Dispensational Bible Institute

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FAQ - (answers to your) Frequently Asked Questions.......

If you have questions for which you would like dispensational Bible-believing answers, please email Pastor Terry McLean

To get the answer, click on the question.

What about John MacArthur and his study Bible?

While the Bible continues to be the world's best selling book each year, and while Bibles sell in big numbers throughout the year, we are told that more Bibles are sold the last two months of the year than the previous ten months combined.
Bible sales are measured all year long, but the sales results for December are the most interesting because of the tremendous volume they represent and because many Bibles sold in December are given as gifts.

For all of those reasons it is fascinating to note that the best selling study Bible in America for last December was the John MacArthur Study Bible, available only in the New King James Version. (Christian Booksellers Association, Evangelical Christian Publisher's Association Best Sellers List)
The New King James (NKJ) is to the actual King James what Kool-Aid made with too much water is to freshly squeezed grape juice.

Examples of the diluted NKJ would be that the word 'Lord' has been omitted 66 times, 'God' 51 times, 'hell' 22 times and the word 'damnation' disappears entirely.
Since the NKJ is a derivative of the old King James, copyright law demands it "Must be different enough from the original to be regarded as a 'new work' or must contain a substantial amount to new material."

And since Christian celebrities are known to chose their Bible version based on the same reasoning that led the Williams sister of tennis fame to wear Addidas sneakers, we are off to a questionable start.

MacArthur himself is one of the more controversial Bible teachers of our time, but like Jimmy Swaggart, MacArthur's followers are extremely zealous in his defence.

Meanwhile, the notes in MacArthur's Bible are downright dangerous, as witness the following:
"Salvation is by grace alone, but it is not easy" (pg 1404) setting up a conundrum with no solution.

"there is a sacrificial price to pay" (pg 1416) meaning the price that Jesus Christ paid on the cross was insufficient: we join Christ in paying the price.

"When the church says the unrepentant person is bound in sin, the church is saying what God says about that person." (pg 1423) investing in men God's ability to judge and forgive.

"Repentance involves a turning from sin to God" (pg 1456) which demands that a person present himself sinless before he asks for salvation, rich means salvation is not by grace.

"he completely negates and forfeits any possibility of present or future forgiveness of sins" (pg 1465) which is a teaching that makes the cross of Christ of no benefit.MacArthur says Christ's teaching on hell was only a parable. (pg 1548)

And Christians are wrong to refer to being ‘saved by the blood' of Christ "as if the blood had saving properties" (pg 1833)
MacArthur is probably one of the best known of the modern media evangelists and he claims he has studied thirty hours each week for thirty years.

The man must not sleep much.
In addition to his Bible study time, he has a wife, four children, a considerable home, a church in California to pastor, a daily 30-minute radio program to produce, and a seminary to preside over. He has written over six dozen books as well.

And he has travelled with controversy every step of the way.
Almost 15 years ago the highly regarded Bob Jones University, Greenville S. C., began a full-scale assault on some of MacArthur's aberrant teachings with respect to the blood of Jesus Christ. "Nothing in His human blood saves," MacArthur says, and he makes it worse by writing nonsense such as "The shedding of (Christ's) blood has nothing to do with bleeding."

Almost ten years ago the Sword of the Lord Foundation invested gallons of ink in demonstrating that MacArthur is a dangerous teacher and Sword Editor Curtis Hutson said that "John MacArthur's gospel makes salvation totally unattainable, even for MacArthur himself."

No fewer than four books have been written to refute MacArthur's teachings that a believer is sinless as a product of 'lordship salvation'. Additionally, there have been literally dozens of pamphlets and articles warning of MacArthur's warmed over hyper-Calvinism, making everything that happens God's problem, absolving man from any responsibility. But for all of the problems, the MacArthur Study Bible was the nation's best selling Bible item during the most important selling season of the year. There is nothing we can say about the MacArthur Study Bible's popularity that the Lord hasn't already said better: "That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God." (Luke 16:15)

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What about Santa and Christmas?

"He knows if you are sleeping,
He knows if you're awake,
He knows if you've been bad or good,
So be good for goodness sake..."
The song Santa Claus is Coming To Town ascribes to Santa the godly attribute which theology refers to as 'omniscience,' the ability to know all things. And Santa's ability to get to every home on planet Earth in one evening is very close to God's attribute of 'omnipresence." Undoubtedly, Santa Claus is an unseen presence, much like the Lord Himself. Superman may have been "faster than a speeding bullet" but Santa puts the caped crusader to shame. Santa is capable of visiting an infinite number of children during one finite night: very godlike, wouldn't you say?
Santa also breaks God-given natural law and the rules of physics when he slides his opulent form down a chimney, past the flue, coming out of the fire without even scorching the white fur on his outfit.

Other similarities between Santa and the Lord abound:
Santa lives in the North. God's throne is in the sides of the North. (Isaiah 14:13, Psalms 48:2)

Santa is old. God is the ancient of days. (Daniel 7:9)
Santa is coming soon. Jesus is coming soon. (Revelation 22:20)
Santa says "Ho, ho ho." God says "Ho Ho. (Zechariah 2:6)
Santa has white hair. Christ, at his return, has white hair. (Revelation 1:14)
Santa flies and gives gifts. Jesus ascends on high and gives gifts unto men. (Ephesians 4:7-8)
Question:
Is it merely coincidence that educator-philosopher John Dewey, who hated fundamentalist Christianity with visceral passion, believed that children must be shielded from God and the Lord Jesus Christ during their formative early years? Not to do so, in the opinion of thefounder of modern public educational thought, ruined the child before the state education system could get its hands on the children and turn them into evolution-worshiping atheists.
Clearly, the celebration of jolly old St. Nick is a diversion and a distraction from the real story about "God manifest in the flesh" (II Timothy 3:16) the Lord Jesus Christ and His church.
Instead of teaching positive Bible truth when the child is young and receptive, millions of parents wink and tell a myriad of 'little white lies.'
And if a person with many of the attributes of God turns out to be a lie, and if parents and the church are collaborators in such deception, would it not them be logical to conclude that the church and parents are also lying about Jesus Christ?
What happens when a child learns Jesus was not born in December but rather September and that He said to remember His death and not His birth? (Luke 22:19) That the wise men did not show up until almost two years later and that there was no little drummer boy? Or that the Bible does not even say there were ‘three' wise men?
Which would a child prefer: Santa miraculously putting a toy under the pretty tree or Jesus offering salvation and inheritance in heavenly places?
One of the underlying problems damaging modern society is that people choose instant gratification over the wisdom involved in taking the long view.
'Just do it,' 'Surge,' 'Go for the gusto,' and 'Have it your way," have long been preferred over waiting for spiritual reward; and no one teaches the lesson of selfish hedonism any better than Santa.
When this great nation was founded, Christmas celebrations were banned because of their pagan tradition and anti-biblical sentiment. Penalties and fines were in place for celebrating Christmas or for staying home on Christmas day, and Christmas did not become a sanctioned holiday until 1856.
Druid witchcraft priests, the same people who brought you Halloween, worshipped the evergreen tree as a god because it did not turn brown and die. In Scandinavian folklore, the evergreen god-tree
gave gifts when a person knelt at its feet. It is not a long leap from the tree of witchcraft to the traditions of the tree today.
"Learn not the way of the heathen...For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not." (Jeremiah 10:2-6)
The biggest problem, however, is that Jesus birth means very little and when God says "This day have I begotten thee" He is talking about the cross. (Psalms 2:7, Acts 13:33)
Yes, when Christ came, it was for peace on Earth (Luke 2:14) but by Luke 12:51 the chance for peace was gone as Jesus Christ said "Suppose ye that I an come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division."
As if ignorance of the Bible were not bad enough, along comes Santa Claus and Rudolph and Frosty.
As for me, my personal favorite would be the Grinch if he would just steal Christmas and replace it with God's truth.

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What about the so called "Purpose Driven" mega church?

