Israel is once more fighting for survival in the Middle East. Her enemies have yet to learn the lessons of history, and so they continue to attack. And once again Israel is emerging victorious on the field of battle. From a divine perspective this is not surprising and for this reason: The Arabs cannot unite among themselves according to divine design and prophecy. In Genesis 16:11-12 we read about Ishmael the father of the Arab people.

"And the angel of the Lord said unto her (Hagar), Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the Lord hath heard thy affliction. And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren."

The wildness of Ishmael and his warring nature whereby his hand will be against every man are two distinct characteristics of the Arab culture today–the bloodline of the prophetic utterance remains intact. We see evidence of this daily with reports of suicide bombings and acts of terrorism against "infidels" and even towards other Muslims. They cannot find enough to unite among themselves in Jihad against a common enemy. Therein lies the security of modern Israel–coupled with her own willingness to defend herself. The sacred prophecy and the secular means of survival have united to ensure Israel remains.

Thankfulness is one of the greatest lessons I endeavor to teach my children. I want them to express gratitude for a benefit received–no matter how big or small the gift is. It is important they understand everything they have is because of God’s grace and mercy. Nothing belongs to them since everything is from the Lord. I believe it is easier to be thankful–and more generous–when we keep this in mind. Similarly, biblical thanksgiving is an outward acknowledgment of gifts or benefits received, which necessarily consist of three parts:

1. Acknowledging the gift was bestowed;
2. Understanding the recipient is unworthy of the gift;
3. Discerning the gift is magnanimous.

This brings to mind an important question: What philosophical belief with respect to salvation allows the believer to be biblically thankful? Which position–when carried to its logical conclusion–allows one to remain internally consistent? Consider the following:

Some believe that Christ did not atone for the sins of his people in a full and complete manner. To many, his death on the cross only turned away the wrath of God and did not deal with the full penalty of man’s sin. Jesus’ death simply merited grace for mankind which is then channeled through the sacraments of the church. This grace, therefore, enables man to perform works of righteousness to "merit" justification and eternal life. Faith alone in Christ alone is not sufficient to be legally declared righteous before God–one must work for his own salvation. Nevertheless, proponents of this system claim it is not a "works-based" salvation since God puts them in a state of grace in which they are able to perform the good works unto salvation. This is purportedly consistent with Paul’s overwhelming number of passages that speak of salvation being of grace alone and not of works so that no one could boast (Eph 2:8-9). Ask yourself: Can I be biblically thankful (and consistent) for my salvation by believing this?

Then there are others who insist that God offers salvation to everyone equally and leaves the outcome to man. God extends the gift of salvation to his creatures, but then they must receive his free gift. God, Christ and the Holy Spirit each do what they can to entice sinners, but in the final analysis, the unbeliever must choose for himself if he is to accept or to reject the invitation. Man’s acceptance by faith ushers in the consummation of the new life, but this is not looked upon as a good work. It is argued that man’s act of believing is no more a good work than receiving a birthday gift is. But is it? The central issue in this discussion is whether one must add to or cooperate with Christ in order to be justified. If the answer is yes, no matter how small of effort is contributed, then salvation is no longer wholly of grace. Besides, it could be asked: What causes the unbeliever ultimately to accept Christ? Was the sinner more righteous, more discerning, or smarter than his neighbor who rejected the gospel? Does this system of belief lead to the same inconsistent plan of salvation as does the first? Ask yourself: Can I be biblically thankful (and consistent) for my salvation by believing this?

Yet, others believe that sinners are so hardened in their sin that they do not want salvation. They would spit in the face of Christ if given the chance. Sin has so greatly affected their judgment that they do not seek after God (Ps 14; Rom 3). Their hearts are likened to stone–stones do not change because they do not have the capacity to change. The heart must be softened–it must first be turned into a heart of flesh before it can will to do what is pleasing to God (Ezek 36:26). This is the biblical condition of man–a picture that the previous positions must deny in order to remain logically consistent. God must first change the unbeliever, who is at enmity with God (Rom 8:7), before the sinner even has the desire for God (cf. John 6:44). Ask yourself: Can I be biblically thankful (and consistent) for my salvation by believing this?

