God's Perfect Timing (by Lou Gentry)

(originally posted on December 17, 2010)

In a recent sermon, Pastor Osborne alluded to God's perfect timing of Jesus' birth. As one example of this perfect timing, consider the fact that when Jesus was born one language was used for communication throughout the civilized world. This phenomenon was a result of the conquests of Alexander the Great, who conquered the world linguistically as well as physically. The world was unified by the koine Greek language, and the apostles wrote the New Testament and preached the gospel in this language.

Other examples of God's perfect timing of the birth of Jesus include the fact that the entire world had come under the one government of Rome--a single citizenship for all. The Romans had also constructed roads throughout their vast empire and protected them from vandals and thieves. This enabled commerce and travel to flourish. These three factors allowed Paul and the early Christians to travel the length and breadth of the empire in relative safety to share the gospel from Palestine to Spain.

So with a unifying language, a single citizenship, and roads connecting every part of the empire, the physical world was prepared for the coming of Jesus. These factors also allowed Caesar Augustus to order a census of the entire Roman world, thereby bringing Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem where, as prophesied, the virgin would give birth to the Messiah in the city of David.

There are many of us today who are waiting for God to work in our life; and, as we wait, we should remember God's perfect timing in the sending of His Son. Let us pause during this Christmas season and thank our Heavenly Father for His wisdom and His ability to perfectly order the events of our lives, including the most important event--Christ's coming.

Other Articles by Lou Gentry:

• Psalm 22:  The Psalm of the Cross
• Napoleon & Christ
• Death and Birth

Thankful for the Freedom to Worship God (by Lou Gentry)

(originally posted November, 24, 2010)

The First Thanksgiving, painting by Jean Louis Gerome Ferris

In this season of Thanksgiving, I was led to read once again the words of the official Thanksgiving  Proclamation issued by Governor William Bradford on November 29, 1623. Bradford was the leader of the Pilgrims and was elected as Governor of the Plymouth Colony in 1621, and reelected every year until his death in 1657, except for five years in which he declined. Here is his proclamation issued three years after the Pilgrims' arrival and two years after the first Thanksgiving:

"To all ye Pilgrims:

In as much as the great Father has given us this year an abundant harvest of Indian corn, wheat, peas, beans, squashes, and garden vegetable, and has made the forests to abound with game and the sea with fish and  clams, and inasmuch as he has protected us from the ravages of the savages, has spared us from pestilence  and disease, has granted us freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience; now I, your magistrate, do proclaim that all ye Pilgrims, with your wives and ye little ones, do gather at ye meeting  house, on ye hill, between the hours of 9 and 12 in the day time, on Thursday, November ye 29th, of the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and twenty-three, and the third year since ye Pilgrims landed on ye  Pilgrim Rock, there to listen to ye pastor and render thanksgiving to ye Almighty God for all His blessings. 

William Bradford, Ye Governor of Ye Colony."

[William J. Federer, America's God and Country: Encyclopedia Of Quotations (Coppell, Texas: FAME Publishing, Inc., 1994), p. 66]

As I consider all that I have to be thankful for during this season of the year, I am led to include the courage of the Pilgrims and their desire for "freedom to worship God." It would benefit all of us, I believe, to contemplate whether we would have anything to celebrate during this season had it not been for their courage and belief in God.

Can We Trust the Bible: History of Progress Toward Canonization for the OT

History of Progress Toward Canonization for the OT

At the time of Christ, the OT canon included the 39 OT books which are found in today’s English Bible. This is confirmed in the writings of the great Jewish historian Josephus (A.D. 37-95). The compilation of the 39 books is discussed in greater detail in Article 4 of this series.

However, if you were to look at the table of contents of a Hebrew Old Testament, you would notice two differences from today’s English Old Testament. First, the English OT has only 22 books, not 39. The content, though, is identical; it is just that the Hebrew Bible combines certain books. (For example, books such as 1 and 2 Samuel are combined into one, and other smaller books are attached to larger ones.)

A second difference is that the order of the books is rearranged. It is interesting to note that the last book of the Hebrew Bible is not Malachi but Chronicles. With an understanding of this arrangement of books, Erwin Lutzer provides further proof in support of the opening comment of this article.

“Now let me share an incidental proof that Christ’s Bible was the same in content as the Hebrew Old Testament we have today. The first murder in the Old Testament was, of course, when Cain killed Abel; the last murder, according to the Hebrew order of books, was when the prophet Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, was stoned to death in the temple (2 Chronicles 24:20-21). Only now are we prepared to understand the words of Jesus, ‘Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city, that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar (Matthew 23:34-35).’ Given the order of the Hebrew Old Testament, Christ gives a sweeping panorama of its entire history. These two murders are ‘bookends’ for the whole of the Hebrew canon. In New Testament terms we would say, ‘From Genesis to Revelation.’ This is further proof that Christ’s Bible was that of the Jewish Hebrew Canon (though arranged differently), as our own Old Testament.” (Seven Reasons Why You Can Trust The Bible, pgs. 169-170)

Skeptics maintain that a group of “old men” (religious scholars} came together in 95 A.D.--the Synod of Jamnia--to decide what books were to be included in the OT. Nothing could be further from the truth! It has already been demonstrated that by the time of Christ, the OT was already compiled and considered to be canonical scripture (see Article 4). Josephus maintains the OT canon had been closed for five centuries. The Synod was a gathering of Jewish scholars who had no authority for Judaism, and they did not add to nor delete from the 39 books already in use.