One of the many things that irritates most of us about modern government is that political activity seems no longer driven by what is right but rather by ever-changing opinion polls.
And while this current Administration has elevated poll-watching to a new level of sophistication, both parties are guilty of taking this spineless approach toward leadership. "Right' and "Wrong" matter little: what did the 'Focus Group' say? What are the poll results?
Forget that there are laws in this land and forget that there is a duly constituted purpose for our government: "Will it play in Peoria?" "What do they think in 'fly-over' country?"
We used to be a fairly well-ordered republic but we are degenerating into a chaotic democracy.
That said, one might reasonably expect church to operate differently from the world political system, but such is not the case.
You might expect that since the church centers on an unchanging book and represents theocracy rather than democracy, that autocracy would be the norm. But you'd be wrong.
The best example of obnoxious political tactics utilized in church growth is that detailed in the nearly 400 page book entitled "The Purpose Driven Church" written by Rick Warren.
Just like the the politicians Focus Group, the purpose driven churches now employ 'Seeker Sensitive Services."
In place of polls, purpose driven churches employ demographic studies and target surveys.
Rick Warren pastors a mega-church in Saddleback California and he has gone so far as to invent a target not unlike Peoria or fly-over country with his imaginary Saddleback Sam and Samantha.
It turns out Sorry Self-involved Sam and Smug Slovenly Samantha are more apt descriptions. These folks would be welcome at any church I know of, but Rick Warren would have their lifestyle and scriptural ignorance become the basis of how the church services are presented.
While Warren does not say "Shoot the organist and hang the pianist" he believes that "Most TV commercials use the contemporary-rock style ...This is the primary musical style we've chosen to use at Saddleback." (Pg 285)
Madison Avenue all the way, forgetting Colossians 3:16 and "teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs."
"Invest in the best sound system you can afford. If you are trying to cut costs, do it in some other area--don't skimp here." (Page 266) Indoor plumbing is secondary to well-modulated decibels. Instead of "on this rock" it is now "Rock On."
"This week, secretly replace all the light bulbs in your worship center with twice the watts. Then study the change in the mood in next Sunday's service.:" (Page 266) Mechanical mood manipulation, forgetting the "light of the glorious gospel of Christ." (II Corinthians 4:4)
Communicate with a vocabulary of less than 2000 words, (Page 234) and since 'godly' and 'edification' are not in Sam or Samantha's vocabulary, forget "godly edifying." (I Timothy 1:4)
Keep it simple. Dumb it down. "Run, Jesus, Run. See Peter fish."
Which leads to Warren's promotion of new and dumbed down Bible versions such as the NIV (Not-Inspired-Version). He says on page 297 that "Clarity is more important than poetry." as if those were the only two considerations. What of purity and accuracy? What of the fact that a lesbian edited the NIV, hence the omission of the word sodomy?
The tragedy of all this is that over 22,000 pastors from 42 countries, from sixty plus denominations, have gone to Saddleback to learn how to do things the simpleton slovenly Saddleback way to make spiritually dead Sam and Samantha sing and swing and sway.
It all went into the porta potty at square one, when 'don't call me Doctor, don't call me Pastor' Rick Warren put in his church bylaws that "This church exists to benefit the resident of the Saddleback Valley by providing for their spiritual, physical, emotional, intellectual, and social needs."
The church is for the preaching of Christ according to the revelation of the mystery (Romans 16:25) not bright lights, sensual music and Madison Avenue.
The church is where you learn to study to show yourself approved unto God (II Timothy 2:15) so people are lifted up, rather than God dragged and dumbed down.
"Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." not for the satisfaction of entertainment-satiated self-absorbed Saddleback Sam and Samanatha.
And if The Purpose Driven Church is the example of what it takes to be big and successful, supposing that gain is godliness...(I Timothy 6:5)
Then thank the Lord for all the little churches pastored by anonymous men who adhere to the Bible rather than modern Madison Avenue merchandising methods.
Thank God for the men who know that real ministry is not about bright lights and rock music, and that the value of a pastor is not counted in nickels, noses, numbers and notoriety.
Just as certainly as cowardly men make a mockery of our nation by governing according to public opinion polls, so men like Rick Warren and his clones make a mockery of ministry by mundanely merchandising that which used to be meaningful, even sacred.
But, the wrong way works.
Men who should know better, driven by envy, will drop Bible principles like hot rocks if their church would double in size.
And when God writes "Ichabod...the glory of the Lord is departed," (I Samuel 4:21) no one will notice because the band keeps playing and the lights keep flashing and the hands keep clapping the the performers keep shouting .....

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If Baptism saves...then why oh why...

Why do these preachers, who preach water baptism saves, use Christ's baptism (Matthew 3:13-17) as proof that this is true? Did the Lord Jesus Christ need to be baptized -to be saved?!!!
Matthew 3:13-17 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. 14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? 15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. 16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Why is I Peter 3:20,21(context: Noah's Flood) used as a proof test since the ones who went into the water drowned and went to hell?
1 Peter 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Why- did the Apostle Paul in Galatians 1:6-9 say that if any man preached any other gospel than the one he preached (see I Corinthians 15:1-4)--which excluded water baptism (see I Corinthians 1:17)-let him be accursed?!!!
Galatians 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.   3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
1 Corinthians 1:17For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

Why are these preachers who tell one to believe and be baptized (Mark 16:16) unable to perform the miracles mentioned in Mark 16:17,18 WHICH IS IN THE SAME CONTEXT?!!!
Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Why does John the Baptist tell his hearers that the baptism with the Holy Ghost is truly the baptism that one needs, not water baptism see Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

Why does John the Baptist tell the Lord Jesus Christ that he needs not to baptize Christ, but Jesus needs to baptize him (see Matthew 3:13,14) and this baptism is the baptism with the Holy Ghost, not water baptism, mentioned two verses earlier (Matthew 3:11)
Matthew 3:13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. 14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

Why is "born of water" (John 3:5) supposedly water baptism when the word baptism occurs no where in the context (see John 3:1-21) and the true meaning is given to be a physical, flesh birth                  John 3:3    Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Why do these preachers who tell me that being born again (John 3:3) is getting baptized in water when Jesus Christ clearly tells you that being born again is by believing in Him (John 3:14- 18)--NOT GETTING BAPTIZED?!!
John 3:14      And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Why, if Acts 2:38 is plan of salvation, Peter change his in Acts 15:9-11 preach salvation grace through faith NOT "be baptized the remission of sins?
Acts 15:9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

Why does Paul tell the Philippian jailer to "Believe on the lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved" instead of preaching baptism to them?

How does baptism save? Some folks got the Holy Ghost simultaneously upon baptism in water (Acts 2:38) while others got the Holy Ghost after baptism in water
Acts 8:15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: 16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
Acts 19:5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
and still others got the Holy Ghost before baptism in water
Acts 10:44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, 47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
[Note: And if you say they all work, how do you KNOW you got the right formula?].

Why, if Paul supposedly was baptized in water to be saved (Acts 22:16), does Ananias call him "Brother Saul" (Acts 22:13)a titled used for a saved believer
Acts 22:13,16 Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him. 16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
Why, if Paul was supposedly saved by water baptism, does he say he was born again on the road to Damascus (I Corinthians 15:8), not three days later when Ananias baptized him in water?!!!
1 Corinthians 15:8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
Why, if Paul was supposedly saved by water baptism, does he preach salvation by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
Acts 13:38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Acts 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Acts 20:21Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 26:18To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Romans 5:1Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ

Ga 2.16, 3.11-14, 16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. 12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. 13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Philippians 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
II Ti 3.15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 1:12-13That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
and NOT Acts 2.38, Mk 16.16 or anything that even sounds like that. Why would Paul preach a plan of salvation whereby he was not saved, assuming the he has saved by water baptism?
Why is Colossians 2:11,12 used as a proof text since the baptism here is plainly spirit baptism, for the context states that this baptism was an operation of God made WITHOUT HANDS?!
In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

BUT WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The Bible plainly lays out the order of salvation in Ephesians 1:13:
"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise."
The order is (1) hearing the word of truth--the gospel; (2) belief or trust; (3) receiving of the Holy Spirit. And notice no water water baptism is mentioned.

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What about the Prayer of Jabez?

And Jabez called
on the God of Israel, saying,
Oh that thou wouldest
bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast
and that thine hand might be with me,
and that thou wouldest keep me from evil,
that it may not grieve me!
And God granted him
that which he requested.
I Chronicles 4.10


    That Christians often follow after fads is best demonstrated by the fact that sightings of the Antichrist outnumber Elvis sightings and that thousands are still eating their Y2K dried foods.
    The latest fad is a prayer by Jabez now popularized in a book published by Multnomah (Liberal Evangelical Publishing House) written by   Dr. Bruce H. Wilkerson, (evangelical Baptist author), nearly five million copies already in circulation.
    Wilkerson claims his wealth and success come not from the selling of millions of books but rather from the daily recitation of an obscure prayer ensconced in a genealogical account in First Chronicles.   He is, of course, mistaken.

