http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/ Fri, 25 Jul 2008 02:51:53 -0500 MyBB http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1427 Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:33:53 -0500 http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1427
P.S. I have also wanted to write other tracts but am a procrastinator pray for wisdom.]]>
P.S. I have also wanted to write other tracts but am a procrastinator pray for wisdom.]]> http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1426 Wed, 23 Jul 2008 01:55:09 -0500 http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1426
I SOMETIMES WONDER WHY WE DON'T HAVE CHURCH REVIVALS ANYMORE. I ALWAYS THINK ABOUT THE SCRIPTURE: REVELATIONS 3:16 AND WONDER IF THAT WILL BE THE BIGGEST DOWNFALL OF CHRISTIANS. SET YOUR CLOCKS AND BELIEVE.

1 Minute Each Night


We have never been more desperate than now for God to heal our land. This election is the scariest I remember in my lifetime.


Do you believe we can take God at His word? Call upon His name, then stand back and watch His wonders to behold. This scripture gives us, as Christians, ownership of this land and the ability to call upon God to heal it. I challenge you to do so.


1 Chronicles 7:14: If my people, which are called by my name shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.


During WWII, there was an advisor to Churchill who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every night at a prescribed hour for one minute to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and peace. This had an amazing effect as bombing stopped. There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America. The United States of America and our citizens need prayer more than ever ! ! !

If you would like to participate: each evening at
9:00 PM Eastern Time
8:00 PM Central,
7:00 PM Mountain,
6:00 PM Pacific,
stop whatever you are doing and spend one minute praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, for peace in the world, the up-coming election, that the Bible will remain the basis for the laws governing our land and that Christianity will grow in the U.S.

If you know anyone who would like to participate, please pass this along.

Someone said if people really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we might be speechless. Our prayers are the most powerful asset we have.

Thank You. Please pass this on to anyone who you think will want to join us.]]>
I SOMETIMES WONDER WHY WE DON'T HAVE CHURCH REVIVALS ANYMORE. I ALWAYS THINK ABOUT THE SCRIPTURE: REVELATIONS 3:16 AND WONDER IF THAT WILL BE THE BIGGEST DOWNFALL OF CHRISTIANS. SET YOUR CLOCKS AND BELIEVE.

1 Minute Each Night


We have never been more desperate than now for God to heal our land. This election is the scariest I remember in my lifetime.


Do you believe we can take God at His word? Call upon His name, then stand back and watch His wonders to behold. This scripture gives us, as Christians, ownership of this land and the ability to call upon God to heal it. I challenge you to do so.


1 Chronicles 7:14: If my people, which are called by my name shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.


During WWII, there was an advisor to Churchill who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every night at a prescribed hour for one minute to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and peace. This had an amazing effect as bombing stopped. There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America. The United States of America and our citizens need prayer more than ever ! ! !

If you would like to participate: each evening at
9:00 PM Eastern Time
8:00 PM Central,
7:00 PM Mountain,
6:00 PM Pacific,
stop whatever you are doing and spend one minute praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, for peace in the world, the up-coming election, that the Bible will remain the basis for the laws governing our land and that Christianity will grow in the U.S.

If you know anyone who would like to participate, please pass this along.

Someone said if people really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we might be speechless. Our prayers are the most powerful asset we have.

Thank You. Please pass this on to anyone who you think will want to join us.]]> http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1425 Sat, 19 Jul 2008 22:08:06 -0500 http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1425
MORNING CHAPEL MESSAGES

PSALM 119

Radio Messages by

Dr. R. B. Keyes, ThD


Dr. Keyes, pastor of the Eastside Baptist Church in Gainesville, Florida for over 50 years, had a weekday radio program for some 20 years. He broadcast a 4½ minute program live from the church Mondays through Fridays during the early morning. He typed out each program word-for-word so that no time on air would be wasted. In his latter years, Dr. Keyes spent much time reviewing and rewriting many of the scripts. At that time, there may have been editing to the content, simply because Dr. Keyes was meticulous to see that the message was exact.

This file is an introduction to these programs. At this time, nothing has been done for grammar editing. Since the script was originally intended to be spoken aloud, the sentence structure does always fit proper grammar. It is also unknown what dates were the original program dates.

First edit – spellchecked 7/19/08 tbk



PSALM 119:1-3.

GOOD MORNING! The great PSALM, the one hundred nineteenth, opens with directions concerning the real meaning of life: "Blessed are the undefiled in the way, that walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways."

True religion is neither cold nor formal, for it delights in the word of the LORD. The thrill of the soul of the true Christian is to be living by the word of the LORD in the every day of life.

Two passages describe Biblical religion: "He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doeth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God. … Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."

Blessed indeed is that life that is a true transcript of God's holy word. "Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the Living God, not in tables of stone, in fleshly tables of the heart."

This word "blessed" can properly be connected with the concept of "happiness." Truly happy are the undefiled in the way. The Psalm is declaring that a blessing belongs to all those who hear and do the word of the LORD.

A New Testament passage speaks the same truth: "Whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed."

This word "undefiled" is closely allied to the Bible word "righteousness." No one can attain, by his own striving, true righteousness. For by nature we are all sinners and we all come short of uprightness. But there is a righteousness of God through faith of JESUS CHRIST unto all them that believe.

Yes, and it takes the continual power of grace to keep the believer in the right way. O my soul, seek thou thy happiness in following hard after the LORD!

In the Bible the life of the believer is called "a walk," that is a steady progress, a quiet advance. "Enoch walked with God. … Let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ."

The "law of the LORD" is not irksome to the children of the LORD. "And now, little children, abide in him; that when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him."

There is a wealth of blessing -a treasure house of happiness, abounding in the truly godly life! "I am come," our LORD and Saviour is saying, "that ye might have life and have it abundantly."

The "law of the LORD" is a blessed walk. Obedience to the will of the LORD means blessed singleness of heart.

God is not to be sought after by cold reason, but by the believing heart. "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. … With my whole heart have I sought thee."

It is to those who seek the LORD that the choice blessing is given. "Blessed are they that keep his testimonies." I heard the voice of Jesus say, Look unto me, thy morn shall rise, And all thy days be bright. I looked to Jesus and I found In him my Star, my Sun, And in that Light of life I'll walk, Till traveling days are done. AMEN.

PSALM 119:4-8.

GOOD MORNING! When one begins to pray and to meditate deeply upon the development of Christian character, and the maturing of the spiritual life, realization comes to him of his deep need and true dependence upon the grace of God. "As new born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby. … beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever."

The Psalmist, directed by the Holy Spirit, writes: "Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently! O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly."

It is the Christian's experience that every eager desire to make spiritual progress climaxes in yearning for more of the living God; for, when holy resolve grips the obedient child of God, he begins to pray for Divine enabling.

This is the way it is put in scripture: " Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus."

Let us, for the moment, consider this truth from the negative viewpoint: here is one who is making a determined resolution to do better, to be more obedient, more spiritual, and more useful, but at the same time without desiring Holy Spirit control. Of his life. On the authority of God's word, the whole of such an one's resolve is empty, without merit, meaningless! Man's works can neither save him, nor cause him to develop spiritually. Growth in grace calls for the presenting to God my body, a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is my reasonable service. and this is in order that we may prove, in our day-by-day living, what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.

The believer's concern after the deeper life is to be as the Psalmist pleads: "I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly." Obedience without dependence, or dependence without obedience are equally vain!

Then, let us learn from God's word: "Thou hast commanded us to keep Thy precepts diligently." Scripture puts it this way: "His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue."

It is the Christian's whole person that the grace of God uses to bring to pass the things that God wills in this world. We have heard the phrase, "saved to serve." It is a truth that, under varying circumstances, many a Christian does not practice. Have I forgotten that, by the new birth, I am a child of God, a citizen of the kingdom of God, a servant of the LORD. "Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful."

The Psalmist shows me that "respect unto all GOD'S commandments" keeps me from being "ashamed" before the LORD and greatly encourages "praise" unto the LORD; and is a declaration of faithfulness to the LORD. "And now, little children, abide in him, that when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming." AMEN.

PSALM 119:9-16.

GOOD MORNING! An most important question is asked and answered in the one hundred and nineteenth PSALM: The question: "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? The answer: By taking heed thereto according to thy word."

How shall I become, and be kept, a godly, CHRIST honoring person? Scripture declares, "Bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and that which is to come."

Thus, the question and answer of the PSALM is worthy of our most sincere and open consideration. Surely, when life is fresh and full of promise, this question is made real by personal examination of the Scripture of Truth. Solomon by Holy Spirit direction, concludes a deep examination of the humanistic philosophy of life by pointing out that the time to "remember our Creator is in the days of our youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when one will say, I have no pleasure in them;"

The very last lines of Solomon's study speaks a personally meaningful statement: "fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil."

As is true in every portion of the Scriptures, the word of God answers the question asked in such a way as to show the will of God to each one of us. "Where-with-all shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word."

God's word is the one true blue-print for life. God's word teaches us that we are to "Receive with meekness and engrafted word, which is able to save your souls." Receiving God's word means, as the text is saying, "Taking heed to God's word." God's word is to be read and kept in daily living.

The Psalmist goes on the say: "With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments." Our LORD is teaching a loving obedience to the word of God when he saith to those who "Believed on him." "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

Our LORD and Saviour JESUS CHRIST is the way and the truth and the life and we are taught his way, his truth, his life by the Holy Spirit's illumination of the word of God, -the Holy BIBLE.

