The Age of the Earth and Dinosaurs

Greetings, How can I prove that the years of the earth is about 6000 years to 7000 years? Because the other members of the Lords Church believed in the dinosaurs. God bless, Brod Omar There are two ways to determine that the earth is much younger than the age that evolutionists assign to the earth. One way to date the earth is outside the Bible, appealing to true science, which definitively proves the earth to be not older than 10,000 years. There are several processes that are ongoing, some things increasing and some things decreasing, which prove that the earth cannot be older than 10,000 years. The following URL’s describe some of these processes: http://www.gospelgazette.com/gazette/2002/jan/page5.htm http://www.gospelgazette.com/gazette/2004/jun/page18.htm The following URL lists several articles that clearly and definitively speak to a young earth. http://www.apologeticspress.org/modules.php?name=Search&Terms=young+earth Secondly, the chronologies in the Book of Genesis (not merely genealogies) allow for the earth to be about 6,000 years old or so. The chronologies led different scholars to respectively conclude that the earth is 6,000 or perhaps up to 7,500 years old. Irrespectively of whether considering true science evidences respecting the age of the earth or considering the biblical chronologies respecting the age of the earth or considering both of these arguments, the earth is relatively young. The pseudo sciences (howbeit very popular) that date the earth millions to billions of years old are flawed because: (1) rather than due to laboratory observations and experiments that cannot be demonstrated under controlled circumstances, guesses or theories based on and prompted by preconceived conclusions substitute …

The Transfiguration of Christ

What does the word “transfigure” means when pertaining to Jesus Christ?? Thank you very much. ~ Sonny The biblical account of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ appears in Matthew 17:1-5 and Mark 9:2-7. Luke 9:29 records about the same occurrence that “the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening” (NKJV). The Greek word translated “transfigured” means “transformed,” and so it is translated in Romans 12:2; in 2 Corinthians 3:18 the same Greek word appears as “changed.” These are the only instances of the Greek word behind “transfigure” that appear in the Bible. Vine’s Expository Dictionary defines the term as “to change into another form.” Barnes’ Notes says of the word for “transfigure” that: “It does not denote the change of the substance of a thing, but simply of its appearance. It puts on a new aspect.” Adam Clarke’s commentary adds: “That fullness of the Godhead, which dwelt bodily in Christ, now shone forth through the human nature…” The Gospel Advocate Commentary for the Book of Matthew, likewise, observes: “Jesus was ‘transfigured’ or appeared in his glorified state not veiled by human flesh.” Even more descriptive, James Burton Coffman in his commentary remarked: “The heavenly glory of Christ irradiated his face and clothing, demonstrating his eternal nature in a way to make the apostles who witnessed it absolutely certain that Christ was God in human form. The profound impression made by the event was permanent. Long afterward, John wrote, ‘We beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth’ …

Predestination via the Backdoor

I read your explaination on predestination. Below is my quick paraphrase of how I understand your teaching on this topic: False doctrines teach: Predestination is God choosing people arbitrarily that he wants to save. Biblical doctrine teaches: God saves ALL people who comply with God’s “conditions” for grace & mercy. These are general summaries to what I got from your website. My question on this topic is: If salvation is based on the Biblical doctrine as you described above, (salvation is extended to all those who “COMPLY” with God’s conditions (repentence, confession, baptism, obedience, etc.), then all the billions of people in remote areas of the world who never heard about God, the Bible, never have the OPPORTUNITY to “COMPLY” with God’s conditions, and therefore are doomed because they happend to live in Africa, or the Rain Forrest, etc. where KJV Christianity is not taught? In other words, if salvation is based on man “complying” with God’s conditions, then those who live in coutries where the word is never taught never hava a chance for salvation. We don’t choose our parents, or where we are born, or what country we will be born in, millons before internet, radio, etc… never had a shot at being saved based on “complying” to God’s conditions. Therefore, seeing you don’t choose what country you are born in, woulddn’t that mean that God DOES/DID arbitrarily decide who would hear the word and comply vs. those who would never hear God’s word and would die in their sins? First, that …