And Jabez called on the God of Israel,
    Whenever the Bible speaks of the "God of Israel" it means just that. No gentile has access to Jehovah and no gentile is a recipient of the Jewish promises, and this we know on the authority of Ephesians 2:12

saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed,
    Since every Christian alive today is Colossians 2:10 complete in Christ, since Christians Romans 8:26 do not know what to pray for as they ought, and since God Ephesians 3:20 does better for the Christian than the person praying could even imagine, there is no sense in which a Christian in this dispensation requires additional blessings.
    Christians tend to want to pray to alter circumstances, but in this dispensation the Christian has no covenant lever with which to ‘move God.' and enlarge my coast
    Dominion on the earth and possession of land are distinctly Jewish prerogatives and the Christ is to Colossians 3:2 set affections on things above and no on the earth for it is in Ephesians 1:3 heavenly places that the Christian has his inheritance.
    Wilkerson takes this phrase to mean "expand my opportunities and my impact that I touch more lives for your glory" (pg. 32) but that is not what the words in the Bible say. The entire point of the genealogical account in 1
Chronicles is to demonstrate the growth of the Jewish nation as it spreads out on the earth.

and that thine hand might be with me,
    To pray that ‘thy hand may be with me' suggests that it also may not. This suggests that the Christian is incomplete and unequipped, directly contrary to II Corinthians 9:8. Words that do not fit in the dispensation of God's grace include ‘if,' and ‘may be,' but are always associated with ‘deal-making' prayers which are always covenant prayers. No Christian alive today has any covenant that can be claimed: they are all Jewish and they are all for different dispensations.

and that thou wouldest keep me from evil,
    It is our job to keep ourselves from evil as explained to us in the sixth chapter of Romans. We are in Christ, it is no longer us but Christ, Galatians 2:20, and so this sort of prayer is about as efficacious as a rabbit's foot.
   While this phrase sounds noble, for the Christian is represents an abdication of our persona l moral responsibility in the face of I Corinthians 10:13.

that it may not grieve me!
    Being free from evil's presence is a kingdom prayer hardly appropriate for anyone in this dispensation where evil is present with us (Romans 7:21), the world is evil (Galatians 1:4) and the very days are evil, (Ephesians5:16).

It should also be instructive to note how closely Jabez ‘kingdom' prayer corresponds to t Jesus' kingdom prayer:

And Jabez called
Our father which art in heaven
on the God of Israel, saying,
Blessed by thy name
Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed,
Give us this day...
and enlarge my coast
Thy kingdom come...
and that thine hand might be with me,
Thy will be done
and that thou wouldest keep me from evil,
Deliver us from evil
that it may not grieve me!
For thine is the power...

    And just as millions of Christians have ignorantly prayed the so-called Lord's prayer even though Christ refers to such activity as vain repetition (Matthew 6:7), millions more are not praying an inappropriate beggarly prayer, as if ignorant of the fact that God gives the Christian Ephesians 3:20, exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.

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What about racism, Shem, Ham and Japheth?

Racism seems to be an issue that just won't go away, and there is reason to
fear racism could destroy our great country.
One of the reasons why this issue is so intractable is that racism has been
erroneously taught from the Bible for centuries.
The Ku Klux Klan member waves his Bible as he claims his destiny is to rule
over blacks, and he claims that authority from the Bible. The black Muslim
throws the Bible to the ground and claims that it is a white man's book with
a white Jesus.
They are both wrong, but racism has in fact been taught from the Bible, and
in some quarters, it still is.
Using a book called "Segregation or Integration, What Saith the Scripture"
(written by a Florida pastor with an earned Doctorate), we will demonstrate
how racism is taught from the Bible and why it is wrong to do so.
Firstly, the idea is put forth that God is a segregationist.
The point is made that God segregated the animals (Gen. 6) but the fact is
that God put all the animals on the same ark. God segregated the Hebrew
nation from others (Ne.13:20-28), but the fact is anyone from any nation
could accept the Hebrew faith.
Secondly, the "Mark of Cain" always fits into the racist's view, and the idea
here is that when God cursed Cain it was with black skin. "And the Lord set a
mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him," is what the Bible
actually says, so the mark was a good thing, and there is no mention of black
skin.
Even if you assume Cain was black, it really does not matter much since his
seedline was not on Noah's ark and drowned in the flood, but this is a fact
the racist seems to miss.
Regardless of Bible truth, the racist teaches that the three men who got off
the Ark were prototypes of the three races: Shem was Asiatic, Japheth was
Europeans, and Ham was African (and by that they mean black).
How did Cain pass the mark that God gave to him, and him alone, to Ham alone
does not enter the racist's illogical pattern of thought.
Meanwhile, the black racist looks at the famous paintings of Christ, perhaps
those done by Warner Salman in the forties, and he sees a light skinned white
man with long reddish hair and blue eyes. From that the black racist thinks
Christianity is a white man's religion, but Salman's paintings are one man's
faulty imagination and not Bible truth.
We know from the Bible that Christ was Jewish, which would make red hair and
blue eyes most unlikely. Further, the Bible reveals that Jesus had relatively
short black hair and a dark beard, that his eyes were as a doves, and that
his skin was ruddy: He was neither white nor black.
    In the book 'Segregation or Integration, What Saith the Scripture?' we
read "Mizram is said to be Egypt (Ge. 50:11) by definition. It is said to be
the land of Ham (Ps. 105:23-4). Ham is characterized by dark skin, thick lips
and kinky hair."
The amazing thing to consider is that Egypt, the land of Ham, is not the home
of the black African at all, and it should go without saying that all black
people do not look alike.
    The racist teaches that the allegedly white son of Noah, Japheth, went to
Europe and that the sons of Shem, the Asiatics, became the Japanese, Chinese
and American Indians.
    Again, from the book "Segregation or Integration": "of Japheth, the
European, Noah says, 'God shall enlarge Japheth;' that is, "spread him out
and widen his occupation of the earth. We are running smack into racial
prophecy..."
    Or so says the racist Bible teacher as he postulates the theory that the
white European is called by God to take over the planet and to run things.
    Teaching this in 1997 is obviously racist dogma that is not acceptable,
but before we become intolerant ourselves, we would do well to remember that
our entire nation once operated according to a policy called Manifest
Destiny. Of that doctrine, the Encyclopedia Britannica says, "Americans were
a chosen people ordained by God to create a model society," and the backdrop
to Manifest Destiny was racist Bible teaching.
    The Asiatic son of Noah, Shem, is said to be the religious of the three
because of the verse referring to the "Lord God of Shem." Our Florida racist
author says in his book, "All religions have their origin in the region of
the east of Greece and west of India (Ge. 4:15-18). Every religion in the
world can be traced to SHEMITE roots." (Emphasis his).
    The fact that many, many religions were started in other locations by
people who are not Asiatic is patently obvious. Several sects began in New
York, and while New York is in fact west of India, New York would hardly
satisfy the text in Genesis.
    The other shoe drops when we see how the racist Bible teacher deals with
Ham.
From page 29 of "Segregation or Integration," we read the teaching that is
commonly held among our racist brethren: "Of Ham, the African, Noah says, 'A
servant of servants shall he be to his brethren.'" (Ge. 9:25).
    First of all, the curse quoted from Noah is not directed at Ham, but at
this son, Canaan. And we have already seen that Ham was the Egyptian, not the
black African. And if that isn't enough, Noah was drunk when he pronounced
the curse that is so central to racist theology.
    One of the reasons the Civil War was fought was racism, and there seem to
be folks willing to fight it again.
    Well, if fight they must, then fight they will, but leave the Bible out
of it.
In this dispensation, God is not a respecter of persons, and in Christ, there
is neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free, male nor female: Christianity does
not come in colors, it comes in faith and charity.
    When the racist Bible teacher is finished teaching that the mark of Cain
was black skin and that the black race is supposed to serve the white race,
the racist then takes another leap of convoluted logic that expunges his
conscience and blames all the problems on the black people.
    Here is how he does it, quoting from the book "Segregation or
Integration."
    "All of Ham's boys are Negroid...Ham's entire offspring, not one boy out
of four ...as a servant of servants the descendants of Ham excel."
    And further, race problems are the black man's fault because God
established the bounds of their habitation, and the black descendants of Ham
were supposed to stay in Africa.
    Then ,the racist says that the reason the name Canaan appears instead of
Ham's is that "Since Ham's sin was sodomy, it would be a curse on his seed."
The Bible verses cited by the racist to prove this are Ge.9:24, which
mentions Ham but does not mention sodomy and Gen 19:5, which may allude to
sodomy but has nothing to do with Ham.
    From this, the racist Bible teacher concludes that Ham is to be a slave
since he was cursed to be a servant of servants. Forget that the verse also
says he should serve his brethren, not white Americans 4000 years later.
    Slave-holders taught the Bible in this manner and justified slavery in so
doing. Some even went so far as to teach that black people are only happy as
slaves, and our Florida racist author believes all black people have a sex
problem to this day, as a result of Genesis chapter nine.
    There are 773,692 words in the King James Bible (about 60,000 fewer in
the NIV), and even our racist friend has to admit on page 34 that "The
statement to Ham's coloring is not clearly given," but when you want to find
it so you can teach your superiority over other people as being God-given, it
can be read into the text.
    There are seemingly no limits to the flights of fancy the racist will
take. The man who wrote the book used here as an example also says that when
you go soul winning, you should "start with n------ and then work your way up
to white people who live in trailers." He also said that the Ethiopian eunuch
in Acts 8 was the first person saved by grace, and he was a n-----, which
proves God has a sense of humor.
What a consummate Bible-thumping jerk.
    Bible racists are certainly consistent in that none of these teachings
can be demonstrated from any version of scripture and have to be read into
the text. The verse about establishing the bounds of habitation, for example,
is Acts 17:26 and deals with man on the face of the earth, not blacks in
Africa or white bible professors in Florida.
    Clearly, the white man who comes to the Bible to justify his fears and
prejudices can do so with little trouble and have lots of company. Similarly,
the black man who wants to hate the Bible and see the "fountain of living
water" with a sign saying 'White Only' can do so as well.
    Both would be wrong, of course.
    The prejudices and problems and predilections of racism come from our
hearts and not from the Bible. A closer look at the Bible will demonstrate
that to us and help us with our heart problem because one of the functions of
the Bible is to "discern the thoughts and intents of the heart."
    In point of fact, the word 'race' in the Bible is something we are
supposed to run, a$ brothers and sisters, not as Bible-perverting enemies.
    God help us before we tear each other toy shreds and destroy our nation
with hatred, misquoting the Bible and the Koran as we go.


