothers and other family harmed physically or emotionally because of abortions. Please pray that all of us find the Mercy of the Creator.

Around that same time the Federal Government made an important decision to continue legally allowing and funding an awful medical procedure called intact dilation and extraction (intact D&X), or partial birth abortion. After I read what the American Medical Association published about it, and my heart was heavy for America. This country was founded to preserve that

"all men are created equal ... endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness".

We lost over 500,000 lives in a Civil War to fully preserve the equal right of even slaves to share that life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. How could America choose to do such an awful thing to even one baby?

That is when I came to my Bible and wondered what God had to say about abortion. In the back of my mind I also wondered if there was something unsuitable about the New Testament, because all the answers up to then were from the original Scriptures. He again gave me the boldness to expect an answer, but this time my finger felt right on a verse I had already read more than once - with a new meaning. It is from Mary's song when she learns she will soon be the humanly unwed mother of the Messiah, God come as a man, Who would be the perfect sacrifice, Lord and Priest for all who want Him, Who will teach all the mysteries to be answered beyond the original Scriptures.
"He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
even as he said to our fathers."

Luke 1:54 (NIV)

One of the things God led me to do for this message was study all of

Luke 1

about both babies and mercy - finally doing as He no doubt wanted before. The book of Luke was written by a Greek Doctor, a companion of apostles who took care to record medical details about the miracles and the death of Christ, as well as His birth. Much of the below comes courtesy of the

http://www.BibleGateway.com New International Version via the passage lookup. Luke 1 is partly about a godly couple named Zechariah and Elisabeth, to whom John the Baptist was miraculously born, as well as about Mary and Jesus.

Luke 1 says:
Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years." Luke 1:6. Children are a blessing from God we should hope for, though often something else has replaced God in our hopes.

But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John." Luke 1:13. Children are meant to be an answer to prayer.

"he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth." Luke 1:16. Even newborn babies can serve God.

And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." Luke 1:17. Children are meant for God's purposes (several cites in Luke 1), and the hearts of fathers are to be toward their children, as the hearts of children are to be toward their parents.

When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!" Luke 1:41-45. Babies can serve God even at six months gestation. Believe God and you will be blessed because of it, as I certainly have been with His truth.

"His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation." Luke 1:50. God's mercy is very much bound up with new generations of mankind.

He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers." Luke 1:54. God's mercy to all of us, comes by way of an unborn child of a humanly unwed mother, a gift meant for all generations of Abraham which has begun coming to all mankind. Since God has deliberately made clear to me how important this particular verse is, for myself this confirms without question the reality of Jesus the Messiah and the New Testament He caused to be written.

In Luke 1:67-79, Zecariah prophesies more about God's purpose for both John the Baptist and Jesus the Christ, mentioning mercy, salvation, redemption, forgiveness, or rescue nine times.

I will never vote for anyone who obviously does not give his or her allegiance to justice for ALL. And where such people are in office I will be very careful to protest to legislators and warn my neighbors when there are hints of threat to their life, liberty, or pursuit of happiness.

"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink..., They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me. Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

Matthew 25:41-46

If you truly want to know Who voted to keep partial birth abortion AND voted that babies who survived abortion by accident should NOT be protected by law, read on. Gianna Justin was a two pound baby that survived a saline abortion (intended to chemically burn her to death), and Jill Stanek as nurse discovered baby survivors of abortions were being abandoned to die. They have lived with INJUSTICE about babies and even testified before Congress to help establish the Born Alive Infant Protection Act. (google for ""born alive infant protection act" site:loc.gov) They have also published about Who opposed them all here: www.BornAliveTruth.org
Or you can google for "born alive infant protection" and find other opinion regarding that official.

Justice for All? Pray for Mercy

2008-10-19T19:51:00.012-07:00

http://DefendOthers.blogspot.com
The journal of a pilgrim who sought the truth about liberty's future, only to find the Author of Truth, Liberty, and Future.
Tim McCully

Sunday, Oct 26th, 2008
Justice for All? Pray for Mercy.

JUSTICE FOR ALL AT RISK

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America,
and to the republic for which it stands; one nation, under God,
with liberty and justice for all."

Today there seems to be a rising tide of voters and politicians favoring special privileges for themselves and for political power, at the expense of justice for all Americans. This is despite what virtually all of us have pledged to provide other Americans "under God". Because of that willingness to oppress other Americans, we all need to pray for Mercy toward those who may face greater oppression, and for those who choose to join in oppression of their neighbors.

The Fifth Amendment* to the United States Constitution says: no person shall "be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law". That usually means a hearing or trial before an impartial judge, with the right of the accused to know the charges, to be present, to be represented, and to cross examine witness.
* http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Am5

Especially dear to the heart of God is the issue of abortions, but first I must say we cannot begin to imagine the Compassion, the Healing God has for anyone who has been involved with an abortion, regardless of how they might be involved. Come earnestly to Jesus and repent of what you have done, you will discover His compassion is very Great and the healing very Real indeed ! More about how I know God's feeling later. [for counselling with the incredible burden of abortions, look at www.FocusOnTheFamily.com]

ROE v WADE and INJUSTICE

Our current laws about "choice" have no protection as "persons" for unborn babies, even after they become fully viable during the second trimester, with faces, fingers, and toes easily seen in scanner pictures . This is entirely the responsibility of the Federal Legislature because "All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives."*
* Article I, Section 1. http://usconstitution.net/const.html#Article1

How then would I revise the effect of the Roe v Wade decision? Provide justice for the child, meaning an impartial medical supervision which receives the same compensation regardless of what becomes of the unborn child. As Roe v Wade now works, the supervising doctors are paid only when the child dies, which is only half the choices Roe v Wade was about and INJUSTICE at its worst. That impartial supervision should also review whether the mother receives acceptable quality care. Roe v Wade was demanded partly to ensure there was no need for unsupervised amateur abortions, which pose considerable threat to the mother. The shame and irony of Roe v Wade as implemented is that it tends to shield the doctors from impartial medical review that virtually all other doctors undergo to keep their license to practice. Besides Roe v Wade only providing half the choices a mother should have, she often has no way to be sure he is choosing a good procedure for her own life and fertility.

Partial birth abortion was legal until recently. There are legislators now running for high office who voted to continue the practice despite the following advice about it published by the American Medical Association in 1997, when a ban was passed by the legislature but vetoed. The AMA refers to the same procedure with the term "intact dilation and extraction" and below recommends several related steps which have not yet been implemented in the eleven years since then. The AMA said as follows:

(1)Intact D&E refers "to a specific procedure comprised of the following elements: deliberate dilatation of the cervix, usually over a sequence of days; instrumental or manual conversion of the fetus to a footling breech (usually considered a high risk situation for the mother); breech extraction of the body excepting the head; and partial evacuation of the intracranial (rear of the head) contents of the fetus to effect vaginal delivery of a dead but otherwise intact fetus. This procedure is distinct from dilatation and evacuation (D&E) procedures more commonly used to induce abortion after the first trimester."
(2)According to the scientific literature, there does not appear to be any identified situation in which intact D&X is the only appropriate procedure to induce abortion, and ethical concerns have been raised about intact D&X. The AMA recommends that the procedure not be used unless alternative procedures pose materially greater risk to the woman. The physician must, however, retain the discretion to make that judgment, acting within standards of good medical practice and in the best interest of the patient.
(3) The viability of the fetus and the time when viability is achieved may vary with each pregnancy. In the second-trimester when viability may be in question, it is the physician who should determine the viability of a specific fetus, using the latest available diagnostic technology.
(4) In recognition of the constitutional principles regarding the right to an abortion articulated by the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade, and in keeping with the science and values of medicine, the AMA recommends that abortions not be performed in the third trimester except in cases of serious fetal anomalies incompatible with life. Although third-trimester abortions can be performed to preserve the life or health of the mother, they are, in fact, generally not necessary for those purposes. Except in extraordinary circumstances, maternal health factors which demand termination of the pregnancy can be accommodated without sacrifice of the fetus, and the near certainty of the independent viability of the fetus argues for ending the pregnancy by appropriate delivery.
(5) The AMA urges the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as state health department officials to develop expanded, ongoing data surveillance systems of induced abortion. This would include but not be limited to: a more detailed breakdown of the prevalence of abortion by gestational age as well as the type of procedure used to induce abortion at each gestational age, and maternal and fetal indications for the procedure. Abortion-related maternal morbidity and mortality statistics should include reports on the type and severity of both short- and long-term complications, type of procedure, gestational age, maternal age, and type of facility. Data collection procedures should ensure the anonymity of the physician, the facility, and the patient.
(6) The AMA will work with appropriate medical specialty societies, government agencies, private foundations, and other interested groups to educate the public regarding pregnancy prevention strategies, with special attention to at-risk populations, which would minimize or preclude the need for abortions. The demand for abortions, with the exception of those indicated by serious fetal anomalies or conditions which threaten the life or health of the pregnant woman, represent failures in the social environment, education, and contraceptive methods.

"He who forms the mountains,
creates the wind,
and reveals His thoughts to man,
He who turns dawn to darkness,
and treads the high places of the earth—
the LORD God Almighty is his name.

(Amos 4:13, NIV)

ALL CREATION IS ABOUT LIFE

When you read Genesis One literally, the first four days end with the consequence of increasingly clearer light, and the last two days end with increasingly clearer vision of God's purpose for all creation - it all hinges on Life itself. That Life is to thrive and enjoy this creation with each life lived in abundance and joy, with men and women being stewards of all other life.

When you read Genesis, do not be discouraged by many who assume God means time itself began the "first day". God created miraculously the heavens and the earth from nothing in the beginning (Gen 1:1); the seas were made sometime after that with natural appearing bursting forth of the waters, which ended with a thick cloud covering the earth (Job 38 and Proverbs 8); when God commanded the light to appear through that darkness at the surface of the waters therefore is the best time to assume the first day begins. God clearly says the heavens and the earth were completed during the six days (Exodus 20:11). Understanding that "created" in the original Hebrew is a miraculous act only God can do helps when reading where He "made" fruit trees with seed in them by a natural appearing

, the seas were made by a God does not say He created any part of the heavens nor the earth during any of the six days in any part of the Bible. and He made the heavens and the earth complete during the six days (Exodus 20:11). It helps to notice that when God made the oceans, it was a and that when most Bibles say "earth" it means the dry land

Not one of the six days say None of the six days does

One possible interpretation holds that the first day began only when God commands the light to appear at the surface of the waters. , some time after God clearly has already created at least planet earth, its waters, and the darkness covering the planet. It helps to understand that "created" in the original Hebrew is really "created miraculously". God is saying that event was an obvious miracle only He could do. When God "makes" something it may appear a very slow and natural process, like when the earth produced fruit trees with seed in them or when the earth produced land animals. , or earlier when the oceans burst forth and the thick clouds obscured what seems to be natural light (Job 38 and Proverbs 8).

part of the universe from nothing. God says the heavens and the earth were created from nothing in the beginning. He describes the making of the seas as a natural appearing process in both Job 38 and Proverbs 8. Job 38 says that resulted in a thick cloud covering which darkened the land, which strongly implies natural light existed some unknown time before the first day. In all the writings of men about Young Earth, I have seen no scripture mentioned that contradicts Job 38, only human speculation. Genesis 1:1 is about when God created the heavens and the earth from nothing. Exodus 20 is clearly about the six days when God completed the making of heavens and the earth. There are also dubious human assumptions about how long the third and sixth days are (God commands the earth to produce plants with seed and to produce land animals then); whether "evening" and "morning" are accurate translations; how many generations were before and after the flood; and whether the flood covered more than the land men knew about.

More important is the understanding that the seventh day is all about the Creator's incredibly Holy character, that we are to seek Him with all our hearts, and thinking one might ever do anything to become worthy of God is worshipping oneself. When the stewards of all life disobeyed, the consequence was turning over that stewardship to the Evil of Pride in the body of a serpent. That one remains the god of this world to this day, but only temporarily. The seventh day's ending is not given clearly, because until the Creator's Holiness and His work establishing that He would publicly choose to let a whole city witness Him be tortured and to suffocate unmistakably on a cross to pay for Our Pride of self worship awfully on a cross, the message of the seventh day could not be completed. Read Proverbs 8 to remind yourself Who it was on that cross, saying "it is finished".

GOD IS FOR BABIES and MERCY

I claimed above that abortions are an issue dear to the heart of God. Some may doubt that. When the President issued that veto in 1997 is about the time I found what the AMA had to say above.

Mercy for the least of us - the unborn who have no legal right to life. We need to give that Mercy, we the voters and officials we vote for; but pray that the Creator of the universe will give it also. The rest of us need Mercy as well because all of us, beginning with me, have tried not to know about and turned away from the plight of the unborn. Beyond the unborn and we who vote for this government, remember also the mothers and other family harmed physically or emotionally because of abortions. Please pray that all of us find the Mercy of the Creator.

Around that same time the Federal Government made an important decision to continue legally allowing and funding an awful medical procedure called intact dilation and extraction (intact D&X), or partial birth abortion. After I read what the American Medical Association published about it, and my heart was heavy for America. This country was founded to preserve that

"all men are created equal ... endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness".

We lost over 500,000 lives in a Civil War to fully preserve the equal right of even slaves to share that life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. How could America choose to do such an awful thing to even one baby?

That is when I came to my Bible and wondered what God had to say about abortion. In the back of my mind I also wondered if there was something unsuitable about the New Testament, because all the answers up to then were from the original Scriptures. He again gave me the boldness to expect an answer, but this time my finger felt right on a verse I had already read more than once - with a new meaning. It is from Mary's song when she learns she will soon be the humanly unwed mother of the Messiah, God come as a man, Who would be the perfect sacrifice, Lord and Priest for all who want Him, Who will teach all the mysteries to be answered beyond the original Scriptures.
"He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
even as he said to our fathers."

Luke 1:54 (NIV)

One of the things God led me to do for this message was study all of

Luke 1

about both babies and mercy - finally doing as He no doubt wanted before. The book of Luke was written by a Greek Doctor, a companion of apostles who took care to record medical details about the miracles and the death of Christ, as well as His birth. Much of the below comes courtesy of the

http://www.BibleGateway.com New International Version via the passage lookup. Luke 1 is partly about a godly couple named Zechariah and Elisabeth, to whom John the Baptist was miraculously born, as well as about Mary and Jesus.

Luke 1 says:
Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years." Luke 1:6. Children are a blessing from God we should hope for, though often something else has replaced God in our hopes.

But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John." Luke 1:13. Children are meant to be an answer to prayer.

"he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth." Luke 1:16. Even newborn babies can serve God.

And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." Luke 1:17. Children are meant for God's purposes (several cites in Luke 1), and the hearts of fathers are to be toward their children, as the hearts of children are to be toward their parents.

When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!" Luke 1:41-45. Babies can serve God even at six months gestation. Believe God and you will be blessed because of it, as I certainly have been with His truth.

"His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation." Luke 1:50. God's mercy is very much bound up with new generations of mankind.

He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers." Luke 1:54. God's mercy to all of us, comes by way of an unborn child of a humanly unwed mother, a gift meant for all generations of Abraham which has begun coming to all mankind. Since God has deliberately made clear to me how important this particular verse is, for myself this confirms without question the reality of Jesus the Messiah and the New Testament He caused to be written.

In Luke 1:67-79, Zecariah prophesies more about God's purpose for both John the Baptist and Jesus the Christ, mentioning mercy, salvation, redemption, forgiveness, or rescue nine times.

I will never vote for anyone who obviously does not give his or her allegiance to justice for ALL. And where such people are in office I will be very careful to protest to legislators and warn my neighbors when there are hints of threat to their life, liberty, or pursuit of happiness.

