Wearing Shorts to Church

What is your answer to teen-agers and adults wearing shorts to church ¾ some of the teenagers wear short-shorts? Need some scriptures. ~ Eldon Scott Primarily two factors should determine the attire one wears to worship God ¾ reverence and modesty. The phrase “Sunday best” used to mean something and once reflected a widely held attitude regarding how to acceptably appear before God in holy worship. The question above and any response following pertains to what one chooses to wear when worshipping God, not the propriety of what an impoverished person may wear from necessity. The principle behind “Sunday best” appears in the Book of Malachi. “A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contemptible.  And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the Lord of hosts.  And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the Lord of hosts” (Malachi 1:6-9). Instead of presenting the best sacrifices to God, the Jews substituted moldy bread and animals …

Joining Another Religious Organization

Bro. Rushmore, if a brother has forsaken the assembly and joined himself to another religious organization, are disfellowship proceedings warranted? ~ Glen Gannon. Jesus promised to build only one church; “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). The one church belongs to Jesus Christ, for he purchased it with his own blood (Acts 20:28) and he is the head of it (Ephesians 1:22; 5:23). The apostle Paul compared our Lord’s church to a body and taught by inspiration that there is only one (Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:4; Colossians 1:18). A scriptural appellation or name applied to that one body when referring to several congregations is: “the churches of Christ” (Romans 16:16). (Other biblical names include: “church of God,” 1 Corinthians 1:2; “house of God,” 1 Timothy 3:15; etc.) Saved souls become members of the Lord’s church by being added to it by Jesus Christ (Acts 2:47). The careful Bible student understands that no other religious organization besides the church for which Jesus died and over which he is head has any right to exist. In fact, were every professed Christian to rely solely on the Bible for divine direction in religion, only one church ¾ the Lord’s church would exist. Denominationalism is extra-biblical and an affront to God. Even attempting to worship God by modifying or adding to his biblical instructions is offensive to God; “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” …

The Campbells & The Churches of Christ

I know the Lords church has been here since Pentecost but people tell me the church of Christ is a denomination started by the Campbells, do you know of any congregations before Campbell? ~ David Peery The church for which Jesus died to establish began in A.D. 33 in Jerusalem (Acts 2) ¾ in fulfillment of hundreds of years old biblical prophecies (Isaiah 2:2-3; Daniel 2:31-44; Joel 2:28-3:2). After the death of the apostles and the close of first century, our Lord’s church began to apostatize from the New Testament pattern. Eventually, the Roman Catholic Church developed through these departures from biblical truth and the first universally recognized pope was selected in A.D. 606. The Catholic Church continued to evolve away from primitive Christianity. Then, in A.D. 1517, a Catholic priest named Martin Luther launched what became known as the Reformation Movement. He protested against selling indulgences by posting 95 theses on the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. The Reformation Movement flourished in Europe and the British Isles through the efforts of other Reformers, too, including: John Calvin, John Knox and Huldreich Zwingli. Several new churches were organized in opposition to the Roman Catholic Church, including: Lutheran (A.D. 1530), Episcopal (1534), Presbyterian (1536), Baptist (1611), Methodist (1739), etc. The Roman Catholic Church responded to the Reformation Movement with its infamous inquisitions. A new wave of Reformers later objected to aspects of the Protestant denominations that had come about from earlier opposition to Catholicism. Many of these religious leaders became known as Restorers …

May Christians Wear Jewelry?

“In like manner also that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with brooded hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.” – (1Timothy 2 9-10). Mr. Rushmore, this verse not only speaks of apparel, but of jewelry as well. So…should I throw out my gold earrings? ~ Eve Lopez The Scripture to which the querist refers is similar to the following passage. “Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement” (1 Peter 3:1-6). Both 1 Timothy 2:9-10 and 1 Peter 3:1-6 mention apparel. In the latter passage, apparel or clothes are enumerated in the negative list. Certainly, the apostle Peter is not urging Christian women …

The Church’s Business Plan

Successful companies in the business world use strategic management to plan for success. The church should also plan for success by using God’s “business plan.” From a managerial view, businesses develop a business plan containing the following elements: a mission statement, an assessment of the outside environment, a company profile, goals and objectives, and a five year plan to implement those goals. The church need not create such a plan because this plan has already been developed by the Chairman of the Board, God. The church’s mission statement can be found in Ephesians 3:10, “To the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.” The church’s primary responsibility is the preaching of the Gospel and the doing of good works. It says in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” God has assessed the outside environment for us. Ephesians 2:12 reads, “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.” The preaching of the Gospel is, by design, that which gives hope and places one in a right relationship with God. A true company profile of the church can be obtained by a study of the New Testament church. We need only compare the …