"I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. God's word teaches us to put the spiritual ahead of the material. Our LORD declared this when he said to his own disciples: "Ye cannot serve God and mammon."

Scripture gives an illumination of this fact: "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

"I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways." The one thing a child of God is capable of doing, is the offering of a willing heart of devotion with a heart aim to please the LORD. "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. AMEN.]]>
MORNING CHAPEL MESSAGES

PSALM 119

Radio Messages by

Dr. R. B. Keyes, ThD


Dr. Keyes, pastor of the Eastside Baptist Church in Gainesville, Florida for over 50 years, had a weekday radio program for some 20 years. He broadcast a 4½ minute program live from the church Mondays through Fridays during the early morning. He typed out each program word-for-word so that no time on air would be wasted. In his latter years, Dr. Keyes spent much time reviewing and rewriting many of the scripts. At that time, there may have been editing to the content, simply because Dr. Keyes was meticulous to see that the message was exact.

This file is an introduction to these programs. At this time, nothing has been done for grammar editing. Since the script was originally intended to be spoken aloud, the sentence structure does always fit proper grammar. It is also unknown what dates were the original program dates.

First edit – spellchecked 7/19/08 tbk



PSALM 119:1-3.

GOOD MORNING! The great PSALM, the one hundred nineteenth, opens with directions concerning the real meaning of life: "Blessed are the undefiled in the way, that walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways."

True religion is neither cold nor formal, for it delights in the word of the LORD. The thrill of the soul of the true Christian is to be living by the word of the LORD in the every day of life.

Two passages describe Biblical religion: "He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doeth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God. … Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."

Blessed indeed is that life that is a true transcript of God's holy word. "Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the Living God, not in tables of stone, in fleshly tables of the heart."

This word "blessed" can properly be connected with the concept of "happiness." Truly happy are the undefiled in the way. The Psalm is declaring that a blessing belongs to all those who hear and do the word of the LORD.

A New Testament passage speaks the same truth: "Whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed."

This word "undefiled" is closely allied to the Bible word "righteousness." No one can attain, by his own striving, true righteousness. For by nature we are all sinners and we all come short of uprightness. But there is a righteousness of God through faith of JESUS CHRIST unto all them that believe.

Yes, and it takes the continual power of grace to keep the believer in the right way. O my soul, seek thou thy happiness in following hard after the LORD!

In the Bible the life of the believer is called "a walk," that is a steady progress, a quiet advance. "Enoch walked with God. … Let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ."

The "law of the LORD" is not irksome to the children of the LORD. "And now, little children, abide in him; that when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him."

There is a wealth of blessing -a treasure house of happiness, abounding in the truly godly life! "I am come," our LORD and Saviour is saying, "that ye might have life and have it abundantly."

The "law of the LORD" is a blessed walk. Obedience to the will of the LORD means blessed singleness of heart.

God is not to be sought after by cold reason, but by the believing heart. "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. … With my whole heart have I sought thee."

It is to those who seek the LORD that the choice blessing is given. "Blessed are they that keep his testimonies." I heard the voice of Jesus say, Look unto me, thy morn shall rise, And all thy days be bright. I looked to Jesus and I found In him my Star, my Sun, And in that Light of life I'll walk, Till traveling days are done. AMEN.

PSALM 119:4-8.

GOOD MORNING! When one begins to pray and to meditate deeply upon the development of Christian character, and the maturing of the spiritual life, realization comes to him of his deep need and true dependence upon the grace of God. "As new born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby. … beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever."

The Psalmist, directed by the Holy Spirit, writes: "Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently! O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly."

It is the Christian's experience that every eager desire to make spiritual progress climaxes in yearning for more of the living God; for, when holy resolve grips the obedient child of God, he begins to pray for Divine enabling.

This is the way it is put in scripture: " Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus."

Let us, for the moment, consider this truth from the negative viewpoint: here is one who is making a determined resolution to do better, to be more obedient, more spiritual, and more useful, but at the same time without desiring Holy Spirit control. Of his life. On the authority of God's word, the whole of such an one's resolve is empty, without merit, meaningless! Man's works can neither save him, nor cause him to develop spiritually. Growth in grace calls for the presenting to God my body, a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is my reasonable service. and this is in order that we may prove, in our day-by-day living, what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.

The believer's concern after the deeper life is to be as the Psalmist pleads: "I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly." Obedience without dependence, or dependence without obedience are equally vain!

Then, let us learn from God's word: "Thou hast commanded us to keep Thy precepts diligently." Scripture puts it this way: "His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue."

It is the Christian's whole person that the grace of God uses to bring to pass the things that God wills in this world. We have heard the phrase, "saved to serve." It is a truth that, under varying circumstances, many a Christian does not practice. Have I forgotten that, by the new birth, I am a child of God, a citizen of the kingdom of God, a servant of the LORD. "Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful."

The Psalmist shows me that "respect unto all GOD'S commandments" keeps me from being "ashamed" before the LORD and greatly encourages "praise" unto the LORD; and is a declaration of faithfulness to the LORD. "And now, little children, abide in him, that when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming." AMEN.

PSALM 119:9-16.

GOOD MORNING! An most important question is asked and answered in the one hundred and nineteenth PSALM: The question: "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? The answer: By taking heed thereto according to thy word."

How shall I become, and be kept, a godly, CHRIST honoring person? Scripture declares, "Bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and that which is to come."

Thus, the question and answer of the PSALM is worthy of our most sincere and open consideration. Surely, when life is fresh and full of promise, this question is made real by personal examination of the Scripture of Truth. Solomon by Holy Spirit direction, concludes a deep examination of the humanistic philosophy of life by pointing out that the time to "remember our Creator is in the days of our youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when one will say, I have no pleasure in them;"

The very last lines of Solomon's study speaks a personally meaningful statement: "fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil."

As is true in every portion of the Scriptures, the word of God answers the question asked in such a way as to show the will of God to each one of us. "Where-with-all shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word."

God's word is the one true blue-print for life. God's word teaches us that we are to "Receive with meekness and engrafted word, which is able to save your souls." Receiving God's word means, as the text is saying, "Taking heed to God's word." God's word is to be read and kept in daily living.

The Psalmist goes on the say: "With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments." Our LORD is teaching a loving obedience to the word of God when he saith to those who "Believed on him." "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

Our LORD and Saviour JESUS CHRIST is the way and the truth and the life and we are taught his way, his truth, his life by the Holy Spirit's illumination of the word of God, -the Holy BIBLE.

"I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. God's word teaches us to put the spiritual ahead of the material. Our LORD declared this when he said to his own disciples: "Ye cannot serve God and mammon."

Scripture gives an illumination of this fact: "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

"I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways." The one thing a child of God is capable of doing, is the offering of a willing heart of devotion with a heart aim to please the LORD. "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. AMEN.]]> http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1423 Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:28:34 -0500 http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1423
GreekTim introduced me to this forum. I now use MyBB as well on my KJV Only Forum and love its flexibility. I see that you did some .htaccess work to get your clean urls. Does MyBB have a mod for that or is it your custom coding?

I was saved around the age of 8 or 9.
I was baptized at 12.
Went to Bible College (MBBC 1984-88 )
Went to Seminary (DBTS 1988-1995)

Was a youth pastor, associate and assistant in three different churches.
I am helping a friend start a church. I support myself as a Web Developer/SEO.

That's about it!]]>
GreekTim introduced me to this forum. I now use MyBB as well on my KJV Only Forum and love its flexibility. I see that you did some .htaccess work to get your clean urls. Does MyBB have a mod for that or is it your custom coding?

I was saved around the age of 8 or 9.
I was baptized at 12.
Went to Bible College (MBBC 1984-88 )
Went to Seminary (DBTS 1988-1995)

Was a youth pastor, associate and assistant in three different churches.
I am helping a friend start a church. I support myself as a Web Developer/SEO.

That's about it!]]> http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1422 Thu, 10 Jul 2008 21:22:46 -0500 http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1422 http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1421 Sun, 06 Jul 2008 23:51:08 -0500 http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1421 http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1420 Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:11:07 -0500 http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1420
Possibly the most well known use is in the story of the flood in which it rained for forty days and forty nights. This morning I was reading in 1 Kings about Elijah. If you recall when Jezebel was after him he sat under a juniper and asked the Lord to take his life. Then he was visited twice by an angel and told to arise and eat. The second time he ate the meal sustained him for forty days and forty nights.

Then of course our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ was tempted by the devil for forty days.

Unfortunately I do not have a copy of a book on manners and customs of the Bible in my library. Perhaps I ought to buy one. However if anyone has any insight on this I would appreciate you sharing that knowledge with me and anyone else who may read.

In Christ,
George]]>
Possibly the most well known use is in the story of the flood in which it rained for forty days and forty nights. This morning I was reading in 1 Kings about Elijah. If you recall when Jezebel was after him he sat under a juniper and asked the Lord to take his life. Then he was visited twice by an angel and told to arise and eat. The second time he ate the meal sustained him for forty days and forty nights.

Then of course our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ was tempted by the devil for forty days.

Unfortunately I do not have a copy of a book on manners and customs of the Bible in my library. Perhaps I ought to buy one. However if anyone has any insight on this I would appreciate you sharing that knowledge with me and anyone else who may read.

In Christ,
George]]> http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1419 Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:27:07 -0500 http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1419
“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from THE SIMPLICITY THAT IS IN CHRIST. For if he that cometh preacheth ANOTHER JESUS, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive ANOTHER SPIRIT, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. --- For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. “ 2 Corinthians 11:3-4; 13-15.

