Greetings Saints. It's been a long time, I apologize as I had lost my password to access this blog.
Just wanted to let you know that the 2008 Bosco-Lina Bible Conference is being carried live over the internet on Paltalk. All you need is a free Paltalk account. After you log in, search the room named "Musterion Truth Bible Study". There you will find the conference broadcast from August 1st to August 3rd.
Hope to see you there. Both Ronnie and Artis are among the many speakers.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Truth For Today Conference
The 59th annual Truth For Today Bible conference will be held this year on June 1st - 3rd. The conference will be held at the Bible Forum in Peru, IN. If you are interested in attending you may call Peter Redmon at 765-473-6683.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Bones of Jesus Found?
I'm sure by now you've heard about the supposed discovery of Jesus's bones, along with those of his "wife" and "child". You may have even seen the documentary on this. I haven't seen it, so I can't comment on it, however I can comment on what saith the Word....
If you believe that as Psalms 50:1 says, "The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken." And that "holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost" - II Peter 1:21. And if you believe that this spoken Word has been preserved in the Holy Bible, then let's see what it says concerning Jesus's bones and body.
The Bible speaks clearly of the bodily resurrection of Jesus and his empty tomb. The empty tomb was found by Mary Magdalene and the "other Mary", the mother of James. The angel of the Lord told them that Jesus was risen and showed them the empty tomb. (Matthew 28). As they left to tell the disciples Matthew 28:9 tells us:
"And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them saying, 'All hail.' And they came and held Him by the feet, and worshipped Him." It's easy for us to understand from grade school science that the feet are made up of flesh, tissue, muscle, and yes bones! Sounds to me like Jesus has a bodily resurrection at this point and his tomb is empty at this time.
Then there was the watch (consisting of at least four soldiers) watching over the tomb to prevent the disciples from stealing Jesus's body and faking his resurrection, which was a concern that the chief priests and Pharisee's had. (Matthew 27: 62-66) However, these soldiers ended up being witnesses to the greatest miracle ever. But, their eye witness account was purchased with a large sum of money from the same chief priests who had Pilate put this watch in place. They were told to say that the disciples came and stole the body during the night while they slept. They must have been pretty convincing as many Jews believed this story even unto the day that the book of Matthew was written. (Matthew 28) Again, it's easy for us to understand the power of money and buying out of witnesses to change their story. Just read the newspaper almost any week of the year.
Is this all the evidence we have? Are these the only witnesses? No, I'm sure you know there's much more and we'll continue this a little later.
If you believe that as Psalms 50:1 says, "The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken." And that "holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost" - II Peter 1:21. And if you believe that this spoken Word has been preserved in the Holy Bible, then let's see what it says concerning Jesus's bones and body.
The Bible speaks clearly of the bodily resurrection of Jesus and his empty tomb. The empty tomb was found by Mary Magdalene and the "other Mary", the mother of James. The angel of the Lord told them that Jesus was risen and showed them the empty tomb. (Matthew 28). As they left to tell the disciples Matthew 28:9 tells us:
"And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them saying, 'All hail.' And they came and held Him by the feet, and worshipped Him." It's easy for us to understand from grade school science that the feet are made up of flesh, tissue, muscle, and yes bones! Sounds to me like Jesus has a bodily resurrection at this point and his tomb is empty at this time.
Then there was the watch (consisting of at least four soldiers) watching over the tomb to prevent the disciples from stealing Jesus's body and faking his resurrection, which was a concern that the chief priests and Pharisee's had. (Matthew 27: 62-66) However, these soldiers ended up being witnesses to the greatest miracle ever. But, their eye witness account was purchased with a large sum of money from the same chief priests who had Pilate put this watch in place. They were told to say that the disciples came and stole the body during the night while they slept. They must have been pretty convincing as many Jews believed this story even unto the day that the book of Matthew was written. (Matthew 28) Again, it's easy for us to understand the power of money and buying out of witnesses to change their story. Just read the newspaper almost any week of the year.
Is this all the evidence we have? Are these the only witnesses? No, I'm sure you know there's much more and we'll continue this a little later.
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Creation - Segment 3
Well, let's continue on with Segment 3!
