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Before reading, just know that is a long text, and may seem like something ridiculous and not needing to bother with to most of y'all, but this means a lot to me, and I keep hoping to find answers, but can't find any, so that's why I'm here... Hey, Everyone! I am fairly new to this Forum and excited to be a part of it! I was born into the faith, and have been a Christian my entire life (I'm 17 years old, lol). It wasn't until around I was about 12 or 13, though, that I began to become more interested in Christianity and the Bible, and at the age of 15, I discovered Apologetics, which helped me retain my faith that I was struggling with at the time. Thanks to that, I now have learned much more about Christianity than I ever thought I would, and I am so happy to know that Christ is Lord and that I am a Follower of Him! So y'all are probably wondering "what does any of this have to do with Tupac Shakur, as named in the title?" Well, that's where the questions come in. For any who don't know, Tupac Amaru Shakur (1971-1996) was a rapper who went by the stage names MC New York, 2Pac, and Makaveli. He was born in New York, and then moved to Maryland where he attended the Baltimore Academy of Arts (I believe that's what it is called), but then moved to California at the age of 17, where he was introduced to the drug and ghetto culture, where dealing, gang violence, sex, and robberies were frequent and even promoted. He was brought up as a thug, due to this, and incorporated this message in many of his songs. Unlike many rappers today though, when Tupac rapped about drugs and crime, he didn't do it in an attempt to glorify them, he did it to show the consequences of dabbling with them and tried to show those that didn't live that lifestyle, what it's like to live it. Tupac even made songs that, to me, were very powerful. His songs such as: Changes, Dear Mama, Brenda's Got A Baby, Until the End of Time, etc. are enough to make one tear up (I did with Brenda's Got A Baby). Me, being born into the ghetto and being raised in a household of domestic violence, I began to feel extremely attached to his music and his message. I began to binge several of his interviews, videos, albums, films, etc. It got to the point to where he felt like a friend of mine, or even, family. Then, I saw an interview where he was asked his religious views, and this is where it gets downhill. His songs and poems show that he was an extremely strong believer in God, but when he is asked about what he follows, he responds, stating that he believes that if you are good in your heart and do good things, then you are closer to God. But if you're evil in your heart and do bad things, then you're closer to the Devil. But he then went on to say that the Bible, he believes, was made by a person who wanted to find a way to control people. He says that the Bible says that certain people (prophets, patriarchs, etc) are good because they suffered a lot. He then went on to say that he got shot 5 times, and that he was 'crucified' by the media, and he 'walked through with the thorns on', and he told the thief (probably someone in the jail he was in) that 'this ain't supposed to happen, I'll come back for you.' Then he clarified by saying that he ain't saying he's Jesus, but that people go through that type of 'stuff' everyday. He then went on to attack a lot of what he sees as selfishness by megachurches and gigantic cathedrals who won't help homeless people who need God (although I don't have an issue with that point). During this interview, he was quick to make sure that he wasn't trying to disrespect anyone's beliefs, and that these things he's saying are simply his opinions only. This broke my heart. I thought Tupac, someone who I see as an inspiration, was a full on believer! I began to overspeculate, and came to several conclusions, one of which was that Tupac wasn't being entirely truthful in the interview, as he does have different tones with different interviewers, and that he truly did believe in the Bible, but then I felt like I was lying to myself. There several factors that contribute to my continued belief that Tupac was a Christian. Such as: - He had a giant tattoo of a cross on his back - He had a tattoo of a cross, along with Jesus' face, with the words "Only God Can Judge Me" on his arm - His most frequently worn necklace was a necklace of a cross - He was extremely close to his mother, who was a very devout Christian, who even claimed that the group she was in (Black Panther Party) failed because they didn't involve God - In many of his songs, he implements Christian tones: "Hail Mary", "Only God Can Judge Me", "Black Jesuz", "Ghetto Gospel", "I Wonder If Heaven Got A Ghetto" - Many of his lyrics point to a Christian belief: "Father please forgive me for my life of sin, my hard stare seems to scare my sister's kids.." (Until the End of Time) "Get on yo knees to pray, Oh Lord, Help me change my ways, and show a lil mercy on judgment day, it ain't me I was raised this way.." (Hell 4 a Hustla) "Is there a ghetto in heaven or do I go to hell?" (Gotta Survive) "Picture a world where black babies can survive past five, but we must keep hope, quotin the reverend from the pulpit.." (Everything You Own) "Question for the Lord, why don't He like me, please guard my soul" (High Speed) "Just another lost soul stuck callin Jehovah.. Father how the heck did I survive these five shots?" (All Out) "and I wonder if the Lord ever heard of me.." ([Song Title Contains Profanity]) "and I pray to black Jesus to please take the rest of me.." (As The World Turns) "Before I go to sleep I pray and thank the Lord for another fruitful day.." ([Song Title Contains Profanity]) "Dear God I been feeling like I'm close to Jesus.." (Catchin Feelings) "And God said He should send His one begotten son to lead the wild into the ways of the man Follow me; eat my flesh, flesh and my flesh" & "Catch me father please, cause I'm fallin," (Hail Mary) "Cry later but for now let's enjoy the laughter God bless the dead" (God Bless the Dead) "Dear Lord..How can I survive? Got me askin white Jesus will a brotha live or die, cause the Lord can't see us in the deep dark clouds of the projects, ain't no sunshine No sunny days and we only play sometimes" (Still I Rise) "Keep yo' head up and try to keep the faith And pray for better days" (Better Dayz) "Searchin for Black Jesus It's hard, it's hard We need help out here So we searchins for Black Jesus It's like a Saint, that we pray to in the ghetto, to get us through" (Black Jesuz) "Who do you believe in? I put my faith in God Blessed and still breathing And even though it's hard That's who I believe in Before I'm leaving I'm asking the grieving Who do you believe in?" (Who Do You Believe In) These things often comfort me. In regards to Christianity, the closest he ever came to "insulting" it, is saying that the Bible wasn't "written by God". He harshly criticized pastors, priests, and especially televangelists, but he never once, not once, ever spoke bad about Jesus Christ. And even though he didn't hold the Bible in the same regard as we do here, he never insulted any prophet or person in the Bible that is shown as good. What's strange though, is that, in an interview after this, Tupac, while acting in a movie called "Gang Related", states that his faith is in "Black Jesus" and that he has "been gifted by God, by Black Jesus". Here, Tupac refers to Jesus as God, (the reason he uses the term "Black Jesus", is because he wants to make it clear that he doesn't have the same thought pattern as WASP Christians) (also, note that this interview isn't part of the movie, lol). In an interview with MTV (I believe this was his last interview before he was eventually shot and killed), he compares Judas' Betrayal to his competition in the music industry. I don't remember what he said exactly, but it's easy to find online, and it's very short. After he was shot, he didn't die on the spot, but instead, fell into a coma and was rushed to the hospital, where he was alive for about 3-6 days until he eventually died from his wounds. During this time, he was visited by his mother, Afeni Shakur, and his aunt, Gloria Cox, both of whom were devout Christians, and they had with them, in Tupac's hospital room, an Evangelist, who was Tupac's aunt Gloria's cousin, who visited Tupac all the time and prayed over him, and also put oil over him and put a healing cloth on him, while he was still shot up and unconscious, but still alive. He eventually passed away, with the last ones seeing him pass on, being his mother and aunt. Now some of y'all may have a question of your own when reading this: "Why do you care so much?". Well, because I feel extremely close to Tupac, and he touched on so many things that meant a lot to me, and what he said are things that I very much relate to. He feels kind of like a best friend, or even a brother sometimes. I don't let this cloud my judgement, though, as there are aspects of him that I don't agree with. I don't want to follow the life he lived, and I believe that Biggie handled their feud in a much more mature manner and tried to calm people on both sides down, whereas Tupac, due to growing up in the ghetto and already being shot 5 times, became extremely paranoid and reacted somewhat militantly (though, only verbally, not physically). But as Tupac said, he didn't want to be seen as a role model, but instead, show the world what he alone was like. With all this being said, there are some questions I have regarding this. 1) Tupac promoted songs and messages of righteousness, with some gangsta-type themes, only so he could connect and reach out to the people who lived in ghetto hood areas. First and foremost, 2Pac believed in helping the poor, and fought for those who couldn't, but often times his anger did get the best of him, and he would act out on it, but then regret it later on. ~ Does this make him more of a no good thug rather than someone who can be seen as good? 2) Despite him not believing the divine context of the Bible (at least not at the time of the interview), do you think he could still be considered a Christian? He held a very strong and firm belief in God, and believed in the teachings of Christ as well. His Gang Related interview shows him calling Black Jesus, God. Maybe he could've been what is called an "Agnostic Christian"? What is the minimum requirement to being called a "Christian"? 3) Would you say that Tupac made it into Heaven? Or that it seems like He could've? He did exactly what Jesus taught people to do in His Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, but he didn't seem to believe in Biblical authority, but he did refer to Jesus as God. This means he took Him as his "Lord", but I'm not sure if he then also took him as his "Savior". His body art and songs seem to show a promotion of Christian belief, though. I remember reading about King Solomon who was once righteous in the Eyes of God, but then turned to idolatry and had several women as his wives and concubines. I don't think Solomon would've landed in Hell though, so I don't think that what Tupac did, would've landed him in Hell (but I'm not the one to make that judgement). Sorry for seeming somewhat dramatic, and over thinking the faith and actions of one man, but the reason I do this, is because I love Tupac and I genuinely care about his condition and his faith. If there's anyone here, especially a fan of 2Pac who may also know about his life, who can give an answer, then as Tupac said in Dear Mama, "you are appreciated". I kindly ask for as many answers that can be received as possible. Thank you, and God Bless!