"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink..., They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me. Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

Matthew 25:41-46

If you truly want to know Who voted to keep partial birth abortion AND voted that babies who survived abortion by accident should NOT be protected by law, read on. Gianna Justin was a two pound baby that survived a saline abortion (intended to chemically burn her to death), and Jill Stanek as nurse discovered baby survivors of abortions were being abandoned to die. They have lived with INJUSTICE about babies and even testified before Congress to help establish the Born Alive Infant Protection Act. (google for ""born alive infant protection act" site:loc.gov) They have also published about Who opposed them all here: www.BornAliveTruth.org

Or you can google for "born alive infant protection" and find other opinion regarding that official.

Seek the Holy One in His Word, He will answer

2008-05-11T09:11:00.002-07:00

This actually happened to me several years ago, and it is only one of many times the Creator's Word came alive to me, but it has been one of the most remarkable of those times.

Since 1994 the Bible has been Real to me many times. If you Truly seek the incredibly Holy Creator with your heart, and look in His impossibly True word, He will answer.

A friend at work asked me for a Bible in Vietnamese. I ordered one from the International Bible Society (IBS.org). When I held it at lunch in my car, I wondered what verse I should give my friend from it. This was one of maybe forty times since 1994 I have felt I should expect an answer from Him, so I put my finger in without looking.

My Bible is about 2000 pages long. My finger was in a book near the end of the Hebrew original scriptures which began with an A and was four letters long, and exactly upon the following verse. Fortunately the numbers I could read. From the table of contents, that verse was ...

He who forms the mountains,
creates the wind,
and reveals his thoughts to man,
he who turns dawn to darkness,
and treads the high places of the earth—
the LORD God Almighty is his name.

Amos 4:13, NIV

I actually prefer the newer Holman Christian Standard Bible translation because I think it best preserves what is a reference to His miracle of Creation, about bringing light out of thick darkness. The HCSB attempts to preserve the original Hebrew meaning word by word, while the NIV tries to do that thought for thought.

He is here:
the One who forms the mountains,
creates the wind,
and reveals His thoughts to man,
the One who makes the dawn out of darkness
and strides on the heights of the earth.
Yahweh, the God of Hosts, is His name.

Amos 4:13, HCSB

Scriptures from www.BibleGateway.com, which has online Bibles in 50 versions and 35 languages.

Easter? The Lord is Risen!

2008-03-23T14:10:00.003-07:00

Historically there can be no doubt the first Easter occured very much as recorded in the Bible, because

Isaiah's scroll is dated several hundred years before Christ, and multiple partial copies of it have been recovered among the Dead Sea scrolls - clearly written and read before the birth of Christ. Isaiah says that the Messiah will be worshipped as God and rule forever on earth.

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, ^[a] Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this." (Isaiah 9:6-7 NIV)
Other prophecy says clearly that Messiah must come to Jerusalem on that Passover that year in Jerusalem. Which is why the city celebrated Christ's foretold entry on a donkey (Matthew 21), expecting Messiah to rule forever beginning then with overthrowing the Roman occupation. What they did not want to remember is the prophecy that the Messiah must first be God's sacrifice for the sake of all men, as in David's Psalm 22 and Isaiah's chapter 53.

"Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions he was crushed for our iniquities;the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray,each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,so he did not open his mouth". (Isaiah 53:4-7)
At the very scene of arrest Christ gave the arresting mob two miracles. When they approached, He asked who they were looking for, and they answered "Jesus of Nazareth". His response is the very Name of God given to Moses at the burning bush, "I AM", at which the mob fell to the ground on their faces. (John 19:3-7). Perhaps while they were still somewhat stunned from that demonstration, Peter mistook the moment for when Messiah would seize power to begin ruling and drew his sword and cut off the ear of one of the mob. Then Jesus, fully in control of everyone there, then took time to heal the man's ear (Luke 22:47-51) before he surrendered to them.
Many skeptics have questioned whether the Christ died on that cross that first Easter.

The Jewish ruling council was in an uproar over Christ's attack on their schemes to profit from Temple users (John 2:13-16), and their false teachings about who could know God's truth (Matthew 23), which is a common lie of false teachers today. They would have every reason to identify the man they hated, whom they subjected to illegal trials without witnesses after darkness, and who identified himself as the Messiah who would be worshipped (Matthew 26:63-66). Christ's proofs were his miracles which no contemporary enemies ever denied.

The nature of crucifixion is that the victim visibly suffocates when he becomes too exhausted to lift himself up so he can empty his lungs. Death by crucifixion is impossible to mistake because it is visible and audible. Nonetheless when it was time to ensure they were dead, a Roman guard pierced the side of Jesus with a spear, and "water" flowed from the heart wound, medically showing the blood had already begun changing due to death (John 19:31-37) The entire city of Jerusalem, including many who travelled far to be there for the Passover that same day were witnesses to the certain death of the three men on Golgotha. (Luke 23).
How clear is the evidence Jesus was resurrected? It is in the fact women who were the humblest of servents (andt could not legally be witnesses) were the first to discover it (Luke 24:5-6, Mark 16:9-12); and the unmistakable fear of the disciples before they believed. They met behind locked doors in secret, and He appeared to them physically to be touched, talk with them, and eat with them (Luke 24:36-48). It is also in the unmistakable boldness of the disciples about speaking the truth of Jesus even when it meant death by torture. Ten of the eleven faithful disciples died for testifying that Jesus was the true Messiah, risen to eventually rule as the Lord of all the earth for eternity.

Resource: The Word of God

2008-01-13T20:51:00.000-08:00

Online resources about the Word of God.

BibleGateway.com - Fifty online Bibles in 35 languages.

BlueLetterBible.org - online Bible tools including Hebrew and Greek Concordances (tells what verses use that word), Several Commentaries, Hymns and Maps, Dictionaries.

Radio sermon ministries. Seeking truth here is not only easy to do, it works. Radio ministries like Thru The Bible provide free material by mail for following the lessons.

Thru The Bible Radio Ministries - www.ttb.org - J. Vernon McGee from East Texas is the teacher, though he passed away several years ago. The ministry still teaches the entire Bible in five years, in many languages. Pastor McGee puts the lesson as simply as it can be done. He calls this putting the "cookies on the lower shelf so the kiddies can reach them" whenever possible.
Truth For Life - www.TruthForLife.org - Alistair Begg from Scotland teaches the key portions of the New and Old Testament in a way most folks can follow, and he does so in a very agreeable manner.

On the Bible for a Muslim

2007-12-10T04:33:00.001-08:00

Introduction
I have an acquaintance who is a very friendly man who happens to be a Muslim. I notice his business is always very supportive of America. On the fourth of July their business is covered with American flags. He, and I believe some of his relatives come from Iran, probably as refugees. The rulers of Iran are very domineering, and use the Muslim religion's teachings to further their domination. My acquaintance and his family probably appreciate much about the United States that most Americans take for granted.

A couple weeks ago I asked him if he would read a Bible if I gave him one. He said, "yes". I have been very slow to respond. Partly because I wanted to do it the best way I could think of, which turns out to be by doing a blog post about what I want him to know, as an open minded reader of the most incredible book on the planet.

(updated 12/12)
One of the comments many people make about the Bible is that it is like many other books of the many religions. That is true in a limited sense, but not in the fullest sense.

The Bible is like other books considered holy which are used to teach aspects of living considered very significant. It is often used to justify teaching that certain people are special in a religious way, deserving of our obedience and support. Like other books considered holy, it teaches many things about how to be a good person, such as caring for widows and orphans, that defending your homeland from tyranny and rebellion are important, and so on.

Notice I said men use the Bible similar to the way other holy books are used, not that it necessarily teaches those uses clearly, or that our attitude toward that behavior is important for life in eternity. There are deceivers in every religion, because it is the business of religion to teach men how they should behave, and deceivers can abuse that position as a teacher for their own selfish reasons. God is patient even with such deceivers, hoping they will repent and come to know Him personally. One day that patience will end, when those men meet their own mortality or when it is time for this earth to be made New better than it has ever been.

A couple of the more interesting ways the Bible is unique include that it clearly teaches:

God is so incredibly Holy no sacrifice of any kind by a human can gain God's favor. That is why Messiah as both God and man had to allow Himself to be sacrificed. The best way I know to begin seeking God's favor is to take seriously what He has had written for us.
God is always noticing what we desire and counting that we desire Him and being like Him more than any other thing about us. So appreciating the good things about America that come from living His truth, such as freedom from religious rulers, the right to vote, and the right to defend your own life and property counts toward finding the only True God.
God encourages us to be wise about who we give power and support to for our own good. That is why worshipping false gods and false ideas of God is wrong, because it is evil toward ourselves and others around us.
God encourages us to refer to His Word (the Bible), to understand it for ourselves whenever anyone claims something about it to be important. So this post won't be complete until I can give the verses to support what I say here (which is one of the reasons I feel inadequate to start, there is a LOT of work to complete what I want this to be).
God calls upon us never to trust anyone who claims to be a religious authority to whom we owe obedience. Jesus of Nazareth (the Christ or Messiah) never said, "I am God", but only demonstrated that He was the prophesied Messiah which anyone could understand by reading the related prophecy in the Hebrew Bible ("Old Testament"). He came as God in the flesh not just for anyone who witnessed the signs He gave, but for us also who can only read about it and Hope to find God through His Word.
The Bible claims it is the complete revelation of God, and needs no other additions, nor any specially endowed human interpreters we must respect. This is because Messiah has already done what is necessary to win our hearts, and His Apostles have completed that by writing what we know as the New Testament to explain what is necessary for us to know about God's plan and our place in it. This completeness is clear in Revelation 18:20-22.

Other points I hope to make here include:

The books which make up the Holy Bible were accepted by a consensus of believers using public dialog before the Reformation. Those books today are published as the Holy Bible by Protestant varieties of Christianity. Before the Reformation, what became the Catholic church added to the Bible teachings, such as that the Pope was a greater authority on religious truth than the original Bible, which led to the Reformation when Martin Luther led the Protestants in forming their own church(es). Similarly other christian-related groups have added to or modified the teachings of the original Bible, placing special trust in human teachers after the Apostles chosen by the Messiah, and in special human interpreters of those teachings (a common practice in those religions is that only specially qualified teachers may interpret, while evangelical christians expect every believer or seeker of truth to interpret for themselves). Jesus is warning against anyone who claims such special human authority over religious teaching in Matthew 23:8-12. Only a genuine Messiah would say never again trust a human with authority to rule over religious matters.
Gifted human interpreters are still very worthwhile, but will never come with God's authority to be rulers, which is the way of evangelical Christian churches. Our pastors are chosen by the congregation, which often delegate them a merely human authority to rule, to spend money and issue rules of conduct within the church itself. Such self-governing churches were the model from which the American form of self-government was developed.
Likewise only a genuine Messiah would say that hate is equivalent to murder and if there is any reason for hate between people, one should resolve that issue before giving an offering to God and those who seem to serve God. That looking at a woman with lust means your heart is just as offensive to God as committing adultery, and it is better to put out your own eye than to so sin (Matthew 5:21-30)
The Old Testament (more respectfully the Hebrew Bible) is organized with the first five books attributed to Moses first, then books about the history of the israelites and the muslims, then books written by the prophets in approximately chronological order. These provide what God wants us to know about how He developed the relationship with men before the Messiah came, including several detailed prophecies about the Messiah. Such as that He would be the "offspring of a woman" (virgin birth) to finally defeat the evil god you and I give this world to whenever we consider our own wants more important than God's (Genesis 3 :15); He would be born as a man, worshipped as God, called the "son of man", and rule earth forever (Isaiah 9:6, Daniel 7:13); As the perfect sacrifice Himself, He would feel forsaken by God, suffer the torment which is crucifixion (which is visible suffocation by exhaustion and cannot be faked) (Psalm 22 of David, Isaiah 52:13-53:12).
The New Testament is organized with four "gospel" accounts of Jesus' life on earth, which share several points in common about chronology but differ on aspects they emphasize. Matthew is written by that Apostle for the very religious reader like the Hebrews themselves, and carefully traces the prophecies such as those above with when they occur in Jesus life, such as Matthew 27; Mark is written by a companion of an Apostle and is the oldest and shortest account, written for the action oriented reader; Luke is written by a Greek, a doctor and companion of Apostles for the analytical reader (Dr Luke is the only non-Hebrew author in the Bible. He also wrote the book of Acts); John is attributed to that Apostle, who wrote for the clearest proofs that Jesus was God in the flesh. Much of the rest of the New Testament was written by Paul, a highly zealous religious pharisee named Saul who actively pursued early Christians to be sure they were put to death until Jesus appeared to him personally (Acts 7:54-9:30), after which he became named Paul.
Since it is nearly Christmas now, the best accounts of the first Christmas are in Matthew 1:18-2:9 and Luke 2:1-39.

There is so much more that needs writing here.

The way I found out the Truth was by listening to radio sermons, and reading along with my Bible, including freely writing notes on the page margins and underlining key words (God WANTS us to analyze His word very carefully - I feel unarmed without a Bible and a good pen). Like many similar ministries these have Internet archives of radio shows and free information they give away to help the readers follow along, especially Thru the Bible. My favorites are Thru the Bible http://www.ttb.org/, Truth For Life http://www.TruthForLife.org/, The Word For Today http://www.twft.com/. There are many local churches I would also recommend. The best way to find them might be in the newspaper listings.

To my Muslim acquaintance, maybe you celebrate Christmas, as many do who are not Christian, so...
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !

Tim

To be continued..

To Evolutionists: I apologize for young earth creationists.

2007-11-23T19:06:00.000-08:00

To evolution advocates everywhere:

Please forgive the young earth creationists who reject evolution for its very long time spans and changing lifeforms. Many of them are friends of mine and even Bible teachers I respect. However I consider it pretty plain that they reject evolution's timespans and lifeform changes because they fail to take literally that:

