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On Tuesday, February 9, 2010, Dr. Bob Jones III, chancellor of Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina, will be speaking and presenting pertinent information about BJU at 7 p.m. at the North Raleigh Hilton located on Wake Forest Road in Raleigh, North Carolina. This will be a great opportunity for those in the triangle who read this blog to meet and hear a dear servant of the Lord who possesses a godly heritage. Additional information on this event may be gathered by clicking on http://www.bju.edu/ and searching itineraries. David
Do you believe that the King James Version of the Bible is the infallible, inerrant, fully inspired, and perfect word of God? Are you one of those believers whom others ridicule as having membership in the kjv only "cult"? Does strict adherence to the King James only position qualify one as a "cult member" or does it demonstrate a conviction that all modern translations are inferior to the kjv inasmuch as they were translated from a corrupt text and therefore should be discarded?
A school I attended in the past positioned itself in the raging textual debate by offering the following: "We are not kjv only but we use only the kjv." Though confusing perhaps, I believe the school's leadership meant by that statement that although they preferred the King James Version, they would not use the issue as grounds to separate from a brother who did not share their views. If this is in fact what was meant by their statement, then I am in total agreement; however, I will continue to use the kjv, believing in its verbal and plenary inspiration, and agree to disagree as brethren with those with whom I differ.
Several months ago over dinner, a friend of mine asked if I thought the kjv was the "perfect" word of God. I responded in the affirmative which did not win me bonus points with my friend I assure you. While in disagreement on this important issue, we managed to remain cordial to one another and remain friends to this day. I will be the first to admit my lack of Biblical scholarship and have known very little Greek, but if we today do not have God's perfectly inspired Book, it stands to reason that we do not have an authoritative Bible and therefore, no Bedrock upon which to base our beliefs.
A professor of mine in Bible college wisely stated, "It is not a version issue-it's a text issue." Of course, Bible students of all persuasions know that the Traditional(received text/textus receptus) and Critical comprise the two texts from which came the kjv(traditional text) and the plethora of modern versions(critical text) which include the NIV, NASB, and ESV, etc. Those who hold to a kjv-only position believe the critical text to be corrupt while those who do not share that conviction are persuaded that any reliable translation of God's word is admissable.
While I readily confess my inability to address this issue with a sufficient vocabulary to influence minds, allow me to recommend two excellent books by the same author which will deliver tremendous insight to Christians on both sides of the controversy who resolve to approach the subject with open minds.
Dr. David Sorenson pastors Northstar Baptist Church in Duluth, Minnesota and heads Northstar Ministries, from which he has written and published two books entitled, "Touch Not the Unclean Thing" and the more recent "God's Perect Book", which deal extensively with the Bible version debate. The Bible's "inspiration, preservation, alteration" and much more are covered and documented within the pages of these two books penned from the author's detailed research. These books were written in firm defense and promotion of the King James Version as God's infallible, inerrant, and perfect Word. Both items may be purchased from http://www.northstarministries.com/. God bless, David.
I really enjoyed all the services today at church and the warm, friendly atmosphere that was present throughout the congregation. The preacher for the morning worship hour took his text from the book of the Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, and preached on "The Six Woes to Israel." It was a good expository message which nearly covered the entire chapter of Isaiah 5 and very applicable to the day in which we live. I benefited greatly from hearing it.
During the evening service the preacher spoke from the book of II Timothy chapter two on the subject, "A Vessel of Honor". He made the application that each and every one of us, as believers, are either a vessel unto honor or a vessel unto dishonor. I have to confess that many times I am afraid I do not take the honorable approach and find myself asking for the Lord's forgiveness.
I liked what the good pastor said in reference to his days in Bible college where a professor assured him that the best degree one can ever achieve is the "AUG" degree: Approved Unto God. II Timothy 2:15, a familiar verse, reads, "Study to shew thyself APPROVED UNTO GOD, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." Would you not agree that all other degrees and accomplishments, though noteworty, are nonetheless secondary to being approved by God?
Of course, today was labeled "Super Sunday" due to the playing of the Super Bowl and yet I found it super for other reasons (though I did watch most of the game's second half after church). The sun's rays were brilliant and the sky a cloudless blue, possibly anticipating the soon arrival of spring. Indeed I left the place of worship today feeling that the Lord, and He alone, had been exalted in the services. I trust you had a wonderful day as well. God bless, and thanks for reading. David.