If a person becomes a Christian because of a tragedy (like seeing someone drown e.g) did God sacrifice a person for that purpose, and is that a bad thing ?

Shalom All, Here's an article that might help someone. Either athesists wondering why bother to even read the Bible, or believers wanting a handy page to refer when in need! Topics covered include: Most controversial book in history Miraclous design Survivability www.faithandtheword.com/bother/withbible May it encourage at least one precious soul decide to pick up a Bible, by His Grace. Love & Shalom

The Universe is Revelation from God There is a post here which discusses the Bible as the revelation of God. The Bible has very specific information about God Himself, and about that nature of man, and the problems created by the differences between the will of mankind (as individuals) and the will of God. Much of the Bible though, is limited as a revelation, because mankind has a limited ability to understand the Bible. Some things are spiritually understood, and are understood only by those who have God’s Spirit. In this sense then, the Bible is a revelation intended for the people of God. The universe is different. Though it lacks a lot of the specificity that the Bible has, it has a kind of revelation that is understood (or can be) understood by those with the ability to think, and the powers of observation. This topic, explores some of that. Rom 1:19-21 God reveals Himself through His creation, there is no excuse to reject God Acts 17:28 Paul acknowledged Greek poets and philosophers, knew there was a Creator Acts 14:17 God testified about Himself, as a provider to mankind Rom 2:4 God's kindness toward us, should lead us to repentance Rom 2:14-15 Our conscience, tells us there is right and wrong, we understand that Rom 1:32 People know not to sin, yet even encourage others to sin also This revelation is available to all, so we call this general revelation Rom 1:18-3:19 God's wrath and judgement await unrepentant sinners What scripture reveals beyond this general revelation, and this is very important, is that man is a sinner, sin separated man from God, and this separation is permanent unless God intervenes and provides a way of salvation from our sin and the effects of it. This we call special or specific revelation.

This will have a similar page on a website (it is buggy right now), because I can do more features there than on the limitations here, but for here, here is the topic - and supporting verse addresses: The Bible is God's revelation to mankind Mat 4:4, 7, 10, 5:19-20, 19:4-6, 26:31, 52-54, Luk 4:16-21, 16:17, 18:31-33, 22:37, 24:25-27, 45-47, Jn 10:35 Even Jesus must obey and fulfill Mat 5:17-18, 26:24, Jn 5:46 Inspired by God and for our instruction Psa 33:6, Gen 1:2, II Tim 3:15-17, Rom 15:4, I Cor 10:11, II Pet 1:21, I Pet 1:10-12, Heb 1:5-13, 3:7, 4:3, 10:5-7, 15-17, Acts 4:25, 28:25-27 Apostolic writing is also scripture, the word of God II Cor 2:12-13, II Pet 3:15-16, I Tim 5:18, Luke 10:7 Word of God is instruction from God on how to live Ex 32:15-16, 34:1, 27-28, Num 33:2, Deut 31:9. Everyone from rulers to common folk are to be obedient to the Bible. Josh 1:7-8, II Ki 17:13, 22:8-13, I Chr 22:12-13, Neh 8, Ps 119

Someone who read this list elsewhere, suggested that I post this in my blog, so here it is: Things some people say (which the Bible DOES NOT) about the End Times Notice, that this list, does not establish any end times theory, it tries to prove nothing. It does not even attack a theory, or attempt to refute one. What it does attempt to do, is to get people to ask themselves, why they believe certain things, that the Bible never says. So basically, in between the lines I am asking: If we believe certain things that are not stated in the scripture, and claim that we believe them because that is what scripture teaches, aren't we in principle adding to the words of scripture? Furthermore, if we teach these things as though they are true, does that make us false teachers? So, what things do I claim the Bible does not teach? Following is a short list: 1. It does not say there will be a Rapture of the Church, which occurs before the Great Tribulation. 2. It does not refer to a 7 year period as the Great Tribulation. (See Matt 24:21 & Rev 7:14) 3. It does not say that the Holy Spirit is missing from the Earth at any time during the Great Tribulation. 4. It does not refer to the Great Tribulation, as the wrath of God. 5. It does not say that Jesus will return secretly or invisibly to take His Church. 6. It does not say that no man will ever know the time (the day or hour) of His coming. 7. It does not say that Jesus can return at any moment. 8. It does not say that Jesus will return like a thief in the night for His church. 9. It does not say that believers will not be in the great tribulation, or skip suffering and persecution, or even death. 10. The Bible does not say the Rapture is the Blessed Hope. (Titus 2:13) 11. The Bible does not say that Jesus will return as a thief in the night, in any context that necessitates a pre-tribulation return. 12. It is often said: The Rapture is Jesus coming for His church, the Second Coming is Jesus coming with His church. Those definitions may be workable, however the Bible does not say there is a multi-year interval between those events. 13. The Bible does not say, that there are 144,000 evangelists or witnesses, during the tribulation.

It has occurred to me that some individuals using the club and following the links on the daily reading pages to go to read the passages online, are confronted with the question of which Bible version they should use. I have created a webpage that can help one make that decision, if one has not yet done so. The page is not super-informative, but it does offer some basic information to get one started. There are version abbreviations, reading grade level, type of translation, some notes on what the textural basis of the versions are, and links to get one further information if desired. There will be information there also, explaining some of the terminology used in the page as well, but for now, the page is incomplete, to be completed shortly. The grade level rating, is not there to suggest that you choose your grade level, but is a guideline that indicated a level of reading ease or difficulty. Those who have difficulty understanding some version or for whom English is a second language, may want to choose a version which is a lower grade lever, and thus easier to read.

I would not be surprized if this video is not already in here, but I figured it was faster to make a new post, that to find one here. I wanted to be able to make reference to this in another thread, so here it is:

Hi all! I am beginning a project that I hope will help people study this topic, with greater ease. On thing that would be very helpful to me, is to know which translations we prefer to use in study. I will then work on this project, around some of the most favored versions. I probably will not be doing much with the more obscure versions, but for now, could you choose from among those listed? Thanks in advance for your help. I know some of you will want to add comments. I am not promising that I will read them, if I read them, I may or may not respond to them. I do suggest however, that you try to refrain from debating Bible versions, or expressing why you believe your favorite is better than the other person's favorite. There are already threads on that at Worthy. My purpose here, is only to discover which of the above, people who study eschatology prefer, so I may prioritize the versions I support in my upcoming project. Again, thanks for the help.

