A Gift

Today is a gift . . . That’s why it is called “the present.”

‘Is there not an appointed tome to man upon earth? Are not his days also like the days of an hireling?” Job 7:1 KJB

“Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Eph 5:16 KJB

YOUR MOTHER AND MINE

HEBREW HONEYCOMB
YOUR MOTHER AND MINE

William Andrew Dillard

In the theological world it is often stated how mixed up folks are about the subject of brotherhood and its meaning. But if one thinks that to be a problem, just consider how mixed up so-called churches are about motherhood!

The status of motherhood has been on the rise for the last two thousand years. Jesus elevated it to its proper position, but as with most everything else, man takes it where it does not belong. Kooky ideas in the 21st Century about feminism in general and motherhood in particular abound. Media is filled with the exaltation of feminism, even to the extreme of subjugating masculinity, unless that too resides in a female. But try as they will, men will never totally pervert God’s creation order and purpose. Godly women find the ultimate of feminine contentment and joy in their God-given roles, even if modern times cause those roles to change somewhat. In this writer’s house, the men are men and the women are glad of it! Conversely, women are women and the men are glad of it.

But let this subject go on into the religious realm specifically. Catholicism has done much to bring shame on the Son of God, and Mary, His earthly mother, by exalting her above Him. Hence, prayers are offered to Mary who is palmed off as a perpetual virgin, and the scriptures show that to be a blatant lie. But, of course, they say, everybody knows if you want to get something from someone, contact his mother. Really!

This article is about motherhood and our mother in particular. Are you staying with me?
When the original cosmos created by God was cast down, an unwritten controversy over the earth between the two supernatural powers undoubtedly occurred. Therefore, in the reconstruction, the earth would be allowed to speak for itself. For that to happen, the earth would of necessity have to bring forth an offspring who could speak, think, and make decisions regarding it. It was to this end that mankind was taken from the earth and made a living soul with those capacities.

In the ancient Hebrew language a word that describes man taken from the earth is “Yelid.” This word literally means and is so translated in other places, “to give birth to.” So, the earth is consistently referenced as “Mother Earth.” She is indeed your mother and mine. From it we were taken, and to it we shall return, even as the spirit within us was given of God, and will return to Him.

It is the purpose of man then to make good decisions regarding his mother Earth, including all her children. The first man failed so utterly, but the second Adam succeeded. To Him the Earth looks, as well as all her children who are saved from that terrible sin, and more specifically their own. Are you honoring your mother by honoring Him?

PLANET EARTH: MY MOTHER!

By: W. A. Dillard

HEBREW HONEYCOMB
PLANET EARTH: MY MOTHER!
There is a natal bond between planet Earth and mankind. From the initial days in Eden it speaks of his prime directive or purpose. Think with me!

Adam (mankind) was the name of the first human. Add the feminine ending (ah) to that word in Hebrew and one has “Adamah” which is translated “dust, soil, dirt,” the substance of the planet. So, Earth is the mother of mankind, and God is the Creator/Father. He was made to be Adam from the same elements as the soil, and God breathed into his nostrils the breath of lives: (yes, lives, plural) physical, mental and spiritual. Thus was Adam made the lord of the life sustaining planet. Inquiring minds want to know why. 

Previously, the earth was under the care of Lucifer and the myriad of angels under his command. Lucifer coveted the position of the Son, originating opposition to the Will of God; hence, sin! It is believed Lucifer is responsible for wrecking to the point of utter chaos what was a perfect, life-sustaining planet , Gen.1:2.

Logic would indicate that a controversy over ownership of the planet ensued between God as Creator and Lucifer claiming it was given to him. There being no other super powers to settle the argument, the planet would thus speak for itself. Of course, being without brain, or mouth, that seemed impossible, but here is where the import of the bond becomes underscored. God caused the planet to give birth as it were to one like itself, but who could reason, speak and make decisions. That would put Adam into the position of being a walking, talking dirtball, which seems a little humiliating. Actually, it is an extremely exalted position. He would speak for the planet since God as Creator is not an arbitrary God.

So man must be subjected to the influences of God and of Lucifer. Eve being deceived and Adam choosing her over the word of his Creator brought sin to the species and a yielding up of the lordship of the planet to the fallen archangel.

But the story does not end there. The Creator chose to become one of His created beings and succeed where Adam failed. Since it was a decision of commitment that brought sin, it is a decision of commitment that brings life and righteousness. It is also the purpose of the Creator to bring man to a high level of spiritual maturity that will enable him to do in the millennial reign of Christ, what he should have been doing from the beginning. He will rule the earth in righteousness to the eternal glory of Jesus, and the astonishment of his unfathomable grace. Paul says in Romans 8 that the creation groans in travail, awaiting the glorious liberty of the sons of God (its offspring) in which it also will be finally freed from the power of bondage. There is good reason earth is called “Mother Earth.”