Have you ever allowed thoughtless words to slip from your lips that you immediately wished you could retrieve? I know that has been my lot on far too many occasions. The tongue rushes into gear before the brain is engaged-been there, done that. Without delving into details, I have been reminded recently of the magnitudinous capacity of the tongue for good and for evil.
Not a few people have been encouraged to withstand the storms of life by a simple word spoken in kindness. Perhaps the word of encouragement came from a family member or maybe even a stranger, but the expression of tenderness struck a cord of hope in the heart of its recipient.
The wise man penned in Proverbs 25:11: "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." We find also in the fifteenth chapter and twenty-third verse of that same book the following words of inspiration: "A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!" Oh, the significance of a good word, "fitly spoken."
Conversely, what damage may be wrought by the actions of one with an unruly tongue. Well do I recall the instances in my own life where in anger words designed to hurt were hurled and on every occasion my arrows of malevolence struck their intended target with despicable fulmination. We would all do well in the midst of disagreements which inevitably appear to heed the words of Proverbs 29:11 where it reads, "A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards."
Perhaps the most familiar passage of Scripture in reference to the tongue can be found in chapter three of the book of James. Verses 3 and following read:
"Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. (4) Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. (5) Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! (6) And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. (7) For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: (8) But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison."
That James pulls no punches in his forthright condemnation of an unruly tongue is apparent for all to see. I have not had to undergo the unpleasant punishment of having my mouth "washed out with soap", but honestly, after reading this passage I feel an explicit urge to submit to it.
Interestingly, James reveals the tongue to be the source of defilement for the entire body(verse 6). Did not Jesus Himself say the same in rebuking the pharisees whom were outwardly pure but woefully lacked in inward cleanliness? Matthew 15:11 records the words of Jesus: "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of his mouth, this defileth a man."
We sometimes preach long and hard on the sins of the flesh and well we should. According to I Corinthians 3:16-17, the body of the believer is the Temple of God and we are commanded not to defile this Temple. For example, most everyone is cognizant of the fact that smoking cigarettes defiles the body (in many cases leads to its decease), and should be avoided by Christians. In many churches, those who "light up" are not permitted to serve in roles of leadership-Sunday School teachers, Deacons, Ushers, etc.
But what about the "smoke" of another fire that is prevalent in a lot of churches; that is, the smoke of a gossiping, backbiting, slanderous tongue? I am not a smoker neither do I condone the practice, but I submit that a malicious "smoking" tongue has done more harm to the cause of Christ than has a chuck wagon full of Marlboro Lights.
Several years ago a bumper sticker appeared on backs of cars everywhere which read, "Watch that child!" The purpose of the bumper sticker was to bring awareness to the growing interest of child safety. Perhaps it is time for that slogan to be replaced with another which will read: "Watch that tongue!"
The story is told of a man in a certain village who after many offenses to his fellowman, now stood before the judge. The judge sentenced the offender to a simple act of placing a feather at the door of the house of each individual whom he had wronged. The man standing in judgment thought this to be a light sentence (no pun intended) and could barely withhold his glee at the judge's pronouncement.
However, the judge was not finished with his verdict. He then proceeded to tell the defendant that after he had placed the feathers at each door, he then must return to retrieve each and every one, bringing them to the judge's courtroom to receive full emancipation. The defendant realized immediately that to comply with the remainder of the judge's sentence was an impossibility due to the heavy winds in the city and the lightness of the feathers. The distributed feathers would have assuredly been blown from pillar to post, never to return again. Likewise, his deeds could never be retracted.
So it is with words harshly spoken. Though light as feathers and just as impossible to retrieve, they devastatingly impact and damage the lives of others as surely as an unanticipated tsunami. God help us to use our tongues, not as an unruly evil, but rather as an encouragement to those with whom we come into contact from this day forth. God bless, David.
Though alarmed, I have nonetheless enjoyed reading recently Dave Hunt's Judgment Day! Islam, Israel, and the Nations (The Berean Call, publishers), and agree with the book's heading: the truth is more devastating than fiction. Well-documented with historical facts regarding the ancient land of Israel, Hunt's volume is an elightening page-turner that forces the reader to examine the true nature of Islam, Israel's rightful claim to the land of "Palestine", and the coming judgment of God upon all nations in restitution for their mistreatment of His elect, the Jews.