Back to top

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Just how many kinds of baptisms are there in the Bible?

There are twelve baptisms in Scripture

1 Corinthians 10:1-4 = Israel's national baptism
Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our
fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 And were all
baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 And did all eat the same
spiritual meat; 4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank
of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

Hebrews 9:10 = Israel's ceremonial cleansing
10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal
ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

Mark 7:1-7 = little flock ceremonial cleansing
Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which
came from Jerusalem. 2 And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with
defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. 3 For the
Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not,
holding the tradition of the elders. 4 And when they come from the market,
except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they
have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and
of tables. 5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy
disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with
unwashen hands? 6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias
prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with
their lips, but their heart is far from me. 7 Howbeit in vain do they worship
me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Luke 3:3 = John's baptism of repentence
3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of
repentance for the remission of sins;

Matthew 3:13-15 = Jesus baptism
13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and
comest thou to me? 15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so
now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered
him.

Luke 12:50 = Jesus baptism into death
50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it
be accomplished!

1 Peter 3:20-21 = Noah's flood
20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited
in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is,
eight souls were saved by water. 21 The like figure whereunto even baptism
doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but
the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus
Christ:

Luke 24:49 = Spirit baptism
49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the
city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
1 Corinthians 15:29 = martyrs baptism of death
29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise
not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?

Matthew 3:11= Fire baptism into hell
11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after
me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize
you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

Acts 2:38 = Pentecostal baptism
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the
name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift
of the Holy Ghost.

1 Corinthians 12:13 = Baptism by Spirit into Christ
13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or
Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into
one Spirit.

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What about Public Schools?

The answer to this question is an Amy award winning WITH A BIBLE IN MY HAND newspaper column written by Terence D. McLean.

AMERICA'S BEST KEPT SECRET
When the Sputnik satellite was launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, cold war
America awoke to a new reality. Perhaps for the first time there was hard and
frightening evidence that our public school system was not delivering the
goods, and our very national security seemed threatened as a result.
Congress responded immediately and in 1958 the National Defense Education Act
was passed to provide financial aid to states with the goal being that of
advancing our technology in competition with the Soviets.
Unfortunately, government attention to the school systems did not stop with
funding for improved curriculum. The schools became a social planning
playground and a center of much turmoil.
It was in 1963 that three Supreme Court cases led to the removal of prayer
and religious principles from the public school system. Although there was
widespread opposition at the time, educators soon fell into line and there
has really been very little fuss over the removal of Christian principles
from the halls of education.
Compare, for example, the riots and deaths brought about with court ordered
desegregation in 1954 or Vietnam war protests in 1968. By comparison, Murray
v. Curlett and the removal of prayer from school was a yawner.
In 1963, when the last school prayer was offered, there were fewer than 900
Christian Schools.
Christian moms and dads did not take to the streets, they did not bum flags,
and while secular history sees the court decision as a yawner, in fact a
revolution began.
A revolution that is not over yet.
By 1970, less than a decade after the constitution was misinterpreted to call
for separation of church and state, the number of Christian schools had
increased 320%.
Parents who pulled their kids out of the prayerless schools were seen as
radial zealots back in those days. With today's drug problems, lack of
discipline and plummeting test scores pervasive in the public schools, few
reasonable people view Christian parents as foolish radicals anymore.
And the courts just would not leave the thing alone. Consider these cases:
In Abington v. Schempp in 1963 it was determined that reading portions of the
New Testament without secular explanation was psychologically harmful.
With Stien v. Oshinsky in 1965 our highest court determined that free speech
did not extend to religious topics.
Prayer out loud over lunch in the cafeteria was found unconstitutional in the
Reed v. Van Hoven case, also in 1965.
Back of the bread is the water, Back of the water is the mill,
Back of the mill is the wind and rain, And the Father's will.
This nursery rhyme was declared unconstitutional in 1967 when the court ruled
on Despain v. Dekalb Community School
Amazingly, children were not allowed to listen to the prayers of the Chaplain
of the United States House or Senate while they were on field trips,
according to the 1970 State Board of Education v. State Board of Education
decision.
By 1970 there were approximately 2600 Christian Schools.
In Ohio v Whisner it became unconstitutional for a Board of Education to
refer to or use the word "God" in any of its official writings. That happened
in 1976 and by then there were over 5000 Christian Schools.
Four different cases lambasted the Ten commandments in 1980-81 with the
result being that the posting or reading of the decalogue in any manner that
induced reverence was unconstitutional.
By 1980 there were over 7500 Christian Schools.
Invocations and benedictions and prayers were outlawed at graduation
ceremonies in 1985 with the Graham v Central decision.
By 1985 there were over 20,000 Christian Schools and according to the listing
published by the Library of Congress, there are more than 32,000 Christian
Schools operating in America today. And there are hundreds of thousands of
home schoolers on top of that.
It is a silent revolution.
Not a shot has been fired. There has been no looting. No graffiti has been
painted on any public school buildings. There are no screaming people waving
signs and harassing the police or the school authorities.
There was a big fuss over "white flight" to the suburbs because of court
ordered bussing in 1971 and there were riots in the streets over Brown V.
Board of Education in 1954.
The Christian School revolution has had nothing like that.
Mommys and Daddys very simply are seeing to it that their children are raised
in the "nurture and admonition of the Lord." (Ep 6:4) The Bible in my hand
tells parents to "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is
old, he will not depart from it," (Fr. 22:6) and that is what they are doing.
The parents and teachers and churches involved are not radical reactionary
religious nut-cakes, as many in the secular system seem to think. These
parents are quality people who care about their kids. These are people with
values and standards.
These are parents who would rather pay tuition now than pay the price of
drugs and undisciplined behaviour later.
Their revolution, the Christian School movement, is the second best kept
secret in America.
The best kept secret is that they are winning.