• Our next article looks at the External Evident Supporting the Reliability of the OT.
• Return to our Introduction Post to see a list of all articles in this series.

Can We Trust the Bible: Rejection of the Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament

Among the many reasons for rejecting the Apocryphal books of the Old Testament are: (1) the great Jewish scholars rejected them (Philo, Josephus, and the Jamnia scholars); (2) early biblical scholars (Melito, Origen, Epiphanius, and Jerome) rejected them; (3) early church fathers rejected them; (4) they do not claim inspiration and even, in some cases, disclaims it; (5) they have no predictive prophecy or additional Messianic truth; (6) they contain some unbiblical teachings; (7) large portions of the books are obviously legendary and fictitious; and, (8) historical, chronological, and geographical errors may be found throughout the writings.

With regard to the twelve books which appear as an addition in the Roman Catholic Bible, commonly referred to as The Apocrypha, it was not until 1546 that the Catholic Church decreed these books for inclusion in their canon.  In their book, From God to Us by Norman Geisler and William Nix, they note:  “The action of the Council of Trent was both polemical and prejudicial.  In debates with Luther, the Roman Catholics had quoted the Maccabees in support of prayer for the dead (2 Mac. 12:45-46).  Luther and Protestants following him challenged the canonicity of that book, citing the New Testament, the early church Fathers, and Jewish teachers for support.  The Council of Trent responded to Luther by canonizing the Apocrypha. . . .The decision at Trent did not reflect either a universal or indisputable consent within the Catholic church of the Reformation.  During that very time Cardinal Cajetan, who opposed Luther at Augsburg in 1518, published a Commentary on All the Authentic Historical Books of the Old Testament (1532) which omitted the Apocrypha.  Even before this, Cardinal Ximenes distinguished between the Apocrypha and the Old Testament canon in his Coplutensian Polyglot (1514-1517).  With this data in view, Protestants generally reject the decision of Trent as unfounded.”  (Pages 97-98)

Additionally, in his book How We Got the Bible, Neil Lightfoot makes the following comment on The Apocrypha:  “Objections to these books cannot be overruled by dictatorial authority [i.e., the Catholic Church].  On 8 April 1546 in the fourth session of the Council of Trent, the Roman Catholic Church pronounced the Old Testament Apocrypha [with the exception of certain books] as authoritative and canonical Scripture.  This was done even though in different periods of its own history officials of the Roman Church had been outspoken against the Apocrypha as Scripture.  At that time the Council also decreed that the Latin Vulgate only was to be regarded as authentic Scripture and that ‘holy Mother Church’ alone maintained the right to give the true interpretation of Scripture. . . . Indeed, according to the Council of Trent, the Scriptures are and mean what the church says.  Yet Rome, which in such matters claims infallibility, cannot make the fallible Apocrypha infallible.”  (Pages 169-170)  It is somewhat ironic that the great Roman Catholic biblical scholar Jerome, who translated the Scriptures into the Latin Vulgate, did not recognize The Apocrypha as being of equal authority with the books of the Hebrew canon.

• Our next article will discuss the History of Progress toward Canonization for the OT
      
• Return to our Introduction Post to see a list of all articles in this series.

Can We Trust the Bible? The Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament

“The Banned Books of the Bible,” “The Lost Books of the Bible,” --these are just two of the many titles from books and TV programs which refer to books known as “Apocryphal” books. The meaning of “Apocrypha” includes doubtful, hidden, secret, and noncanonical.

Applying the “standards for measure” or “standards of judgment” previously discussed, the following writings were rejected by the ancient Jewish fathers from inclusion into the Old Testament canon:

*Baruch, II Baruch, The Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch
*Bel and the Dragon
*Ecclesiasticus, or the Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach
I Enoch, II Enoch, Book of the Secrets of Enoch
**1 Esdras  ***2 Esdras
*Judith
*I Maccabees *II Maccabees **III Maccabees ****IV Maccabees
Pirke Aboth
**Prayer of Manasseh
**Psalm 151
*Susanna
*The Additions to the Book of Daniel (added after Daniel 3:23)
*The Additions to the Book of Esther
The Assumption of Moses
The Book of Adam and Eve
The Book of Jubilee
The Letter of Aristeas
*The Letter of Jeremiah (sometimes incorporated as the last chapter of Baruch)
The Martyrdom of Isaiah
The Psalms of Solomon
The Sibylline Oracles
The Story of Ahikar
The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs
*Tobit
*Wisdom of Solomon

NOTES: 

*These books appear in the Roman Catholic, Greek, and Slavonic Bibles.
**These books appear in the Greek and Slavonic Bibles, but not in the Roman Catholic canon.
***This book appears in the Slavonic Bible and in the Latin Vulgate Appendix.
****This book appears in the Appendix to the Greek Bible.

• Our next article will discuss specific reasons for rejecting the Old Testament Apocrypha
         
• Return to our Introduction Post to see a list of all articles in this series.