We are to study God’s creation itself because it reveals His truth, majesty and power, although not necessarily His mercy and love (Psalm 19, Romans 1).
Anyone who attempts to confuse the wisdom of God’s own words, or add to them will be rebuked by God (Job 38:2, Proverbs 30:5).
God created heaven and earth from nothing in the beginning, before the “first day” (Genesis 1:1). Since men of every era understand the sun to be the key part of the heavens, literally this indicates the sun was created before the earth.
After the earth was created and before the “first day”, God made the seas through a natural seeming process of unknown duration, which ended with a thick cloud layer that darkened the natural light (Job 38:8-9).
Literally, God only says air-breathing sea creatures, birds, and mankind were created from nothing during the six days (Gen 1). We must remember that the scriptures were written for the understanding of mankind of every era, so only plants and animals familiar to every man are actually discussed. God’s only summary of the six day period itself says God made heaven and earth complete then (Exodus 20:11). Therefore we should assume all other aspects of heaven and earth, such as the planets and less familiar living things may have been created from nothing, or made from other existing things at any point between in the beginning and the sixth day. The Bible has no word for a species, so no one can claim that the existence of a new species is against the Bible. It does describe kinds of plants and animals reproducing according to their kind, and God resting from His acts creation, which might be interpreted as meaning a creature of one scientific phylum could never mutate into a creature of another phylum, and that no new phyla came into existence since the sixth day.
The "first day" may be so named because it was the first day men of every era would understand, when heaven and earth were nearly complete and literally natural light became apparent at the surface of the seas. The Hebrew word translated “day” has several literal meanings, including a period of unspecified duration (usually defined by a continuing event which marks it, examples of which could be the land producing vegetation, or the appearance of the heavenly bodies through the thinning cloud layer).
The words for “morning” and “evening” may be used figuratively for some of the six days (as Moses uses them in Psalm 90:5-6) to support God’s purpose for creation,, namely that all men should seek to know and serve God on a weekly basis (Exodus 20:11) for their own personal good (2 Tim 3:16).
The land produced seed-bearing plants the third day (Gen 1:11-12). Literally the sun must be providing energy, since it provides natural light that is apparent, even though the sun as a heavenly body cannot yet be seen. Notice the activity God controls appears natural and would literally be of long duration, involving change in the apparent lifeforms. Interpreting the third day as a long period is giving weight both to God’s literal “land producing” words and to known scientific evidence (which is obtained by study of something God says reveals of Himself).
The sun, moon, and stars were literally made apparent the fourth day in the order it would have occurred due to thinning cloud cover, which enabled using them for light and to mark time, thus completing God’s purposes for them (Gen 1:14-19). Sometime during the fourth day, the dark cloud layer that God established during the making of the seas (Job 38) is largely removed.
Fish, air-breathing sea creatures of all sizes, and birds were created from nothing the fifth day (Gen 1:20-23). No mention is made of microscopic lifeforms, fungi, arthropods, or non-air breathing creatures. Since these mentioned are divine creations of God, we must assume something more obvious and drastic than precise intelligently guided radiation causing an exact pre-designed mutation of DNA was occurring. The Darwinian mechanism for natural selection is obviously excluded, since that would appear natural. Whether such acts of creation are beyond evolution itself depends on what one means by "evolution".
The land produces air-breathing land animals of all sizes and kinds during the sixth day (Gen 1:24-26). No mention is made of creating them and we are not to add to God's word (Proverbs 30:5-6), therefore considering what God's creation has taught us, we can assume they were made from pre-existing sea creatures or simpler land animals God does not speak of. This also is literally a long period where lifeform changes become apparent.
The creation of mankind also occurs the sixth day (Gen 1:26-27). Notice divine “creation” from nothing is mentioned closely with “in God’s image”. Later the mechanics about making Adam's physical body is described as making him from the dust of the earth (Gen 2:7). This may mean the divine spark of spirituality, intelligence, and moral decision is “in God’s image,” somehow present in mankind only by way of obviously divine action, and that the physical form of men was first constructed from pre-existing dust, which may literally include the DNA of earlier creatures that had died.
When God presents living creatures for Adam to name on the sixth day, to see if they are suitable companions for him, Adam should be understood to study each creature so it can be accurately named according to the Hebrew traditions. Such study is not done hastily out of respect for the creature and its' Creator (Gen 2:18-20). Here is recorded the first scientific activity of mankind. When Eve is presented, Adam exclaims "at last", which would hardly be suitable if he had only been waiting for merely part of one day (Gen 2:21-24).
God ends the sixth day God completing His work with giving dominion over the earth and all its creatures to mankind. This includes that green plants are given for air-breathing land animals and birds to eat, so no predation among those animals occurred from the sixth day (Gen 1:26-31). Literally this means land animal predation could have occurred earlier, but young earth creationism rejects that also. When Satan portrayed God as evil, Adam failed to stop his deceptions, and cooperated with it despite knowing God well, which gave dominion of this world to that deceiver. That is why we have land animal predation occurring later.

Luke 1:54 is for real !

2007-06-24T15:30:00.000-07:00

Several years ago, after the LORD had blessed me with the Reality of His Word via several verses, our President then vetoed a ban on partial birth abortions. I picked up my well-used Bible and wondered what the LORD might have to say about abortion. At that point I had had several answers from the Hebrew portion of the Bible (Old Testament), and part of what was on my mind was: why not the New Testament?

Somehow it seemed right to expect an answer when I put my finger in blindly without watching. When I looked my finger was on a verse I had read and studied probably a couple times earlier. But the context of those two questions gave it wholly different meaning.

"He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
even as he said to our fathers."
Luke 1:54-55, NIV (courtesy of BibleGateway.com)

This is from Mary's song upon being told by the angel that she would be the unmarried mother of the Messiah, who would among other things be worshipped as "Mighty God" and "Everlasting Father" (Isaiah 9:6) . This verse is about an unborn Messiah given through His unmarried mother, concerning mercy to Abraham and his descendants. Can there be a clearer verse about the purpose of the LORD regarding the unborn? Can there be a clearer confirmation in a verse form about the Reality of that Messiah? The One who is and shall be Lord of all things?

Now whenever I am faced with a scoffer, I have the answer to any foolish thing from his mouth, and to any doubts of my own fate. Luke 1:54 ! Like Job, I know my Redeemer Lives!

Some may wonder how anyone can take the Bible seriously. I didn't start that until age 49. My foolish mistake. Here is my collection favorite verses which only a truly Good and Righteous Lord would say, and said by Jesus the Christ. I dare any skeptic to look them up and give me a reason why any mere human or conspiracy of humans would say AND live them, as Jesus and His apostles did.

"But as for you, do not be called 'Rabbi,' because you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. Do not call anyone on earth your father, because you have one Father, who is in heaven. And do not be called masters either, because you have one Master, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted."
Matthew 23:8-12, HCSB. Hypocrites and cults prefer to avoid this one.

“God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way." Matthew 5:11-12, NLT

“You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment!" Matthew 5:21-22, NLT

“So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God." Matthew 5:23-24, NLT (what religion-conspiracy of men teaches that?)

"Anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. So if your eye—even your good eye —causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell." Matthew 5:29-30, NLT

"Do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne.... Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one." Matthew 5:34-37, NLT. Beyond that is most often the temptation to steal glory from the LORD for personal pride.

"But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too." Matthew 5:39-40, NLT. Note this is about grave personal insult not unjust physical harm, see Luke 22:35-38 about unjust harm.

"I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven.... If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? ... If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect." Matthew 5:44-48, NLT

Matthew 5 is part of the Sermon on the Mount, which is intended to show how impossible it is to please the LORD by what you do. One can see how this relates to the Hebrew scriptures by examining Leviticus 19, in which the Hebrews are commanded to be Holy because the LORD is Holy. None of us can ever be that perfect, and failing one point of it is choosing Hell. The only salvation is in truly knowing the Lord, Himself.

Every reference Messiah makes to the "Son of Man" is pointing to Daniel 7:13-14. That is part of Daniel's prophecy about the end of time, where the Son of Man receives worship from all men and everlasting dominion over them, and prophecies to the very year when He will appear the first coming. Good "Son of Man" examples include: Matthew 20:17-18 predicting his imminent crucifixion, and Matthew 20:25-28 explaining His first coming is about saving as many lives as possible, not everlasting rule yet. Other such examples occur in the other Gospels.

Before it was time for Messiah to Be the passover sacrifice, He avoided confrontation because that would mean demonstrating power to avoid trouble too early. When the time had come for the Ultimate passover sacrifice all the Hebrew scriptures point to, Jesus confronted hypocrisy and human motives more directly. He gave the Hellfire of Matthew 23 to those in the religion- conspiracy for power who plotted to kill him, which included:

“You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do not. That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I Am who I claim to be, you will die in your sins." Luke 8:23-24, NLT.

I AM is the phrase the LORD gives Moses to use to identify Who sends him (Exodus 3:1-15). In Hebrew it sounds like the name of the LORD Israelites are forbidden to say aloud. In that way the LORD gives Moses can speak of the LORD without violating law. This is one instance of Jesus naming Himself as "I AM", the synonym for the LORD which Moses was given. Failing to believe Who Jesus is, is calling the LORD's prophets liars and rejecting the most Holy Divine sacrifice to end all human made sacrifices.

Jesus said: "For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning.... When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me! Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.” Luke 8:44-47, NLT. Who did He say they don't listen to? Who was speaking?

"Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad.” The people said, “You aren’t even fifty years old. How can you say you have seen Abraham?”Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I Am!" At that point they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden from them and left the Temple. Luke 8:56-59, NLT. Again He names Himself "I AM".

On the night of His betrayal before the Passover sacrifice Jesus went with the disciples to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane. Judas then led some officials from the chief priests and a detachment of soldiers with torches and weapons to the garden.

Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to him, so he stepped forward to meet them. “Who are you looking for?” he asked. “Jesus the Nazarene,” they replied. “I Am he,” Jesus said... As Jesus said “I Am he,” they all drew back and fell to the ground! John 18:4-6, NLT

After He invited them to arrest Him a second time, Peter mistook the moment as the time to strike for the everlasting rule.

"And one of them struck at the high priest’s slave, slashing off his right ear. But Jesus said, “No more of this.” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him. Then Jesus spoke to the leading priests, the captains of the Temple guard, and the elders who had come for him. “Am I some dangerous revolutionary,” he asked, “that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there every day. But this is your moment, the time when the power of darkness reigns.” Luke 22:50-53, NLT. They didn't arrest Him earlier because His miracles were too many and too public, so too many of the people believed Him. These are words of One who COULD be in control, but yields that for the purposes of the LORD.

Hebrews were forbidden to hold night trials by Mosaic law, but they held one as follows.

The leading priests and the entire high council were trying to find evidence against Jesus, so they could put him to death. But they couldn’t find any. Many false witnesses spoke against him, but they contradicted each other.... Then the high priest stood up before the others and asked Jesus, “Well, aren’t you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for yourself?” But Jesus was silent and made no reply. Then the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” Jesus said, “I Am. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, “Why do we need other witnesses? You have all heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?” “Guilty!” they all cried. “He deserves to die!” Mark 14:55-64, NLT

Of course they had His true testimony that He claimed to be Lord as the Messiah, but no evidence that it was a false claim punishable by Mosaic law. What deceived them was false teaching by the priests was there would be a sacrifical Messiah-like person (as in Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22), and a separate ruling Messiah as in Daniel 7:9-14. Since Jesus clearly did not intend to rule then, they wanted to believe false human teaching that He could not therefore be the Messiah.

The religion-conspiracy who wanted the crucifixion posed the threat of riots to intimidate the Roman governor, who being human cooperated. On the cross, Messiah said one more thing to them, and to all Men, which could only have come from the Lord.

Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. Luke 23:32-34, NIV

Crucifixion is a form of torture in which one must use one's severely injured ankles and wrists to lift up, so breath can be taken in. Death comes with exhaustion, exactly as King David's Psalm 22 described it a thousand years before crucifixion was invented outside of Israel. It is death by suffocation when one cannot lift himself up one more time.

The living move with loud tortured breaths. There are no "accidental" survivals of crucifixion. If such were to happen the guards themselves would be executed for failing their duty. This is why the guards broke the legs of the men still breathing at the end, so they would finally suffocate. But the Messiah, due to the extreme tortures even before the crucifixion was already dead. This is why John 19:34 notes there was water in His chest cavity when the guard stabbed the Messiah's body with his spear, death was already sure.

After the Messiah's body disappeared the religion-conspiracy concocted a wild story about the body being stolen despite the tomb guards (Luke 28:11-15). This was an obvious lie only someone who wanted to could believe. Roman tomb guards like the execution guards would themselves be executed for failure. Like the Governor the Roman guards cooperated with the story.

I am sure I could find more such verses Messiah said, which only the Righteous Lord of all things would say. There are many more that only a Righeous LORD would publish, but most of them are not historically connected with Jesus words in the flesh which is our most important point here.

If you have become convinced you need the only Messiah, Focus On the Family has counselors who may help you. Look for them at www.family.org. Don't put it off because the LORD won't always be patient with you. I should stress that Focus on the Family is in no way connected with our content here.

Why again I love Grunts

2007-06-08T21:49:00.001-07:00

Here again (in a different re-telling) is my story about WHY I am thankful to every kind of combat military, beginning with Infantry. Several things happened that I now understand were real Blessings from God.

I finished college in January 1968, when the Tet Offensive began. Uncle Sam sent me a letter that the Army wanted my bod. I wasn't very aware of what the war was about, all I knew was I didn't want to be shot at in the jungles of Vietnam. By the time for inductment arrived, I had enlisted in the Navy which was glad to get college grads, even with bad eyesight like mine.

At Navy boot camp in San Diego, whenever we swabbies felt the marching and discipline were too much, all we had to do was look through the chain link fence at the Marines in their bootcamp, going through their version of a warmup to survive Hell.

I asked for officer training, so had to wait maybe four months for a Navy decision. They asked us what we might do while waiting, so I signed up to be a punched card jockey. They had me preparing and delivering reports, including the report of sailors who needed orders after being turned down for officer training. I actually handed a report of my own availabililty to the Petty Officer who managed those decisions. He asked me what I wanted to do, so I said Computers !

He cut my orders for computer basic skills school in San Francisco at Treasure Island, and field specific school for Operations Control Centers in Washington, DC. I made one of the top three grades in the last school so they gave me choice of orders. That is how I got two years of shore duty in the middle of Oahu, living at Wheeler AFB next to Schofield Barracks (both are shown in movies about Pearl Harbor). I was working UNDER pineapple fields about 1/3rd mile east of Schofield at Kunia tunnel, an alternate operations control center in case nuclear threat forced evacuation of Pearl Harbor.

Since that training plus waiting took a year, all that Sweet shore duty took up three years of my four year obligation. After that third year, the Navy decided to send me to sea duty aboard the USS Constellation. Those three years gave me the chance to gain E-5 rank as a Data Processing Petty Officer. That is about as high as any enlisted can get without a longer commitment. This meant by the time I showed up on the Connie, I was high enough for daily management of our computer room, rather than scrubbing decks, cleaning rancid ashtrays, or worse.

Aboard the Connie, we had a couple months still of shore duty in San Diego. Then we did go to war via the Phillipines to Vietnam. Aboard the Connie, I worked sometimes 10 hour days, but in perhaps the only air-conditioned space aboard ship. Not like most of the guys who worked in sweltering heat, doing unpleasant or dangerous things.

For example I never had to handle planes up on the flight deck, where an engine can blast you off the deck into the sea (from five stories up) or worse. Once we were having a rare day off with a picnic on the flight deck, when we got a warning of unknown ships or planes approaching. We had to clear the deck so the two ready-five fighters (ready to launch in five minutes) could take off. That was when a flight deck crewman got sucked INTO one of the jet intakes. He was eventually flown off to a hospital in critical condition. I never did hear if he made it, or whether there was a real threat. This is a real story, not a movie script.

So now you know why I feel greatly in debt to every Grunt who chooses to do what I avoided, going in harm's way for us at home. Also to those pilots who flew every day risking Hell on earth for my sake. And to those sailors who took boats up the rivers, FIBERGLASS boats, hoping to out gun or outrun whatever posed a threat. There are many more folks, of course because I always had dozens of ships and planes protecting me in that multi-thousand ton ship with its one air conditioned computer room.

So yes I had plenty to be thankful for, and none of it deserved. No wonder I found it easy to start taking the Bible seriously. Once you do that for real, the God who wrote it begins treating you seriously right back.

Is THIS the Freedom we ask our Best to pay the Cost of?

2007-06-02T13:35:00.000-07:00

PLEASE IF YOU ARE UNDER 18 OR SQUEAMISH, note that except for the Scripture link, every link in this post is to an anti-abortion website which publishes very difficult images. They SHOULD be difficult to look at, because they are about human beings being mutilated to death for profit.

Looking for reasons to be on with publishing about the Reality of the Creator's Truth, I found Abortion Statistics that some 1,370,000 babies are aborted in this "free" country every year. That is over two and a half babies killed every minute, because so many of us doubt the Reality of the Creator and His Truth.

Looking further to see what authority this website has, I found something even more concrete and horrible. Their campaign to convince the Home of the Free and the Brave how horrible we are to the unborn, with graphical pictures of the unborn being murdered. The home page of Center for Ethical Reform at http://www.abortionno.org/ has a ten second delayed video I couldn't bear to finish watching.

Their campaign to waken up Christians to the issue features large handheld signs they take to larger churches. It is based upon ...

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Matthew 28:18-20, NIV

These signs are among the more tolerable images, about the calling of every Christian who knows Christ is real. My favorite is: Would Jesus use bloody signs to make his point? My only additional question is: We ask our best to pay the cost of our Freedom. Is this the Freedom we want them to pay for?

Remember Me: for every US Defender

2007-05-27T10:04:00.000-07:00

Freedom is not free.
This video says it MUCH better than I can.

"Remember Me" by Lizzie Grant.
It is the best argument I know for YouTube.
Lizzie made me cry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ervaMPt4Ha0

Memorial Day, 2007

Only a Truly Good God would say...

2007-05-19T11:06:00.000-07:00

We must remember this world we have is only temporary. It seems entirely possible that some of the alarmist talk about Global Warming may be true. How much is true remains to be seen. And we must be vigilant to avoid giving power to anyone who seeks it for ambition.

