Cross of Christ

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,
18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life.
21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

"The Holy Bible is the only true Revealed Word of God to Humanity There is no other"

BIBICLICAL SCRIPTURE REFERENCE CONDEMNING THE PRACTICE OF HOMOSEXUALITY:

(Romans 1:16-32.) (Douay Rhemes Translation)
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel. For it is the power of God
unto salvation to every one that believeth: to the Jew first and to the Greek.

17 For the justice of God is revealed therein, from faith unto faith, as it is written: The just man liveth by faith.

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and injustice of those men that detain the truth of God in injustice:

19 Because that which is known of God is manifest in them. For God hath manifested it unto them.

20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made. His eternal power also and divinity: so that they are inexcusable.

21 Because that, when they knew God, they have not glorified him as God or given thanks: but became vain in their thoughts. And their foolish heart was darkened.

22 For, professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.

23 And they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the likeness of the image of a corruptible man and of birds, and of fourfooted beasts and of creeping things.

24 Wherefore, God gave them up to the desires of their heart, unto uncleanness: to dishonour their own bodies among themselves.

25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

26 For this cause, God delivered them up to shameful affections. For their women have changed the natural use into that use which is against nature.

27 And, in like manner, the men also, leaving the natural use of the women, have burned in their lusts, one towards another: men with men, working that which is filthy and receiving in themselves the recompense which was due to their error.

28 And as they liked not to have God in their knowledge, God delivered them up to a reprobate sense, to do those things which are not convenient.

29 Being filled with all iniquity, malice, fornication, avarice, wickedness: full of envy, murder, contention, deceit, malignity: whisperers,

30 Detractors, hateful to God, contumelious, proud, haughty, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

31 Foolish, dissolute: without affection, without fidelity, without mercy.

32 Who, having known the justice of God, did not understand that they who do such things, are worthy of death: and not only they that do them, but they also that consent to them that do them.

(Leviticus 18:22-24) (BBE.)
22 You may not have sex relations with men, as you do with women: it is a disgusting thing.

23 And you may not have sex relations with a beast, making yourself unclean with it; and a woman may not give herself to a beast: it is an unnatural act.

24 Do not make yourself unclean in any of these ways; for so have those nations whom I am driving out from before you made themselves unclean:

Leviticus 18:22-24) Douay Rhemes Translation)
22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind: because it is an abomination.

23 Thou shalt not copulate with any beast: neither shalt thou be defiled with it. A woman shall not lie down to a beast, nor copulate with it: because it is a heinous crime.

24 Defile not yourselves with any of these things with which all the nations have been defiled, which I will cast out before you,

THE LORD LIVES! PRAISE BE TO MY ROCK! EXALTED BE GOD MY SAVIOR! ( PSALM 18:46 *NIV ) Dear Michael, Today and everyday we should praise our Heavenly Father; FOR GREAT IS THE LORD AND MOST WORTHY OF PRAISE; HE IS TO BE FEARED ABOVE ALL gods. ( 1 CHRONICLES 16:25 ) After all, it is written; THE RIGHTEOUS CRY OUT, AND THE LORD HEARS THEM; HE DELIVERS THEM FROM ALL THEIR TROUBLES. Also; THE LORD IS CLOSE TO THE BROKENHEARTED AND SAVES THOSE WHO ARE CRUSHED IN SPIRIT. ( PSALM 34:17-18 ) Further, BECAUSE OF YOUR FATHER'S GOD, WHO HELPS YOU, BECAUSE OF THE ALMIGHTY, WHO BLESSES YOU WITH BLESSINGS OF THE HEAVENS ABOVE. ( GENESIS 49:25 ) ) Therefore; PRAISE BE TO THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHO HAS BLESSED US IN THE HEAVENLY REALMS WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING IN CHRIST. ( EPHESIANS 1:3-4 ) So why not attend Church and; PRAISE GOD IN HIS SANCTUARY; PRAISE HIM IN HIS MIGHTY HEAVENS. PRAISE HIM FOR HIS ACTS OF POWER; PRAISE HIM FOR HIS SURPASSING GREATNESS ( PSALM 150:1-2 ) and let us GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD, FOR HE IS GOOD; HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER! Amen! ( 1 CHRONICLES 16:34 ) With My Love & Prayers, your servant Allen [ Prayer Requests---Contact Us---Bible Study---*Donations* ] [ Audio---Subscribe---Change of Address---Unsubscribe ] at: http://www.godsminute.org/ Apostle Paul Ministries, P O Box 55996, Hayward, CA 94545 This Daily Message was sent by request to: Michael Mckay at <mgmckay@nbnet.nb.ca>