Can We Trust the Bible? The Development of the OT (Lou Gentry)

We know the Old Testament was compiled by the writings of various authors and their scrolls were collected over a period of hundreds of years. Scripture tells us that Moses was a contributor: Ex 17:14, 24:4; 34:27; Num. 33:1-2; Deut. 31:9, 31:11, 31:24; Josh. 1:7-8, 8:31-32; 1 Kings 2:3; 2 Kings 14:6; John 5:46-47, 7:19; Romans 10:5, etc.) The Bible also tells us Joshua added to the writings of Moses (Josh. 24:26). Then, Samuel added his writings (1 Sam. 10:25). The writings of the prophets were collected over time (Dan. 9:2; Zech. 7:12 - note that later writings quote earlier ones). We know of this progressive collection of scrolls--the compilation of the Old Testament--not only through Scripture, but through the discovery of the Qumran Community and the Dead Sea Scrolls.

By the time of Josephus, the great Jewish historian, the OT Canon had been completed for some four hundred years. Josephus lived during the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. In his autobiography (written about 90 A.D.) he tells how the Emperor Titus gave him the sacred scrolls from the temple at Jerusalem when it was pillaged. In it we find the following quotation:

“We have not an innumerable multitude of books among us disagreeing and contradicting one another, but only twenty-two books which contain the records of all the past times, which are justly believed to be divine. . . .It is true our history hath been written since Artaxerxes very particularly, but hath not been esteemed of a like authority with the former by our forefathers, because there hath not been an exact succession of prophets since that time, and how firmly we have given credit to these books of our nation, is evident by what we do; for during so many ages as have already passed, no one hath been so bold as either to add anything to them, to take anything from them, or to make any change in them; but it has become natural to all Jews, immediately and from their very birth, to esteem these books to contain divine doctrines” (emphasis added).

This quotation from Josephus reveals:

1. The Jews believed in verbal inspiration;
2. The Jews received the canonical books because they were written by prophets;
3. The Apocryphal books (to be discussed in a forthcoming article) and others were known not to have been written by prophets;
4. The canon included all the 39 books in our Bible today and no others (the Hebrew canon of twenty-two books is the exact equivalent to the 39 books of our OT);
5. The first and only listing of the OT books until about 170 A.D.;
6. Josephus gave great prominence to prophetic authorship; and,
7. Nno book was added to the Hebrew Scriptures after the time of Malachi (a contemporary of Ezra and Nehemiah--the period of Artaxerxes).

The Talmud (authoritative writing of Jewish traditions) also makes the claim that in order for a book to be canonical and included as part of the OT, it must come from the prophetic succession during the prophetic period (Seder Olam Babba 30). It further records, “After the latter prophets Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, the Holy Spirit departed from Israel.”

• Our next article looks at the Apocryphal Books of the OT
        
• Return to our Introduction Post to see a list of all articles in this series.

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Can We Trust the Bible? Canonicity (by Lou Gentry)

 

Canonicity: Definition - There are numerous definitions in print on this subject; and while the actual combination of words for each may differ, most have developed their definition from the root word kavwv (Greek) meaning rod, ruler, standard for measure. Theologically, the word is applied as a rule, standard or norm. Webster’s Dictionary defines it as “a criterion or standard of judgment.”

What then were the “standards for measure” or “standards of judgment” which determined what writings were considered canonical scripture? There were five such standards:

• Was it written by a man of God? A prophet? An apostle? An associate of an apostle?  (Heb. 1:1; 2 Peter 1:20-21)
• With the possible exception of Hebrews, all books included in the Bible were written by either a man of God (David, for example), prophet, apostle, or an associate of one of these.
    
• Is the writing authoritative? Does it claim to be of God and/or were the writers confirmed by an act of God? (John 3:2; Acts 2:22; Heb. 2:3)
    
• Is the writing authentic? Does it tell the truth about God? (Deut. 18:22; Gal. 1:8)
• Does it contradict previous truth?  If so, it was not accepted.
    
• Is the writing dynamic? Does it have the Power of God? (Heb. 4:12)
    
• Was the book received? Was it accepted by the people of God?  (Dan. 9:2; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Pet. 3:15)
• Was it circulated and utilized by the followers of God?

From the definition and application of these standards, a good definition of Canonical Scripture can be developed:

a document or corpus of documents containing a permanent authoritative record of divine revelation.

  

Our next article looks at the Progessive Development of the OT Canon.
   

Return to our Introduction Post to see a list of all articles in this series.

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Can We Trust the Bible? The Septuagint (by Lou Gentry)

   
      
Considered one of the most important Bible translations ever made, the Septuagint is a translation of the Hebrew OT into Greek. It is referred to in manuscripts as “according to the seventy” (“Septuagint” is Latin for “seventy”). “LXX” is often used in place of the word “Septuagint.”

     
The legend behind the “seventy” goes back to the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus at Alexandria (284-247 B.C.). This monarch allegedly sent an embassy to Jerusalem with a letter to Eleazar the high priest, requesting that six elders from each of the twelve tribes should be sent to Alexandria to develop a new translation of the Hebrew OT into the Greek language.