“Your Seed” of Genesis 3:15

Can you explain what is meant by “your seed” [in Genesis 3:15]? ~ Marvin Towell Notice the verse: “And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel’” (Genesis 3:15 NKJV). All students of the Bible as far as I am aware acknowledge that this verse is the first biblical prophecy of the coming of the Messiah, though to discern that, knowledge of other Messianic prophecies is a must (e.g., Galatians 4:4). In the context of Genesis 3:15, Satan, who had appeared to Eve in the form of a snake, was addressed as well as was the woman addressed by God. The Seed of woman is a reference to Jesus Christ. However, the question remains, who is the seed of Satan, indicated by the words, “your seed”? The Presbyterian commentator, Albert Barnes, answered this question in a fine way. “The spiritual agent in the temptation of man cannot have literally any seed. But the seed of the serpent is that portion of the human family that continues to be his moral offspring, and follows the first transgression without repentance or refuge in the mercy of God.” Our Lord identified the seed of Satan as his spiritual offspring: “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do…” (John 8:44 NKJV). Likewise, the apostle John makes the correlation between unrighteous souls and they being the spiritual offspring of Satan: “He who …

The Bride of Christ

I have a question. Jesus is sometimes referred to as the Bridegroom. Question, who is the Bride? Book, Chapter and Verse or how do you arrive at your conclusion? ~ Ed Brown Jesus Christ referred to Himself as the “Bridegroom” (Matthew 9:15; 25:1). John the Baptist referred to Jesus Christ as the “Bridegroom” (John 3:29). We have more passages in the New Testament that refer to the bride than we have passages that refer to Jesus Christ as the Bridegroom. “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, ‘Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife’” (Revelation 21:9). The Lamb here refers to Jesus Christ. Who, then, would be the bride of the Lamb? Adam Clarke (Methodist) and Albert Barnes (Presbyterian) both conclude that the Lamb’s wife is the church. Brother John T. Hinds, who wrote the Gospel Advocate commentary on the Book of Revelation, concludes that the bride in Revelation 21:9 refers to the church. B.W. Johnson of the People’s New Testament, refers to the bride as the “glorified church,” and likewise does James Burton Coffman make the exact same reference in his commentary. There is no other conclusion to which I could come, and I am not aware of any other conclusion to which students of the Bible have come. The bride of the Lamb (Jesus Christ) is the church that belongs to Jesus Christ. Like a bride, the Lord’s church has readied …

The Defilement of Denominationalism

Years ago, I worked with a lady who lived nearby my home. Our place of employment was located quite a distance from our homes, and therefore, the two of us agreed to take turns carpooling to work. The two of us had some interesting conversations on our lengthy drives to work. On one such occasion, we began a discussion on religion, and she politely asked me, “What denomination do you belong to?” I explained to her that I did not belong to any denomination, but that I was simply a Christian, a follower of Christ through reading and obeying God’s Holy Word. Frustrated, she stated that her religious party “pretty much did the same thing too,” but they called themselves by another name. She continued to insist that the group of people I worshipped with had a name other than Christian. She wanted me to tell her a name of some denomination so she could get an idea of my religious views. I took the opportunity to teach her what I could about the church for which Christ died. As I concluded, she added that though we differed on some points, we were basically the same! Could it be that two could differ such as this and be the same? Is it true that Jesus died so that people could walk separately? It has been my experience that many people take great pride in identifying themselves with their religious denominations. Just as a lengthy career title can often make one …

A Sower Went Forth to Sow

“A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside…some fell on rock…some fell among thorns…but others fell on good ground” (Luke 8:5-8). In Luke Chapter 8, Jesus told one of the most well-known parables in the Bible, The Parable of the Soils. He spoke of the soil by the wayside, the rocky soil, the thorny soil and finally the good soil, each representing the way that a heart receives the Word of God, which is “the seed” (8:11). Often times, we use this parable to describe the work of preaching. We may say, “We’ve been sowing the seed, but we haven’t found very many good soils.” Or, “It is hard to find good soil in this world.” We say things like this from the perspective of the one who supposedly is the good soil. How about if we turn it around? How many times have we asked ourselves, “What kind of soil am I?” Let us take a moment and reflect upon our own personal condition and spirituality. So, how about it? What kind of soil are you? Make sure to be honest with yourself! Are you the wayside soil? Has the devil stolen the good Word from your life? Do you have any thoughts or intentions of faithfulness? Do you think spiritually any other day than Sunday? Are you the rocky soil that never really allows the Word to implant itself in your life? Have you allowed the Faith to truly root itself and …

