tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137757132024-03-07T00:53:01.040-08:00Bible Door TractsRay Luff in his writings particulary targets doubts that many people have which make them skeptical of God and God's word the Holy Bible. Are you a skeptic? The reason you are still breathing is that God has not given up on you yet. A verse that motivates Ray is Titus 1:9 which says, "Holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convince those who contradict."Ray Luffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061548583676043475noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13775713.post-77736816279972464632008-03-14T12:22:00.000-07:002008-03-14T12:29:24.752-07:00Fornicaton—sex relations among the unmarried<br />Evil of:<br />Comes from evil heart <br /><br /><strong>Matt. 15 - 10 When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” 12 Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13 But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.” 15 Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.” 16 So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, <br />man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.” </strong><br /><br />Excludes from God’s kingdom <br /><br /><strong>1 Corinthians 6 - 9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. <br />Sins against the body </strong><br /><br /><strong>1 Corinthians 6 - 12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. 13 Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. </strong><br /><br />Immorality Must Be Judged <br /><br /><strong>1 Corinthians 5 - 9 I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. 10 Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner— not even to eat with such a person. 12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.</strong>Spiritual fornication <br /><br />symbolized in final apostasy <br /><br /><strong>Revelation 17 – ... “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” … 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. 5 And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. </strong><br /><br />What is the answer to get out from under sins grip? <br /><br /><strong>1 John 1 - 5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. 2 – 1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. </strong><br /><br />The Test of Knowing Him <br /><br /><strong>1 John 1 - 3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. 7 Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. 8 Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. </strong><br /><br />Only the individual and God know whether a person is owned by God. Others can only judge based on outward appearance. Christians who care about an offending brother or sister will separate themselves from them as they are instructed to do in the hopes that God will deal with them and draw them back to Himself.<br /><br /><br />Contact the person who handed you this tract or the author.<br />Copyright 2008 © Bible Door Tracts. <br />273 Manchester Dr., Newmarket, ON, L3Y 6J4, Canada <br />bibledoor.no-ip.org & bibledoor.blogspot.com Email: bibledoor@rogers.com<br />This tracts author is Ray Luff of Bible Door Tracts. Ray’s opinions do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Christian Brethren of Ontario among which Ray is in fellowship. All Bible references are from The New King James Version. 1996, c1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson unless otherwise noted.Ray Luffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061548583676043475noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13775713.post-30001990851877060122008-03-14T11:30:00.000-07:002008-03-14T11:37:24.902-07:00Love – An act of the will or something fallen into?<strong>Deuteronomy 6 - 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. </strong><br /><br />Although this statement is not one of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) which God gave to Moses at Mount Sinai, according to Jesus, it is the greatest commandment. <br /><br />(<strong>Matthew 22:35-40, Mark 12:28-31; Luke 10:25-28</strong>)<br /><br />If this is the greatest commandment, then failure to love God with one’s entire heart, soul, and might must be the greatest sin of which one could be guilty.<br />The second commandment, according to our Lord is “You shall love thy neighbor as yourself”. <br /><br /><strong>1 John 4 – 20 says, “He that loves not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” <br /><br />“On these two commandments,” </strong>said Jesus, <strong>Matthew 22 – 40 “hang all the law and the prophets” </strong><br /><br />The Bible is filled with injunctions to love God, with explanations … and the benefits derived thereby.<br /><br /><strong>Deuteronomy 10 - 12 “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,…. 30 - 6 And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live</strong> <br /><br /><strong>Deuteronomy 30 - 20 that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days;</strong><br /><br /><strong>Nehemiah 1 – 5b “LORD God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments,</strong><br /><br /><strong>Romans 8 - 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His<br />purpose.</strong><br /><br /><strong>1 Corinthians 2 – 9b “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” </strong><br /><br />Clearly the message of the Bible is that love is an act of the will toward God first and then others. But there are false prophets which have <strong>“crept in unawares” (Jude 4)</strong> in Christian circles today that teach us another type of Love; A type of love that the bible does not recognize. The “love” that I am speaking of is that of “self-love”; The idea that we must first love ourselves before it is possible to love others. This false teaching finds its root in the wisdom of man and not in the wisdom of God as revealed to us in His word, the Bible. <br /><br />The preeminence of loving self began to be promoted fifty years ago by Erich Frumm a blatantly anti-Christian humanistic psychologist who believed in man’s innate goodness. He dared to say that Jesus taught we must first love ourselves before we can love others when he said, <strong>Matthew 19 – 19 “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself”</strong> other humanistic psychologists such as Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers picked up Fromm’s concept of self-love and popularized it. <br /><br />In fact far from teaching self-love Christ was rebuking it in the statement quoted above. He was saying “You feed and clothe and care for yourselves day and night. Now give to your neighbors some of that attention that you lavish upon yourselves. Love your neighbor as yourselves.” Such has been the Christian understanding of this verse throughout history. Christ would hardly tell us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves if we did not already love ourselves enough. But Fromm’s perverted interpretation, through Christian Psychology, gained an entrance into the church.<br />In 1900 years, no Christian author or preacher had ever discovered a single verse in the Bible that taught self-love and self-esteem. Calvin, Luther, Wesley, Spurgeon, Moody and others found just the opposite; the necessity to deny self and to esteem others better than ourselves (<strong>Phillipians 2:3</strong>). Neverthe-less, humanistic philosophy’s emphasis upon loving self inspired Christian psychologists with a new interpretation of Scripture that seemed to support their new position. Bruce Narramore wrote, “Under the influence of humanistic psychologists like Carle Rogers and Abraham Maslow, many of us Christians [psychologists] have begun to see our need for self-love and self-esteem. That is a good and necessary focus”. <br />Tragically…The sad (result is that)…No longer are we being convicted of our failure to love God with our whole heart, soul, and might as the gravest of sins and the root of all personal problems…. The average Christian, while he may love much else, including even the world which he is forbidden to love, gives little serious thought to loving God.<br /><br />Why Does God allow false teachers?<br />God even tells us in <strong>Deuteronomy 13:1-3</strong> that He allows false prophets to work signs and wonders as a test to see <strong>“whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul”</strong><br /><br />Love is commanded. True love begins with the will, not the emotions. That love is commanded seems incomprehensible even to many Christians. The world has conditioned us to believe that one “falls in love” and that love is romantic attraction between the sexes. “Boy meets girl and falls in love” is the most popular theme of novels and movies. Yet “love” without God brings sorrow.<br /><br />Falling in love is perceived as being helplessly swept up in a mysterious, euphoric, overpowering feeling over which one has no control and which, inevitably loses its magic. One is thus equally helpless in “falling out of love,” and thereafter “falling in love” with someone else. A commitment of the wills is missing. We are commanded to love with purity – God first of all, with our whole being, and then our neighbor as at least a partial correction of our natural tendency to excessively love ourselves. Love is a commitment to God that demonstrates itself in human relationships… This temporary release from self-centeredness explains more than anything else the ecstasy of love – a fact which those “in love” generally fail to realize. <br /><br /><br />Contact the person who handed you this tract or the author.<br />Bible Door Tracts<br />bibledoor@rogers.com,<br />273 Manchester Drive, Newmarket, ON, L3Y 6J4, Canada, http://bibledoor.blogspot.com & http://bibledoor.no-ip.org<br />Copyright 2008 © Bible Door Tracts. <br />This tracts author is Ray Luff of Bible Door Tracts. The opinions contained in this tract do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Christian Brethren of Ontario among which Ray is in fellowship. All Bible references are from The New King James Version 1996, c1982. Nashville Thomas Nelson unless otherwise notedRay Luffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061548583676043475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13775713.post-56357417590606076842008-03-14T11:25:00.000-07:002008-03-14T11:29:14.112-07:00Beware of BennyHe’s dressed in White arraignment, trimmed in Gold. He’s well known around the world. He has so much fan mail that there are 40 full time staff devoted to opening the mail for him. He stays in the finest hotels often costing in excess of $2,000.00 dollars a night. His residence has 8 bathrooms and a parking garage that holds 10 cars. He speaks to stadiums around the world and on Television Networks more than any other speaker; drawing large crowds wherever he goes. His admirers defend him, no matter what he says or does, claiming that he is Gods Anointed and that you cannot speak out against God’s Anointed. <br /><br /><strong>1 Chronicles 16 – 22 Touch not mine anointed and do my prophets no harm.</strong><br />The one we speak of is Benny Hinn.<br /><br />Why are we concerned?<br /><br />Because he is misrepresenting Christ in such a way as to deceive all people whether they call themselves Christians or otherwise. And he is becoming an obstacle to giving this world the truth which can set them free if it will be received. John 8 - 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” <br />Is Benny a Prophet? Benny says that he is. This is not a necessary title to ascribe to himself as many others have similar ministry without such claims. But since Benny makes this claim then it is simple to find out if it is true. The bible says a prophet never makes an error. If he does he is false and you shouldn’t listen to him. <br /><br /><strong>Deuteronomy 18 - 21 …‘How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?’ 22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken; </strong><br /><br /><strong>Jeremiah 14 – 14 Then the Lord said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.</strong><br /><br /><strong>Jeremiah 23 – 16 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.</strong><br /><br />Here are some of Benny’s Prophecies and tall tales:<br /><br />1983 – Hinn and 5 others survived a small plane crash. Later of this Hinn said: “The Lord spoke, saying ‘Nothing will happen to you’. When I walked out of the plane, I did not have a scratch on my body.” (Hinn also claimed he healed another passengers eye. According to the Sherriff’s report Hinn suffered multiple contusions, abrasions and lacerations. The eye spoken of was healed over several repeated operations and had nothing to do with Benny.) <br /><br />1989 - The Lord also tells me to tell you in the mid ‘90’s-about ’94 or ’95, no later than that-God will destroy the community of America…He will destroy it with fire. <br /><br />1989 - The Spirit of God tells me – an earth-quake will hit the East Coast of America and destroy much in the 90’s. <br /><br />1989 - The Spirit tells me – Fidel Castro will die in the ‘90’s...it’ll be worse than any death you can imagine. <br /><br />April 10, 1998 - The Lord spoke to me while in Miami … and said “Come back here for good Friday” … and I said “Open the way” and guess what the manager of the Miami Arena cancelled the hockey game so we can have this arena today. (Mr. Ives Brault contacted the Miami Arena manger to verify this account. He was told that there never was a game scheduled for that day.) <br /><br />October 19,1999 – You’re going to have people raised from the dead watching this network…People from around the world… will say to undertakers “Not yet. I want to take my dead loved one and place him in front of that TV set for 24 hours…if some dead person be put in front of this TV screen, they will be raised from the dead, and they will be by the thousands. You wait…I see something amazing. I see rows of caskets lining up in front of this TV set … I see people taking the hands of the dead and letting them touch the screen. <br /><br />The lack of discernment among so-called Christians these days is appalling! Because people still follow this man even when these things are pointed out to them.<br />We at bible door tracts offer this possible explanation. Many are not reading the bible continually from cover to cover anymore. We have interviewed elderly Christians who have admitted they have not done it once. When a false prophet comes along they don’t notice the deception.<br /><br /><strong>2 Peter 2 - 1But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. </strong><br /><br />We are concerned because we don’t want people to blaspheme our Lord because of this man. Secondly if a Prophet is in error his doctrine is also in error. This we are more concerned with. To rescue people from heresies that will further dishonor our Lord.<br /><br />“But what about his miracles” some will ask. Our Lord Jesus Christ gave the answer to that question.<br /><br /><strong>Matthew 24 - 24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. </strong><br /><br />Contact the person who handed you this tract or the author.<br />Copyright 2008 © Bible Door Tracts. <br />273 Manchester Dr., Newmarket, ON, L3Y 6J4, Canada <br />bibledoor.no-ip.org & bibledoor.blogspot.com Email: bibledoor@rogers.com<br />This tracts author is Ray Luff of Bible Door Tracts. Ray’s opinions do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Christian Brethren of Ontario among which Ray is in fellowship. All Bible references are from The New King James Version. 1996, c1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson unless otherwise notedRay Luffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061548583676043475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13775713.post-9598238255301780162008-03-14T11:16:00.000-07:002008-03-14T11:22:48.762-07:00Prophecy Proves Gods WordThe Bible is a collection of writings that were written over a 1600 year period of time by 39 differing authors, most of which had never met each other. Moses, under God’s direction authored the first 5 books of our bible. The first of these books Genesis (the book of beginnings) reveals how God created all material and spirit things. <br /><br />We trust the things that were revealed to Moses as being true for one reason. Moses demonstrated that he was a spokesperson for God by demonstrating 100% accurate short term knowledge of future events. Moses spoke Gods words to the ruler of Egypt telling him of ten plagues that would befall him each one ahead of time, and each thing he declared happened. Moses also demonstrated that God was willing to answer his prayers by the splitting of the Red Sea and water coming forth from a rock and the providing of Manna to feed the people. Because of his 100% accuracy Moses became fully trusted by his peers as God’s spokesperson.<br /><br />Later Moses received the 10 Commandments while on Mount Sinai and he wrote five books in which the Jews kept and revered as God’s word. Many of his longer term prophecies regarding the Jewish nation are still coming true today.<br /><br />Later, other prophets also demon-strated with 100% accuracy the ability to tell future events and their writings were added to the “Canon of Scripture” (books by which the Jews were willing to be ruled by.) By the time of Jesus’ Birth 39 books were determined to be “Canon of Scripture” by the Jews. These form the Old Testament portion of the Bible today. To these books, 27 more were added that record the life and teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ which are called the New Testament. Many of the Old Testament prophecies regarding the Messiah have their fulfillment recorded in the New Testament.<br /><br />The Bible is now complete and there is no longer any reason to add to it. The Bible itself contains a prophecy regarding its own completion. <br /><br /><strong>1 Corinthians 13 – 8… But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. </strong><br /><br />Approximately 24% of our Bibles contain prophecies. Of that 24% approximately 12% of have already been fulfilled and 12% remain to be fulfilled. There are two major subjects of Prophecy which are recurring themes in the Bible; <br />1) Prophecies regarding the Jewish Nation. <br />2) Prophecies regarding the Messiah. Approximately half of these were fulfilled by Jesus’ first coming and half of them are yet to be fulfilled His promised second coming.<br /><br />For the remainder of this tract we would like to concentrate on the prophecies which were fulfilled by our Lord Jesus Christ’s first coming.<br />Some object that the prophecies were well known and thereby could be purposely fulfilled by any who wished to fulfill them. They point to the fact that many others came, claiming to be the Messiah at Jesus’ time.<br />How difficult would it be for someone to fulfill the Messianic Prophecies? Here are some of the criteria that the Messiah had to fulfill; The coming Messiah would be born of a Virgin in Bethlehem do miracles be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver that would be cast to the floor in the temple and then used to buy a cemetery for strangers rejected by his own people crucified be raised from the dead on the third day. To top it off the killing of the Messiah had to happen in the year AD 32. <br /><br /><strong>Daniel 9 - 25 “Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; … 26 “And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; </strong><br /><br />The word for weeks in the Hebrew literally means seven. In this case not days but years. The Messiah was to be cutoff (killed) exactly (62+7)x7 years = 483 years after the command to rebuild Jerusalem was given. That command was given in the month of Nisan in the 20th year of the reign of Artexerxes Longimanus, which was 445 BC. It was fulfilled in AD 32 during the Month of Nissan on the 10th day. This is the traditional day when the Lamb was selected for the Passover Observance. It was then watched for 4 days and then offered as a sacrifice if it was found perfect. Our Lord Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey on the 10th day of Nisan and was crucified on the 14th day of Nisan. This fulfilled yet another prophecy. <br /><br /><strong>Zechariah 9 - 9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey. </strong><br /><br />Some skeptics claim that the New Testament is a hoax and that Jesus never existed. <br /><br />To that we answer that the writers were for the most part killed for refusing to recant of this hoax and that the Jews thought Jesus existed when they met in AD 100 just 68 years after his death and resurrection at the council of Jerusalem to seek ways to stop Jews from becoming his followers. <br /><br />Some skeptics have claimed that the Old Testament was altered by the Christians. <br /><br />In the early 1920s copies of the Old Testament dating to 200 BC of the Greek Septuagint and 500 BC of the Hebrew texts were found in the caves of Qumran. It is impossible therefore for Jesus or his followers to have altered the prophecies. <br /><br /><br />Contact the person who handed you this tract or the author.<br />Copyright 2008 © Bible Door Tracts. <br />273 Manchester Dr., Newmarket, ON, L3Y 6J4, Canada <br />bibledoor.no-ip.org & bibledoor.blogspot.com Email: bibledoor@rogers.com<br />This tracts author is Ray Luff of Bible Door Tracts. Ray’s opinions do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Christian Brethren of Ontario among which Ray is in fellowship. All Bible references are from The New King James Version. 1996, c1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson unless otherwise noted<br /><br />Bible References for some of the prophecies regarding the Messiah in OT and Fulfillment in NT.<br /> Micah 5:2; Luke 2:4-7<br /> Isaiah 61:1,2; Luke 4:18-19<br /> Zechariah 11:12; Matthew 26:15<br /> Zechariah 11:13; Matthew 27:5; Acts 1:18<br /> Isaiah 53:3; John 1:11; John 1:11; 19:15<br /> Psalm 22; Zechariah 12:10; John 19<br /> Psalm 16:10; 49:15; Mark 16:2-4; 1 Corinthians 15:4<br /> Daniel 9:26 – For more detail regarding this see also – “The Cutoff Anointed One” http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/pdf/eng_annointed_one.pdf)Ray Luffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061548583676043475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13775713.post-69003335523881781762008-03-14T11:03:00.000-07:002008-03-14T11:14:11.068-07:00Israel - A Cup of Trembling<span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#333399;"><strong>Zechariah 12 - 2 Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. 3 And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. </strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#333399;"><strong><br /></strong></span>This was an amazing declaration by the prophet Zechariah in 520 BC. At the time it was delivered, Jerusalem was in complete ruins, yet Zechariah declared that Israel would someday be the center of world attention on day and that all of Israel’s neighbors would be gathered together against her. To the rest of the world Israel would be a big burden.<br />There has been no time since that prophecy that this prophecy could be true other than today. For more than fifty years Israel’s Arab neighbors have tried to attack them without success, even though they outnumber Israel 50 to 1. Every time they attack them Israel comes out the victor.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#333399;"><strong>Zechariah 12 – 6 In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem. </strong></span><br /><br />For 18 centuries of exile from their land, Jews and Christian’s who read their bibles knew that the Jew would once again possess Jerusalem. This finally happened in 1948, but it wasn’t until 1967 that the Jews regained possession of the city Jerusalem just as it was predicted. Jeremiah 31 - 10 Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock. 11 For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.<br />Even though Israel has less than 2 percent of the world’s population more than 30% of the discussions in the United Nations revolve around them. Everyone is seeking a lasting peace between Israel and her neighbors but her neighbors allow for peace only as a ploy to be able to attack them again in some other way. There is no real interest in Peace by her neighbors.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#333399;">Zechariah 12 - 8 In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them. 9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.</span></strong><br /><br />The God of the Bible promises to protect Israel while the god of the Quran promises to destroy her. This is why no one should be deceived to think that these books contain information about the same God. Whichever of these books is true causes the other by necessity to be declared as untrue.<br /><br />It is clear that eventually all nations of the world will be against Israel. When that happens God will gather all the nations into the valley of Jehoshaphat for one final battle.