There are two problems in the differences between the King James Bible and the modern versions such as the NIV, NASB and ESV. One is textual and the other is translational, and the doctrinal emphasis has been changed as a result.

The context of 2 Corinthians 11 is the contrast between the true Jesus Christ (and by direct implication, the true Bible) versus another, false Jesus and the deceiving work of Satan.

The apostle is telling us that there is a simplicity in the doctrine of Christ and we should not be moved from these fundamental truths that are revealed even to babes in Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures. (1 Cor. 15:3-4)

The famous Baptist commentator, John Gill, remarks on this verse: “should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ; that is, lest their judgments should be misled, their minds be vitiated with corrupt principles, and be carried away in any degree with the error of the wicked, from off the pure and simple doctrine of the Gospel, which respects the person and grace of Christ; and chiefly lies in this one plain, easy, and important truth, salvation alone by him.”

Likewise John Calvin translates the verse as it is found in our King James Bible and comments: “by the simplicity that is in Christ is meant, that which keeps us in the unadulterated and pure doctrine of the gospel, and admits of no foreign admixtures.”

Agreeing both with the underlying Greek texts and the meaning of the King James Bible are the following bible translations: Wycliffe 1395 “the simpleness that is in Christ.”, (Tyndale 1525, Coverdale 1535, Bishops’ Bible 1568), the Geneva Bible 1599 - “so your mindes shoulde be corrupt from the simplicitie that is in Christ.”, Wesley 1755, Webster’s 1833, Young’s, Hebrew Names Version - “corrupted from the simplicity that is in Messiah. “; Darby, World English Bible, Douay-Rheims, NKJV 1982, KJV 21st Century 1994 and the Third Millenium Bible 1998.

The Spanish Reina Valera 1602, 1909, and the 2004 Reina Valera Gomez also agree with the King James Bible saying: “Mas temo que en alguna manera, como la serpiente engañó a Eva con su astucia, así sean corrompidas vuestras mentes, DE LA SIMPLICIDAD QUE ES EN CRISTO.”

However, several modern versions based primarily on the Westcott-Hort Greek Critical Text have changed both the text and the spiritual emphasis of the verse.

NIV - “But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from YOUR SINCERE AND PURE DEVOTION TO CHRIST.”

NASB - “...your minds will be led astray from THE SIMPLICITY AND PURITY OF DEVOTION TO CHRIST.”

ESV, RSV - “your thoughts will be led astray from A SINCERE AND PURE DEVOTION TO CHRSIT.”

Holman Standard - “your minds may be corrupted from A COMPLETE AND PURE DEVOTION TO CHRIST.”

First of all, these modern versions are based on a different Greek text which comes primarily from the Vaticanus manuscript. Vaticanus adds three extra words here - kai tns agnoteetos - which literally would be ‘and the purity’. There is no Greek word in any text for “devotion”. The modern versions have added it to their own English translations.

The three extra words are not found in the Majority of all Greek texts, nor in the modern Greek Bible used throughout the Greek Orthodox churches, nor are they in the Sinaiticus correction. Even Tischendorf, who himself discovered the Sinaitic manuscript, did not include the extra three words in his own published Greek text. Furthermore, Westcott and Hort, as well as today’s Nestle-Aland critical texts, continue to bracket these extra words, indicating doubt as to their authenticity. Yet they are found in versions like the NIV, NASB, RSV, NET and Holman Standard.

Let’s do a simple contrast between the two different readings here.

King James Bible - “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from THE SIMPLICITY THAT IS IN CHRIST.”

NIV - “But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from YOUR SINCERE AND PURE DEVOTION TO CHRIST.”

The theological emphasis found in the text of the King James Bible (and many others as well) takes our eyes OFF of ourselves and focuses our attention ON Christ Himself and the simplicity that is found in His saving gospel.

The variant text and consequent translation of modern versions like the NIV, NASB, RSV takes our eyes off of the simplicity found in Christ and instead turns them upon our own religious feelings. The whole context is wrenched out of place. The true words of God, as found in the King James Bible, are telling us to keep our minds on the simple truths that are found in the true Jesus Christ, and not to be led astray by “another Jesus”.

People can be very passionate and “devoted” to a false Jesus and a false religion. This happens all the time; we see it on every hand. The modern version reading would tend to turn us into spiritual belly-button watchers constantly testing the temperature of our own “devotion” and religious zeal, rather than on the objective, unchangeable and simple truth found in Christ.

Satan already has most Christians not believing that any Bible in any language is the complete, inspired and 100% true words of God, and “another spirit” is rapidly persuading the world that all religions are equally valid paths to God. Satan convinces them that what is really important is that they only be sincere and devoted to whatever it is that they might believe about their ‘God’.

The King James Bible is the only true Bible on the earth today. Don’t let the ‘scholars’ and scribes cause you to doubt it, and don’t let your minds be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ - that through the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ ALONE is there salvation from sin, death and hell, and there is absolutely no other way to have your sins forgiven and find peace with the one true God.

Accepted in the Beloved, (Eph. 1:6)

Will Kinney

For many other articles defending the King James Bible as being the only true, preserved and infallible words of God, see:

http://www.geocities.com/brandplucked/]]>
“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from THE SIMPLICITY THAT IS IN CHRIST. For if he that cometh preacheth ANOTHER JESUS, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive ANOTHER SPIRIT, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. --- For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. “ 2 Corinthians 11:3-4; 13-15.

There are two problems in the differences between the King James Bible and the modern versions such as the NIV, NASB and ESV. One is textual and the other is translational, and the doctrinal emphasis has been changed as a result.

The context of 2 Corinthians 11 is the contrast between the true Jesus Christ (and by direct implication, the true Bible) versus another, false Jesus and the deceiving work of Satan.

The apostle is telling us that there is a simplicity in the doctrine of Christ and we should not be moved from these fundamental truths that are revealed even to babes in Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures. (1 Cor. 15:3-4)

The famous Baptist commentator, John Gill, remarks on this verse: “should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ; that is, lest their judgments should be misled, their minds be vitiated with corrupt principles, and be carried away in any degree with the error of the wicked, from off the pure and simple doctrine of the Gospel, which respects the person and grace of Christ; and chiefly lies in this one plain, easy, and important truth, salvation alone by him.”

Likewise John Calvin translates the verse as it is found in our King James Bible and comments: “by the simplicity that is in Christ is meant, that which keeps us in the unadulterated and pure doctrine of the gospel, and admits of no foreign admixtures.”

Agreeing both with the underlying Greek texts and the meaning of the King James Bible are the following bible translations: Wycliffe 1395 “the simpleness that is in Christ.”, (Tyndale 1525, Coverdale 1535, Bishops’ Bible 1568), the Geneva Bible 1599 - “so your mindes shoulde be corrupt from the simplicitie that is in Christ.”, Wesley 1755, Webster’s 1833, Young’s, Hebrew Names Version - “corrupted from the simplicity that is in Messiah. “; Darby, World English Bible, Douay-Rheims, NKJV 1982, KJV 21st Century 1994 and the Third Millenium Bible 1998.

The Spanish Reina Valera 1602, 1909, and the 2004 Reina Valera Gomez also agree with the King James Bible saying: “Mas temo que en alguna manera, como la serpiente engañó a Eva con su astucia, así sean corrompidas vuestras mentes, DE LA SIMPLICIDAD QUE ES EN CRISTO.”

However, several modern versions based primarily on the Westcott-Hort Greek Critical Text have changed both the text and the spiritual emphasis of the verse.

NIV - “But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from YOUR SINCERE AND PURE DEVOTION TO CHRIST.”

NASB - “...your minds will be led astray from THE SIMPLICITY AND PURITY OF DEVOTION TO CHRIST.”

ESV, RSV - “your thoughts will be led astray from A SINCERE AND PURE DEVOTION TO CHRSIT.”

Holman Standard - “your minds may be corrupted from A COMPLETE AND PURE DEVOTION TO CHRIST.”

First of all, these modern versions are based on a different Greek text which comes primarily from the Vaticanus manuscript. Vaticanus adds three extra words here - kai tns agnoteetos - which literally would be ‘and the purity’. There is no Greek word in any text for “devotion”. The modern versions have added it to their own English translations.

The three extra words are not found in the Majority of all Greek texts, nor in the modern Greek Bible used throughout the Greek Orthodox churches, nor are they in the Sinaiticus correction. Even Tischendorf, who himself discovered the Sinaitic manuscript, did not include the extra three words in his own published Greek text. Furthermore, Westcott and Hort, as well as today’s Nestle-Aland critical texts, continue to bracket these extra words, indicating doubt as to their authenticity. Yet they are found in versions like the NIV, NASB, RSV, NET and Holman Standard.

Let’s do a simple contrast between the two different readings here.

King James Bible - “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from THE SIMPLICITY THAT IS IN CHRIST.”

NIV - “But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from YOUR SINCERE AND PURE DEVOTION TO CHRIST.”

The theological emphasis found in the text of the King James Bible (and many others as well) takes our eyes OFF of ourselves and focuses our attention ON Christ Himself and the simplicity that is found in His saving gospel.

The variant text and consequent translation of modern versions like the NIV, NASB, RSV takes our eyes off of the simplicity found in Christ and instead turns them upon our own religious feelings. The whole context is wrenched out of place. The true words of God, as found in the King James Bible, are telling us to keep our minds on the simple truths that are found in the true Jesus Christ, and not to be led astray by “another Jesus”.