I think that as Christian's, we too can be "in the spirit" like John in the book of Revelation. It is when you have a lot of faith and in this time a lot of God's revelations (things that will happen) come to us. The book of Revelation has this title because of this - it was revealed to John how things will be. A good way to get a lot of faith is to read your bible for a long period of time maybe an hour on an occasion - you cannot do this all the time but you should daily read your bible for shorter periods. Get an enjoyable version that is fun to encourage you to do this (I like the Message and/or the ESV - English Standard Version): Faith is our link to God so having a link in faith enables Him to reveal things to us through what is like a telephone line that has been setup. Read your favourite bible version and pray to God like you are having a conversation with Him whilst you are having a coffee - who knows, you might end up having a chat, coming closer to someone who loves you more than you could ever know and therefore making Him very happy. Make sure you use wisdom with your faith though so you can discern away mis-leading spirits that may effect the conversation. This is noise and interference on the telephone line. Shalom

What was your walk with God like? Did you have any experience's? Did anything change? Miracles? Testing? Holy spirit?

JW Belief is first, the Bibilcal position is in bold Christ is God's Son and is inferior to him. Christ is God. He took on the form of man to come to earth. John 1:1, 1 Timothy 3:16 Christ died on a stake, not a cross. Christ died on a cross. John 20:25, Matthew 27:37, 27 Christ's human life was paid as a ransom for obedient humans. Christ life was paid as a ransom for sinners Matthew 9:13, 1 Timothy 1:15 Earth will never be destroyed or depopulated. God will create new heavens and earth and new physical laws. God's people will be removed from earth. Matthew 24:31, Mark 13:27, 1 Thess. 4:16-17 The human soul ceases to exist at death The spirit of man goes to be with God *Ecclesiastes 3:21, Ecclesiastes 12:7 Hell is mankind's common grave. Before Christ, all went to Hades, after Christ only non-believers *Psalms 9:17, Matthew 23:33 The 144,000 are born again as spiritual sons of God. All people who confess Christ as Lord and Savior are born again *John 3:3, John 3:3-7 Christians must give public testimony to Scriptural truth. Christians must give public testimony to the gospel of Jesus Christ Romans 1:16, Romans 15:19, 1 Corinthians 1:17 The greatest name is Jehovah. The greatest name is Jesus Christ Ephesians 1:20-22, Philippians 2:9 Man does not have a spirit. Man has a spirit *Ecclesiastes 3:21 We are to worship Jehovah only. We are to worship Father, Son, and Holy Spirit Hebrews 1:6, Revelation 5:13 Jesus second coming occurred invisibly in 1914 and His kingdom was established in heaven. Jesus will return physically to earth and all alive will see Him as His kingdom is established on earth Matthew 24:30, Revelation 1:7 The greatest name is Jehovah. The greatest name is Jesus Christ Ephesians 1:20-22, Philippians 2:9 Christ is Michael the Archangel. Christ is not an angel, but God. Hebrews 1:13 Christ was first of God's creations. Christ is co-eternal with God, and as such was not created Isaiah 9:6, John 1:1, Hebrews 13:8

I am new in reading the Bible, and last night I read this passage that made me close the book and start crying. In Matthew 5:32, Jesus denounces divorce, stating that any man who divorces his wife other than for adultery, has caused her to become and adulteress. I got divorced after 12 years for reasons other than adultery. I'm discouraged in reading this, because it basically means that I will never be honored with another relationship blessed by God, even if it is with a Godly man, because I have become an adulteress through my divorce. I am only 32 and this is extremely depressing. Any thoughts or words of encouragement on this?

SCIENCE IN THE BIBLE Spherical Earth. “It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth." Isaiah 40:22. "..when he set a compass upon the face of the depth." Proverbs 8:27. Circle 2329 = Compass 2329 in Hebrew is "Khoog" = to describe a circle, or circuit, meaning the horizon which is circular. In 712 BC, when Isaiah wrote this, people thought that the earth was flat, and that you could sail over the edge of it and fall off. Columbus and Magellan proved that the earth was circular by sailing around it in a circle from East to West and then returning to the point of departure. Question: How did the Bible know that the earth was spherical? Answer: God wrote it! The Earth Hangs in Space. "He hangs the earth upon nothing." Job 26:7 stated 1500BC. Until modern times "experts" believed ideas such as the earth sat on four elephants, who stood on a giant turtle, who swam in the ocean. Man could not imagine how the earth could hang in space on nothing. Yet this is what happens due to gravitational attraction between the earth and the sun, giving the appearance that the earth hangs on nothing.  The Bible includes some principles of fluid dynamics. Job 28:25 "To establish a weight for the wind,And apportion the waters by measure." The fact that air has weight was proven scientifically only about 300 years ago. The relative weights of air and water are needed for the efficient functioning of the world’s hydrologic cycle, which in turn sustains life on the earth. The bible includes reasonably complete descriptions of the hydrologic cycle. Psalm 135:7 "He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth;He makes lightning for the rain; He brings the wind out of His treasuries." Jeremiah 10:13 "When He utters His voice,There is a multitude of waters in the heavens: And He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, He brings the wind out of His treasuries.” In these verses you can see several phases of the hydrologic cycle—the worldwide processes of evaporation, translation aloft by atmospheric circulation, condensation with electrical discharges, and precipitation. The Bible describes the recirculation of water. Ecclesiastes 1:7 "All the rivers run into the sea,Yet the sea is not full;To the place from which the rivers come, There they return again." Isaiah 55:10 "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there,But water the earth,And make it bring forth and bud,That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, " Hydrothermal vents are described in two books of the Bible written before 1400BC—more than 3,000 years before their discovery by science. Genesis 7:11 "In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened." Job 38:16 "Have you entered the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in search of the depths?" Cloud Balancing. "Dost thou know the balancing of the clouds?" Job 37:16. Clouds are floating in the air, balanced by two forces: gravity pulling them downwards, and warm air pushing them upwards. How did Job know about this in 1500 BC? God told him. All Mankind came from One Woman. "Adam called his wife's name Eve: because she was the mother of all living." Genesis 3:20. DNA is found in every cell, in both the nucleus and the mitochondrion (energy station). Mitochondrial DNA is always and only inherited from the mother. Analysis of this DNA in humans from all over the world shows unmistakably that all humans have inherited it from one woman. This research was done by Wilson, Cann, and Stoneking from the University of California, Berkeley. (Creation Ex Nihilo, Vol.12, No.2, March 1990). The Bloodstream Carries Life. "The life of the flesh is in the blood." Leviticus 17:11. From 400 BC to 1900 AD, a procedure called "blood letting" was popular. Sick people had blood drained from their bloodstream as a supposed therapeutic measure. It was responsible for killing millions of people, such as George Washington. People thought that blood carried disease instead of life. By draining the blood, the patient died of blood loss. Now we give blood to some sick patients. The Bible was right again. Winds blow in Circuits. "The wind goes toward the south, and turns about unto the north, it whirls about continually and the wind turns again according to his circuits." Ecclesiastes 1:6. At the equator, the sun heats the air causing it to rise. In the upper atmosphere this airflows away from the equator. When the air returns to the earth's surface, it flows across the surface. This moving surface air produces the six belts of prevailing winds around the earth. Winds have Weight and hence Air Pressure. "To make the weight for the winds." Job 28:25. Galileo in 1600 AD noted that a suction pump would not raise water more than 34 feet. Torricelli suggested that if air could support a column of water 34 feet high, then air should support a column of mercury about 2.5 feet high, because mercury is 13 times as heavy as water. Torricelli made a mercury barometer and proved that air has pressure Can a Whale swallow Jonah "Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights." Jonah 1:17. Many people use this as their reason for doubting the Bible's truthfulness. How can a fish swallow a man? Several cases in modern times have been reported of a whale swallowing a man who survived. One is reported by Francis Fox in "Sixty-three years of Engineering" p.298-300 and confirmed by two scientists, one being M. DeParville, the scientific editor of "Journal Des Debats" in Paris. In February 1891, the whaling ship, "Star of the East" was near the Falkland Islands, where they sighted a large sperm whale. Two boats were sent out after the whale. One boat harpooned the whale, but the whale upset the other boat, drowning one man and the other sailor James Bartley, disappearing without a trace. After the whale was killed and cut open two days later, James Bartley was found unconscious and doubled up inside the whale. He had lost his senses through fright and not through lack of air. His skin was bleached white from stomach acid. He fully recovered. If a man can survive two days in a whale in 1891, surely Jonah could have survived three days in a great fish in 862 BC. Sea Paths or Ocean Currents. "Whatsoever passes through the paths of the sea". Psalm 8:8. "Paths" in Hebrew means "customary roads." Matthew Maury is the father of Oceanography. A statue of him exists in Virginia with charts of the sea in one hand and a Bible in the other. Until Maury's work there were no charts of sailing lanes. One day during a temporary illness, his son read from Psalm 8:8. Maury stopped him, asking him to read it again. Maury then said: "It is enough. If the Word of God says that there are paths in the sea, they must be there, and I am going to find them." Within a few years he had charted the sea lanes and ocean currents. Question: How did the Bible know about sea paths or ocean currents? Answer: God wrote it. Light can be Parted or Dispersed into a Rainbow Spectrum. "By what way is the light parted (Heb.2505)?" Job 38:24. "Parted" in Hebrew is "chalaq” which means, "separated". White light can be separated into 7 colours of the spectrum which are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. This was not understood until experiments with light were performed in the 1600's. Note: Light is like Jesus Christ: "I am the light of the world." John 9:5. As light has seven colours, so Christ has the seven spirits of God. See Isaiah 11:1,2.