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#333399;">Zechariah 14 - 2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; Joel 3 – 2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land. </span></strong><br /><br />(See also <strong><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#333399;">Ezekiel 38:14-23</span></strong>)<br /><br />Israel has been conquered as a whole in the past but only in recent years has the land been parted (divided). After the first world war in the 1917 “Balfour Declaration”, the 1919 “Paris Peace Conference” and in 1922 the “Declaration of Principles” of the League of Nations the ancient land of Israel which has been called Palestine was recognized as belonging to the Jews. Great Britain was given the mandate to see “Palestine” once again become the national homeland of the Jew but instead divided the land giving 70 percent of it to Emir Abduallah Hussein because of his oil. The gifted land is called Transjordan, now known as Jordan. The Muslims immediately destroyed every Jewish temple and expelled all Jews from the land. This action against Israel set the sun on the British Empire.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#333399;">Genesis 12 - 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee:<br /></span></strong><br />Then on November 29, 1947 the United Nations further divided the land giving only 13 percent of what had been designated for the national homeland. The Arabs however want it all. Every so-called peace proposal ever since that time has involved the West asking Israel to give up more of her land. So it is with president Bush’s current “Road map to peace”.<br /><br />There is one thing that unites all the enemy nations that surround Israel today, it is Islam. Yet the prophecies regarding Israel’s enemies was written one thousand years before Islam ever existed. The Sahih Al-Buhari hadith says, “The last day will not come until the Muslims confront the Jews and the Muslims destroy them. In that day Allah will give a voice to the rocks and the trees and they will cry out ‘O Muslim, O Abdullah, there is a Jew hiding behind me. Come and kill him!’”.<br /><br />This is not an obscure teaching but part of the foundation of Islam, taught to Muslims through the centuries. It is taught in every Muslim school all over the world and in North America as well. The Jewish state must be crushed or Islam is proven to be a false religion! In a conference of the Islamic Committee for Palestine in Chicago, December 28-31, 1990, Sheikh Abdul Azis Oudeh, one of the leaders of the Islamic Jihad Movement, declared “Now Allah is bringing the Jews back to Palestine in large groups from all over the world to their big graveyard where the promise will be realized upon them, and what was destined will be carried out.”<br /><br />The consequences of following the wrong God will be severe. If you defy the God of the Bible you will be punished. We cannot pick and choose to accept some parts of the bible and reject others. Until Islam’s real intentions are faced and somehow dealt with, any “peace” plans for the Middle East are a fool’s dream.<a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">[1]</a><br /><br /><br />Contact the person who handed you this tract or the author.<br />Copyright 2008 © Bible Door Tracts.<br />273 Manchester Dr., Newmarket, ON, L3Y 6J4, Canada<br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/bibledoor.no-ip.org">bibledoor.no-ip.org</a> & <a href="http://bibledoor.blogspot.com/">bibledoor.blogspot.com</a> Email: <a href="mailto:bibledoor@rogers.com">bibledoor@rogers.com</a><br />This tracts author is Ray Luff of Bible Door Tracts. Ray’s opinions do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Christian Brethren of Ontario among which Ray is in fellowship. All Bible references are from The New King James Version. 1996, c1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson unless otherwise noted<a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1">[1]</a> This tract is a summation of the Introduction of the book entitled “Judgment Day” by Dave Hunt. We highly recommend this book to every Christian, Muslim and Jew.Ray Luffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061548583676043475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13775713.post-2332736369324289602007-04-10T07:27:00.000-07:002007-04-10T07:44:31.770-07:00Self LoveRecently the following article appeared in the National Post and later was repeated online at the Life Site News website entitled <strong>A world without children a result of worldwide “demographic death spiral”</strong> <span style="font-family:arial;">- Ian Hunter, April 5, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com)<br /></span><br />In his alarming -- but not, I think, alarmist -- book America Alone (Regnery, 2006) Mark Steyn highlights the threat posed by falling birthrates worldwide, a phenomenon he calls "the demographic death spiral".<br /><br />Steyn calls Japan "the most geriatric jurisdiction on the planet", and goes on: "[There] the rising sun has already passed into the next phase of its long sunset: net population loss. 2005 was the first year since records began in which the country had more deaths than births. Japan offers the chance to observe the demographic death spiral in its purest form. It's a country with no immigration, no significant minorities and no desire for any: just the Japanese, aging and dwindling."<br /><br />One consequence of deaths exceeding births is that in Japan dolls have replaced children. A news story explained: "toy makers are designing new dolls designed not for the young but for the lonely and elderly -- companions who can sleep next to them, The Yumel doll, which looks like a baby boy and has a vocabulary of 1,200 phrases sells at a price of 8,500 yen ($80). 'I feel so good, good night', the doll says, before falling asleep if the owner pats it gently on the chest." Just think of it: 1,200 phrases; a vocabulary in excess of most of today's university graduates. And just one gentle pat and the bedmate drifts off to Neverland. A tired wife's dream.<br /><br />The first recorded commandment God gave in the Garden of Eden was:<br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">Genesis 1 – 22 Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth.<br /><br /></span><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span>But we are moderns, hell-bent on the pursuit of happiness. We do not consider ourselves bound by ancient commandments. We decided collectively -- and quite some time ago -- that ancient wisdom has nothing to teach us.<br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Ian Hunter is professor emeritus in the faculty of law at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ont. This article was originally published in National Post, Tuesday, March 06, 2007. Permission to republish given by the author. (c) Copyright: LifeSiteNews.com is a production of Interim Publishing. Permission to republish is granted (with limitation*) but acknowledgement of source is *REQUIRED*. For more of this article visit this website: </span><a href="http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/apr/07040501.html"><span style="font-family:arial;">http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/apr/07040501.html</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><br /><strong>Further Comments by Ray Luff,<br /></strong><br />The decisions in Japan to reduce the birth rate to 1.3 individuals when it takes a birth rate of 2.1 to simply replace their race were made many years ago. It is only in the past few years that the results of this disobedience to God’s directives has begun to show it’s resulting fruit. I suspect the real fruit is yet to rear it’s ugly head, especially in the West where birth rates are also following the pattern set forth in Japan. Eventually the generation that said it is OK to allow mothers to love themselves more than their offspring will be faced with what offspring that were allowed to exist deciding to love themselves more than their elders. We live in the “Me First generation”. This has been true since the excesses in the 60’s of free love, self love and even unnatural love. <a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">[1]</a><br /><br />The bible describes the slippery slope that our world is traveling down.<br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">Romans 1 – 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 professing to be wise they became fools, 23 and they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man – and birds and four – footed animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies amongst themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.<br /></span><br />We are seeing the results of self-love in the declining birth rate. We are seeing the results of self-love in single parent families and in high divorce rates. We are also seeing the result of self-love in unnatural practices and accepted norms such as those that want to enter into same sex marriage. We are also starting to experiment with doctor assisted suicide and public opinion is shifting toward it as a socially accepted alternative.<br /><br />Our generation that has killed 25% of all children under age 30 due to the enshrining of our self-love may soon see the results of our tampering with God’s moral directives. We have instilled our self-love into our children who will see us as a burden to them when there is a dispropor-tionate number of us who will be requiring care in our old age. The battles regarding abortion will soon give way to the battles of the rights for the infirmed. If you have any doubt of this look to the case regarding Terry Schaivo. <a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2">[2]</a><br /><br />It is a well known fact that the largest selling books that generate the most revenue, even within the context of Christian literature are the books that we would refer to as “Self Help Books”.<br />We live in a society which has Materialistic values. We hear sayings like “the one who dies with the most toys wins.”. We hear sayings like “keeping up with the Jones’”. We idolize the rich and the famous.<br /><br />We replace the role of “Soul Care” from the local Pastor at a local church with the philosophies and teachings of Sigmund Freud. Freud called himself a godless Jew. He set about to remove our reliance on the role of pastor for our family counsel by starting up a science based on his belief in evolution and that we can assist the evolution of the human mind through the study of philosophy and through the use of drug and other types of therapies. The name that Freud gave to his newly formed science contains the word “Psyche”. Ie. Psychology. This word is a Greek word which means “Soul”. When we adhere to these sciences to solve our problems we are allowing men to work on our souls. But we are allowing them to do it devoid of the use of the God’s word and Gods chosen gift to the church which is that of the “Pastor”. Even within Christian circles today we are rapidly replacing the role of pastor with the role of Psychologist.<br /><br />Freud taught that the biggest problem that people have is that of guilt. He taught that guilt is caused by our inhibitions. <a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3">[3]</a> Freud taught us to defend ourselves from any influence or person who might make us feel guilty for doing the things that we naturally want to do. <a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4">[4]</a> When we follow Freud’s advice we end up worshiping ourselves (the created) and the needs of others (such as the unborn) must take second place. Freud argues that we must love ourselves before we can love others. His mantra makes a lot of sense to our human understanding and is often repeated, even from Christian pulpits today.<br /><br />The number one reason given by Freud and which continues to be given by his followers today for relying on his advice is that people may become suicidal and it has become believed that well meaning Christian advisors may not recognize this and might not be able to stop such individuals from acting on their depressions and committing suicide. However, many do not realize that Freud was a manic depressive person who struggled with his own depressions. His mind science failed him toward the end of his life when he decided to take an overdose to avoid facing a slow and painful death due to cancer. His science did not stop him from committing suicide.<br /><br />The Bible has something to say about sorrow which leads some people to death.<br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">2 Corinthians 7 – 10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted: but the sorrow of the world produces death.<br /></span><br />The Bible message is that sorrow is God given. In fact it can even be Godly to have sorrow. The world with its self-love objective does everything to avoid sorrow. When sorrow comes your way realize it could be sent by God. Allow the sorrow to lead you to repentance of whatever God reveals to you is wrong about your life and allow it to lead you to salvation. You won’t regret the sorrow that comes your way if you allow it to have this godly outcome in your life. But if you practice self-love your sorrow may lead you to death. Ultimately it will lead you into the second death if it doesn’t lead you into your first death here on earth.<br /><br />The bible tells us not to fear the first death but to fear the second death.<br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">Revelation 20 – 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power…14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found in written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.<br /></span><br />The salvation mentioned in 2 Corinthian 7 is from the second death which is the lake of fire. Yet God seems to use Sorrow to bring us into a willingness to receive that salvation. So we must learn from Sorrow so that we can benefit from it. If we practice self-love we may make the wrong assumption that sorrow is never a good thing and miss out entirely on God’s plan for our lives.<br /><br />God uses sorrow during this life to cause us to turn from our selfish ways and to turn to Him so that we can avoid eternal sorrow. When we fail to understand His purpose for sorrow in our lives we fail to prepare ourselves to avoid that eternal state of sorrow that the Bible tells us many will suffer.<br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">Daniel 12 – 1 …And at that time your people shall be delivered. Every one who is found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake. Some to everlasting life. Some to shame and everlasting contempt.<br /></span><br />If you react the right way to sorrow by turning to our Lord and expressing to Him regret for your sins you will be lead to salvation from the second death. The bible is clear that we all will exist eternally but many of us will exist in an eternal state of sorrow. Freud would have us believe that the first death is the ultimate solution to our sorrow because his philosophy does not make room for understanding what awaits for us after the first death. When realize there is a second death we can see that suicide is not the answer to our problems. In fact we can actually begin to see our problems as a good thing if they lead us to be concerned about our eternal state of being and it results in our salvation.<br /><br />We also begin to realize that living for ourselves may count for the first life but it will do nothing to help us in our second life. Those who enter into God’s salvation from the second death are able to change so that they no longer live for themselves. The bible describes their lifestyle as follows;<br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">Philippians 2 – 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition of conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not to your own interests but also for the interests of others.<br /></span><br />Those that live for others will no longer spend their lives putting themselves first. They will no longer seek self-love. They will discover that the Love that God gives them only grows as they try to give it away to others.<br /><br />The bible predicts that just prior to Christ’s return to this earth that many will be living their lives according to the philosophy of self-love.<br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">2 Timothy 3- 1But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!<br /></span><br />If the things we have told you in this tract have spoken to your heart, please look for other messages from us at our website.<br /><br />May God richly bless you as you consider living your life for Him in his prescribed manner.<br /><br /><br /><div align="left">Ray,<br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">You may contact the person who handed you this tract or the tracts author.<br /></span><br />Bible Door Tracts<br /><a href="mailto:bibledoor@rogers.com">bibledoor@rogers.com</a><br />273 Manchester Drive, Newmarket, ON, L3Y 6J4, Canada<br /><a href="http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/">http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/</a> and <a href="http://bibledoorurdu.no-ip.org/">http://bibledoorurdu.no-ip.org/</a><br />Our Blog Website: <a href="http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/">http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/</a><br />copyright 2007 © Bible Door Tracts.<br /><br />You may print this tract to hand out in PDF format at this web address<br /><a href="http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/pdf/eng_self_love.pdf">http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/pdf/eng_self_love.pdf</a><br /><br />This tracts author is Ray Luff of Bible Door Tracts. The opinions contained in this tract do not necessarily represent the Open Brethren Assemblies of Ontario, among which Ray is in fellowship. All Bible references are from The New King James Version. 1996, c1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson unless otherwise noted.<br /></div><div align="left"><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1"><span style="font-family:arial;">[1]</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> See our tract http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/pdf/eng_non_monogamy.pdf<br /></span><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2"><span style="font-family:arial;">[2]</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> See our tract - http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/pdf/eng_chp_morgentaler_sm.pdf<br /></span><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3"><span style="font-family:arial;">[3]</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> The bible calls our inhibitions our conscience. Romans 2 - 14 their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them<br /></span><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4"><span style="font-family:arial;">[4]</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> The bible warns against destroying our conscience. 1 Timothy 1 - 19 having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck,</span></div>Ray Luffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061548583676043475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13775713.post-67817013384204101152006-12-22T10:41:00.000-08:002006-12-22T11:20:32.433-08:00What is the true Meaning of Christmas?Christmas is a shortened term for “Christ’s Mass <a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">[1]</a>”, a day which marks the remembering of the reason that Christ was born to this world. The Lord Jesus Christ came as God in the flesh to die on a cross for our sins. The purpose of “Christ’s mass” is to remember His death in the way He asked us to do it, by the breaking of bread and the drinking of wine. (<span style="color:#3333ff;">1 Cor 11:23-26</span>) The Bible calls it the ‘Lords Supper’.<br /><br />The Lord’s Supper’ which celeb-rates Jesus birth began to be called Christmas in the mid 4th century. The more important event however is ‘the Lord’s Supper at the time of Passover (Easter). It was at the celebrating of the Jewish Passover Supper just prior to Jesus' crucifixion when Jesus asked us to remember His death in this way.<br /><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in rememb-rance of Me.” 20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. - Luke 22:19-22</span><br /><br />These two observances Christmas and Easter of the ‘Lords Supper’ however, are no more significant than any other observance of the Lord’s Supper. The ‘Lord’s supper’ has been observed every Lord’s day (Sunday) by many Christians since the time of Christ’s ascension into heaven.<br /><br />Christians claimed the first day of the week as their Sabbath day to celebrate Christ’s death and resurrection as it represents the day that Christ was raised from the dead. (<span style="color:#3333ff;">Acts 20:7</span>) The rest of the world had always observed its day of rest on the Saturday, which goes back all the way to Adam. It is also the 4th of the Ten Commandments.<br /><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work. - Exod 20:8-11</span><br /><br />The Bread that is broken each Sunday represents Christ’s body which was broken for us. The wine represents Christ’s blood which was shed that we might be washed clean of our sins.<br />At Christmas we particularly reflect on the fact that God the son, the Lord Jesus Christ came to dwell among us. (<span style="color:#3333ff;">John 1:1-4,14</span>)<br /><br />The scripture tells us that Jesus was born of a virgin. It tells us that He was begotten of God. (<span style="color:#3333ff;">John 3:16</span>) This makes Him equal with God, A claim that no one else could make.<br />The prophets said of Him that He would be called ‘Emmanuel’ meaning ‘God is with us’. (<span style="color:#3333ff;">Isaiah 7:14</span>) Jesus made His dwelling place among men. (<span style="color:#3333ff;">John 1:14</span>) Jesus said that He would prepare dwelling places in heaven (<span style="color:#3333ff;">John 14:1-3</span>) for His children who allow Him to have a dwelling place in their hearts.<br /><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">12a But to as many as received Him (the Lord Jesus Christ) to them gave He the right to be called the children of God. - John 1:12a<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">16 …I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. … At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 21 He who has My command-ments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” - John 14:16-21 </span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;"><br /></span>It is fitting that we celebrate Christ-mas in the winter time (although the best evidence is that Christ was actually born in the summer months perhaps as early as May) because the Bible says that God wants to make you white as snow.<br /><br /></span><span style="color:#3333ff;">18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool. - Isaiah 1:18</span><br /><br />Can you think of any greater Christ-mas present than this! When God lives in you, He will help you to keep your life clean.<br /><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">11 …He [God] will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” – Matt 3:11b-12</span><br /><br />The Apostle Paul said;<br /><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:8-9</span><br /><br />Jesus says;<br /><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">20 Behold I stand at the door and knock. If any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come and sup with him and he with me. - Rev 3:20 KJV</span><br /><br />At Christmas time we give gifts to each other. God has given the gift of His son to us. God is asking you to give a gift to Him this Christmas. That gift is yourself, your will and your willingness to submit to His rule in your life. Paul called this a reasonable request when you consider what He has done for you. (<span style="color:#3333ff;">Rom 12:1-2</span>)<br /><br />Will you submit to Him? Consider starting a dialogue with Him right now.<br />If you want to know the true meaning of Christmas then invite Jesus to come into your life to dwell with you. He will give you a brand new start. He will make you white as snow.<br />Let us know if we can assist you in any way. May God bless you this Christmas season. May you experience it as you never have before!<br /><br />A Suggested Prayer:<br /><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me hear joy and gladness, …9 Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. - Psalm 57:7-10 </span><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;"><br /></span>Continue to pray and confess your sins to the Lord Jesus as He reveals them to you. Ask Him to transfer His righteousness to you and to take away your unrighteousness.