So the scriptures agree that the original creation was perfect, formed to be inhabited. It stands to reason that a perfect God would only create a perfect creation. The word here says that the heavens and the earth were created “not in vain”, so what happened? Why does verse 2 of Genesis 1 say
1 “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.”
At first glance, it would seem we have a contradiction. Creation cannot be “created not in vain” and “without form and void” at the same time. Logic demands that it be one or the other.
The answer again lies in the original Hebrew, where the word translated “was” in verse two should be rendered “became” as it was in Genesis 19:26, where Lot’s wife looked back upon the judgment of God upon Sodom and Gomorrah and “became a pillar of salt.” The sense of what actually happened is clear when the word “became” is restored to the verse.
2 “And the earth became without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.”
Something clearly happened between verses 1 and 2, creating a “gap” of untold duration of purpose. I believe scripture records the event- the entrance of sin into a perfect creation! Again the curtain is drawn back, and we can begin to see the story unfold. The word records these events in Ezekiel 28:12-19 where Lucifer, “the anointed cherub that covereth”, by reason of his own beauty, wills himself to be more than he was created to be. At this time Lucifer was full of wisdom, perfect in beauty, and held a position in God’s created order of angelic beings above all. The word records that he was in Eden, the garden of God in heaven, and that he had literally “walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.” All was perfect- until “iniquity was found in thee.” At this crisis point in God’s purpose, for the first time, we have 2 “wills” in the creation instead of just one. Lucifer’s 5 “I wills” are also a matter of scripture record in Isaiah 14:12-14:
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of GOD: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.’
Because of this, God’s judgment is swift and sure. Ezekiel 28:16-17 records that God cast him as profane out of the mountain of God, and that he was destroyed from the midst of the stones of fire. He was also cast to the earth- the word in vs. 17 is “ground”, but again the Hebrew text corrects us, and the true translation is “earth”. I believe at this point Lucifer, his home the earth, and at least a portion of the created angels residing in heaven (probably some as captives and some voluntarily) were all imprisoned. This brings us back to Genesis 1, and the “deep”.
2 “And the earth became without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.”...
The creation of the deep, like the creation of Lucifer and the angels, is not recorded here in Genesis. The deep is created by God as a means of judgment upon his disobedient creation. It is remarkable that as of verse 2 we are no longer talking about darkness on the face of the earth or in heaven, but darkness upon the face of the deep. This word enters the story much like Satan does in chapter 3, almost as an uninvited intruder. The Hebrew word for deep here is again of significance. Tehowm (pronounced teh-home’) comes from the root word Huwm which means “to make an uproar, or agitate greatly; destroy, move, make noise”. Tehowm means “an abyss, as a surging mass of water”. “Water of judgment” would be a good description of the word.
To summarize to this point, God creates the heavens and the earth, which were perfect and inhabited by the angelic order and Lucifer, the capstone of created perfection. Lucifer is likely the “prime minister” of creation, and has access to heaven and the earth as it suits God’s purposes. All is well in creation until the day God knows that Lucifer in his heart has sinned by reason of his own pride, and now two “wills” and division replace the single perfect will of the Creator. As a result of the entrance of sin and the resultant rebellion in heaven, God casts Lucifer to the earth along with the rebels, and locks them inside the massive body of water called the deep. This “separation” from God is necessary because God cannot and will not tolerate sin in his presence, and the duration of this “judgment” likely lasted for a period of time that the human mind can’t fathom. During this time, the earth is both “in the water” and “out of the water” at different times, and to this period belong all fossil remains and relics that we find today.
Think on these things.....more next time!
Ronnie
So the scriptures agree that the original creation was perfect, formed to be inhabited. It stands to reason that a perfect God would only create a perfect creation. The word here says that the heavens and the earth were created “not in vain”, so what happened? Why does verse 2 of Genesis 1 say
1 “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.”
At first glance, it would seem we have a contradiction. Creation cannot be “created not in vain” and “without form and void” at the same time. Logic demands that it be one or the other.
The answer again lies in the original Hebrew, where the word translated “was” in verse two should be rendered “became” as it was in Genesis 19:26, where Lot’s wife looked back upon the judgment of God upon Sodom and Gomorrah and “became a pillar of salt.” The sense of what actually happened is clear when the word “became” is restored to the verse.
2 “And the earth became without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.”