“It’s not just that we don’t know our Bible but that we have so fragmented, dissected, and compartmentalized the Bible that we have lost sight of its great overarching story.” Hugh Whelchel i Occasionally I ask myself, what motivates me to write. In response, I would have to say it's religious opposition and a deeply seated desire to see the church walking in truth. The idea of walking in truth, in my mind, means a church that is trained appropriately in the Word. I don't see that happening at any of the churches I have been a part of. An aspect of that opposition recently occurred as a “brother” in Christ, told a friend of mine, that I believe life has to be one-way, mine. Have you read any of my posts? Do I present myself like that? Hardly, I attempt to show God's word as the only basis for truth, and, in a manner that people can understand. I suppose, to some degree, that means adding my commentary to what I write in an effort to promote understanding, but leaving the decision-making process to the reader, as they accept or reject God's word. With that understanding you are not rejecting me, you are denying God's truth and mercy, as you refuse what God's word says. Elijah, the prophet, bemoaned his situation and cried out that he was alone in Israel. 1 Kings 19:9-10 NASB Then he came there to a cave and lodged there; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 10) He said, "I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away." And yes, that is the way I feel some days. God's response. 1 Kings 19:18 NASB "Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him." I realize that I am not alone, but the number of those who are passionate about God are few. I am fortunate to sit with a few of them on a weekly basis. Having had someone say of me, “he believes it has to be, his way or no way,” is somewhat like a slap in my face, and I can tell you I am highly intolerant of actions like that. So, why would someone say something like that about me? Perhaps it is because I am very passionate about truth and God's word. Sending everyone to hell at the Great White Throne has nothing to do with truth; it merely demonstrates how adamant this man is about judgment, something we are to leave to Jesus, [especially since ALL judgment has/or will be given to Him.] The Apostle Paul was not put off by the scholars of the Berean community. In fact, he thought highly of them. This body of believers did their research and found that Torah and Tanakh validated what Paul was saying. Having legitimized Paul's statements they believed. When you consider the limited resources, these men had, our accolades for them should be even more significant. Let me give you an example of what this opposition to, and the rejection of, the truth looks like. The man who leads the Monday morning study, once again pointed out that he was an ordained Bible study leader, not a pastor. As the leader, he has just about every week, exclaimed that everyone brought to the Great White Throne judgment is sent to hell. If you are a reasonable student of the Bible you should be asking, is that a correct statement? The answer is NO, but why would you know that? Because you have read the Word of God, as you should; you looked at the context; compared alternate texts and scenarios, and, like a hungry pet who has, awaited you to come home so they can eat, chewed on and ingested every word so that you could understand the depth and meaning of the Greek words being used and their Hebrew origins. But here is where the problem lays, as statistically, no one does that? The statistical work I am going to show you were undertaken by Lifeway Research in 2014. Here is an excerpt from Christianity Today.ii “Some Stats to Consider Bible Reading Americans read the Bible on occasion—churchgoers a little more. In a recent LifeWay Research study, we learned the following about our Bible reading habits among church attendees. They indicated that they read their Bible as follows: 19% - Every day 26% - A few times a week 14% - Once a week 22% - At least once a month 18% - Rarely or never. There are a couple of interesting takeaways from this study. Almost 60% of churchgoers open our Bibles at home during the week at least once. And for every person who is reading his/her Bible every day (19%), someone isn’t… at all (18%).” Do you think, in this condition of apostasy, that the numbers would improve any as time progresses? I was pondering this idea before pulling up the statistical information. My guess/estimate would have been about 20% of the “church” actually reading their Bibles every day. But even then I could see a problem with that number because I sit with some of these 20% per-centers, and know for a fact that they will not move off their traditional interpretations and understandings regardless of what you show them in scripture. Are you beginning to see a problem? Illiteracy has no option but to run rampant through the church; And, it is not just the church. I just read yesterday, 5/10/2018, that schools have found they are going to have to take down the analog clocks on the schoolhouse walls and replace them with digital clocks because no one can read them. Let's go back to the significant false teaching of the morning “bible” study – how that everyone coming before the Great White Throne goes to a fiery hell. The first question is: how does one study the Bible? It seems to me that everyone should know how to do this; in truth, I had to learn how. Every student should: Read the text without a premise. As you read ask, what is this passage supposed to be saying to me? Do not merely assume that the teacher standing before you, saying things like, “What Paul is saying here,” is the truth. [Here is a heads up. Paul, a former Pharisee, a man who was very skillful at what he did, had no problem speaking to JEWS, about this new life and grace found in Christ. This is the case as Saul/Paul spoke about the Hebrew wording within the Law and the Prophets and pointed out the evidence in those words, which led to an understanding, in those who chose to listen, that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah they longed for. Paul made it clear that our acceptance of Yahshua brought about this life and the hope we have come to understand.] The idea of reading without a premise can be applied to my pastor's sermons since he has a motive and a point to be made. In pushing his motive, he has created a premise and is working to make the scriptures fit his premise. These directed efforts often work in opposition to my understanding of Bible study. Look at the context. An example of this applies to what I am going to analyze momentarily – Matthew 25, where we see the sheep and the goats at the throne of judgment. The context surrounding this word picture begins in Matthew 21, when Jesus rides into Jerusalem, on the back of an unridden donkey – the Rolls Royce of the day, and He is perceived as the Messiah Israel hoped for. Unfortunately, He did not do what the disciples, nor the people expected, as He overturned the sellers tables, chairs, and loosed their merchandise where they had been selling, in the court of the Gentiles. And then, Jesus got into a verbal confrontation with the elders and Pharisees. All this activity shook the disciples and prompted them to ask, “when will all these things come to pass, and what will be the sign of your coming as the Messiah. I am always analyzing the scriptures even as the pastor speaks. I examine the context and what the interlinear Greek or Hebrew dictionary says the words mean. Occasionally, the pastor is preaching in opposition to what the words mean. As a side note: Pastor and I had a bad moment one day, as he challenged me about my intensive focus on end times and the eschatology books of the Bible. In his indictment of me, he said, “Notice how in my sermons, I present the gospel in a manner that brings about change in people.” I try not to overthink the pastor's words that day, but isn't that what the Word of God is supposed to do, change people? Look for a comparative text. Many of the Calvary Chapel pastors, like Don Stewart or the late Chuck Smith, used to say, “allow scripture to define scripture.” What does that mean? As I read the Revelation, I see where John, on two occasions, in speaking to the churches, uses the term the Synagogue (Rev 2:9, Rev 3:9.) Why is this significant? Because John, was not writing in code as some would ascribe, he was writing to Jewish converts/followers of Christ. And therefore, spoke in a language they would immediately understand. Greek, of course, was one aspect of this language but the other carried the oral history and word stories from the Old Testament. The evidence for this is rather extensive and is demonstrated in the writings of James (James 2:2) and the Apostle Paul. Read Acts 18. In every city we find Paul entering the local Synagogue and preaching. For over fifteen years Paul preached, almost exclusively, to Jews. It was only after years of abuse at the hands of religious Jews that Paul finally said, and I am taking this message to the Gentiles. The Apostle John, James, Peter, and Paul focused their attention on the Jewish community. Peter, although he had a brief exchange with the Roman Centurion's family, maintained, as did James and John, a focus on Jews. [Read Paul's account in Galatians 2,] Many of these believed for years that this gospel of Jesus was meant exclusively for Jews. Peter, in 2 Peter 3:10 says, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.” NASB This passage has clear and definite associations with Isaiah 13:9; Jeremiah 46:10 among others. In conjunction with the idea of comparative texts, was the indication that everything, aside from direct revelation from the Holy Spirit, came out of the Torah and Tanakh. Paul's letters; James words on wisdom, and the Revelation that John conveyed, all came from the Old Testament. We can put this idea of comparative texts into action where Revelation speaks of a multi-headed beast with crowns and horns (Revelation 13:1). This imagery is found in multiple locations but primarily in the words of the prophet Daniel (Daniel 7:7). Matthew 25:31-45, where we see the sheep and goats, is a comparative text. The words Jesus spoke were in response to questions His Jewish disciples ask him, and those words made sense to a Jewish audience. If you had been a student in Synagogue school you were expected to memorize the Old Testament teachings. Therefore, one might expect that these people were looking for these events to happen. Try to take in as much of the background wording into consideration as you can. When I look at Matthew 25:31-45 in the NASB, the segment that speaks of the sheep and goats carries the headline, The Final Judgment. That headline in itself gives me nothing of value except as a reference point. If I were looking for a direct association to the final judgment, there is nothing within these verses that define this explicitly by using that terminology. Can I find an inference of final judgment in verse 31? Matthew 25:31 NASB "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Here you see the Son of Man coming in His glory. This is the same Jesus that Stephen saw, as he stood before the Jewish council (Acts 7:55-56,) and it is the same Jesus that Daniel saw in Daniel 7:13. And, He will sit on His glorious throne. There is a passage in Joel 3:12 that would cause the audience listening to the speaker that day to take note. Joel 3:12 LITV Let the nations be awakened and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat. For there I will sit to judge all the nations all around. This passage in Joel can easily be associated with the judgment we are about to see in Matthew 25. These two points alone do not convince me, as we see Jesus coming in Revelation 19 prior to Him being seated for judgment, and, there is no account of Him sitting upon His throne in Revelation 19. To be honest, I have to stretch my mind a bit to see the final judgment. However, if I look at the next verse, the finality suddenly becomes clearer, especially if I have an understanding of Joel 3:12. [Mat 25:32 And before Him shall be gathered all the nations;] There is only one glorious throne. Is this the same throne that we see in Revelation? We have to look at Revelation 20:11 and see if there is something here that matches. Revelation 20:11 NASB Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. A great white throne Our only references to a white throne come from 1 Kings 10:18 and 2Ch 9:17, and they are effectively the same story 1 Kings 10:18 NASB Moreover, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with refined gold. Ezekiel tells us what he saw, Ezekiel 1:26 NASB Now above the expanse that was over their heads there was something resembling a throne, like lapis lazuli in appearance; and on that which resembled a throne, high up, was a figure with the appearance of a man. lapis lazuli - Sapphire - Clear heavenly blue. Apparently, the color is insignificant. In 1Kings 10:18 it is clear that this is a great throne, and in Daniel 7:9 Daniel sees the throne as being fiery flames. Although you don't see this happening in Matthew 25, Revelation 20:7-8 tells us that after the thousand years, Satan is released from his prison and he deceives the nations. Those nations, in turn, surround the city of God in an attempt to kill God and His people. Those gathered are killed in an instant. The next event scripture shows us is the gathering of the nations, or, as Matthew 25 puts it, the dead are brought before this great throne. Although my methods of sorting out what I read, and disseminating the false teachings I hear, might be different than what you learn in seminary, they work for me. You also just got the added benefit of some insight into a false teaching that seems to enjoy sending all who approach the throne of judgment, to hell. A serious look at scripture will demonstrate that such a teaching is blatantly false and damaging to our understanding of who God is. iThe Church’s Secret: Biblical Illiteracy in the 21st Century, Hugh Whelchel, writing for the Institute for Faith, Work, and Economics. March 13, 2017. https://tifwe.org/the-churchs-secret-biblical-illiteracy-in-the-21st-century/ iiBiblical Illiteracy by the Numbers Part 1: The Challenge https://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2014/october/biblical-illiteracy-by-numbers.html