Amillennialism, Postmillennialism & Premillennialism

My 13 year old son has been asking me questions about the 1000 year reign and the things found in Rev. 20.  I know that there will be no 1000 year reign but I’m not sure how to explain Rev. 20 to him.  He believes me but I want to be able to make him see why that isn’t going to happen.  Could you help me with this? Sincerely, Terrie Gaston, Illinois . . . Can you also give some explanations on Premillenialism and Postmillenialism? Thank you very much. In Christ, Greg Gallardo, Jr., Philippines The querists above are two of many who have questions regarding millennialism. Especially at the turn of a century and right now also at the turn of a millennium, questions about millennialism abound. A related question and its answer appeared last month in Gospel Gazette Online under the title: Satan Bound 1,000 Years. Further, the article (entitled The Lord’s Church Is Spiritual) following this query and its reply also addresses millennialism. These two articles and the immediately following remarks should adequately dispel the erroneous notion of some imminent return of Jesus Christ to establish an earthly kingdom. The careful Bible student knows that Jesus used the words “church” and “kingdom” interchangeably. “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall …

What Is The Restoration Movement?

The New Testament teaches that the Lord Jesus Christ built one church. He built his church. He established it on the first day of Pentecost following his resurrection after he had ascended back to heaven and “sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:3). “The Majesty on high” is God the Father. This is the same as Jesus being made head of his church after he was raised from the dead and ascended (Ephesians 1:20-23; Colossians 1:18; 3:22). There are several prophecies in the New Testament which said there would be a falling away of the Lord’s church. These predictions by the Holy Spirit came to pass. As a result of this great apostasy, many religious bodies were started over a very long period of time. In the United States alone, there are over 1,200 religions. Throughout the centuries since the great falling away took place, men at various times attempted to go back to the Bible and restore the New Testament order of things regarding the one church and the way to get into it, or the way to be saved, and the way to worship God, and the way the church should be organized. Some work in this regard was done even before Barton W. Stone and Thomas and Alexander Campbell and others were successful in their efforts to restore the New Testament order of things in the 19th century. Those of us in the churches of Christ want everyone …

Degrees of Punishment and Reward?

Does the Bible teach that there will be degrees of punishment and rewards? ~ Don Puryear There are a few topics of which the Bible speaks, but about which the pages of inspiration say very little. Yes, the Bible does teach that there will be degrees of punishment and reward, though not much is said regarding either. We must content ourselves with the Bible’s affirmation, howbeit perhaps in passing, regarding punishments and rewards. Likewise, we must not concern ourselves overly with the details that may not be attainable in this life. “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Deuteronomy 29:29). One passage that seems to suggest degrees of punishment is 2 Peter 2:20-22. It reads: “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.” Those who ‘escape the pollutions of the world …

Wearing Revealing Outfits Tastefully?

Dear Mr. Rushmore, I read your article “Modesty:  Biblical Investigation, Contemporary Application” . . . It was a very interesting article, but I became a little concerned about some of the things that were written. I know a very beautiful woman who likes to wear revealing outfits and she does it very tastefully. She also loves and worships the Lord and her character is very holy and very admirable, in my opinion. When I see her, I recognize that her outer beauty was a true blessing from above, but I never lose sight of her inner beauty. But is she still committing a sin just because there may be other men out there that might have different (perhaps lustful) thoughts when they see her in these revealing clothes? Shouldn’t it be the men that see these kinds of women and lust after them that are the sinners rather than the women themselves? What about men like myself that see these women, recognize their beauty (both inner and outer), yet they don’t lust after them? ~ Sincerely, Concerned Male, Syracuse, NY Adam and Eve, the first man and the first woman, were created by God and placed into the Garden of Eden. They were naked – with God’s implicit approval (Genesis 2:25; cf. 3:11). It well may have been the case that had sin never entered the world (i.e., neither through Adam and Eve nor through any of their descendants), we might all be running around naked in paradise – with …