<br /><br /></span>Then find a church where you can celebrate the Lords Supper together with other believers and where they can encourage you in your new walk with our Lord Jesus Christ.<br /><br />Contact the person who handed you this tract or the author.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Bible Door Tracts</span></strong><br /><a href="mailto:bibledoor@rogers.com"><span style="font-size:85%;">bibledoor@rogers.com</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;">,<br />273 Manchester Drive, Newmarket, ON, L3Y 6J4, Canada, </span><a href="http://bibledoor.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size:85%;">http://bibledoor.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> & </span><a href="http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/"><span style="font-size:85%;">http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><strong><span style="font-size:85%;">Copyright 2006 © Bible Door Tracts.<br /></span></strong><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">This tracts author is Ray Luff of Bible Door Tracts. The opinions contained in this tract do not necessarily represent the opinions of Riverdrive Park Bible Chapel where Ray is in fellowship. All Bible references are from The New King James Version. 1996, c1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson unless otherwise noted<br /></span>----<br /><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1" href="http://www2.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1">[1]</a> modif. of VL *messa, lit., dismissal at the end of a religious service. - MW Collegiate Dict. (11th Ed.) The word Mass doesn’t appear in the Bible. The Bible calls it “the Lords Supper”.The disciples met for the express purpose of breaking bread on Sunday in Acts 20:7, suggesting a weekly observance and suggesting that it is to be more than a dismissal tacked on at the end of a service.Ray Luffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061548583676043475noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13775713.post-1152674888139512492006-07-11T20:25:00.000-07:002006-07-17T08:07:16.223-07:00Sinners Only Please!<em>Daily Devotional by Serious Faith Dot Com, Tuesday July 11th, 2006.<br /></em><br />On one occasion Jesus posed to some sceptics who criticized the kind of people he hung out with the following;<br /><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;"><strong>Matt. 9 - 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”<br /></strong></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;">On the surface it seems odd that Jesus wants the sinners instead of the "good" people. Aren't good people the type who want to follow God and believe in Jesus? Aren't Christians the "good" people?<br /></span><br />It is very common to hear today that a person will "go to heaven" because they are good. If you ask most non-Christians they will tell you that God is going to accept them in heaven because they are nice to their friends, help people and don't do anything extraordinarily wicked. After all, a loving God doesn't send people to hell and you get to heaven if your "good" outweighs your "bad".<br /><br /><strong>If you're generally a "righteous" (good) person, then you DESERVE to go to heaven.<br /></strong>Even Christians get trapped in measuring how "good" they are by examining how much they pray and read the Bible; or by how much they give or serve. Subconsciously they feel acceptable to God because they have earned it by being "good". This is not to be confused with the very real sense of God's displeasure or chastisement when we are indeed ignoring or disobeying Him. The type of "being good" I’m discussing here believes that God OWES us His favour because we have acted a certain way.<br /><br /><strong>Any idea that being good earns God's favour betrays a lack of understanding about what true righteousness is.<br /></strong>True righteousness does not originate in us.<br />True righteousness comes only from God. It is applied to us through our Saviour’s sacrifice, and we are empowered to righteousness through obedience to God.<br />Why did Jesus not call the "righteous" (those who are good)? Because good people (in the sense Jesus was speaking) have not yet reached a point of being "poor in spirit"<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Matt 5 – 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.<br /></span></strong><br /><span style="color:#000000;">To be poor in spirit is to realize that we are completely bankrupt of good, and that we have no hope of salvation unless the Saviour comes to rescue us.<br /></span><br />In the context of Jesus words, the "sinner" is the person who has this figured out. The sinner realizes who they are, and understands that they can't do anything about their condition without help. Jesus came to call those who understand their true hopelessness and dilemma.<br /><br />The full article:<br />You may read the entire article at the following web address. <a title="http://www.seriousfaith.com/teaching_detail.asp?teachingnumber=" href="http://www.seriousfaith.com/teaching_detail.asp?teachingnumber=308">http://www.seriousfaith.com/teaching_detail.asp?teachingnumber=308</a><br /><br /><strong>The Ten Commandments </strong><br />are arguably the most important part of the bible prior to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ as they were written by God’s own hand! The Ten Command-ments define for us how God decides who is truly righteous.<br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">1) You shall have no other god before me.<br />2) You shall not make yourself any graven image.<br />3) You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.<br />4) Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it Holy.<br />5) Honour your father and your mother.<br />6) You shall not kill.<br />7) You shall not commit adultery.<br />8) You shall not steal.<br />9) You shall not lie.<br />10) You shall not covet.<br /></span></strong><br />Most people feel self-righteous as they go down through this list until they realize that a bad person includes a person who lies or steals. Most don’t realize that they have also committed adultery and murder. Jesus reminded us of this when he said;<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span></strong><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Matt 5 – 21 You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgement.’ “But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgement… and whoever says ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.<br /></span></strong><br />Many of us can think of a time when we have spoken ill of a brother. Again Jesus said regarding adultery;<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Matt 5 – 27 “You have heard it said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery’ “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.</span></strong><br /><br />By the definition Jesus gave everyone has committed adultery.<br /><br /><strong>Conclusion;<br /></strong>We are all basically bad people, or as the Bible says “Sinners”. The Bible reinforces this conclusion even more when it says,<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Romans 3 - 10 There is none righteous, no not one.<br /></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Romans 3 – 23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.<br /></span></strong><br /><strong>Further conclusion;<br /></strong>The Christian and a non-Christian are both sinners. The only difference between them is the Christian has admitted it and he has asked God to replace his lack of perfection with the gift of Christ’s perfection in his life. <div align="left"><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Ephesians 2 – 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves; It is the gift of God, 9 not of works lest anyone should boast.</span></strong> </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">I John 1 – 9 If we confess our sins He is faithful to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.</span></strong></div><div align="center"><br /><br />Contact the person who handed you this tract or the author.<br /><strong>Bible Door Tracts</strong><br /><a href="mailto:bibledoor@rogers.com">bibledoor@rogers.com</a>,<br />273 Manchester Drive, Newmarket, ON, L3Y 6J4, Canada, </div><div align="center"><a href="http://bibledoor.blogspot.com/">http://bibledoor.blogspot.com/</a> & <a href="http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/">http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/</a><br />Copyright 2006 © Bible Door Tracts. </div><div align="center"><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">This tracts author is Ray Luff of Bible Door Tracts. The opinions contained in this tract do not necessarily represent the opinions of Riverdrive Park Bible Chapel where Ray is in fellowship. All Bible references are from The New King James Version. 1996, c1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson unless otherwise noted</span></em></div>Ray Luffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061548583676043475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13775713.post-1149533634058476372006-06-05T11:50:00.000-07:002006-06-05T15:48:27.653-07:00The Pastor has Guts<div align="left"><em>When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the brand new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard:<br /><br />"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance.<br />We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done.<br />We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.<br />We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.<br />We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.<br />We have killed our unborn and called it choice.<br />We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.<br />We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem.<br />We have abused power and called it politics.<br />We have coveted our neighbour's possessions and called it ambition.<br />We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.<br />We have ridiculed the time-honoured values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.<br />Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.<br />Amen!"<br /></em></div><div align="left"><em></em></div><div align="left"><em></em></div><div align="left"><em>The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest. In 6 short weeks, Central Christian Church, where Rev. Wright is pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively. The church is now receiving international requests for copies of this prayer from India, Africa and Korea.<br /></div></em><div align="left"><em>Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, "The Rest of the Story," and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired.</em><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1"><em>[1]</em></a><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over the nation of the United States. May it once again be said that they are "one nation under God."<br /></div><div align="left">May we as Canadians remember that our founding fathers named our country the “Dominion of Canada” after deliberating whether to simply call us “Canada”. And that to remind us of that decision they had inscribed over one of the entrance ways to the Parliament Buildings this verse of scripture;<br /></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#000099;"><strong></strong></span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#000099;"><strong>Psalm 87 - 8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth.”</strong></span> </div><div align="left"><br />No doubt our Canadian founding fathers had the Ottawa river in mind which connects to the Saint Lawrence and onto the Atlantic Ocean and beyond.<br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">But sadly today Canada languishes with the same rejection of Gods standards for our society as has also occurred in many other nations. We have somehow come to believe that we can separate democracy from Godly morals.<br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">We have even eliminated reference to God from our modern dictionaries.<a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2">[2]</a> In the original Webster’s dictionary of 1828 he defined the word Moral as; “…applicable to actions that are good or evil, virtuous or vicious, and has reference to the law of God as the standard by which their character is to be determined.” Today our modern 10th revision of that dictionary reads; “… conforming to a standard of right behavior …. sanctioned by or operative on one's conscience or ethical judgment.” </div><div align="left"><br />By doing so some in our society are encouraged to take the law in their own hands; These are people who have no conscience or ethical judgement because of the false idea that each of us can follow his or her own private ethical judgments rather than a common set of ethics which is unchanging when based on Gods dominion over us.<br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">We have also eliminated the Lord’s Prayer <a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3">[3]</a> from our schools. By doing so;<br />1. We fail to teach our children to ask that God will keep them from temptation.<br />2. We fail to teach our children to seek to be delivered us from evil thoughts and practises.<br />3. We no longer teach our children that there is anyone to depend on when others fail.<br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">We are now reaping what we’ve sown. <a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">[4]</a> We now have soaring rates of suicide, soaring rates of crime, soaring rates of sexually transmitted diseases, soaring rates of abortion (now approaching 33% of all first pregnancies), soaring rates of violence including abuse against children, soaring rates of divorce (no 50%)<br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">We have replaced God with ourselves.<br /></div><div align="left">We have put our faith that our individual freedoms will be protected by a democratic process rather than by the protection of the laws of God to have dominion over us. </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><strong>Where is it all leading?</strong> Think about where we are now as a society and where we were 20 years ago. We have health care rates soaring out of control while offering free abortions. Our homicide rates are increasing. 20 years ago who ever heard of high school shootings. If we do not recognize the trends that are already in place little will convince us of where we are heading. I will simply state that I believe we can expect things to get much worse if we don’t once again seek to have Gods dominion over us. </div><div align="left"><br /><strong>What can we do about it?</strong> We would like to recommend that a person try reading the gospel of John from the Bible. If you do not own a Bible, let us know we will be glad to help you to obtain one. We are convinced that if you give it a chance that you too will discover that you want God to have dominion over you. Once God has dominion over you, He will tell you what to do and where to go from there. But we would be glad to assist you in any way we can.<br />Please join us to pray and support efforts to once again allow God to have dominion over our country. Prayerfully consider joining a political party of your choosing and influence that party with your desire to allow God to have Dominion over our country once again.<br /></div><div align="left">"If you don't stand for something, you will fall for everything."<br />Let us know if you would like us to assist you in any way.<br /><br />You may contact the person who handed you this tract or the author. </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Bible Door Tracts </span></strong></div><div align="center"><a href="mailto:bibledoor@rogers.com"><span style="font-family:arial;">bibledoor@rogers.com</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">, </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;">273 Manchester Drive, Newmarket, ON, L3Y 6J4, Canada, </span></div><div align="center"><a href="http://bibledoor.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family:arial;">http://bibledoor.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> & </span><a href="http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/"><span style="font-family:arial;">http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><strong>Copyright 2006 © Bible Door Tracts. </strong></span></div><p><strong><br /></strong><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">This tracts author is Ray Luff of Bible Door Tracts. The opinions contained in this tract do not necessarily represent the opinions of Riverdrive Park Bible Chapel where Ray is in fellowship. All Bible references are from The New King James Version. 1996, c1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson unless otherwise noted</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">--- Footnotes ---<br /></span></span><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">[1]</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">The italicised portion of this tract was sent to us at Bible Door Tracts by a missionary in Mexico, quoted from another news source. We have asked him to provide us with that source so we can include it in the future printings.<br /><br /></span><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">[2]</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"> Many seem unaware that Noah Webster (of Webster Dictionary fame) was a minister of the gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ. He first made a translation of the Bible from Greek to English called the Webster’s Bible then he decided to provide a dictionary to go with the Bible that many of us know as the Webster’s Dictionary.<br /></span><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">[3]</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"> Matthew 6 – 9 Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.</span> </p><p><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">[4]</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"> Galatians 6 - 7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.</span> </p>Ray Luffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061548583676043475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13775713.post-1149282812956765452006-06-02T14:12:00.000-07:002006-06-02T14:21:40.143-07:00Why Only Four Gospels?In <a title="Christianity" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity">Christianity</a>, gospel means "<a title="Good news (religion)" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_news_(religion)">good news</a>". It’s generally thought that the word gospel derives from the <a title="Old English language" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_English_language">Old English</a> god "good", and spell "news", a translation of the <a title="Greek language" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_language">Greek</a> word ευαγγέλιον (evangelion) eu (good) angelon (message). This is also the Greek word from which we get the term <a title="Evangelist" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evangelist">evangelist</a>.<br /><br />The Good Message regards the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to our planet earth. He willingly took on a body of flesh and blood so that he could dwell among us and accomplish the will of the Father who sent Him. (John 1:1-14) His mission was to demonstrate a holy life without sin and then to allow His life to be sacrificed to deal with the sins of those that will put their trust in Him to rescue them from the consequences of their sins.<br /><br /><strong>The Good News of the Old Testament<br /></strong>The Holy Bible is a collection of 66 books written over a period of time spanning 1500 years. The Old Testament (Testimony concerning Christ) contains 39 of these books that were written before the coming of the Lord Jesus to our planet. The Old Testament explains how man first fell into sin and it defines for us what sin is and the inescapable penalty for those that chose to die without dealing with it in God’s prescribed manner.<br /><br />The concept that innocent blood of animals must be shed to cover man’s sin was first introduced in the Old Testament. <a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">[1]</a> The prediction was made that some day God would send the Anointed One <a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2">[2]</a> who would be the great prophet who will know no sin and in fact will deal with the question of mans sin. <a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3">[3]</a><br /><br /><strong>The Good News of the New Testament<br /></strong>The New Testament was written after the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One fulfilled the Old Testament Predictions. It explains why Jesus came. It explains the meaning of the Cross and how that affects you and I personally.<br /><br /><strong>The exactly four gospels of the New Testament </strong><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4"><strong>[4]</strong></a><br />In AD 185, Irenaeus of Lyons wrote an apologetic work he entitled “Adversu Haereses Irenaus”. In his apologetic he argued against some late dated gospels which had already shown up which dated to after AD 70. He specifically argued against the altered version of the gospel of Luke which Marcion had produced. Irenaus drew a conclusion from a vision given to Ezekiel of a creature with four faces that this must mean four views of our Lord Jesus Christ.<br /><br /><a title="Ezekiel" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezekiel"><strong><span style="color:#000099;">Ezekiel</span></strong></a><strong><span style="color:#000099;"> 1 - 10 As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle.<br /></span></strong><br />And Iranaeus argued that there was a distinct purpose for each of the original four gospels as follows;<br />· <a title="Gospel according to Matthew" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_according_to_Matthew">Gospel according to Matthew</a>-written by or to <a title="Jewish Christians" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Christians">Jewish Christians</a><br />· <a title="Gospel according to Mark" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_according_to_Mark">Gospel according to Mark</a>-written to a Roman audience<br />· <a title="Gospel according to Luke" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_according_to_Luke">Gospel according to Luke</a>-written to "most excellent Theophilus" (Greek)<br />· <a title="Gospel according to John" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_according_to_John">Gospel according to John</a>-written to non-Jews<br /><br /><strong>Early dating of the four gospels<br /></strong>Early Christian writers always understood the order of the writing of the Gospels to be Matthew, followed by Luke, followed by Mark then followed by John. But in the 1800’s skeptics attempted to discredit the gospels as original accounts claiming a different order for the books and claiming a mysterious original gospel they call “Q”. “Q” has never been found. In order to believe there is a “Q” gospel there is a tendency by the same skeptics to claim a late dating of the original Gospels writing. By claiming this late dating they are also attempt to bring parity to other late dated heretical “gnostic” gospels. They are called “gnostic” gospels because the early church correctly understood that these were largely written by a cult that predated Christianity which believes in goddess worship and attempts to hi-jack Christianity to discredit Christ as being a member of the triune Godhead. <a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5">[5]</a><br /><br />Unfortunately many mainstream Christians today have bought this lie regarding the “Q” manuscript and many have bought into the second lie regarding the late dating of the writing of the New Testament. The range of consensus is as follows;<br />· Mark: c. 68 (minority) vs 73<br />· Matthew: c. pre 70 (minority) vs 70 to 100<br />· Luke: c. pre 70 (minority) vs 80–100 most argue for 85<br />· John: c. Pre 70 (minority) vs 90–110. many skeptics argue for 2 stages with no stated date of completion. <a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6">[6]</a><br /><br />Although the early dating of scripture is held today by only a minority of Christians we see no evidence other than human deductive reasoning which we believe has led the majority of Christians in the wrong direction to support anything other than the “Minority” view of when the Gospel accounts were written. <br /><br />Consider the following reasons to consider the early dating of Scripture;<br />1. The witness of the Spirit - The Bible Tells Christians to become born anew. (John 3:3). When they do so it tells them that the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within them forever (John 14:16). We are told clearly that our spirit witnesses with God’s Spirit, placed within us that these things are true. (1 John 5:6)<br />2. The promises to preserve the gospel message regarding our Lord Jesus - The gates of hell will not prevail against it. (Matt 16:18)<br />3. The eyewitness claims made - We are told that the scripture was written by eye witnesses (Luke 1:2; 2 Pet 1:16)<br />4. The fulfilled prophecy of the destruction of the temple - The great Prophecy of the Lord Jesus that the Temple would soon be destroyed came true in AD 70 along with the genocide of 2 Million Jews and Christians, yet nothing of this is mentioned in the New Testament.