A World of Dollars and No Sense

(Note: this title quote is taken from a line of a song by Jacky Jack White titled, “White Picket Fence” from an album entitled Music for the New South, ©Silverwolf Records 2008. I believe that Jack preaches for the Livingston Church of Christ in Livingston, AL) Gas prices, utility bills, house payments, grocery bills, insurance payments, taxes everywhere, paying for bottled water, the money ends but the month goes on: we really do live in a world of dollars and no sense. Problems in our schools—surely throwing more money at them will solve them? The “Gospel” for sale—give your money and you will truly prosper—it’s a “Gospel of prosperity.” Child abuse, wife abuse, rapes and murders, if we just spend more money on them they will get better—surely? Lie, cheat, steal, violate trusts, whatever it takes, as long as I come out ahead—and with the money. A world of dollars and no sense. Love? Only if it profits me. Respect? For the one with the most dollars only. Care? Caring about money and things, that is all that matters. Eternity? Can I buy my way to it? Truth? Whatever has the biggest dollar sign attached. Happiness? A big savings account. Success? A big savings account. A world of dollars and no sense. Realizing that dollars are tools, that they are not the ultimate goal. Seeking truth at all costs. Spirituality that has nothing to do with dollars. Curing our problems with moral principles and not with dollars. Looking to God as the source of all …

Change

Change, change, we hear a lot about it. Change in what direction? For a gentleman that is very close to seventy-six years old, with over thirty-six years of service in the US Army, I can truthfully say, “I have seen too much change in the USA.” Much is said about climate change and what we have to do to get green, et cetera and ad nauseam; yet, most just yawn at our morality changes over the years. To boil it down: We are more involved with secular things and are asleep at the steady deterioration of our basic moral fiber that was once the true strength of our nation. Change, you bet, but we are going in the wrong direction. Time to wake up and change our course. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance” (Psalm 33:12).“Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine” (Psalm 33:18-19). “The blessings which He bestows upon those who acknowledge Him to be their God—blessings of care, protection, and deliverance in danger (Psalm 33:12-19). The psalm is thus one that is appropriate to the people of all lands and times, and will be better appreciated in proportion as people become more and more acquainted with God in the wisdom, the power and the skill which He has shown in the works of …

Christ and Culture

Most of you have probably heard about two surveys taken among public school teachers. One was taken 50 years or so ago, another just a few years ago. Many of the questions asked were the same. One question in particular was interesting, a reflection of the times in which we live. When asked, “What are your greatest concerns in the classroom,” the response 50 years ago was “students chewing gum, having their homework prepared,” and similar responses. The more recent response to that question brought “guns and violence, drugs, lack of discipline” and so on. What a change our culture has made in that span of time. It reminds me of a book I read some time ago, dealing with some “major problems” in the church, according to the author’s perspective, during the late 1940’s and early ‘50’s. Not going into any detail, and not minimizing how important he thought they were to people at that time, like classroom teachers today, I would take those problems over some the church faces today. Culture again has made its presence known. The culture of the world is always changing. What is acceptable today may not be tomorrow. Similarly, what may be pushing the limits of society ethically and morally today may seem bland by tomorrow’s standards. How do we cope with such rapid changes? How can we know right from wrong in the midst of an evolving culture? We must anchor ourselves to Him who never changes, Who is the same “yesterday, …

Israel of God Today

In Genesis 32:28, we read that Jacob’s name was changed to Israel. The fleshly descendants of this great man became known as the twelve tribes of Israel, the Israelites, the children of Israel and the nation of Israel. We can read in the book of Joshua when these offspring of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob entered the land of Canaan, which was promised to Abraham by Jehovah God (Genesis 12:1-3, 7). This people constituted Gods’ chosen race through which eventually the promised Messiah would come. However, Israel fell out of God’s favor, except a remnant, and never again stood before the Lord with acceptance as a nation. The question might be raised for our consideration, is Israel God’s people today? The answer is to be in the positive, but with some clarification. The Israel that is acceptable to God today is not fleshly, but spiritual. We learn in Galatians 3:29, “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Those who are in Jesus Christ are the seed of Abraham. They become such by being immersed into Christ as taught in Galatians 3:26-27: “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Even Nicodemus, a fleshly descendant of Abraham, was instructed to be born of water and the Spirit in order to be a citizen of the kingdom of God (John 3:3, 5). Both Jew and Gentile have to obey Christ in order to be a part of spiritual Israel today. Please observe the following passages that clearly teach that …

By Whose Authority?