I believe the answer is obvious. There is only one position whereby the sinner can consistently acknowledge that salvation is a magnanimous gift bestowed upon him–the unworthy recipient. There is nothing man can contribute towards his own salvation–even exercising saving faith–apart from the Holy Spirit working within him, giving him the ability to do so. And there is only one position that rightly understands the biblical condition of man after the Fall wherein he must first have his heart of stone removed and replaced with a heart of flesh. As for me......I will let the reader use his best judgment to determine which of the three positions is in harmony with the entirety of Scripture.  

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Prov 22:6).

Several weeks ago I had the privilege of dedicating two more of my grandchildren to the Lord–Elizabeth Ashlynn Murrell and Luke Addison Murrell. What a joy it was.

One of the provisions of the New Covenant is that God will write His law upon the hearts of His people to guide them in what He wants them to do (Hebrew 8:8-13). Many parents dedicate their children to Christ in a formal act of worship. The concept of the consecration of children finds a precedent in principle–we believe–in the Old Testament when the firstborn in Israel were dedicated to God. In Exodus 13:1-2 we read, "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine."

Of particular concern were the male children for each first born child was a spiritual type of the Messiah to come. In Luke 2:7 we read that Mary "brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn."

Each male firstborn child anticipated the coming of the Messiah and so had to be redeemed, (either by being replaced with a Levite or) by the payment of a redemption price of five shekels (Num 3:40-44). Undergirding the act of paying a redemption price was a simple concept. In a symbolic act the people were reminded they belonged to the Lord in a unique way.

God claimed a special relation to Israel by His promises to Abraham, by His raising Moses to be their Leader, by the use of many miracles to bring them out of Egyptian bondage. He did not want them to forget they were a unique and purchased people. The Lord wanted Israel to remember the blood of the lamb that had redeemed them.

On the night before they left their state of slavery in Egypt the Hebrew people made a sacrifice. The blood of an innocent lamb was smeared on the doorpost of their homes. In the middle of the night a Death Angel came. But when he saw the blood he passed over the house and the firstborn was protected.

The night of the Passover anticipated the death of the Messiah. Mary’s first-born Son would die at a place called Calvary. Her Son would become the great Lamb of God "that taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). When the blood of Christ is applied to the door of the heart by faith the Eternal Death Angel passes over. John G. Foote aptly remembers the grace of God is his poem:

"Christ our Redeemer died on the cross,
Died for the sinner, paid all his due.
All who receive Him need never fear,
Yes, He will pass, will pass over you.

When I see the blood,
When I see the blood,
When I see the blood,
I will pass, I will pass over you.

Chiefest of sinners, Jesus can save;
As He has promised, that He will do.
Oh sinner, hear Him, trust in His word,
Then He will pass, will pass over you.

Judgment is coming, all will be there,
Who have rejected, who have refused?
Oh, sinner, hasten, let Jesus in,
Then God will pass, will pass over you.

O great compassion! O boundless love!
Jesus hath power, Jesus is true;
All who believe are safe from the storm.
Oh, He will pass, will pass over you".

In the New Testament economy there is no need for the symbols of the Old Testament and so there are is no commandment in the New Testament to redeem our children. However, there is a natural longing in the heart of many parents to dedicate their children to the Lord. And there is the comfort of knowing that children were once brought to Christ for a special blessing. "Then were there brought unto him little children that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence" (Matthew 19:13-15). For anyone who might be concerned with the concept of a baby dedication there should be no discomfort in seeking to have the Lord bless the little ones in a special way. Christian parents: dedicate your children to Christ.

Years ago an S-4 submarine was rammed by a ship off the coast of Massachusetts. It sank immediately. The entire crew was trapped in a prison house of death.

Every effort was made to rescue the crew, but all ultimately failed. Near the end of the ordeal, a deep-sea diver who was doing everything in his power to find a way for the crew’s release thought he head a tapping on the steel wall of the sunken sub.

He placed his helmet up against the side of the vessel and he realized it was Morse Code. He attached himself to the side and he spelled out in his mind the message being tapped from within: "Is... there... any... hope?"

Sometimes we ask ourselves similar questions. We ask such things as:

"Is there any hope for our nation?"

"What hope does my family have?"