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

Why Johnny Can't Feel

The answer to this question is an Amy award winning WITH A BIBLE IN MY HAND newspaper column written by Terence D. McLean

WHY JOHNNY CAN'T FEEL
When S. A. T. scores began to fall a couple of decades ago and some schools
began graduating functional illiterates, the discussion centered on 'Why
Johnny can't read" People blamed the schools, forgetting that since the
invention of television, parents all over America had stopped reading.
When the Soviets launched Sputnik and the Japanese began to produce better
products than we were, the discussion moved to 'Why Johnny can't do math"
People blamed the schools, forgetting that since the invention of the
calculator and home computer, parents all over America had ceased to do math.
Now we are told that the greatest problem teachers are having involves
discipline. People blame the schools, forgetting that since Dr. Spock and
child psychiatry that parents all over America have ceased to discipline
their little darlings.
The lack of discipline is a serious problem, but something worse needs to be
brought to the attention of the national consciousness.
ITEM Four young men in a car see a man walking down the street. "Hit him, hit
him, hit him," the driver his taunted. The teenaged driver allegedly
responded to the chiding of his buddies by driving up on the sidewalk and
killing the innocent pedestrian.
ITEM A young lady rides the bus carrying a tiny coat. She had allegedly
drowned the owner of the coat, her two year old son, and now was busy about a
carefully calculated plot to cover her tracks. She looked into the TV cameras
and asked for help in finding her son when in fact she had disposed of him
like trash from the waste basket.
ITEM Several teens for a gang and involve themselves in booze, sex and cheap
thrills. Their activities allegedly escalate until six are dead, one victim
having been shot seven times for her sneakers.
The issue that needs to be wrestled with now is not "Why Johnny can't read,"
or 'Why Johnny can't do math.' but 'Why Johnny can't feel"
People are already poised to blame the schools again, when the problem is
again something much larger.
The Bible in my hand warns of those who "Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having
their consciences seared with a hot iron" (I Ti. 4:2). fall victim to
doctrines of devils.
The uncaring unfeeling acts we are hearing about with increasing frequency
are frightening to us all, but should they be a surprise and should we blame
our favorite scapegoat the schools?
For years now, parents have allowed their children to witness hundreds,
perhaps even thousands of incidents of violence on the television set.
Children pack theaters when the most violent of the slasher and chain-saw
movies are presented.
Nintendo games often portray violent scenes one after another at a
purposefully dizzying pace. Millions of quarters drop into thousands of slots
to activate game machines that portray killing and mayhem.
Rock and rap are not about "Blue Suede Shoes" or "Let's go to the Hop" as
they once were but now often speak of drugs, sex and killing cops.
Could it be that the cumulative effect of bathing our nation in violent
entertainment is that we have now effectively desensitized a significant
segment of the population?
Alfred Hitchcocks "Psycho" traumatized viewers at the time with the ax murder
in the shower. The blood and gore in many films currently popular demonstrate
how far we have come.
The kids who went out behind the barn to sneak a peek at a 'French postcard"
are now adults who allow graphic sex scenes into their living rooms. And the
scenes which were once only on cable are moving to the public screen.
Bible values have been deserted and replaced with moral relativism. Home and
hearth have been shattered and replaced with the family entertainment center.
The idea of a family gathering together around the kitchen table and the
Bible for family devotions is so foreign to American thinking as to be almost
laughable today, yet it was common at one time.
My contention has long been that the reason prayer was outlawed in the public
schools was because mommys and daddys and boys and girls had ceased to pray
at home. No one would have listened to Madilyn Murray O'Hare if we had fifty
million praying families.
The schools merely reflected the lack of prayer and Bible Christianity in the
homes.
Today, our nation worries little about prayer or reading or math, having
institutionalized their absence.
Today the issues of booze and drugs have even been strangely accommodated
with programs that make us feel good while they fail to fix the problem.
Today the sexual revolution is so firmly entrenched that thousands are
dropping dead as a direct result of irresponsible and aberrant sex and soome
pass out condoms while others make quilts.
So very much has happened and so very much has been accepted that there seem
to be no limits to behavior anymore.
And some folks just don't care.
The pictures of the cold calculating teenaged murderers are chilling to those
remaining who still value life. The very idea of killing a person for their
shoes is devastating, but as America remembers Roe V. Wade this month can we
forget that millions of little lives have been ended because of monetary
concerns?
The Bible anticipated all this, of course, as Paul wrote about people "Having
the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the
ignorance that is in them."
Removing the Bible from the schools and Christianity from our national
purpose has brought forth are ignorance of the Bible which is unparalleled.
Further, Paul went on in Ephesians by warning of those who "Being past
feeling have given themselves over unto laciviousness to work all uncleanness
with greediness."

Current events present a frightening prospect to us all, and we must not
shift the blame to the schools again. First we must take a long and hard look
at
the home and the church. -

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

What about unanswered Prayer?

At one end of the field, the visiting football team huddles in the end zone
and prays. Just then the home team does the same beneath the opposite goal
post.
What does the Lord hear?
In unison, the opposing teams might pray "Lord, we pray that you will give us
the victory and let us knock the snot out of those other guys."
Christian Broadcasting Network President Pat Robertson prays that a hurricane
would veer away from the CBN's offices in South Carolina and it does, only to
hit and kill people in New Jersey.
Even Adolph Hitler said that God was on his side.
In his book OUTRAGE: FIVE REASONS WHY O.J. SIMPSON GOT AWAY WITH MURDER
agnostic lawyer Vincent Bugliosi writes "Saying that 'God answered my
prayers' necessarily means two things: that God has the power to answer
prayers, and more important, for the 99 percent of the other humans who pray
and beg for God's merciful intervention in time of desperate need, God told
them to take a walk, get lost, He couldn't care less."
With the critical and logical mind of a cynical lawyer, Bugliosi continues by
asking "Don't you think the Jew at Auschwitz prayed to God to be spared.
Maybe we have been praying to the wrong entity all along. People who believe
in prayers could hardly do worse praying to the devil." (pgs 250-251)
Should you listen to the so-called Christian radio or television broadcasts,
you will undoubtedly hear several people "bind Satan, in the name of Jesus,"
during the course of the broadcast day. The obvious questions are "Why must
you bind Satan more than once: how does that rascal keep getting loose?"
There is a bumper sticker out there which asks "If Jesus saves, why can't He
cure acne?" That would be a good question for today's crop of 'faith healers'
to answer.
When the tornadoes tore through many cities this spring, people were killed
and property damage was considerable. One pastor standing in the rubble that
had been his church told the CNN reporter that "God is trying to tell us
something."
Attorney Bugliosi would look at the disaster area with its dead bodies and
sarcastically ask, "why would anyone feel he (God) is all-good or want to
spend eternity with this type of being?" (Ibid. pg 251)
The answers to the questions people have about prayer are actually quite
easily found and understood, but learning the answers requires knowledge of
the Bible.
And while we would reasonably expect that agnostic authors would not have
read the material, it is the sad truth that most Christians are equally
unlearned.
Fact is, Adam and Eve didn't need to pray: God walked and talked with them in
the garden.
After God kicked the First Family out of the garden and Cain killed his
brother, mankind learned it was estranged from its maker and "then began men
to call upon the name of the Lord." (Genesis 4:26)
When God gave His covenant to the nation Israel over 2500 years later, prayer
became much more sophisticated. Under that covenant "If my people (Israel)
which are called by my name (Lord God of Israel), shall humble themselves (by
keeping all the laws and statutes) and pray, and seek my face (which God had
hid from them since the sin in the garden) and turn from their wicked ways
(by performing the Mosaic law); then will I hear from heaven." (II Chronicles
7:14)
But without keeping all the laws, statutes and their end of the covenant, God
promised to "pluck them up by the roots." (lI Chronicles 7:20)
When Jesus Christ, who said "I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house
of Israel' (Matthew 15:25) and declared that "salvation is of the Jews" (John
4:22) instructed how to pray, He broke some new ground.
Matthew 21:22 is plain that "All things, whatsoever ye (Israel) shall ask in
prayer,
believing, ye shall receive."
If that weren't only for Israel, I wouldn't be bald.
Fact is, God set his dealings with Israel aside (Romans 1 i), and with the
change, prayer was again altered.
Paul tells the church in which there is neither Jew nor Gentile but a new
creature, "We KNOW NOT what we should pray for as we ought ...we KNOW that
all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the
called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:26, 28)
One verse tells us what we know, the other tells us what we don't know. And
from those passages we see that God has again intervened to change the
mechanics of prayer.
No longer walking in the garden with man, no more with His face turned away,
no more operating under the Jewish covenant, no longer the ministry of the
Messiah, God tells us today that He is not up in heaven waiting for our
prayers to tell Him how to run things.
And because we are on a sin-cursed planet with Satan as the "god of this
world" (II Corinthians 4:4), we should be relieved that the ultimate
responsibility is God's, not ours.
God has now told us what he wants us to know through His Bible, not through
tornadoes.
When Christians under grace, (not Jews under the law), are instructed about
prayer they are told to "Let your requests be make known unto God"
(Philippians 4:6)
And...
And what, exactly?
And you will get whatever you ask for, as the faith healers say?
And you will get one out of a million, as the agnostic suggests?
And God may say 'No,' as weak-spined theologians postulate?
The answer is 'None of the above."
"And the peace of God, which passeth ail understanding, shall keep your
hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7)
Keeping track of everything "passeth our understanding" and since we are
"strangers from the covenants of promise" (Ephesians 2: i2) we are much ahead
to accept God's peace rather than to require authority over Him in prayer.
God says to tell Him everything, learn to be thankful for everything, and be
anxious about nothing, for God will work whatever happens for the good of
them that love Him.
Amen.