Jesus Christ God and Man

Near the end of the first century, the Gnostics, a group which believed wisdom and knowledge to be the way to salvation, began to influence the church with their teaching that flesh is evil and only spirit is good. In short, as true with many today, they simply could not comprehend the thought of God becoming flesh. To combat this problem, the apostle John wrote his first epistle, beginning with, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life” (1 John 1:1). In this short opening, the apostle has already shown the fallacy of the Gnostic teaching, but he also teaches us much about our Lord and our God. Jesus Christ is our eternal God. By affirming Christ’s existence not only prior to his conception and birth but also before creation, John is demonstrating that Jesus is more than just a man. In this context, he is implying Christ’s role in creation (Colossians 1:16; John 1:3) and is exalting our Lord from the very beginning. He was not just a good man. He was not just a prophet. He was not a man inhabited by God. He is God himself ¾ deity in the flesh (John 1:14; Philippians 2:5-8) ¾ just as he must be so that God could be tempted (James 1:13; Matthew 4:1-11), remain perfect (Hebrews 4:15) and shed his blood for us (Acts 20:28). …

Our Propitiation

The word “propitiation” does not easily roll off the tongue, nor does its meaning come readily to the mind. However, when such a word is used to describe our Savior, Jesus Christ, we must take special note of it. The apostle John described him in this fashion, saying, “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our’s only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). The Greek word that is translated propitiation (hilasmos) translates four different Hebrew words in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures. Its meaning thus includes the ideas of forgiveness (Psalms 130:4), a trespass or guilt offering (Amos 8:14), a sin offering (Ezekiel 44:27) and atonement (Leviticus 25:9; Numbers 5:8). All of these we may obtain only through Jesus Christ, our Propitiation. When we sin, we create for ourselves the most difficult situation possible. Having broken law, we need a pardon. Having dirtied ourselves with sin (Romans 3:23), we need purification. Being guilty of trespassing God’s law (Ephesians 2:1), we need a release from our guilt. Having separated ourselves from God (Isaiah 59:2), we need reconciliation. Yet, this is what it means for Christ to be the propitiation for our sins. Through the righteousness of Christ, we can receive a full pardon. Through the sinlessness of Christ, we can be purified. Through the One without guilt, we can be released from our guilt. Through the one who maintained the right relationship with God, we can be …

So Much To Talk About, So Little Time (Part 2)

A previous article introduced the topic of personalities. The statement was made that people tend to identify more easily with others like themselves, even Bible characters. One specific personality type (the choleric) was then addressed. This article will move to another type of personality — the sanguine. The sanguine personality type is a very fun-loving individual. These people are very easy to pick out in a crowd. The sanguine always has friends around and is compelled to make them laugh. Sanguines are full of energy. They bounce from one activity to another. Craving attention, the sanguine loves to be the star. In all things, he tries to have fun and complete any task at hand “the happy way.” There are some weaknesses in the sanguine personality as well. Because he always wants to be the center of attention, this lively person is many times a show off or class clown. He is restless and frequently leaves projects or goals before completing them. The sanguine is often undisciplined, disorganized and forgetful. The sanguine personality is one that characterizes a person who is warm, friendly and very sensitive. An individual with these traits needs attention and approval from those around him. If you meet an exuberant salesman or a stranger that goes out of the way to meet you, a sanguine personality has just arrived. There are a couple of Bible characters that come to mind when thinking about the sanguine personality. This individual is the talker of the group, an impulsive …

Goliath Fought the Giant

A book was written by Jonathan Swift, entitled Gulliver’s Travels. In that book, the central character, Gulliver, traveled to different lands; each land provided him with a different perspective. In one land Gulliver found himself surrounded by people who were, from his perspective, very small. These people, at first, feared Gulliver because from their perspective, he was a giant. Gulliver’s travels also carried him to a land where he was kept as a pet by a little girl who, from his perspective, was a giant. The little girl was enthralled by what she saw as a tiny little man. Gulliver was huge and small; a giant and a tiny little man, yet Gulliver himself had not changed at all. He was the same size when he appeared to be a giant as when he appeared to be tiny. It was not Gulliver who changed, rather the world around him changed. Through all of this change Gulliver maintained his dignity, compassion and strength of character. Before the book ends, it is clear that Gulliver was a giant and a force to be reckoned with regardless of his perceived size. Perspective is a very important thing. When we think of David’s battle with Goliath, we often think of the “little man” battling against the “odds” and emerging victorious. But things are not always as they appear to be. Based solely on appearances, Goliath was a mighty foe. “And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of …

I’ve Learned . . .