"What hope is left for the Church?"

"What hope is there for this marriage?"

"Is there any hope?"

Many people conclude there is no hope and end their life or abandon themselves to a reckless lifestyle. But the Christian can ask, "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted in me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance" (Ps 42:5).

The Bible contains a message of hope. Paul declared, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope" (Rom. 15:4).

Peter says we have been "begotten unto a living hope" (1 Pet. 1:3). True and lasting hope comes as we embrace the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore let the heart sing,

"My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand."

Today, we exhort you to turn to Christ and let hope live again in your heart.

In 1973 a young lady by the name of Norma McCorvey became a political pawn in a legal controversy that still rages today. On one side of the issue are those who are "pro-choice." This Orwellian language of double speak is a clever term to cover the deliberate destruction of an unwanted pregnancy by terminating the life of a growing child in the womb of a woman.

On the other side of the issue are those who are "pro-life." This term is not ambiguous. It is not a clever word to cover deceit. The term argues plainly for a desire to see the developing child in the womb come to full term and be born into the world to waiting arms of love.

Over a hundred years ago slavery divided our country. Today, the deliberations between pro-choice and pro-life advocates divide the country. The debate began in earnest on January 22, 1973 when the United States Supreme Court decided that a woman could terminate the baby growing in her body, if she so desired.

Conservative legal scholars, both then and now, argue that the infamous Court decision of Roe vs. Wade is and was an unconstitutional court ruling because the United States Constitution says in part, "No person shall...be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law...nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law; nor deny any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

While legal experts continue to debate the court case, the practical consequences of Roe v. Wade, can be documented: 

· Since 1973 the lives of more than 35,000,000 American babies have been terminated prematurely.

· Since 1973 one child is aborted every 22 seconds.

· Since 1973 the teen pregnancy rate has doubled.

· 43 % of the slaughter of the innocent are repeat abortions

· Each year 100,000 women miscarry a wanted child due to prior abortions creating physical damage to their bodies. Abortions may be legal, but they are not all safe.

In 1973 Norma McCorvey ("Jane Roe") did not really care about the practical consequences of her court action. However, by the grace of God, today, Norma does care. She is on public record as having accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior. While we cannot verify the depth of her faith, Norma McCorvey is truly concerned about what has been done as manifested in her simple story, and a poem she wrote called Empty Playgrounds.

"I sit across from a playground that
I visited this eve with a small child.
I know of such places where children play,
I know that I am the cause of them not being here today.
I hope, Lord, that the wonderful playground
You have is guarded with angels
So that when that glorious day comes,
the children will not hold this sin against me.
All I did was to give my baby away,
so that women could tear theirs apart.
For this I will never be able to look
You in the face without shame."

Sometime after writing this poem, Norma said her shame was taken away after a friend shared with her the words of a Psalm that says, "I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. 5 They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed" (Ps 34:4-5).

While there is no sin too great for God's grace, it is good for people to cry out in sorrow, "God, be merciful to me the sinner." Norma McCorvey has called out to God. Beyond the legal concerns, beyond the practical consequences, beyond the personal considerations, the Word of God speaks directly to this issue.

The Bible teaches that God Himself makes the life in the womb. Psalms 139:13-16 "For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. 14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them." Because life is wonderful and precious, because life is the gift of God, it should not be rejected in a reckless manner. This is the Word of the Lord. For those who have terminated the life of an unborn child, not out of health considerations but out of convenience, there is mercy for you as you repent, confess and come to Christ who died that you might live. There is mercy with the Lord.

We live in a society that loathes the very thought of the dreaded four-letter word–work. Naturally, it brings to mind painful images of labor and toil and can even send a proverbial shudder up the spine. We are constantly searching for quick fixes, looking to take the easy road to accomplish our tasks–whatever they may be. Oftentimes, our spiritual lives are no different. We do not want to make the effort to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12), nor do we want to take the time to be diligent in spiritual matters, giving ourselves wholly to them (1 Tim 4:15). We would rather take the easy road instead of constantly fighting the good fight. Nevertheless, there just might be hope for those who are struggling with sin and are looking for a fast remedy–at least that is what one leading Roman Catholic apologist is claiming. James Swan at Alpha and Omega Ministries has posted a blog in which he points out one possible solution from Patrick Madrid, in which Madrid recently announced that to pray the Rosary is the "strongest weapon outside the sacraments that we have to combat mortal sin."  