“The seventy-two duly arrived with a copy of the law written in letters of gold on rolls of skins. . . . . .The translators were provided with a satisfactory retreat on the island of Pharos, and Demetrius [Demetrius Phalerius, librarian of the famous library of Alexandria] exhorted them to accomplish the work of translation. . . . . .So they set to work, comparing their results, and making them agree. And whatever they agreed upon was suitably copied under the direction of Demetrius. . . . .In this way the transcription was completed in seventy-two days.” (The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible. Vol. 5, p. 343).

   
The majority of biblical scholars agree that the Septuagint is a worthy translation of the Hebrew OT. For example, Dr. Neil Lightfoot in his book How We Got the Bible notes:

“Although there are numerous textual variations between the Septuagint and the Hebrew text, the great majority of these are minor. Often it is not mentioned how very much the Septuagint supports the Hebrew text. Yet even when the Septuagint differs and offers a better reading, nonetheless it never replaces the Hebrew as the standard form of the text. Because it is a translation, the Septuagint always remains secondary. Only with great care, then, can one speak of ‘the authority of the Septuagint’.” (p. 149)

    
Influences the Septuagint have had upon the Bible we use today (via the Latin Vulgate) include:

1. dividing the OT into grouping of books--Law, History, Poetry, and Prophets
2. giving names to the books of The Law--Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy
3. subdividing some books--for example, 1 and 2 Samuel. 

Additionally, the Septuagint holds special interest for Christians inasmuch as it was the Bible used by the early church; and its language prepared the way for evangelism in the Greek world.

• Our next article begins a discussion of Canonicity
     
• Return to our Introduction Post to see a list of all articles in this series.

   
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Can We Trust the Bible? The Hebrew Old Testament (by Lou Gentry)

    

How We Got Our Bible:  The Hebrew Old Testament

The Two Testaments

The word “testament” in the designations “Old Testament” and “New Testament,” goes back through the Latin testament to the Greek diatheke, which in most of its occurrences in the Greek Bible means “covenant” rather than “testament.” In Jeremiah 31:31, a new covenant is foretold which will supersede that which God made with Israel in the wilderness (cf. Exod. 24:7ff). “By calling this covenant ‘new,’ he has made the first one obsolete” (Heb. 8:13). The NT writers see the fulfillment of the prophecy of the new covenant in the new order inaugurated by the work of Christ; His own words of institution (1 Cor. 11:25) give the authority for this interpretation. The OT books, then, are so called because of their close association with the history of the “old covenant”; the NT books are so called because they are the foundation documents of the “new covenant.” The terms “Old Testament” and “New Testament” for the two collections of books came into general Christian use in the latter part of the second century.

The Old Testament

The Hebrew OT is arranged in three divisions. First is The Law, also known as the Pentateuch. It includes the “Books of Moses” (i.e., first five books of the OT). It was the first section of the OT to be recognized as canonical. It is generally accepted that it was both complete and canonical by the time of Ezra and Nehemiah in the 5th Century B.C.--may have been so considerably earlier.

Second is The Prophets. It includes four books of earlier Prophets and four books of later Prophets. These eight books include Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Minor Prophets (counted as one book).

The third division is The Sacred Writings (Hagiographa). It includes the books of Ruth, Chronicles, Ezra-Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs (Solomon), Lamentations, and Daniel.

These three divisions total 24 books. In the first century these three divisions were differently arranged into twenty-two books. Two of the smaller books were combined with others. Regardless of the arrangement, the included books contain all of the 39 books incorporated into the Bibles we use today.

• Our next article looks at how the Septuagint came to be.
     
• Return to our Introduction Post to see a list of all posts in this series.

        

Can We Trust the Bible? Introduction (by Lou Gentry)

Last year, I was given the privilege of delivering the message for three Wednesday night services. On two of these nights, the topic discussed was, “Why We Can Trust The Bible?” Two 25-30 minute messages cannot do justice to this topic--in fact, many books have been written on it. As a result, I have been asked to do a series expanding upon these two messages. It is appropriate, perhaps, that we look at this subject inasmuch as 2011 was the 400th anniversary of the first printing of the King James Version of the Bible.
  

The foundation of this series will be the book by Erwin W. Lutzer, Seven Reasons Why You Can Trust The Bible, although many other sources will be used. A listing of these sources will be posted at some point during the series. The following outline provides information as to what topics will be covered during the forthcoming months:
 

INTRODUCTION

HOW WE GOT OUR BIBLE

THE OLD TESTAMENT

• The Hebrew Old Testament
• The Septuagint
• Canonicity - Definition and Development
• How a Book is Determined to be Canonical Scripture
• Development of the Old Testament
• Old Testament Apocryphal Books
• The Rejection of the OT Apocryphal Books
• History of Progress Toward Canonization
• External Evidence Supporting the Reliability of the O.T.
• Archaeological Evidence
• Manuscript Evidence
• Internal Evidence Supporting the Reliability of the O.T.
• Fulfilled Prophecies
• Jesus' Perspective on the O.T.

THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Canonicity
• Reasons for a New Testament
• Development of the New Testament
• New Testament Apocrypha Books
• External Evidence Supporting the Reliability of the N.T.
• Manuscript Evidence
• Comparison with Other Ancient Literature
• Transmission of Manuscripts
• Reliability of the Early Manuscripts

CONTRIBUTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

INERRANCY

• Definition
• The Biblical Basis of Inerrancy

CONCLUSION

I trust the information which will be presented will not only strengthen your faith in the reliability of the Scriptures, but also enable you to better refute the doubts expressed by non-believers. Stephen and I would welcome your comments at any time throughout this series of articles.

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Thankfulness at Thanksgiving (by Lou Gentry)

As we approach Thanksgiving Day, it is a time to pause and reflect upon our blessings. Like most Christians, the blessing I am most thankful for is my salvation through the redemptive blood of Jesus. But beyond my salvation, what is it for which I am most thankful? For me, it is the Bible and its preservation by the hand of the Lord down through the ages. Just as Jesus came to earth to be the living revelation of God, I believe the Bible serves as God's written revelation of Himself.

I do not worship the Bible. Jesus the Christ, and He alone, is the only One worthy of my worship; but I revere God's Word. When you consider the many heresies which exist today, just think about what kind of religion Christianity would be without the Bible. The many factions which now exist even though we have the written Word would pale in comparison with the number we would have without it--and many of these factions would probably be extreme.

The Bible has been under attack since the early centuries of the church. Yet, under God's providence, it has been protected and still stands. Perhaps A. Z. Conrad in a piece entitled, "There It Stands," best sums up the survival of the Bible:

Century follows century---There it stands.
Empires rise and fall and are forgotten---There it stands.
Dynasty succeeds dynasty---There it stands.
Kings are crowned and uncrowned---There it stands.
Despised and torn to pieces---There it stands.
Storms of hate swirl about it---There it stands.
Agnostics smile cynically---There it stands.
Profane, prayerless punsters caricature it---There it stands.
Unbelief abandons it---There it stands.
Thunderbolts of wrath smite it---There it stands.
The flames are kindled about it---There it stands.
The arrows of hate are discharged against it---There it stands.
Radicalism rants and raves against it---There it stands.
Fogs of sophistry conceal it temporarily---There it stands.
The tooth of time gnaws, but makes no dent---There it stands.
Modernism tries to explain it away---There it stands.
An anvil that has broken a million hammers---There it stands.

I praise God frequently for the preservation of His Word throughout the ages. I hope you do as well.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Other Thanksgiving 2011 Posts:

• I'm Thankful for Pastor Jerry (by Stephen Simpson)
• Thankful for the Lord's Birds (by Lee Dusing)
• Thankful for This Time and Place (by Jonita Barram)
• I'm Thankful For... (by Matthew DelValle)

Not Your Typical Hero (by Lou Gentry)

Image from Sue Whicker

On July 3rd, 2011 at 6pm, our church will present "A Tribute to America's Heroes."  This special program will honor some specific individuals from our church and community who are truly heroic.  To get us thinking about the heroes in our lives several of our blog authors are writing about their heroes.

To look upon her, my heroine was certainly atypical. Lena O’Neil was a woman in her late 60’s or early 70’s when I first met her years ago through a Sunday Class which Nadine and I had joined. It was a couples  class--age range, thirty to forty years--who all had children about the same age, except for this elderly widow. I couldn’t figure out what she was doing in the class even though I had heard her state, “Her place wasn’t with the old folks.” In retrospect, I now understand the Lord put her there for me.

At that time, my personal relationship with the Lord was essentially nonexistent. But for some reason Lena took an instant liking to me. After a few Sundays, she asked me if I had read any books on or was interested in the subject of eschatology. Not knowing what the word meant but not wanting to appear stupid, I replied that I was interested in the subject but hadn’t read a lot about it. That was all the opening she needed! She started supplying me with books, tapes, and inviting me to attend seminars on the subject with her. In turn, I was totally captivated with the subject, just as I had been with my introduction to philosophy in college. But a wonderful thing happened to me! Whereas philosophy had destroyed my faith, God used the study of eschatology to restore me to Him.

How did this restoration take place? First of all, in the study of Scripture. Initially, my studies were primarily limited to those passages which discussed the end-times. But then a second thing happened which had a major impact on my life. Lena introduced me to the teachings and ministry of Dr. D. James Kennedy. His teachings of apologetics caused me to expand my studies beyond that of eschatology. And, thirdly and most importantly, I finally came face to face with the reality that if I accepted what the Bible said about Jesus and really believed Jesus was Who He said He was, then I needed to be obedient to His teachings. In Luke 6:46, Jesus states, “Why do you call me Lord, Lord and do not do what I say?” I sought forgiveness for my doubts, rededicated my life to Him, and made him Lord of my life. And once God knew I was serious about my new commitment, He revealed the true meaning of life to me--to glorify Him!

If the Lord had not sent Lena my way, I don’t know how my life would have turned out. I do know I would have missed a beautiful relationship with my Savior which I have enjoyed for many years. Lena has been in heaven for some time now, and I look forward to seeing my heroine once again.