Something clearly happened between verses 1 and 2, creating a “gap” of untold duration of purpose. I believe scripture records the event- the entrance of sin into a perfect creation! Again the curtain is drawn back, and we can begin to see the story unfold. The word records these events in Ezekiel 28:12-19 where Lucifer, “the anointed cherub that covereth”, by reason of his own beauty, wills himself to be more than he was created to be. At this time Lucifer was full of wisdom, perfect in beauty, and held a position in God’s created order of angelic beings above all. The word records that he was in Eden, the garden of God in heaven, and that he had literally “walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.” All was perfect- until “iniquity was found in thee.” At this crisis point in God’s purpose, for the first time, we have 2 “wills” in the creation instead of just one. Lucifer’s 5 “I wills” are also a matter of scripture record in Isaiah 14:12-14:
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of GOD: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.’
Because of this, God’s judgment is swift and sure. Ezekiel 28:16-17 records that God cast him as profane out of the mountain of God, and that he was destroyed from the midst of the stones of fire. He was also cast to the earth- the word in vs. 17 is “ground”, but again the Hebrew text corrects us, and the true translation is “earth”. I believe at this point Lucifer, his home the earth, and at least a portion of the created angels residing in heaven (probably some as captives and some voluntarily) were all imprisoned. This brings us back to Genesis 1, and the “deep”.
2 “And the earth became without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.”...
The creation of the deep, like the creation of Lucifer and the angels, is not recorded here in Genesis. The deep is created by God as a means of judgment upon his disobedient creation. It is remarkable that as of verse 2 we are no longer talking about darkness on the face of the earth or in heaven, but darkness upon the face of the deep. This word enters the story much like Satan does in chapter 3, almost as an uninvited intruder. The Hebrew word for deep here is again of significance. Tehowm (pronounced teh-home’) comes from the root word Huwm which means “to make an uproar, or agitate greatly; destroy, move, make noise”. Tehowm means “an abyss, as a surging mass of water”. “Water of judgment” would be a good description of the word.
To summarize to this point, God creates the heavens and the earth, which were perfect and inhabited by the angelic order and Lucifer, the capstone of created perfection. Lucifer is likely the “prime minister” of creation, and has access to heaven and the earth as it suits God’s purposes. All is well in creation until the day God knows that Lucifer in his heart has sinned by reason of his own pride, and now two “wills” and division replace the single perfect will of the Creator. As a result of the entrance of sin and the resultant rebellion in heaven, God casts Lucifer to the earth along with the rebels, and locks them inside the massive body of water called the deep. This “separation” from God is necessary because God cannot and will not tolerate sin in his presence, and the duration of this “judgment” likely lasted for a period of time that the human mind can’t fathom. During this time, the earth is both “in the water” and “out of the water” at different times, and to this period belong all fossil remains and relics that we find today.
Think on these things.....more next time!
Ronnie
Thursday, March 1, 2007
2007 Phoenix Conference
February has already come and gone and March is here. This time of the year is always exciting as it starts out the Bible conference season. The 2007 Phoenix Spring Conference is set for March 30th- April 1st. The featured speakers are none other than our contributors here on the blog, Ronnie and Artis. According to our friends at Bible Explorations the location is tentatively set for the Phoenix Christian High School Cafeteria, 1751 W. Indian School Rd, Phoenix, AZ. We will keep you informed as we get more information. So if you're in the Phoenix area, I'm sure they'd love to have you visit and I know you'd get a great blessing.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Creation- Segment 2
Let's continue our consideration of Creation...............
As my own scripture journey into creation deepened, one thing soon became clear- the bulk of scripture certainly did not seem to center on creation before or after what I’ll refer to as "age times", i.e., the record of Adam’s race. In fact, only a very small percentage of Holy Writ is devoted to shining light into this darkness and we, as Paul, see details of these events only "as through a glass darkly". God reveals the scriptural equivalent of only glimpses of these times, much like pulling a curtain aside to give a peek. The vast majority of the book centers on Adam and the history of his progeny, most notably God’s chosen people Israel. One such "peek" is provided by the Apostle Peter in 2Peter 3: 1-13. Here, Peter stirs up the minds of the believers by way of "remembrance" and makes these statements in verses 5-7 and 13:
5 "For this they are willingly ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens wereof old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
7 But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men."
13 "Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness."