<br />The Bible tells us that skeptics will come which we must guard against regarding the accuracy of the word of God. (1 Tim 3:16, Rev 22:18-19) It tells us to defend it and to exhort and convict those who contradict it.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#000099;">Titus 1 - 9 holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict. </span></strong><br /><div align="left"><br />It is our hope that this tract will help you to defend the Good News of Jesus Christ as it is explained in the Bible. Please visit our website and listen to the Audio Bible broadcast from there or read it from one of our many links. Let us know where you are at in your spiritual journey. We would be glad to correspond with you. </div><div align="center"><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">You may contact the person who handed you this tract or the author.<br /></span><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Bible Door Tracts<br /></span></strong><a href="mailto:bibledoor@rogers.com"><span style="font-family:arial;">bibledoor@rogers.com</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">,<br />273 Manchester Drive, Newmarket, ON, L3Y 6J4, Canada, </span><a href="http://bibledoor.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family:arial;">http://bibledoor.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> & </span><a href="http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/"><span style="font-family:arial;">http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><strong>Copyright 2006 © Bible Door Tracts</strong>.<br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">This tracts author is Ray Luff of Bible Door Tracts. The opinions contained in this tract do not necessarily represent the opinions of Riverdrive Park Bible Chapel where Ray is in fellowship. All Bible references are from The New King James Version. 1996, c1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson unless otherwise noted</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"></span> </div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"><br />--- Footnotes ---</span></div><div align="left"><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">[1]</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"> Lev 6:6-16 </span></div><div align="left"><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">[2]</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"> “Hamashiak” in Hebrew translated in BCE 250 as “Christos” in the Septuagint version of the Old Testament. </span><a href="http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/pdf/eng_annointed_one.pdf"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/pdf/eng_annointed_one.pdf</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"> </span></div><div align="left"><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">[3]</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"> Ps 22, Isa 52-53 </span></div><div align="left"><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">[4]</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"> Wikipedia topic “Gospel”, the free encyclopedia. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel</a> </span></div><div align="left"><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">[5]</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"> For further information see: <a href="http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/pdf/eng_DaVinciCode_TheCaseForChrist.pdf">http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/pdf/eng_DaVinciCode_TheCaseForChrist.pdf</a> </span></div><div align="left"><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">[6]</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"> John while written last has the earliest manuscript fragments found to support it, dating to 115 AD. </span></div>Ray Luffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061548583676043475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13775713.post-1149218907972363682006-06-01T20:26:00.000-07:002006-06-01T22:10:42.926-07:00Prehistoric ecosystem found in Israeli cave<span style="font-family:arial;"><em><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>Wed May 31, 2006 8:10 AM ET<br /></strong></span><br />JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli scientists said on Wednesday they had discovered a prehistoric ecosystem dating back millions of years.<br /></em></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><em>The discovery was made in a cave near the central Israeli city of Ramle during rock drilling at a quarry. Scientists were called in and soon found eight previously unknown species of crustaceans and invertebrates similar to scorpions.<br /></em><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><em>"Until now eight species of animals were found in the cave, all of them unknown to science," said Dr Hanan Dimantman, a biologist at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.<br /><br />He said the cave's ecosystem probably dates back around five million years when the Mediterranean Sea covered parts of Israel<br />The cave was completely sealed off from the world, including from water and nutrients seeping through rock crevices above. Scientists who discovered the cave believe it has been intact for millions of years. "Every species we examined had no eyes which means they lost their sight due to evolution," said Dimantman.<br /></em></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><em>Samples of the animals discovered in the cave were sent for DNA tests which found they were unique, he said. The cave has been closed off as scientists conduct a more detailed survey. "This is a cave of fantastic biodiversity," Dimantman said.<br /></em><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060531/sc_nm/science_israel_cave_dc_3"><em>http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060531/sc_nm/science_israel_cave_dc_3</em></a><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">“They lost their sight due to evolution.” This is typical of the claims of the evolutionist. All science can demonstrate are changes within species but not changes from one species to another. And the changes within a species represent a failure of some kind in the genetic makeup of the animal rather than an enhancement.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><span style="font-family:arial;">The Bible tells us that God created every living species on earth; all of the plant life, aquatic life, reptiles, animals, birds, insects, mankind and He left instructions for each to reproduce “after its kind”. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Genesis 1 - 24 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so.<br /></span></strong><br />Darwin pointed to the differences between Finches and Pigeons as evidence of Evolution. But each of these were part of a kind. When God created living things He embedded enough genetic diversity that each “kind” could adapt to weather conditions and environmental factors to survive, but He put a limit on adaptation that it could not and would not occur between species. That is why Science has never proven a “missing link” between species. There have been attempts but each attempt has been proven in time to be a hoax.<br /><br />Dog breeders know what constitutes a pure breed. They know that if no selective breeding is done on an ongoing basis that the breed will deteriorate and eventually the characteristics of the breed will revert. That is why some dogs are sold as non-breeder dogs, even though their parentage may be of the right selection of breeds.<br /><br />Because of the tremendous genetic diversity God created within each species traits can be enhanced by selective breeding. We have all benefited by this when it comes to our pets and our livestock. But no amount of breeding has ever demonstrated the changing of a single species into another species. A dog has always produced a dog. A cat has always produced a cat. This is just as God had determined it would be in the beginning.<br /><br />There is absolutely nothing in the fossil record that can suggest any other conclusion, even though scientists have believed they would find a missing link for many years now they have come up lacking. Of the millions of fossils that have been examined any mutations that have been found could easily be explained as arthritic or otherwise non beneficial mutations cause by disease.<br />You were wonderfully made by the Creator of all that there is that exists. He has created you in his own image. You are not a mistake of evolution. He has placed you on this earth and he has given you a mind.<br /><br />He wants you to analyse and discover the wonder of His intricate and detailed design for every aspect of your life.<br /><br />No one questions when they see a tall building that there is an architect who designed that building. Yet man knows that he is much more complex than that building and wonders if he was made by accident. Some have said that the odds of a man being created by accident are similar to a jumbo jet being created by a tornado barrelling through a junk yard. You were not created that way.<br />You can live your life out of touch with the creator who made you, but you are the only one who will lose. We have that example regarding many things in life. If I chose to overeat I may gain weight and die early of diabetic complications. If chose to smoke I may die early of cancer. If I sleep in everyday I may lose my job and die in poverty. Perhaps God allows these things in our lives as examples of loss due to our actions or inactions.<br /><br />If only we could learn from life’s examples when it comes to knowing God. We will have only ourselves to blame if we do not discover the truth of the master designer while we visit this earth in the bodies that he has created for us. God did not leave us on our own to discover Him. He has given us the Bible; the only book in existence that continues to prove itself as Gods word by fulfilled prophecy.</span><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1"><span style="font-family:arial;">[1]</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> God didn’t stop there he sent His only begotten son to dwell here in the flesh among us. His name was Jesus.<br /></span><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">You owe it to yourself to check out the claims of the Bible and of the Lord Jesus Christ. Do it while God continues to grant you the breath of life on this earth to do so.<br />The Bible warns those that put this off;<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color:#3333ff;"><strong>Daniel 12 – 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.</strong><br /></span></span><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;">For you see God has created you as an eternal being. Your examination of why God has placed you hear on this earth will have everlasting consequences. </span></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><div align="center"><br /><br /><br /></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;">You may contact the person who handed you this tract or the author.<br /></span><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Bible Door Tracts<br /></span></strong><a href="mailto:bibledoor@rogers.com"><span style="font-family:arial;">bibledoor@rogers.com</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">,<br />273 Manchester Drive, Newmarket, ON, L3Y 6J4, Canada, </span></div><div align="center"><a href="http://bibledoor.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family:arial;">http://bibledoor.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> & </span><a href="http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/"><span style="font-family:arial;">http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><strong>Copyright 2006 © Bible Door Tracts</strong>.<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">This tracts author is Ray Luff of Bible Door Tracts. The opinions contained in this tract do not necessarily represent the opinions of Riverdrive Park Bible Chapel where Ray is in fellowship. All Bible references are from The New King James Version. 1996, c1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson unless otherwise noted</span> </span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">[1]</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"> For fulfilled prophecy see http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/pdf/eng_annointed_one.pdf</span> </div>Ray Luffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061548583676043475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13775713.post-1148916020518644742006-05-29T08:19:00.000-07:002006-06-13T00:07:56.183-07:00Ushers Notes - How Long has Man been on the Earth?The following is a summary taken from bishop USHERS NOTES which detail the dates which USHER figured out that date the age of the earth as 4004 prior to the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ..The following is a detailed listing from the Bible showing how the years leading up to the Crucifixion of Christ are identified.According to the Bible mankind has only inhabited planet earth for approximately 6000 years.<br /><br />Years Date Bible Ref. Comments<br />0 4004 BC Gen 1:26- Adam and Eve Created by God<br />131 3873 BC Gen 5:3 - Seth was born in Adam’s 131st year<br />236 3768 BC Gen 5:6 - Enos was born when Seth was 105<br />326 3678 BC Gen 5:9 - Cainan was born when Enos was 90<br />396 3608 BC Gen 5:12 - Mahalaeel was born when Cainan was 70<br />461 3543 BC Gen 5:15 - Jared was born when Mahalaeel was 65<br />623 3381 BC Gen 5:18 - Enoch was born when Jared was 162<br />688 3316 BC Gen 5:21 - Methuselah as born when Enoch was 65<br />875 3129 BC Gen 5:25 - Lamech was born when Methuselah was 187<br />1057 2947 BC Gen 5:28 - Noah was born when Lamech 182<br />1656 2348 BC Gen 7:6 - Noah was 600 when Flood occurred<br />1659 2345 BC Gen 11:10 - Arphaxad was born 2 years after the flood<br />1694 2310 BC Gen 11:12 - Salah was born when Arphaxad was 35<br />1724 2280 BC Gen 11:14 - Eber was born when Salah was 30<br />1758 2246 BC Gen 11:16 - Peleg was born when Eber was 34<br />1788 2216 BC Gen 11:18 - Reu was born when Peleg was 30<br />1820 2184 BC Gen 11:20 - Serug was born when Reu was 32<br />1850 2154 BC Gen 11:22 - Nahor was born when Serug was 30<br />1879 2125 BC Gen 11:24 - Terah was born when Nahor was 29<br />2084 1920 BC Gen 11:32 - Terah dies age 205 (during his 206th year)<br />2085 1919 BC Gen 12:4 - Abram leaves Haran to enter Canaan (he departed at age 75)<br />2095 1909 BC Gen 15:18 - Typical confirmation of Covenant: Abram age 85<br />2096 1908 BC Gen 16:16 - Ishmael born when Abraham was 86<br />2110 1894 BC Gen 21:5 - Isaac was born when Abraham was 100<br />2144 1860 BC Gen 23:1 - Isaac offered at age 33 1/<br />22147 1857 BC Gen 23:1 - Sarah died at age 127<br />2170 1834 BC Gen 25:26 - Jacob and Esau born when Isaac was 60<br />2300 1704 BC Gen 47:9 - Jacob enters Egypt at 130<br />2515 1489 BC Gen 15:13 - see Gal 4:28-30, Israel in Egypt 215 years to Exodus<br />2995 1009 BC 1 Kings 6:1 - Solomon laid the temple foundation 480 years after the Exodus (4th year of his reign)<br />3031 973 BC 1 Kings 11:42 Solomon reigned for 40 years<br />3048 956 BC 1 Kings 14:21 - Rehoboam reigned for 17 years<br />3051 953 BC 1 Kings 15:2 - Abijah reigned for 3 years<br />3092 912 BC 1 Kings 15:10 - Asa reigned for 41 years<br />3117 887 BC 1 Kings 22:42 - Jehoshaphat reigned for 25 years<br />3122 882 BC 2 Kings 8:17 - Jehoram reigned for 5 years (+3 pro-rex)<br />3123 881 BC 2 Kings 8:26 - Ahaziah reigned for 1 year<br />3129 875 BC 2 Kings 11:3 - Athaliah reigned for 6 years<br />3169 835 BC 2 Kings 12:1 - Jehoash reigned for 40 years<br />3198 806 BC 2 Kings 14:2 - Amaziah reigned for 29 years<br />3250 754 BC 2 Kings 15:2 - Azariah (Uzziah) reigned for 52 years<br />3266 738 BC 2 Kings 15:33 - Jotham reigned for 16 years<br />3282 722 BC 2 Kings 16:2 - Ahaz reigned for 16 years<br />3311 693 BC 2 Kings 18:2 - Hezekiah reigned for 29 years<br />3366 638 BC 2 Kings 21:1 - Manasseh reigned for 55 years<br />3397 607 BC 2 Kings 22:1 - Josiah reigned for 31 years<br />3401 603 BC 2 Kings 23:36 - Jehoiakim (Elialim) reigned 4 years before being tributary to Nebuchadnezzar in his 1st year<br />3471 533 BC Jer 25:11-12 - Land of Israel served Babylon for 70 years<br />3471 533 BC 2 Chron 36:22 The decree of Cyrus allowing the return<br />3549 455 BC Ezra 7:7-8 - Artaxerxes Longimanus who made the decree to rebuild Jerusalem<br />4036 33 AD Dan 9:27 - Messiah to be cut off middle of 70th week<br />4039 36 AD Acts 10 - End of 70th week, conversion of Cornelius and opening of door to Gentiles<br />???? AD Heb 4:1-11 Return of Christ to set up His Millennial Kingdom on Earth<br />????+1000 AD Rev 20:15 - Great White Throne Judgment - Post Millennial Kingdom<br /><br />The reason there are question marks for some of the dates is that they have not occurred yet, but are predicted in the Bible to occur sometime in the future. The Bible tells us explicitly not to set dates for these future events. It does however give us general guidelines and expects us to be ready for these events to occur. Scripture tells us that the generation that sees Israel blossom will see the coming of the Second Coming of the Messiah.<a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=13775713&postID=114891602051864474#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">[1]</a> That started to happen in 1948 but it fully happened in 1967 during the 6 day war, when Israel took position of Jerusalem. Many Christians are looking for the soon and imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ within the lifetimes of any who saw that event.<br /><br />The Bible gives us another clue as to the length of time that man has been on the earth in the lineage given for the Lord Jesus Christ, through his mother Mary’s line. The lineage goes right back to Adam. 65 generations x approx 40 years each = 2,600 years but the bible also records that at the beginning of the world men lived to near 1000 years, which is why Jesus own lineage points to 4000 years to his birth. We know how many years it has been since Jesus birth every time we write the current date we attest to it.<br /><br /><span style="color:#000099;">Luke 3 – 23 Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Janna, the son of Joseph, 25 the son of Mattathiah, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Semei, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah, 27 the son of Joannas, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er, 29 the son of Jose, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim, 31 the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattathah, the son of Nathan, the son of David, 32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, 33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan, 38 the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.</span><br /><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=13775713&postID=114891602051864474#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1">[1]</a> Parable of Fig Tree - Matt 24:32-35, Luke 21:29-33<br /><br />You may contact the person who handed you this tract or the author.<br />Bible Door Tracts bibledoor@rogers.com,<br />273 Manchester Drive, Newmarket, ON, L3Y 6J4, Canada, http://bibledoor.blogspot.com & http://bibledoor.no-ip.org<br />Copyright 2006 © Bible Door Tracts.<br />This tracts author is Ray Luff of Bible Door Tracts. The opinions contained in this tract do not necessarily represent the opinions of Riverdrive Park Bible Chapel where Ray is in fellowship. All Bible references are from The New King James Version. 1996, c1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson unless otherwise notedRay Luffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061548583676043475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13775713.post-1148674889798613852006-05-26T13:20:00.000-07:002006-06-01T20:45:17.046-07:00The Chicken or the Egg?<div align="left"><em><strong>Which Came first? The Chicken or the Egg?</strong><br />Philosopher, scientist, farmer crack chicken-egg question<br />Friday May 26, 12:42 AM<br /><br />LONDON (AFP) - Which came first, the chicken or the egg? According to a scientist, a philosopher and a chicken farmer, it was the egg, British newspapers reported.<br /><br />The key to the age-old question apparently lies in the fact that since genetic material does not change throughout an animal's life, the first bird that evolved into a chicken must have initially existed as an embryo inside an egg. Professor John Brookfield, from England's University of Nottingham, concluded that because of this, the living organism inside the eggshell would have had the same DNA as the chicken it turned into.<br /><br />The specialist in evolutionary genetics was quoted in a number of newspapers as saying: "Therefore the first living thing which we could say unequivocally was a member of the species would be this first egg. The egg came first." Brookfield's conclusion was backed up by Professor David Papineau, of King's College, London, and the chairman of the trade body Great British Chicken, Charles Bourns. Papineau, an expert in the philosophy of science, argued that the first chicken must have emerged from an egg even though it was laid by a different species of bird, but it was still a chicken egg because it had a chicken in it. "The conclusion therefore must be that the egg came first and the chicken afterwards," he stated.<br /><br />Bourns' methodology was not explained in The Times, the Daily Mail and the Independent, who all carried the story. "Eggs were around long before the first chicken arrived," he affirmed.<br /><br />This story appeared on Friday May 26, 12:42 AM on the Yahoo News Site: </em><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color:#000000;"><em><a href="http://uk.news.yahoo.com/25052006/323/philosopher-scientist-farmer-crack-chicken-egg-question.html">http://uk.news.yahoo.com/25052006/323/philosopher-scientist-farmer-crack-chicken-egg-question.html</a></em></span><br /></span><br />You’ll notice a bit of trickery in this report given by the scientist, where he says “the first chicken must have emerged from an egg even though it was laid by a different species of bird.” So the bird (not chicken) laid the egg, but the egg became a chicken not at all like the bird that laid it. So in other words the Bird preceded the egg which preceded the chicken. But that leaves us again where we started off. How did we get “the bird” in the first place? This scientist has already stated that the first chicken had to have come from an egg. “since genetic material does not change throughout an animal's life, the first bird that evolved into a chicken must have initially existed as an embryo inside an egg.” Therefore we must conclude that “the bird” must also have come from an egg according to his reasoning.<br /><br />Once again we are brought back to the obvious question of how did we get the first egg that produced the first bird that in turn produced the first “chicken egg” that produced the first chicken?<br /><br />There are of course many other unanswered questions; 1) Where did the DNA come from for the first life either the Bird, or egg it produced? Of course the DNA would be different in the EGG from that of the parent because it requires DNA from both a male and a female to produce a new life. 3) Did the DNA evolve until it was sufficient to produce an EGG?<br /><br />God gave us riddles to try to figure out that ought to lead us back to a knowledge of Him. But man shakes his fist at God and says there is no God. Then He sets about trying to figure out how to prove that hypothesis by his wise thoughts. </div><div align="left"><br />The Bibles says the following regarding man’s wisdom;<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Psalm 14 – 1 The fool has said in his heart,“There is no God.”<br /><br />1 Cor 1 - 20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?