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What about the Koran vs. the Bible?

THE BIBLE AND THE KORAN:
BOOKS AT WAR WITH EACH OTHER

There seems to be a great deal of confusion and consternation about the
militancy of some Muslims, but putting people and personalities aside, even a
cursory reading of the Koran is quite revealing.
The Koran is the holy book of the Muslims and is taken to be the infallible
word of the one true God, Allah. It is said to be the earthly manifestation
of the heavenly tablet, revealed by the angel Gabriel to Muhammad in the
sixth century.
Opinions and attitudes need not be added to the Koran to find incendiary
language and the indication as to why we may be looking at unreconcilable
situations.
The Koran, for example, teaches that while God greatly blessed the Jewish
people through Abraham, all but a few Jews subsequently broke all of God's
covenants with them. It is said that the Jews were supposed to preach the
scriptures to all mankind but instead they cast the scriptures behind their
backs and sold them for a cheap price.
The unbelieving Jews rejected the signs that God gave them to verify the true
faith, including the rejection of the Christ of the Christian faith.
Because of this rebellion against God's revelation, God declared that He
would raise up oppressors to attack Israel until the Day of Resurrection. God
then sent the Romans to destroy the temple in 70AD and scattered the Jews
worldwide.
Muslims are then forbidden to make friends with Jews because Jews accept what
devils say as truth.
The Koran then teaches that God sent Muhammad and the Koran to reveal to Jews
those parts of the Scripture that the Jews had misunderstood or rejected, and
the idea was to forgive and reconcile the Jews to the one true God of the
Muslim.
If Jews would accept Muhammad and the Koran, the teaching goes, God would
forgive them and grant them entrance to the gardens of delight.
Those who do not accept the true light of the Koran are to be fought and
subdued. Christians, to whom scripture was also given, are to be fought and
subdued also because they do not accept the one true faith.
God sent Muhammad with the one true faith and it is to triumph over all
others, whether the others like it or not.
The Koran teaches that God gave the Torah to Moses, the Psalms to David, the
Gospels to Jesus and the last words of interpretation to Muhammad. Jesus,
however, was not God incarnate but no more than an apostle.
The Koran teaches that God could not have a son since He has no female
companion and is Himself, self-sufficient. The very idea that God would beget
a son is considered blasphemy Persistence in making such claims, basic to the
Christian faith, results in severe punishment in hell according to the Koran.
What we have, then, is a very different book from the Bible. The Koran
commands Muslims to fight Jews and Christians until they pay tribute and are
completely subservient to Islam. Any reader of the Koran can know this, while
the information seems to have escaped mention in the popular press, no doubt
for reasons of political correctness.
An early dispute about the lines of succession in leadership has created some
splits in the Muslim camps. The Iranians, some Iraqis, and the Lebanese are
Shiite while most all others are Sunnis. These are merely matters of politics
between factions, however, with the beliefs in the Koran unaffected. This
explains while it is not uncommon to see Arabs fight among themselves but quite remarkably unite to fight a common enemy.
These are not matters easily reconciled in a peaceful manner.
The Koran denies that Christ was deity, that he was a substitutionarysacrifice for man's sin and the only way to God so doctrinal reconciliation between the Koran and the Bible is not possible.
. For the Jews, the Koran requires that they accept Christ as their MessiahSaviour and then submit to the rule by Muslims. Here we have another unreconcilable situation.
Cooler heads will need to prevail because the books involved, the Bible and the Koran, are at war with each other.

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What about Angels?

Do you remember the hula hoop?
Now there was a way to throw your back out!
Millions of them were sold and millionaires were made in the space of just
months as the fad became a rage that identified a time in our lives.
Kids could twirl their fannies just right, causing the plastic hoop to
operate correctly, but adults usually did not do as well.
It was quite a fad for a while, but happily, fads pass.
Do you remember the crawl track?
It was a toy made of reinforced cardboard that was like a cardboard box with
the ends open. The outside was decorated to look like the tread on a tank and
a kid would get inside. When the child crawled, it look as if the tank tread
was moving all by itself.
Since tanks often go down roads, some children played with their crawl tracks
in the streets, and since the tank tread decorations were grey, motorists did
not always spot them.
After a few kids were injured and even killed, the crawl track fad came to a
sudden end, warehouses and store shelves loaded with a toy no one wanted,
very much the opposite of the hula hoop experience.
It was quite a fad for a while, but happily, fads pass.
You wouldn't think there would be fads in Christianity, but there are.
For a time, the fad was over the mark of the beast and one genius even wrote
a book about how Gorbachev's birth mark identified him as Satan. Back in the
sixties there was tremendous interest in the Antichrist and one dear lady
preacher sold 4 million books naming Anwar Sadat as that demon of Bible
prophecy. .
More recently, a refugee from a mental hospital put many Christians tilting
at Don Quizote's windmill over the second coming of Christ and the removal of
Christians from the earth in September of 1988. No doubt we Christians who
remain missed the bus.
Today, angels are all the rage, but this fad will also pass.
While the Bible in my hand does clearly speak about angels, their existence
and their ministry, it is clear that the beings involved in the fad of this
hour have no relationship to Bible angels.
Firstly, no angel in any Bible in any language has wings. There are beings in
the word of God that do have wings and they are called cherubim or seraphim
but these creatures are not angels.
Secondly, every angel in every Bible is a man. There are no female angels but
there is a creature found in only one passage that is female and has wings
like a stork.. While this may sound like an angel, the passage in Zechariah
5:8-9 defines these beings as "wickedness."
To say it more clearly, the beings being represented today as angels are in
fact something the Bible calls wicked and an actual picture of an angel would
look like an ordinary man.
Another way you can know that angels are ordinary looking is that Hebrews
13:1 says "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have
entertained angels unawares."
It would be very difficult to be unaware of a person with a halo, stork
wings, long blond hair and the ability to fly, don't you think?
And by the way, no one in the Bible has a halo.
And the Bible does not say there were three wise men.
And whatever the number of wise men, they did not go to the manger, they
showed up at a house over a year later.
And the animals did not get on the ark two-by-two.
You see, a mythical brand of confused religion that uses Christian
terminology often supplants real Bible Christianity in the minds of those
unfamiliar with what the Bible really says.
Jeremiah spoke to such a manifestation when he said that "the prophets
prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means: and my people
love to have it so," (Je. 6:31)
Since the confusion is not based on the Bible it is often rampant with error,
just like the current fad over angels.
When the truth comes out the 'Christian fad' quickly moves from the 'hula
hoop' phase and goes into the 'crawl track' phase Soon enough we will be
finished hearing about these critters masquerading as angels and go on to
something else, equally as silly.
As in Acts 17:21, the faddists move on for "they spend their time in nothing
else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing."
The Bible in my hand will still be here when all the floppy winged
imaginations of the sensationalistic faddists fly off.
And is it not better to know what the Bible really says, than to have the
very best of imaginations?

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What the gospel ain't.

