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?
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Creation: Segment 1
As I mentioned in my previous post, here is Segment 1 of "Creation". I hope you enjoy and get a blessing from it. Comments welcomed!
CREATION
We’ve all done it from time to time- wondered at the scope of it, marveled at its complexity, its beauty. I remember, as a small boy, lying on my back in the cool grass on summer nights after catching lightning bugs, gazing into the crystal-clear rural South Carolina night sky…there were so many stars! I recall how the beauty and vastness of the night sky used to boggle my small mind. To this day, many years later, the night sky still silently reminds me of the almighty wisdom of its Creator, and my mind is still small!
As an adult I still stand in awe of God’s creation and, as a believer, turn to the truth of the scriptures for the answers to my questions. Many of these questions I’ve wrestled with down through the years center on creation and its purpose- the old classics like "Why are we here?" and "What’s God’s purpose in creation?" Men have feebly attempted to answer these questions on their own for eons but, as always, the true answers lie in the scriptures.
The epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Romans contains a statement that gives us a bedrock foundation on which to begin our study on creation. Romans 15:4 states:
"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."
Paul says that the things which were written "aforetime", or scriptures that predated his then current point in time, contained learning that could, if understood, be a source of comfort and hope. I believe that ALL our answers are in God’s Holy Word. If we apply the "Berean" spirit to search the scriptures as the Bereans did in Acts 17:11 and apply the basic principles of rightly dividing the scriptures the answers will come, and we will be blessed and comforted workers that need not be ashamed. As we begin our study, I would ask of you only what Paul asked of Timothy:
"Consider what I say: and the Lord give thee understanding in all things." 2Timothy 2:7
CREATION
We’ve all done it from time to time- wondered at the scope of it, marveled at its complexity, its beauty. I remember, as a small boy, lying on my back in the cool grass on summer nights after catching lightning bugs, gazing into the crystal-clear rural South Carolina night sky…there were so many stars! I recall how the beauty and vastness of the night sky used to boggle my small mind. To this day, many years later, the night sky still silently reminds me of the almighty wisdom of its Creator, and my mind is still small!
As an adult I still stand in awe of God’s creation and, as a believer, turn to the truth of the scriptures for the answers to my questions. Many of these questions I’ve wrestled with down through the years center on creation and its purpose- the old classics like "Why are we here?" and "What’s God’s purpose in creation?" Men have feebly attempted to answer these questions on their own for eons but, as always, the true answers lie in the scriptures.
The epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Romans contains a statement that gives us a bedrock foundation on which to begin our study on creation. Romans 15:4 states:
"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."
Paul says that the things which were written "aforetime", or scriptures that predated his then current point in time, contained learning that could, if understood, be a source of comfort and hope. I believe that ALL our answers are in God’s Holy Word. If we apply the "Berean" spirit to search the scriptures as the Bereans did in Acts 17:11 and apply the basic principles of rightly dividing the scriptures the answers will come, and we will be blessed and comforted workers that need not be ashamed. As we begin our study, I would ask of you only what Paul asked of Timothy:
"Consider what I say: and the Lord give thee understanding in all things." 2Timothy 2:7
More next time. God bless yall!
Ronnie
Saturday, February 17, 2007
The Bible for Dummies
All of you are probably familar with the books for Dummies series. They have everything, you can think of; Computers for Dummies, Basketball for Dummies, Dating for Dummies, etc.
I even read Blogging for Dummies to help me get started with this blog. These books that I have read seem to do a pretty good job at the subject they're covering. Well yesterday, I had a chance to see a copy of one that I didn't know they had, The Bible for Dummies. Funny thing was it was about a 1/6th the size of the Bible. It makes me wonder what parts did they leave out that they felt were not worth covering? :-)
Isn't it nice to rightly divide the Word of God and then all you will need is the written Word, the Holy Spirit and time to devote to study. That's freedom!
