Without considering both testaments, neither can be fully understood in the manner in which God intends them to be understood.
The Mosaic Law is best understood when it is divided into: (1) the moral law, (2) the civil law, and (3) the ceremonial law.
The word baptism means immersion. People do not often consider that there are actually several baptisms contained within the scripture.
An article in the May 12, 2006, edition of the "Wall Street Journal" reviews a couple of television programs dealing with reproductive technology that show how this technology is presently being used. Prospective parents are coming to the United States to choose sperm and eggs according to the donor's appearance, intelligence, ability in sports, music or other areas of interest. Many are coming from nations that do not allow the level of eugenics offered in the "land of the free." Others who cannot travel to America are turning in orders over the internet. The most popular choice is for blond, blue-eyed white children. Surrogates often have the children for them. One surrogate said of the babies she bears for income stated, "It may sound heartless, but I don't get attached." At some point, God will again look upon mankind as He did at the Tower of Babel and say, "and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do" (Genesis 11:6). At the Tower of Babel, He confounded their languages. We may wonder what He will do to end this renewal of a eugenics program that would have been envied by Adolf Hitler and his compatriots.
A recent study in Finland determined that cert ain kinds of TV viewing caused sleeping disturbances in children. Although all television viewing had some effect on sleeping, the following kinds of viewing disturbed sleep patterns the most in children: watching adult targeted programs, such as current affairs programs, police series, and movies; watching TV alone; watching TV at bedtime (especially caused sleep-wake transition disorders and daytime somnolence); and high levels of passive TV exposure when adult programs were airing. Children sleep better and are more rested when they view less television. Just another great reason to turn off the tube.
Women are developing a taste for violence in their entertainment. Less and less are women put off by violence in their novels and movies. According to a frontpage article in today's Wall Street Journal, women are increasingly drawn to thriller novels where the hero is an assassin or a revenge killer. Women now make up 60% of the audience for the gory "CSI" television franchise that has three different series. Movie houses are also noticing that women make up an increasing percentage of the viewers at recent horror/terror films. Women are losing their squeamish nature when it comes to violence. One of the signs of the days of Noah was that "the earth was filled with violence" (Genesis 6:11). Jesus told us that "as it was in the days of Noe [Noah], so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man" (Luke 17:26).
The following is an excerpt from Soldiers in Training by Brother Daryl Coats.
Comments we received in regard to "Three Kings and Some Land": Hi Pastor Reagan, I have been studying in the book of Jeremiah and read the chapter you are quoting yesterday. My KJV Bible spells the kings name "Nebuchadrezzer" I checked my wifes KJV and it says the same thing. However you are spelling it "Nebuchadnezzar" I checked my concordance and it says these are the same. I was wondering if you had any insight as to why the different spellings. I don't think there are two different kings of Babylon. Just wondering??
An article in the September 15, 2006, edition of "Forward" tells of the sweet challah bread that is on every Rosh Hashanah table throughout the Jewish world. Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year and it is equivalent to the Feast of the Trumpets in the Bible (Leviticus 23:23-25). Challah is a sweet bread especially made for the occasion to symbolize the desire for a sweet and good year. It is usually baked in a round or spiral shape. This roundness is used to symbolize the round crowns of the righteous and the cycle of the year. Since a circle has no end, it also indicates the desire for a long life.
The August/September, 2006, Newsletter of the Southern View Chapel surveys the doctrinal stands of C. S. Lewis (1899-1963). The popularity of both the fictional and non-fictional works of Lewis is at an unprecedented high. His "Chronicles of Narnia" were just made into a popular film and his praise is almost everywhere acclaimed. Perhaps it would be good to know the theological views of this man. Here are some of them.