</span></strong><br /><br />The only way we could ever solve the riddle of the chicken and the egg is to have an eye witness account to tell us the answer. Our God, the eye witness to all of creation has done that in giving us His word, the Holy Bible. And he has also given us human eye witnesses when it comes to the case the Bible makes for Christ.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">2 Peter 1 - 16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.<br /><br />2 Cor 2 - 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.</span></strong></div><div align="center"><br /><br />You may contact the person who handed you this tract or the author.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Bible Door Tracts<br /></span></strong>bibledoor@rogers.com,<br />273 Manchester Drive, Newmarket, ON, L3Y 6J4, Canada, </div><div align="center"><strong><span style="color:#000000;"><a href="http://bibledoor.blogspot.com">http://bibledoor.blogspot.com</a></span></strong> & <strong><span style="color:#000000;"><a href="http://bibledoor.no-ip.org">http://bibledoor.no-ip.org</a></span></strong><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>Copyright 2006 © Bible Door Tracts</strong>.</span> </div><div align="left"><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">This tracts author is Ray Luff of Bible Door Tracts. The opinions contained in this tract do not necessarily represent the opinions of Riverdrive Park Bible Chapel where Ray is in fellowship. All Bible references are from The New King James Version. 1996, c1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson unless otherwise noted</span></em></div>Ray Luffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061548583676043475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13775713.post-1147974668340709762006-05-18T10:50:00.000-07:002006-06-10T19:58:07.613-07:00The Da Vinci Code (Or the Bible, Which is true?)<div align="left">The Bible predicts that a time would come when many will no longer be able to distinguish truth. Is that time now?<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">1 Tim 3:16 – 16 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,</span></strong><br /><br />What are the key issues regarding the Da Vinci Code? Why is this book so popular? If the book is not true then why do many Roman Catholic and Evangelical Christians fight against it? Surely Dan Brown has a right to his view as does anyone else. Why are Christians fussing about Dan’s expression of his right to free speech? These are some of the questions that people are asking about Dan Brown and his book.</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">First of all, If you have read Dan Brown’s book or have watched the movie entitled the Da Vinci Code, we wish to thank you for spending some of your valuable time to consider the historical claims that Dan makes regarding the person and nature of the Lord Jesus Christ. Many manage to go through life unaware of the claims made about the Christ. We believe that any reason that a person contemplates this famous man in history is a good reason as the answer you come up with will have eternal consequences on your life.<br /></div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Many think they know the claims made about the Lord Jesus Christ, but in fact they have never read the Bible from cover to cover. Because of this they are at a disadvantage when they read only Dan Browns book as their source of information and they are in danger of falling prey to the kind of deception the Bible is talking about in the above quoted passage.<br /></div><div align="left">Dan Brown has touched a chord with many people. He has challenged them to examine information presented about the man called Jesus. Unfortunately Dan reinforces a negative and sceptical view of who Jesus is. By that I mean that Dan encourages the reader to have doubts about who Jesus is. For the remainder of this tract we are going to refer to the sceptic as meaning any who doubt the claims of the Bible made about the Christ. That Person may be Dan Brown or another like him. Perhaps that person describes you. </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">The purpose of this tract is to make a positive case in support of the claims made in favour of the Lord Jesus Christ. The positive case for Christ is based from two sources; 1) the Bible, 2) and the witness of those who have come to know the God of the Bible in a personal and meaningful way in their lives. The Bible makes some pretty powerful claims about itself. It tells us that the when someone hears the words from this book it will not be without having an effect on their lives.<a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=13775713&postID=114797466834070976#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">[1]</a> The Bible claims to be the word of truth and more powerful than a two edged sword, but many people never experience that power because of doubts which have been given them about the Bible itself. For that reason we would like to tell you a bit about the Bible.<br /><br /><strong>The Bible Proves itself by Fulfilled Prophecy<br /></strong>1. The Bible is made up of 66 books which were written over a 1500 year period of time on 3 separate continents by many different authors during many different centuries. <br />2. The Bible is divided into two sections.<br />a) The first section was written prior to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth. We (Christians) call it the Old Testament, because it testifies of a future coming Christ (Anointed One).<br />b) The part of the Bible written after the coming of the Christ is called the New Testament, because it records the fulfillment of the Old Testament predictions regarding the Christ and it records what is called the gospel (good news) about Christ.<br />3. The rule for the writing of the Old Testament was that the writer must first establish his credibility as a Prophet of God with his peers so that his peers would be willing to listen to him.<a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=13775713&postID=114797466834070976#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2">[2]</a><br />a) Many remember Moses for the 9 miraculous plagues that he pronounced against Egypt in order to gain freedom from slavery for the Jewish Nation. What is more significant than the miracles themselves is the fact that with 100% accuracy he predicted ahead of time each of these plagues. This is why Moses is considered to be the greatest prophet who ever lived preceding the greatest one, the Lord Jesus Christ. That is why the first five books of the Old Testament that Moses wrote are considered as canon (a guideline that rules over us) of scripture by both the Jews and Christians today.<br />b) God gave Moses special instructions that if someone makes a prophecy and it doesn’t come true he must die <a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=13775713&postID=114797466834070976#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3">[3]</a> for this offence.<a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=13775713&postID=114797466834070976#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4">[4]</a><br />c) The Lord Jesus Christ did not exempt himself from proving He was a prophet. He made the greatest fulfilled prophecy ever. He predicted His own death and resurrection. <a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=13775713&postID=114797466834070976#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5">[5]</a><br />d) By the Bibles standard;<br /> i. Mohammed the founder of Islam would not qualify as a prophet of God because he never made a prediction which could be verified during his lifetime.<br /> ii. Nostradamus and Jean Dixon would fail as prophets for the simple reason they failed to be 100% accurate in their predictions. Jean Dixon, for example, predicted that the Vietnam War would turn into World War III.<br />4. The rule for the writing of the New Testament is that the person writing it must have personally and physically met Jesus. <a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=13775713&postID=114797466834070976#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6">[6]</a><br />a) Any book written by non eye-witnesses to the resurrection of Christ are also false gospels. Dan Brown asks why other gospels are not included in our Bibles today. The reason for their omission is simply because it is easily proven that the writers of those “other gospels” never met Christ. Even though the “gospel of Judas” for example is supposedly written about the disciple who betrayed Jesus it is freely admitted by its proponents that it was written two centuries after Christ’s Resurrection by a ghost writer who wrote it as though Judas had written it. <a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=13775713&postID=114797466834070976#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7">[7]</a><br />b) Some sceptics argue that Just as the “other (Gnostic) gospels” are not first accounts, the New Testament claim to be a first hand account but a story that was passed down for 2 or 3 centuries before being recorded.<br /> i. The Bible however does make claim to be written by eye witnesses. For example, the apostle Paul who wrote more than 50% of the New Testament claimed that the majority of 500 persons who saw Jesus after his resurrection are still alive at the time of the writing of his letter in the bible.<a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=13775713&postID=114797466834070976#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8">[8]</a><br /> ii. The Dead Sea Scrolls is a name commonly given to 7 copies of the Old Testament written in Greek (Septuagint) dating to 200 BC and 19 other Hebrew scrolls some dating to as much as 500 BC which were first discovered in the 1940’s. Sceptics prior to this had claimed that the Septuagint was corrupted in its translation from the Hebrew by Christians to make it agree with Christ as Messiah. That is now proven not to be the case as the oldest copies date to 200 years before Jesus was born.<br /> iii. Prior to this discovery the oldest Manuscript of the Old Testament called the Masoretic text dated only to 1000 AD. This caused many sceptics to argue that the Bible changed over the years. That too has also been proven to be a false claim, since comparison of the 500 BC manuscripts virtually match the ones from 1000 AD, even though there is a 1500 year difference in the age of the manuscripts.<br /> iv. There is strong evidence that the original writing of the New Testament was completed prior to the year 70 AD for 2 reasons; a) History records the Great Dispersion in 70 AD in which the Temple that Daniel and Jesus predicted would be destroyed occurred. Yet this event is not mentioned anywhere in the NT. b) Christians fled from Jerusalem because of this event as far south as Ethiopia, and as far north as Russia, bringing the New Testament with them. Today we find Manuscripts of the New Testament in Russia and in Ethiopia which agree with over 99.5% accuracy. There is no explanation other than this event of how they got there and no way Christians could have collaborated on any changes to the text after that event. <a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn9" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=13775713&postID=114797466834070976#_ftn9" name="_ftnref9">[9]</a> <br />The Christ, the Anointed One of Fulfilled Prophecy<br />We know today that the Old Testament Prophecies were not tampered with (see previous comments on this). It should therefore be of interest what the OT has to say are the qualifications for the Christ and to consider whether Jesus met those qualifications. Here is a short list;<br />1. He must be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14 - Septuagint rendering) - Fulfilled Luke 1:27<br />2. He will be called the Christ (Several places in the OT including Dan 9:25 - Septuagint rendering.).<br />a) History records that Jesus has been labelled as the Christ (meaning Anointed One.)<br />3. He would be cut off (martyred) exactly 483 years after Artexerxes decreed to restore Jerusalem (Dan 9:25-27). The command was given in BC 457, and Jesus died exactly 483 years after that. See our Tract<br /><strong><span style="font-family:courier new;font-size:85%;">http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/pdf/eng_annointed_one.pdf<br /></span></strong>4. He will be cut off from his people prior to the Temple in Jerusalem being destroyed. Dan 9:26-27.<br />a) Jesus Was Crucified in AD 27. b) The Jerusalem Temple was destroyed in AD 70 and never rebuilt.<br />5. He would be beaten and bloodied beyond recognition. Isaiah 52:14 -15. History bares this out.<br /><br /><strong>The Resurrection and the Cult which followed<br /></strong>Christians were called “Atheists” by the Romans who believed in many Gods and not just one triune God of the Christians. Christians, like Christ are willing to lay down their lives <a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn10" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=13775713&postID=114797466834070976#_ftn10" name="_ftnref10">[10]</a> rather than recant what they had witnessed either physically or since that time spiritually by the indwelling of Holy Spirit in their lives. <a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn11" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=13775713&postID=114797466834070976#_ftn11" name="_ftnref11">[11]</a><br />Another label Christians were given is “the Cult of the Resurrection” because they began to hold a supper meeting celebrating the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ on the first day of the week (the Lord’s Day). Many Christians still commemorate it to this day, although few celebrate it at the supper hour (6 pm) as was practiced for the first two centuries.<br /><br /><strong>Sceptics Quoting Sceptics<br /></strong>Dan Brown quotes sceptical writings from others that were written in the 3rd and 4th centuries. The problem is that Dan Brown does not seek to prove that these writings were accepted in the day when they were written. All he actually proves is that there have historically been other sceptics. If I found a document saying that Abraham Lincoln was not murdered I would have to do some serious investigating before I believed it to be a true document. First I would want to know how old that document was. In Dan’s case his documents are late dated to the 3rd century and not possibly eyewitness accounts. Second I would want to know if the document was received well when it was written or if it was considered to be a hoax at the time it was written. Just because I find a document doesn’t prove that it is a true document.<br /><br /><strong>Gnostics who are they?<br /></strong>It’s a little known fact that Gnostics existed prior to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Prior to the birth of Jesus the Gnostics worshiped a goddess they named Sophia. The gospels that Dan Brown quotes from are called Gnostic Gospels because it is a well known fact that they were written by the Gnostics. Dan Brown himself is a modern day self-professed Gnostic. He has posted at his website that he desires to promote the idea of “Sacred Feminine” goddess worship.<br /><strong><br />A word to the reader<br /></strong>We would like to assist you in any way that we can to explore the Bible and the claims about Christ. Please let us know where you are in your spiritual journey and send us your questions.</div><div align="center"><br /><br />You may contact the person who handed you this tract or the tracts author.<br /><strong>Bible Door Tracts<br /></strong>273 Manchester Drive, Newmarket, ON, L3Y 6J4 Canada<br />bibledoor@rogers.com<br /><a href="http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/">http://bibledoor.no-ip.org</a> and <a href="http://bibledoor.blogspot.com/">http://bibledoor.blogspot.com</a><br /> Our Urdu site: <a href="http://bibledoorurdu.no-ip.org/">http://bibledoorurdu.no-ip.org</a><br /><strong>Copyright 2006 © Bible Door Tracts.<br /></div></strong><div align="center">Check the web for this tract along with other similar ones<br /><a href="http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/pdf/eng_DavinciCode_TheCaseForChrist.pdf">http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/pdf/eng_DavinciCode_TheCaseForChrist.pdf</a><br /><a href="http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/pdf/eng_DavinciCode_HoodwinkingWorld.pdf">http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/pdf/eng_DavinciCode_HoodwinkingWorld.pdf</a><br /><a href="http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/pdf/eng_The_passion_sm.pdf">http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/pdf/eng_The_passion_sm.pdf</a><br /><a href="http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/pdf/eng_easter_sunday%20_is_a_great_day_sm.pdf">http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/pdf/eng_easter_sunday _is_a_great_day_sm.pdf</a><br /><a href="http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/eng_the_role_of_the_prophet.pdf">http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/eng_the_role_of_the_prophet.pdf</a><br /><a href="http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/eng_annointed_one.pdf">http://bibledoor.no-ip.org/eng_annointed_one.pdf</a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"><em>This tracts author is Ray Luff of Bible Door Tracts. The opinions contained in this tract do not necessarily represent the opinions of Riverdrive Park Bible Chapel where Ray is in fellowship. All Bible references are from The New King James Version. 1996, c1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson unless otherwise noted.<br /></div></em></span><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=13775713&postID=114797466834070976#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">[1]</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"> Psalms 55:11 <br /></span><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=13775713&postID=114797466834070976#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">[2]</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"> There are two exceptions in the Old Testament where we cannot prove the book was written by a Prophet. The book of Esther and the The Song of Solomon.<br /></span><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=13775713&postID=114797466834070976#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">[3]</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"> Deut 18:20-22 - 20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’ 21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’— 22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.<br /></span><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=13775713&postID=114797466834070976#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">[4]</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"> A verifiable example today of this punishment being given is the tomb of 300 false prophets were killed for not having their prayers answered to their gods to rain down fire on their alters. The only Prophet that God answered was Elijah. If you visit Israel you can go and visit that tomb.<br /></span><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=13775713&postID=114797466834070976#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">[5]</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"> John 2:15;21<br /></span><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=13775713&postID=114797466834070976#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">[6]</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"> The Apostle Paul did not meet Jesus physically in person until after Jesus was resurrected but the account of his physical encounter is made in scripture which is why we accept the Paul as qualified as a writer for much of the New Testament.<br /></span><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=13775713&postID=114797466834070976#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">[7]</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"> In order to try to put those “other gospels” on an equal playing field with the ones included in the Bible Dan in order to give credit to the “other gospels” sometimes called “Gnostic Gospels” must discredit the early dating of the ones that are included in the Bible by claiming that they were not written by eyewitnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ either.<br /></span><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=13775713&postID=114797466834070976#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">[8]</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"> 1 Cor 15 – 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. 7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.<br /></span><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn9" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=13775713&postID=114797466834070976#_ftnref9" name="_ftn9"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">[9]</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"> Fragments of the gospel of John have been found dating to AD 115.<br /></span><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn10" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=13775713&postID=114797466834070976#_ftnref10" name="_ftn10"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">[10]</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"> In the first two centuries many thousands of Christians were fed to the Lions at the original Olympic games and were offered up tied to a stake and burned alive as Roman Candles by Nero. </span><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn11" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=13775713&postID=114797466834070976#_ftnref11" name="_ftn11"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">[11]</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"> John 14:15-21; Eph 1:13; 4:30</span>Ray Luffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061548583676043475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13775713.post-1120050619042066322005-06-29T06:08:00.000-07:002009-10-30T01:51:58.093-07:00Did God Create Everything?The university professor challenged his students with this question: Did God create everything that exists?" A student bravely replied, "Yes, he did!" "God created everything?" the professor asked. "Yes, Sir," the student replied.<br /><br />The professor answered, "If God created everything, then God created evil; since evil exists and, according to the principal that our works define who we are then God is evil." The student became quiet before such an answer. The professor, quite pleased with himself, boasted to the students that he had proven once more that the Christian faith was a myth.<br /><br />Another student raised his hand and said, "Can I ask you a question professor?" "Of course," replied the professor.<br /><br />The student stood up and asked, "Professor, does cold exist?" "What kind of question is this? Of course it exists. Have you never been cold?" The students snickered at the young man's question. The young man replied, "In fact, Sir, cold does not exist. According to the laws of physics, what we consider cold is, in reality, the absence of heat. Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-460° F) is the total absence of heat; all matter becomes inert and incapable of reaction at that temperature. Cold does not exist. We have created this word to describe how we feel if we have no heat."<br /><br />The student continued, "Professor, does darkness exist?" The professor responded, "Of course it does." The student replied, "Once again you are wrong sir, darkness does not exist either. Darkness is in reality the absence of light. Light we can study, but not darkness. In fact we can use Newton's prism to break white light into many colors and study the various wavelengths of each color. You cannot measure darkness. A simple ray of light can break into a world of darkness and illuminate it. How can you know how dark a certain space is? You measure the amount of light present. Isn't this correct? Darkness is a term used by man to describe what happens when there is no light present."<br /><br />Finally the young man asked the professor, "Sir, does evil exist?" Now uncertain, the professor responded, "Of course as I have already said. We see it every day. It is in the daily example of man’s inhumanity to man It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world These manifestations are nothing else but evil."<br /><br />To this the student replied, "Evil does not exist, Sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is not like faith, or love that exists just as result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light."<br /><br />The professor sat down.