Deborah Zabarenko is Environmental Correspondent for Reuters.com. It is possible that some of what she publishes is from self-seeking sources after unwise power. Yet it is all very compelling information. I found her from a very alarming article on AOL.com for today.

Just before that, some truth obviously from the Creator blessed me with the perspective we should begin with: Knowing God is where everything worth having begins. Below was a Verse of the Day for me.

"Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness." James 3:13-18, NIV

This is one of those self-evident proofs that at least the New Testament book of James, thought to be written by Jesus' younger half-brother, is clearly truth from the mind of the Creator Himself, Him who loves all Mankind. This is the Verse Of The Day for today from BibleGateway.com, who offers a VotD tool for any website, including Myspace.

The book of James is full of ordinary concepts applied in a very spiritually pure way, and in many ways a summary of Proverbs applied with the full revelation of God in mind. That revelation consists in the deeds and lessons of Jesus the Messiah, as well as those men he selected to fulfill that revelation. Unlike the false Jesus some present, the truth from James cannot be said to be easy to live by. Consider one of my favorites, which I have trouble finding the discipline to live by, and which comes only a few verses later than the above.

"Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.' As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." James 4:13-17, NIV (emphasis added)

Love Truth to Know It

2007-05-13T09:55:00.000-07:00

On Mother's Day.
My kids and wife are out of town. My mother lives about four hundred miles away in the foothills of the Sierras between Sacramento and Tahoe. So God decided to use Mother's day to remind me what I was born for, "loving truth to know it" and sharing that for Life.

I have been having trouble getting motivated publishing about God's Word via CitiZendium.org (the public contribution Internet encyclopedia with reasonable controls over content) as an author. There are no central articles there about the Bible, and the consensus of other authors there is we should begin with a table about the various books of the Bible with a column for every major religion and a row for every book. That doesn't seem so hard, but it is so very far from what I have passion about.

Then God reminded me of a couple things: You have to love spiritual truth before you can know it; and there are babies dying every day because so many folks do not yet know it. Christian philosopher Blaise Pascal has an excellent quote (thanks to BrainyQuote.com) on the first point. A friend's posting on a forum I use reminded me I need to read more of Pascal.

Loving Truth to Know It.
"Human beings must be known to be loved;
but Divine beings must be loved to be known." - Blaise Pascal

One of my concerns about participating in CZ.org is that there are so many folks there with imposing credentials that I need to be convincing with to make any real contribution, and I am just an ordinary guy whom God happens to have blessed with His reality through His Word (see older postings here for that). In the book store I was looking for any book that might help with publishing that Books_of_the_Bible page I should be working on. I found nothing oriented for persons of every Bible-related religion about the content of the whole Bible. But God did leave something there I am convinced I need.

Out of place on the Bible bookshelf was the book about "How to Argue and Win Every Time" by Gerry Spence, a famous lawyer with an incredible win record. One of his major points early on is that you have to convince folks out of passion for what you know personally, because no one is a better expert on that than you are. Gerry Spence might be a recognizable name to anyone who comes here out of love for personal freedom and the duty to Defend Others. He defended Randy Weaver, the separatist of Ruby Ridge fame in Idaho whom the BATF and FBI attacked in 1992. In that point, Mr. Spence is agreeing with Christian advice to base your testimony on your own personal reasons for knowing God is real, and in a way with Blaise Pascal.

That one must Love Truth to Know It is of course the very principle of the Bible itself. You cannot begin knowing God until you begin to love what He stands for. Until you have done that, you are most often disobeying the first commandment, Thou shalt have no other God before me. The fact real Truth is based upon Love explains why so many consider the Bible false, they do not begin with loving real Truth. Why is Reality like that, one might ask? That way only lovers of God are destined to spend eternity with Him, that is a consequence of realizing He is in control and desiring Him. Out of respect for our wishes He would not have it any other way. But notice that choice is Ours, not an arbitrary punishment of His.

So now I must get ready for Church again, and at least may have the right attitude to publish as I am certainly called to do, and now better armed intellectually and spiritually for. The next time someone comes to me with an argument against the Bible, I will ask them: What is your favorite verse? Why? If they have no good answer, they are unqualified to convince anyone about the lasting truths of the Bible.

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

So what does the above have to do with Mother's Day? God reminded me by a radio sermon this week what all the Lost are doing with their power of "choice" over the lives of babies, and the Spiritual truth about abortion that He gave me before.

At least a couple years after God began blessing me with His truth in supernatural ways, I was wondering why all the scriptural answers to my concerns were coming from the original Scriptures (Old Testament). At that time several years ago our President vetoed a ban against Partial Birth Abortion. It was on my heart to know what God thinks of abortion. I got the feeling that it was the right time to put my hand in my Bible without looking.

I opened my eyes to find my finger on a verse I had studied before but didn't Realize what it might mean. In answer to the two questions on my heart: Is the New Testament really from God? And, What does God feel about Abortion? My finger was on Luke 1:54-55. This is Mary's song of praise as the mother of the Unborn Messiah about what Messiah's first coming means to all Israelites yet unborn.

He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
even as he said to our fathers."
Luke 1:54-55, New International Version
(Courtesy of BibleGateway.com)

Whoa! Is that an answer? Not only is this about the Reality of the Unborn Messiah, His purpose on earth is Mercy to all the Descendants of Abraham. I am again in Awe of what God does with His Word!

For Virginia Tech and all of Us

2007-04-17T05:07:00.000-07:00

To You, the almighty eternal Creator,

Lord, we pray turn this evil into Good; Let this remind us how fallen this doomed world is; That our true Hope is in You alone; How much we all need You and Your eternal Truth. Encourage those who can to bring comfort where it is needed most. Be with those injured physically and emotionally, with those families and friends. Remind them how Real You are; How Real Your promise of Heaven is for anyone who persists in trying to know You personally until it is You they love.

In the name of the Messiah; God in the flesh who chose incredibly to be the Lamb of God on that awful cross; Him who came so we might begin knowing not only our own unworthiness, but Him above all, and through Him our Eternal home.

In His name we ask it, Amen.

I am a member of my town's (pop: 40,000) Emergency Preparedness Committee of nine volunteers. Tonight it happened we were meeting to hear a report from the Principal of our largest high school to hear about a bomb threat against that school of 2500 students a month ago (It was my daughter's former high school). I post about this because it gives some perspective about what is going on in Virginia now, and raises the issue of how secure Liberty and Justice for All may be after 911.

Our case was different from Virginia Tech since there was a direct threat against occupying the school, not a shooter attacking students. Around 0800 AM a note was found with a disabled grenade. It threatened ten more real devices with remote triggers. The Principal was emphatic about how well everyone did their part. The students and staff evacuated in the rain to the athletic field in four minutes. Some sixty law enforcement including SWAT responded. Later came the Feds: FBI, ATF (gun and bomb law enforcement), and FAA (with portable gear to control helicopter air traffic), then eventually twelve bomb squad people (two squads). If there had been a need for even more force over time (like for an earthquake or WMD threat), today the local law enforcement could bring in the National Guard, who can likewise escalate response to include activating local reserve military.

The other differences after 911 are interesting. Pre-911 it was the Principal who had control of the school campus and decided whether the it was safe to occupy, and of course law enforcement attempted to go carefully to unnecessary harm.

Now the Principal's only role is to help everyone meet law enforcement's requirements. There were possible bombs, so no one could use a cell phone because those can be a bomb trigger (as in Iraq). The school became a crime scene, so no one could go back for emergency supplies, handheld HAM sets to indirectly reach a phone system, a phone list, or a portable loud-speaker. The evacuated students and staff had to leave the field because that was part of the crime scene. The local transit system happened to have a couple buses available so the people were bussed to my son's nearby middle school, and all the kids were home safe by 1 PM. No bombs were found. The investigation continues but the Principal expects no students were involved because he gets great cooperation from them and no one has offered clues for the reward.

The other big difference from pre-911 is: the SWAT team has already walked the campus to identify their firing positions in case of shooters there. Their immediate goal responding to shooters now is to kill the perpetrator(s) as soon as possible. I expect that means no negotiation, no waiting. Another consideration the Principal pointed out:was that the anniversary of Columbine is 04/20 Friday.

To anyone who knows me: that Principal wouldn't want the school identified with that bit about the SWAT team. I am likewise avoiding mention of exactly what law enforcement body was involved.

How has all our local and federal 911 planning become a concern for Liberty and Justice for All? Every organizational response is in place now. All it would take is enough key people to agree that Federal control over civilian life is a urgent emergency, and that could be initialized over a week or so. Notice that is exactly what many folks already want regarding Global Warming: a government takeover regarding civilian involvement in possible causes of Global Warming.

Our father's God to Thee,
Author of Liberty,
to Thee we sing.

Long may our land be bright,
With freedom's Holy light.
Protect us by Thy might,
Great God our King.

Dare I publish on God's Word?

2007-04-15T07:57:00.000-07:00

I have been considering working as an author for CitiZendium.org, the new public contribution Internet encyclopedia. The first thing I noticed there was that no one had yet published an article about the Bible itself. There is a reasonable article already on CZ's predecessor Wikipedia.com, and one can bring that article forward to CZ easily.

The question remains: am I one to do this work for God's incredible Truth? This Sunday morning I have finally taken time to start my day with God's Word. Usually I am too busy doing selfish or other ultimately useless normal things. I got the feeling it was time to look at a "random" cite in the Word. Without even putting my finger in, I just opened my new NLT version and looked where my attention seemed to belong, to the following:

Then the man led me out of the Temple courtyard by way of the north gateway. We entered the outer courtyard and came to a group of rooms against the north wall of the inner courtyard. This structure, whose entrance opened toward the north, was 175 feet long and 87½ feet wide. One block of rooms overlooked the 35-foot width of the inner courtyard. Another block of rooms looked out onto the pavement of the outer courtyard. The two blocks were built three levels high and stood across from each other. Between the two blocks of rooms ...There was an outer wall that separated the rooms from the outer courtyard; it was 87½ feet long. This wall added length to the outer block of rooms, which extended for only 87½ feet, while the inner block—the rooms toward the Temple—extended for 175 feet. There was an eastern entrance from the outer courtyard to these rooms.
Ezekiel 42:1-9, New Living Translation

The obvious question would be how can this relate to me? Is this a mistaken foolish fake "revelation"? Perhaps the first very important rule when interpreting Scriptures is, "Always look for the full context" in the rest of God's Word.

That context obviously includes the whole vision given Ezekiel from chapters 40 through 48. This is an extremely detailed vision conveying how God's Temple in Jerusalem both was to be when rebuilt after the return of the Israelites, and probably more accurately how absolutely Holy and Real Heaven will be at the end of time. Ezekiel was a prophet to the Israelites during their captivity in Babylon near 587 BC. Some of the passage about that vision tells us:

Ezekiel's vision came as follows: "On April 28, during the twenty-fifth year of our captivity—fourteen years after the fall of Jerusalem—the Lord took hold of me. In a vision from God he took me to the land of Israel and set me down on a very high mountain. From there I could see toward the south what appeared to be a city. As he brought me nearer, I saw a man whose face shone like bronze standing beside a gateway entrance. He was holding in his hand a linen measuring cord and a measuring rod. He said to me, “Son of man, watch and listen. Pay close attention to everything I show you. You have been brought here so I can show you many things. Then you will return to the people of Israel and tell them everything you have seen.” (Ezk 40:1-4).
“The room beside the north inner gate is for the priests who supervise the Temple maintenance." Ezk 40:45
The rooms in Ezk 42:1-9 are for those priests.
"Then the man told me, 'These rooms that overlook the Temple from the north and south are holy. Here the priests who offer sacrifices to the Lord will eat the most holy offerings. And because these rooms are holy, they will be used to store the sacred offerings—the grain offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings. When the priests leave the sanctuary, they must not go directly to the outer courtyard. They must first take off the clothes they wore while ministering, because these clothes are holy. They must put on other clothes before entering the parts of the building complex open to the public.'" (Ezk 42:13-14)
"Suddenly, the glory of the God of Israel appeared from the east. The sound of his coming was like the roar of rushing waters, and the whole landscape shone with his glory... I fell face down on the ground." (Ezk 43:2-3)
"The Lord said to me, 'Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place where I will rest my feet. I will live here forever among the people of Israel. They and their kings will not defile my holy name any longer by their adulterous worship of other gods or by honoring the relics of their kings... They put their idol altars right next to mine with only a wall between them and me. They defiled my holy name by such detestable sin, so I consumed them in my anger. Now let them stop worshiping other gods and honoring the relics of their kings, and I will live among them forever.'" (Ezk 43:7-9)
“'Son of man, describe to the people of Israel the Temple I have shown you, so they will be ashamed of all their sins. Let them study its plan, and they will be ashamed of what they have done. Describe to them all the specifications of the Temple—including its entrances and exits—and everything else about it. Tell them about its decrees and laws. Write down all these specifications and decrees as they watch so they will be sure to remember and follow them. And this is the basic law of the Temple: absolute holiness! The entire top of the mountain where the Temple is built is holy.'" (Ezk 43:10-12)
No one will enter the sanctuary unless they have a "heart for God" (43:8) and have "surrendered themselves to the LORD" (43:9)
Those levites who "strayed away from me to worship idols must bear the consequences of their unfaithfulness. They may still be Temple guards and gatekeepers, and they may slaughter the animals brought for burnt offerings and be present to help the people. But they encouraged my people to worship idols, causing Israel to fall into deep sin. So I have taken a solemn oath that they must bear the consequences for their sins, says the Sovereign Lord. They may not approach me to minister as priests. They may not touch any of my holy things or the holy offerings, for they must bear the shame of all the detestable sins they have committed. They are to serve as the Temple caretakers, taking charge of the maintenance work and performing general duties." (43:10-14)
The rooms for the priests are also where they change clothing. "'They must take off the clothes they wear while ministering to me. They must leave them in the sacred rooms and put on other clothes so they do not endanger anyone by transmitting holiness to them through this clothing.'" (43:19)
"'They will teach my people the difference between what is holy and what is common'" (43:23)

I fear to engage in interpreting the above. It is so Concrete and Holy all at once, and I am so faithless and sinful. Yet I must do so, because it is clearly Given to me since it came that way. It is clearly an Answer about those who interpret God's Word, clearly an Answer about what I am to do regarding publishing on God's Word.

Can anyone require an Answer more clearly about the task of interpreting God's Word? How Utterly important it is to attend to context and detail, in true Humility. To have a real Heart for God. I am truly in Awe, and must return to this later.

(04/27)
So I have had over a week. But have not thought much about the above. Clearly that was truly an Answer meant for me to know, but what does it mean?

Am I one to do this (CitiZendium) work for God's incredible Truth? Who else but one who takes such a passage seriously, and tries to do so with humble attention to the Context.
However, I only come back to something so obviously Important a week later without having given it real Study. I must get ready for work now. I therefore have failed so far to make myself ready. Today truly studying this is my task, and "coincidentally" God has cleared my plate of distractions, all my family is out of the house including my wife. No excuses, Tim!
4:30pm Errmm. The day is closing. I made a stab at getting chores done, and here I am again nearing time to do something with my church and still haven't finished this.