HEBREW HONEYCOMB

BY – William Andrew Dillard

GE AND COSMOS
It is the purpose of this article to enhance the knowledge of several folks with a distinction, and contrast of the words “Ge” and “cosmos.” First of all, the term “Ge” is not to be confused as the opposite of “Haw” as a directional command to a farm animal. Additionally, it is not to be confused with a slang expression of the South as in “Geeminee or geewhiz.” But more to the point, it is not to be confused with “Cosmos.” Of course, here the phonetics are quite different, but the idea still gets muddled. Speaking of muddled, some minds may be muddled already, but bear with me.
In the Bible, the word “world” is most often used as the translation of “cosmos.” This is proper, but herein is also the problem. Too many students tend to think of “world” as the planet on which we live. That is an incorrect understanding. The ancient Greek word “cosmos” references a working system designed to produce predictable results. Hence the universe of planetary bodies is referred to as a cosmos as it in a definite, predictable working pattern. The order of the world of men is a cosmos because it is framed on the predictable order of sin and death. A clock is a cosmos since it is working system designed to produce predictable results. Oh, yes, they call that stuff women use to make themselves pretty “cosmetics.” That, too, is from cosmos because it transforms a female from an ordinary human being to a predictable system designed to attract the opposite sex. (now, I am going to get it). Summation: “world” is from “Cosmos.” It designates a system. It is not a designation of the planet earth in the context of creation.
Of course, there is a term designating the planet. It is “Ge.” Furthermore, that root word in its expansion gives us such words as “geology, geography, geometry, geophysics, Georgia,” etc., all having to do with physiology of the planet.
Being discriminatory with words goes a long way toward eliminating confusion of ideas. It helps the speaker to think more precisely, and it helps the audience to infer more properly what exactly has been implied, connoted, or denoted. Most all of us would profit from a review of etymology ( a study of root words, prefixes and suffixes). It would most likely stoke our love for our mother tongue as well as open pleasurable avenues of ideas contained therein which may have never been entertained previously. Well, I had hoped this article would be somewhat of a cosmos, but it seems that all I can say is “Gee.”

 

 

 

King Over All the Earth

 

Zechariah 14:1-9

 

“And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one,” Zechariah 14:9.

 

I love hunting. It is not so much that I take pleasure in harvesting animals, but I love spending time outdoors, enjoying God’s creation and enjoying the company of family and friends. One of the problems I run into, however, is that I own no hunting property, so I am relegated to spending time on someone else’s land. When I hunt, I hunt on land that belongs to a friend, a family member, a logging company or the federal government, and that is fine as long as I abide by the owner’s rules. I have to constantly remind myself that I do not own the property and that I must follow the guidelines of the owner or risk being kicked off and never invited back. You see, whoever owns the property gets to decide how it is used and who gets to enjoy it.

 

The owner of all land and everything in it, though, is not a mere human being. Your name might be on the deed to your home or car, but the real owner is God. Everything you have was given to you on loan from God to manage. You own nothing that will be yours forever. With that in mind, according to today’s text, you should be reminded that there is coming a day when Christ will return and will reclaim all that is rightfully His. If you know that what you manage is not your own, should that not change the way you use it? Should you not consult the owner of all things and make sure you are using His property in ways that are approved by Him? When Jesus returns He will find many people who have mismanaged His property and He will dole out the expected judgment. I wonder what Jesus will think about how I have managed everything He has given to me?

 

 

JUST A THOUGHT

 

Will you treat your possessions as God’s property today?

 

Mark Clements

 

 

08 – January 08 – THIS DAY IN BAPTIST HISTORY PAST

 

First Baptist church in Illinois

 

1823 – James Lemen passed from this earth. Even though he was fifty years old when he was licensed by his church to preach, he was an active and zealous minister of the gospel. Lemen, along with his wife Catherine, and two others, had been baptized when they had to break the ice in Fountain Creek, to administer the ordinance in Monroe County, Illinois. James had been converted to Christ, when the first evangelical minister came into the state in 1787. However he did not receive baptism until Josiah Dodge from Kentucky came to preach in the area. John Gibbons and Isaac Enochs were the other two that Dodge baptized. On the appointed day a great multitude gathered from all parts to witness the first baptismal service in the State of Illinois. At the waters edge a hymn was sung, scriptural authority for baptism given and prayer offered.   Two years later the Lemens, along with a few others, united in forming the first Baptist church in Illinois. There pastor was Rev. David Badgley.
Dr. Greg J. Dixon; adapted from: This Day in Baptist History Vol. I: Cummins Thompson /, pp. 10-12.

 

The post 08 – January 08 – THIS DAY IN BAPTIST HISTORY PAST appeared first on The Trumpet Online.

 

 

Jesus and the Syrophoenician

 

“And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs,” Mark 7:28.

 

One day during Jesus’ earthly ministry, a Gentile woman humbly came to Jesus begging Him to heal her daughter who was demon possessed. Jesus responded with a statement meant to test her faith, instructing her that His immediate task was to enlighten and correct the wayward Jews and that it was not time to begin His ministry to the Gentiles. “Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs” (Mark 7:27). The woman’s response was remarkably humble and persistent.  She said, “Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs” (verse 28).  When Jesus saw the woman’s faith, He honored her request and healed her daughter. Jesus was focused on the task at hand but was available to extend grace and healing to this woman.  She believed He had the power to heal, and she persisted in faith.