The Day Christ Was Born We are not referring to December 25. That may or may not be when Christ wasborn. There are conflicting theories: 1) that December 25 was set by Christians to counter the Roman Saturnaliacelebration each December 17-23, which "led to widespread drinking anddebauchery, so that among Christians...'saturnalia' came to mean 'orgy'"; 2)that early Christians set the date of December 25 by assuming that Maryvisited Elizabeth immediately after her (Mary's) conception, and thencalculating the time of Elizabeth's conception as six months earlier (Lk1:23-25)-based on Jewish records and tradition concerning the schedule ofpriestly temple duties and Zacharias's "course of Abia" (Lk 1:5)[1]; and 3)that it replaced the feast of Saturnalia, as Will Durant claims,[2] which isprobably the most popular criticism of the date. Regardless of the day, Christ's virgin birth into this world as a babe wasan event of such stupendous proportions that Paul declared: "great is themystery..." (1 Tm 3:16)! The Creator of all (Jn 1:3) entered into Hiscreation as one of its creatures, knowing everything He would suffer at thehands of those rebels that He had brought into existence through Adam andEve. The hatred, misunderstanding, false accusations, abuse, rejection,mockery, and finally, the scourging and crucifixion that He would endurefrom those who owed their very existence to Him had long been foretold byHebrew prophets under His inspiration. His mother, Mary, was not "the spouse of the Holy Spirit," as RomanCatholicism says. She was the spouse of Joseph and not a polygamist. The"Lord of glory" (1 Cor 2:8) humbled Himself to live as a baby, child, man,and finally unto "the death of the cross" (Phil 2:5-8). As a child, he wassubject to his "parents." When Mary or Joseph asked the boy Jesus to do somemenial task, He didn't respond, "Who do you think you're ordering around?I'm God!" He quickly and humbly did their bidding. Joseph was not His father, yet the child Jesus lived such a normal life thateven Mary, who had at first pondered much in her heart (Lk 2:51), fell intothe habit when speaking to Jesus of referring to Joseph as "thy father" (Lk2:48). Joseph was certainly the head of the household, and the child Jesusobeyed him. The One who had made the universe out of nothing and who knew everyparticle-from the innermost depths of each atom to the outermost reaches ofthe cosmos-confined Himself to an obscure life in a small home and carpentershop in Nazareth. There, as Joseph's bright young apprentice, He "learned"to fashion wood with crude tools and became known as "the carpenter's son"(Mt 13:55). His workmanship and creativity must have been fantastic. We aretold nothing about those early days, except for His visit to the temple atthe age of twelve (Lk 2:41-52), when He astonished the rabbis and remindedMary and Joseph that His real Father had sent Him into this world for aspecial purpose. It was infinite love beyond our comprehension that caused our Lord to leavethe glory and power He had rightfully known for eternity as God the Son, tobecome a man in order to purchase a bride with His own blood. He came "toseek and to save that which was lost" (Lk 19:10). When He accepted thatmission from His Father ("my Father hath sent me"-Jn 3:17, 10:36, 20:21; Heb1:6), our Lord well knew that the incarnation would not be temporary buteternal. He forever became one of us but without sin. On David's throne in Jerusalem, as Israel's promised Messiah, He will "reignover the house of Jacob for ever" (Lk 1:33). He remains "the man ChristJesus" (1 Tm 2:5), the only mediator between God and man, "Jesus Christ thesame yesterday, and today, and for ever" (Heb 13:8). For all eternity Hewill bear the marks of Calvary, and heaven's throne will forever be "thethrone of God and of the Lamb" (Rv 22:1). How could anyone have known who He really was, since His glory was veiled inhuman flesh? Any true believer of that day, who was in touch with God, knewthe Word, and looked for the Messiah, would have known Him. Daniel 9 andNehemiah 2 plainly told everyone who was willing to read and understand thatit was the prophesied time for the Messiah to come. Anna the prophetess andSimeon, a devout Jew who looked for the Messiah, both recognized Himimmediately, even as a baby (Lk 2:25-38). Though there was some excuse for not knowing Him as a child, there was nodefense for not recognizing Him after He began His ministry. The miraclesalone that He did were sufficient to prove that He was the Messiah. And Hemust have been a very special person. Even the officers sent by thePharisees to arrest Him acknowledged, "Never man spake like this man" (Jn7:46)! Who could have failed to realize that here was "God...manifest in the flesh"(1 Tm 3:16)? Almost everyone! Very few recognized and admired theGod-likeness of Jesus of Nazareth. Instead, their innate sinfulness despisedHis purity. Of the vast majority, in fulfillment of prophecy (Ps 35:19,69:4, 119:161), Christ sadly declared, "They hated me without a cause" (Jn15:25). It seems incredible! John the Baptist recognized that Jesus was sinless: "I have need to bebaptized of thee, and comest thou to me?" (Mt 3:14). Yet later, even hedoubted (Lk 7:19), in spite of all of the proofs God had given him (Jn1:33,34). The Apostle John was one of the few who recognized Him: "We beheldhis glory...as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace andtruth....That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which wehave seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands havehandled, of the Word of life; for the life was