Amazingly, the entire history of creation itself is contained within these four verses. Peter mentions three distinct periods of the heavens and the earth, and these can be listed as:
As my own scripture journey into creation deepened, one thing soon became clear- the bulk of scripture certainly did not seem to center on creation before or after what I’ll refer to as "age times", i.e., the record of Adam’s race. In fact, only a very small percentage of Holy Writ is devoted to shining light into this darkness and we, as Paul, see details of these events only "as through a glass darkly". God reveals the scriptural equivalent of only glimpses of these times, much like pulling a curtain aside to give a peek. The vast majority of the book centers on Adam and the history of his progeny, most notably God’s chosen people Israel. One such "peek" is provided by the Apostle Peter in 2Peter 3: 1-13. Here, Peter stirs up the minds of the believers by way of "remembrance" and makes these statements in verses 5-7 and 13:
5 "For this they are willingly ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens wereof old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
7 But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men."
13 "Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness."
Amazingly, the entire history of creation itself is contained within these four verses. Peter mentions three distinct periods of the heavens and the earth, and these can be listed as:
Remember, as we have already stated, the world that then was and the new heavens and the new earth are not the main focus of scripture. All that may be gleaned from the word concerning these time periods come from scant few scattered references. Let’s consider first "the world that then was" as referenced in vs. 6. This world of old was, at least at one time, "standing in the water and out of the water". It was also "overflowed with water" and perished. This word "perish" is the key to understanding that this flood is not the flood of Genesis 6. It is the Greek word appolumi, which means to utterly destroy, total ruin or loss. This word is one of the strongest words in the Greek language to express the idea of final and irretrievable destruction. This ancient world experienced a flood of such intensity and duration that the earth still bears the scars in its surface today. This flood transformed the original earth by a literal "baptism of judgment" that had a duration that only God knows. The flood of Genesis 6 certainly was a catastrophe, but Noah’s flood began and ended in the space of a year- a fact that clearly opposes the definition of appolumi. In addition the book of Genesis, in perfect harmony, only briefly introduces us to the earth in the first two verses before adding "and darkness was upon
the face of the deep." What is this deep, where did it come from, and why darkness in a perfect creation?
More about the deep later. For now, let’s concentrate on Genesis 1:1:
1 "In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth."
Let’s stop here. "Heaven" here is the Hebrew word shamayim, and is always plural. It comes from the root word shameh (pronounced shaw-meh’), which means "to be high, lofty. " Shamayim means "the sky, alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move as well as to the higher space where the celestial bodies revolve." The earth is created here also, at the same point in purpose called beginning. The idea that this scripture teaches is in perfect harmony once again with Isaiah 45:18:
18 "For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the
earth and made it; he hath established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to
be inhabited: I am the Lord."
More next time........God Bless!
Ronnie
Friday, February 23, 2007
Words Mean Something....
"ABSENT FROM THE BODY, PRESENT WITH THE LORD!"... how many times have you heard this preached from the pulpit? It seems to be a ralling cry here in the south on any given Sunday morning or most definitely at a funeral. This phrase is usually repeated several times with no reference to the book and verse. This phrase leaves out 13 words from the KJ version of
II Cor 5:8, which in it's entirety reads: We are confident, [I say], and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
And if you read the context of II Cor 5, I think you'll see that we live in an earthly tabernacle that we are current clothed with and a hope of a building of God in heaven, which is yet in the future. Paul's desire is not to be found in a naked state between the two, ie death.
So does this verse imply an immediate presentation in heaven upon death? If, as many preachers profess, you are absent from the body and present with the Lord upon death, then what is the "naked state"? In their scenerio a person would never be found "naked". Read the entire chapter and see if you think words mean something and does it really matter that 13 words are left out?
II Cor 5:8, which in it's entirety reads: We are confident, [I say], and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
And if you read the context of II Cor 5, I think you'll see that we live in an earthly tabernacle that we are current clothed with and a hope of a building of God in heaven, which is yet in the future. Paul's desire is not to be found in a naked state between the two, ie death.
So does this verse imply an immediate presentation in heaven upon death? If, as many preachers profess, you are absent from the body and present with the Lord upon death, then what is the "naked state"? In their scenerio a person would never be found "naked". Read the entire chapter and see if you think words mean something and does it really matter that 13 words are left out?
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