Other 'Heroes' Posts:

• Not Your Typical Hero (by Lou Gentry)
• Pioneer Missionaries:  My Heroes (by Jonita Barram)
• Nicki Simpson - My Wife and My Hero (by Stephen Simpson)
• Cher Ami - WW1 Hero (by Lee Dusing)
• D-Day Veterans:  My Heroes (by Jonita Barram)
• More Heroes:  A Truck Driver, A Brazilian Pioneer Missionary, & A Persecuted Pastor

Memorial Day Thoughts (by Lou Gentry)

I recently ran across an old article which reminded me of something I thought would be appropriate for Memorial Day, and I wanted to share it with you. The article was about Red Skelton’s “Pledge of Allegiance.” For those of you too young to know who Red Skelton was, he was a comedian whose family oriented humor made millions laugh for more than 70 years. On January 14, 1969, in one of his rare serious performances, he first introduced his version of the Pledge of Allegiance on THE RED SKELTON SHOW on CBS Television. His introduction was as follows:

“I remember a teacher that I had. He was the principal of the Harrison School in Vincennes, Indiana. To me, he was the greatest teacher, a real sage of my time. He had such wisdom. We were all reciting the Pledge of Allegiance one day and he walked over--Mr. Laswell was his name--and he said, ‘I’ve been listening to you boys and girls recite the Pledge of Allegiance all semester; and, it seems as though it has become monotonous to you. If I may, may I recite it and try to explain to you the meaning of each word.

I - - Me; an individual; a committee of one.

Pledge - - Dedicate all of my worldly goods to give without self-pity.

Allegiance - - My love and my devotion.

To the Flag - - Our standard; Old Glory; a symbol of Freedom; wherever she waves there is respect, because your loyalty has given her a dignity that shouts, "Freedom is everybody’s job."

United - - That means that we have all come together.

States - - Individual communities that have united into forty-eight great states. Forty-eight individual communities with pride and dignity and purpose. All divided with imaginary boundaries, yet united to a common purpose, and that is love for country.

And to the Republic - - Republic--a state in which sovereign power is invested in representatives chosen by the people to govern. And government is the people; and it’s from the people to the leaders, not from the leaders to the people.

For which it stands

One Nation - - One Nation--meaning, so blessed by God.

Indivisible - - Incapable of being divided.

With Liberty - - Which is Freedom; the right of power to live one’s own life, without threats, fear, or some sort of retaliation.

And Justice - - The principle, or qualities, of dealing fairly with others.

For All - - For All--which means, boys and girls, it’s as much your country as it is mine.’

Since I was a small boy, two states have been added to our country, and two words have been added to the Pledge of Allegiance: ‘Under God.’ Wouldn’t it be a pity if someone said that is a prayer, and that would be eliminated from schools, too?”

Since 1969, Red Skelton’s “Pledge of Allegiance” has twice been read into the Congressional Record of the United States and has received numerous awards. You can see a video of Red’s presentation below.
  

Book Review - Unveiling Islam: An Insider's Look at Muslim Life and Beliefs (by Ergun Mehmet Caner and Emir Fethi Caner)

(reviewed by Lou Gentry)

One of the "hot" topics in our society today, as well as that of most Western societies, is the religion of Islam. Because of worldwide Islamic terrorism, recent events in the Middle East and the growth of Islam in our own country, it behooves all of us to have a basic understanding of this religion. There are numerous books available on Islam and its founder, the prophet Muhammad, and I am sure many are quite good. I have only read a small fraction of what is available; however, if one is interested in acquiring a basic understanding of Islam, I strongly recommend Unveiling Islam: An Insider's Look at Muslim Life and Beliefs by Ergun Mehmet Caner and Emir Fethi Caner.

The Caners are brothers who have lived the Muslim life, having been raised as Sunni Muslims. I was drawn to the book because these former Muslims are now Christians and theology professors. I believe they offer a unique perspective on the religion of Islam. Dr. Richard Land (President of The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention) notes, "Unveiling Islam is exactly what its subtitle describes; it is an insider's look at Muslim life and beliefs."

The book is an easy read and provides many examples of the differences between Christianity and Islam; the Doctrines of Salvation and Internal Security are two such examples. There is no comparable concept of salvation (i.e., Jesus paid the ultimate penalty for our sins) in Islam. For Muslims, It is hoped that "salvation" will be earned through one's good works, but it is up to the "will of Allah" as to whether they will enter Paradise or not; therefore, there is no security for the believer of Islam.

In reading the book, you will learn about:

• the Muslims holy book, the Qur'an, and the other books of their religion
• the many sects within Islam, although over 95% of Muslims are either Sunni or Shi'ite (the two major groups), or Sufi
• the five fundamentals ("Pillars") of Islam to which all Islamic sects adhere
• what the Qur'an says about Jesus--for example, He was born to Mary, a virgin
• if Allah and Jehovah are one and the same
• the life and background of Muhammad
• Islamic eschatology (i.e. end times)
• and much, much more.

Again, I highly recommend Unveiling Islam: An Insider's Look at Muslim Life and Beliefs. All of us need to know what we are or will be confronting as this religion continues to spread in the U. S. and throughout the world.

Other Recommended Books:

• Unbroken:  A Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption (by Laura Hillenbrand)

Missions and Football (by Lou Gentry)

Faith Baptist Church recently held its annual Mission's Conference (Feb. 25-27). Great speakers touched our hearts and provided informative data for us from the mission field. I was particularly interested in the information provided by Bill Stevens, representing Shepherds Ministries which provides a ministry to special needs people here in the U.S.A.