John 8:32 - And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
I even read Blogging for Dummies to help me get started with this blog. These books that I have read seem to do a pretty good job at the subject they're covering. Well yesterday, I had a chance to see a copy of one that I didn't know they had, The Bible for Dummies. Funny thing was it was about a 1/6th the size of the Bible. It makes me wonder what parts did they leave out that they felt were not worth covering? :-)
Isn't it nice to rightly divide the Word of God and then all you will need is the written Word, the Holy Spirit and time to devote to study. That's freedom!
John 8:32 - And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Lessons and rainbows.............
Well, I finally made it back to the site after all my Internet Explorer problems lately. My computer hasn't really worked correctly since I downloaded IE 7......or it downloaded itself! Either way, even after uninstalling it, I still have problems getting into this site. Luckily, I'm using another computer, so posting it is!
I wanted to post an article I've been writing "on and off" for a while. I've titled it "Creation", and I plan to post segments of it on the blog every few days. I hope you get a blessing from it, and most of all, that it helps someone in some small way "grow in the grace and knowledge of him." keep checking in occasionally to check out the article, but first, a little introduction to it.
Even though we live in God's creation all our short lives on this planet, I think we understand very little about it. I was reminded of this fact one afternoon this week as I was riding home from work. It was stormy and raining on and off that afternoon....sort of misty weather. It was shortly before sundown, when the sun was peeking over the edge of the clouds- and there it was! The largest, most colorful and well-pronounced rainbow I've ever seen in my short 47 years! I almost ran out of the road staring at it, trying to keep it in sight as I drove homeward. It was a perfect bow with a lighter reflection behind it, reaching from horizon to horizon, just over Lake Keowee. I pulled over after I remembered I had my camera......as luck would have it though, I had picked up several cases of Girl Scout cookies for the wife, and my bag with the camera was buried underneath. By the time I dug through the cases of cookies and had the camera in hand, darkness had claimed my rainbow, and I was "imageless". I do have my memory of it though, and as it faded I was thankful for having been blessed enough to see it. I sat there a minute and thought of how awesome it was and what an effect it had on me, but how quickly it had come and gone. Sort of like our lives, I thought......how quickly life comes and goes, and how many opportunities we have to effect others. It was a good ride home the rest of the way. I had my image- and my lesson- in my heart. This world is God's creation, as are we. :-)
"Creation" article coming next post! Thanks for reading!
Ronnie
I wanted to post an article I've been writing "on and off" for a while. I've titled it "Creation", and I plan to post segments of it on the blog every few days. I hope you get a blessing from it, and most of all, that it helps someone in some small way "grow in the grace and knowledge of him." keep checking in occasionally to check out the article, but first, a little introduction to it.
Even though we live in God's creation all our short lives on this planet, I think we understand very little about it. I was reminded of this fact one afternoon this week as I was riding home from work. It was stormy and raining on and off that afternoon....sort of misty weather. It was shortly before sundown, when the sun was peeking over the edge of the clouds- and there it was! The largest, most colorful and well-pronounced rainbow I've ever seen in my short 47 years! I almost ran out of the road staring at it, trying to keep it in sight as I drove homeward. It was a perfect bow with a lighter reflection behind it, reaching from horizon to horizon, just over Lake Keowee. I pulled over after I remembered I had my camera......as luck would have it though, I had picked up several cases of Girl Scout cookies for the wife, and my bag with the camera was buried underneath. By the time I dug through the cases of cookies and had the camera in hand, darkness had claimed my rainbow, and I was "imageless". I do have my memory of it though, and as it faded I was thankful for having been blessed enough to see it. I sat there a minute and thought of how awesome it was and what an effect it had on me, but how quickly it had come and gone. Sort of like our lives, I thought......how quickly life comes and goes, and how many opportunities we have to effect others. It was a good ride home the rest of the way. I had my image- and my lesson- in my heart. This world is God's creation, as are we. :-)
"Creation" article coming next post! Thanks for reading!