People can be very passionate and “devoted” to a false Jesus and a false religion. This happens all the time; we see it on every hand. The modern version reading would tend to turn us into spiritual belly-button watchers constantly testing the temperature of our own “devotion” and religious zeal, rather than on the objective, unchangeable and simple truth found in Christ.

Satan already has most Christians not believing that any Bible in any language is the complete, inspired and 100% true words of God, and “another spirit” is rapidly persuading the world that all religions are equally valid paths to God. Satan convinces them that what is really important is that they only be sincere and devoted to whatever it is that they might believe about their ‘God’.

The King James Bible is the only true Bible on the earth today. Don’t let the ‘scholars’ and scribes cause you to doubt it, and don’t let your minds be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ - that through the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ ALONE is there salvation from sin, death and hell, and there is absolutely no other way to have your sins forgiven and find peace with the one true God.

Accepted in the Beloved, (Eph. 1:6)

Will Kinney

For many other articles defending the King James Bible as being the only true, preserved and infallible words of God, see:

http://www.geocities.com/brandplucked/]]> http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1418 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:42:09 -0500 http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1418
But all things and views aside, I am going to post what happened to our forefathers because of their dedication to our cause.


Quote:A brief glimpse of History and what this country was founded on.

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died.

Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.

Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured.

Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War. They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and
their sacred honor.

What kind of men were they?

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, Nine were farmers and large plantation owners, men of means, well educated, But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Vi rginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown , Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over his Nelson home for their headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. His home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. His wife was jailed, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished.

Some of us take these liberties so much for granted, but we
shouldn't.

So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid.



This post is not to paint a bad picture of England, but to show what we owe to getting out country back into a shape that is far worse now than it was during oppressive times.

Then, we actually stood for something, now it's only about how much we can get for ourselves. We are so selfish.

I of course, love our English brethren, and have a great many friends over there.

Both of our countries need to get back to fundamentals and get a sense of ourselves, and bring the Holy Bible back into the government.

Love in Christ,

Jim]]>
But all things and views aside, I am going to post what happened to our forefathers because of their dedication to our cause.


Quote:A brief glimpse of History and what this country was founded on.

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died.

Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.

Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured.

Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War. They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and
their sacred honor.

What kind of men were they?

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, Nine were farmers and large plantation owners, men of means, well educated, But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Vi rginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown , Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over his Nelson home for their headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. His home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. His wife was jailed, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished.

Some of us take these liberties so much for granted, but we
shouldn't.

So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid.



This post is not to paint a bad picture of England, but to show what we owe to getting out country back into a shape that is far worse now than it was during oppressive times.

Then, we actually stood for something, now it's only about how much we can get for ourselves. We are so selfish.

I of course, love our English brethren, and have a great many friends over there.

Both of our countries need to get back to fundamentals and get a sense of ourselves, and bring the Holy Bible back into the government.

Love in Christ,

Jim]]> http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1416 Sun, 29 Jun 2008 20:42:51 -0500 http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1416 http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1415 Fri, 27 Jun 2008 20:33:43 -0500 http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1415
Quote:We've had a series of productive meetings with the campaign since Sen. McCain won the nomination – including a recent meeting with the Senator. We expect to have more conversations with the campaign as we head toward November.


http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=68047

So, is a vote for McCain a vote for Sodomites?

I am amazed that born again men and women are ignoring all these facts about John McCain, and are somehow justifying casting a vote for the man.

I believe we will all give an answer for how we vote. By voting for John McCain, its like telling God that we want to be ruled by a sodomite friendly President.

Christians need to vote with their convictions. Born again man or woman, please cast your vote for Chuck Baldwin. He is the only true conservative in the race. Just once in your life, trust God and cast your vote.

Ray


Quote:"...a Christian's decision should never be based upon the potential outcome of his decision, but upon the rightness of his decision........ Chuck Baldwin"


Chucks website is http://www.baldwin2008.com]]>
Quote:We've had a series of productive meetings with the campaign since Sen. McCain won the nomination – including a recent meeting with the Senator. We expect to have more conversations with the campaign as we head toward November.


http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=68047

So, is a vote for McCain a vote for Sodomites?

I am amazed that born again men and women are ignoring all these facts about John McCain, and are somehow justifying casting a vote for the man.

I believe we will all give an answer for how we vote. By voting for John McCain, its like telling God that we want to be ruled by a sodomite friendly President.

Christians need to vote with their convictions. Born again man or woman, please cast your vote for Chuck Baldwin. He is the only true conservative in the race. Just once in your life, trust God and cast your vote.

Ray


Quote:"...a Christian's decision should never be based upon the potential outcome of his decision, but upon the rightness of his decision........ Chuck Baldwin"


Chucks website is http://www.baldwin2008.com]]> http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1414 Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:22:35 -0500 http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1414
This morning they voted, 5 to 4, to strike down the Washington D.C. law that prohibited ownership of handguns. In the majority decision they also stated that historically both prior to enacting the second amendment and after it has been the right of the people to own handguns.

If you are interested there is a good news story on Foxnews.com and from the story you can click a link that will take you to the full version of the decision. Of course there are also some statements from the liberal branch who were in the minority in the decision.

In Christ,
George]]>
This morning they voted, 5 to 4, to strike down the Washington D.C. law that prohibited ownership of handguns. In the majority decision they also stated that historically both prior to enacting the second amendment and after it has been the right of the people to own handguns.

If you are interested there is a good news story on Foxnews.com and from the story you can click a link that will take you to the full version of the decision. Of course there are also some statements from the liberal branch who were in the minority in the decision.

In Christ,
George]]> http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1413 Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:11:19 -0500 http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1413

Quote:Among the more startling numbers in the survey, conducted last year by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life: 57 percent of evangelical church attenders said they believe many religions can lead to eternal life, in conflict with traditional evangelical teaching.

In all, 70 percent of Americans with a religious affiliation shared that view, and 68 percent said there is more than one true way to interpret the teachings of their own religion.


I love it when man replaces scripture with "religion" (Of course I say this tongue in cheek), there is no limit on what lies he can come up with to believe, but of course their father is the father of lies.

Love in Christ,

Jim]]>

Quote:Among the more startling numbers in the survey, conducted last year by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life: 57 percent of evangelical church attenders said they believe many religions can lead to eternal life, in conflict with traditional evangelical teaching.

In all, 70 percent of Americans with a religious affiliation shared that view, and 68 percent said there is more than one true way to interpret the teachings of their own religion.


I love it when man replaces scripture with "religion" (Of course I say this tongue in cheek), there is no limit on what lies he can come up with to believe, but of course their father is the father of lies.

Love in Christ,

Jim]]> http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1412 Mon, 23 Jun 2008 17:23:07 -0500 http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1412
They were active in witnessing

Acts 2:47

'Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.'

The early church would not have grown, nor will today's church grow, without it being active in witnessing. This is an integral part of any church that wants to experience true growth Many churches today are experiencing growth when it comes to numbers; but they are stagnant, and even regressing, when it comes to their spiritual growth. I would daresay that more than three-fourths of those found within "Christian" churches have never accepted Christ as their personal Saviour. We can enlarge our churches without witnessing but we can not increase the Body of Christ without telling others of Jesus.

1. They took the Great Commission seriously.

The last command Christ gave to the Church was to carry out the Great Commission. He intended for the Church to be active in witnessing - telling others of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. Throughout the Book of Acts we can see numerous accounts of the early Church sharing the Gospel with lost sinners. This shows that they took the Great Commission very seriously. They knew that is was the responsibility of each and every Christian to witness to others. It also, more than likely, thrilled their spirits to tell others of what Christ had done on Calvary.

It is very evident that today's Christians are not active in witnessing. The large majority of those who claim to be Christian will never once witness to a lost soul about Christ. Most of these can not witness about Christ because they do not even know Him themselves. I have come across many Christians in many different churches who believe that the Great Commission is only meant for preachers and not the average Christian. We need to get back to taking the Great Commission seriously. We need to realize that every soul we meet is either headed to Heaven or Hell.

2. They planted and watered.

I Corinthians 3:6

'I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.'

The early church was busy with going about spreading the Gospel. They were not only telling their neighbors about Christ, but we can also see where they were busy sending out missionaries to other places in order to spread the Gospel. God had told them to tell the world what had happened and that is exactly what they set out to do. Some planted the seed of God while others came by and watered those seeds which had already been planted.

There is still a need for Christians to be out there planting and watering the seeds of the Gospel. As long as there are lost people somewhere in this world then we have a responsibility to be sharing the Gospel with others. Sometimes we may go out and be the ones to plant the seed in someone's heart. Other times we may be watering a seed which someone else has already planted. We need to realize that not everyone we witness to will accept the Lord as their Saviour. We may only be preparing the seed for someone else to come along and lead that person to Christ.

3. God gave the increase.

While the early Church was busy planting and watering the Gospel, they were not the ones responsible for the increase. It was not their responsibility to get people saved. All they were to do was get the Gospel out there and then God would work in the people's hearts through the Holy Spirit. God gave the increase to the early Church and it will be God that gives the increase to today's church.

Sadly, a large number of churches today are leaving God out of the picture. Instead of focusing on the Gospel they are leaning on man's wisdom in order to see large numbers in their church. They will do all they can to entertain the people, but they never teach the the full counsel of the Word of God. This is why any of today's modern churches are fill with shallow, and many times unregenerate, members. Then you have those who take God out of the equation by not allowing the Holy Spirit to work in the lost person's heart. They do all they can to get the person to say a prayer without the person ever feeling a twinge of conviction. They want them to say that prayer so they can run them through the baptistry and mark them down as another number (no matter that they have baptised the same person twenty times in a year).