manifested..." (Jn 1:14; 1 Jn1:1,2). Tragically, "though he had done so many miracles before them, yet theybelieved not on him" (Jn 12:37). The Pharisees knew that His miracles weregenuine, that He had raised Lazarus after four days in the grave; but theystill justified themselves in determining to kill Him and Lazarus topreserve their positions of leadership. No wonder God declared, "The heartis deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked" (Jer 17:9). The devils recognized Him during His ministry, even though they may not haveknown who He was as a babe: "I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God"(Mt 8:29; Mk 1:24). Jesus did not cast out demons in the name of the Fatherbut by His own authority, and they obeyed Him (Mt 8:28-32; Mk 1:25; Lk4:35). The universe, which He as the eternal Word had spoken into existence, knewand obeyed His voice. He calmed storms with a word (Mk 4:39). Yet even thenHis disciples did not know who He was. They were afraid and "said one toanother, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obeyhim" (4:41)? Jesus said, "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only trueGod, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (Jn 17:3). That does not meanthat any neighbor acquainted with Him as a child when He grew up in Nazarethhad eternal life. It means to know Him in spirit and in truth-the way thatwe must worship God (Jn 4:24). It is not enough to say the words with one'slips ("I love you, Lord...I worship you") but to know and love Him in one'sheart as He truly is. Even though Jesus is God, and Mary is the mother of Jesus, that does notmake her the "mother of God," as Catholicism teaches. Nor did she remain avirgin. The birth of her "firstborn son" (Mt 1:25) in Bethlehem was not thebirth of Christ as God but of His human body, soul, and spirit-"a body hastthou prepared me" (Heb 10:5). She was the honored mother of the man ChristJesus. But she was not the mother of the eternal Son of God, who createdthis universe, is one with the Father, and "was made flesh, and dwelt amongus" (Jn 1:14). Christ existed as God's Son long before the incarnation (Ps 2:12; Prv 30:4;Is 9:6; Dn 3:25, etc.). He had, from all eternity, ruled with the Father onHis throne as the Son of God: "Unto the son he saith, thy throne, O God, isfor ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom"(Heb 1:8). Mary had the unique honor of being the means by which the Son of God becameman-but she was not the mother of the eternal One who had created theuniverse. She wasn't the mother of the Son of God, "whose goings forth havebeen from...everlasting" (Mic 5:2). To call Mary "the mother of God," asofficial Catholic doctrine teaches, is the worst blasphemy possible. Paul makes a particular point of saying, "He was...seen of angels." Theywitnessed the unfolding of this mystery. We are not told the angels'thoughts or whether they had any advance notice of the incarnation, butChrist's birth into the world as a man must have been a mystery even to the"multitude of the heavenly host" that praised God at Christ's birth (Lk2:13). Could this really be the One they had worshiped as the eternal Word, theCreator of all-and here He was a helpless baby in Mary's arms nursing at herbreast?! Could that be possible? Yes, there was the command: "When hebringeth the firstbegotten into the world...let all the angels of Godworship him." (Heb 1:6). What a mysterious occurrence that day when Jesuswas born! Paul calls this most amazing and important event in the history of theuniverse not only a great mystery-but the mystery: "And without controversygreat is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justifiedin the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on inthe world, received up into glory" (1 Tm 3:16). The mystery of godliness wasunveiled in the incarnation of Jesus Christ! Invading this rebellious planet from heaven itself came the only perfectlygodly man who would ever live. All the rest of mankind are sinners.Eternally, those in heaven will be sinners-saved by grace. Yes, "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God"-except for oneman. It is a great mystery how anyone who is fully man, as Christ is, couldlive without ever sinning. Yet Scripture assures us: He "did no sin" (1 Pt2:22); "who knew no sin" (2 Cor 5:21); and "in him is no sin" (1 Jn 3:5). Indeed, it was not possible that Christ could sin. He faced everytemptation, but He never had to struggle to keep from yielding. Sin had noattraction for Him: "The prince of this world [i.e., Satan] cometh, and hathnothing in me" (Jn 14:30). There was nothing in the "Holy One of God" (Lk4:34) that was in the least attracted to sin. He left us "an example, that [we] should follow His steps" (1 Pt 2:21). Buthow can we follow the steps that lead to the Cross? If we are to be godly,the only godly One must live in us: "I travail in birth...until Christ beformed in you" (Gal 4:19). It must be "not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Gal2:20). But how can He indwell sinners? This is another part of the "mysteryof godliness." There was only one way mankind could be redeemed from the penalty of eternaldeath. For a Holy, righteous God to justly forgive sinners, the full penaltyfor sin must be paid (Rom 3:9-28). A sinless man, undeserving of death,would have to die for the rest of mankind: "For as by one man's disobediencemany were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be maderighteous" (Rom 5:19). Although the eternal Son of God, through the virgin birth, became fully man,He remained fully God. As