<br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">(This was sent to Bible Door by someone who could not verify it as a historically accurate statement. We reprinted it because the principal is true that it represents. </span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">I am often asked to provide a logical tract that promotes my beliefs without hiding behind quoting the Bible. This is an example of such a tract. You will find its a rare exception that I will produce such a tract that has no scripture in it. Please read the other tracts as well for a fuller picture of who God is. The orginal message sent to me claimed credit to Albert Eienstein. I agree with all who see that as a hoax. Please do not attribute this tract as having any historical accuracy regarding Eiensten.)<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">You may contact the person who handed you this tract or its author<br /></span><br /><strong>Bible Door Tracts<br /></strong><a href="mailto:bibledoor@rogers.com">bibledoor@rogers.com</a><br />273 Manchester Drive, Newmarket, ON, L3Y 6J4 ,Canada,<br /><a href="http://www.bibledoor.blogspot.com/">bibledoor.blogspot.com</a> and <a href="http://www.bibledoor.com/">www.bibledoor.com</a><br />Copyright 2005 © Bible Door Tracts.<br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">This tracts author is Ray Luff of Bible Door Tracts. The opinions contained in this tract do not necessarily represent the opinions of Riverdrive Park Bible Chapel where Ray is in fellowship. All Bible references are from The New King James Version. 1996, c1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson unless otherwise noted.</span>Ray Luffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061548583676043475noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13775713.post-1119124370873272532005-06-20T12:27:00.000-07:002005-07-19T06:34:29.906-07:00What Did Jesus Do? (WDJD)<strong><u>W - Would you consider yourself to be a good person? (Yes, No)</u></strong><br />Most people don’t mind being asked this question as you are asking them about their favourite subject - themselves. This question is also normally taken well as most people believe that they are good persons. This however reveals something about most people. They are self-righteous. The Bible says: <em><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Prov. 16 - 2</span> All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes.</span></span></em> it also says, <em><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Prov. 16 - 25</span> There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.</span></span></em><br /><br /><strong><u>D - Do you think you keep the Ten Commandments? (Yes, No)</u></strong><br />Some say yes, others say they haven’t. Let’s take a look at them. <span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"><em><strong>(from Exod 20)<br /></strong></em></span><br /><strong>9th commandment</strong> - You shall not bear false witness against a neighbour. Have you ever told a lie? (Yes, No, White Lie only)<br /><br /><strong>8th commandment</strong> - You shall not steal. Have you ever stolen? Be honest before God. (Yes, No)<br /><br /><strong></strong><strong>7th Commandment</strong> - You shall not commit adultery. Bear in mind that Jesus said, <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Matt 5 - 28</span> “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. </span></em>Have you ever committed adultery? (Yes, No)<br /><br /><strong>3rd commandment</strong> - You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. Have you ever taken the Lord’s name in vain? (Yes, No)<br /><br /><strong></strong><strong>6th commandment</strong> - You shall not murder. Bear in mind also that the Bible says, if you have ever hated anyone you are guilty of murder. Have you ever murdered anyone? (Yes, No)<br /><br /><strong>1st commandment</strong> - You shall have no other God’s before me. Have you always put God first in your life? (Yes, No)<br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>2nd commandment</strong> - You shall not make for yourself an idol. Have you always worshipped God above all other things that you possess? (Yes, No)<br /><br /><strong></strong><strong>4th commandment</strong> - Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. God requires that we keep one day out of seven to rest and acknowledge Him. How many times have you broken the Sabbath? (None, Several, Seldom)<br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>5th commandment</strong> - Honor your father and mother. Have you always treated your parents in a way that is pleasing to God? (Yes, No)<br /><br /><strong>10th commandment</strong> - You shall not covet.. anything that belongs to your neighbour. Have you ever been jealous or desired something that your neighbour has? If you have you reveal your lack of gratitude for what God has given you. (Yes, No)<br /><br /><strong><u>J - On the day of Judgement, if God judges you by the Ten Commandments, will you be innocent or guilty?</u></strong> (Innocent, Guilty)<br />The bible says, <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Rom 3 - 23</span> For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.</span></em> And it says, <span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">1<span style="color:#3333ff;"> John 1 - 10</span></span><span style="color:#3333ff;"> If we say we have not sinned we call God a liar.</span></em></span> The bible tells us, <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Matt. 12 - 36</span> But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.</span></em><br /><br /><strong><u>D - Destiny - Will you go to Heaven or to Hell? (Heaven, Hell)</u></strong><br />Some people feel that Heaven’s door will be open to everybody, but that is not what the Bible teaches. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Dan 12 - 2</span> And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.<br /><br /></span></em>The Bible warns of what it will be like for those that fail to enter into heaven. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Jude - 7</span> as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire…<span style="font-size:85%;">13</span> raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.<br /></span></em><br />The Lord Jesus told us to take steps now to ensure our eternal destination is heaven, <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Mark 9 - 43</span> If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched- <span style="font-size:85%;">44</span> where ‘Their worm does not die And the fire is not quenched.’<br /></span></em><br />The Lord Jesus also told us to find the narrow gate. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Luke 13 - 24</span> Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. <span style="font-size:85%;">25</span> When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ <span style="font-size:85%;">26</span> then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ <span style="font-size:85%;">27</span>But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ <span style="font-size:85%;">28</span> There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth,<br /></span></em><br />The Lord Jesus gave this warning, <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Matt 7 - 22</span> Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ <span style="font-size:85%;">23</span>And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’<br /></span></em><br /><strong><u>Do you know what Jesus did for you?</u></strong><br />God knows that many consider their own goodness enough to gain them entrance into His heaven. In His fairness he will give you a hearing based on your goodness. And all of the books about your life will be opened and examined. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Rev 20 - 11</span> Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. <span style="font-size:85%;">12 </span>And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. <span style="font-size:85%;">13</span> The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades [Hell] delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. <span style="font-size:85%;">14</span> Then Death and Hades [Hell] were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. <span style="font-size:85%;">15 </span>And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. The outcome of this trial however, will be that unless the Lord Jesus Christ has recorded your name in His book of life, you will suffer the second death which is the lake of fire.<br /></span></em><br />God has provided a way for you to escape from the Lake of Fire. God loves you so much that He sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ to suffer and die in your place, taking your punishment for you so that you could live. The Bible says, <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;">John 3 - 16</span> For God So Loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.</span></em> and again, <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Rom 5 - 8</span> But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.</span></em> Then Jesus rose from the dead and defeated death. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;">1 Cor 15 - 4</span> … He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, … <span style="font-size:85%;">6</span> After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once<br /><br /></span></em><em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"></span></em>The fact that God was willing for His own Son to pay for your sins should leave no question of His love for you, and for righteousness. He will not let sin go unpunished, even if that punishment meant the cross for the Lord Jesus Christ. This enormous sacrifice for your sin ought to make you tremble. The Apostle Paul approached God with fear and trembling. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Acts 9 - 6</span> So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”</span></em><br /><br />If God has made you aware of your sins and you too have come to realize that God’s love for you caused the shedding of the Innocent blood of the Lord Jesus Christ on your behalf; Then repent (agree to turn away) from your sins which caused Him to be nailed to a cross on your behalf. Submit yourself to God the father that He might be the Boss of your life from now on. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Rom 12 - 1</span> I Beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.<br /></span></em><br />Because Christ died for you he expects you to die to your selfish ambition, pursuits of pleasure and sinful rebellion and to follow Him from now on. He tells you to take your cross and to follow Him. <strong><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;color:#3333ff;"><em>(Matt 10:38)</em></span></strong> Are you willing? Tell God in prayer. The Bible tells us, <span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">2 Peter 3 - 9</span> The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.</em></span> Until you breath your last breath, God is patiently waiting for you to commit yourself in prayer to Him. Confess your sins. Agree to allow Him to be the boss of your life. Agree to give up what ever sins that hold you. Do it now, before it’s too late. <strong><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;color:#3333ff;"><em>(2 Cor 6:2)</em></span></strong> Answer the door and let Him into your life. Jesus said, <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Rev 3 - 20</span> Behold I stand at the Door and knock. If any man hears my voice and opens the door I will come in and sup with Him and He with me.<br /></span></em><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">You may contact the person who handed you this tract or its author<br /></span><br /><strong>Bible Door Tracts</strong><br /><a href="mailto:bibledoor@rogers.com">bibledoor@rogers.com</a><br />273 Manchester Drive, Newmarket, ON, L3Y 6J4 ,Canada,<br /><a href="http://www.bibledoor.blogspot.com">bibledoor.blogspot.com</a> and <a href="http://bibledoor.tk/">bibledoor.no-ip.org</a><br />Copyright 2005 © Bible Door Tracts.<br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">This tracts author is Ray Luff of Bible Door Tracts. The opinions contained in this tract do not necessarily represent the opinions of Riverdrive Park Bible Chapel where Ray is in fellowship. All Bible references are from The New King James Version. 1996, c1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson unless otherwise noted.</span>Ray Luffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061548583676043475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13775713.post-1119320091367458402005-06-19T19:10:00.000-07:002005-07-19T06:36:56.453-07:00Man has Successfully Mapped the Human Genome. Who Needs God?The recent advances in genetic engineering has resulted in the Americans and the British calling their accomplishments "being able to decode the language of God." Experts believe that much of the research in this area is, since it is almost totally funded by private money, tied to the patenting of various sequences of the human genome (that's all the DNA contained in a human cell) believing they are likely to code for proteins which can be manufactured and sold at great profit.<br /><br />Simply put scientists look for "defective or mutated genes" in an isolated community, override the mutation and produce block-buster drugs to fight it. Drug companies say the patenting of human or animal genes is necessary to do work on research leading to genetic therapies for disease. The philosophical question among the experts is whether life is seen as human invention or as God's creation.<br />Arguing for the latter position, some indicate the recent decoding as simply drawing back another part of the curtain of God's creation, or simply realizing that genes are not the bottom line explanation of human life -- that life really requires a 'spirit' spark to come together with genetic material, and only God can provide that spark. They say spirit interacts with matter just as matter interacts with energy.<br /><br />Canon Eric Beresford, an Anglican geneticist and priest wants us all to know that "what has not been uncovered is some sort of genetic code that will allow science to predict and alter a human being's characteristics." The reason being that carrying a certain gene doesn't guarantee the presence of that trait. Each gene requires to be turned on or off, and that's done by 'switching genes' that control the trait genes. So inheritance itself becomes dependent on both the right gene and the right switching gene, and thus very complex. So regardless of what Bill Clinton said, the language of God is still out of his reach.<br /><br />However, the plot thickens even more as we learn that there are actually theologians that argue that the Creator wants man to join Him in His role as Creator. We're told this stems from the notion that we are born in the image of God and therefore are like God. When you couple that with "theodicy", or the idea of justifying belief in the goodness of God in the face of evil and suffering (why does God allow it all?), you get a philosophy which gives man the go ahead to explore genetic manipulation and enhancement. In fact, there are three major philosophies in this regard:<br />1. The Augustinian one which says Adam and Eve falling from complete goodness and perfect images of God's Creation has impacted all their offspring. So, we are born in His image, but the image is impaired or defective, unlike how God intends it to be. So God isn't responsible for the evil and suffering, that's due to the fall. From this position, comes the notion that we can use technology to fix nature. <span style="color:#993300;"><em><span style="font-family:arial;">[ The notion of this position denies that God allows evil and suffering and the curse of death as punishment for evil. - Ray Luff ]</span></em><br /></span>2. The Iranean one that says Creation is incomplete because Adam and Eve fell and were tossed out of Eden while they were still developing and that development was stopped at that time. To find the true human identity you don't go backwards looking at what Adam and Eve were like, or could have been like, but rather you look ahead to Christ, the full image of God. This position then supports technological gene enhancement to improve on what Nature has given us. <span style="font-family:arial;color:#993300;"><em>[ This view denies that God created man in His own image just as he created Christ in His own image. It relies on evolutionary steps to improve man. To hold this view you must also subscribe to the Gap Theory and Day Age Theories, which are theories which are compromised theories that seek to harmonize Gods word with mans theories of evolution. All these theories deny that God created the earth in 7 literal days, with the sun being created on the 4th day as stated in Genesis chapter one. - Ray Luff ]<br /></em></span>3. Finally, the third (and unlabeled)<em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#003300;"> <span style="color:#993300;">[but most accurate and Biblically defensible]</span></span></em><span style="color:#993300;"> </span>position says that God also suffers along with man, His own Creation. Thus you have Christ on the cross symbolizing God's efforts in restoring us. This is used as a basis, then, for an ethical, theological foundation for genetic engineering. Theologians that adhere to it are basically saying suffering can be addressed technologically but never removed finally, and that it would be a dangerous illusion to try. <span style="color:#993300;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><em>[ The danger of this illusion is the denial of God’s authority over man. Who are we to seek to correct something which God has purposed to be broken, for a purpose. God offers the only solution to man’s broken condition. He allows man’s physical broken condition to alert him to his broken spiritual condition, which God offers to solve. Ultimately God also offers to solve man’s broken physical condition, but only for those who are able to put their faith in God’s promise to resurrect of our bodies after death through the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is referred to in the Bible as the first born from the dead. - Ray Luff ]</em></span><br /><br /></span>So, what's left for you and me. First you need to decide whether you're for it or against it. If you're for it, then you need to decide, on what basis. To help you, here are some questions you may ask yourself:<br />1. Is this all about justifying what's going on in Biomedical Science and Technology today?<br />2. Or is it simply a way of theologians who are also medical scientists to integrate their beliefs with their work?<br />3. Finally, could it be that while God allows us to surge ahead in this area, He will never let us get to the point where we've solved every problem ourselves and Eden is restored, maybe this time somewhere in North America? After all, if we can solve the human genome language, should we not have been able to solve world hunger, wars, hatred, natural disasters, airplane crashes, etc.? Aren't they a lot more simpler, scientific-ally speaking? I guess not. Then again, maybe that's it -- this is not about science, it's about the human heart, mind, and soul!<br />Thank God He's not finished with us. Pray God that we don't ever think we're finished with Him.<br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Ken B. Godevenos, MBA, CCP, CHRP Accord Resolution Services Inc.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"></span><u><strong>So why does God allow suffering?</strong></u> God allows suffering as a symptom of a larger problem the Bible calls sin. Even if we could solve all problems of suffering, no scientist expects that they will solve the ultimate problem which is death. God has solved that ultimate problem and could solve the problems leading up to it if He wanted to. In fact He says He will solve our physical problems after we have passed through physical death and have been resurrected to new life after death. But not all will be resurrected to new life. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Daniel 12 - 2 </span>And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.<br /></span></em>Our suffering during this life is a friendly message from God warning us of worse to come if we don’t do something about it. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">2 Cor 7 - 10</span> For godly sorrow produces repentance, leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. </span></em>Repentance means, committing to allow God to change your life so that you will sin no more.<br />God offers us reconciliation to Himself through the Lord Jesus Christ. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;">2 <span style="font-size:85%;">Cor. 5 - 21</span> For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteous-ness of God in Him.</span></em> <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">2 Cor 6 - 2</span> For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.”</span></em> Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Rom 6 - 23</span> For the wages of Sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. </span></em>Make it a matter of urgent prayer to appropriate this promise God has given. You won’t regret it.<br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">You may contact the person who handed you this tract or its author</span><br /><br /><strong>Bible Door Tracts<br /></strong><a href="mailto:bibledoor@rogers.com">bibledoor@rogers.com</a><br />273 Manchester Drive, Newmarket, ON, L3Y 6J4,Canada,<br /><a href="http://www.bibledoor.blogspot.com">bibledoor.blogspot.com</a> and <a href="http://www.bibledoor.tk">bibledoor.no-ip.org</a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;">Copyright 2005 © Bible Door Tracts.</span><br /><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></span></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The author of his tract were added Ray Luff of Bible Door Tracts. The opinions contained in this tract do not necessarily represent the opinions of Riverdrive Park Bible Chapel where Ray is in fellowship. All Bible references are from The New King James Version. 1996, c1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson unless otherwise noted.</span></span>Ray Luffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061548583676043475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13775713.post-1119329194099469422005-05-20T21:42:00.000-07:002005-07-19T06:37:58.933-07:00Protest to UWO today re Morgentaler honors<span style="font-family:georgia;">Many supporters and alumni of the University of Western Ontario are -- rightly -- gravely offended by the University’s decision to award an honorary degree to one of Canada’s worst offenders against the right to life provisions of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms: the notorious abortionist Henry Morgentaler.<br /><br />Morgentaler has become wealthy by participating in and promoting the silent holocaust that has snuffed out the lives of more than two million Canadian babies.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Here is a copy of the letter Ron Gray sent to UWO; you may wish to add your own letter of protest.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">For more information, visit: </span><a href="http://www.uwoprotest.com/"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">http://www.UWOProtest.com/</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"><br />Mr. Paul Davenport, President and Vice-Chancellor University of Western Ontario, Suite 2, 1151 Richmond Street, London ON, N6A 5B8<br />April 5,2005</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Dear Mr. Davenport,<br /><br />I was distressed to learn that the University of Western Ontario plans to award an honorary degree to the notorious abortionist, Henry Morgentaler. It would take a great deal of space for me to write, and a great deal of your time for you to read, all my objections to this award; but if I condense my reasons, I hope and pray that you'll take the time to read and evaluate them.<br /><br />Canada, like most of the nations in the developed world, faces a serious crisis of under-population in the decades ahead, according to the United Nations. </span><a href="http://www.un.org/esa/%20population/unpop.htm"><span style="font-family:georgia;">http://www.un.org/esa/%20population/unpop.htm</span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br />Abortion and contraception are significant contributors to this trend. But even more important, every abortion is the deliberate killing of an innocent human being. We will never know how many artists, scientists, philosophers, philanthropists, and teachers have had their lives snuffed out by men like Henry Morgentaler. Why? Because they were conceived at an inconvenient time or in inconvenient circumstances. To impose a death sentence on an innocent child, merely for the "crime" of being inconvenient, reduces the intrinsic value of every human life.