THE END OF THE WORLD. . . . AGAIN?

Have you noticed that when there is a crisis in the world, especially in the middle-east, the bookstores shelves fill up with books about “The Last Days” and the “End of the World”?


Doomsday ideas are very persistent and they peak in popularity during times of crisis, when many feel as if the world can come to an end by any number of means. Our world can end by nuclear war, over population, global warming, ozone depletion, starvation and AIDS.


Martin Luther believed that he was living in the last days and thought the world would end in a hundred years. William Miller, a popular Bible teacher taught that the end of the world would come in 1843. The Jehovah’s Witnesses have been persistent date-setters. Their leaders have earmarked 1874, 1878, 1881, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1975 and 1984 as times of great end-time prophetic significance. 


More recently Edgar Whisenant wrote a book entitled, 88 Reasons Why the Rapture will be in 1988.


I can give you a good reason why NO ONE knows when Jesus will return for his church. Acts 1:6-7 says, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel? He said to them: It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.”


Whenever you hear a preacher or teacher say he has figured out God’s timetable and that he knows when Jesus will return . . . hold onto your wallet and run! This preacher/teacher is bad news and is NOT to be trusted. Believe me, I trusted Herbert W. Armstrong of the Worldwide Church of God who believed Jesus would come in 1975. People didn’t save for their retirement, didn’t pay off their mortgages, some chose not to get married or go to college because the end was near. 


We are living in the end times. Paul described the end times as that period from the death of Jesus to his rapture of the church. But, how close we are to the rapture, no one knows. So don’t rely on the rapture as an excuse to run up your Credit Cards.


But, knowing that Jesus could come at anytime for his Church, how should we live? You will have to go to the article, How Should We Live in the End-Times?

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Why Study the Bible?


Don’t many consider the Bible to be just a book of myths? Why do we read the Bible rather than the sacred literature of other religions?


How do we know that it is from God? How do we know that what we have today is an accurate translation from the original? Is the Bible complete or have there been some books that have been lost?


We should be able to answer these questions, and there are answers! So start here!

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Answers to Common Bible Questions

WHAT ARE YOU GIVING UP FOR LENT?

December 17, 2021
Lent is a six week period of spiritual devotion starting on Ash Wednesday and ending at Easter. Those who observe Lent usually give up something for Lent. Some might give up coffee, or soda pop, or alcohol, or chocolate. May I suggest that you give up something that will really impress God and make this season of Lent one of the most memorable and meaningful seasons of your life?  May I suggest that if you are giving up something, why not give up some of the acts of our sinful nature mentioned in Gal. 5:19? Why don’t we give up lying about others? Do you think you can give up the hate you feel towards others? How about envy, can we work on putting envy aside this year? How about giving up on the naïve idea that all pastors are mature Christian leaders whose word should always be accepted, rather than wolfs in sheep’s clothing (Matt 7:15). How about giving up the idea that everyone in church is a real Christian (Matt 7:21-23). How about giving up your desire to seek revenge on those who have hurt you (Matt 18:21-22)? If you are insecure and feel threatened when you see the success of others in ministry, how about giving up efforts to hinder others who have been called to minister (Rom 12:4-8)? Of course it is easier to give up something like chocolate, etc. and make yourself feel like you are doing something that is pleasing to God. If you are not willing to give up unchristian behavior, might I suggest something that will really please God this Lent? Give up all evidence of your profession of Christian faith, such as books, pictures and jewelry. Don’t talk about God, Jesus or the Church. I think God would appreciate it if you would stop giving HIM a bad name by the way you live. Let’s give up what hinders our witness and become a better ambassador for Christ (2 Cor 5:20) this Lenten season.

WHAT WAS THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM?

December 17, 2021
In Matthew 2:1-2 is says that the magi saw "His star in the east." What was this star that guided these men to Jesus? Some have suggested that it could have been a comet, an asteroid, or perhaps a meteor or an especially bright star. The problem with these suggestions is that these physical things either quickly move across the sky and then disappear or are too far away to provide directions with any precision. It would be hard to get directions from such objects. The "star" had to move constantly or intermittently at the same pace as the magi. Then it says that it hovered over the house where Mary and Joseph had moved to with Jesus. It hardly sounds like a comet or meteor or a star as we know them. Can you think of another time that people in the Bible were guided by some form of light? How about the time when Moses was leading the Israelites out of Egypt? He didn't have a global positioning system with him. He did have a pillar of fire that led him at night (Ex 13:21-22). We see this light in Solomon's Temple (2 Chron 7:1-3) and when the Jews were about to go into Babylonian captivity, we see it leaving the Temple (Ezek 9-11). In the New Testament we see it at the birth of Jesus (Luke 2:9) at His transfiguration (Matt 17:5) and His ascension (Acts 1:9).  What exactly was this guiding light? The word "star" can also be translated as "radiance." It appears that it was this "radiance" that guided Moses and the magi. The Jews call this the "Shekinah", a physical manifestation of the glory of God in the form of a supernatural radiance. This, I believe, is what the Star of Bethlehem was.

CAN WE BELIEVE EVERYTHING WE HEAR?

December 17, 2021
Imagine that you are the pastor of a church. A young married couple is having some difficulties in their relationship and they seek counsel from you. On Monday the wife comes in to give her assessment of their marriage. What do you think she will say? She might say that she is a hardworking, caring and supportive wife and that it is her husband who is the neglectful, insensitive brute and the source of all problems in the marriage. You feel so sorry for this wife and when you see her husband in the hallway, you think to yourself, "What a jerk." On Friday the husband comes in and gives his assessment of the marriage. He tells you that he is hard working and very generous and that she is the major problem in the relationship. As the pastor, you are wondering if they both are talking about the same marriage. Each person tells you what makes them look best and their spouse the worst. Where is the truth? The truth is probably somewhere in between  Proverbs 18:17 says, "The first to present his case seems right, til another comes forward and questions him." There are conflicts in all relationships, between spouses, parents and children, employees and employers. When you hear one side of a story, don’t assume that what you hear is the complete truth. And don’t pass on to someone else what you have heard. Probably, at least some of what you heard is untrue to gain your support in a conflict.
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