So, for those of you who are not familiar with how to pray the Rosary the steps are conveniently listed below:

I received a note the other day from a gentleman who felt compelled to write me to tell me why I should believe in a secret rapture of the church. The comments below are a portion of my email response to his letter.

Dear Sir,

I trust the Lord will bless you and your ministry in 2009.

Thank you for your response to the issue of the rapture. However, I want to exhort you to continue to study this matter very carefully for the following reasons.

The concept of a rapture whereby Christians suddenly disappear off the face of the earth to avoid a seven-year period of tribulation and then return with Jesus seven years later is without biblical support. The idea of a secret rapture of the saints is foreign to Scripture and is antithetical to the passages you mentioned. Neither 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 nor 1 Thessalonians 4 substantiate the position you hold. We must be careful to let Scripture speak for itself and not read into a passage what we want it to say.

The concept of a secret rapture is not part of the historic Christian faith. You will not find a discussion of this topic in any one of the historic creeds of Christendom, nor have any of the church councils ever mentioned this issue. I would encourage you to study the Baptist Confession of 1689 or the Westminster Confession of Faith to see that the church has never considered this issue biblical.

I would further submit to you that your position adds a third coming of Christ:

First. Jesus came to die at Calvary.

Second. Jesus comes to retrieve His church.

Third. Jesus comes seven years later with His saints after a tribulation period.

The problem of course is that Hebrews 9:28 teaches Jesus is coming second time for all that believe. "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." The rapture adds a third coming of Christ.

The concept of the rapture was first introduced in the late eighteenth century but was not widely held until half a century later. Are you asking me to believe that God withheld a vital doctrine from the church for more than eighteen hundred years? How, then, could Christians follow the book of Jude’s advice to ‘contend for the faith once delivered to the saints’ – not contend for doctrines that have yet to be developed.

The idea of the secret rapture teaches a secret and silent coming of Christ in which people suddenly disappear in a twinkling of an eye. But Scripture teaches just the opposite. Acts 1:11 and 1 Thessalonians 4 address Christ’s return in which there will be a shout, the voice of an archangel and the trumpet of God. It is true, however, that Christians will rise to meet the Lord in the air and escort him back to earth…

…The promise for believers is not the rapture but the Second Coming of Christ – bodily, boldly, loudly, obviously and then comes the end.

I exhort you to study the Bible to see if these things are so.

That is my word of exhortation to you.

Because I Care,
Stan

Opponents have often criticized President George W. Bush for being too religious. He has been mocked and ridiculed tirelessly for admitting Jesus was his role model and for acknowledging that he prays for wisdom every day. While the public shame that he has had to endure because of his faith is a poignant reminder of our decaying culture, it has been refreshing to hear the Leader of the Free World talk openly about the God of Christianity (his particular theological views notwithstanding). But as the proverb attests, ‘all good things must come to an end’. This is particularly true concerning President Bush’s recent announcement with respect to creation and evolution. Said Bush on a recent Nightline interview:

"I think you can have both. I think evolution can -- you're getting me way out of my lane here. I'm just a simple president. But it's, I think that God created the earth, created the world; I think the creation of the world is so mysterious it requires something as large as an almighty and I don't think it's incompatible with the scientific proof that there is evolution."

President Bush’s comments are not entirely new. Many Christians have tried to break the tension between a literal interpretation of Genesis and modern science with respect to the origins of the universe. They do so by claiming Genesis is concerned about who created and why, not about how and when. I would submit to you that this is dangerous thinking that tacitly assaults the concept of being made in the image of God. Scripture teaches that man is made with self-consciousness, a capacity for knowledge, morally upright and with dominion over the creatures. All of these concepts are antithetical to the belief that man descended from primordial ooze. Furthermore, the Bible teaches that when God made, he did so and it was good – not that is would be good in billions of years after trial and error, but that it was good.

Evolution also directly attacks the idea of federal headship as it relates to original sin. Paul firmly believe in the historical figure Adam when he wrote that evil entered the world through the one man, Adam (Rom 5:12).