Ronnie
Thursday, February 8, 2007
The Website
Sorry, there hasn't been many updates on the website Carolina Bible Group recently. The audio pages are currently down, we're still trying to figure out the best way to set them up for either listening or downloading. There's also the possiblilty that we'll be able to have some conference videos accessible in the future, we'll keep you posted on this.
The blog will also be updated more frequently in the future as we've now got Ronnie and Artis in addtion to myself uploading posts. We plan to have something posted at least every couple of days.
Thanks for your time and may God bless your day.
The blog will also be updated more frequently in the future as we've now got Ronnie and Artis in addtion to myself uploading posts. We plan to have something posted at least every couple of days.
Thanks for your time and may God bless your day.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
South Carolina?
Is this really South Carolina? We woke up this morning to between 3 and 4 inches of snow here in the upstate. As it typically goes around here the schools were closed, everyone made a run to the grocery store for bread and milk and the snow was mostly gone by the afternoon. We're still not sure why we have to get bread and milk when snow is predicted, it has to be something generic that we got from our ancestors. Oh well, we should be back to normal tomorrow, of course only after the mandatory 2 hour school delay for the day after snow.
Monday, January 29, 2007
What's a "BLOG"??
Yea.....it's OK. Even though you have likely been surfing the net for years, you may still end up doing the same thing I did when Chip asked me to help with this project..............It's Ok to ask the question.........
"What's a blog?"
Well, he was more "net savvy" than I- so of course, he had the answer. He usually does.
So here I am......posting to a blog. Oh well........Hmmmm........here goes!
We discussed this blog over lunch today, and the potential it has for the bible study groups here in South Carolina and all over the U.S. We hope it will be a blessing to those who drop by to sit on the porch for "a spell". We plan to post conference information, prayer needs that we know of, short subject studies from the Scripture, and sometimes just thoughts and observations from life around us that God has blessed us with. So join us often........pull up a chair, kick your shoes off, and relax- God is in control............. he always was.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Oklahoma City Memorial
Today while traveling on business I had the opportunity to visit the Oklahoma City Memorial. It is a very moving tribute to those who died, survived, searched, rescued, supported and all Americans who were forever changed on that memoriable day, April 19, 1995. There is a very nice museum next to the memorial which is on the site of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. It was tough viewing the faces of all those killed, especially the little children who were gone before their life began.
One of the policemen on duty at the memorial had an impromptu talk with several of us while we were at the memorial. I'm sure he tells it several times a day, to many people, but it was so sincere and relayed the message of this tragedy.
On one end of the memorial is a large gate inscribed with the time 9:01, the time right prior to the explosion when everything was fine and America was innocent.
The other end has a gate with the time inscription of 9:03, when we all were changed and will never be the same again.
The policeman reminded us all how fragile life is. You're never guaranteed another day. So, hug your kids, tell your family you love them, spend time with your friends. Life is indeed short.
Know your Savior, love God.
One of the policemen on duty at the memorial had an impromptu talk with several of us while we were at the memorial. I'm sure he tells it several times a day, to many people, but it was so sincere and relayed the message of this tragedy.
On one end of the memorial is a large gate inscribed with the time 9:01, the time right prior to the explosion when everything was fine and America was innocent.
The other end has a gate with the time inscription of 9:03, when we all were changed and will never be the same again.The policeman reminded us all how fragile life is. You're never guaranteed another day. So, hug your kids, tell your family you love them, spend time with your friends. Life is indeed short.
Know your Savior, love God.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Welcome Ya'll
Welcome to the Carolina Bible Group's front porch. Pull up a chair or "cheer" as we say it, and set a spell.
Here you'll find your news from South Carolina, prayer requests, some thoughts, some fun and who knows maybe even a Bible study will break out. Check back frequently and comment when you can.
We'd love to hear from ya'll.
Here you'll find your news from South Carolina, prayer requests, some thoughts, some fun and who knows maybe even a Bible study will break out. Check back frequently and comment when you can.
We'd love to hear from ya'll.
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