Points of interpretation:

God and interpreting His Word is a VERY Holy task. Full of detailed reality, full of responsibility to my own and other folks' relationship with the Almighty Eternal One.
For me one key passage is 43:10-14. Here we have Levites (but not priests) who not only worshipped false idols, but led others to do so. AND WE HAVE THEM caretaking God's Temple at the end of time ! Wow. They cannot do the greatest things God has for the faithful Levite priests, but they can help run daily operations. Is that Forgiveness?
It was the rooms for the specifc priests who manage maintaining the Temple that God brought my attention to, but it is not clear why. I hesitate to make an obvious assumption because one should not interpret scripture with a lack of humility.
When Y2K was a serious concern regarding our electrical power grid, I twice received Isaiah 50:4-11 by radio and email the same week a man who was to discuss Y2K software projects with me became infected in his leg with the flesh-eating bacteria. Isaiah 50:4-11 includes, "The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary. Morning by morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will.... If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the Lord and rely on your God. But watch out, you who live in your own light and warm yourselves by your own fires. This is the reward you will receive from me: You will soon fall down in great torment." In hindsight, God clearly did not mean that Y2K should be a concern, but that folks were worshipping themselves by how they prepared for it, and that entire scripture apparently applies specifically to my own responsibility as one who has tried to understand His word. With that as a context for the above, it seems my question is answered.
The context for this passage includes other passages of the Bible, especially those He has shown me in one way or another. Knowing God requires getting close to Absolute Holiness, which is clearly dangerous in itself, but only if you haven't accepted the only Holiness He offers: the blessing that comes with beginning to know what He did on that cross. When you have understanding you have responsibility to share that understanding. And having it means Life Eternal in the presence of the Source of all Good things.
I see no wiggle room here about my responsibility to publish on the Bible. If I am not ready it is because I have not fully asked Him to make me ready, and persist in turning to meaningless idols instead.

God's Truth on Knowing It

2007-04-08T09:01:00.000-07:00

From

The nature of God's Word:
1 Cor 2:13, NIV
When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths

Why God gives us His Word:
Deu 8:3 NIV
He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

What happens when we know God's Word.
Luke 11:28 NIV
Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.”

To religious hypocrites who add to or subtract from God's Word.
Mark 7:9,13 NIV
Then he said, “You skillfully sidestep God’s law in order to hold on to your own tradition. And so you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own tradition. And this is only one example among many others.”

Genesis: Length of Days

2007-04-07T22:55:00.000-07:00

For CitiZendim.org I am working on a short explanation of the positions held by Young Earth Creationists regarding Genesis chapter one. Below is part of a dialog with a valued friend who takes the YEC positions.

LENGTH OF DAYS proposed YEC summary.
The six days of Genesis 1 refer to regular solar days, which we know from the first occurance of "day" as part of the day/night cycle in Genesis 1:5; whenever "day" is modified by a number, like second day or six days, it can only mean a true solar day; and God commands us to work six days and rest one day just as He worked on the six creation days and rested on day seven (Exodus 20:11).

LENGTH OF DAYS YEC article for ICR.org by Dr John Morris.

The length of the days of Genesis 1 has been much debated. Are the days of Genesis 1 regular solar days, referring to the rotation of the earth on its axis, or could each day be a long, indefinite period of time, equivalent in total to the vast time spans of geology? Such an interpretation would give solace to Christians who try to harmonize long ages with Genesis.

It is true that the Hebrew word yom,translated "day," can have a variety of meanings. By far its most common is a literal day, but it can mean "age." The question is, what does it mean here? As always for a word with multiple possible meanings, we must let the Scriptural context take precedence in discerning its meaning for a particular usage.

Interestingly, the very first time the word is used, in Genesis 1:5, it is strictly defined as the light portion of a light/dark cycle as the earth rotated underneath a directional light source, producing day and night. It is also true that whenever "day" is modified by a number, like second day or six days, it can only mean a true solar day. There are no exceptions in Hebrew. Any uncertainty is resolved in the Ten Commandments as God commands us to work six days and rest one day just as He worked on the six creation days and rested on day seven (Exodus 20:11).

Now consider that each day in Genesis is modified by the term "evening and morning," both commonly used words in the Old Testament. Can they be referring to indefinite periods of time? Standard Bible study tools define the Hebrew word for "evening" (ereb) as meaning simply evening or night. It is derived from expressions connoting "the setting of the sun or sunset," and associated with evening sacrificial meal and rituals. Often mentioned is the "evening sacrifice" or "returning at evening." Likewise the word for "morning" (bôqer) literally means morning or dawn, the breaking through of daylight, and reference is made to "rising early in the morning" or keeping the fire burning until the morning. There is little possibility of translating the word pair as "the end of an age" and/or "the beginning of an age."

The job of both Bible student and expositor is to carefully determine what the Author of Scripture is communicating to the reader. We dare not impose on the straightforward Word of God our own bias. We must stand in submission to Him and His words. Remember, God is all wise and wants to reveal truth to us, things we might not know otherwise. He can also write clearly. He will help us understand even difficult passages if we value His thoughts above our own.

LENGTH OF DAYS potential criticisms of YEC that I will try to find explained better.

The most obvious meaning of certain verses is that slow normal processes occured under God's direction. Gen 1:11-12 says the earth produced vegetation, and seeds produced plants. Gen 1:24 says the earth produced living land animals. Gen 2:6 says Adam chose the names for each animal, in the Hebrew culture that means he spent time to know each animal's appearance and perhaps seasonal behavior. At least the periods marked by the third and sixth yoms could most obviously correspond to several seasons or longer.

If the Genesis 1 "day" is a solar day, then the most obvious meaning of Gen 1:5 includes the existence of the Sun in its normal relationship with the earth, contradicting the YEC assertion that the sun is created during the fourth yom.

"Creation" is never used in the Scriptures with "six days" as if that were the primary activity of God in that period. Those six days are always summarized as six days of making heaven and earth complete. This is true of not only the original Hebrew uses of bara (create) /asah (complete), but also every Genesis one English translation of ten or so I have studied.

The use of evening and morning in Genesis 1 uniquely places them so closely together that there appears to be no room for a "night" between them, so what is being counted may not be solar days but periods of activity without a significant pause between them. Psalm 90 is attributed to Moses, and it provides an example of using morning and evening regarding the life-cycle of grass, which is much longer than one solar day.

There is no obvious reason why God would not describe completing the making of earth in six stages followed by rest, and command us out of respect for His work to observe six solar work days followed by rest in Him as a celebration of His goodness .

"For [in] six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy." Exodus 20:11, NLT

Since the "in" of Exodus 20:11 is not in the original translation, it should never be read as if obeying the command is our purpose (implying mankind was made for the sabbath), but perhaps that God takes our motivation about that command so seriously that He describes the completion of the making earth in six periods because He wants us to obey that command for our own good (the sabbath was made for mankind).

My Resume for Citizendium

2007-03-29T00:31:00.000-07:00

The Wikipedia.com as you may know is a huge publicly edited encyclopedia, which suffers from amateur opinions and sometimes edit-wars between contributors over how an article should be written. Citizendium.com is an attempt to replace the Wikipedia with a wiki public contribution system that includes better author identification and expert review of submissions to reduce poorly written material and edit-wars over personal opinions, such as how Genesis chapter One should be read. Below is my resume as submitted to them in my application to become a Citizendium author.

Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics, with minor in Logic, San Jose State College.

I am a software developer, tester, and computer manager with over thirty years experience in business and aerospace software projects, with a bachelor's in math and a minor in logic. I have also been responsible for end-user support and documentation in several positions. Currently I am the sole developer of some two thousand custom software modules specific to my employer's manufacturing market, and often use the Internet for research in computer support and security issues.

Graduating from college in January 1968, I enlisted in the US Navy to avoid being drafted. I was blessed with the beginning of a computer career at two Navy schools, with two more years of shore duty in Hawaii, and one final year aboard the USS Constellation serving in Vietnam. Ever since then I have tried to appreciate what real combat military and their families endure in order to keep the rest of us secure in Liberty.

Since 1994 I have been a self-educated student of the Bible, outside the influence of self-promoting teachers. I have studied most chapters of three modern editions of the Bible, and experienced the reality of how God's Word responds to belief in extraordinary ways, involving at least forty of the Bible's sixty-six books. One of the proofs of the Bible’s authenticity is also one of the Messiah’s new teachings: that God directly guides and inspires those who believe Him, without need of special teachers.

" Nor are you to be called 'teacher,' for you have one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
Matthew 23:10-12, New International Version
(courtesy of BibleGateway.com)

Aside from computers, software, and the Bible my interests include Internet computer gaming; American History from the Revolution to the Vietnam War, embracing the United States Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Gettysburg Address, and the Federalist Papers; and the personal responsibility not only to represent neighbors as we would ourselves, but to keep and bear arms as government of, by, and for the people.

Of Heaven and Hell

2007-03-20T23:34:00.000-07:00

Speaking of someone who has died we often say they are "in a better place", but that may not be true of course.

To enter Heaven, a person must know the Holy One who created it, and this world which He gave completely as a blessing to mankind, all of whom (particularly myself) are busy polluting it with sin every day. With many people it is impossible to be sure if they do truly know God or not, because like myself we are all hypocrites somehow, so being blessed with knowing God may not be obvious. Its also true God might call people to faith in Him through dreams.

Despite that we rarely speak of it, there is an eternal alternative to Heaven. And no, it isn't under control of the Devil. He will be the primary subject of Hell at the end of time, not in control of it. Hell is the total absence of all good things, because they come from the Source of all good things. Hell is total loneliness and utter regret with an eternity of knowing Heaven was within your reach and you delayed or refused to reach out for it. A Good God would not condemn anyone there? Of course not. It is always by the individual's choice, God does not want anyone to be Lost but He will not override your personal preference in eternity.

For anyone reading this who does NOT have that assurance of knowing the Holy Creator, the best I can do is tell you to take the Bible as literally as it tells you to do, and take all of it to heart - for that is what God's Book and You were designed for. Keep truly seeking Him there with all your heart and He will come to you.

For anyone who DOES have that assurance, I recommend the book "Heaven" by Randy Alcorn. His Eternal Perspective Ministries is at www.EPM.org. "Heaven" is available in many Christian book stores. It gives all the Biblical evidence about how Real and Physical the New Earth - Heaven will be at the end of time. No sickness, no tiredness, nothing boring, everything uplifting in every real and joyful sense - just the way we try to imagine the Garden of Eden was. No floating around with harps, especially if you'd rather ZOOM around with a guitar Wink. When there is singing it will be full-out incredible concerts by folks you know and love, sometimes including Me and maybe You (by then I will be a MUCH better singer Wink). Cooking, eating, hugging, walking, talking, sight-seeing, even playing with pets and playing sports I suppose, without end without limit, all to the glory of the Creator and what He has made for us and, by then, made of us.

PS: Don't believe everything the Young Earth Creationists say about the Bible. The way I read it, they refuse to take both Genesis 1 and Job 38 literally.

Only a Truly Good God would say...

2007-03-04T14:39:00.000-08:00

Only a Truly Good God would say that men are not to be trusted as spiritual fathers, special teachers, or masters of followers. It is men who desire something selfish who claim to be a spiritual father, special teacher, or master worthy of followers. Usually what such men want is something of this temporary life: power, money, or confidence from either false ideas or followers deceived by them.

Where does God say this? In the person of Jesus the Christ, warning his followers not to be part of claiming certain men have special religious worth. Holding one man more worthy religiously than another is no less than worshiping men in the place of God Himself (as the Holy Spirit, God the Father, or God the Messiah). Every hypocritical teacher who pretends to teach the Scriptures avoids teaching this passage among others.

"But as for you, do not be called 'Rabbi,' because you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. Do not call anyone on earth your father, because you have one Father, who is in heaven. And do not be called masters either, because you have one Master, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. " Matthew 23:8-12 Holman Christian Standard Bible

Until the Messiah revealed God through His life and sacrifice, and that revelation was completed by the Apostles He personally taught, God's entire word was not complete. Since the last writings of the Apostles, it is complete.

God takes it very seriously indeed when anyone pretends His word says something it does not. This is why the last book of the popularly agreed scripture is the book of Revelation, which ends with:

And I solemnly declare to everyone who hears the words of prophecy written in this book: If anyone adds anything to what is written here, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book. And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book.
Revelation 22:18-19, NLT

Understanding Genesis One

2007-02-03T10:27:00.000-08:00

I have made a long post in a forum about Evolution vs Creation called www.EvCForum.net.
It is here under the Science part in a thread about The Bible: Accuracy and Inerrancy.

In summary this is my understanding about what assumptions to make reading Genesis chapter one. Avoid adding to scripture as men in the past have, and DO consider what God's creation teaches us about the age of the earth and the universe. Use the most obvious interpretation as possible.

What good can come of tragedy?

2007-01-17T21:33:00.000-08:00

I have an acquaintance via the Internet who suffered an awful tragedy in his life. His young wife was killed in a car crash, along with his unborn child. Now this man cannot believe there is a good God who would allow that, and the subject is understandably so painful he does not wish to discuss it.

I too have a situation in which a good God does not seem to make sense. My eldest daughter is now twenty-six. She never speaks and does not use the toilet. Erin is not very aware, and often self-stimulates by waving her hand before her face. Other than that though she is easy to live with since she is usually off in her own world. She does love to go for walks, go swimming, and listen to music - so we do those things more when she is home - and so she laughs a lot when we do. When she was a young child we went to several expert doctors seeking solutions. We never found one. Erin was diagnosed as severely learning disabled with no known cause, which is true of many who suffer severe learning disability.

In one way we are more blessed than some folks. California pays for Erin to have care provided near enough to home that she can visit once a month, and Erin has a very nice family to provide that care. That is why our family situation is not nearly as bad as a friend of mine at work. His daughter is probably mentally more aware, lives at home, and is very hard to keep happy and often difficult to deal with.

So If God is good and in control, why is Erin like that? To begin with, this earth is evil, cursed because Adam disbelieved God and allowed Eve to give in to sin, then joined her. Because of Adam, because all of us choose to disbelieve God in many ways, this world will remain evil until the Messiah returns to make the world and His servants New. God is a huge fan of choice: He wants every person to desire Him from personal choice. Choice also includes the choice to do what is wrong, and wrong has consequences.

But the question remains: how can Erin's disability glorify the only good Creator if she is never healed of it? Likewise, how can the death of a mother and unborn child glorify the Creator? That is a wrong question of course. It assumes disability and death are forever, which God declares is not true. Every person who lacks the mental ability to reject God will automatically have heaven - and heaven is far more than a spiritual existance praising God all the time. Heaven will be endless adventure, loving companions, real glorious beautiful places with specific dimensions, real permanently youthful bodies which never tire nor suffer.

God's Word often uses animals to communicate what God's character is like, and uses celebrations and feasts to communicate what His kingdom will be like - so there is every reason to think there will be animals like lions, lambs, dogs, and cats for company, as well as gloriously REAL celebrations with REAL friends. While being in hell will be endless totally lonely hopelessness, knowing fully all the time that it was one's own personal choice to reject God's goodness which sent one there.

In short: Erin, that unborn child, and likely that young mother (who was faithfully going to church), will all be in heaven to enjoy the endless beauty, real companions, music, and adventure - without any pain or disability forever. I would be surprised if Erin didn't become one of the best singers of everyone there - to praise God for giving far beyond what anyone can ever deserve. How could anyone expect something more glorious than that? The other choice is only Shame, for we who can and do reject what God offers, we who choose instead to spend forever separated from the Source of all good things.

My son, be attentive to my words;
incline your ear to my sayings.
Let them not escape from your sight;
keep them within your heart.
For they are life to those who find them,
and healing to all their flesh.
Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flow the springs of life.
Proverbs 4:20-23 English Standard Version

Sharing Eternal Truth

2007-01-07T16:00:00.000-08:00

If you are like me at all, you want to share God's wonderful truths with many folks, who may not know English well as a written language. Here is a resource for that.

BibleGateway.com - This website has many online Bibles in many languages. When I reviewed their website (January, 2007) they had: Arabic, Bulgarian, Haitian Creole, Danish, German (3), English (20), Spanish (7), French (2), Hungarian, Croatian, Icelandic, Italian (2), Korean, Maori, Netherlands, Norwegian, Portuguese, Romanian, Albanian, Russian (2), Swedish(2), Swahili, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Chinese (2). Also it is possible to lookup a Bible passage such as "Genesis 2-3" (chapters 2 to 3) in one language and then select another Bible version to see the same passageverse. Since two distinct translations are often done by different people, this isn't really a translation of one version to another, but two distinct interpretations of the same verse done by two distinct comittees.