I’ve learned . . .        that you cannot make someone love you.        All you can do is be someone who can be loved.        The rest is up to them.I’ve learned . . .        that no matter how much I care,        some people just don’t care back.I’ve learned . . .        that it takes years to build up trust,        and only seconds to destroy it.I’ve learned . . .        that it’s not what you have in your life,        but who you have in your life that counts.I’ve learned . . .        that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes.        After that, you’d better know something.I’ve learned . . .        that you shouldn’t compare        yourself to the best others can do.I’ve learned . . .        that you can do something in an instant        that will give you heartache for life.I’ve learned . . .        that it’s taking me a long time        to become the person I want to be.I’ve learned . . .        that you should always leave loved ones        with loving words.  It may be the last        time you see them.I’ve learned . . .        that you can keep going        long after you can’t.I’ve learned . . .        that we are responsible for what we do,        no matter how we feel.I’ve learned . . .        that either you control your attitude        or it controls you.I’ve learned . . .        that regardless of how hot and steamy        a relationship is at first, the passion fades and        there had better …

What the Bible Will Do For You!

The story is told of an old sheepherder in the hills of Idaho who was a faithful listener to one of the finer musical programs on the radio.  One night after listening to the concert, he wrote a rather unusual request.  He said: “I enjoy your program from New York every week, and I am writing to ask you a favor.  It’s rather lonely up here in the hills, and I haven’t much to entertain me, aside from the radio.  No other human beings are near.  Now I have an old violin which I used to play, but it has gotten badly out of tune.  I wonder if you would take just a moment on your program next week and strike “A” on the piano, so that I may tune my violin.” Well, at first, they only smiled about the letter.  But then they began to see something more than humor in it.  Was it perhaps a symbol of what they should be able to do with good music on the air?  They decided to use the letter on the broadcast.  And so that night they actually interrupted the program long enough to strike “A” on the piano in New York, while the old sheepherder in the hills of Idaho got the right pitch for his violin.  (Faith Amid Fear, by Peter Eldersveld, pg. 3) As I read that story the thought came to me that we need something like that in a spiritual sense.  Our world seems to be …

The Consuming Fire

Have you ever seen a building on fire? Or have you ever been close to a large fire? Do you remember how hot it was? Did your parents tell you to stay away from it? Did you watch as whatever was being burned slowly just burned completely away? Have you ever been burned? Perhaps you touched a hot dish or plate. Perhaps you put your hand on a hot stove. Do you remember how bad it hurt? God wants everyone to go to heaven. He has given us his Word, the Bible, so that we can know what to do to obey him and get to heaven. But God also is a God who will punish  those who do not obey him. He does not want to punish anyone, but he will do it if any do not obey him. In Hebrews 12:28, we read that those who are in the church, the kingdom, are to serve God with reverence and godly fear. And then in verse 29 he tells us that the godly fear is based on the fact that God is a consuming fire. This means that God will not overlook sin. If a person refuses to obey him then that person will not go to heaven. Instead, he will suffer in. God will put him in. This is what is meant by God being a consuming fire. Imagine a hot fire that never completely burns you away. Imagine being burned and not being able to heal the burn. …

Cain and Abel

Cain In Genesis, we read about Cain. Cain was the first child born to Adam and Eve. They must have been very excited about having their first child. I am sure they were happy and sorrowful. They were surely happy that they had a new baby, sorrowful because they could not rear him in the Garden of Eden. Cain was born after they were cast out of the Garden by God. Adam and Eve probably taught Cain about God. They more than likely told Cain about God’s love and God’s justice. God loves every person. God wants every person to live according to his laws. But if a person does not live right, God will punish him. Cain grew to be a man. He knew God’s laws about what kind of sacrifice God wanted. But for some reason, Cain decided to give the kind of sacrifice that he wanted to give God. God was not pleased with Cain’s sacrifice. This made Cain mad. But what really made Cain mad was that God accepted his brother Abel’s sacrifice. This should not have made Cain mad. Abel had obeyed God. Abel had given the right kind of sacrifice. But Cain now had anger in his heart. And Cain allowed that anger to grow into hatred. And then the hatred led Cain to kill his own brother. God was very displeased with Cain and punished him. Cain had to live the rest of his life with the memory of killing his own brother. …