To often we envision "missions" as carrying out the Lord's work in a foreign land, when oftentimes the  opportunity for missions exists much closer to us, sometimes in our own communities. Consider the following heart-warming story as an example of local mission work:

There was an unusual high school football game played in Grapevine, Texas. The game was between Grapevine Faith Academy and the Gainesville State School. Faith is a Christian school and Gainesville State School is located within a maximum security correction facility.

Gainesville State School has 14 players. They play every game on the road. Their record was 0-8. They've only scored twice. Their 14 players are teenagers who have been convicted of crimes ranging from drugs to assault to robbery. Most had families who had disowned them.

They wore outdated, used shoulder pads and helmets. Faith Academy was 7-2. They had 70 players, 11 coaches, and the latest equipment.

Chris Hogan, the head coach at Faith Academy, knew the Gainesville team would have no fans and it would be no contest. So he thought, "What if half of our fans and half of our cheerleaders, for one night only,  cheered for the other team?" He sent out an email to the faithful asking them to do just that. "Here's the message I want you to send," Hogan wrote: "You're just as valuable as any other person on the planet."

Some folks were confused and thought he was nuts. One player said, "Coach, why are we doing this?" Hogan said, "Imagine you don't have a home life, no one to love you, no one pulling for you. Imagine that everyone pretty much had given up on you. Now, imagine what it would feel like and mean to you for hundreds of people to suddenly believe in you."

The idea took root. On the night of the game, imagine the surprise of these 14 players when they took the field and there was a banner the cheerleaders had made for them to crash through. The visitors' stands were  full. The cheerleaders were leading cheers for them. The fans were calling them by their names.  Isaiah, the quarterback-middle linebacker said, "I never in my life thought I would hear parents cheering to tackle and hit their kid. Most of the time, when we come out, people are afraid of us. You can see it in their eyes, but these people are yelling for us. They knew our names."

Faith won the game, and after the game the teams gathered at the 50-yard line to pray. That's when Isaiah, the teenage convict-quarterback surprised everybody and asked if he could pray and he prayed, "Lord, I don't know what just happened so I don't know how or who to say thank you to, but I never knew there were so many people in the world that cared about us." On the way back to the bus, under guard, each one of the players was handed a burger, fries, a coke, candy, a Bible, and an encouraging letter from the players from Faith Academy.

 

What an incredible act of Christian witness and kindness! You can actually see a video of this mission outreach below.  We should always make ourselves sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading in opening our eyes to mission opportunities, whether they be foreign or local. 

Resolutions (by Lou Gentry)

Are you one who makes New Year's resolutions? If so, allow me to offer five resolutions, based on Proverbs 3:1-10, that can contribute to an excellent year, perhaps even to a successful life.

1. Keep God's commands for a long and happy life.
2. Live by mercy and truth for popularity and a good reputation.
3. Trust in and acknowledge the Lord for direction and guidance.
4. Fear the Lord, and forsake evil for good health.
5. Honor and give to the Lord your possessions for financial well-being.

Note that if you follow each of these "resolutions" (i.e., commands of God), you should receive a  corresponding reward; however, keep in mind these are general principles, not guarantees. Probably all of us know people who live good and godly lives, but do not experience all five rewards.

While making resolutions has some value, I believe it is more important to ask God to show us: (1) what goals He has for us this year; and, (2) how we can achieve those goals through His help. If we humbly submit ourselves to Him and purpose to love Him in all that we do, then we will most definitely have a happy and spiritually prosperous year.

Other Posts in our "Goals" Series:

• Set Goals for the Coming Year (by Stephen Simpson)
• My Goals for 2011 (by Jonita Barram)
• Resolutions (by Lou Gentry)
• My Goals for this New Year (by Lee Dusing)
• Here's What I Hope to Accomplish in 2011 (by Stephen Simpson)
• From Florida to Niger to Florida to Brazil and back to Florida (by Jared Malcolm) 
• How About Goals for 2011? (by Gerry Hill)
• Bleed Bible Like John Bunyan (by Matthew DelValle)

Veteran's Day (Lou Gentry)

Do you ever stop and think about the freedom we enjoy in this country? We owe a tremendous debt to those men and women who have served in our armed forces so that we might remain free in this country. And yet we so often forget their sacrifices. All have sacrificed time. Many have sacrificed their lives. Some have sacrificed limbs or eyesight or hearing. Just walk around a veterans' hospital one day, and look at the permanent wounds of those who have made some kind of sacrifice for this country.

But we so often take those sacrifices--and the reason they were made--for granted. Tragically, our country has forsaken, bit by bit, its original calling. Consequently, those who have served--including those who died in battle--might be dismayed at how far we've drifted from being one nation under God. One writer asked a disturbing question in a letter to the editor: "What would the veterans who died in World War I, World War II, Vietnam, and Korea--by the hundreds of thousands--say if they could see the lifestyle in the United States today? Would they say, 'Is this what I gave my life for? Was it worth it?'" So many in our country have taken liberty too far, using the term to justify whatever they want to do.

