First of all, the Bible doesn't teach that a selection of men are to be priests, only the Levite tribe in the Old Testament were chosen for that honor, and that priesthood went out with the Old Testament (Heb. 7:11-28). Man today is under the New Testament and that law teaches that all Christians are priests because of their sacrifice of service to the Lord (Heb. 8:6-13, Rom. 12:1-2, 1 Peter 2:5-10).
If one is going to be a priest, that person should be the best possible example by the way of life that is led. There is to be no evil of any kind being done in the dark, then parading around as an angel of light in the day (Matt. 23:37-28). Priests have no business raping boys or women (1 Sam 1:3, 1 Sam 2:12-17, 1 Sam. 2:22-25). It is a sin in God's eyes to engage in premarital sex and homsexuality, for such is clearly taught in the Bible, and one would have to be totally dishonest to miss it (1 Cor. 6:18, 1 Cor. 7:2, Heb. 13:4, Gen. 39:7-9, Gen. 19:4-13, Matt. 10:15, Jude 7, Lev. 18:22-30, Rom. 1:24-32). Out of all the sex sins that could be committed by a man, why do such to a child? With all the consenting women out there who desire marriage and sex, why take the innocence of a young boy away? These youths believed in their church leaders, then these servants of Satan abuse that admiration, by sexing the boys. What a shame! God's eyes see all, yet a corrupt church leader is too evil to even recognize that. He tries to hide his dirt and is fool enough to think God will let him get away (Num. 32:23, Prov. 15:3, Eccl. 12:14, Psa. 94:9, Heb. 4:13, Psa. 139:7-16, Jer. 23:24, 1 Cor. 4:5). Hope to hear from you or to see you at the services. One day a 6-year-old girl was sitting in a classroom listening as the teacher was explaing evolution. The teacher asked a little boy: TEACHER: Tommy, do you see the tree outside? TOMMY: Yes. TEACHER: Tommy, do you see the grass outside? TOMMY: Yes. TEACHER: Go outside and look up and see if you can see the sky. TOMMY: Okay. (He returned a few minutes later). Yes, I saw the sky. TEACHER: Did you see God? TOMMY: No. TEACHER: That's my point. We can't see God because he isn't there, and since we can not see him, he doesn't exist.
A little girl spoke up and wanted to ask the boy some questions. The teacher agreed, and the little girl asked the boy: LITTLE GIRL: Tommy, do you see the tree outside? TOMMY: Yes. LITTLE GIRL: Tommy, do you see the grass outside? TOMMY: Yessssss (getting tired of the questions by this time). LITTLE GIRL: Did you see the sky? TOMMY: Yesssssss. LITTLE GIRL:Tommy, do you see the teacher? TOMMY: Yes. LITTLE GIRL: Do you see her brain? TOMMY: No. LITTLE GIRL: Then according to what we were taught today, she doesn't have one. Reader, God can not be seen by man because God's presence is so powerful that no many can see Him and live (Ex. 33:20, John 1:18, 1 Tim. 6:16, 1 John 4:20). Hope to hear from you or to see you at the services. NBA All-Star weekend is gone, a thing of the past, but there is one thing I wish to bring back to your attention. Many of the players spent time reading to children and such is done every time there is an all-star weekend. But, this is what I want to tell you, read the Bible to your children! I'm calling on all parents to learn the Bible and read it to your children. Too many parents are ignorant of the word of the Lord and as a result their children live life being just as ignorant (Hosea 4:6, Deut. 31:12-13, 2 Kings 17:24-41, Matt. 15:13-14).
Read the Bible to your children! If you as a parent don't know anything about the Bible, contact us and we will teach you. But the bottom line is, read the Bible to your children! You teenagers who think you are so hip and know everything, read the Bible yourself! Once you understand it, read it to your younger siblings. Both readers and listeners, get an understanding of what is read! (Prov. 4:7, Acts 8:26-35, Eph. 5:18). Both readers and listeners, obey what you learn from the Bible, for it will make better schools and neighborhoods (James 1:22-26, Prov. 11:11). Hope to hear from you or to see you at the services. Mohammed, the founder of Islam, was born in 570 A.D. in the city of Mecca. He studied both Judaism and Christianity and was convinced that there was only one true and living God, Allah. Mohammed traveled extensively in Arabia and saw that Arabs were believers in many gods and spirits, and this idolatry troubled Mohammed. When 40 years old, he claimed that the archangel Gabriel had called him and revealed that Allah had chosen him to be the last of the prophets and to preach submission to the will of Allah. The name Islam means submission, and Mulsim or Moselm is one who submits to the will of Allah.