Christians must stop denying the tenets of the Christian faith and must quit capitulating in order to appease those who already have a bias against Christianity. The world will stop at nothing until they eradicate the Christian religion. So why should we help them along? The answer to this problem is to stick with the historic faith that was delivered once unto the saints and believe God’s revelation, no matter what the world tells us.

"Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice" (Eph 4:31).

According to a recent news article a doctor from New York is suing his former wife for more than a million dollars for a kidney he gave her while the couple were still married. The kidney was given in June 2001. They remained together for the next four years, but then the women filed for divorce in July of 2005 and sought custody of their three children. Fortunately for the wife, it is illegal in America for an organ to be exchanged for anything of value. Organs in the United States may not be bought or sold. Donating an organ is a gift of human kindness and grace. Receiving money for an organ is illegal. It is a good law and one that should stand forever.

The extreme request for the return of an organ or compensation for the same brings to light the depths of human depravity and the bitterness of the human heart. When a relationship breaks down evil appears.

Biblically, evil may be defined as injurious behavior to self and to others. Individuals want to hurt another person they have become disenchanted with even if in years past they were the best of friends and closest of companions.

One of the first signs of a relationship being destroyed is the loss of verbal and physical communication. Eye contact is no longer made. Smiles are no longer offered. A handshake or hug is no longer offered. Conversation becomes short and stilted or silent. The isolation begins.

Second, the relationship becomes formal. Last names are suddenly used with formal titles. Letters are written instead of phone calls made or conversations held. The purpose is to remove intimacy and to reveal the depths of hostility and anger in the one writing. Not only is it embarrassing to receive such formal communication, it is silly. Intelligent people suddenly act worse than little children and reflect that childish language.

Third, the physical presence is removed. An invisible but very real barrier is erected. Body language conveys a stiffness and rigidity. People will walk out of the same room someone they once professed to love but now totally dislike is in or wait until someone is gone before entering. Time will be taken to track the movements of the person they are angry with lest that individual be encountered.

Fourth, a careful watchfulness will take place for there is a perverse curiosity as to what the object of bitterness and hatred is doing. Years may pass but the curiosity remains.

Fifth, there is secret rejoicing at any bad news received about the other person especially if it relates to poor health or death.

There are more negative emotions because the depths of sin seem endless which is why hell is presented in the Bible as a bottomless pit. There are depths of evil that are deeper still resulting in new threats and words of intimidation for time and distance are no barriers to bitterness.

For the Christian, a royal command is given which must be seriously considered and obeyed. The Bible says "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:" God does not allow some bitterness and some anger and some evil speaking; rather, He commands it all to be put away and replaced with kindness, tenderheartedness and forgiveness. I do not say this is easy. I say it is the will of the Lord for those who name the name of Christ. Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

There is a basis for showing renewed grace, mercy and love to the undeserving. It can be called reciprocal love. God, for Christ’s sake, forgives us despite all the evil we have done and continue to do because bitterness is nursed and the unjustifiable is justified.

For Christians who have been hurt or offended by someone, real or imagined, the Word of the Lord calls upon you to change your heart. "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice." When you do love will be free to flow not only from your heart to the one you once cared for but also from the heart of God to you. The Bible also teaches how we forgive will determined how we are forgiven. "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (Matthew 6:14-15).

While commenting on the 24th chapter of Matthew, John Calvin wisely warned his readers, ‘not to worry more than the Lord over details of time’. But being the human beings we are prone to be, few have heeded his warning and instead have speculated and have interpolated with respect to the end times. Christians have been pondering the possibilities about the Second Coming and what the reign of Christ will look like. Competing views are known today by the designation premillennialism, postmillennialism and amillenialism. There are of course variations, but it is to the later that most Reformed Christians hold. If you are not familiar with amillenialism or simply want to know more about it I would invite you to log on to the website listed below for a live discussion on the topic led by Dr. Sam Waldron and guests Drs. Kim Riddlebarger, Richard B. Gaffin and Vern Poythress.

When: Saturday, January 10, 2009

Time: 1000 am to 1200pm CST

Where:

"Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. 32 This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, 33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. 34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. 35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. 36 This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king" (Dan 2:31-36).