sinless man, He could justly die for sinners. Andonly as infinite God could He pay the full penalty for the sins of allmankind. Even as a fetus in Mary's womb, He did not cease to be the One whosaid, "I am the Lord, I change not" (Mal 3:6). This is the most difficultpart of the mystery. We cannot understand it, but we believe it because Godsays it-and we realize there was no other way. As God and man in one person, Christ took the full weight of God's wrathupon sin for all mankind. "The wages of sin is death" (Rom 6:23). He tasted"death for every man" (Heb 2:9). That had to include "the second death,"which all who refuse to believe on Him who died for them will endure foreternity in the Lake of Fire (Rv 20:11-15). Calvinism, however, teaches that Christ died only for an elect whom God hadpredestined to heaven. It claims that God loves the entire world-but notwith the same kind of "redeeming love" for all: those who are predestined toeternal torment are loved with a lesser love, but loved nevertheless,because God blesses them in this life with sunshine and rain, etc. That iswhy we titled the book, What Love Is This? It is not love of any kind tofail to rescue any who could be rescued. Calvinism claims that God couldsave everyone if He so desired, but doesn't. That is not love. The parallel Old Testament passage to "All have sinned, and come short ofthe glory of God" (Rom 6:23) is "All we like sheep have gone astray, we haveturned every one to his own way..." (Is 53:6). Isaiah adds, "and the Lordhath laid on him the iniquity of us all." The iniquity of all who "have goneastray" [i.e., who have sinned] was laid on Christ at the Cross. Christ said that "as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even somust the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should notperish, but have eternal life" (Jn 3:14,15). Poisonous serpents were sent byGod as punishment for Israel's sin. Those bitten were dying. The serpent isa picture both of Satan and of sin that has bitten all mankind unto thedeath. God's remedy was: "Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole:and...[not an elect among those dying, but] every one that is bitten, whenhe looketh upon it, shall live. [It] came to pass, that if a serpent hadbitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived" (Nm21:5-9-emphasis added). Christ said that just as all who had been bitten could look in faith uponthe brazen serpent and live, so all who have sinned can look in faith to the"Lamb of God [on the Cross] tak[ing] away the sin of the world" (Jn 1:29),and receive eternal life as a free gift of God's grace. That is the goodnews of the gospel. We need to proclaim it everywhere. What a day it was when Christ was virgin-born in Bethlehem! And what a dayit is when He comes to live eternally in the hearts of those who believe onHim! This is the victory of godliness that every Christian should beexperiencing-yet many do not know all that is theirs in Christ. Let us livegodly lives and proclaim the good news to all. TBC ----------------------------------------------------------------------------Endnotes---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Richard Ostling, Associated Press,http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2004/12/23/special_reports/religion/21_50_1412_22_04.txt.2. Will Durant, The Story of Civilization (New York: Simon & Schuster,1950), VI 75, III 657. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------Quotable ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Temptation doesn't come from God but from within....It's not God...Satan,his demons, or the world's evil system that entice us to sin....it is ourlustful nature.... Our flesh, our fallen nature, has a desire forevil...even though we've been redeemed and have received a new nature, westill have an enemy within. The resident passion of the flesh, not God, isresponsible for our being tempted to sin. John MacArthur, Truth for Today, 323 It must be the settled purpose of your heart to will nothing, designnothing, do nothing, but so far as there is reason to believe that it is thewill of God. It is as great rebellion against God to think that your willmay ever rightly differ from His as it would be to boast in His universethat you have not received the power of willing from Him....To think thatyou are your own, or at your own disposal, is as absurd as to think that youcreated yourself. William Law, The Power of the Spirit, 20 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------Q&A---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Question: Solomon declared: "Wisdom crieth without....Turn you at myreproof:...Because...ye have set at nought all my counsel...I will mock whenyour fear cometh...and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind....Then shallthey call upon me, but I will not answer..." (Proverbs 1:20-30). How doeswisdom "cry aloud" in everyone's ears and finally mock those who won'tlisten? How can all mankind hear her voice and be held accountable for notheeding her counsel? Response: Wisdom must be the voice of God in every conscience (Rom 2:14,15).The frightening declaration that those who reject her will eventuallyagonize over their folly is a solemn warning of the eternal torment oftortured consciences in the Lake of Fire. Only after he was in hell did the rich man see clearly the horror andselfish folly of his sinful life of self-indulgence-but it was too late. Thewisdom that had insistently tried to reprove him in his conscience and thathe had despised all of his life was what he longed to heed in hell-but itwas too