Wonderful Truths from God

2007-01-04T20:02:00.000-08:00

This will be my collection of special answers God has blessed me with - verses God has given me which in some way I find supernatural. Remember none of this happened because of something I did. Most of them occurred without an expressed or even considered prayer, let alone any verbal use of "magic" words. This is because God knows what it is we desire, and it always pleases Him to glorify His Word. It is however, easy to mis-apply this. One cannot expect blind verse finding to work whenever one wants it, because that would glorify the one doing the finding, not the Source of truth Himself.

Verses can only be Supernatural Verses when the seeker really wants to know from the Holiest of all sources, and is willing to take whatever answer comes at least intending to apply it however possible. Virtually every incident where I was looking for an answer occurred when I had the feeling God had one ready for me. Not every case was like that though. If there were many incidents where I tried to blindly find verses and nothing made sense, then many of the below would be mere chance. I have tried that and failed to make sense of it perhaps twice.

On the cost of failing the duty to defend others for selfish purposes. After a long period of concern about many Americans betraying Liberty and Justice for All, my son and a friend were playing with a long tube in the swimming pool. One pulled it behind his head and the other pretended to cut it off. Later we watched TV show about a supernaturally strong but fallen hero. The following Sunday morning without connecting that, I picked an illustrated children's Bible story of Samson to read to the boys. That night I realized that could not be a simple coincidence, and decided God wanted me to read about Samson, but I didn't realize where that was in my Bible. God's hint gave me the boldness to put my finger in a new Bible blindly. My finger was on Judges 14:1. Judges 14-16

On where America was then (in 1994) in the parable of defenders giving away their duty to defend others for selfish reasons. My finger was blindly on Judges 16:19

On how seriously God takes the calling of those who know Him, and trusting in the works of men rather than in Him. This came by email and radio sermon the same week my Southern California employer was considering a contractor to do Y2K fixes in our business critical software. The consultant we were to interview was unable to come because he was the man in Southern California who contracted an infection of the flesh-eating bactieria in his leg (fortunately he recovered). Isaiah 50:4-11

In the midst of a long list of descendants of Judah, is a two sentence story about a man named Jabez, whose prayer was granted. The "Prayer of Jabez" was a classic short Christian book about this prayer. I remember praying it once seriously. I am a computer manager, and one of my primary job concerns is security of our network and user PC's. Shortly after that, the Code Red virus set a new standard by spreading automatically between Microsoft web servers. I was probably one of a handful of people who realized Microsoft's solution for Code Red directly led to serious issues when Code Red II appeared. Code Red (the original) was only a memory resident nuisance, so Microsoft advised installing the patch to prevent it and simply rebooting the server which clears out that memory. Code Red II (so named by its author) used the same software flaw to infect Microsoft web servers while installing a software means of spreading after the server was rebooted. So Microsoft's solution led to many web server administrators eliminating the obvious Code Red nuisance while missing the fact that their webserver was compromized with installed Code Red II. Later the virus Nimda spread between Microsoft web servers in part by using Code Red II installed security holes, part of Nimda also infected browsing PC's through a flaw in Internet Explorer. Perhaps this doesn't meet my requirements for a supernatural verse, but I think of it as one. Has this prayer done what was claimed for me? Well it could have meant an impressive start on a career in computer security then, but I haven't been continuing with it since. 1 Chronicles 4:9-10

A friend at work once asked me for a Bible in Vietnamese. I ordered it via the Internet. The day I was going to give it to him, I sat in my car and wondered what verse would be good to quote for him. I got that boldness again, and my finger found a verse in a language where perhaps only one letter out of three looked familiar. I had to figure out what book I was in from the table of contents, fortunately (actually by the Designer) the numbers were familiar.
The verse was Amos 4:13

I still struggle with computer gaming addiction, because I am disobedient about focusing upon Christ to distract myself from what is wrong. Lately my gaming interest is in games played with many other people on the Internet. I rationalize that I can somehow serve God's purpose as a witness for His Word through the player friends I make. One certain weeknight I stayed up until 2 AM or so. I took a break for some water, and "on impulse" turned on my personal radio (which I haven't done at night any other time). Just at that very moment a Pastor was giving the verse for a sermon. Warning: this applies to all forms of fantasy, including pornography, computer games, and fiction books or movies. Proverbs 28:19

In the late 1990's there was twice a law passed by Congress to prohibit a particularly awful form of abortion called partial birth abortion (related articles by the American Medical Assn). Our President at the time (whose name I will not glorify) vetoed those two laws. When he vetoed the second one, I again got that boldness, and this time my finger found a verse I had studied before but never considered related to the question of whether abortion was a good thing. It is part of Mary's song about being the unmarried mother of the unborn Messiah and His purpose for coming. Luke 1:54-55

As perhaps you can tell, I have been very concerned about what Gun Control means for our continued Liberty as a nation, which is why I first wanted an answer about the duty to defend others (what the Second Amendment provides for is the means for our citizens to fulfill that duty as government by and for the people, called the Militia). At one point I felt lead to try another blind finding of a verse about that concern. What I found was David, at the time anointed as Israel's next king but a fugitive from the current king, outraged that his outlaw band (a real life model like Robin Hood's supposedly was) was insulted by a land owner, and giving in to his outrage and on the verge of betraying the duty to defend even an enemy. 1 Samuel 25:13

I had another blind verse finding about the foolisness of trusting in swords. Psalm 44:3

Earlier when prohibiting partial birth abortion was up for Presidential decision, I fasted hoping it would not be vetoed. My finger blindly found this Psalm to the tune of "Do not destroy" about unjust judges, birth, wombs, lies, and stillborn children. Psalm 58

Davinci Code Foolishness

2006-12-31T15:34:00.000-08:00

Many folks are taking the Davinci Code's allegations as true without really considering how valid its claims may be.

Dramatic fiction books in this genre are written for amusement, not critical thinking. People who buy them want to suspend disbelief, and take their mind off of everyday tedium, not understand serious issues. "Amusement" by the original definition is distraction from thinking, and The Davinci Code certainly meets that definition, but does it successfully say anything worth thinking about?
Many plot turns in Davinci Code are based upon total incompetence - unlike most very successful drama fiction. Examples: the first big scene involves a killer of incredible skill on his fourth victim for the night - but he forgot to reload his pistol after the first three victims? Every police type semi-automatic pistol remains open after the last shot is fired, so magazines can be changed in a hurry, yet this skillful killer manages to "click" his Glock 17 shot semi-auto pistol on an empty chamber. The big murder victim in this scene is the head curator for the Louve musem, whose primary role includes ensuring that benefactors successfully pass donations on to the musem - but he does not believe in written wills? A key character is a police cryptologist - who has forgotten simple cryptographic puzzles she solved as a child? Another key character is an expert in ancient historical documents - who believes in Gnostic documents with anonymous authors claiming to give narratives from key persons in the life of Christ but which were actually written over a hundred years after the last such persons died?

Wonderful Truth: All Life is Precious

2006-12-26T00:11:00.000-08:00

Once several years ago our then President twice vetoed a law that would have banned a medical method of abortion so incredible I will not begin to describe it. It was called "partial birth abortion" (here is what the American Medical Assn has published about it). By then I knew God must surely disapprove of what America was doing to unborn children, and I had already studied through much of the Bible. I also had the feeling it would be right to put my finger in my Bible without looking for an answer about what God thought of abortion.

My finger blindly found a verse I had already read, and one which is often read at Christmas, since it is about the first Christmas and what Mary sang when she learned she was to be the mother of Messiah, of God in human form - a role many Hebrew women longed for. The story begins in Luke 1. When the angel told Mary what was to be, he also told her that her older cousinElizabeth would have a son despite her age. So she quickly went to visit her cousin Elisabeth. When the baby (John the Baptist) in Elizabeth's womb leapt for joy at being near the unborn Jesus, Mary sang this song:

“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
For the Mighty One is holy,
and he has done great things for me.
He shows mercy from generation to generation
to all who fear him.
His mighty arm has done tremendous things!
He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
He has brought down princes from their thrones
and exalted the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away with empty hands.
He has helped his servant Israel
and remembered to be merciful.
For he made this promise to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his children forever.”
(Luke 1:46-55, NLT)

My finger was blindly upon Luke 1:54-55, which is bolded above. So what does God say about abortion? The Messiah came for mercy to all the descendants of Abraham.

Ground pounders and why I love them

2006-12-25T21:00:00.000-08:00

Ground Pounders is military talk for infantry (Soldiers and Marines). Here is my tale about why I love them.

During the Vietnam War I graduated from college. That was before God woke me up to how Real He is, in January 1968 when the Viet Cong Tet Offensive began. During a vietnamese religious holiday the VC attacked many South Vietnamese cities to convince the US the war would cost too much. Then, even more than before, Uncle Sam wanted me and others to get involved.

I didn’t believe in the war and wanted no part of those jungles, so I enlisted in the Navy for four years. After boot camp I worked as a keypuncher on the base in San Diego until I was to be transferred. That’s when I was blessed to hand my own notice of availability to the Petty Officer who assigned recruits their next duty. He asked me what I wanted, so I asked for more data processing. That is how I got six months of computer schools in San Francisco and Washington, D.C., and then after doing well my choice of orders to shore duty in Hawaii.

Wheeler AFB is in the middle of Oahu. Less than a mile away is an underground Navy base in a large bunker, an alternate to the fleet control center in Pearl Harbor. I served there in under the pineapple fields in air-conditioned computer rooms for two years. That is how I was blessed with shore duty and the rank of Data Processing Petty Officer 2nd Class (E-5) before going to sea my last year.

That last year was aboard the USS Constellation aircraft carrier. I had about nine months at sea. I worked in a computer area with six other sailors preparing reports on fuel, ammo, and spare parts for the ship and our planes. My best sea story is that the President once ordered our forces to strike the enemy capital in Hanoi after peace talks had failed. We spent our time the night we moved to attack by passing around a magazine article about Soviet pilots based in North Vietnam with supersonic bombers, nuclear bombs, and a desire to sink American aircraft carriers.

What did I take away from Navy service?
During my Vietnam war service I learned what undeserved gifts are that you can never repay. At all times my air-conditioned computer room was defended by several other ships, many tons of steel, and dozens of aircraft. Only a few miles away there were ground-pounders and flyboys suffering and dying in the jungle in my place and partly for my freedom. Those flyers who didn't suffer it were risking the worst of it alone in enemy territory. Those men faced unknown enemies in miserable conditions. Getting shot at or booby trapped there might even be easier than facing the unrelenting heat, humidity, bugs and diseases at every turn - never knowing when someone might surprise you with a grenade or AK-47, or a buddy die in some horrible way before your helpless eyes. There were many horrible things those men cannot forget, and I hope they try to warn us against. Unlike some of them, I came away with only good things.

Undeserved Gifts.
Experiencing that undeserved gift of life and freedom, knowing just a little bit what other men chose to do partly for my sake, was part of what finally compelled me to REALLY consider the Bible. In a far greater measure, that is exactly what the Messiah, who is fully God yet fully in the form of a man, did on the cross. Jesus paid for our lifetimes of unholiness, for us to have an undeserved eternity of incredible friendships and celebrations, with His own blood. To reject that message, to delay attempting to know it for yourself, is the only sin that actually condemns us to eternity without God. Every other sin of a lifetime is forgiven the instant we actually know that truth in our hearts, enough to keep acting upon what we know.

Jesus suffered untold pain in the hope we would seek Him through His Word, come to know Him because of it. I have had many Real answers to prayer, yet often I cannot expect an answer because of my unholy thoughts, deeds or failures to do. The truth is He DOES answer prayer when we expect an answer because of HIS Holiness.

Yes I take the Bible literally, including Genesis chapter one. Which actually says that God created heaven and earth from nothing in the beginning, THEN God let the first visible day occur on the surface (dispersing thick clouds, see Job 38:8), then during those six Hebrew “yom” periods of activity created three life forms from nothing including mankind. Those six periods of activity completed the making of heaven and earth, but clearly did not include creating any part of heaven or earth from nothing. Take the Bible literally, hope for answers there, and keep hoping until God hints it is time to look.

Westboro Baptist Church speaks for God?

2006-12-18T21:13:00.000-08:00

BACKGROUND. Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) has recently made news by disrupting prominent funerals to publicize their concern that America is suffering God's wrath because we as a nation have not discouraged prideful homosexual behavior. It is true we give God many reasons for wrath, including failure to confront awful public sins, but WBC arrogantly proclaims God's wrath for Him, and painfully disrupts funerals to do so.

Westboro Baptist Church claims many sufferings by Americans (including Iraq war deaths and the Amish girls killed recently) are due to God's wrath against America for our public acceptance of prideful homosexual behavior. WBC has not read what happened to Job, a godly man who suffered greatly, and his three "friends" who arrogantly claimed Job must have deserved God's wrath (Job ch 30-37). When God appears in answer to Job's cry for help and understanding, He says to Job's three friends, "I am angry with you..., because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has." (Job 42:7, NIV)

WBC hopes to inspire repentance by disrupting funerals. They have not read, "Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.... Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:17-21, NIV)

WBC has strayed so far from ordinary understanding of the scriptures, it seems reasonable to suppose they may have a human "special" teacher who arrogantly promotes human teaching over the personal responsibility to know God's Word for oneself. This would not be possible if their members truly loved God and His Word with their whole heart and mind. Becoming a "special" teacher or deferring personal understanding about God to one is exactly what Jesus warned against when he said:

"Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels. And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.’

“Don’t let anyone call you ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters. And don’t address anyone here on earth as ‘Father,’ for only God in heaven is your spiritual Father. And don’t let anyone call you ‘Teacher,’ for you have only one teacher, the Messiah. The greatest among you must be a servant. But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." (Matthew 23:5-12, NIV)

2006-12-13T02:45:00.000-08:00

American Jewish Congress http://www.ajcongress.org

Has published video interviews of Hezbollah operatives here, here, and here describing how Hezbollah members and Lebanese civilians conspire to place anti-tank and other missiles in civilian areas, and attack from civilian areas to deliberately sacrifice civilian homes, civilian lives, and children for the Islamic cause by attracting Israeli retaliation.

What does God say he created those six days?

2006-09-30T21:24:00.000-07:00

The Biblical wrotes wrote to be Understood, using normal grammar, so readers would not need special teachers, and special teachers are now forbidden since scripture is complete Matt 23

Below are the most primary verses to understand regarding the question of what God says about the age of the heavens and earth. We have emphasized the key words.

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day....
(Genesis 1:1 -5, NKJV courtesy of BibleGateway.com)

It is commonly assumed that "the beginning" and the "first day" refer to the same period. But this ignores the initial condition before God speaks and the light of the first day begins, the earth already was without form and had an ocean.

But , one may ask is meant by the term "first day" then, if not the first day of the creation process?

existed in some sense without form and that the deep or ocean clearly existed. at assumption contradicts the initial condition of verse what if . The assertion that God created the heavens and the earth within the six days rests on that assumption. When that is assumed, one can easily conclude that all of the heavens and earth, and all forms of living creatures were created in some way during that six day period.

However I have been unable to find any verses in any of the popular English versions of the Bible which clearly mean "in the beginning" and the six days refer to the same period, or that all forms of living creatures were created during the six days.

One verse commonly used to assert this is below.

For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day.
(taken from Exodus 20, KJV, courtesy of BlueLetterBible.org)

But one obvious problem with asserting the above means God created the heavens and the earth during those six days is that God uses the hebrew "asah" where "made" appears. In other words this is not about when God created the universe from nothing, but when it was made complete.

This can be seen using BlueLetterBible's page for Exodus 20, browse to 20:11 and click the "C" Concordance tool button to get this display exploding that verse in Hebrew, and showing "asah" where "made" appears above. By clicking the Strong's number for "asah" [06213] there, one can see more about what "asah" means and what other verses use "asah". By using BlueLetterBible.org for the other verses above one can see that "bara" means something different from "asah".

To me the apparent lack of verses to support any of the above necessary implications means any serious Bible student should question the assumption that "in the beginning" refers to the same period as the six days, and seek to understand for themselves what is the "first day" (Genesis 1:2 to 1:5) about if it may not be the first day the creation process began.