What follows is an excerpt from this provocative volume of 455 extremely informative pages and is posted with permission from the publisher:
"Democratic world powers seem at their wits' end in the futile effort to bring real peace to the Middle East. As we have documented beyond question, a major reason for failed peace efforts is the refusal of Western leaders to admit the truth: that the heart of the problem is Islam itself and what Muslim leaders are doing in the name of Allah to foment unrest and hatred of Israel and of the West. Time and again, Israel is pressured to live at peace with and to give "back" yet more land to the "Palestinians." But appeasement works no better now than it ever has: there is no appeasing or appealing to a mass murderer once he has the upper hand! Until we are willing to admit the truth and to state clearly to ourselves and to the world-including the Muslim world-that terrorism will not be rewarded with further concessions, the slide down the slippery slope to destruction will only gather momentum." (Chapter 9-APPEACEMENT IN OUR DAY, Page 215; JUDGMENT DAY!, Dave Hunt, The Berean Call, publishers).
Obviously, Hunt's no-holds-barred approach will be deemed too controversial by some who are unwilling to face the truth regarding Islam and the unmasked aspirations of many from its multitude of followers. Americans may well find it troubling to read of the U.S. Government's alleged past complicity in the undermining of the national security of her only true ally in the gulf, the tiny nation of Israel. Irrespective of one's spiritual acumen or political leanings, Judgment Day! is one book sure to engender thought-provoking dialogue from all sides of the Arab-Israeli conflict. I highly recommend it! God bless, David.
As we say goodbye to the cold days of January and embark upon the month of February, many hearts are aflame with thoughts of love that could melt the driven snow. Valentine's Day is a mere two weeks journey away and long-stemmed roses and chocolate will once more rule the day. Perhaps some young lady will be met by a nervous young man bearing a priceless gem in a small, yet glowing, package.
This is the season when sweethearts do nice things for one another. A brother of mine, assuredly smitten by cupid's arrow, will celebrate (with his wife) several years of marriage on Valentine's Day. A favorite (exquisite!) restaurant of mine, Bojangles, will participate in the celebration by offering heart-shaped biscuits during the entire month of February! How irresistable is that!
Truth is, we all are compelled to execute acts of love and unselfishness on Valentine's Day that in reality we should aspire to perform all year long. To love is to give and no one ever truly loved without sacrificing and giving. However, there are multitudes of people near and far who have not one soul to love and are bereft of acts of tenderness and kindness directed their way during this time of year when society's emphasis rest squarely on love.
I was speaking several days ago with a young lady who stated firmly, "I hate Valentine's Day!" In response to my ensuing question as to why she flatly answered, "Because I am always alone on that day." I could sense her loneliness and was keenly aware of humanity's need of being loved. I know how it feels to be lonely, but I must readily confess that I have never experienced the awful pangs that undoubtedly grips one who feels unloved. The chord strings of my heart are stirred with emotion as I feel a deep well of sympathy for those who harbor such feelings of loneliness.
Speaking of love, I Corinthians 13, known as the great chapter in the Bible on that enormous subject, lists a variety of spiritual gifts in the first three verses. Throughout these verses Paul reminds us that oratorical ability is useless, ability to preach is deemed worthless, interpretation of Scripture is vain, knowledge is unprofitable, faith to remove mountains is wasted, bestowing goods to feed the poor is without merit, and giving one's body to be burned at the stake is to no advantage-if I have not charity (love)!
Paul concludes his remarks in verse 13 of I Corinthians 13 with these sobering words: "And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity." While serving in the Lord's vineyard, Paul is hereby reminding the Corinthian believers (and us) of the necessity of love, without which one is "profited nothing."
A scribe came to Jesus in Mark chapter 12 enquiring of Him which was the greatest of all commandments. Jesus replied with these words in verses 29-30: "...The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: (30) And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. (31) And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these."
Clearly, loving with all our heart the Lord Jesus Christ and our neighbor is the greatest of commandments given by the Lord. When one has those priorities in place, he or she will find that they love His church, His body (fellow believers), His Word, His mandate (winning souls), and His coming! How often do I fail in this area!During this Valentines season, may we examine our "love life" and make corrections if and where correction is needed. God bless, David.
Dwight D. Eisenhower: "You do not lead by hitting people over the head-that's assault, not leadership."
Theodore Roosevelt: "The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it."
Groucho Marx: "Only one man in a thousand is a leader of men-the other 999 follow women."
Peter F. Drucker: "Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things."
George S. Patton: "Don't tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results."
H. Ross Perot: "Inventories can be managed, but people must be led."
Warren G. Bennis: "The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it."
Ralph Nader: "I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers."
From www.wisdomquotes.com and http://www.famous-quotes-and-quotations.com/