late. Wisdom, which he had spurned, taunted and mocked him, as itwill for eternity! So clear was his understanding in that place of tormentthat he wanted to warn others of the horrible fate they were bringing uponthemselves by their rejection of God and His laws written in everyconscience. Though he knew there was no remedy for himelf, he begged Abraham to sendLazarus to warn his brothers, "lest they also come into this place oftorment" (Lk 16:27,28). In harmony with wisdom's voice in Proverbs, Abrahamrejected the rich man's argument that his brothers would take heed ifLazarus returned from the grave: "If they hear not Moses and the prophets,neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead" (Lk 16:31). What an indictment of folly! What an exposé of the stubbornness of the humanheart! And what a stinging rebuke to those in the charismatic movement whoclaim they were taken to heaven and/or hell and commissioned by God to comeback to tell of their experience! And what a denunciation of their gullibleadmirers on TBN, from Paul and Jan Crouch on down, who honor theirunbiblical tales! question: Why does world opinion (UN, EU, Russia, media, etc.) generally goagainst Israel-, and why is it often so viciously backed by falseaccusations? Is this of any significance for today, or is it merely what Godforeordained?response: God did not foreordain anti-Semitism and the hatred of Israelrampant in the world-and He will severely punish those persons and nationsguilty of it. He foretold this hatred, but He does not cause it. As JohnMacArthur says above and as Jesus declared, evil comes from the human heart:"For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries,fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: these are the things whichdefile a man..." (Mt 15:19,20). Of course, Satan does all he can to stir up anti-Semitism and hatred ofIsrael. As we explain in Judgment Day (See resources), Satan's only hope toescape his final doom is to destroy Israel. He has made the destruction ofIsrael and the extermination of all Jews one of the foundations of Islam; hehas persuaded Europe and most of the rest of the world to believe the liesof the Arabs who claim to be descended from the original "Palestinians" (apeople who never existed); and he is persuading not just the D. JamesKennedys, Hank Hanegraaffs, and R.C. Sprouls but increasing numbers ofChristians that the church has replaced Israel. Why would Satan be immune from God's judgment if Israel were destroyed? Theanswer is simple. God has made hundreds of promises to preserve the Jews andto bring them back into their own land, where He will never allow Israel asa nation to be destroyed (Jer 31:31-40; Ezk 36:22-38, etc.). It is to Israelrestored in the last days that Christ will return to rescue His people atArmageddon and to reign over them and the world from the throne of David inJerusalem. Without Israel, there could be no Second Coming. God would have been proveda liar by His failure to fulfill His hundreds of promises to Israel andwould have lost the moral ground for judging and punishing Satan andremoving him and his man, Antichrist, from the earth. Satan would be firmlyin control of the world and its inhabitants for eternity. The Rapture wouldhave occurred, and the church would be safe in heaven. With no people of Israel for Christ to return to and rule over, with nothrone of David in Jerusalem upon which He could reign, the world would beunder Satan's control for eternity. No new heavens and new earth would bepossible.question: Why should Christians care about the Middle East in general, andspecifically about Israel? response: As stated above, this is the key issue upon which the future ofearth and heaven-indeed, the entire universe-depends. God has tied His nameand integrity to Israel. He is called the God of Israel 203 times and theGod of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob 12 times. Depending upon what happens inthe Middle East, God will either be vindicated or discredited. His name andintegrity will either be upheld in perfect purity and power, or He will bedisgraced as a liar who cannot make good upon His promises to His peopleIsrael. That's how important the regathering and ultimate blessing of Israelis! If the Muslims, UN, EU, et al., succeed in destroying Israel, the integrityof everything God has said throughout His Word would be placed in question.If "forever" and "everlasting" don't really mean forever in relation toIsrael ("all the land...to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever"-Gn13:15; "I will give unto thee and to thy seed after thee...all the land ofCanaan [not 'Palestine'-there was no such place] for an everlastingpossession"-17:8; "the covenant which he made withAbraham...Isaac...Jacob...Israel for an everlasting covenant, saying, Untothee will I give the land of Canaan..."