Monday, October 30, 2017

History and Geography of the Bible Story on CD

I have just put the "History and Geography of the Bible Story on CD" on sale! This is the first time I have sold this CD for this price. Now until December 31, 2017 you can only purchase the CD for $20.00 from my website http://www.thetfordcountry.com/HistoryGeography.html

This CD contains over 1,300 PowerPoint charts dealing with the history and geography of the Bible story and compliments the popular "History and Geography of the Bible Story" study manual by Bob and Sandra Waldron. You can read more about it on the website.

This CD would make a great gift for any Bible student. The CD will be shipped to anyone in the United States free of charge. After December 31st the price will return to $25.00.

Friday, October 27, 2017

Moral Issues

Moral issues have become very clouded in today's society. Many sins are now looked upon as little more than unavoidable illnesses. Some may be pushing this philosophy in an attempt to sooth their consciences, but God gives them no comfort from His Holy word.

For example, homosexuality is one such sin that seems to be looked upon as an alternate lifestyle rather than moral perversion. I am not trying to emphasize one sin above another, but I am emphasizing that sin is sin. Isaiah 5:20 says, "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"

Homosexuality, along with many other similar sins, is clearly condemned in God's word. The apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God."

If any of these sins are part of your life, you need to stop and come to Jesus for washing, sanctification, and justification. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4 says, "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor..." 2 Corinthians 7:1 says, "Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." It is imperative that we live our lives according to the teaching of God. Our heavenly Father has given us every opportunity to be obedient to Him during our days on this earth. Therefore, let us all have no part of immorality and strive to let our lights shine for Christ. Our eternal destiny depends upon it. 

Friday, October 20, 2017

The Value of God's Word

Have you ever had something you valued very highly and were afraid that you might lose it? Most of us take great care in protecting what we highly treasure, and try to learn the best way to protect it. Sometimes our efforts to preserve and keep our treasures are useless due to ignorance or neglect of the correct measures to be taken. Therefore, that which provided great benefit and was of much value is lost and can't be recovered no matter how hard we try.

Atheists, secular humanists, and others who don’t want to hear anything about God or His standard for living, enjoy the all the benefits that come from a society that generally practices the teachings of the Bible. These people are willfully ignorant of the knowledge that the Bible and its teachings restrain evil and bring order to society. They’re ignorant that the Bible sets forth the individual as being very valuable. This country is based upon this very idea, and its laws are constituted to protect the individual.

If, as the Atheists and others in ignorance desire, Bible teaching is removed from the great majority of our society, that removal will eventually destroy the value of the individual. When the value of the individual is destroyed, our orderly society and freedoms will be gone. Anarchy, violence and lawlessness will replace the order and freedom, and a dictatorship or other type of oppressive government will take over.

Do you value God's word? Do you want your children, and grandchildren to grow up with freedom to practice what the Bible teaches? If you do, store up the word of God in your heart, and teach your children God’s word, morning, noon and night. It all begins with each one of us. Before our homes can function properly, we must first function properly in the ways and teachings of God. When we are practicing godliness and are truly loyal to Christ, then our homes will reflect that. When our homes reflect Christ, then our local congregations will also reflect Him. It all starts with “ME.”

God’s people long ago were instructed to put Him first above others and all things (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). In the New Testament, Jesus said “And you shall love the lord your god with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' this is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘you shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ there is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31). If we will truly value God’s precious word in all aspects of our lives, we will never regret it. We’ll not only save our own children and grandchildren, but we'll help keep this great country of ours free, and under the protection of God.

Thursday, October 12, 2017

The Choice is Ours

Our lives are full of choices. Every day we come face to face with a decision, a choice, that we must make. The same is true in regard to religious things. Jesus asks us to make choices on whether to accept His way or another way. In Matthew 7:13-14 He pleads for us to “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” When asked if there are few who will be saved, He replied saying, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able” (Luke 13:24).

Ultimately, the choice is ours. Will we strive to enter by the narrow gate or, will we go in the way of destruction? Thus, in the words of Joshua, “And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15). Also, in the words of Elijah, “....How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him....” (1 Kings 18:21). As we go through life making choices, we must make sure that we are making the right choice in regards to our life and service for Jesus Christ. The choice to serve and obey Him has to take precedence over everyone and everything else (Matthew 10:34-39).

Finally, listen to the words of Jesus as he says, “Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness” (Matthew 7:21-23). If we will make the choice to be faithful to Him now, then He will ensure that a mansion is reserved in heaven for us when our life comes to an end here on this earth (John 14:1-3). Make the right choice, the choice to be with Jesus.

Monday, October 2, 2017

A Worthy Name

When a person becomes a child of God, he takes the name of Christ. He becomes a “Christian.” 1 Peter 4:16 says, “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.” This passage indicates to us that we are to glorify God in the name “Christian.” Ephesians 4:1 tells us that we, as Christians, are to live a life worthy of the calling that we have received. “....beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.” Philippians 1:27 teaches that we are to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Philippians 2:9-11 says, “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

It's sad that there are many whose lives do not reflect the image of Christ who they claim to serve. There are many so-called Christians who dance, drink, gamble, and do all the ungodly deeds which are common among worldly people. In the Bible, when God’s children brought shame on God’s Holy name, He disowned them.

If we’re not willing to have the kind of behavior which reflects the high and holy name of God and His Son, but are living like the people of the world, we ought to repent and change our ways before it is everlastingly too late. We must live for Jesus now so that we can live with Him in eternity!