The time of the claimed visit of Gabriel was about 610 A.D. which marks the beginning of his ministry. In 622 A.D. Mohammed journeyed to Medina and built the first Mosque and started the practices of Islam. Once there he mobilized an army and by force imposed his will on the surrounding cities. In 630, eight years after he had fled from Mecca, Mohammed returned with an army of 10,000 men and took Mecca. After the death of Mohammed, Islam continued to spread, by power over areas of Africa, Asia, and Europe. Let it be known that all this occurred AFTER Jesus Christ had given his gospel to the world and warned about those who would bring FALSE TEACHING (Gal. 1:8-9, Acts 4:10-12, John 3:36, John 4:42, John 14:6, 1 John 4:14-15, 1 John 5:10-12). Hope to hear from you or to see you at the services. Most people could care less about praying to God, but there are a few who do. So it is with them in mind that we present this material. There are "preverted prayers," supplications that are not in harmony with the will of God, and he will not accept them.
Hope to hear from you or to see you at the services. Mortality means that we aren't permanent. We are fallible. We are capable of being injured, taken down with illnesses, and evidently dying. In this year, many will be reminded of their own mortality, meaning dangers to their existence will become real. God has never promised anyone freedom from the threats to his mortality. But he has promised us comfort and finally salvation, if we will accept his word. Life is too short and death and sorrow too certain for us to go through life without obeying God. Men should obey the gospel today.
Patience is defined as having the ability to wait on the conclusion of what we know to be right. During these times of terrorism, we all need to be patient, for it is just to fight against the evils of the terrorists. We have been so accustomed to getting everything quickly and everything when we want it. Not so anymore! We need to learn patience! Our President has told us that the war on terrorism will take a long time. So we need to be willing to stick it out. A terrorist is like a roach or rat hiding in a garbage dump, the more you search for the creep, the deeper he digs into the muck. So this will be no quick solution; we must have patience at the airport, patience with the digging at ground zero, patience with our military's searches, and patience when things go wrong with military actions. "For in patience we possess our souls," (Luke 21:19). Hope to hear from you or to see you at the services. Anger is just as deadly as cancer because if left untreated it can destroy you. Yes, being a walking time bomb is hazardous to your well being and anyone who is around you. There have been many people slandered, injured, and killed by the actions of a hot head carrying out his wrath. Just consider the guy who has been fired, then returns and shoots up his former place of work. Or consider the man who goes berserk on another guy, just because the fellow spoke to or smiled at his wife or girlfriend. Whew!
This past week, Mr. Thomas Junta became a victim of his own wrath. This guy had been on trial in Cambridge, Mass., for killing another man at a hockey game! Just imagine that a 270-pound man became enraged and killed a 156-pound man because of a disagreement over a play in a hockey game! Unbelievable! The word of God teaches the importance of controlling anger, and man needs to start doing that. Consider the following scriptures: Eccl. 7:9; Prov. 19:19; Job 5:2; Prov. 27:4; Prov. 14:29; Prov. 30:33; Prov. 15:1-18; Prov. 12:16; 2 Cor. 12:20; Gal. 5:20; Eph. 4:26,31; Col. 3:8; James 1:19-20. Get a hold on that anger. Keep it under check. Don't act without considering the cost. Any questions? Hope to hear from you or to see you at the services. A few years back, a national case was televised concerning a childless couple going to court against a woman who had agreed to give birth to a child for them. However, after giving birth, the woman decided not to give the child to the couple. I certainly don't agree with childless couples looking for surrogate mothers to give birth for them; however, the case was interesting because it showed how people constantly violate the principles God has given in order to live peacefully with our fellow man.
Any questions? Hope to hear from you or to see you at the services. The Taliban was a perfect example of religious extremism. During the last decade their belieft took liberty away from the people of Afghanistan. The people were told that various things were sinful, when truthfully, it wasn't. The people were told, "God said it," when God had said nothing (Jer 23:16-40). Keeping people in the dark and stripping them of what God-given freedoms they were entitled to, is plain extremism.
Now allow me to give you a few examples to clarify. The extremists will tighten the ropes tighter than God would. The extremist will turn off their air conditioner, when God said it could be left on (Acts 15:1-2,24). Extremists say, "No pork at all," while God said, "just be careful how much you eat and be sure to give thanks," (1 Cor. 6:12-13, 1 Tim. 4:3-4). Extremists say, "no jewelry at all," while God just warns not to allow outside adornment to be primary (1 Peter 3:3-5). Extremists say "a woman can not trim her hair at all," while God just warns a woman not to allow her hair cuts to confuse her gender (1 Cor. 11:14-15). Reader, do you get the picture yet? When God has given liberties for man to enjoy, that is each man's right to decide to partake or abstain. For one to bind and make laws in an area that God has left for human judgement is to promote an extreme position. James 4:12 teaches there is only one law giver and one law maker; that is God himself. Let not men make and bind laws, but obey the laws God has already made. Any questions? Hope to hear from you or to see you at the services. |