The question is frequently posed: "Where is America in biblical prophecy?" Let me preface my response with this observation. When the prophet Daniel saw his panorama of human history in the sixth century BC, he did not see ALL of human history but only the unfolding of a time period of about 490 years. Daniel saw the rise of four world empires and one spiritual empire. Daniel saw the rise of the Babylonians, the Medes/Persians, the Greeks and the Romans. And then he saw the collapse of these four world empires by the rising of the one Divine Empire represented by the Uncut Stone from the mountain. This Uncut Stone from the Mountain is none other than Jesus Christ setting up the Kingdom of God. Concerning the Kingdom of God, Daniel saw several truths:

1. The kingdom would never be destroyed.

2. The kingdom would never be conquered.

3. The kingdom would dominate all previous empires.

Notice the word "these" in Daniel 2:44. The pronoun reference is to the preceding empires prior to the Divine Kingdom, i.e. Babylon, Medes/Persians, Greece, and Roman.

I tell you it is important to stay focused on what Daniel saw because that is all Daniel saw by way of interpretation in this portion of Scripture. Daniel did not see anything beyond the coming of the Messianic kingdom. Daniel did not see any new nations that would arise to fight the kingdom of God. He did not see the rise of Islam. He did not see the rise of Communism. He did not see the rise of the Chinese. What Daniel saw is what is recorded, no more and no less. Therefore, it is wrong for modern day Bible teachers to say that Daniel saw something more than the Scriptures reveal. While it is wrong for new concepts to be taught not rooted in the Bible, it is done.

Individuals shamelessly teach new things. Thousands of books are printed. Charts are made. Dogmatic statements are declared without scriptural basis. Daniel saw a specific time period of history that stretched from his day to the days of the Messiah the Prince and it all happened as he predicted and interpreted. Why then, do we have so much new teaching in Christendom today? Why are more prophetic concepts attributed to Daniel? There are several reasons:

1. Application has replaced interpretation.

2. Pride has replaced humility.

3. Sensationalism is very appealing.

4. To some extent the Enemy has infiltrated the church to focus attention upon his power and not the power of Christ.

Finally, many Christians are strangers to the Scriptures so that a popular interpretation of the Bible replaces what might be a proper application of the Scriptures. For example, if we were to ask, "Where is America in biblical prophecy?" the correct answer would be that there is not a single verse in the entire Bible that speaks of America by way of interpretation. The proof of this is that God knows how to spell. There are hundreds of geographical locations in the bible so that the adding of one more name would be no problem to a sovereign, omniscient God. If God wanted to put America in the Bible, He could have easily and plainly done so. It is very humbling to realize that, while we might think our nation is great, God does not deem fit to mention it. We are impressed with our strength, our spirituality, and our ancestry but God is not impressed at all. At least God is not impressed enough to write about us two millennia ago. This is humbling to realize. 

The last nation the Bible spoke of prophetically was Rome. John called it a Beast in the Revelation and saw its judgment. Therefore, by way of interpretation, mark it down; America is not in the Bible. Neither is China, Russia, Japan, Italy, or England.

However, by way of application, America and all the nations of the earth are in the Bible. For example, the Bible teaches that the kingdom of God will dominate the other kingdoms of this world now that it has been established. This is what Daniel saw and it is what John saw in the book of the Revelation. But it takes faith to believe this for the natural eye looks around and wonders. The natural eye sees the Communist party coming to power in 1917 in Russia and wonders where God is. How can such an evil empire emerge? But wait! The Sovereign God is not through with Communism and within 70 years the nation is subdued. The eye of faith sees the Lord judging the Communist and the kingdom of God being triumphal. 

America today is going the way of the flesh. As evidence, the Mayor of San Francisco recently united a homosexual couple in marriage. Such an affront upon our land is certain to bring the righteous judgment of God upon everyone. And the judgment will come. Unabashed sins will prove to be the curse on our culture. In the decades to come, America will look more and more like the face of Europe if history teaches us anything. People who are afraid of the United Nations and those who believe we are moving towards a one-world government should be assuaged by this: more nations are being created, not less. The world is becoming more fragmented, not more united. And this too is a form of divine judgment. Evil shall not be allowed to reign forever (Isa. 59:19). Sensationalism teaches one thing, while the Scriptures teach another.