We need to do our job of spreading the Gospel and then we need to let God take care of adding to the church instead of us trying to do it for Him.

In Christ,

PreacherE]]>
They were active in witnessing

Acts 2:47

'Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.'

The early church would not have grown, nor will today's church grow, without it being active in witnessing. This is an integral part of any church that wants to experience true growth Many churches today are experiencing growth when it comes to numbers; but they are stagnant, and even regressing, when it comes to their spiritual growth. I would daresay that more than three-fourths of those found within "Christian" churches have never accepted Christ as their personal Saviour. We can enlarge our churches without witnessing but we can not increase the Body of Christ without telling others of Jesus.

1. They took the Great Commission seriously.

The last command Christ gave to the Church was to carry out the Great Commission. He intended for the Church to be active in witnessing - telling others of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. Throughout the Book of Acts we can see numerous accounts of the early Church sharing the Gospel with lost sinners. This shows that they took the Great Commission very seriously. They knew that is was the responsibility of each and every Christian to witness to others. It also, more than likely, thrilled their spirits to tell others of what Christ had done on Calvary.

It is very evident that today's Christians are not active in witnessing. The large majority of those who claim to be Christian will never once witness to a lost soul about Christ. Most of these can not witness about Christ because they do not even know Him themselves. I have come across many Christians in many different churches who believe that the Great Commission is only meant for preachers and not the average Christian. We need to get back to taking the Great Commission seriously. We need to realize that every soul we meet is either headed to Heaven or Hell.

2. They planted and watered.

I Corinthians 3:6

'I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.'

The early church was busy with going about spreading the Gospel. They were not only telling their neighbors about Christ, but we can also see where they were busy sending out missionaries to other places in order to spread the Gospel. God had told them to tell the world what had happened and that is exactly what they set out to do. Some planted the seed of God while others came by and watered those seeds which had already been planted.

There is still a need for Christians to be out there planting and watering the seeds of the Gospel. As long as there are lost people somewhere in this world then we have a responsibility to be sharing the Gospel with others. Sometimes we may go out and be the ones to plant the seed in someone's heart. Other times we may be watering a seed which someone else has already planted. We need to realize that not everyone we witness to will accept the Lord as their Saviour. We may only be preparing the seed for someone else to come along and lead that person to Christ.

3. God gave the increase.

While the early Church was busy planting and watering the Gospel, they were not the ones responsible for the increase. It was not their responsibility to get people saved. All they were to do was get the Gospel out there and then God would work in the people's hearts through the Holy Spirit. God gave the increase to the early Church and it will be God that gives the increase to today's church.

Sadly, a large number of churches today are leaving God out of the picture. Instead of focusing on the Gospel they are leaning on man's wisdom in order to see large numbers in their church. They will do all they can to entertain the people, but they never teach the the full counsel of the Word of God. This is why any of today's modern churches are fill with shallow, and many times unregenerate, members. Then you have those who take God out of the equation by not allowing the Holy Spirit to work in the lost person's heart. They do all they can to get the person to say a prayer without the person ever feeling a twinge of conviction. They want them to say that prayer so they can run them through the baptistry and mark them down as another number (no matter that they have baptised the same person twenty times in a year).

We need to do our job of spreading the Gospel and then we need to let God take care of adding to the church instead of us trying to do it for Him.

In Christ,

PreacherE]]> http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1411 Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:36:50 -0500 http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1411
Is archaic language always a bad thing? What about all those "Ye"s and "Thee"s? Would you change all those words like "ye, thee, thine, and thy"? Do you know the difference in meaning and why they are actually more accurate than the modernized, generic "you" as found in the NKJV, NIV, NASB, Holman, and ESV?

The popular NIV introduction erects a strawman argument and gives misleading information regarding the use of "thou" "thee" and "thine". On page xviii of my NIV Scofield edition, the editors state: "As for the traditional pronouns "thou" "thee" and "thine" in reference to the Deity, the translators judged that to use these archaisms, along with the old verb forms such as "doest", "wouldest" and "hadst" would violate accuracy in translation. Neither Hebrew, Aramaic nor Greek uses special pronouns for the persons of the Godhead."

To put it kindly, this NIV introduction is pure baloney. First of all, the use of the words thou, thee, and thine are not used only in reference to Deity. They express the Hebrew and Greek singular "you" as opposed to the plural "you" which is rendered as "you", "ye" and "your". Thou, thee and thine are used not only when addressing God but also when speaking to the common man and even to the devil himself. "Then saith Jesus unto him, Get THEE hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." Matthew 4:10.

Secondly, instead of "violating accuracy in translation", the fact is the use of such pronouns is FAR MORE accurate to the Hebrew and Greek languages than the generic "you" for both singular and plural.

Most languages have a singular and a plural form of the second person - the person being spoken to - "you". There is the singular "you" and then there is the plural, like "you all". This is found in the Hebrew and Greek languages as well as Spanish, French, Italian and many other world languages.

In English this distinction is expressed by "Thou" meaning "you singular, and you alone" and "Ye" meaning "all of you, plural". This distinction makes a big difference in hundreds of passages in the Bible.

For instance, in Luke 22:31-32 the Lord says to Peter: "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have YOU, that he may sift YOU as wheat: But I have prayed for THEE, that THY faith fail not: and when THOU art converted, strengthen THY brethren."

Here the word YOU is plural in both the Greek and the English, meaning Satan was going to sift all of the disciples, "you all"; but Jesus is letting Peter know that He had prayed for him (thee) specifically as an individual.

In John chapter four, the Samaritan woman at the well is speaking to Jesus and says: "Sir, I perceive that THOU art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and YE say (all you Jews) that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship."

Then the Lord says to this individual: "Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when YE shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. YE worship YE know not what: we know what we worship; for salvation is of the Jews." Here the YE means "all of you who are Samaritans", not just the individual woman to whom He was speaking.

One of many cases where a lot of confusion is caused by not following the "ye" and "thee" pattern is seen in Jeremiah 5:14. In Jeremiah 5:13-14 the Lord says: "And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them. Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because YE speak this word, behold, I will make my words in THY mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them."

God is referring to the false prophets when He says "because YE speak this word" but He is talking to Jeremiah, the true prophet, when He says "I will make my words in THY mouth fire".

The confusion is seen in such versions as the NKJV, NASB, NIV, ESV. The NKJV says: "Because YOU speak this word, Behold, I will make my words in YOUR mouth fire." The NKJV meaning ends up being nonsense.

The NKJV badly misses the correct Hebrew reading of Jeremiah 27:2. The King James Bible, as well as the Hebrew texts, the RV, ASV, Young's and many other translations correctly have God saying to Jeremiah: "Thus saith the LORD to me; Make THEE bonds and yokes, and put them upon thy neck, And send them to the king of Edom...." Even the NASB and ESV have the singular "yourself". However the NKJV changes this singular "thee" into a plural "make for YOURSELVES bonds and yokes". The NIV simply omits the word altogether.

Another among many verses that are cleared up by recognizing this difference between Thee and You is found in Acts 13:34. Here Peter is preaching in a synagogue about Christ, the Son of God. Peter says: "And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give YOU the sure mercies of David."

If you neglect this distinction between Thee and You, one would naturally think God is saying to the risen Christ "I will give YOU the sure mercies of David." But He isn't referring to Christ. God is speaking to all HIS PEOPLE - YOU.

In 2 Chronicles 7:17-19 after the dedication of the temple, God speaks to Solomon. He says: "And as for THEE, if THOU wilt walk before me...and do all that I have commanded THEE...Then I will establish the throne of THY kingdom...But if YE turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments...and shalt go and serve other gods..."

First God is speaking individually to king Solomon with THEE, THOU, and THY; but then He addresses all the people of Israel with "YE".

Matthew 26:64 - "Jesus saith unto him, THOU has said: nevertheless I say unto YOU, hereafter shall YE see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." THOU refers to the High Priest. YE and YOU are open to some interpretation, but AT LEAST include all those who were standing there IN ADDITION to the high priest.

John 3:7, 11, "Marvel not that I said unto THEE, YE must be born again." These words were spoken to the individual Nicodemus, but obviously have a wider application. So also at verse 11, "I say unto THEE, we speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen, and YE receive not our witness."

A subtle yet important nuance is found in king David's letter to Joab when he wanted Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba, killed. "David wrote a letter to Joab, saying, Set YE Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire YE from him, that he may be smitten and die." 2 Samuel 12:15.

Here David writes to a single individual Joab, yet he uses the plural form YE. This use of the plural form lessons the personal guilt and responsibility of Joab and places it on the group who is in command of the army. These subtle distinctions are lost in most modern versions.

One more of hundreds of such examples that could be given shows this important distinction between "thee" (an individual) and "you" meaning "you all". The young shepherd David had gone out to meet Goliath the Philistine and he was speaking to one individual, the giant. David says to him: "THOU comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield, but I come to THEE in the name of the LORD..for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give YOU into our hands." David was not just telling Goliath that God would deliver him up, but ALL the Philistines as well - "you all".

A simple rule of thumb is if the word begins with a T, as in thou, thy, thee, and thine, then it is singular; and if it begins with a Y, as in you, your, and ye, then it is plural, meaning "you all".