-1 Chr 16:16-18, etc.), then how canwe be sure that the promise of "everlasting life" (Jn 3:16, etc.) meansforever? If Satan were stronger than God and able to make God a liar by preventingHis promises to Israel from being fulfilled, then how could we ever besecure, even in heaven itself, from Satan's schemes and power?Such is the importance of Israel and what happens in the Middle East. Thereis a real battle going on between God and Satan for the eternal destiny ofplanet Earth and of all mankind. Wake up, pray for God to tear down theIslamic curtain (more vicious and impenetrable than the Iron Curtain everwas) so that Muslims can hear and receive the gospel without fear of beingkilled for their faith. Firmly oppose Islam and replacement theology, prayfor the salvation of Jews and Muslims alike, and do all you can to bring thegospel to them and to the whole world. Question: A friend belongs to the United Pentecostal Church and believes in"Jesus only," rejecting the Trinity. Jesus says that blasphemy against theHoly Spirit will never be forgiven. These people don't believe in the HolySpirit at all. Isn't that blasphemy? Could United Pentecostals beChristians? How could they even believe in the true God? Response: We have just revised our tract on the Trinity, so I suggest youget some copies of that (See Resource Pages). In that tract, I think youwill find all the information you need about the Trinity to prove that theGod of the Bible is a triune Being of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-threepersons but One God. This is taught in Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. Could someone be saved who believes that baptism should be in the "name ofJesus only," that Jesus alone is God, and that "Father" and "Holy Spirit,"refer to modes of manifestation, or to offices, not to persons? That is agood question. Let us see what the Bible says. Obviously, to lead someone to Christ, one need not first explain theTrinity. The gospel as defined by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 declares that"Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he wasburied, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures..." (1 Cor 15:3,4). There is no mention of the Trinity or even that Christ isGod. Yet Christ declared, "If ye believe not that I am [i.e., "that I am theI AM, Yahweh"-"he" is in italics, meaning that it was supplied by thetranslators], ye shall die in your sins" (Jn 8:24). Obviously, then,although we are only told of one brief statement by Paul and Silas to thePhilippian jailor, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt besaved" (Acts 16:31), they surely had already explained who Jesus Christ is,or "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ" would have been meaningless. Of course, United Pentecostals believe that Jesus is Yahweh, so they wouldseem to believe John 8:24. Yet John tells us, "Whosoever transgresseth, andabideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in thedoctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son" (2 Jn 9). To abidein the doctrine of Christ, one must have both the Father and the Son-surelynot as modes or offices but as distinct persons. John begins this epistle extending "mercy, and peace, from God the Father,and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love"(v. 3). It is quite apparent that both the Father and Son are individualpersons of the Godhead and that both are involved in our salvation. In the Garden, Christ prayed, "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cuppass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt" (Mt 26:39). Tosuggest that Christ is praying to an "office" or to Himself reduces theBible to nonsense. The doctrine of Christ includes His relationship to HisFather. I don't see how those who deny that the Father is a real person within theTrinity can be saved because, according to John, if they don't abide in thedoctrine of Christ, they don't have God. This is not some obscure error tobe overlooked. It is of vital importance to deliver these people from thisgrievous heresy. Question: Was Israel's response to Hizballah "disproportionate," as thecritics say? Response: This issue already seems to be ancient history, which shows howfast time passes and how quickly one forgets. Let me ask you a question:"What should the United States do if Canadians or Mexicans were shootingrockets across the border at us and our citizens were being killed? Whatkind of response should be made in such circumstances. Our leaders mustrespond in kind in the manner most calculated to stop the attacks and deathsof innocent people. This is what Israel did. Israel responded with great restraint under very difficult conditions.Hizballah [which means "the army of Allah"] hid the terrorist attackerswithin groups of civilians, even launching their rockets from civilianapartments. Israel has the weapons to make short work of their surroundingenemies (God said He would make them like fire to devour their enemies roundabout, and that promise has been fulfilled-Zec 12:6). Instead, to saveLebanese lives and at the increased cost of their own lives, Israeli troopswent in on the ground to fight the terrorists hidden among civilians. Who does the world condemn? Israel, of course. All the problems in theMiddle East are blamed on Israel-supposedly caused by her very existence.That hatred is sponsored by Satan. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------News Alert ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The People, UK, 11/12/06 [Excerpts]: Under an astonishing loophole inBritish law, Muslims who settle here with up to four wives are entitled to araft of benefits. If the wives married in a country where polygamy is legal, they can all hitthe UK taxpayer for jobseeker's allowance, housing benefit and council taxrelief. And if these harems have children they can also claim child benefitand family tax credits. The exhausted husband also gets a jobseeker'sallowance of £90.10 a week for himself and his first wife. Extra wives get£32.65 each. Work and Pensions Secretary John Hutton was unaware of the bizarre systemuntil The People began investigating. There are believed to be hundreds ofharems in Britain. Polygamy is common across the Middle East and Africa.Welfare minister Philip Hunt admitted: "British law recognises thosemarriages. Income-related benefits can be paid for more than one wife."