Like myself, my Pastor knows the original text of the Bible is divinely authored without flaw. That means it is more than a belief, he has had some form of personal divine confirmation of the Bible's authorship. Also he apparently believes that heaven, earth, and all living things were created during those six days.

So my challenge to him will be: using any of the most popular Bible versions (such as KJV, NKJV, NIV, NASB, or HCSB) if you can show me what verse or verses clearly mean any one of the above implications is true, I will donate fifty dollars to the church. If you cannot, then you owe the church a sermon on what that means.

Of interest in this challenge is that:

Proper interpretation of the Bible never permits adding meaning to a verse unless that is supported by other verses of the Bible;
Wherever there is lack of clarity the original scriptures are the best authority on what is meant - not the opinions of men; and
This same assumption leads many who know scientific facts to disregard the possibility there is a Holy God who loves each of us incredibly much. To disregard the reality of God's Word and the eternal life it offers.

Imagine my confusion, when his response was:

Genesis 1:1 is a summary of what follows (despite that what follows says nothing about creating any part of the heavens or the earth);
This is Hebrew. One cannot take Hebrew literally. In other words God's written word must be interpreted by experts - despite Matthew 23.
Bara = Asah. They are interchangable and mean the same thing. Despite that "the heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands... The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple... the fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever." Psa 19.

Since I was a few minutes early to work and hadn't yet begun doing a daily quiet time, I asked God to reveal the truth of what my Pastor was claiming. Then I put my hand blindly in my older NIV Bible. It was on Isaiah 36:5

[Assyrian captain Sennacherib = Deceiver, Assyrian King = ways of Man,
Hezekiah & followers = faithful, Isaiah = Word of God]

On whom are you depending...? 6 Look now, you are depending on Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff, which pierces a man's hand and wounds him if he leans on it! ...7 And if you say to me, "We are depending on the LORD our God"-isn't he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, "You must worship before this altar"?
[Deceiver challenges the faithful, refers to misunderstanding which causes confusion]

"10 Furthermore, have I come to attack and destroy this land without the LORD ? The LORD himself told me to march against this country and destroy it.' "
[Deceiver claims to hear from God that he should destroy what is God's]

11 Then Eliakim, Shebna and Joah said to the field commander, "Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, since we understand it. Don't speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people on the wall."
[faithful don't want confusion and misunderstanding to lead others astray, don't want deception to spread. an interesting point that the use of Hebrew is by the deceiver who uses it for evil]

12 But the commander replied, "Was it only to your master and you that my master sent me to say these things, and not to the men sitting on the wall—who, like you, will have to eat their own filth and drink their own urine?"
[deceiver uses accurate Hebrew to spread fear and misunderstanding]

13 Then the commander stood and called out in Hebrew, "Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria! 14 This is what the king says: Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. He cannot deliver you! 15 Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the LORD when he says, 'The LORD will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.'
[Deceiver lies about the truth of God, casts doubt upon relationship with God]

16 "Do not listen to Hezekiah. This is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then every one of you will eat from his own vine and fig tree and drink water from his own cistern, 17 until I come and take you to a land like your own—a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards.
[Deceiver tempts faithful to trust in Man]

18 "Do not let Hezekiah mislead you when he says, 'The LORD will deliver us.' Has the god of any nation ever delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? 19 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they rescued Samaria from my hand? 20 Who of all the gods of these countries has been able to save his land from me? How then can the LORD deliver Jerusalem from my hand?"
[Deceiver says don't trust God's word, compares foolish trust in men to trust in the living God]

21 But the people remained silent and said nothing in reply, because the king had commanded, "Do not answer him."
[faithful remain obedient to the Word of God]

Isaiah 37
1 When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and went into the temple of the LORD. 2 He sent Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary, and the leading priests, all wearing sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. 3 They told him, "This is what Hezekiah says: This day is a day of distress and rebuke and disgrace, as when children come to the point of birth and there is no strength to deliver them. 4 It may be that the LORD your God will hear the words of the field commander, whom his master, the king of Assyria, has sent to ridicule the living God, and that he will rebuke him for the words the LORD your God has heard. Therefore pray for the remnant that still survives."
[faithful seek God's help, know that they need Him desperately, know the deceiver ridicules God, pray God rebukes the deceiver]

5 When King Hezekiah's officials came to Isaiah, 6 Isaiah said to them, "Tell your master, 'This is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid of what you have heard—those words with which the underlings of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. 7 Listen! I am going to put a spirit in him so that when he hears a certain report, he will return to his own country, and there I will have him cut down with the sword.' "
[God says do not fear the deceiver, the blasphemer, nor the ways of Man. His deception will soon be ended]

8 When the field commander heard that the king of Assyria had left Lachish, he withdrew and found the king fighting against Libnah.

9 Now Sennacherib received a report that Tirhakah, the Cushite king of Egypt , was marching out to fight against him. When he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah with this word: 10 "Say to Hezekiah king of Judah: Do not let the god you depend on deceive you when he says, 'Jerusalem will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.' 11 Surely you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the countries, destroying them completely. And will you be delivered? 12 Did the gods of the nations that were destroyed by my forefathers deliver them—the gods of Gozan, Haran, Rezeph and the people of Eden who were in Tel Assar? 13 Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, or of Hena or Ivvah?"
[Deceiver has foolish trust in the ways of Man and calls for more of it, even when God's work is manifest, compares living God to all false gods]

Hezekiah's Prayer

14 Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD. 15 And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD : 16 "O LORD Almighty, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 17 Give ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God.
[Faithful calls on God who is Almighty, "maker of heaven and earth". See the insult to God in this deceiver]

18 "It is true, O LORD, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste all these peoples and their lands. 19 They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands. 20 Now, O LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O LORD, are God. "
[Faithful calls on God to reveal that He alone is the living God, that the Deceiver lies about who God truly is]

Sennacherib's Fall

[God promises to rebuke the Deceiver, make the ways of men folly, show He is Almighty, reward the faithful

21 Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Because you have prayed to me concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria, 22 this is the word the LORD has spoken against him:
"The Virgin Daughter of Zion
despises and mocks you.
The Daughter of Jerusalem
tosses her head as you flee.

23 Who is it you have insulted and blasphemed?
Against whom have you raised your voice
and lifted your eyes in pride?
Against the Holy One of Israel!

24 By your messengers
you have heaped insults on the Lord.
And you have said,
'With my many chariots
I have ascended the heights of the mountains,
the utmost heights of Lebanon.
I have cut down its tallest cedars,
the choicest of its pines.
I have reached its remotest heights,
the finest of its forests.

25 I have dug wells in foreign lands
and drunk the water there.
With the soles of my feet
I have dried up all the streams of Egypt.'

26 "Have you not heard?
Long ago I ordained it.
In days of old I planned it;
now I have brought it to pass,
that you have turned fortified cities
into piles of stone.
[God points out to Deceiver that He ordained what the Ways of Men had done up to then]

27 Their people, drained of power,
are dismayed and put to shame.
They are like plants in the field,
like tender green shoots,
like grass sprouting on the roof,
scorched before it grows up.

28 "But I know where you stay
and when you come and go
and how you rage against me.

29 Because you rage against me
and because your insolence has reached my ears,
I will put my hook in your nose
and my bit in your mouth,
and I will make you return
by the way you came.
[Deceiver's insolence has reached God's ears]

30 "This will be the sign for you, O Hezekiah:
"This year you will eat what grows by itself,
and the second year what springs from that.
But in the third year sow and reap,
plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

31 Once more a remnant of the house of Judah
will take root below and bear fruit above.

32 For out of Jerusalem will come a remnant,
and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this.

33 "Therefore this is what the LORD says concerning the king of Assyria:
"He will not enter this city
or shoot an arrow here.
He will not come before it with shield
or build a siege ramp against it.

34 By the way that he came he will return;
he will not enter this city,"
declares the LORD.

35 "I will defend this city and save it,
for my sake and for the sake of David my servant!"

36 Then the angel of the LORD went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies! 37 So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there.
[what an answer to insolence and deception about the Living God!]

Bara
Gen 1:1 heavens and earth
1:21 sea creatures & birds
1:27 mankind
2:3 all that he created and made
2:4 when they were created in the day the Lord made the earth and the heavens
5:1 generations of Adam in the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made He him
5:2 male and female created He them and called their name Adam in the day when they were created
6:7 And the Lord said I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth
Exo 34:10 I will do marvels such as have not been created (done) in all the earth
Num 16:30 But if the Lord Create (make) a new thing and the earth open her mouth and swallow them up...
Deu 4:32 since the day God created man upon the earth
Jos 17:15 if thou be a great people then get up to the country and clear a place (create) for thyself in the land of the Perizzites
Jos 17:18 the mountain shall be thine for it is a wood and thou shalt clear a place (create) for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites
1SA 2:29 wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice which I have commanded ; and honourest thy sons to make yourselves fat (create)
psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart oh God
psa 89:10 the north and the south thou hast created them
psa 89:47 Remember how short my time is: wherefore has thou made (created) all men in vain?
Psa 102:18 the generation to come and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord
Psa104:30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created; and thou renewst the face of the earth
Psa 148:5 Let them praise the name of the Lord for He commanded and they were created
Ecc12:1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not
Isa 4:5 The Lord will Create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies a cloud and a smoke by day
Isa 40:26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things
Isa 40:28 Hast thou not known? that the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth
Isa 41:20 that they may see, and know, that the hand of the Lord hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it
Isa 42:5 thus saith God the Lord, that he created the heavens
Isa 43:1 thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob
Isa 43:7 Every one that is called by name for I have created him for my glory
Isa 43:15 I am the Lord your Holy One, the Creator of Israel
Isa 45:7 I form the light and create the darkness, I make peace, and create evil, I the Lord do these things
Isa 45:8 Drop down ye heavens from above... I the Lord have created it.
Isa 45:12 I have made the earth and created man upon it
Isa 45:18 thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, He created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited
Isa 54:16 Behold I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work, and I have crated the waster to destroy.
Isa 57:19 I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off
Isa 65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth
Isa 65:18 But be ye glad and rejoice forever in that which I create, for behold I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy
Jer 31:22 How long wilt thou go about o thou backsliding daughter? For the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth
Eze 21:19 thou son of man appoint thee two ways that the sword of the king of Babylon may come: both twain shall come forth out of one land; and choose (create) thou a place, choose (create) it at the head of the way to the city.
Eze 21:30 Shall I cause it to return into his sheath? Iwill judge thee in the place where thou wast created
Eze 23:47 the company shall stone them with stones and dispatch (create) them with their swords
Eze 28:13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of the God ... the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created
Eze 28:15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee
Amo 4:13 He that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man his thought
Mal 2:10 have we not all one father? Hath not one God created us?

When did God create heaven and earth?

2006-09-03T00:49:00.000-07:00

Herein we are using the New King James Version of the Bible, which is much the same as any popular English translation about these verses. Only the NASB differs in some details we will discuss later. The links are to BibleGateway.com, which has many modern translations in English and other languages.

To understand the way God speaks about the creation process, focus on every statement about the earth because it is the created thing about which we have the most detail. It was created in the beginning, then given light, land, plants, creatures, and mankind, then pronounced made complete only after mankind was created.

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

The heavens spoken of here includes the sun, moon, and stars. The heavens are mentioned first, which may indicate they were created before the earth. The word which is translated as "created" is the Hebrew BARA, which is often taken to mean a divine creation of something out of nothing.

1:2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

This is earth's condition as seen the surface: dark and only a watery surface. God has not yet caused light at the surface of the earth but since the Hebrew day begins at evening this may be God's description of the beginning of the first day. God says nothing about BARA creating the earth or light, but that earth exists in the dark. This means verse 1:1's "the beginning" may have preceeded the first day by some unspecified period of time.

1:3-5 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.

God lets light appear as seen from the surface of the earth. Since the BARA act of divine creation is not mentioned until the fifth and sixth days, the term "first day" should not be misread to mean the first day of the creation process, but only the obvious meaning of the first 24-hour day apparent at the earth's surface. Sometimes the word "day" means the normal 12-hour period of daylight and human activity, or a 24 hour complete cycle, or several consecutive days of certain activity. In the case of Genesis 1:5 "day" is used first to mean the 12-hour daylight, then later to mean a 24 hour day/night cycle as seen on the surface of the earth. It also defines "day" as a term for use in this narrative and later narratives.

1:6-8 Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” 7 Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day.

The term Heaven of verse 1:8 is the Hebrew word for "sky". So here God made the sky apparently to divide very thick clouds from the ocean below. Notice again God did not BARA anything, and it is possilble there were days unmentioned between the first day and this one, since God's Word does not tell us everything men want to know - only what God wants us to know.

Many serious scholars of God's Word believe the six days should be understood as consecutive, and there is no obvious scripture indicating they were not. That days were apparent at the surface does not necessarily mean the sun was visible through those clouds, and but even if the sun were not visible it could provide energy to plants later.

1:9 - 13 Then God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so. 10 Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.
11 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13 So the evening and the morning were the third day.

Here God lets dry land appear and lets the earth bring forth plant life. He does not claim to BARA create plant life from nothing in any verse. Since He is the source of all life we should assume He made plant life originate in some sense gradually, perhaps partly prior to the third day, or fulfilled after the third day. We should always assume events God describes are normal as we experience them unless God specifies they were unusual. The earth bringing forth grass, herbs, and trees may have started or been fulfilled on the third day, but the normal growing seasons for a tree should be assumed. This is one valid reason to interpret that although the second and third days are normal 24 hour days, there may be more than one normal growing season between the second and third days that God does not consider worth mentioning.

1:14 - 19 Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; 15 and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so. 16 Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. 17 God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18 and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 So the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

God lets lights appear in the sky as a means of marking time and to give light on the earth, which completes God's purposes for the heavens. He made the sun, moon, and stars. He does not claim to BARA create the sun, moon, or stars from nothing in this period. He does claim to make them apparent at the surface as men would see them. God does not tell us here when He created them orginally. Notice the sun, moon, and stars are mentioned in the order they would become obvious if the thick cloud layer above the sky (of verse 1:7) was lessening in a normal manner under God's direction.

Genesis 2:1 - 5. 1 Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. 2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.
4 This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, 5 before any plant of the field was in the earth and before any herb of the field had grown.

Again God summarizes Genesis chapter one as being about when the heavens and the earth were finished, ending with the sixth day. There is nothing in these verses to indicate if "the beginning" coincided with the "first day" or preceeded it by some unspecified time. Verse 2:3 is sometimes misread to mean that created and made mean the same process, which ignores common logic. If I claim to have designed and built a car that does not mean that designing and building are the same process, but could be considered distinct stages of the same process. God says "He rested from all His work which God had created and made', which clearly says God means something different by "created" than He means by "made". Verse 2:4 uses the word "day" to mean the entire period when God made the earth and heavens..

Notice verse 2:5 says plants and herbs of the field were not apparent by the seventh day, although some trees and other plants existed by then according to verses 1:11 - 13. This is the oldest observation that some dominant life forms change over time - what most people mean by the term "evolution". Because God never claims to BARA create any type of plant, it is possible that God in some way made plants of the field from preceeding plants, or that they were created earlier and only later became apparent when conditions favored their being made complete.

Exodus 20:8-11 “ Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

Verse 11 above is a favorite of those who advocate a six-day creation story. But God does not here claim here that He BARA divinely created anything from nothing during that period. He says that He "made" them complete, which is the Hebrew ASAH.

The phrase "in six days" is critical to the six-day creation story, but the "in" is italicized in many Bibles and Strong's Hebrew Concordance because "in" is assumed by the translators but not part of the original Hebrew scripture. The word "in" changes the entire meaning of this sentence. Those who want the six-day creation story emphasize "for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth...", which would mean the making was all done during six days, and the whole passage would mean we are to keep the sabbath because God made everything during six days.