Many catholics are arrogant enough to say that THEY "gave" us the Bible. The catholic organisation mearly defined what IT would use as the Bible, NOT what the Bible was. Long before the council of hippo "gave us the bible", Origen, born A.D. 185 and died A.D. 254, named ALL the books of the Bible in his writings and Eusebius, 270 A.D., lists ALL of the books of the NT. The Old Testament books were gathered into one volume and were translated from Hebrew into Greek long before Christ came to earth. It cannot be proven that the Catholic Church is solely responsible for the gathering and selection of the New Testament books. In fact, it can be shown that the New Testament books were gathered into one volume and were in circulation long before the Catholic Church claims to have taken its action in 390 at the council of Hippo. God did not give councils the authority to select His sacred books, nor does He expect men to receive His sacred books only because of councils or on the basis of councils. It takes no vote or sanction of a council to make the books of the Bible authoritative. Men were able to rightly discern which books were inspired before the existence of ecclesiastical councils and men can do so today. A council of men in 390 with no divine authority whatever, supposedly took upon itself the right to state which books were inspired, and Catholics argue, "We can accept the Bible only on the authority of the Catholic Church." Can we follow such reasoning?

I just read this and I am not 100 percent sure if the writer is credible or not....has any one heard about this? https://thereisnews.com/pope-francis-cancels-bible/ Pope Francis has surprised the world today by announcing that The Bible is totally outdated and needs a radical change, so The Bible is officially canceled and it’s announced a meeting between the highest personalities of the church where it will be decided the book that will replace it, its name and its content. Some names are already being considered and the one that has more strength is “Biblia 2000”. “We can not keep trying to talk our public in a totally new world with a book that has thousands years. We are losing followers and we have to go a step further in the search for the modernization of the church. to rewrite the word of God, even if it is only the Old Testament, in which there are certain passages that it is better not to repeat. ” The news has fallen like a bomb among the most conservative, who consider this idea the definitive clue of madness of Pope Francis.