* * *ChristianityToday.com, Nov 2006: Into the Silent Land:A Guide to theChristian Practice of Contemplation, [Excerpts]-The bright evangelicalmind-always so active and in pursuit-must leap great hurdles of spiritualand intellectual activity to shut itself down and be still. TheologianMartin Laird offers a roadmap to this practice of silence and God-awarenesswith warmth and reason.Like many trained in Christian contemplative practice, Laird is a RomanCatholic, of the Order of St. Augustine-those charged by Pope John Paul IIto be "teachers of the interior life." Laird, an associate professor intheology and religious studies at Villanova University, obeys the charge with grace and clearinstruction.In his compact primer, he charts the path leading to silent surrender and"watchfulness" before God. As such, the book's great contribution might beits reminder that in our noisy, chaotic, thinking world, God is not somebodywe need to flag down or acquire: "God is the ground of our being." Laird's book defines how to sink back into God's ground-physically withbreathing, mentally with "prayer words," and spiritually with interiorsurrender. Through anecdote, Scripture, and classic wisdom, Lairdilluminates a Christian path into the silent land. An able guide, he makesthe trip more than worth the journey. [TBC: More aptly named Apostate Christianity Today, this once-evangelicalmagazine continues to promote Roman Catholicism, as well as a myriad ofother heresies (and heretics!) that are leading Christians away from theScriptures.] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------Itinerary ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dec 29-31 Calvary Chapel Ft. Worth (Dave)Ft. Worth TX (817) 838-8381 Jan 16 Berean Calvary Chapel (Dave)Kirkville NY (315) 656-7021 Jan 18-21 Calvary Chapel Finger Lakes (Dave)Farmington NY(585) 398-3550 Feb 23, 24 Bible Skeptics Conference (Dave)Whitby ON(905) 922-2589 Mar 9-11 Westside Bible Church (Dave)Meridian ID(208) 938-9424 April 13-14 S. Manitoba Prophecy Conf. (Dave)Winkler MB(204) 325-6714 April 20-21 Discern. the Times Bible Conf (T.A.)Saskatoon SK(306) 717-0374 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------Letters ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mr McMahon,Why are you two so reluctant to call a spade a spade when it comes to RickWarren? His misuse of the Word proves he and his movement are leading manyaway from the truth. RW (CA) Dear TBC,A friend briefly looked over my May issue of TBC....Your publication is whatshe has been looking for: the meat of the Word, end-time apostasy, etc.Praise the Lord for your ministry. SS (OR) Dear Brothers and Sisters at B.C.,Thank you so much for your work! A good friend...gave me Dave Hunt's bookJudgment Day! I was astonished to read of things I would never have knownif it were not for the faith of a man in God's power and protection. Blessyou, Dave, and praise to our Great God for all...who are not intimidated bythe satanic madness [Islam], which attempts to tower over reason and trueChristianity. JG (NH) TBC,Thank you! I went through the Purpose-Driven Life program in a SpanishEvangelical church....I was so caught up in this that I ignored so manysigns that clearly showed that this book is contrary to the true Word ofGod....I even gave this book to an editor of a prominent Spanish newspaper,who is not a Christian. I have to make amends to this and make sure that he finds out the truth. How confused he will be!.......I intend to alert Spanish churches in my area about what is evidently not of God. Many brothers and sisters...must be warned. (email) Dear Berean Call,I started listening to your radio program [Search the Scriptures Daily] in April 2005. I fell in love with Dave and Tom's commentary and edification and instruction every Monday night. It was the highlight of my week to be informed on the latest apostasy in the church. TH (prisoner, VA)[TBC: Warnings about apostasy are only part of the program.] Dear Mr. Hunt,This is not a question, this is a "thanks" from the bottom of this Christian heart. I am glad you are there crying out in these apostate days. The truth is precious, and fewer and fewer there are that preach it or write about it. Even these new version bibles are subtly stealing away the precious Words of God. God bless you, your family, and your staff. LD (email) Hello,I just wanted to write you in response to your radio program in "Contending for the Faith," titled, "Are you confused by our website?"...After I listened to what you said, I checked out the website bereancall.com [note: TBC's website is thebereancall.org-see TBC Notes, Oct '06]. I found the same deceit and false doctrines that you had pointed out on your program. There is a message forum on the bereancall.com website, so I left a correctional comment....I asked why he would malign Dave Hunt by replacing "Hunt" with a different last name. When I typed in "Hunt" on the forum, it was edited to appear as "Golly." I wrote that if he is truly part of the body of Christ, he should repent of his ways. I wrote this in love and sincerity. However, when I checked on the bereancall.com website, my comments were deleted. I pray that [this person] will receive the Truth with an open heart and will be convicted by the Holy Spirit. (email) Greetings,Your article on Theophostic [counseling-Sep '06 TBC Extra page, by Jan Fletcher ] was well done and timely. Your article on Psychology in the October '06 newsletter is an incredible and accurate summation....I will share both with