All of my life I have heard Gospel preachers emphasize that when the Bible uses the expression, “in the name of,” it means “by the authority of.” My study suggests that it is not always so. The error may be so insignificant as to be unworthy of extensive comment, but any error, no matter how small, may cause subsequent errors that may be exceedingly dangerous. As a case in point, the Bible teaches that baptism saves us (1 Peter 3:21). It may have seemed a slight error to teach that baptism saves us because it is a meritorious or sacramental act, but it was not slight or insignificant. If one teaches the wrong thing about how, when or why baptism saves us, he may undermine the whole plan of salvation. Our subject today may not be that important, but truth is always better than error. Even proper emphasis of a truth is better than improper emphasis, though it may not be vital to salvation. Let us therefore examine the subject in more detail. The expression “in the name” is found at least 28 times in the King James Version of the New Testament. In about 18 of these it means “by the authority.” In the other ten, it means something slightly different. When the expression is from the Greek “en onomati” in seems always to have reference to the authority. This is the expression in Acts 10:48 when Peter commanded the household of Cornelius to be baptized. They needed to know that …

Who Nailed Jesus to the Cross?

Back in 2004, Mel Gibson produced the move, The Passion of the Christ. Ironically, he didn’t star in the film. He did, however, have a small, yet significant, cameo in the actual movie. Don’t recall seeing him? Watch it carefully again. He’s there. You don’t see his face or body, but you do see one of his appendages. Remember the scene when Jesus was being nailed to the cross? You don’t see the soldier who held the hammer and drove that long nail into the Lord’s flesh, but you do see the soldier’s left hand. That was Gibson’s hand. Gibson said he reserved that role for himself because he wanted his audience to know that his sins made the crucifixion necessary. He said, “I’m first in line for culpability. I did it.” In truth, we all did it. We’re all responsible for Calvary. Scripture says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “All have sinned.” That means everybody. Our transgressions put the Savior on tree of Golgotha. So, what do we do? If we’ve sinned, and we have (Romans 3:10), and if sin separates us from God, and it does (Isaiah 59:1-2), then what is our recourse? What do we do? My denominational friends would say, “Nothing. There’s nothing you can do, because if you do anything, you negate the grace of God.” However, dear Reader, is that accurate? Biblical? Turn in your New Testament to Acts 2. On the Day of Pentecost, the apostle Peter told his …

Christianity – A Joyful Walk with God!

“Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations” (Psalm 100). I am eager to discuss Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, who loved us and died for us so that we may be saved from sin (and self). God has made us to sit in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6)! There were many doubts in my mind because life has been harsh and hard and difficult. However, thanks be to God Who has been my Shepherd (my everything) and has brought me to a place where I am learning to trust Him. He is teaching me many things as I walk with Him and talk to Him and seek His will, daily. The key is trusting God. Carefully consider the following from Jeremiah 17:5-8: Thus says the LORD: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited …

Many Religions Lead to Eternal Life?

Is it possible there is a wide range of diverse religions that may equally have the joyous result of bringing their adherents to the heavenly city and eternal life? Apparently there are a lot of Americans [and other people throughout the world] who think so. The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life conducted a U.S. Religious survey in which more than 35,000 Americans participated in 2007. After crunching the numbers, the results were published in June 2008. The organization found that “Most Americans agree with the statement that many religions—not just their own—can lead to eternal life. Among those who are affiliated with a religious tradition, seven-in-ten say many religions can lead to eternal life.” (Quotation  taken from summary of results at http://religions.pewforum.org/reports#). If there is just one world religion in addition to Christianity  that can effectively lead men, women and young people to eternal life, then Jesus died for our sins needlessly. If God uses other means to save, there was no need for the blood of Christ to be shed. He then could have saved us like He intended to save others apart from Christ and the cleansing His blood provides. If there is just one world religion in addition to Christianity that can effectively lead men, women and young people to eternal life, then God wasted the time and effort He invested in providing us with the Holy Bible. Jesus is the centerpiece of all the Scripture. If God uses other means, there never should have been a …