WHAT THE GOSPEL AIN'T
'Vance Hanver was well into his eighties when I met him. By then, he had been
an evangelist for over 70 years and had held meetings in thousands of
churches, in every state, and in several other countries.
Havner had written ten books after he had reached 65 years of age and was
respectfully called "God's Will Rogers" because of his wit and wisdom.
After a meeting in Dayton, Havner said to my wife and me that "Probably two
thirds of the members of the average church are not really Christians and
will end up in hell"
B. R Lakin was called the "Prince of Preachers" and he was Jerry Falwell's
mentor. His pulpit ministry was world wide for over five decades. Presidents,
prime ministers, kings and sheiks were among the millions who heard Lakin's
deep raspy voice preach.
After a meeting in Dayton, Lakin said to my wife and me that "Three quarters
of America's church membership will never see heaven" but would instead burn
in hell.
Two ,great men, then, with over 100 years of preaching experience between
them, testified to me personally that between 66 and 75% of church members
were not really converted Christians on their way to heaven.
The very thought gives pause: what is the problem?
After all, these notable preachers were not talking about the atheists,
agnostics or the ambivalent, but church members.
Now, I have held meetings in a relatively small number of churches, maybe 200
or so. No books bear my name and I don't even have a dog named Prince, but I
have kept in mind what those great men said to me so many years ago, and I
have put some things together which may shed some light on the question.
First, it must be noted that the Bible in my hand says "The gospel of Christ
is the power of Cod unto salvation" (Ro. 1:16), not our good works (Ep.
2:$u9) or our righteous lifestyle (Ti. 3:5) or our baptism (1 Co.1:17).
Second, the Bible also states that the gospel, "by which also ye are
saved..." is that "Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and
that he was buried and that he rose again on the third day." (1 Co. 15:1a4)
That is all pretty straight forward and simple.
But nobody likes to be told that he is a sinner and must trust what someone
else did to make amends.
Observation tells me that if those two great evangelists were right, that
most church members are not really saved, there might just be a pretty
straight forward and simple reason.
Instead of being told to trust the finished work of Jesus Christ, people are
instead being instructed to come forward and make a commitment, or to sign a
card, but that is not the same thing.
Others are told to pray through and I was at one meeting where a potential
convert had come forward and one altar worker was telling them to 'let go'
while another altar worker on person's other side was telling them to 'hang
on."
Popular today is to "Open your heart's door and let Jesus into your heart;"
but that is not the gospel either: hearts do not have doors, and no verse in
any Bible says that Jesus wants into the heart.
Many have the idea that Christianity is joining a church or giving money, but
none of those things are included in the gospel of salvation.
It should be obvious that if a man can do things to earn his trip to heaven,
Jesus Christ wasted His time on Calvary's cross. In fact, His death was for
our sins, His burial was payment for the wages of sin, and His resurrection
demonstrated victory of death and hell. Those items are the elements of the
gospel. Faith in what Jesus did, then, is what saves.
It could not be much simpler, but maybe that is the problem. Mankind tends to
reject simple solutions, especially when such solutions declare man's best
efforts worthless in the face of what Cod, in Christ, has already
accomplished.

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

C.S. LEWIS: FOR HIM THE BIBLE WAS A SHADOWY LAND

Fundamental Bible-based Christianity requires belief in the Bible as the word
of God, meant to be taken literally wherever possible. Because of those
requirements, Bible fundamentalism has never been very mainstream or popular.
More liberal Christianity nods toward the Bible and believes those passages
of scripture which advance its agenda, and uses the scriptures as a source of
moral support. Because of those attributes, Bible liberalism has always been
very mainstream and popular.
From that premise, it would follow logically then, that the most popular
"Christian" author of this century would be a person who writes well, refers
to the Bible, and then goes on to believe whatever he wants to, advancing his
own spiritual, political or theological agenda.
That turns out to be exactly the case with the most influential and best
selling author of this century, C. S. (Clives Staples) Lewis, the subject of
the recent film Shadowlands.
His most famous books include Screwtape Letters, Chronicles of Narnia, Mere
Christianity and The Space Trilogy. Lewis, (1898-1963) has sold more books
than there are people in America and his influence goes far beyond mere
numbers due to the manner in which he is revered and quoted by others.
Meanwhile, C.S. Lewis is anything but a Bible-based Christian.
Lewis believes in evolution: "For long centuries God perfected the animal
form which was to become the vehicle of humanity and the image of Himself"
(The Problem of Pain, pg. 177)
Lewis believes the Bible is a myth: "I have therefore no difficulty
accepting, say the view of those scholars who tell us that the account of
Creation in Genesis is derived from earlier Semitic stories which were pagan
and mythical.: (Reflections on the Psalms pg. 110)
Lewis believes the Bible has mistakes in it: "The Bible contains the word of
God and human material" (Ibid. ppg. 110,112) "It (the Bible) contains good
literature and bad literature." (Selected Essays, pg. 144 para. 42)
Lewis does not believe in Hell but does embrace Purgatory: "Our souls demand
purgatory, don't they? I'd rather be cleaned by fire first." (Letters to
Malcolm: Chiefly on prayer ppg. 108-109)
Lewis prayed to and for dead people: "Of course I pray for the dead" (Ibid.
pg. -107)
Lewis did not believe in the resurrection of Christ (C.S. Lewis: A Biography
pg. 234) that the Bible was in any way inspired (Inklings pg. 175) and denied
salvation by grace through faith in the body of his works and most notably in
the last of the Chronicles of Namia.
Still, the writings of this pipe-smoking, beer and martini drinker are quoted
by everyone from SBC leader Charles Stanley who says "Lewis wrote masterfully
on the Christian life" to Sesame Street which has purchased percentages of
film rights for Chronicles of Namia. Once conservative Moody Monthly magazine
calls Lewis
"this century's most important convert," which is rather like calling the fox
the most important visitor to the hen house.
Jerry Fallwell said (Journal Champion 1 / 11 / 80) that he wanted his
students to read more of Lewis.
Amazingly, some of the writings of Lewis are not just anti-Biblical, and even
heretical. Actual witchcraft incantations are contained in White Witch of
Perlandra and Lewis claims to have converted from a "black" witch to a
"white" witch.
It should come as no surprise that the New Age mystical book Chicken Soup for
the Soul is wrongly considered Christian and Mormom-based heresy Embraced by
the Light continues on the best-seller list. The occult book God Calling also
continues as a best seller, masquerading as inspirational Christianity.
C.S. Lewis paved the way for such new books with his confused combination of
pop psychobabble and loose use of Holy Writ. His was an unbeatable
combination for cashing in on those who are ignorant of what the Bible says,
who do not want to learn, and who's spiritual interests involve affirmation
of what they have already decided to believe and do.

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

s there a HELL?

'H-E- Double Hockey Sticks,
You say?'
The air conditioning system has been installed, and hell is not such a bad
place anymore.
Something over 90% of Americans surveyed believe in heaven but fewer than 20%
believe in a literal burning hell.
'Hellfire and brimstone' peaching was long ago replaced by the 'sharing of
praise,' with content filled messages now supplanted by 'sermonettes for
Christi anettes.'
You often hear people say that they plan on going to hell because that is
where all their friends will be.
And they may be on to something.
Gary Larson's Far Side cartoon presented many insightful views of hell. He
drew 'Nerds in hell' going around asking "Is it hot enough for ya?" In
another cartoon, Satan is forcing a man to make a decision between two doors:
one is labeled 'Damned if you do; and the other is labeled 'Damned if you
don't'
My personal favorite depicts a man in hell spitting out his coffee and the
caption reads " Oh man! The coffee's cold! They thought of everything!"
In July, people say that it is hotter than hell.
When they hear something that surprises them, they respond with "The hell,
you say?"
In a fit of anger, "Go to hell," is a common statement.
Some would even say "Hells bells."
Cdr, "Helluva deal"
People will tell you their job or their marriage is like "Hell on earth."
And who has not heard of the 'Repairman from hell; or the 'In-law from hell?'
John Lennon wrote a song called "Imagine" which suggested you should imagine
"no hell beneath us, above us only sky.."
And aren't modernist theologians quick to say that a loving God would never
send a sinner to hell.
Nationally known evangelist Luis Palau promised his listeners at revival
meetings in Chicago that he would not even mention "H-E Double Hockey
Sticks."
The New King James Bible, which is now neither new nor King James, claims to
be a great translation of the Bible into modern day English. Meanwhile, it
leaves 'hell' untranslated as 'hades'
But whether untranslated or unbelieved or merely trivialized, hell has
clearly been air-conditioned, and someone will be hanging curtains any day
now.
The fact remains that when you consider either mining or core sampling, the
human race has barely scratched the surface of this planet and we have only
educated guesses as to what lies near the center of the earth.
The Lord Jesus Christ made more mention of hell than He ever did heaven; and
it is curious that He would waste so much time talking about a place that did
not exist.
Do the reverse of John Lennon and imagine, just for a moment, that there is
such a place as hell.
When you die, your body starts to degenerate almost immediately.
Your eternal soul slips from its mortal carcass and the force of gravity
pulls it inexorably toward the center of the earth.
Mile by mile you steadily grow hotter; but since you left your body in a
pretty metal box, there is nothing of you to be consumed by the fire. Instead
of being annihilated, your soul is merely tormented in horrific flames that
cannot consume you.
"The hell, you say?"
Jesus told of a man who "in hell, he lift up his eyes, being in torments."
(Luke 16:23)
Ironically, many modernists who want to preach "All is well, there ain't no
hell," say the Lord's account is a parable not meant to be taken literally.
What makes that irony is that the Lord predicted the Bible's hell would be
misinterpreted as being a mere parable.
Way back in Ezekiel 20:48-49 He warned that "the flaming fire shall not be
quenched...all flesh shall see that I the Lord have kindled it: it shall not
be quenched. Then said I, 'Ah Lord God, they say of me, Doth he not speak
parables?"'
Just as God does not believe in atheists ("The fool hath said in his heart,
there is no God." Psalms 14:1), God does not lose any sleep over the
hell-deniers who reject the Bible doctrine of eternal punishment.
The old bumper-sticker stated that "God Said It, I Believe It, and That
Settles It," but the old bumper-sticker was wrong.
It really doesn't matter if you believe it or not. If God said it, that
settles it, whether you believe or doubt or deny.
"Let God be true but every man a liar." (Romans 3:4)
The good news is that even though hell is real and God's judgement of our
sins is severe, Jesus Christ was "set forth to be a propitiation through
faith in his blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins
that are past" (Romans 3:25) and so we are "Justified by faith, we have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1)
Everlasting fire was prepared for the devil and his angels, (Matthew 25:41),
so let them have it.
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." (Acts 16:31)
Why, the H-E Double Hockey Sticks would you not?

