The people that God delivered out of Egypt were looking for the promised land. They hoped for it. They prayed for it. They were oppressed while in Egypt and needed deliverance. But when they were delivered out of Egypt and the moment came to go into the promised land, they rejected the promise in one day and accused the Lord of hating them! How could such a turn around take place? How could they leave Egypt, cross the Red Sea, eat manna, hear the voice of God at the mountain, receive God’s laws, build a tabernacle, follow the pillar, and yet when the time came to receive the promised land, they flatly rejected it? How could such a thing happen?
This is the time of year when all the malls and stores put out the decorations and promote their best sales. This year seems to have many of the same elements we have come to expect. The same elements are of course the lights, the tinsel, and the commercialization. But there are some new twists. The merchants put out their Christmas stock right after Halloween and didn’t wait for Thanksgiving. We also have a serious challenge to the "Reason for the Season." It has to do with the actual greeting of wishing everyone a "Merry Christmas."
It is time for me to lay my cards on the table for all to see. In this article I will be presenting issues and evidence about the paradigm churchmen have adopted through the ages to understand and explain the book of Hebrews. This will probably make some brethren uncomfortable. I apologize for the discomfort in advance. Some may applaud and try to exploit what I will share. My argument is measured and not an open assault on the Bible. I am praying that the Holy Spirit will lead us all in the path of truth and understanding. That path is guarded by love and wisdom.
The most common argument put forth by Christians in opposition to the Torah and the Law is based on Covenant Theology. They argue that the New Covenant has replaced the Old Covenant. Our printed English Bibles are organized that way. There is an old part and new part. This has to do with their definition of “covenant.” They define “covenants” in the Old Testament more like contracts. Then there is the word “Testament” and its definition. The New Testament is treated like it is “God’s Last Will and Testament,” replacing (the Old Testament) His former Last Will and Testament. Just as governments put a new law on the books replacing an old law, Christians will say that God did the same by replacing the Law of Moses with the Law of Christ. But is this what the Bible really says? Are God’s covenants conditional like a contract? Did God make a New Last Will and “Testament” as a result of the Messiah’s death?
When I was 14 years of age, I attended Abilene High School in Abilene, Kansas. At the urging of my mother, I enrolled in Miss Edberg’s Latin class. Miss Edberg had been my Mother’s previous teacher. She was a very mature sweet lady who had never married, but was devoted as a teacher and care provider of her own mother. It was true that she was sweet, but she also could frown and scowl at substandard student performance. I mention this because I didn’t like Latin class all that much, and Miss Edberg wasn’t all that happy with my academic performance.
In the late 1400's, a man named Leonardo Da Vinci sketched out the symmetrical dimensions of a man. It is now a famous diagram that represents the early scientific efforts of trying to understand mankind and the world we live in. To this day, we are still trying to understand humanity. In particular, we are still trying to understand what makes a person a person and what makes a living soul? The question is not purely scientific. By the very use of the expression a “living soul,” the question branches into religious thoughts and considerations. For example, what is the soul and what is the spirit of a person? Da Vinci’s drawing only addressed the body. Is a person a body, soul, and spirit as the Apostle Paul said, or is the description a version of Greek philosophy, having as much truth as mythology? Let’s delve into this subject because the understanding is essential to our keeping the greatest commandment from God.
A rumor is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as “general talk not based on definite knowledge; mere gossip; hearsay” and secondarily as “an unconfirmed report, story, or statement in general circulation.”
It is rumored that the Apostle Paul taught New Covenant brethren, the Church, not to follow the Law of Moses. Specifically, the majority of New Testament teachers today believe that Paul was adamant in his opposition to the Law, and that he promoted the “grace of God” as a replacement for the “teaching” of Moses. Before we go any further, let’s make sure we are all on the same page. It is a rumor. In fact, I intend to show you in this article that the rumor is false; it is not true.
It is a simple prayer, just three parts. O’Lord, please forgive me of my sins. Please come into my life. Please give me the gift of eternal life.
For many, this prayer was the turning point of their lives. This is when they accepted the Lord into their lives. They prayed this simple prayer because they were confronted with the goodness and mercy of God. That goodness was contrasted with their sins and they humbled themselves to the Lord. That is why this simple prayer is often called the Sinner’s Prayer.
In the beginning… that’s how the Bible begins to tell the story of us. Each of us has our part in the great plan of God. Since this is the tenth anniversary of this ministry, I thought I would share a snapshot of where we are today. In the beginning, it was my wife, Lin, my two children, one computer, and my personal savings that started the ministry. The Bible instructs us to not despise small beginnings. So, I’m not going to tell you a lot about the past. Instead, I want to share with you what the Lord has done with our small beginning, what we do, and how you have been instrumental in the progress to date.
The comedian Bill Cosby once said that there were no atheists in the world. “When the ground shakes, everyone looks up.” In recent weeks, the world was shocked out of its complacency by the resulting tsunami that ravaged all of the surrounding coastlines. The death toll was greater than 150,000 people, and more than one million were displaced by the damage.
This event captivated the world’s attention. Maybe this is why God uses such events.
In the days following the tsunami, people began asking whether we could predict such events and possibly warn people in harm’s way. This opened the discussion for a host of issues. What can the Government do? Where was God in all of this? But the questions raised by a group of physical earth scientists and astronomers are even more disturbing. As a result, an even greater question has now emerged in this early part of the year 2005. What in the world is happening?
On December 26, 2004 my friend and brother in the faith Reggie White died. Reggie was best known in the world of professional football. He was a defensive end and until this last year had the NFL record for quarterback sacks at 198. There are some who say that Reggie was the greatest defensive player in the history of the game. Reggie was known as the Minister of Defense and was open about his Christian testimony. He was controversial and took issue with the social ills of abortion, homosexuality, and the treatment of the black minorities. In recent years, people began to notice that there was a change in his testimony and faith. He no longer wanted to play the role as attention getter for churches because of his football career. He wanted to be known more as a man of God. How did I know of him?