How muslim friend, OneGodBeliever believes the Bible has been corrupted. He states: "You said bible isn't corrupted. Shall we discuss that? I say its clearly is with verses & whole books removed and also contradictions!" So, lets have a friendly, loving, open discussion on this

Please don't reply with "this is too long, no-one will read it". If you are the kind of person who would say that, then this post is not for you. Journey to Mount Sinai (Jabal Al Lawz). God Supplies His People’s Needs. Bible Reading: Exodus 15:27—16:18; 17:1-16; 19:1-8. See “The Exodus Case” (TEC) p.233-277. Aim: To discover archaeological proofs for the events of the Exodus. To learn lessons from each event. Introduction: Go to www.youtube.com and search for “Mount Sinai- proof of the supernatural”. What evidence from archaeology supports the events of the Exodus journey to Mount Horeb (Sinai)? Israel having crossed the Red Sea to Baal Zephon on the east coast of the Gulf of Aqaba, now enters the wilderness of Shur (NW Saudi Arabia), and after three day’s journey run out of water (Exodus 15:22). 1. At Marah they find bitter, salty water, so Moses prays to God. “he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,” Exodus 15:25. Lesson: When we pass through bitter experiences, die to self and bring Christ into our problems. On modern Arabian maps, there is a place near Jabal Al Lawz called “Ain Marra” (the bitter spring). 2. At Elim they find 12 wells and 70 palm trees (Exodus 15:27). Today in this same area there is an oasis of 12 wells and about 250 palm trees. (See TEC p.237). Israel left Egypt on the 15th day of the first month. They leave Elim on the fifteenth day of the second month “they took their journey from Elim,… on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.” Exodus 16:1. Lesson: When we pass through trials, God often comforts us with blessings afterwards. (Angels.Mat.4:11) 3. They now enter the Desert of Sin on their way to Mount Sinai (Horeb). Israel accuse Moses and Aaron of “ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” Exodus 16:3. God promised “in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full;” Exodus 16:8. Quail’s meat and manna bread was God’s answer. Psalm 78:23-25 calls manna “angels’ food”. Manna means “what is it”? Manna tasted like coriander seed (16:31). It was their diet for 40 years. Josephus tells that ‘It supplied the want of other sorts of food to those that fed on it.’ (Antiquities, Book 3, chap 1.6,p67). Lesson: God supplies the needs of His people in greater ways than we expect. 4. At Rephidim, meaning encampment, they lacked water, so they get angry at Moses (Exodus 17:1-7). God is teaching His people to trust Him to supply their needs. Moses brings the problem to God (17:4). God tells Moses, “Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink.” (17:6). Notice: i) Who stood on the rock? It was Jehovah God the Son who later was born of Mary as Jesus Christ. ii) “The rock of Horeb” means that it was a large rock and it was close to Mount Horeb. iii) Moses smitting the rock is a picture of Jesus Christ being smitten on the cross to pay for our sins. iv) Water flowing out of the rock pictures eternal life made available from Christ’s death on the cross. v) Josephus calls this pleasant, sweet water a river (Antiq. 3.1.7). The translator of Josephus’ works, William Whiston (1667-1752) comments that this rock can still be seen in the area of Horeb, being too big to be moved by horse and cart. Hence it was an obvious rock for all to see. Erosion should still be visible. Is this rock visible today? There is one rock that is west of Horeb that fits the evidence. It is 20 metres tall, split down the middle, on a small hill, & the rock at the foot of the crack has been eroded (TEC 243-246). Lesson: Don’t get angry at those seeking to help you. God supplies our needs in unexpected ways. 5. War with the Amalekites at Rephidim (Exodus 17:8-16). The Amalekites attacked Israel at Rephidim. The Amalekites raised camels and lived from assault and robbery. Arab tradition considers the Amalekites to be the oldest tribe in Arabia & the founders of Medina, Mohammad’s city. This battle proves that Israel was in Arabia (Midian) after crossing the Red Sea. Israel was now armed with weapons from the dead Egyptians at the Red Sea. Moses appoints Joshua as army commander. Moses climbs a hill at Rephidim to pray for victory. As long as Aaron and Hur kept Moses’ hands uplifted in prayer, Israel wins the battle. Josephus states how Joshua appointed soldiers to protect the water, women, children and the camp. Israel prepared all night for the battle which lasted all the next day until nightfall when Israel took their camp and a vast amount of riches, silver, gold, brass vessels, weapons, cattle, furniture and battle confidence. No Hebrews were killed, but the slain Amalekites were too many to number. Moses built an altar to offer sacrifices to God, which he named “Jehovah-Nissi” meaning “Jehovah the Conqueror” (Ant.3.2.5 p.69). About 300 metres from the split rock of Horeb, on the plain, stands a stone altar (TEC 248), likely built by Moses where he prayed, to commemorate this victory. This was the last camp before Mount Horeb (Sinai). Lesson: Satan uses evil people to oppose and hinder our work for God. Prayer gives victory in battles. 6. Moses meets Jethro at Rephidim in Midian (Exodus 18:1-27). Moses from age 40-80 was exiled in Midian (Arabia). It was on Mount Horeb (Sinai) where Jehovah appeared to him at the burning bush to send him to lead Israel out of Egypt. Moses took his wife Zipporah and their two sons Gershom and Eliezer to Egypt (Exodus 4:20), but coming out of Egypt, he sent them on to be with his father in law Jethro (Reuel) the high priest in Midian, while Moses crossed the Red Sea. When Moses meets Jethro, he describes how God delivered Israel from Egypt (18:8). Jethro suggests Moses to “provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge:” (18:21,22). Lesson: Consult Godly advisors. Delegate some work to others. 7. At Mount Horeb (Mount Sinai) (Exodus 19:1-25). Israel journeys from Rephidim into the wilderness of Sinai to camp before Mount Horeb to worship God (19:1,2). Israel left Egypt on the 15th day of the first month (Numbers 33:3). They arrive at Mount Horeb on the 15th day of the third month (Exodus 19:1), the journey taking two months. It took a week to reach Nuweiba and they spent 7 weeks in north-west Arabia. God has tested Israel by hunger, thirst and a war. This mount is known as “Mount Horeb”, “Mount Sinai”, “The mountain of God” and “Jabal Al Lawz”. Horeb means “dry or desolate”. See map TEC p.251-253. i) Israel camped on the east side of Horeb. On the Israelites route and at Horeb, many stone circles have been found. These were either for tents or for cattle enclosures. See photos in TEC p.255,256. ii) God promises that if Israel obeys and keeps God’s covenant, then Israel will be a peculiar treasure (5). Israel tells God “All that the LORD hath spoken we will do” (19:8). God promises to come in 3 days (11). iii) God tells Moses to set bounds “that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it:” (19:12). Stones picturing untied shoes marking a holy place have been found at the base of Mt Horeb (TEC 257). iv) Josephus says that Horeb is the highest mountain in the area (2580 metres). The top is flat where God met Moses and the 70 elders (24:9). v) Moses built an altar at the foot of Horeb (24:4). At the foot of Horeb, we find a stone altar with two pathways for sheep and oxen (20:24) leading to the altar to be sacrificed (TEC 258-259). “An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen:” (Exodus 20:24). vi) 12 Stone Pillars. Moses “builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.” (24:4). Today, within the sacred area below the rock face we see 10 stone pillars standing in a semicircle, with two empty places for missing pillars. Some are upright & some are fallen over (266). vii) A one acre flat plateau exists on Mount Horeb where Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and 70 elders met Jehovah God the Son who came down to eat and drink with these men (24:1-18). (TEC 252,260,261). “they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.” (Exodus 24:10,11) viii) The Cave where Elijah lived when he met God is found here on Horeb (TEC 261). “he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God. And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there;” I Kings 19:8,9. ix) The Water supply. When Moses struck the rock in Horeb, so much water flowed out for 2 million people and cattle, that it collected as a 7 metre deep lake at the foot of the mountain (TEC 262). To ensure good quality drinking water, double-walled wells 6 metres wide, were dug along the banks of this lake below Mt Horeb. Sand and gravel between the walls acted as a water filtration and purification system. x) The Altar to the Golden Calf (Exodus 32:1-35). When Moses was in Mt Horeb receiving God’s laws for 40 days, the Israelites grew impatient and pressured Aaron to build an Egyptian golden calf and altar to worship. Moses saw it as he descended the mount. Moses destroyed the calf, but the altar still remains with many Egyptian bull carvings on it (TEC 263,265). Saudi authorities have enclosed this sacred area. xi) Mt Horeb on fire. “mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, ….the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount:” (Exodus 19:18). The top of Horeb is black, caused by the intense heat and fire of God, but the rest of the mountain is brown, separated by a clear border line (TEC 251,272-276). Black obsidian rock, which is formed at high temperatures then dipped in water, is found on top of Horeb. Conclusion: God helps us and brings us through life’s trials. Archaeology proves the Bible to be true.