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Will we find life in outer space?

As both this century and this millennium come to a close, many attempts will be made at listing the most significant events of both. One event, Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon, will undoubtedly be on all the lists, whether for the last one hundred years or the last one thousand. Let us flip the coin over, and ask ourselves what we might suppose would be the most significant event of the twenty-first century or the third millennium. A cure for cancer? World peace? The Cincinnati Bengals having a winning season?? Amazing and wonderful as those items would be, our fascination with outer space would make it very likely that the discovery of life in some other galaxy would be seen as the most important likelihood for the next century or even the next millennium. Our thinking has been primed by science fiction and the likes of Carl Sagan to believe that there must be life out there somewhere. Little Green Men, X-Files, UFO's, ET, Rosswell, and Area 51 are all items which probably don't even exist, but which have all passed into our outer space folklore. While we say we care about poverty and the homeless, we plow billions into our unrequited love affair with the Twilight Zone. And just what is the likelihood that we will find something alive out there? The fact that so much effort has already been expended, to no avail, leans toward concluding that life will not be found. We may remember that in 1995 a meteorite, supposedly from Mars, supposedly contained signs of life. You had to search the back pages of newspapers to locate the statement of geochemist Jim Papike, director of the Institute of Meteoritics at the University of New Mexico that "There was no evidence that it was in a ratio for life forms." If you don't keep up, you might ignorantly believe that meteorite contained signs of life, or that black holes have actually been discovered, or that millions of planets have been discovered. But not only has well-funded science come up dry, there is every indication from the Bible in my hand that we are wasting needed billions of dollars to keep up this fruitless search. We can know from I Corinthians 15:47 that Adam was the first man. Not ET. And we can know that Adam did not evolve from pond scum if we believe the Genesis account The invention of the evolution theory, while widely accepted by the public-educated humanist, has yet to show us the compelling evidence of either the missing links or the emergence of a new species. Actress Jodie Foster's movie Contact was a tribute to scientific apologist Carl Sagan and the film offered the idea that if there is no life out there, it seems like a tremendous waste of space. Perhaps from our Earth-bound perspective that is so. But from God's perspective, "The heavens declare the glory of God." (Psalms 19:1) The sun, moon and stars were given "to divide the day from the night" and "for signs,and for seasons, and for days, and years" (Genesis 1:14-19) Meanwhile, the Bible tells us that there is life out there, but it ain't green and it ain't ET. There is an "innumerable company of angels" (Hebrews 12:22) which are both evil and elect beings, (I Timothy 5:21, Ephesians 6:12) engaged in activities in heavenly places. (Colossians 1:16) The space exploring evolutionist thinks I am simply silly to believe my Bible while I get a good laugh at their belief in embryonic recapitulation, or the Peiking Man, both now totally debunked. Some of us remember that it was the scientist that thought the Earth was flat and the Bible-believer that knew it was round. (Isaiah 40:22) When all is said and done, the fact is that the underlying purpose of the search for ET is actually to do away with the Bible, once and for all. Finding life elsewhere would be perceived as a death blow to the singularity of Creation here. Finding a different form of life in space would endorse evolution and nail the covers of the Bible shut. Most people have already taken the anti-biblical stance without the benefit of compelling evidence. They are merely waiting for our tax dollars to validate the teachings of both science and our public education system by locating a little green man. That discovery simply won't happen, but we will waste billions and billions looking. And those educated open-minded politically correct, wonderfully tolerant people who believe in ET and evolution will always rise up in angst and ire and uniform opposition against the Bible-believer who refuses to be intimidated by "science, falsely so called." (I Timothy 6:20) ET or no ET, "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement." (Hebrews 9:27) "The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone.: (Revelation 21:8) Small wonder sinful man wants to get rid of the God of the Bible so that he can replace judgement with happenstance..

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How do I teach dispensationalism to the hard-headed?

TELL THEM ABOUT.......
THE BIBLE'S MOST BEAUTIFUL 'BUTS'
Pound for pound, Billy Goats have got to be about the most powerful creatures on the face of God's earth. And hard-headed, too. The last Billy we owned we cleverly named Billy-The-Kid; and when we put him on a lead line to go for a walk, we could only go where Billy wanted. And if you did not keep pace, he would yank your arm out of its socket until you got the idea. To stop him, the best tactic was to circle a good sized tree with the lead line: after a few minutes of constant tugging and choking, Billy generally got the idea. And heaven help you if you did not circle a big enough tree with the lead line, for you'd be going down the street: goat tree, roots and all. Now, a Billy goat's horns and head are solid as rock, but I have discovered a creature with a head even harder, and that would be a person resisting the Lord. You say any of the 'magic words: "Jesus, grace, faith, God, sin, reconciled," and the hard-headed will say "but, but, but, but but," just like a Billy goat. But for every "But" the hard-headed would offer, the Bible has a beautiful "But" in reply. The hard-headed Billy-the-Person says "But nobody can keep all those laws in the Bible and all those commandments;" to which the Bible replies "But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested" (Romans 3:21) "But I can't live it," hard-headed Billy fires back. And the Bible calmly responds "But now being made free from sin, and become the servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." (Romans 6:22)Hard-headed as any goat ever was Billy-the-persistent-person says "But I thought to be a Christian you had to act the way all those hypocrites in the Church act and do what the pastor tells you." Romans 7:6 answers "But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." (And why is it the hypocrites at the Walmart and the hypocrites at the bowling alley don't bother anybody, only the hypocrites at the church? And isn't it well said that "If there is a hypocrite between you and God, the hypocrite is closer to God that you are?") Some of the hardest heads I have ever encountered personally sat on the muscular shoulders of men I taught Bible to in a maximum security prison. Their favorite rejoinder was "But I've done too many bad things so God can't forgive me." "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8) "But I'm not smart enough to understand God." "But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty." ((I Corinthians 1:27) Back and forth it goes. But God has a rock that will crack any nut "and that Rock was Christ." (I Corinthians 10:4) "But what if I sin again?" asks Billy-the-hard-headed. "But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it" (I Corinthians 10:13) "But I have wandered far away from God." "But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." (Ephesians 2:13) "But, but-but ....but" There are no buts for which the Bible lacks a beautiful response, thanks to the grace and wisdom of almighty God. One nice thing about a hard-headed Billy goat is that when you get something into his cranium, it is there forever. For example, when our younger twin goats learned that the best way to get our attention was to jump onto the hood of the car, they never forgot it. (Which goes a long way to explain why we no longer own any goats.) And hard-headed people are enough to keep a person busy. "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world though him might be saved" So don't be so hard-headed you miss heaven and don't be so hard-headed that you think it is your sins that will take you to hell. "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sin, hath quickened us together with