The use of "thou" and "ye" may be "archaic" because we don't speak this way today, but it is far more accurate and reflects the Hebrew and the Greek languages that underlie the King James text. In fact, not even in 1611 did they speak this way. Read the preface to the KJB and you will see they did not use the "thee"s and "ye"s as they are found in the Scriptures.

The second person singular pronouns in English had largely passed from the language by the time of the writing of the AV. Thus it was "archaic" then as well. So getting rid of it because it is "archaic" is ridiculous, because it was archaic in the first place. The important thing is not whether the word is archaic (for goodness sake, they can look it up in a dictionary or ask someone else who knows) but whether the word is the correct translation. It is, so use it.

The King James translators correctly used these words because it is Biblical language that more accurately expresses the thoughts of God in inspired Scripture.

Not only does the King James Bible use "thy" and "thee" and "ye" but so also do Tyndale, Coverdale, Bishops' Bible, the Geneva Bible, John Wesley's New Testament, the Revised Version of 1881, Webster's translation, the American Standard Version 1901, the Jewish translations of 1917, 1936, the Douay version 1950, Young's, Darby's, the KJV 21st Century version and the Third Millenium Bible.

Even the RSV of 1952 and the NASB from 1960 to 1977 used "thee" and "thou" when addressing God in prayer, though the words "thee" and "thou" are not just used to show reverence for God, but rather express the second person singular of anyone, including the devil himself. The NASB, RSV both say in John 17:2 " THOU HAST given him power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom THOU HAST given him." But then in 1995 the NASB changed their texts again and now employ the generic "You".

Again, in the RSV of 1950 and the NASB of 1977 we read in Romans 3:4 "That THOU MIGHTEST be justified in THY words, and MIGHTEST prevail when THOU ART judged." So were "thou" and "thee" and their respective verb forms "mightest" and "art" not archaic in 1977, but then became so in the next few years?

In 2 Samuel 7:23 we read part of king David's prayer: "An what nation in the earth is like THY people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for YOU great things and terrible, for THY land, before THY people, which THOU redeemedst to THEE from Egypt."

Here David prays to God in the second person singular, but refers to the people of Israel as YOU. What confusion can result if this distinction in proper pronouns is removed? It could incorrectly be thought that David was praying in part to the nation, or that the land belonged to the people instead of to God.

Once you realize there is an important difference between "thou" and "ye" that exists in the English language as well as the Greek and Hebrew, then many passages are cleared up and more light is shed on the true meaning of the Holy Bible.

The King James Bible is more precise and accurate with its use of "thou" and "ye". When you "update and modernize" these "archaic" words to the generic "you", you do so at the expense of sacrificing an important distinction God has placed in His inspired words.

Will Kinney]]>
Is archaic language always a bad thing? What about all those "Ye"s and "Thee"s? Would you change all those words like "ye, thee, thine, and thy"? Do you know the difference in meaning and why they are actually more accurate than the modernized, generic "you" as found in the NKJV, NIV, NASB, Holman, and ESV?

The popular NIV introduction erects a strawman argument and gives misleading information regarding the use of "thou" "thee" and "thine". On page xviii of my NIV Scofield edition, the editors state: "As for the traditional pronouns "thou" "thee" and "thine" in reference to the Deity, the translators judged that to use these archaisms, along with the old verb forms such as "doest", "wouldest" and "hadst" would violate accuracy in translation. Neither Hebrew, Aramaic nor Greek uses special pronouns for the persons of the Godhead."

To put it kindly, this NIV introduction is pure baloney. First of all, the use of the words thou, thee, and thine are not used only in reference to Deity. They express the Hebrew and Greek singular "you" as opposed to the plural "you" which is rendered as "you", "ye" and "your". Thou, thee and thine are used not only when addressing God but also when speaking to the common man and even to the devil himself. "Then saith Jesus unto him, Get THEE hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." Matthew 4:10.

Secondly, instead of "violating accuracy in translation", the fact is the use of such pronouns is FAR MORE accurate to the Hebrew and Greek languages than the generic "you" for both singular and plural.

Most languages have a singular and a plural form of the second person - the person being spoken to - "you". There is the singular "you" and then there is the plural, like "you all". This is found in the Hebrew and Greek languages as well as Spanish, French, Italian and many other world languages.

In English this distinction is expressed by "Thou" meaning "you singular, and you alone" and "Ye" meaning "all of you, plural". This distinction makes a big difference in hundreds of passages in the Bible.

For instance, in Luke 22:31-32 the Lord says to Peter: "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have YOU, that he may sift YOU as wheat: But I have prayed for THEE, that THY faith fail not: and when THOU art converted, strengthen THY brethren."

Here the word YOU is plural in both the Greek and the English, meaning Satan was going to sift all of the disciples, "you all"; but Jesus is letting Peter know that He had prayed for him (thee) specifically as an individual.

In John chapter four, the Samaritan woman at the well is speaking to Jesus and says: "Sir, I perceive that THOU art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and YE say (all you Jews) that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship."

Then the Lord says to this individual: "Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when YE shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. YE worship YE know not what: we know what we worship; for salvation is of the Jews." Here the YE means "all of you who are Samaritans", not just the individual woman to whom He was speaking.

One of many cases where a lot of confusion is caused by not following the "ye" and "thee" pattern is seen in Jeremiah 5:14. In Jeremiah 5:13-14 the Lord says: "And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them. Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because YE speak this word, behold, I will make my words in THY mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them."

God is referring to the false prophets when He says "because YE speak this word" but He is talking to Jeremiah, the true prophet, when He says "I will make my words in THY mouth fire".

The confusion is seen in such versions as the NKJV, NASB, NIV, ESV. The NKJV says: "Because YOU speak this word, Behold, I will make my words in YOUR mouth fire." The NKJV meaning ends up being nonsense.

The NKJV badly misses the correct Hebrew reading of Jeremiah 27:2. The King James Bible, as well as the Hebrew texts, the RV, ASV, Young's and many other translations correctly have God saying to Jeremiah: "Thus saith the LORD to me; Make THEE bonds and yokes, and put them upon thy neck, And send them to the king of Edom...." Even the NASB and ESV have the singular "yourself". However the NKJV changes this singular "thee" into a plural "make for YOURSELVES bonds and yokes". The NIV simply omits the word altogether.

Another among many verses that are cleared up by recognizing this difference between Thee and You is found in Acts 13:34. Here Peter is preaching in a synagogue about Christ, the Son of God. Peter says: "And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give YOU the sure mercies of David."

If you neglect this distinction between Thee and You, one would naturally think God is saying to the risen Christ "I will give YOU the sure mercies of David." But He isn't referring to Christ. God is speaking to all HIS PEOPLE - YOU.

In 2 Chronicles 7:17-19 after the dedication of the temple, God speaks to Solomon. He says: "And as for THEE, if THOU wilt walk before me...and do all that I have commanded THEE...Then I will establish the throne of THY kingdom...But if YE turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments...and shalt go and serve other gods..."

First God is speaking individually to king Solomon with THEE, THOU, and THY; but then He addresses all the people of Israel with "YE".

Matthew 26:64 - "Jesus saith unto him, THOU has said: nevertheless I say unto YOU, hereafter shall YE see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." THOU refers to the High Priest. YE and YOU are open to some interpretation, but AT LEAST include all those who were standing there IN ADDITION to the high priest.

John 3:7, 11, "Marvel not that I said unto THEE, YE must be born again." These words were spoken to the individual Nicodemus, but obviously have a wider application. So also at verse 11, "I say unto THEE, we speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen, and YE receive not our witness."

A subtle yet important nuance is found in king David's letter to Joab when he wanted Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba, killed. "David wrote a letter to Joab, saying, Set YE Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire YE from him, that he may be smitten and die." 2 Samuel 12:15.

Here David writes to a single individual Joab, yet he uses the plural form YE. This use of the plural form lessons the personal guilt and responsibility of Joab and places it on the group who is in command of the army. These subtle distinctions are lost in most modern versions.

One more of hundreds of such examples that could be given shows this important distinction between "thee" (an individual) and "you" meaning "you all". The young shepherd David had gone out to meet Goliath the Philistine and he was speaking to one individual, the giant. David says to him: "THOU comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield, but I come to THEE in the name of the LORD..for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give YOU into our hands." David was not just telling Goliath that God would deliver him up, but ALL the Philistines as well - "you all".

A simple rule of thumb is if the word begins with a T, as in thou, thy, thee, and thine, then it is singular; and if it begins with a Y, as in you, your, and ye, then it is plural, meaning "you all".

The use of "thou" and "ye" may be "archaic" because we don't speak this way today, but it is far more accurate and reflects the Hebrew and the Greek languages that underlie the King James text. In fact, not even in 1611 did they speak this way. Read the preface to the KJB and you will see they did not use the "thee"s and "ye"s as they are found in the Scriptures.

The second person singular pronouns in English had largely passed from the language by the time of the writing of the AV. Thus it was "archaic" then as well. So getting rid of it because it is "archaic" is ridiculous, because it was archaic in the first place. The important thing is not whether the word is archaic (for goodness sake, they can look it up in a dictionary or ask someone else who knows) but whether the word is the correct translation. It is, so use it.

The King James translators correctly used these words because it is Biblical language that more accurately expresses the thoughts of God in inspired Scripture.

Not only does the King James Bible use "thy" and "thee" and "ye" but so also do Tyndale, Coverdale, Bishops' Bible, the Geneva Bible, John Wesley's New Testament, the Revised Version of 1881, Webster's translation, the American Standard Version 1901, the Jewish translations of 1917, 1936, the Douay version 1950, Young's, Darby's, the KJV 21st Century version and the Third Millenium Bible.

