July 3, 2017

When you see it... by Gary Rose

The best place to hide something is in plain sight. In this case of this picture, its a dog. And once you see him (her) you will know that being hidden is a form of play, after all- just look at the expression on his face!

Consider the following...

Ephesians, Chapter 3 (World English Bible)
 1 For this cause I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles,  2 if it is so that you have heard of the administration of that grace of God which was given me toward you,  3 how that by revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I wrote before in few words,  4 by which, when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ,  5 which in other generations was not made known to the children of men, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit,  6 that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of his promise in Christ Jesus through the Good News, (emp. added vss. 3-6) 7 of which I was made a servant according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power.  8 To me, the very least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,  9 and to make all men see what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ,  10 to the intent that now through the assembly the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places,  11 according to the eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.  12 In him we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith in him.

God is eternal and works over the ages to accomplish HIS will. We are limited to 100+ years at the very most, so we don't see things the way God does. 

But, when God does reveal his will, he uses ordinary human beings to do it. He used Paul and He uses the church to reveal the truth. Personally, I like the idea, because using human beings to tell other other human beings God's will is a very personal way of doing it.

Humm, anyone interested in a game of hide n' seek???

Bible Reading July 3 by Gary Rose

Bible Reading July 3 (World English Bible)

July 3
1 Kings 16-18

1Ki 16:1 The word of Yahweh came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying,
1Ki 16:2 Because I exalted you out of the dust, and made you prince over my people Israel, and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam, and have made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins;
1Ki 16:3 behold, I will utterly sweep away Baasha and his house; and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
1Ki 16:4 Him who dies of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him who dies of his in the field shall the birds of the sky eat.
1Ki 16:5 Now the rest of the acts of Baasha, and what he did, and his might, aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
1Ki 16:6 Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah; and Elah his son reigned in his place.
1Ki 16:7 Moreover by the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of Yahweh against Baasha, and against his house, both because of all the evil that he did in the sight of Yahweh, to provoke him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and because he struck him.
1Ki 16:8 In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, and reigned two years.
1Ki 16:9 His servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him. Now he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was over the household in Tirzah:
1Ki 16:10 and Zimri went in and struck him, and killed him, in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his place.
1Ki 16:11 It happened, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he struck all the house of Baasha: he didn't leave him a single one who urinates on a wall, neither of his relatives, nor of his friends.
1Ki 16:12 Thus Zimri destroyed all the house of Baasha, according to the word of Yahweh, which he spoke against Baasha by Jehu the prophet,
1Ki 16:13 for all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, which they sinned, and with which they made Israel to sin, to provoke Yahweh, the God of Israel, to anger with their vanities.
1Ki 16:14 Now the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that he did, aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
1Ki 16:15 In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah. Now the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines.
1Ki 16:16 The people who were encamped heard say, Zimri has conspired, and has also struck the king: therefore all Israel made Omri, the captain of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp.
1Ki 16:17 Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah.
1Ki 16:18 It happened, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the castle of the king's house, and burnt the king's house over him with fire, and died,
1Ki 16:19 for his sins which he sinned in doing that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to make Israel to sin.
1Ki 16:20 Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his treason that he did, aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
1Ki 16:21 Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri.
1Ki 16:22 But the people who followed Omri prevailed against the people who followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned.
1Ki 16:23 In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel, and reigned twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah.
1Ki 16:24 He bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver; and he built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill, Samaria.
1Ki 16:25 Omri did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and dealt wickedly above all who were before him.
1Ki 16:26 For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sins with which he made Israel to sin, to provoke Yahweh, the God of Israel, to anger with their vanities.
1Ki 16:27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he showed, aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
1Ki 16:28 So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria; and Ahab his son reigned in his place.
1Ki 16:29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years.
1Ki 16:30 Ahab the son of Omri did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh above all that were before him.
1Ki 16:31 It happened, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshiped him.
1Ki 16:32 He reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.
1Ki 16:33 Ahab made the Asherah; and Ahab did yet more to provoke Yahweh, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.
1Ki 16:34 In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid its foundation with the loss of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates with the loss of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of Yahweh, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.