others, especially [those] in "Christian counseling." I have a BS in psychology (totally useless) and have considerable experience in counseling....Several years ago I was led through a couple of Theophostic sessions. You were too kind. I didn't know I could invoke Jesus to show up at will-just like a demon! Incidentally, four years later, the "therapist" is backslidden, ill, "not well." Surprised? (Anonymous by request) Dear Sirs,Actually, I'm writing to let you know I learned something from Rick Warren's book Purpose-Driven Life....I had read through the NKJB each year for 10 or 12 years. Mr. Warren's use of so many different Bibles in his scripture references left me baffled. My solution was to look [them] up in my Bible. I would read a few verses before and after his references. I soon learned that, while his references made sense, they were out of context with what I thought the Bible was saying. It's like people are putting a phrase in the computer's concordance and using the version that says what they want said. The important thing I've learned from looking up all these scriptures is how much I've missed just reading straight through the Bible-Thank you, Rick Warren! And that gives me even more appreciation of your program [Search the Scriptures Daily], which gives meaning to our Lord's Word. DW (WA) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------TBC Notes ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Here, or in the air! We thank the Lord for His blessing mightily our first TBC conference here in Bend, Oregon. We had to limit the size, since the new convention center we had originally booked was not ready for occupancy. Nevertheless, the 450-plus attendees didn't mind being squeezed into an alternate facility. Not only were there no complaints, but hotel staffers told us they couldn't remember serving a nicer group of people. Great witness! Also, great conference, according to the deluge of thank you letters and phone calls we've received. Many are hoping to return to Bend next year for our second conference, should the Lord tarry in His coming for His church. At present, the date decided upon for next year's conference is Friday through Sunday, August 10-12, and the theme will be "Israel and Prophecy." We will keep you posted regarding further details. T.A. McMahonExecutive Director ----------------------------------------------------------------------------TBC Extra ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I Know..."I know your...tribulation, and poverty. - Revelation 2:9 Seven times in His letters to the churches of Asia, the Lord Jesus says, "I know" and usually those words are used in a favorable sense. "I know your works...your labor...your patience...your tribulation...your poverty...and charity...and faith." In those words "I know" there is tremendous comfort and sympathy and encouragement for God's people. Lehman Strauss points out that when Jesus said "I know," He did not use the word ginoske, which frequently means to know in the sense of realizing through progress in knowledge. He used the word oida, which suggests fullness of knowledge, to know perfectly, not merely from observation, but from experience. Though suffering saints are unknown and hated by the world, they are known to the Lord and loved by Him. Christ knows the persecution and poverty of His own; He knows how the world looks upon them. Many a tired, tried, and troubled saint has been strengthened and encouraged by those two monosyllables, "I know." Those two words uttered by our Savior touch our troubles with the smile of God, and make this world's suffering "not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18). They are words of sympathy. Our Great High Priest knows what we are going through because He has been through it Himself. He is the Man of Sorrows and is acquainted with grief. He has suffered, being tempted. They are words of sharing. As the Head of the body, He shares the trials and persecutions of the members. "In every pang that rends the heart, the Man of Sorrows has a part." He not only knows intellectually what we are going through; He knows it as a matter of present experience. He feels it. They are words of promised help. As our Paraclete, He comes alongside to bear our burdens and wipe away our falling tears. He is there to bind up our wounds and to drive back our foes. Finally, they are words of assured rewards. He knows everything we do and suffer because of our identification with Him. He keeps a careful record of every act of love, obedience and patience. One day soon He will richly repay. If you are passing through a valley of sorrow or suffering just now, hear the Savior saying to you, "I know." You are not alone. He is with you in the valley, will bring you safely through, and will lead you safely to your destination. From One Day at a Time, by William MacDonald, Gospel Folio Press, 1998, p. 337 --------------------------------------------------Please visit our online shopping area at http://www.tbcorders.org/ to browse our complete catalog of products.----------------------------------------------------------------------------The Berean Call is a nonprofit 501 [c] [3], tax-exempt corporation registered in the State of Oregon. It is overseen by an independent board which has full and final authority over all corporate assets, personnel, and affairs. 12/06) -----------------------------------------------------------EMAIL COMMANDS: To subscribe, send an email to: updates-subscribe@lists.thebereancall.orgTo cancel your subscription, send an emailto:updates-unsubscribe@lists.thebereancall.org