<br /><br />Furthermore, there is strong and growing evidence that abortion drastically increases the mother's risk of breast cancer and serious psychological disturbance. It is surely a grave violation of the Hippocratic Oath's pledge to "do no harm" to terminate a pregnancy when such risks are known to be present.<br /><br />Dr. Morgentaler once said, "If I thought it was a baby, I wouldn't do an abortion." The medical evidence that the fetus is a distinct human life—it has its own unique genetic code, and in half the cases, even its gender is different than the mother's—is so powerful that such a statement can only reflect willful ignorance. It is questionable whether someone who remains willfully ignorant of the medical facts in his field should even be allowed to practice medicine, let alone be honored by one of Canada's finest universities.<br /><br />Please reverse this odious decision. It can only offend a large number of the University's potential friends and supporters.<br /><br />Sincerely,<br />Ronald O. Gray,</span> <span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">National Leader Christian Heritage Party of Canada<br /></span><br /><strong><u>What does the Bible say about God’s morals for our society? </u></strong><br /><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><em>28 And to man He (God) said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.’ (Job 28:28)<br />1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly. Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord. (Psalm 1:1)<br />1 The fool has said in his heart; “There is no God”…There is no one who does good. (Psalm 14:1)<br />10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)<br />10 A righteous man regards the life of his animal, But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. (Proverbs 12:10)<br /></em><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#000000;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Terry Schiavo was denied food and water through a feeding tube by a world who thinks it was being merciful. The same world would find fault with a person who denied food to their dog and starved it to death. It is this type of hypocrisy that results from men having a depraved mind which is a direct result of the denial that there is a God.</span><br /></span></span><em>12 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. (Proverbs 14:12 & 16:25)<br />18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” (1 Corinthians 1:18-19)</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><em><br /></em></span><span style="font-family:georgia;">Can you see that this is what is happening today. The wisdom of the wise rulers that we have allowed to govern us is foolishness. If you recognize the foolishness of the society in which you live, then cry out to God to forgive you of your sins. Repent of them. Confess your need of God’s understanding for your life. And receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior.<br /><br />Suggested Prayer;<br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><strong>Heavenly Father, I agree with you that I am a sinner. I need to be made perfect with the perfection offered me by the sacrifice of your son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Please destroy my worldly wisdom and substitute it with your wisdom as talked about in your holy word, the Bible. Please accept me into your kingdom, because I ask it in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. (Continue to Pray about whatever else God brings to mind.)</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">You may contact the person who handed you this tract or its author</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"><br /></span><strong>Bible Door Tracts</strong><br /><a href="mailto:bibledoor@rogers.com">bibledoor@rogers.com</a><br />273 Manchester Drive, Newmarket, ON, L3Y 6J4 ,Canada,<br /><a href="http://www.bibledoor.blogspot.com">bibledoor.blogspot.com</a> and <a href="mailto:bibledoor@.tk">bibledoor.no-ip.org</a><br /></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Copyright 2005 © Bible Door Tracts.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"></span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">This tracts author is Ray Luff of Bible Door Tracts. The opinions contained in this tract do not necessarily represent the opinions of Riverdrive Park Bible Chapel where Ray is in fellowship. All Bible references are from The New King James Version. 1996, c1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson unless otherwise noted.</span>Ray Luffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061548583676043475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13775713.post-1119362009488897522005-04-21T06:21:00.000-07:002005-07-19T06:39:12.733-07:00Examine Yourself Survey<em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">2 Cor 13 - 5</span> Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?<br /></span></em><br /><br />1) Do you consider yourself to be a good person? (Y, N)<br /><br />2) Do you believe you are morally bankrupt like the Bible says? (Y, N)<br /><br />3) Do you own a Bible? (Y, N)<br /><br />4) Do you read the Bible daily? (Y, N)<br /><br />5) Do you pray? (Y, N)<br /><br />6) Do you believe there are Angels? (Y, N)<br /><br />7) Do you believe there are fallen angels (Demons)? (Y, N)<br /><br />8) Do you believe there is one Lucifer or Satan? (Y, N)<br /><br />9) Do you believe there is one God? (Y, N)<br /><br />10) Do you believe there is a heaven? (Y, N)<br /><br />11) Are you bound for heaven? (Y, N)<br /><br />12) Do you believe there is a hell? (Y, N)<br /><br />13) Do you believe there can be anything worse than hell? (Y, N)<br /><br />14) Do you believe that you are born again? (Y, N)<br /><br />15) Do you believe that women ought to have the right to decide whether or not to have an Abortion? (Y, N)<br /><br />16) Do you have a relationship with God, that is meaningful to you? (Y, N)<br /><br />17) If you have a relationship with God, do you share your faith with others? (Y, N)<br /><br />18) Do you believe in all of the Ten Commandments?<br />1.You shall have no other gods before Me. 2. You shall not make your self any graven image. 3.You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain 4.Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy. 5.Honour your Father and Mother. 6.You shall not kill. 7.You shall not commit adultery. 8.You shall not steal. 9.You shall not lie. 10.You shall not covet. (Exodus 20:3-17)<br />(Y, N)<br /><br />19) Do you lie? (circle all that apply)<br />a) I lie regularly at my job or equivalent.<br />b) I lie regularly to parents<br />c) I lie regularly to friends<br />d) I seldom knowingly lie.<br />e) I have never lied.<br />(A, B, C, D, E)<br /><br />20) Do you steal? (circle all that apply)<br />a) I steal regularly<br />b) I have stolen at least once<br />c) I have never stolen<br />(A, B, C)<br /><br />21) Do you believe that Same Sex Marriage is OK? (Y, N)<br /><br />22) Do you believe that living together is the same thing as Marriage. (Y, N)<br /><br />23) Who do you think Jesus was?<br />a) A man who gave good moral teachings?<br />b) A prophet of God?<br />c) Son of God?<br />(A, B, C)<br /><br />24) Do you believe Jesus sinned? (Y, N)<br /><br />25) Are you satisfied with your life?<br />a) Very Satisfied.<br />b) Fairly Satisfied.<br />c) Not Satisified.<br />(A, B, C)<br /><br />26) Do you believe that God wants you to have a wonderful life? (Y, N)<br /><br /><strong><u>Question Results so far and what the Bible says;</u></strong><br />1. Almost 100% say they are good. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Prov 16 - 2 </span>all the ways of man are pure in his own eyes.<br /></span></em><br />2. 99% say they are not morally bankrupt. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Prov 14 - 12</span> there is a way that seems right to a man but its end is the way of death.<br /></span></em><br />3. 92% say they own a bible.<br /><br />4. 11% say they read the bible. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">John 8 - 31b</span> If you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed. You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.<br /></span></em><br />5. 90% say they pray. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">John 16 - 24</span> Until now you have asked nothing.<br /></span></em><br />6. Not Yet Available<br /><br />7. Not Yet Available<br /><br />8. Not Yet Available<br /><br />9. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">James 2 - 19</span> You believe there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe and tremble!<br /></span></em><br />10. Not yet available.<br /><br />11. Not yet available.<br /><br />12. Not yet available.<br /><br />13. There is a fate worse than Hell. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Rev 20 - 14</span> And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.<br /></span></em><br />14. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">John 3 - 3</span> Ye must be born again.<br /></span></em><br />15. The answer to this question does not purely line up with belief in God.<br />It might surprise you to know that 18% of the women having abortions today call themselves born again Christians.<br /><br />16. 62% say they have a meaningful relationship with God.<br /><br />17. 2% of those that say they have a meaningful relationship with God say that they share their faith with others.<br /><br />18. 87% of respondents do not believe in all of the ten commandments. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">John 14 - 21</span> He who has my commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.<br /></span></em><br />19. 91% lie regularly at work or at home, 86% lie regularly to parents, 75% lie regularly to friends, 9% try their hardest not to lie to anyone but no one could claim that they never lied.<br /><br />20. Not Yet available.<br /><br />21. Not Yet Available. (See answer 22)<br /><br />22. The bible calls sex outside of marriage “Fornication”. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">1 Cor. 6 - 9 </span>… Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. It is important when considering these sins to also realize that the very next verse says “As such were some of you”, meaning God does change people who are willing to step into his light. And once changed they are able to enter into His kingdom.<br /></span></em><br />23. Jesus is God the Son, a person of the Trinity. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">John 1 - 1</span> In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God and the Word was God. ... <span style="font-size:85%;">14</span> The word became flesh and dwelt among us. .... <span style="font-size:85%;">12</span> But to as many as received him to them gave He the right to be called the sons of God.<br /></span></em><br />24. 25% of those who claim to be born again answer “yes” that Jesus likely sinned. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">1 Peter 2 - 22</span> (Christ) who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth.</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><br /></span></em>25. 57% said they were very satisfied. 34% said they were fairly satisfied. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">John 7 - 38</span> “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water”.</span></em> It is very satisfying when you experience God working in your life like this.<br /><br /></span>26. The apostle Paul who was stoned and left for dead once, jailed 3 times, flogged 5 times said <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">1 Cor 11 - 1</span> Imitate me, even as I imitate Christ.”</span></em> b) Christ said <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Matt 10 - 38</span> And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.”</span></em> And He also said <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Luke 9 - 62</span> No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God.’</span></em> c) Jesus warns us that the world will hate us; <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">John 17 - 14</span> I have given them your word and the world has hated them because they are not of this world.</span></em> d) The Apostle Paul warns us that we must suffer Trials and 1. Tribulations. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Rom 5 - 3b</span> We glory in Tribulations knowing this that Tribulation produces perseverance, and perseverance character and character hope. </span></em>e) But didn’t Jesus offer us freedom you may ask; <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Rom 6 - 22</span> But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God.</span></em> In another passage the bible says; <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Rom 12 - 1</span> I Beseech you therefore brethren , by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.</span></em> f) Choosing to follow Jesus means choosing to suffer. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Heb 11 - 25</span> choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,</span></em> g) Jesus does make a few negative promises if you mean business with Him <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Heb 12 - 7</span> If you endure chastening. God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? </span></em><em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">2 Tim. 3 - 12</span> Yes and all who desire to live godly in Christ will suffer persecution.</span></em> <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">2 Tim 4 - 5</span> Be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of the evangelist, fulfill your ministry.</span></em> <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">1 John 3 - 13</span> Do not marvel my brethren if the world hates you. <span style="font-size:85%;">1 Peter 1 - 6</span> In this you greatly rejoice though now for a little while, If need be, you have been grieved by various trials.<br /></span></em><br /><strong><u>The question we did not ask; “Are you a sinner?”</u></strong><br />The Bible clearly teaches that we are all sinners. It says there are none that are righteous.<em><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;color:#000099;"><strong> (Rom 3:10)</strong></span></em> It says <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Rom 3 - 23</span> For all have sinned and fall short of the God’s glory. 1<span style="font-size:85%;"> John 1 - 10</span> And it says to anyone that says they have not sinned that they are calling God a liar.</span></em> The bible offers the possibility of change for all sinners. We must not single out any type of sinner. The bible doesn’t. It says in <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">1 Cor 6 - 10</span> As such were some of you.</span></em> That means that persons who the world thinks cannot change can change. Pedophiles for example can change that is the hope of the gospel message that God can change lives for the better. The bible gives a list of who sinners are in <strong><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;color:#000099;"><em>(1 Cor 6:9)</em></span></strong> and it includes those that covet what others have even. Who has not at one point in their lives wished for something that they did not have or were no jealous of what somebody else had at some point.<br />The Lord Jesus Christ offers you an Abundant life <em><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;color:#000099;"><strong>(John 10:10).</strong></span></em> An Abundant life is full of meaning and purpose. An abundant life starts out with God’s promise of Eternal Life <em><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;color:#000099;"><strong>(John 3:16)</strong></span></em> to be spent in Union with Him. As a token of His love to us He seals in us the Holy Spirit of Truth. <em><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;color:#000099;"><strong>(John 14:16)</strong></span></em> He becomes our guarantee <strong><em><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;color:#000099;">(Eph 1:13-14)</span></em></strong> of redemption from the clutches of the second death which the Bible calls the Lake of fire. <em><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;color:#000099;"><strong>(Rev 20:12)<br /></strong></span></em><br />The purpose of the Abundant Life offered by Jesus is not to be misconstrued as what the world would consider a Wonderful life. God’s abundant presence and the peace that He gives, prepares us to be His disciples who must suffer trials, tribulations and persecution for Him. <strong><em><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;color:#000099;">(1 Tim 3:12)</span></em></strong> You must decide whether you mean business with God. Don’t trade away the opportunity to Know Him for the pleasures of this life that last only a season. <em><strong><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;color:#000099;">(Heb 11:25)</span></strong></em> Step into God’s light so that you will not be one of the persons spoken of in the Bible as having God’s wrath on him. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#000099;"><span style="font-size:85%;">John 3 - 19</span> And this is the condemnation, that light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. ... <span style="font-size:85%;">36 </span>He who believes on the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on Him.<br /></span></em><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"><br />You may contact the person who handed you this tract or its author<br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;"><strong>Bible Door Tracts</strong></span></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><strong><br /></strong></span><a href="mailto:bibledoor@rogers.com">bibledoor@rogers.com</a><br />273 Manchester Drive, Newmarket, ON, L3Y 6J4 ,Canada,<br /><a href="http://www.bibledoor.blogspot.com">bibledoor.blogspot.com</a> and <a href="http://www.bibledoor.tk">bibledoor.no-ip.org</a><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Copyright 2005 © Bible Door Tracts.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">The author of this tract is Ray Luff of Bible Door Tracts. The opinions contained in this tract do not necessarily represent the opinions of Riverdrive Park Bible Chapel where Ray is in fellowship. All Bible references are from The New King James Version. 1996, c1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson unless otherwise noted.</span>Ray Luffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061548583676043475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13775713.post-1119121454649497042005-03-28T12:01:00.000-08:002005-07-19T06:40:10.826-07:00Easter Sunday is a Great Day we Celebrate!I was able to speak up in a cafeteria to a group of persons who asked if it was a good day today on Easter Sunday. They meant; “How is the weather outside?” I was visiting a convalescent home with persons suffering in old age ailments. I responded, “It is a great day today! This is the day that we are celebrating Jesus was raised from the dead!” “Oh! I never thought about it, we just eat candy today and don’t think about what it means to Christians.” one lady replied. “Did you know that over 500 people witnessed the Resurrection?” I asked. <strong><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;color:#3333ff;"><em>(1 Co. 15:6)</em></span></strong> “No I didn’t”, the lady responded. And a large number of people from other tables turned and riveted their attention at this point. “How do you know this?” she asked. “It’s recorded in the Bible. Many don’t notice how many it was”, I replied. And I continued “As a matter of fact within 50 days of this, the Bible tells us there were 3000 men who believed this message. <span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;color:#3333ff;"><em><strong>(Acts 2:41)</strong></em></span> 500 people were able to Convince 2500 more to join them. But that was only the men. It is estimated that when you add the women and children the number was actually closer to 10,000 people.” You could hear a pin drop by now. “That is amazing I never knew that.” the Lady responded, others listening intently. “And did you know that Christians were originally called the cult of the Resurrection?”, I asked. “No I never knew that”, she responded. “As a matter of fact 11 of the disciples were martyred. The Apostle Peter was crucified upside down on a cross; The Apostles were given the opportunity to deny what they had seen first hand and they refused to do so.”. “Really!” she responded. “Yes, and they kept on killing and killing the Christians for the first 2 centuries and the more they did it the more that the cult grew. It was originally a Jewish cult so this was one of the early genocides of the Jewish people that was occurring and many don’t realize this.”, I told her. “I never realized it, I always knew that Christians had something to do with Jews but I never really thought about it”, she replied. “And today in the eastern world, where Christians are under persecution, Christianity is growing much faster than here in the western world; because wherever there is persecution for some reason people are forced to make a much more serious decision to follow Christ, and they follow Him much more harder. And the only thing that slows down the spread of Christianity is when you stop persecuting them. Eventually they found that out in the 3rd century and they stopped persecuting them as much in the West. But did you know that today there are more martyrs for Christ than ever before?”, I asked. “No I didn’t know that”, the lady replied. “In the past century there were more martyrs than in the previous 1900 years. And since the year 2000 it is on the increase more than ever before? The news media hardly reports it. We hear more about the Jews and the Arabs conflicts but seldom hear about the plight of the Christians.” At this point the Lady said that we had talked too much that it was interfering with their eating the meal and that was the end of the conversation. Many nodded over and smiled. One man said he believed in God. He wanted me to know that. I trust my Lord Jesus will give me an opportunity to continue next time I am with them. <a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">[1]</a><br />Are you ready to accept Christ or do you want to finish your meal first?<br />Jesus says; <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Rev 3 - 20</span> Behold I stand at the door and knock. If any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come and sup with him and he with me. </span></em>The Bible also says; <span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Prov 3 - 8</span> There is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.</em></span> To Christians his name is Jesus.<br /><br />He wants you to know him personally. And He makes an interesting promise. <span style="font-size:85%;"></span><em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;">John 14 - 16</span> And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever - <span style="font-size:85%;">17</span> the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him, nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. ... <span style="font-size:85%;">23</span> Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make our home with him.</span></em><br /><br />What you have in fact is the entire Trinity. God in three persons available to live in you. And when God the Father and God the Son decide to abide in you this is what will happen. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;">John 7 - 38</span> He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.</span></em> That is why Christians must keep telling everyone. We cannot stop the river of excitement and new life we are experiencing inside us, because of our personal relationship with the Living Savior!<br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">A Suggested Prayer:</span><br /><strong>Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. Please forgive me for my sins. I ask you to be the Master of my life. Please come into my life and sup with me as your word has promised. Give me the strength to follow you whatever it takes even if it means persecution. Amen.</strong><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=13775713#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1">[1]</a> The first paragraph is a true story that happened on Mar 27, 2005 in Canada. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">You may contact the person who handed you this tract or your may contact this tracts author</span><br /><br />Bible Door Tracts<br /><a href="mailto:bibledoor@rogers.com">bibledoor@rogers.com</a><br />273 Manchester Drive, Newmarket, ON, L3Y 6J4 ,Canada,<br /><a href="http://www.bibledoor.blogspot.com">bibledoor.blogspot.com</a> and <a href="mailto:bibledoor@.tk">bibledoor.no-ip.org</a><br />Copyright 2005 © Bible Door Tracts.