Daily

Every person must live one day at a time. It is true that it is wise to plan for the future. It is true that it is not wise to ignore the past and not learn from it. However, one cannot keep thinking about the past nor keep planning for the future and forget to act and learn each day. It is what one does each day that demonstrates whether one is learning from the past and planning for the future. “Be merciful unto me, O Lord, for I cry unto thee daily” (Psalm 86:3). A person should pray to God daily. It is necessary to ask for forgiveness of sins. It is proper to lean upon God for the strength to overcome temptations. It is proper to look to God for wisdom. “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). There are three possibilities for what this verse means. It may refer to the actual daily food that we eat. Or, it may refer to the daily spiritual food that we get from Bible study. Or, it could encompass both of these. It is proper to thank God for both. It is proper to realize that our physical food and our spiritual food are gifts from God. “Blessed be the Lord who daily loaded us with benefits” (Psalm 68:19). God blesses all people richly every day. The very air we breath was created by God. Every day we should remember that all that we have and use was …

I Had No Choice

How many times have we heard that statement? How many times have we said, “I had no choice?” We always have a choice! The only question to be answered is this: Are we willing to accept personal responsibility for the choices we make no matter what? It is those mind-numbing, life changing consequences of our choices that are sometimes almost impossible for us to face and handle! When God created Adam and Eve, He gave them the freedom of choice. Since He placed them in the Garden of Eden, the human race has been confronted with making choices between right and wrong, good and evil. We make choices every day God gives us. Some of the choices we made when we were younger are affecting our lives to this day! Some of the choices we are presently making will impact us until our lives end! We begin to make some of these major life directing choices early in life. We make the choice to graduate from high school or college. We make the choice to struggle through those years of high school and college for several years, or we make the choice to drop out of high school or college and struggle, in many instances, for the rest of our lives. Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 7:8; “The end of a thing is better than its beginning; the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” Making the choice to stay in school is not an easy one, especially today with all the pressures …

Generic and Specific Authority

When God gives a command, even in very specific terms, it entails some generic authority when it comes to the execution of His commands. Consider the unassailable example of God’s commanding Noah to build the Ark, giving very specific commands as to the type of wood, the dimensions for it, the number of doors and windows, where these were to be located, etc. However, God said absolutely nothing about the tools that Noah would use in the building of this ark. He specified none, but when He gave the command “build” He authorized any tool necessary to the carrying out that command. In the New Testament, we have a similar situation. In the Great Commission our gracious and loving Lord said, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature…” (Mark 16:15). The specifics in this command are that the apostles were to: (1) go; (2) into all the world; (3) they were to preach; (4) the Gospel; (5) to every creature. Does this command leave anything open to the decisions of men? Absolutely, it does! They were told to go, but not how. The method of transportation was left up to those who were going. That is the reason today we can use any conveyance we please from the automobile to the airplane to carry out this command. The word “go” authorizes the method of going. We can even go by means of radio and television. The word “preach” comes from a Greek word which means to …

Toleration: Good or Bad?

Recently, as a result of receiving a publication that I edit, some have said that I should be more tolerant of other people’s beliefs. I rather tongue-in-cheek noticed that those who told me this were not very tolerant of my beliefs. One definition Webster gives to the word “tolerant” is: “The allowable deviation from a standard.” In some situations, tolerance may be granted without harm being done. However, if your loved one was having open-heart by-pass surgery, how much “deviation from the standard” are you willing to give the surgeon in whether he connects the right artery to the right valve? I don’t know much about the procedure, but I do know that it is very precise. The patient’s life depends upon it. Again, how much “deviation from the standard” are you willing to give a drunk driver as he weaves back and forth across the centerline as he is meeting your teenage daughter as they both drive along a two-lane highway? Will you give him a foot, two feet? We all know the answers to theses questions. Yet, when one is dealing with his most precious possession—his eternal soul—many people not only want such “deviation from the standard,” they adamantly demand it! “I don’t care what the Bible says, I wouldn’t give my feelings, opinions, or my pastor’s teaching for a whole stack of Bibles,” they cry. How truly, truly sad!