Seven Tests to Determine the True New Testament Text (Antiquity, Number, Variety, Continuity, Credibility, Context, Internal Evidence) Dean Burgon gives these seven tests to indicate which readings are correct. 1. Antiquity. We may allow only those witnesses who 'spoke' before 400 AD. These are: i) Over 70 Church Fathers. iii) Early Papyri. ii) Aleph, B, and some Uncials. iv) Earliest Versions. For example: Ever since 1881, ‘vinegar’ in Matthew 27:34 has been despised by Westcott and Hort and others as a ‘late Byzantine’ reading. ‘They gave him vinegar...’ Question: What is the verdict of antiquity? Answer: (a) For "wine": Aleph, B, Latin, Coptic versions, Apocryphal Acts, Gospel of Nicodemus, Marcarius Magnes. (7 witnesses) eg: NIV, GNB, RSV, NWT. (b) For "vinegar": Gospel of Peter, Acta Philippi, Barnabas, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Celsus,Origen, pseudo-Tatian, Athanaseus, Eusebius of Emesa, Theodore of Heraclea, Didymus, Gregory of Nyssa, Gregory of Nazianzus, Ephraem Syrus, Lactantius, Titus of Bostra, Syriac version. (18 witnesses). "Vinegar", the KJV reading has much more support. 2. Number of Witnesses. A reading found in a majority of independent witnesses, should be the original. The fewer witnesses, the less likely it is to be genuine; The more witnesses, the more likely it is to be the original reading; Unanimous witnesses, means it is certainly the original reading. 3. Variety of Witnesses, is the agreement of independent witnesses. Variety means that the reading is found in: i) many geographical areas, and by ii) different kinds of witnesses - eg: Greek manuscripts, Versions, Fathers, Lectionaries. A good variety of witnesses are from: different countries, speaking different languages, who never met, and who never colluded. This is not true of Vaticanus (B) and Sinaiticus. The vast majority of uncials and cursives have KJV type readings and have good variety: i) They cover at least 1000 years (350-1550 AD). ii) Belong to so many countries such as Greece, Constantinople, Asia Minor, Palestine,iii) Exhibit so many strange characteristics and peculiar sympathies. Variety helps us to evaluate the independence of witnesses. If the witnesses which share a common reading come from only one area, such as Egypt, then their independence is doubted. It is quite unreasonable that an original reading should survive in only one location. Witnesses supporting a reading in one limited area cannot be the original, as is the case with Aleph, B, and some papyri. To illustrate: Many of the most ancient manuscripts come from Egypt. This is due to the hot, dry climate of Egypt favouring manuscript preservation more than the wet Mediterranean climate. Moisture is bad for manuscripts. The Egyptian texts are not an exact representation of texts in other parts of the world. To sample the flora and fauna of Egypt does not guarantee to be the same flora and fauna of Greece, Turkey or Italy, etc. Variety + Number = Validity. Variety means independence of witnesses. Lack of variety (as is the case for Aleph, B, papyri of Egypt) imply dependence. This is a strong reason to reject modern versions based on Egyptian manuscripts. Burgon said, ‘Generally, the testimony of 2, 4, 6 or more witnesses from many regions, is far weightier than the same number of witnesses from one locality, between which there probably exists some collusion or sympathy’. Hence, many witnesses only from Egypt is a weak case for NIV. 4. Continuity. A reading to be a serious candidate for the original, should be found throughout the ages of transmission, from beginning to end. A reading is invented if it died out in the 5th century, or if it is not found before the 12th century. Where a reading has variety (or agreement of independent witnesses), it almost always has continuity over time. The majority of manuscripts are independent witnesses, and must be counted. Westcott and Hort reject this absolutely, accounting for the Majority text by an assumed Lucian recension or revision of the New Testament text around 300 AD. Since there is no evidence that this Lucian recension ever happened, continuity is valid. Hence, number, variety and continuity, form a three-strand rope of textual criticism that is not easily broken. These 3 arguments strongly oppose B, Aleph, NIV and modern versions. 5. Credibility of Witnesses or weight, judged by the manuscripts ‘own performance’. If manuscripts go wrong continually, their character and credibility must be low. The oldest manuscripts can be objectively, statistically shown to be habitually wrong, witnesses of very low character, and with many mistakes. Their credibility is near zero. If you read Sir Herman Hoskier's book Codex B and its Allies carefully, you will lose all respect for B, Aleph, etc and modern versions based on them. Since modern Greek critical texts are based on B, Aleph, some papyri, etc, it is clear that modern scholars have severely ignored 'credibility of witnesses' as an objective criterion. If considered seriously, 'credibility' will overthrow the modern text type and the NIV. 6. Context is the behaviour (degree of corruption) of a manuscript in the immediate vicinity of the problem. If in a certain manuscript, the context is clearly in a very corrupt state, then it is self-evident that this manuscript has very low credibility. For example, Westcott and Hort in Luke 22-24, made 16 omissions from the Received Text based solely on Codex D. In Luke 22:19,20; 24:3,6,9,12,36,40,52 W&H's sole authority for changing the Textus Receptus was a single Greek Codex Beza (D), the most depraved of all. Codex D in Luke 22,23,24 omits 354 words, adds 173 words, substitutes 146 words, transposes 243 words, totalling 916 changes. In 8 places they omitted material from the Bible on the sole authority of D (Burgon, p.77,78). With the scribe on a wild omitting spree, how can any value be given to Codex D here, much less prefer it above the united voice of every other witness? Modern scholars and versions have completely ignored this Context test 7. Internal Evidence, concerns readings which are grammatically, logically, geographically, or scientifically impossible, such as in Luke 19:37; 23:45 (impossible 3 hour eclipse of the sun at full moon in Aleph, B, and RV); 24:13; Mark 6:22; II Corinthians 3:3. Conclusion: So then, how are we to identify the original wording? 1. We must gather the evidence: Greek manuscripts, Lectionaries, Fathers, and Versions. 2. We must evaluate the evidence to see which readings enjoy the earliest, widest, most numerous, most credible, and most varied attestation. 3. The independent, credible witnesses must then be counted. 4. This is how we arrive at the Received Text of the KJV.