Even the RSV of 1952 and the NASB from 1960 to 1977 used "thee" and "thou" when addressing God in prayer, though the words "thee" and "thou" are not just used to show reverence for God, but rather express the second person singular of anyone, including the devil himself. The NASB, RSV both say in John 17:2 " THOU HAST given him power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom THOU HAST given him." But then in 1995 the NASB changed their texts again and now employ the generic "You".

Again, in the RSV of 1950 and the NASB of 1977 we read in Romans 3:4 "That THOU MIGHTEST be justified in THY words, and MIGHTEST prevail when THOU ART judged." So were "thou" and "thee" and their respective verb forms "mightest" and "art" not archaic in 1977, but then became so in the next few years?

In 2 Samuel 7:23 we read part of king David's prayer: "An what nation in the earth is like THY people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for YOU great things and terrible, for THY land, before THY people, which THOU redeemedst to THEE from Egypt."

Here David prays to God in the second person singular, but refers to the people of Israel as YOU. What confusion can result if this distinction in proper pronouns is removed? It could incorrectly be thought that David was praying in part to the nation, or that the land belonged to the people instead of to God.

Once you realize there is an important difference between "thou" and "ye" that exists in the English language as well as the Greek and Hebrew, then many passages are cleared up and more light is shed on the true meaning of the Holy Bible.

The King James Bible is more precise and accurate with its use of "thou" and "ye". When you "update and modernize" these "archaic" words to the generic "you", you do so at the expense of sacrificing an important distinction God has placed in His inspired words.

Will Kinney]]> http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1410 Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:45:35 -0500 http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1410 http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1409 Tue, 17 Jun 2008 23:21:15 -0500 http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1409
2 Peter 3:12

Promoters of the modern bible versions insist there are no doctrines of the Christian faith which are affected in any way by the differences between the King James Bible and the new versions. This is blatantly false in several critical areas.

If interested, here is a study of several false doctrines found in the modern perversions of God's pure words.

http://www.geocities.com/brandplucked/nodoctrine.html

This specific article will address only one of several doctrines which have been changed in such modern versions as the NKJV, NIV, NASB, and Holman Standard.

Puny man, who is but of dust, can do nothing to effect in any way the timetable already established by Almighty God. Man can neither speed up nor slow down God's timetable. This view is contrary to much modern Christian thought, that portrays God as a grandfatherly figure, anxiously wringing His hands, hoping things will turn out for the best, but He just can’t seem to get man to cooperate with His wishes.

I believe the Biblical position reveals a God “who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.” When king Nebuchadnezzar’s understanding returned to him, after 7 times has passed over him by the decree of the Most High, he said: “ I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou.” Now, that is the God who is truly worthy of worship.

Let’s look at some Scriptures which reveal who controls time; is it God or man? Acts 1:7 Jesus said unto them “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own hands.” Acts 17: 26, 31 tell us God “hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation”...”he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness.” Notice that God alone determined the times, and the day of judgment has already been appointed by Him. It is “circled on His calendar”.

Revelation 9:15 “And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.” This judgment has already been prepared by God down to the specific hour. While on earth, the Lord Jesus often told His disciples that His enemies could not yet take Him captive, because His hour had not yet come.

Daniel 2: 20, 21 “Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: He changeth the times and the seasons; he removeth kings, and setteth up kings”

Daniel 8:19 the angel Gabriel appeared to Daniel to give him understanding, and he said “Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.”

Daniel 9: 24, 25 "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people, and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression... And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself”

Daniel 11: 27, 29, 35 ”yet the end shall be at the time appointed”...”At the time appointed he shall return...” “even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.”

Habakkuk 2:3 “For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it: because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”

It is just as the Psalmist said in 31:15 “My times are in thy hands.”

Genesis 18:14 “Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee...and Sarah shall have a son.”

In Judges 7: 10-14 Gideon is told that if he is afraid, to go down to the host of the Midianites. He goes down, and just as he is there listening, two men relate a dream which reveals that God will destroy the Midianites by the sword of Gideon. Coincidence? No, the timing of God.

In Esther 6:1 Haman is plotting to kill Mordecai, but the night before Haman requests of the king to slay Mordecai, the king cannot sleep and calls for the chronicles to be read to him. Therein he reads of Mordecai having previously revealed a plot to kill the king, and he saved his life. Whereupon, the king decides to honor Mordecai. Coincidence that the king couldn’t sleep? No, the timing of God.

Jeremiah 29: 10 - 12 “For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon, I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.” God sent this judgment upon Israel, and no matter how much or fervently they might have prayed, they would not be delivered from Babylon, till the appointed time of 70 years had passed.

You might then ask, What does all this have to do with 2 Peter 3: 12? The verse says: “Looking for and HASTING UNTO the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.”

This is the reading of the King James Bible, Tyndale 1525, Miles Coverdale 1535, the Bishop's Bible 1568, the Geneva Bible 1599, Young's "literal" translation - "Young’s translation = KJB - “waiting for and HASTING TO the presence of the day of God, by which the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements with burning heat shall melt.” It is also the reading found in the Douay 1950, the Spanish Reina Valera bibles of 1909, 1960, and 1995 = KJB - "esperando y APRESURANDOOS PARA la venida del día de Dios, en el cual los cielos, encendiéndose, serán deshechos, y los elementos, siendo quemados, se fundirán!"; the Italian Diodati Bible 1602, Webster’s 1833 translation, the 21st Century KJV, and the Third Millenium Bible

However many new versions have changed the doctrine of the timing of God, by how they have mistranslated the inspired text. The NKJV, RSV, ESV, and the NASB say: “looking for and HASTENING the coming” while the NIV says: “as you look forward to the day of God and SPEED ITS COMING.” These versions clearly imply or state that man can do something to speed up the timetable of God. This is a false doctrine and a contradiction.

Some other versions, like the Revised Version, the American Standard Version, Holman Standard, and the Contemporary English Version, have yet a different meaning than the others. They say: "EARNESTLY DESIRING the coming of the day of God", or "LOOKING FORWARD TO the day of God". While this rendering is different than that of the King James Bible (leaving us with THREE entirely different meanings of just this one verse), at least it doesn't teach the same false doctrine as do the RSV, ESV, NASB, NIV and NKJV.

A good question to ask is: 'How are we “hasting unto” the coming of the day of God, as the King James Bible and many others say?' It is really quite simple. Verse 8 of this same chapter states: “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousands years as one day.” If you or I should live to be a hundred years old, that would be equivalent to less than two and one half hours of God’s time.

We are on this earth but a very short time and all of us are all hastening unto the coming of the day of God.

Psalm 90:4-6: “For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night. Thou carriest them away as with a flood: they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up. In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.”

Ps. 39:5: “Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth: and mine age is a nothing before thee.”

Ps. 102:11: “My days are like a shadow that declineth: and I am withered like grass.”

Job 4:20 speaks of man as: “They are destroyed from morning to evening”, Job 7: 6: “My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle”

Job 8: 9: “For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow.” Job 9: 25: “Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away,” Job 14: 1- 2: “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.”

We are all hasting unto the day of God. Our time here is quickly over and we pass away. That day has already been appointed by God who put the times and the seasons in His own power, and nothing either you or I do or don't do will change by one second when this appointed day comes.

False bibles lead to false doctrine.

One prominent Christian who has a lot of good teaching in other areas is Dr. John Piper of Desiring God Ministries. Unfortunately he does not believe that any Bible or any text in any language is now the inspired and inerrant words of God. He promotes the use of the 2001 ESV (English Standard Version), which is basically the old liberal RSV dressed in new garb. The ESV frequently rejects the Hebrew readings and its New Testament is based primarily on the Westcott-Hort Greek text. It omits even more whole verses (18) from the N.T. than does the NIV.

John Piper comments on 2 Peter 3:12, which in the ESV says: "waiting for and HASTENING THE COMING of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fair and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn."

Mr. Piper says: "Verse 12 says that as you look for the coming of the Day of God in this way you will hasten it. Verse 9 said that God is holding back the final Day that you may repent. It follows that repenting and living a life of holiness helps remove the cause for delay. We don't hasten the Day in an absolute sense because Acts 1:7 teaches that the Father has fixed the times and seasons by his own authority and Jesus said in Mark 13:22 that the Father knows the hour of the Son's return. But from our vantage point we can hasten the Day by fulfilling the pre-conditions of Christ's return, namely the preaching of the gospel to all the nations (Mk. 13:10) and the repentance of the full number of the Gentiles who must come in before the end (Rom. 11:25). Evidently Peter believes that lives of holiness and godliness will indeed fulfill these conditions and hasten the Day of God." - Dr. John Piper

First of all, verse 9 says nothing about God "holding back" the final day of judgment. It merely explains that God's timetable is not the same as ours, and that He is longsuffering to us-ward. Mr. Piper is a well known Calvinist, and he professes to believe that God alone gives repentance and faith to His elect, and none of them will be lost.

Secondly, there is no place in Scripture that supports the idea that by holy living and repenting we will in any way speed up the coming of the day of God. There are no pre-conditions that we can or must fulfill so that this final day will come any quicker than God has already appointed. Mr. Piper contradicts his own theology and speaks out of both sides of his mouth in his attempt to explain and justify the false doctrine taught in many new versions that we can somehow by our actions move God to change His timetable or speed up the coming day when He will judge the world in righteousness.