 

We have all been in situations that seemed hopeless. Like the distraught Syrophoenician woman, we must come to the realization that we are absolutely helpless to control our circumstances and in desperate need of God’s intervention. Similarly, we should come to Him with humble persistence, acknowledging that it would only take a few “crumbs” (verse 28) of God’s power to deliver us in our times of need. Jesus honors the simple, persistent faith of those in need.

 

 

JUST A THOUGHT

 

Will you come to God today in simple, persistent faith?

 

 

Mark Clements

 

 

MORAL, IMMORAL, AMORAL

 

The Kind of Christian I Am!
“The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision.” Psalm 2:2-4
Twenty-first century America is a land of self-exaltation. To many folks, laws, rules, guidelines reek with negative denotations. They cramp the individual style, and the most important thing to them is doing or being whatever one wants. So, one by one rules and guidelines are discarded and laws are changed to eliminate guilt. Wrong doing is made justifiable and acceptable to the majority by making it legal. The Judeo-Christian ethic and morality that made this country a great nation is being summarily discarded in favor of personal desires long recognized as immoral.
Enter the debate on morality. What is moral? Is it not the high standard of living, and judgments given to us in the Holy Word? But morality has become a negative to a godless generation. The same generation does not want to be classified as immoral either. So, is there a middle ground? That mindset employs a different term heard in public educational institutions and in other places as well. It is “amoral.” Codes of life; identification of what is good and evil; separation of sexes, etc., are all addressed in what is perceived to be the neutral ground of amorality. But does that vacuum exist? May civilization exist without clear guidelines of right and wrong?
By word definition, the prefix “a” is a negative as is the prefix “im.” Thus, the definition of “amoral” is “not moral.” The definition of “immoral” is “not moral.” They mean the same thing. “Amoral” is just another way of saying “immoral.” There is no moral vacuum! There is no middle ground!
Still, the world persists in the madness of depraved human nature. It is an indicator of the last days of the age. This is not happening in America alone, but is a worldwide ecumenical movement to exalt sinful humanity as indicated in the prophetic second Psalm. The few times it is mentioned in the Bible that God laughs, is in the same condemnatory context as Psalm 2:2-4. One day the “amorality” of the world will give way to screams for rocks and mountains to fall on them to hide them from the face of Him Who is coming. So, cut it clean! It is either moral or it is immoral! That is the kind of Christian I am!

 

 

WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES ABOUT HEAVEN

I Peter 1:4; Philippians 3:20

Heaven stands for all that is good and enduring. Perhaps the reason so little is given us in the Bible concerning Heaven is that we are of such low thought and so influenced by sin that we can-not understand more than is given. However, there are some things that we can understand, and we can accept by faith all other things revealed about heaven.

I. THERE IS THE HEAVEN OF THE AIR, JUST ABOVE THE EARTH.
    This is the atmosphere where the birds fly (Rev. 19:17; Gen 1:20; 7:23).

II. THERE IS THE HEAVEN WHERE THE SUN, MOON, AND THE STARS ARE.
    (Matt. 24:29; Luke 21:11; Isaiah 13:10).
    1. Paul was caught up to this heaven (II Cor. 12:2).
    2.This is where Jesus ascended to (Acts 1:11).
    3. This is where Jesus mediates (I Tim. 2:5).
    4. This is where He advocates the cause of Christians (I John 2:1).
    5. Elijah ascended to heaven (II Kings 2:11).
    6. This is where the martyrs wait (Rev. 6:9-11).
    7. This is where all saints rest from their labors (Heb. 4:9,10).
    8. This is where Jesus is preparing a place for His bride (John 14:1-3; Rev. 21:9-27).

III. THE FINAL HEAVEN OR ABODE OF THE BELIEVERS (REV. 21:1).
    Where will it be?
    1. Jesus promised the earth to the meek (Matt. 5:5).
    2. Evidently, this earth is to be purged by fire (II Peter 3:10-13).
    The language used seems to suggest a dissolving – melting – of this present earth and the emergence of a new earth (Rev. 21:1,10).

V. THE FINAL STATE OF THE SAVED AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT.
    1. The happiness described in the new earth (Rev. 21:3,4).
    2. Employment of those who inhabit the new earth – what they shall do.
        a. They shall praise God (Rev. 19:1).
        b. They shall perform service to God (Rev. 22:3).
        c. They shall worship God (Rev. 21:22).
        d. They shall obey God and do His bidding (Rev. 21:24).
        e. They shall maintain God’s order among the nations (Rev. 21:26).
        This is suggested in the terms used: kings, nations.

    3. The Bride will be the center of the Eternal Home (John 14:2,3; Rev 21:10-27).
    4. All sin will be forever banned. No sinners are ever allowed to enter (Rev. 21:27).
    5. These will be real people, in a real place, doing real things, for a real God, with real happiness that will really last forever!