There are numerous historical, linguistic and archaeological evidences that back up the veracity of the Bible. For example, it is quite easy to walk where Jesus, King David, Solomon, etc. walked in the Bible, and there are often even churches built on the most famous sites. In addition, there are literally thousands of manuscripts from the New Testament that prove our current Bible is accurate. Lastly, the Bible has been proven over and over again archaeologically. In fact, I know of two scholars who went to Israel with the express purpose of disproving the Bible and ended up becoming believers in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

Run to Him and He will refresh, refill, and revive you! Psalm 23:5-6 says, "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows....I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." (NASB) As you run to Jesus, and dive into your pursuit after Him, He will most definitely pour out His Spirit and presence on you like never before. He has a banquet feast waiting for you, which includes the new wine and manna of Heaven (also known as His joy, His PRESENCE, and His Word). Affirmation: My job is to win the lost to Jesus Christ. There is life coming out of me wherever I go. John 17:16,17 - "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." We've been placed in another world; our citizenship is in heaven. We are to live by heavenly principles, and one of those principles is that of framing our world with the word of God. We don't confess what we don't have--we confess what we desire to have. We don't talk about what we can't do--we talk about what we can do through Christ who strengthens us. God has done His part -- He sent Jesus. No one wants to make another trip through the wilderness. This is not a time to walk in circles. We are to walk with a true goal, aim, and purpose, making the most of each occasion, because we know the time is short (see Ephesians 5:14-17). Paul, the apostle, instructs us to walk purposefully toward one true goal -- God's PURPOSE for our life (see Philippians 3:12-16). If you think Jesus won't heal you, you're wrong. He'll do anything scriptural for you. "Be still and know that He is God" (see Psalm 46:10-11). Behold the Heavens--they will clearly speak the Lord's message. As release of revelation increases, we ask for our spiritual ears and eyes to be opened (see Ephesians 1:17-18). Can you feel the depth of God’s heart calling to you in this season? Can you feel the depth of your spirit desiring Him more than your next breath? Launch out , and launch into Him. It is in this place that your wilderness becomes a fruitful field. Affirmation: The same power that raised Jesus from the dead enables me to rise out of my adverse circumstances and step into the purposes of God for my life. Get a vision from God and step out to do something with it. Don't be like the wicked and lazy servant who can't see beyond himself. (Matthew 25:24-30) "So I was afraid and I went and hid your talent in the ground"...But the master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant!' - Matthew 25:25-26 We are to use the ability of God in our life to serve and disciple those who are new believers so that the Body of Christ might be whole. In Psalm 81:10 God challenges us with these words, "Open wide your mouth and I will fill it!" What will God fill our mouths with? This is not about God giving you food. The Hebrew text actually reads, "Open wide your mouth and I will FULFILL it!" God wants to FILL our mouths with HIS Word then FULFILL it when they speak it forth! Get ready...now is the time to "Arise and Shine" with the Word of the Lord in our mouth. We come to see the folly of being consumed with hobbies, hype, and hiding our faults. We are consumed with holiness and declaring the Word....embracing the required expectation. Affirmation: I consider Jesus the author and finisher of my faith. I consider Him instead of the cares of this world. God came as fire in the burning bush for Moses because God wanted to do so. Jesus said “I am come to scatter fire on earth” (Luke 12:49). We were never intended to be anything else but burning bushes from which God will speak. A church too is – or should be – a burning bush. People then are attracted and hear God’s voice. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com

1 Corinthians 2:9 - "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him." Observation: CREATIVE ART IS PRODUCED BY THE SOUL (MIND, WILL, AND EMOTIONS) AND CAN ALSO BE CALLED IMAGINATIVE ART. CREATIVE ART CAN CHANGE A PERSON FOR THE SHORT-TERM, BUT IT HAS NO LONG-TERM EFFECT ON ITS VIEWERS. SPIRITUAL ART FLOWS FROM OUR SPIRIT'S COMMUNION WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. THE SPIRIT THEN USES THE SOUL AND BODY TO PRODUCE INCREDIBLE WORK. TOO OFTEN WE HAVE SETTLED FOR CREATING FROM OUR SOUL OR BODY WHEN A HIGHER CALL HAS BEEN TRYING TO REACH US. MAY WE LEARN TO CREATE FROM OUR SPIRIT, SEEING SPIRITUAL FRUIT THAT COMES FROM OUR ENDEAVORS. Ephesians 3:19 - "That you may really come to know through experience for yourselves the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge (without experience): that you may be filled (through your whole being) unto all the fullness of God (may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God himself)." THE ANCIENT GREEKS HAD NO WORD FOR "REALITY." TO THEM, "TRUTH" AND "REALITY," IN ESSENCE, WERE THE SAME. INDEED, THE HOLY SPIRIT'S PURPOSE IS TO LEAD US INTO ALL THE TRUTH, THAT IS, INTO THE FULNESS OF THE REALITY OF GOD. PETER DID NOT SUCCUMB UNDER THE CONVICTING POWER OF "RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE" - HE MET THE REALITY OF JESUS CHRIST! ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS, PAUL WAS NOT BLINDED AND DEVASTATED BY A "NEW DOCTRINE" - HE MET THE REALITY OF JESUS CHRIST! WHEN JOHN BEHELD OUR GLORIFIED LORD ON PATMOS, IT WAS NOT A "NEW SPIRITUAL INSIGHT" THAT LEFT HIM SLAIN AS A DEAD MAN -- HE BEHELD JESUS CHRIST! IT IS THIS EXPLOSIVE REVELATION OF CHRIST HIMSELF THAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE GRACE OF GOD. "Consider the ROCK from which you were cut, the quarry from which you were mined." - Isaiah 51:1-2, Our adversary has been busy in an effort to distract us and dull our memory of who we are and Whose we are, where we've come from and where we're going. Religious spirits are experts at getting us to fear things we do not understand, compare ourselves to others, and compete with one another. Even as a child, the enemy tried to subvert or supplant our view of who we are and replace it with a corrupt view of our own self, implanting painful or confusing incidents that changed our perception of ourselves. He brought people into our life who treated us as though we were something we are not. They've released the enemy's poison and venom and seeds of poisonous, corrupt theories of who we are in order to blind us to the reality of who God DESTINED us to be. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com

Mark 10:51 - "And Jesus said to him, 'What do you want Me to do for you?' And the blind man said to Him, Master, let me receive my sight."' GOD IS MOVED BY FAITH. EVEN THOUGH JESUS KNEW WHAT BARTIMAEUS NEEDED, HE WAS WAITING FOR A SPECIFIC REQUEST AND AN EXPRESSION OF TRUE FAITH. Matthew 7:7,8 - "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find, knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." Affirmation: I have the anointing of God's Word. My circumstance doesn't hear me talking anymore; it hears Jesus talking. "My Beloved spake, and said unto me, 'Rise up, My love, My fair one, and come away.'" Song of Solomon 2:10 He is It is essential that we invite the Lord to come within, and give Him full control over our lives and all that pertains to us.presently without, looking through the window of our spiritual experience, waiting for us. We must quickly respond to His call to "Rise up, My love, My fair one, and come away." Affirmation: I press into a renewed hunger for things yet to be seen. I pursue Jesus with reckless abandon. Ephesians 1:3 -- "Blessed be the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." QUESTIONS TO ASK MYSELF: Do I see myself for whom I am truly meant to be in God? If not--then why not? Who have I called out of their limited ways lately and shown them a higher life than what they are used to? Jesus has already won the victory. His blood was shed so that we are empowered with grace to cross over into our Promised Land (OUR DESTINY IN CHRIST). Our minds must be renewed to this truth as we defeat every enemy that attempts to oppose us. "I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus....forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead." - Philippians 3:12-13 One reason we have failed to fulfill The Great Commission has been our tendency of making converts and not equipping them for the discipling of new believers. There may be seemingly insurmountable obstacles that prevent you from accomplishing that which God has set out for you to do. God will smash through and break into pieces the gates of bronze! Are you imprisoned by inescapable bars of iron? God will cut them! Get ready. "For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God." - 1 John 5:4-5 The temptation, when we first pray about something, is to lose heart or give up. But God will speak clearly to us if we press into Him. Often it is necessary to pray until you feel (and know) your spirit is breaking through. Affirmation: I release love every moment into every situation, every prayer, and every thought until it totally consumes my life. TODAY, seek for the higher life which is the priestly life, and for the higher service, which is the priestly service. Be willing to put your hand on the plow and not look back at the world(Luke 9:62). Count all the things of the world as loss in order to gain Christ (Philippians 3:7-8). ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com