Tomorrow is Veterans Day.  Let's remember those who served this country. Let's also pray earnestly for our nation and its leadership--particularly those newly elected to office--that we would turn around and repent so that we may not lose our freedom, so that all those who have fought will not have done so in vain. God promises clemency for the nation that repents.

(Taken, in part, from New Every Morning by Dr. D. James Kennedy.)

Martin Luther and Halloween (Lou Gentry)

On Sunday evening, October 3, we celebrated the beautiful ordinance of the Lord's Supper. I will always be grateful that Jesus established this wonderful remembrance of His sacrifice for His followers to reverently celebrate together.

The ordinance was preceded by another thought-provoking sermon by Pastor Osborne. The theme of the sermon was God's amazing grace. Other than Jesus, what person do we most often associate with the word, "grace?" I believe most of us would answer, "Martin Luther."

Did you know Luther posted his ninety-five reasons the Church needed to reform on the day now celebrated as Halloween? It was October 31, 1517 when this humble monk turned the religious world of his time upside down. He knew how desperately the world and the Church needed to know we could gain grace only through faith. He dedicated his life to discovering and preaching this truth.

Luther was born November 10, 1483, into a poor family of German woodcutters. Realizing that their son was gifted, Luther's parents scrimped and saved to send him to the university, where he studied law. Returning home from school on foot, he and a friend were caught in a thunderstorm, and his friend was struck by lightning and killed. This terrified Luther, and he vowed to enter a monastery so he could search for God. One question plagued him without ceasing: How could he, a sinful man, ever become pure enough to stand in the awesome presence of a holy God who was an all-consuming fire? Luther spent years trying every way he knew to purify his soul. He spent hours each day confessing his sins. He beat himself with a whip until he became bloody and unconscious. He prayed for six weeks, fasted, and slept very little. He stayed out all night long, naked, in the deep snows of Germany.

But one day the Lord spoke to him through the Scriptures, specifically Romans 1:17: "The just shall live by faith." Suddenly Luther saw the gospel! He discovered God's grace! He realized that only those justified by faith in Christ's blood will live and those who seek to justify themselves in any other way shall not live. Luther spent the rest of his life promoting and defending this truth. Even when he was on trial, faced with being burned at the stake, he clung fiercely to it. Justification by faith is still our great hope and joy.

(Taken, in part, from, New Every Morning, by Dr. D. James Kennedy.)

Death and Birth

(by Lou Gentry)

Pastor Osborne has touched upon the subject of death during the past several Sunday morning sermons. First, he preached on the death of Lazarus and his resuscitation by Jesus. Secondly, he preached about how the Jewish leaders had begun to plot the death of Jesus. Thirdly, as he began a series of sermons on the last week of Jesus' life before the crucifixion, he used an illustration of a little boy dying of cancer as his mother held him in her arms.

All of these references triggered a recall in my feeble memory of a passage in the last chapter of a book I had read, Foundations of the Faith: The Doctrines Baptists Believe, by Dr. Roy T. Edgemon. The title of the last chapter is "God's Final Victory." Here Dr. Edgemon offers a beautiful comparison of dying and being born which I believe all Christians will find comforting:

"Death for the Christian has been compared to birth. When the infant is in the process of being born into this earthly life, he resists. The womb is a comfortable environment; it is the only one he has known and he does not want to leave it. The pain of birth causes him to resist. But when he enters the world outside the womb, he discovers a much larger world, so large that he spends his life learning about it. Love and joy and hundreds of other emotions enrich his existence.

Christians may dread the experience of death, for it is painful and the world beyond is unknown. The womb of this world is comfortable, and it is the world they know. Yet when Christians pass through the womb of death, they are born into a new world that is much greater than earthly life--just as earthly life proved to be greater than life in the mother's womb. Eternal life with the Master, absence of sin and sorrow, love and joy, and thousands of other experiences await those who die in the Lord."

Graduation Day

(by Lou Gentry)

Six years ago, I attended commencement exercises to see my oldest son receive his Ph.D. from Michigan State University. At such ceremonies in large universities, it is not unusual for several honorary doctorates to be given to notables and large contributors to the university, and Michigan State was no exception to this tradition. Each recipient had about thirty seconds for comments. I was particularly struck by the comments of one recipient who gave more sage advice in thirty seconds to those graduation than the commencement speaker gave in thirty minutes.

This is what the man said: "I have had a long and successful career in business, and I attribute my success to three principles I've lived by. I now pass them on to you:

1. Always be honest, that way you don't have to worry when you've forgotten what you said.
2. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
3. When you run out of brains, use common sense."

His third point related to future situations the graduates will encounter for which their education (i.e., 'book-learning') has not prepared them.

You've already noted that the man's first two principles are based on Scripture. I couldn't help but wonder, however, how many of those who were graduation had never been in church and, therefore, would not recognize these principles as God-given. It encouraged me to hear these words delivered to the young people in attendance, and even if they didn't know the source of these principles, accepting and applying them to their lives could make a difference in our society in the future. It is my hope and prayer that many there really heard this man, and will apply his principles for living to their own lives. If all graduates this year, high school and college, throughout our country would adopt and apply these three principles, what a change we would begin to see in our society.