God’s Divine Promise to Abraham

Texts: Genesis 12:1-3; 22:15-18; 26:4, 23-24; 28:1-5,14-15; 35:9-12. Introduction: 1.         As Dr. James E. Smith, so beautifully put it: “About the year 2092 B.C. God initiated a new stage in the drama of redemption. God called Abram to leave his hometown of Ur of Chaldees to embark upon a pilgrimage in search of that city whose maker and builder was God (Heb. 11:10).  No one can precisely compute the time lapse between the Flood and the call of Abram.  If there are no gaps in the genealogy of Genesis 11, the minimum figure between these two events would be 427 years. . . . In a cluster of predictions during the Patriarchal era God defined clearly the chosen line through which Messianic blessing would come into the world.  It becomes clear in Genesis 12 – 28 that the channel of blessing would be Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Toward the end of the Patriarchal period Jacob singled out Judah as the chosen one among his twelve sons.”[1] 2.         God made this promise to Abraham on six different occasions. a)         Genesis 12:1-3,7. b)         Genesis 13:14-18. c)         Genesis 15:4-5, 13-18. d)         Genesis 17:1-8. e)         Genesis 18:17-19. f)          Genesis 22:15-18. 3.         God renewed this promise to Isaac, the “only begotten son,” of Abraham on two different occasions. a)         Genesis 26:4 b)         Genesis 26:23-24. 4.         God also made this same promise to Jacob on two different occasions. a)         Genesis 28:14-15. b)         Genesis 35:9-12. 5.         God had made a seven promise statement to Abraham while he was yet in Haran, and after he left Haran and entered into the land of Canaan God added an eighth.  They …

Eschatology

One of the most interesting standpoints from which one can approach a study of the Bible is from a view of eschatology. Since the word “eschatology” comes from a Greek word which means “Last things,” when one studies the Bible from this point of view he is looking at the many “last things” upon which the Bible speaks. There are some, such as the premillennialists, who take the position, that every mention of last things, and every prophecy of last things in the Bible refers to the “end of time.” Others want to make all references to last things in the Bible refer to some other event. When one studies his Bible from the standpoint of the study of last things, or a study of eschatology, he must realize that there is more than one “eschatology” revealed in the Holy Scriptures. For example, when one studies the fall of Israel to Assyria, and the fall of Judah to Babylon, he is studying the last things for those nations at that time. After the destruction of Solomon’s beautiful Temple, and after the Babylonian captivity, neither the tribes who had made up Israel, nor the ones that had made up Judah ever came back to be what they were before destruction came upon them at the hands of their respective enemies. That was an “end time” for that nation as she had been. She simply would never be that way again. Again, an example, the fall of Judah brought to an end …

And God Created . . .The Incredible Walking Stick

“Oh those West Virginia Hills how majestic and how grand . . .” As the song indicates in the hills and valleys around us in North Central West Virginia, we can see the glory and majesty of God. But if while we are on a walk in those beautiful hills we stop and look carefully at the things around us, we will see more of the majesty of God. On one summer evening during West Virginia Christian Youth Camp, I had just such an opportunity. I took time to hike to the “rocks” at the top of the hill behind the camp site, and as the staff knows, this location provides a beautiful view of the valleys surrounding our location. Upon reaching the top and finding a nice rock upon which to sit and enjoy the peace and solitude, I relaxed to soak in the handiwork of God’s creation and catch my breath from the climb up the hill. While sitting quietly I noticed a small piece of green plant moving on my left. Of course, I was not so tired that this passed my attention. Watching closer, this half inch long bright green object continued to move upward on my pants leg. By this time I was sure that this was no plant as it moved steadily upwards. Further examination showed this creature to be a baby walking stick. The walking stick is one of the truly amazing examples of God’s design for camouflage to hide an animal from …

The Authority of Biblical Silence

Sometimes biblical silence is as outspoken as any scriptural statement. What the Bible does not say contributes as much to Bible authority as what the Bible does say on any particular subject. It is precisely because the Bible does say something regarding a topic which causes biblical silence on the same topic to be authoritative. In areas, though, where the Bible stipulates nothing, in the same areas silence does not constitute Bible authority.  Music in New Testament worship illustrates this axiom. Scripture clearly authorizes singing as the kind of music to be used in New Testament worship (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16). Therefore, silence regarding other kinds of music re-enforces what God did say. Humming, whistling, other extraneous vocal sounds, clapping, stomping, drumming and mechanical instruments of music are: (1) antagonistic to what God did say; (2) opposed to biblical silence; (3) extra-biblical and anti-scriptural; and (4) therefore, sinful. They go beyond the authority of Christ and his doctrine (Colossians 3:17; 2 John 9-11).  The Hebrews writer presumed the recipients of his epistle would acknowledge silence as authoritative in matters already addressed by God. Based on Old and New Testament statements, Jesus Christ is not qualified to be a priest on earth (Hebrews 8:4; 7:13). Hebrews 7:14 is an argument from the silence of the Scriptures to prove the same thing. “For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.” (Emphasis added.)  The inspired penman matter-of-factly used silence of the Scriptures as …