If we understand the difference between biblical interpretation and practical application of biblical principles then we will be careful not to read into the text what we want it so say. We will be careful to read out only what the texts allow us to read. There are technical concepts for these two ideas. The first is summarized in the word exegesis. Exegesis is a term derived from the Greek meaning "narration" or "explanation." Exegesis is the science of interpretation. It tries to fix the meaning of individual statements and passages. Exegesis is founded upon two fundamentals.

First, it is believed that thoughts can be accurately conveyed in words that have shades of meaning.

Second, exegesis assumes that the Bible is so important that all painstaking effort to discover exactly what God said is important. The search is on for the literal, grammatical-historical understanding of a text.

In contrast to exegesis is another concept, which is not scholarly but subjective. The issue is not, "What has God said?" Rather, the issue for some people remains this: "What is God saying to me today in light of the morning news stories?"

Freedom is found to read into the Bible whatever the mood of the moment is. For those who were persecuted during the Reformation period, the Pope was the Anti-Christ. For those were afraid during the 19th century, Napoleon was the Anti-Christ to come. For those afraid during the 20th century, Germany's Kaiser was the Anti-Christ to come during WW I. Then came WW II and people, like Martin R. DeHaan thought that Mussolini was the Anti-Christ. Others decided it was Adolph Hitler. During the 1970's, more than one American Protestant prophet said Henry Kissinger was the Anti-Christ. What all of these people have in common is the guilt of reading into the Scriptures instead of reading out of the Bible what God has said.

I do not have much hope that this will ever stop. The Bible tells us that God's people will always have itching ears. God's people will always be gullible. God's people will always be lead astray to a certain extent by those who are bold enough to find keys to unlock ancient mysteries. All some of us can do is to be faithful and tell the truth. America by way of interpretation is not in the Bible and it is prideful to think that we merit mentioning. The exciting thing to believe and realize is that the Kingdom of the Messiah has been established according to promise and of that kingdom there will be no end. Let the church be the church and let the people rejoice.

I first became intrigued with the story of the Great American Dust Bowl after the History Channel premiered its production of ‘Black Blizzards’. This special documented the harrowing account of the dust storms that ravaged America’s heartland in the 1930s by weather phenomenon known as ‘black blizzards’. These blizzards were far more menacing than any weather event man had before encountered. Hurricanes were limited to coastal regions lasting only a few hours; tornadoes were sporadic but could be eluded by going underground; the effects of snow could be abated with shelter and fire, but no one or nothing could escape the wrath of black blizzards. Dust clouds boiled up, tens of thousands of feet in the sky and rolled along with inimitable ferocity sweeping across the nation, blotting out the sun along the way until the mountain of black earth at times stretched across to the Atlantic Ocean. Nothing was spared from the black blizzards.

Writing in his national bestselling book, The Worst Hard Time, Timothy Egan describes the dust storms.

"When the dust fell, it penetrated everything: hair, nose, throat, kitchen, bedroom, well. A scoop shovel was needed just to clean the house in the morning. The eeriest thing was the darkness. People tied themselves to rope before going to the barn just a few hundred feet away, like a walk in space, tethered to the life support center. Chickens roosted in midafternoon."

Egan further described the horrors:

"Cattle went blind and suffocated. When farmers cut them open, they found stomachs stuffed with fine sand. Horses ran madly against the storms. Children coughed and gagged, dying of something the doctors called ‘dust pneumonia’. In desperation, some families gave away their children. The instinct act of hugging a loved one or shaking someone’s hand could knock two people down, for the static electricity from the dusters was so strong…nothing compares to the black dusters of the 1930s…a time when the simplest thing in life – taking a breath – was a threat."

At its peak, the Dust Bowl covered more than one hundred million acres across parts of New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. American meteorologists rank the black blizzards of the 1930s the single greatest weather assault in the history of the land. And for those who survived it is truly a testimony to their unshakable resolve, and we would all do well to take a lesson from their lives.