Without that assumed "in", the sentence reads "For six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth...". Therefore the actual meaning of the original scripture seems instead to mean that He made everything as He did to emphasize six days and how important keeping the sabbath is. The meaning of the passage then becomes, keep the sabbath because God considers it so important that He made everything for six days. This second meaning without the assumed "in" is consistant with Christ's teaching that man was not made for the sake of the sabbath, but the sabbath for man's sake. (Mark 2:27) .

A Wonder: Unselfish Love

2006-08-06T01:07:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows the reality of Unselfish Love understands something of the true all-loving Creator. For example, what led me to knowing God was the Unselfish Love shown by America's forefathers in building and preserving government meant to secure the Creator-given equal rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Unselfish Love like that, love willing to give up treasure, and life itself for the sake of others is itself a miracle and a small potential proof of God's nature, as America's actual history was for me.

Anyone who knows of Unselfish Love already has proof, but deniable proof, that the all-loving Creator exists and always gives us a way to find Him. Because we humans are so awfully flawed yet He is pure Righteousness and Justice, such proof must be deniable so we may choose to persist in blindly worshipping less than Him.

But what is Unselfish Love then? From the Apostle Paul:

(2) If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. (3) If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
2 Corinthians 13:2-7 New International Version

Notice verse 2 means there is no secret mystery, knowledge, or mere belief in a story with lasting power. Also verse 3 says there is no secret prayer, holy ritual, nor good deeds with lasting power. Without love toward God Himself, we are nothing and we can do nothing to gain God's favor.

Those who claim to have secret power or to do anything that gains God's favor do not know the real God of the Scriptures no matter what they may convince themselves or say aloud. By other Scriptures (such as Matthew 23:5-11), such religionists / false teachers seek to exploit those who foolishly worship god-like power for themselves, like Adam and Eve did (Genesis 3:4-5).

Every time one of us worships a lie about lasting powers we might gain, we are giving this world to the same false god Adam and Eve believed instead of the Creator (Genesis 3:1-6). In that way we help poison this world. Adults have seen far more of the evils due to that sin poisoning, and so children are more likely to trust in and find God as He really is. Adults are instead more likely to deny the nature of God, to give up on a loving Creator or hope in foolish schemes to magically control Him.

Publishing upon Love was on my mind, when tonight by "accident" on my new iPod I played a favorite song about Unselfish Love...

We can entertain compassion
For a world in need of care,
But the road of good intentions
Doesn't lead to anywhere
'Cause love isn't love
'Til you give it away
You gotta give it away

Love is like a river
Flowing down from the Giver of life
We drink from the water
And our thirst is no longer denied
You gotta give it away

There was a man who walked on water
He came to set the people free
He was the ultimate example
Of what love can truly be
'Cause His love was His life
And He gave it away
You gotta give it away

Michael W. Smith, "Give It Away"

Finding Good out of bad

2006-07-30T20:03:00.000-07:00

[This is to encourage a young man bound for college whom I love. He had a soft contact cause a corneal scratch which became infected, possibly due to bacteria in the water at the beach. Very quickly that became a damaged cornea. He may well need a corneal transplant. Fortunately we are blessed with good medical care and chances for healing, but patience and trust will be needed]

Kevin, one of the reasons I love the Bible is that it tells the truth about some very difficult things. Despite what some try to sell to the foolish, it does not promise the good life in this world. Instead it promises there are no magical ceremonies or words to influence God. It teaches there may be healing we ask for, but we must know Him personally enough to expect an answer according to His will. It also teaches that God may not give the answer we hope for.

I and the church prayer group are praying that you find healing for your eye. I have every hope that will come in time, probably through excellent doctors like you will have at college. But whether it does or not, and no matter how long that takes, God always wants you to seek something good out of what seems bad - so begin now to think for yourself how that might look.

Everything good thing begins with focus on helping someone else. That might be going out of your way to help folks with a handicap for example. Everything lasting thing begins with focus on glorifying what God has done for you. If you become trapped into focusing on yourself very little good can happen - I learned that myself about addiction to games and how trapped in guilt that made me. If you aren't sure yet what God has done for you then make a real effort to learn certainty of it.

The Apostle Paul wrote almost half of the New Testament, and apparently had bad eyesight. When his name was still Saul, he had an experience that might affect the eyesight when the risen Jesus turned him from persecuting Christians to being a primary example of a Christian. Even though Paul was part of many miracles, including perhaps knowing Heaven itself when he may have been revived from the dead, God did not cure Paul's eyesight for a reason.

To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10 NIV)

Paul wrote the following to those who were already sure what God had done for them. It teaches that we are actually to rejoice in every opportunity to seek growth of character. That does NOT mean it is easy to put into practice, however. True character growth never comes easily.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us--they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. (Romans 5:3-5 NLV)

You are young and modern medicine knows well how to deal with this, and being young you have a better than usual chance of healing with that help.

I never had to face a difficulty like yours is at your age. But I do know of men who faced going into the hell of the Vietnam war as young as you are. Regardless whether they were heroes or just men there - I admire every one because of whatever they did for other people, including for me.

Praying for you always,
Dad

Overcoming Guilt

2006-07-20T18:57:00.000-07:00

I mentioned "In the beginning" that I have been a Christian for twelve years at this point and have not yet obeyed Him by having myself baptised. Here is what I have to say about disobeying His clear command for so long.

Confirmation that now is the right time.
After this entry was drafted, I considered how to finish it this morning. When I turned on the TV to distract one of my children, Dr. Charles Stanley (InTouch.org) was giving a full thirty minute program on the necessity of being Baptised. Can there be a better more humble sign from God that being baptised and publishing about it are the right things for me to do at this time?

What is Baptism?
The Bible is very clear that no mere ceremony, words, or sacrifice by men can influence the Creator. To think the Creator of the universe is ridiculously subject to human "magic" like that is incredible arrogance. Baptism according to the Bible is a ceremony that publicly symbolizes obediently identifying oneself as a believer belonging to the company of all believers.

How you can influence the Creator.
To influence the Creator of all things you must begin by letting Him change your heart, by persistantly and humbly pursuing Him through His words yourself. Persist until you begin understanding it and loving Him because you do, without needing "special" teachers.

Why haven't I been baptised before?
While I have many times experienced the Reality of God in wonderful, unexplainable ways, I am still doing some things God doesn't want, and failing to do what He does want. For my family who know this best of all, I have been a poor example of a Christian. By doing what God does not want I mean primarily computer gaming, which steals time from my family and has made me feel guilty. By not doing what God does want I mean primarily not publishing about the many ways God has made His word real to me - which is the worst sin of all since God's words are "life to those who find them" (Proverbs 4:20)

Overcoming Guilt.
What held me enslaved for so long is the normal guilt trap many of us fall into. Too guilty to feel worthy of God's blessing, and unable to become better by self-improvement. That leads to frustration and retreating into another cycle of fantasy / addiction that makes us feel guilty. The problem begins with focus on self.

The only true freedom is to know God's truth for yourself, beyond what any "special" teacher may say. Then one need not be enslaved by guilt because:

- Messiah as God in the flesh paid the entire price on the cross for every sin every man will ever do - just as the Prophets David, Isaiah, Daniel and others said He would a thousand years before.
- What God has already done on the cross is far more worthy than anything any man has ever done or will do.
- To find real freedom we must dwell on and worship what God has done and Who God is, and then do something in return as a thank you gift to God's creation - such as publishing important truths, or caring for the ill for example.
- To dwell on guilt assumes one might do something more worthy than God - which is self-worship.
- It doesn't matter if it is ourselves or someone else we need to forgive. When we don't forgive what God has forgiven, we are attempting to be more righteous and worthy than God - which is also self-worship.

Last Thoughts.
Before he became an Apostle, Paul was a Pharisee, a leading persecuter of Christians (then named Saul). While on his way to ensure more Christians were stoned to death, the risen Messiah in person called Paul as a witness to God's power to transform sinners. The Apostle Paul endured severe whippings and stoning, plus imprisonment in dire conditions. Despite that he led establishing churches in much of the Roman empire, and authored almost half the books of the New Testament (which is mostly interpretation of mysteries in the original Scriptures we call the Old Testament). Finally rather than bow down to the Roman emperor as a god, Paul went willingly to die for the truth that God is more worthy than any man.

Yet even as an Apostle, Paul repeatedly found himself doing evil.

So now I am no longer the one doing (evil), but it is sin living in me. For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it. For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do. Romans 7:17-19 HCSB

A Resource for Resisting Addictions

2006-07-20T03:45:00.000-07:00

I was up playing computer games late and fell asleep for a few hours. Then finally got working on a new post about my addiction to computer gaming, since I must face that as part of identifying myself fully as a Christian. Part of posting on my addiction involves studying the material at PureIntimacy.org.

This site is primarily about overcoming sexual addictions, but you may find it helpful in coping with gambling, substance-abuse, pornography, workaholism, and other addictions. My own difficulty is primarily about computer gaming, but it used to have a pornography aspect. Every form of addiction has similar components, including fantasy by the addict, harm to the spouse and children of the addict, and risks to the career of the addict.

From PureIntimacy +Intimacy and Addiction +Why do people become addicts?

Addictions create substantial family trauma. The addict becomes preoccupied, gets lost in fantasy, and invests significant time in his harmful behaviors, as the addiction becomes the focus of life. In families, the addicted parent is present but is mastered by his addiction. The other parent develops his or her own preoccupation centering on controlling the addict’s behavior and protecting loved ones from the actions of the addict. This behavior is referred to as co-addiction or co-dependency.

Note that addiction creates family trauma, but it is also a response to personal trauma. PureIntimacy is a Christian funded website but it isn't openly Christian to evangelise. I found this helpful under Why the God-talk?

No matter where you are on the spectrum of faith, you are welcome here. This site is devoted to providing the best available resources on sexual addiction, pornography use, and other areas involving sexual brokenness. We want to help all who come to us looking for hope, whether or not we agree on matters of faith...

Our faith motivates us to reach out to those who are hurting and to do whatever we can to make them whole again. If you wouldn’t refuse treatment at a hospital called St. Luke’s, consider accepting our assistance as well.

For far too long our culture has worked to devalue, denigrate, and dis-integrate the human person. Many used to decry the separation of sex from procreation, but now people separate sex even from human emotion. The most profound, beautiful, and mysterious connection between two people has been reduced to a transaction or an exercise in fluid mechanics. This is a seriously impoverished view of sexuality and humanity.

The Christian view of sexuality, which informs this site, teaches that the human person is comprised of body, mind, and spirit. Sexual brokenness indicates the dis-integration of these various components. When we separate sex from its emotional and spiritual attachments, problems arise.

Part of what gives the PureIntimacy information power is that it tries to address the spritual component of addictions with the point of view of believers in the Word of God, where true personal spiritual power can be found and developed. Christians can be seriously addicted and still be truly Christian, in fact the Word of God promises that real Christians will suffer spiritual attacks which can be in the form of addictions - because mankind gave this world to its current god, who grows increasingly desperate to do harm as his time runs out for that.

Having actually read some of this and with this post actually done something to help you Defend Others as Yourself - I plan to read more later. For now I feel empowered to leave my troubles and get some sleep. Notice the time this was originally composed.

Wonderful Truth: Eternal Life

2006-07-15T23:21:00.000-07:00

Here's the story of another wonderful truth I did nothing to deserve, but God has blessed me with.

I usually study my Bible following along with radio sermons during lunch in my car. My favorite show is the late J. Vernon McGee's "Through the Bible". They have a guide to their many world-wide radio broadcasts in many languages, archives of past shows, excellent free study material, and a free business hours phone number at www.ttb.org .

About eight years after the Book became real to me was the first time I ever studied in my computer lab during lunch, because my car was in the shop. Something happened that day not when I sought it, but before I needed it. So even if I were foolish I could not pretend to cause it in any way. Again the skeptic will say it was only coincidence that I take in a foolish way. As in the first "wonderful truth" entry I say: God controls how and who He answers, and what He wants is to nurture humble faith willing to believe His answers come to those who humbly persist in seeking Him.

I was in my computer lab following Thru The Bible with a certain verse, and just finished reading and hearing about that verse. Exactly then, not a minute later, my mother called me on the phone at my desk to tell me that my father had passed away unexpectedly.

The verse I had been studying was...

When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage;
they will be like the angels in heaven. Mark 12:25 (NIV)

Notice that taking this as an answer planned for me means God has coordinated all the following to happen down to that very instant:

- what the Thru The Bible broadcasts as part of their five-year Bible study series;
- that my car needed repair work;
- that my father passed away;
- that my mother would call just then;
- where I was, and
- that I already had many reasons to believe His Word is beyond magical and from Him.

So do not be surprised when I say that an Incredible God really does offer Life Eternal beyond all one can hope for, to those who take Him as the source of all Truth and Good.

Wonderful Truth regarding His Word

2006-07-14T18:31:00.000-07:00

I mentioned some wonderful truths "regarding His Word" before. Here is our story of one of the most important such truths.

A few years ago I had an assistant named Sam, whose first language was vietnamese. When he saw how important the Bible was to me, he asked me for one printed in vietnamese. I ordered one over the Internet from the International Bible Society. When I brought it to work, I sat in my car and wondered what verse Sam should have with it as a kind of introduction to it.

I can't really explain what happened next. The skeptic will say it was coincidence - wishful thinking. But this Bible had about 2000 pages and perhaps six places on each page where I might put my finger. How many failed tries would it take to convince the skeptic this was more than chance? God is in control of how He answers and who He answers. More, such answers are only promised to those who honestly seek the source of all Truth and Goodness, and persist in seeking answers from Him - not to the arrogant expecting God to do tricks on request.

If you exercise that hope in His goodness and truth, sometimes God will give you the feeling that an answer is waiting. It may be an unmistakable hint or only a feeling - but I've never known such an answer to be a call-the-reporters, bolt-of-lightning, or audible-voice miracle. Usually it is only a small private humble miracle meant only for the one who humbly hopes in Him and His promises.

In the car that day He gave me the feeling I should expect an answer. So I put my finger inside that vietnamese Bible where I could not read a single word. When my finger felt like the right spot, I opened it up and tried to figure out where that was.

My finger was on chapter 4 verse 13 of a book near the end of the original Scriptures (Old Testament). The name of the book began with an "A" and was only four characters long. By looking in the table of contents, I was able to find the verse to give Sam, who as a Buddhist had never really looked at a Bible before. It was ...

He who forms the mountains,
creates the wind,
and reveals His thoughts to man,
He who turns dawn to darkness,
and treads the high places of the earth—
the LORD God Almighty is His name.
Amos 4:13 (NIV)

In the beginning

2006-07-09T08:39:00.000-07:00

I realized the Creator wants me to publish some of the wonderful truths He has blessed me with regarding His Word and character, and how important it is to share His truth for the sake of others. The reason I am to do so is to enable you, Gentle Reader, to defend youself and others with the Creator's truth.

The title for this entry came from our conviction Genesis chapter one is meant to be read as a partial account of the creation of the heavens and the earth from nothing "in the beginning", followed by the completion of the heavens and the earth over six periods of unknown length ending with the creation of mankind [day-age theory].

I have been resisting that calling to publish in selfish disobedience since He began clearly revealing His truth to me in 1994. Understand the seriousness of that disobedience: God's Word is Life itself to those who find it, a Life lived fully in joy and peace beyond earthly measure - and I have not only resisted sharing the Life He has given me as He wants, I have not even been baptised since God brought me to Him and according to His command. The first consequence of disobeying is of course that you have no confidence that prayers will be answered.

One of the reasons this blog is being started now, is I have given myself the deadline of publishing a rough draft about something of consequence before I am baptised July 30th.

[day-age theory] day-age theory provided by Origins.org.
google for "day age bara asah").

My son, pay attention to my words;
listen closely to my sayings.
Don't lose sight of them;
keep them within your heart.
For they are life to those who find them,
and health to one's whole body.
Guard your heart above all else,
for it is the source of life.
Don't let your mouth speak dishonestly,
and don't let your lips talk deviously.
(Proverbs 4:20-24 HCSB)