And God Created . . .The Marvelous Mudskipper

The mudskipper is a one inch long fish that lives on the mudflats along the estuaries and rivers of Africa, Asia and Australia. The abilities that God has designed into the mudskipper are among some of the most unusual of all the unusual fishes that were created to swim in the oceans. Mudskippers spend their time during high tide tucked into burrows that they dig in the muddy bottoms of these estuaries. Then at low tide they leave the burrows and “walk” on their pectoral fins as they swing their heads back and forth in search of shrimp and other small edible objects. They can stay out of the water for several hours until the tide returns. They are able to hold water in their gill covers, and also absorb oxygen through their skin. It has also now been learned that they can also hold air in their mouths with which they can survive. Biologists have known that mudflat burrows are very poor homes because of the lack of oxygen as bacteria decay leaves and other organic matter and use up the oxygen. The scientists did not know how the mudskipper was able to survive in these airless holes. It has now come to light because of the careful observations of biologists that God’s plan for the mudskipper is one of amazing forethought. It seems that the mudskipper is not only busy during the times of low tide feeds, but they are also very busy collecting air and storing it …

A Study of Satan, 2 of 2

Works: What Does Satan Do? Ø    He deceives (Genesis 3:1ff; Matthew 16:21-23; 2 Corinthians 2:11; 11:3, 14; 2 Thessalonians 2:9; Revelation 2:9). Think! Ø    He insinuates doubt (Genesis 3:1). Does God really mean what he says? Surely not, he says. Believe! Ø    He snatches away God’s Word (Matthew 13:19; Mark 4:15) and turns men from the Truth (1 Timothy 5:15). He often does this by misusing Scripture (Matthew 4:6). He is present whenever the Word is being preached and is ready to turn our attention from it by the crying of a baby or the color of the preacher’s tie. Concentrate! Ø    He traps (1 Timothy 3:7). Paul speaks of his snare (pagis) which literally is a “trap fastened by a noose or notch” (2 Timothy 2:26). Metaphorically, it refers to “a trick or stratagem.” An alcoholic is a classic example of one snared and held in one of his traps. Watch! Ø    He wants to control the mind (1 Chronicles 21:1ff; Acts 5:3). Books, magazines, radio, television, the internet and conversation are all used as tools. Discern! Ø    He attacks bodies. He did Job’s (2:4-7). In the New Testament, Paul called his “thorn in the flesh” a “messenger of Satan to buffet me” (2 Corinthians 12:7; cf. Matthew 17:5-18; Luke 13:16; Acts 10:38). At least we may safely say that he uses normal body afflictions to tempt us. Interestingly, Satan disputed with Michael over Moses’ body (Jude 9). What he wanted with it we cannot tell, but we can be assured that it was not just to give it a decent burial! Endure! …

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

Matthew 13:31-32; Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:18-19 Introduction The “busy day” of Jesus continued as he recited additional parables.  The Parable of the Mustard Seed and The Parable of the Leaven are called by some “sandwich parables.”  These two parables appear between the initial presentation and later explanation of The Parable of the Tares. The Parable of the Mustard Seed has the distinction of being the first fully developed parable of our Lord (in Matthew) for which he gave no interpretation.  Jesus only interpreted two of his parables: The Parable of the Sower and The Parable of the Tares. The Parable of the Mustard Seed is outstanding for its brevity, contained within two verses in each of the Gospel accounts of Matthew and Mark and three verses in Luke.  However, the parable adequately conveys the single point regarding the kingdom for which Jesus uttered it.  No extraneous words clutter this message.  Yet, there is no apparent void due to a lack of words.  As one would expect, considering that the parable was spoken by the Master Teacher, it is perfect the way it is. Sometimes commentators stumble over the simplicity of the parables.  Each of the parables of our Lord emphasizes one main idea, but often they are twisted to teach additional lessons and not infrequently false doctrine. It should be the goal of every student of the Bible to ascertain what the original recipients of a divine message were expected to understand.  It is equally indefensible to teach truth from a passage that does not teach that truth as it …