A Lesson from the Prophet Hosea

In the prophet Hosea’s time, Israel was in a downward spiral from God both morally and spiritually. Because the nation as a whole rejected God’s plea and warning, He finally sent them into captivity. Let us look at some of Hosea’s statements, and then compare the situation he describes with the conditions in America today. 7:1 – “They have committed fraud…” 7:13 – “…they have spoken lies against Me.” 8:1 – “They rebelled against My law.” 8:12 – They considered God’s law “a strange thing.” 8:14 – “For Israel has forsaken his Maker.” 9:1 – “You have played the harlot against your God.” 9:9 – “They are deeply corrupted.” 9:17 – “They did not obey Him.” 10:13 – “Because you trusted in your own way. Finally: 4:1 – “There is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God in the land.” 4:6 – “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” 4:8 – “They set their heart on iniquity.” 5:11- “…he willingly walked by human precept.” Question: Is there any one of these things of which America is not presently guilty?

Prerequisite to Biblical Interpretation: Recognizing the Biblical Hermeneutic

Hermeneutics pertains to interpretation, and no matter of interpretation could be more important than a correct interpretation of the divinely revealed and preserved revelation from God, namely—the Bible. The correct or valid mechanics or principles of biblical interpretation, then, are a necessary tool for comprehending the Word of God. Without proper hermeneutics and subsequent valid interpretation, how could one know (1) what blessings God reserves for his creation—man, (2) what prohibitions God expects mankind to respect, (3) how God desires to be worshipped, (4) how one can become a child of God, (5) how God expects mankind to manifest Christian living or (6) Christian service, etc.? Hence, faulty hermeneutics will result in faulty interpretation, and faulty interpretation of God’s Word will result in failing to comply with the will of God for us, thus missing the blessings that God intends for us. Fortunately, understanding biblical hermeneutics for the most part is not a terribly difficult task; essentially, there is little to no difference between biblical hermeneutics and the common, everyday hermeneutics that people, from small children to adults, exercise through the ordinary communication between humans. Hermeneutics and interpretation represent the core of all communication. The difficult part of especially biblical hermeneutics is hearkening to the Word of God when we humans do not prefer God’s instructions! Therefore, some Christians attempt to pare hermeneutics—cutting away approved examples and implication—leaving only direct statements as authoritative. However, the assertion that only commands or direct statements in the Bible constitute authority in religion today is erroneous …

The Rootless Plant

Have you ever noticed bushes and trees growing on the side of rocky hill? It is amazing that some plants can grow in just a small amount of dirt. It is even more amazing that they can grow as big as they sometimes get. Those plants do not have very deep roots. If they were growing in normal depth soil, they would be able to send their roots deep into the ground. However, since they are growing in shallow soil, they have very short  roots. These short roots do not keep them secure in the ground. If a strong wind blows, it can cause the  roots to pull out of the ground and the plant falls over and dies. Because the soil is not deep, there is not much water available for the plant. When the sun shines and is hot for any length of time, the plant may  wither and die from lack of moisture. Jesus says that there are some people like these plants. In Matthew 13:5-6, 20-21; Mark 4: 5-6, 16-17  and Luke 8:6,13, Jesus talks about these people. He says some people hear the Word of God and  receive it. They accept it with joy and begin to grow in faith. They give the appearance of being healthy Christians, but they make their spiritual heart a heart of shallow soil. They do not send their spiritual root deep. Then when life gets tough or there is a crisis, their root is torn up, or they  wither and die spiritually. It is necessary to study and …

Jesus, What a Reason to Rejoice

It seems as one looks around the world in which we live, during the holiday season, many seem to be focused upon the birth of the Savior. Radio songs, television programs and wonderful displays of lights prove such to be the case. While we understand as New Testament Christians that “Christmas” is not a celebration of the birth of Jesus, we, however, are inclined to still rejoice in the fact that He was born. Jesus truly is the reason to rejoice, not only during December, but each and every month of the year. Isaiah prophesied of the greatness of Jesus when he wrote, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). What magnificent names are given the Savior of the world! His name shall be “Wonderful.” This name carries with it the idea of “extraordinary” (Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon or BDB, e-sword). When one contemplates the work the Savior was sent to do, what other word would be fitting of Him? Jesus is wonderful because He saved us from our sins (cf. Romans 5:8-10; 6:23). Jesus is wonderful because He saved us for an inheritance that is out of this world (cf. Ephesians 1:11). Jesus is wonderful because He saved us with His own blood (cf. Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 1:18-19). Truly, we all must sing, “A Wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord!” Jesus, what a reason to rejoice …