For me, the stories of the farmers who survived the nation’s greatest environmental disaster bring the sobering reality of just how much the Lord has blessed me. I do not live in a world in which the air I breathe could precipitate my demise, nor am I forced to eat tumbleweed to subsist. I live in a nation that God has blessed endlessly, and just to help me remember this, I keep the above picture as my screensaver to remind me of all the Lord’s blessings--which I all too often take for granted. Each time I log onto my computer I am compelled to remember I serve a God who never ceases to bestow blessings. Whenever I feel like murmuring or complaining I just look at that picture of those who have actually known what it is to suffer and am reminded of the darkness of my own heart.

How many times have you returned home from work consumed, emotionally and physically fatigued, wanting to float away from the stresses of the day but were instead greeted by the bustling sounds of a mirthful household? You might feel the strong urge to escape reality for a while through solitude, the television or some other medium. Oftentimes, the last thing one wants to engage in is the daunting task of trudging through an intellectually challenging book. If you feel this way perhaps your perspective might change after reading Karl Rove’s article in the Wall Street Journal detailing President Bush’s voracious appetite for reading.

Surprised? You should be. Late night comics and the liberal media have tried for the past eight years (with some success) to caricaturize President Bush as an uneducated dolt. In reality, he is an avid reader that has a profound intellectual side to which those who know him best personally attest. I would submit to you that if the truth were told, President Bush’s reading record would stand head and shoulders above that of his naysayers'.

Imagine, the Leader of the Free World, the most powerful man in the world sets aside time to read the Bible each year from cover to cover among copious other writings to include biographies, histories and volumes on current events to name just a few. If the one man who has the pressures of a global war on terrorism, a world-wide financial crises and political unrest throughout the globe can find time to read, then I find it challenging to muster an argument against not reading through the Bible in a given year or finding time to read any other number of edifying books.

To find out what President Bush enjoys reading and how he finds the time, check out Karl Rove’s Wall Street Journal article Bush Is a Book Lover.

As for me, I think I'll go find a good book to read...I have some catching up to do.

"Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot."
Acts 8:29

From the city of Samaria God the Holy Spirit called Philip to go "toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert" (Acts 8:26). There was a divine appointment with a traveling Ethiopian who needed to be saved by understanding the gospel. Philip was God’s chosen vessel to guide the man on his spiritual journey into grace. Several wonderful principles are here established.

First, God has a geographical will for our lives. As God has an occupational will for our lives, what He wants us to do, and as God has a linguistic will for our lives, what He wants us to say, so God has a geographical will. The challenge for every Christian is to be sensitive to the divine leading of the Holy Spirit.

Second, God has the sovereign right to move His people. Perhaps there were other gifted Christians in the Gaza vicinity but God wanted Philip from Samaria to go even though it involved temporary dislocation for him and perhaps extra time and expenses. Suddenly, the issue for Philip was not money. The issue was not time. The issue was not distance. The issue was gospel obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Philip knew that God had the sovereign right to direct him and relocate him for a temporary purpose and He bowed before that sovereign will.

Third, God the Holy Spirit leads individuals whose hearts are tender to His direction. The leading of the Spirit is not simply a theological construct nor a subjective impression but a definite experience and a plain teaching of Scripture.

Fourth, many spiritual experiences of the New Testament saints are repeated throughout the centuries in the lives of other Christians. Recently, a Christian lady wrote the following to me:

Dear Stan,

I have just started my quest to take a trip to India. I have no idea how to go about it, but for the last twenty or more years I have had a desire to go to India. I love the India people. Every time I see someone from there my heart jumps over. I had a friend who use to go over there every so often (she had airline passes through her daughters), to minister to a small school group. I know there are many ministry opportunities, but I am hesitant to go with or to something I am not aware of and what they stand for – i.e. the true Christ Only Gospel. I don't know how much it would cost to go but I am starting to gather money to make the trip. I think it is about time to obey the Lord (20 years!!!!!). (Emphasis hers).

The desire of this lady to go on a short term mission trip is not unique. All over the country men and women and young people are willing to sacrifice time, money and energy to be obedient to the heavenly nudge. What such individuals need is not opposition from family, friends, pastors, elders, deacons or other church leaders but co-operation. Competition for the right to direct the lives of individuals and the spiritual life of the local assembly must end. Co-operation in short term missions must begin.