<br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">This tracts author is Ray Luff of Bible Door Tracts. The opinions contained in this tract do not necessarily represent the opinions of Riverdrive Park Bible Chapel where Ray is in fellowship. All Bible references are from The New King James Version. 1996, c1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson unless otherwise noted.</span>Ray Luffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061548583676043475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13775713.post-1119122139178253442004-08-18T12:13:00.000-07:002005-07-19T06:41:51.976-07:00The Song of the WhaleRecently the CBC aired a documentary entitled “The Song of the Hump Back Whale.” In this program a prominent Canadian scientist who has devoted most of his career to researching the migration habits of the Hump Back Whale related a fascinating story of what has been discovered about these whales during his over 30 years of studying them. He stated that “While much has been learned about these whales there is a major mystery yet to be solved. A riddle, that when the answer is revealed, it will seem so obvious that we will think that we should have known the answer all along.“<br /><br />It seems that the Hump Back Whales do most of their feeding during the summer months in the cold Northern seas off the shores of British Columbia and as far north as Alaska, where there is plenty of food to be had, but in the winter months they migrate to the Hawaiian Islands, where the food is not plentiful and the water is much warmer. In this climate the whales relax almost as if on a winter vacation and they mate, but there is one peculiar habit they perform during their hours of leisure that has the scientists rather fascinated. It seems the males spread out around the islands and lye at rest for long periods of time. And as they rest they chant a whale song which can be heard with sonar all around the islands for months on end until the whales depart once again to their northern feeding grounds.<br /><br />What is fascinating to the scientists about this whale song is that it is sung in unison and without variation, over and over again for the entire winter season. Yet each year the song is different from the season before. Until recently it was thought that the sounds the whales were making had something to do with communication between the whales or to attract a mate, but it is now understood that this is more of a song than communication, due to the repetition and the fact that the whales when they encounter each other do not alter the communication even if they fight over territory. They may go silent for a period of time during such spars, but when they continue to make the audible sounds they go back to the script of repeating the song in unison as before.<br />It’s amazing how many ways the Lord and Creator of everything that is and is to come, communicates to mankind the obvious truth that He exists. And it is equally amazing how often these messages to us from our creator are ignored and overlooked.<br /><br /><strong><u>The Bible has something to say about this whale song;<br /></u></strong>The Book of Psalms in the Holy Bible of the Christian and Tanakh of the Jew tells us that the sea creatures are commanded to Praise the Lord. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Psalm 148 - 7</span> Praise the LORD from the earth, You great sea creatures and all the depths;</span></em> God has laid out plans for those that overcome this world (Christians) to enjoy a period of rest in preparation to reign with the Lord Jesus Christ for 1000 years, known as the millennial Kingdom, on the earth. While resting in the presence of God the Father and God the Son a mighty chorus is sung in heaven by those who have “overcome” (Christians). <span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Rev. 5 - 9</span> And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, <span style="font-size:85%;">10</span> And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth."</em></span> Included in the singing of that song are such as are in the sea! <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Rev. 5 - 13</span> And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: "Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!".</span></em> This song will continue throughout eternity. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Rev. 5 - 14</span> Then the four living creatures said, "Amen!" And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.<br /></span></em><br />Just as the Whales are singing now their Songs of Praise to God, we too do this on the Lord’s day each week when we meet to celebrate the Lord’s Supper.<br /><br />Those that have put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ to redeem us by His blood, have experienced the resultant indwelling of the Holy Spirit, <strong><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;color:#3333ff;"><em>(John 14:15)</em></span></strong> who by His very presence in our lives reminds us of God’s future promise to save us from being cast into the eternal Lake of Fire which is called the second death.<span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;color:#3333ff;"><strong><em> (Eph 1:13-14)</em></strong></span> And with the indwelling Holy Spirit in our Lives it becomes the Cry of our Heart to worship the Lord Jesus Christ. The bible instructs us to gather together for this very purpose. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;">John 4 - 23</span> But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.</span></em> We sing our songs of Praise and Worship, and offer prayers of thanksgiving as we meet for the express purpose of remembering and celebrating the Lord Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection on the first day of each week (Sunday the Lord’s day). <span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Acts 20 - 7</span> Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread. <span style="font-size:85%;">Luke 22 - 19</span>And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. And we worship Him as we break bread in His own appointed way. <span style="font-size:85%;">1 Cor. 11 - 26</span> For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.</em> <span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#000000;">When we meet we</span><em> <span style="font-size:85%;">1 Peter 2 - 5</span> offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.</em></span> In preparation for an eternity worshiping God the Father and God the Son.<br /><br />The invitation is extended to you, to unite with all of creation to worship the Lord Jesus Christ.<br /><br />Worship begins in you when you realize your utter unworthiness to enter into the presence of a Holy and Just God. The Bible says you cannot rely on your own righteousness. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Isaiah 64 - 6</span> But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; <span style="font-size:85%;">Rom. 3 - 23</span> for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God</span></em>, Yet Jesus said <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Matt. 5 - 48</span> Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.</span></em> God knows that there isn’t any who have not broken this standard of perfection that He requires. He has however, provided a way for us to be made perfect, by the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;">2 Cor. 5 - 21</span> For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. </span></em>God has provided a way to be forgiven in which we are required to be willing to be washed in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. <em><span style="font-family:arial;color:#3333ff;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Rev. 1 - 5 </span>and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, <span style="font-size:85%;">1 John 1 - 9</span> If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.</span></em> Being washed in the blood symbolizes your willingness to share in the guilt of nailing the Lord Jesus to the Cross. He was the only one who knew no sin who could pay sin’s penalty for you. Because He knew no sin, he rose again from the dead. You will also rise from the dead, if you allow Him to be sin for you, and to wash and cleanse you in His own blood from all your unrighteousness, in order that God the Father will see you as righteous in Him (Jesus).<br /><br />You may contact the person who handed you this tract or the author.<br /><br /><strong>Bible Door Tracts</strong><br /><a href="mailto:bibledoor@rogers.com">bibledoor@rogers.com</a>,<br />273 Manchester Drive, Newmarket, ON, L3Y 6J4 ,Canada, <a href="http://www.bibledoor.blogspot.com">bibledoor.blogspot.com</a> and <a href="http://www.bibledoor.tk">bibledoor.no-ip.org</a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;">Copyright 2004 @ Bible Door Tracts.</span><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">This tracts author is Ray Luff of Bible Door Tracts. The opinions contained in this tract do not necessarily represent the opinions of Riverdrive Park Bible Chapel where Ray is in fellowship. All Bible references are from The New King James Version. 1996, c1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson unless otherwise noted</span>Ray Luffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061548583676043475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13775713.post-1119330799144305672003-03-28T22:10:00.000-08:002005-07-19T06:42:51.370-07:00The Passion of the ChristThe Lord Jesus Christ often asked people “Who do you say I am?” And often he was accused of claiming to be somebody that he wasn’t. His life, his death and his return from the dead was a dance that he played out right before us. He defied our sense of logic and defied our preconceived Ideas of who the Messiah should be. The Passion of the Christ by Mel Gibson brings us into the dilemma of answering for ourselves his question “Who do you say I am?”<br /><br />Hint’s of supernatural occurrences in Mel’s film are believed to be accurate by millions of Christ’s followers today. The purpose of miracles are to challenge our sensibilities and to force us to decide the question Jesus often asked “Who do you say that I am?”. One of the things Jesus said regarding these miracles however was that even though given the sign of Jonah many would not believe. The sign of Jonah refers to a Jonah who was swallowed up in the belly of a whale for 3 days and then released on dry land alive. This sign was performed by the Lord Jesus Christ when on the 3rd day he arose from the dead. Jesus also referred to this sign when he spoke of the destruction of the temple and the rebuilding of it in 3 days. For the temple he spoke of was his human body.<br /><br />The Bible predicts the coming of a Messiah who would rule as King over the whole earth from Jerusalem. Yet the Bible also predicts a Messiah who would suffer. The two predictions seem contradictory. Many<br />religious folks who claim to be God’s people are blind to the prophesies of the suffering Messiah. Mel’s film makes fleeting reference to the predictions that were made approximately 700 years Before Christ’s Birth, by the prophet Isaiah. We would like to quote more of Isaiah’s prediction and also a prediction that was made by King David concerning the Messiah. By the way, the translation of the word for Messiah in Greek of Jesus day was the word Christos. Both words mean “Anointed One”.<br /><br />Isaiah 52 - 13 …He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. 14Just as many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men; 15So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; For what had not been told them they shall see, And what they had not heard they shall consider. Isaiah 53 - 2… He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. 3He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 4Surely He has borne our grief’s And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD as laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 7He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. 8He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. 9And they made His grave with the wicked-- But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth. 10Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. 11He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. 12… He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.<br /><br />Psalm 22 - 1 My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning? 2O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; And in the night season, and am not silent. 3But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel. 4Our fathers trusted in You; They trusted, and You delivered them. 5They cried to You, and were delivered; They trusted in You, and were not ashamed. 6But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the people. 7All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, 8"He trusted in the LORD, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!" 9But You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me trust while on My mother's breasts. 10I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother's womb You have been My God. 11Be not far from Me, For trouble is near; For there is none to help. 12Many bulls have surrounded Me; Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me. 13They gape at Me with their mouths, Like a raging and roaring lion. 14I am poured out like water, And all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It has melted within Me. 15My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death.16For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; 17I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. 18They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots. 19But You, O LORD, do not be far from Me; O My Strength, hasten to help Me! 20Deliver Me from the sword, My precious life from the power of the dog. 21Save Me from the lion's mouth And from the horns of the wild oxen! You have answered Me. 22I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You. 23You who fear the LORD, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel! 24For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Nor has He hidden His face from Him; But when He cried to Him, He heard. 25My praise shall be of You in the great assembly; I will pay My vows before those who fear Him. 26The poor shall eat and be satisfied; Those who seek Him will praise the LORD. Let your heart live forever! 27All the ends of the world Shall remember and turn to the LORD, And all the families of the nations Shall worship before You. 28For the kingdom is the LORD's, And He rules over the nations. 29All the prosperous of the earth Shall eat and worship; All those who go down to the dust Shall bow before Him, Even he who cannot keep himself alive. 30A posterity shall serve Him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation, 31They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, That He has done this.<br /><br />Mel was asked what motivated him to attempt to make the most accurate portrayal of the last 12 hours of the Jesus Life. He answered; Growing up I didn’t realize what was involved in this. I didn’t realize how hard it was. The full horror of what Jesus suffered for our redemption didn’t really strike me. Understanding what he went through, even on a human level, makes me feel not only compassion, but also a debt: I want to repay him for the enormity of his sacrifice. – Mel Gibson<br />Perhaps this film has sparked an interest in you as well. If it has please contact the person that handed you this tract or the tracts author and let them know. There are several Churches in your area who would be glad to greet you on Sunday morning and share with you the Passion of Christ as well. Perhaps you like Mel and like other Christians in your community have become aware of the great debt that you owe to our Lord Jesus Christ.<br />The scriptures tell us that the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ is sprinkled on us. Hebrews 12 - 22But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. 25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, 26whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven." The Lord Jesus Christ right now is involved in the ministry of the sprinkling of blood. Perhaps you are aware that He has sprinkled His blood on you. If so, come and join us and allow us to explain the Good News of the Love of the Lord Jesus Christ to you this coming Sunday morning.<br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">You may contact the person who handed you this tract or is author</span><br /><br /><strong>Bible Door Tracts</strong><br /><a href="mailto:bibledoor@rogers.com">bibledoor@rogers.com</a><br />273 Manchester Drive, Newmarket, ON, L3Y 6J4 , Canada<br /><a href="http://www.bibledoor.blogspot.com">bibledoor.blogspot.com</a> and <a href="http://www.bibledoor.tk">bibledoor.no-ip.org</a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;">Copyright 2003 © Bible Door Tracts.</span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">This tracts author is Ray Luff of Bible Door Tracts. The opinions contained in this tract do not necessarily represent the opinions of Riverdrive Park Bible Chapel where Ray is in fellowship. All Bible references are from The New King James Version. 1996, c1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson unless otherwise noted.</span>Ray Luffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061548583676043475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13775713.post-1119326136196243282000-04-20T20:46:00.000-07:002005-07-19T06:43:53.640-07:00On the topic of deathToward the end of life, Daniel Webster related how once he attended a church service in a quiet country village. The clergyman, a simple-hearted, pious old man, stood and pronounced his text with the utmost simplicity and earnestness, “My friends, we can die but once.”<br /><br />Daniel Webster commenting on his sermon, later said “Frigid and weak as these words might seem, at once they were to me among the most impressive and awakening I ever heard.” It is easy to think of others having to keep this appointment with death, but difficult to remember that we, too must keep this same appointment. When we visit a dying friend, we are conscious of a certain solemnity that gathers about such persons. Death is appointed for all, and the questions of its occurrence is merely a matter of time. Other appointments in life we can neglect or break, but here is an appointment that no man can ignore, no man can break.<br /><br />If physical death were the only consequence of a life lived apart from God, we would not have so much to fear, but the Bible warns that there is the second death, which is the eternal separation from God.<br /><br />However, there is a bright side. As the Bible pronounces hell for the sinner, it also promises heaven for the saint. A saint has been described as a sinner who has been forgiven. The subject of heaven is much easier to accept than the subject of hell. And yet the bible teaches both.<br />BILLY GRAHAM<br /><br /><u><strong>RELATED Bible text<br />Enter through the narrow gate.</strong></u> For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:13,14 NIV)<br /><br />For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life… Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son… Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him. (John 3:16,18,36 NIV)<br /><br /><strong><u>Man compared to Withering Grass</u></strong><br />All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field, the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever. (1Pe 1:24 KJ21, [refers back to Isaiah 40:6-8])<br /><u><strong></strong></u><br /><u><strong>Man’s sin<br /></strong></u>but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it. For in the day that thou eatest thereof, Thou shalt surely die." (Genesis 2:17 KJ21)<br /><strong><u></u></strong><br /><strong><u>Out of man’s control</u></strong><br />There is no man who hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit, neither hath he power in the day of death. And there is no discharge in that war, neither shall wickedness deliver those who are given to it. (Ecclesiastes 8:8 KJ21)<br />LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is, that I may know how frail I am. (Psalms 39:4 KJ21)<br /><br /><u><strong>Christ conquered death at the cross<br /></strong></u>"O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" (1 Corinthians 15:55 KJ21)<br />For to this end Christ both died, and arose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. (Romans 14:9 KJ21)<br />But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9 KJ21)<br /><br /><strong><u>Do you look forward to dying?<br /></u></strong>For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain… For I am in a strait between the two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better; (Philippians 1:21,23 KJ21)<br /><br /><u><strong>If you were to die tonight and stand before God and He were to ask you why should I let you into my heaven? What would you say?</strong></u><br />Many will say to Me in that Day, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name, and in Thy name have cast out devils, and in Thy name done many wonderful works?' And then will I profess unto them, `I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.' (Mt 7:22-23)<br /><br /><u><strong>Man’s righteousness can not save him<br /></strong></u>But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isa 64:6)<br />then shall the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. (Ecclesiastes 12:7 KJ21)<br /><br /><u><strong>We must become immortal</strong></u><br />For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (1Co 15:53)<br /><br /><u><strong>We MUST BELIEVE IN THE SON<br /></strong></u>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. (John 3:16)<br /><br /><u><strong>We MUST accept the gift</strong></u><br />For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23 KJ21)<br />For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8,9)<br /><br /><u><strong>WE MUST CONFESS OUR SINS<br /></strong></u>If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)<br /><br /><u><strong>WE MUST REPENT (AGREE WITH GODS REPULSION) OF OUR SINS<br /></strong></u>The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone must come to repentance. (2Pe 3:9 NIV)<br /><br /><u><strong>WE DON’T ACCEPT HIM, HE ACCEPTS US ON HIS TERMS NOT OURS AND HE SAYS NOW IS HIS ACCEPTED TIME</strong></u><br />(For He saith, "I have heard thee at an accepted time, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee." Behold, now is the accepted time! Behold, now is the day of salvation!) (2Co 6:2)<br /><br /><u><strong>YOU MUST HEAR CHRIST KNOCKING AT THE DOOR OF YOUR HEART AND THEN YOU MUST OPEN THE DOOR AND INVITE HIM IN.<br /></strong></u>Behold I stand at the door and knock, If anyone hears my voice and invites me in, I will come in and fellowship with him and he with me. (Rev 3:20 KJV)<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:85%;">SUGGESTED PRAYER:<br /></span></strong>OH GOD AND HEAVENLY FATHER, I KNOW THAT I AM A SINNER. I KNOW THAT YOU SENT THE LORD JESUS CHRIST TO THIS WORLD TO LIVE WITHOUT SIN AND TO DIE ON A CROSS TO PAY THE PENALY FOR MY SINS. I KNOW THAT MY OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS IS AS FILTHY RAGS AND THAT I AM POWERLESS TO AVOID THE SECOND DEATH. AND THAT I NEED CHRISTS FORGIVENESS. LORD JESUS MY SINS NAILED YOU TO THE CROSS. PLEASE FORGIVE ME AND COME INTO MY LIFE AND FELLOWSHIP WITH ME AS YOUR WORD PROMISES. AND DIRECT MY PATHS FROM NOW ON. YOU MAY TAKE MY LIFE AND DO WITH IT AS YOU WILL. AMEN.<br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Contact the person who handed you this tract or the Author.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"></span><strong>Bible Door Tracts<br /></strong><a href="mailto:bibledoor@rogers.com">bibledoor@rogers.com</a><br />273 Manchester Drive, Newmarket, ON, L3Y 6J4 ,Canada, <a href="http://www.bibledoor.blogspot.com">bibledoor.blogspot.com</a> and <a href="mailto:bibledoor@rogers.com">bibledoor@rogers.com</a><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Copyright 2000 © Bible Door Tracts.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">This tracts author is Ray Luff of Bible Door Tracts. The opinions contained in this tract do not necessarily represent the opinions of Riverdrive Park Bible Chapel where Ray is in fellowship. All Bible references are from The New King James Version. 1996, c1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson unless otherwise noted. </span>Ray Luffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061548583676043475noreply@blogger.com0