Thirdly, I am somewhat amazed that a man like Mr. Piper would say: "Evidently Peter believes that lives of holiness and godliness will indeed fulfill these conditions and hasten the Day of God." Wrong! The Bible is NOT about what "Peter evidently believes", though WE know better! There are numerous other verses of Scripture that contradict what Mr. Piper says Peter "evidently believes". The true Holy Bible, the King James Bible, is the inerrant words of Almighty God, and it does not contradict itself, as do the modern versions like the NKJV, NASB, NIV and ESV.

The doctrine found in the King James Bible is consistently true and harmonizes with the rest of Scripture on any given topic. This cannot be said of many modern versions. "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."

Will Kinney]]>
2 Peter 3:12

Promoters of the modern bible versions insist there are no doctrines of the Christian faith which are affected in any way by the differences between the King James Bible and the new versions. This is blatantly false in several critical areas.

If interested, here is a study of several false doctrines found in the modern perversions of God's pure words.

http://www.geocities.com/brandplucked/nodoctrine.html

This specific article will address only one of several doctrines which have been changed in such modern versions as the NKJV, NIV, NASB, and Holman Standard.

Puny man, who is but of dust, can do nothing to effect in any way the timetable already established by Almighty God. Man can neither speed up nor slow down God's timetable. This view is contrary to much modern Christian thought, that portrays God as a grandfatherly figure, anxiously wringing His hands, hoping things will turn out for the best, but He just can’t seem to get man to cooperate with His wishes.

I believe the Biblical position reveals a God “who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.” When king Nebuchadnezzar’s understanding returned to him, after 7 times has passed over him by the decree of the Most High, he said: “ I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou.” Now, that is the God who is truly worthy of worship.

Let’s look at some Scriptures which reveal who controls time; is it God or man? Acts 1:7 Jesus said unto them “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own hands.” Acts 17: 26, 31 tell us God “hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation”...”he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness.” Notice that God alone determined the times, and the day of judgment has already been appointed by Him. It is “circled on His calendar”.

Revelation 9:15 “And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.” This judgment has already been prepared by God down to the specific hour. While on earth, the Lord Jesus often told His disciples that His enemies could not yet take Him captive, because His hour had not yet come.

Daniel 2: 20, 21 “Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: He changeth the times and the seasons; he removeth kings, and setteth up kings”

Daniel 8:19 the angel Gabriel appeared to Daniel to give him understanding, and he said “Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.”

Daniel 9: 24, 25 "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people, and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression... And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself”

Daniel 11: 27, 29, 35 ”yet the end shall be at the time appointed”...”At the time appointed he shall return...” “even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.”

Habakkuk 2:3 “For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it: because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”

It is just as the Psalmist said in 31:15 “My times are in thy hands.”

Genesis 18:14 “Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee...and Sarah shall have a son.”

In Judges 7: 10-14 Gideon is told that if he is afraid, to go down to the host of the Midianites. He goes down, and just as he is there listening, two men relate a dream which reveals that God will destroy the Midianites by the sword of Gideon. Coincidence? No, the timing of God.

In Esther 6:1 Haman is plotting to kill Mordecai, but the night before Haman requests of the king to slay Mordecai, the king cannot sleep and calls for the chronicles to be read to him. Therein he reads of Mordecai having previously revealed a plot to kill the king, and he saved his life. Whereupon, the king decides to honor Mordecai. Coincidence that the king couldn’t sleep? No, the timing of God.

Jeremiah 29: 10 - 12 “For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon, I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.” God sent this judgment upon Israel, and no matter how much or fervently they might have prayed, they would not be delivered from Babylon, till the appointed time of 70 years had passed.

You might then ask, What does all this have to do with 2 Peter 3: 12? The verse says: “Looking for and HASTING UNTO the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.”

This is the reading of the King James Bible, Tyndale 1525, Miles Coverdale 1535, the Bishop's Bible 1568, the Geneva Bible 1599, Young's "literal" translation - "Young’s translation = KJB - “waiting for and HASTING TO the presence of the day of God, by which the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements with burning heat shall melt.” It is also the reading found in the Douay 1950, the Spanish Reina Valera bibles of 1909, 1960, and 1995 = KJB - "esperando y APRESURANDOOS PARA la venida del día de Dios, en el cual los cielos, encendiéndose, serán deshechos, y los elementos, siendo quemados, se fundirán!"; the Italian Diodati Bible 1602, Webster’s 1833 translation, the 21st Century KJV, and the Third Millenium Bible

However many new versions have changed the doctrine of the timing of God, by how they have mistranslated the inspired text. The NKJV, RSV, ESV, and the NASB say: “looking for and HASTENING the coming” while the NIV says: “as you look forward to the day of God and SPEED ITS COMING.” These versions clearly imply or state that man can do something to speed up the timetable of God. This is a false doctrine and a contradiction.

Some other versions, like the Revised Version, the American Standard Version, Holman Standard, and the Contemporary English Version, have yet a different meaning than the others. They say: "EARNESTLY DESIRING the coming of the day of God", or "LOOKING FORWARD TO the day of God". While this rendering is different than that of the King James Bible (leaving us with THREE entirely different meanings of just this one verse), at least it doesn't teach the same false doctrine as do the RSV, ESV, NASB, NIV and NKJV.

A good question to ask is: 'How are we “hasting unto” the coming of the day of God, as the King James Bible and many others say?' It is really quite simple. Verse 8 of this same chapter states: “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousands years as one day.” If you or I should live to be a hundred years old, that would be equivalent to less than two and one half hours of God’s time.

We are on this earth but a very short time and all of us are all hastening unto the coming of the day of God.

Psalm 90:4-6: “For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night. Thou carriest them away as with a flood: they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up. In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.”

Ps. 39:5: “Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth: and mine age is a nothing before thee.”

Ps. 102:11: “My days are like a shadow that declineth: and I am withered like grass.”

Job 4:20 speaks of man as: “They are destroyed from morning to evening”, Job 7: 6: “My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle”

Job 8: 9: “For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow.” Job 9: 25: “Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away,” Job 14: 1- 2: “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.”

We are all hasting unto the day of God. Our time here is quickly over and we pass away. That day has already been appointed by God who put the times and the seasons in His own power, and nothing either you or I do or don't do will change by one second when this appointed day comes.

False bibles lead to false doctrine.

One prominent Christian who has a lot of good teaching in other areas is Dr. John Piper of Desiring God Ministries. Unfortunately he does not believe that any Bible or any text in any language is now the inspired and inerrant words of God. He promotes the use of the 2001 ESV (English Standard Version), which is basically the old liberal RSV dressed in new garb. The ESV frequently rejects the Hebrew readings and its New Testament is based primarily on the Westcott-Hort Greek text. It omits even more whole verses (18) from the N.T. than does the NIV.

John Piper comments on 2 Peter 3:12, which in the ESV says: "waiting for and HASTENING THE COMING of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fair and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn."

Mr. Piper says: "Verse 12 says that as you look for the coming of the Day of God in this way you will hasten it. Verse 9 said that God is holding back the final Day that you may repent. It follows that repenting and living a life of holiness helps remove the cause for delay. We don't hasten the Day in an absolute sense because Acts 1:7 teaches that the Father has fixed the times and seasons by his own authority and Jesus said in Mark 13:22 that the Father knows the hour of the Son's return. But from our vantage point we can hasten the Day by fulfilling the pre-conditions of Christ's return, namely the preaching of the gospel to all the nations (Mk. 13:10) and the repentance of the full number of the Gentiles who must come in before the end (Rom. 11:25). Evidently Peter believes that lives of holiness and godliness will indeed fulfill these conditions and hasten the Day of God." - Dr. John Piper

First of all, verse 9 says nothing about God "holding back" the final day of judgment. It merely explains that God's timetable is not the same as ours, and that He is longsuffering to us-ward. Mr. Piper is a well known Calvinist, and he professes to believe that God alone gives repentance and faith to His elect, and none of them will be lost.

Secondly, there is no place in Scripture that supports the idea that by holy living and repenting we will in any way speed up the coming of the day of God. There are no pre-conditions that we can or must fulfill so that this final day will come any quicker than God has already appointed. Mr. Piper contradicts his own theology and speaks out of both sides of his mouth in his attempt to explain and justify the false doctrine taught in many new versions that we can somehow by our actions move God to change His timetable or speed up the coming day when He will judge the world in righteousness.

Thirdly, I am somewhat amazed that a man like Mr. Piper would say: "Evidently Peter believes that lives of holiness and godliness will indeed fulfill these conditions and hasten the Day of God." Wrong! The Bible is NOT about what "Peter evidently believes", though WE know better! There are numerous other verses of Scripture that contradict what Mr. Piper says Peter "evidently believes". The true Holy Bible, the King James Bible, is the inerrant words of Almighty God, and it does not contradict itself, as do the modern versions like the NKJV, NASB, NIV and ESV.

The doctrine found in the King James Bible is consistently true and harmonizes with the rest of Scripture on any given topic. This cannot be said of many modern versions. "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."

Will Kinney]]> http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1408 Tue, 17 Jun 2008 20:24:31 -0500 http://www.fundamentalpreaching.com/showthread.php?tid=1408
I'm going to comment on a couple of verses that I found very interesting.

Proverbs 10:26 "As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him."

You all probably knew this, but I never really thought about it. Vinegar is bad for your teeth because it removes the calcium from your teeth.


Proverbs 2
16 "To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;
17 Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
18 For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.
19 None that go unto her return again, n