1Ki 17:1 Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the foreigners of Gilead, said to Ahab, As Yahweh, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
1Ki 17:2 The word of Yahweh came to him, saying,
1Ki 17:3 Get away from here, turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, that is before the Jordan.
1Ki 17:4 It shall be, that you shall drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.
1Ki 17:5 So he went and did according to the word of Yahweh; for he went and lived by the brook Cherith, that is before the Jordan.
1Ki 17:6 The ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.
1Ki 17:7 It happened after a while, that the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.
1Ki 17:8 The word of Yahweh came to him, saying,
1Ki 17:9 Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow there to sustain you.
1Ki 17:10 So he arose and went to Zarephath; and when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks: and he called to her, and said, Please get me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.
1Ki 17:11 As she was going to get it, he called to her, and said, Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.
1Ki 17:12 She said, As Yahweh your God lives, I don't have a cake, but a handful of meal in the jar, and a little oil in the jar: and behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and bake it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
1Ki 17:13 Elijah said to her, Don't be afraid; go and do as you have said; but make me of it a little cake first, and bring it forth to me, and afterward make for you and for your son.
1Ki 17:14 For thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, The jar of meal shall not empty, neither shall the jar of oil fail, until the day that Yahweh sends rain on the earth.
1Ki 17:15 She went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, ate many days.
1Ki 17:16 The jar of meal didn't empty, neither did the jar of oil fail, according to the word of Yahweh, which he spoke by Elijah.
1Ki 17:17 It happened after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him.
1Ki 17:18 She said to Elijah, What have I to do with you, you man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to memory, and to kill my son!
1Ki 17:19 He said to her, Give me your son. He took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into the chamber, where he abode, and laid him on his own bed.
1Ki 17:20 He cried to Yahweh, and said, Yahweh my God, have you also brought evil on the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?
1Ki 17:21 He stretched himself on the child three times, and cried to Yahweh, and said, Yahweh my God, please let this child's soul come into him again.
1Ki 17:22 Yahweh listened to the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.
1Ki 17:23 Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him to his mother; and Elijah said, Behold, your son lives.
1Ki 17:24 The woman said to Elijah, Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of Yahweh in your mouth is truth.

1Ki 18:1 It happened after many days, that the word of Yahweh came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, Go, show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain on the earth.
1Ki 18:2 Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. The famine was sore in Samaria.
1Ki 18:3 Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared Yahweh greatly:
1Ki 18:4 for it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of Yahweh, that Obadiah took one hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)
1Ki 18:5 Ahab said to Obadiah, Go through the land, to all the springs of water, and to all the brooks: peradventure we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we not lose all the animals.
1Ki 18:6 So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.
1Ki 18:7 As Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Is it you, my lord Elijah?
1Ki 18:8 He answered him, It is I: go, tell your lord, Behold, Elijah is here.
1Ki 18:9 He said, Wherein have I sinned, that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me?
1Ki 18:10 As Yahweh your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom, where my lord has not sent to seek you: and when they said, He is not here, he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they didn't find you.
1Ki 18:11 Now you say, Go, tell your lord, Behold, Elijah is here.
1Ki 18:12 It will happen, as soon as I am gone from you, that the Spirit of Yahweh will carry you I don't know where; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he can't find you, he will kill me: but I your servant have feared Yahweh from my youth.
1Ki 18:13 Wasn't it told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of Yahweh, how I hid one hundred men of Yahweh's prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?
1Ki 18:14 Now you say, Go, tell your lord, Behold, Elijah is here; and he will kill me.
1Ki 18:15 Elijah said, As Yahweh of Armies lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today.
1Ki 18:16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
1Ki 18:17 It happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, Is it you, you troubler of Israel?
1Ki 18:18 He answered, I have not troubled Israel; but you, and your father's house, in that you have forsaken the commandments of Yahweh, and you have followed the Baals.
1Ki 18:19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel to Mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred fifty, and the prophets of the Asherah four hundred, who eat at Jezebel's table.
1Ki 18:20 So Ahab sent to all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together to Mount Carmel.
1Ki 18:21 Elijah came near to all the people, and said, "How long will you waver between the two sides? If Yahweh is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." The people answered him not a word.
1Ki 18:22 Then Elijah said to the people, "I, even I only, am left a prophet of Yahweh; but Baal's prophets are four hundred fifty men.
1Ki 18:23 Let them therefore give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under; and I will dress the other bull, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under.
1Ki 18:24 You call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of Yahweh; and the God who answers by fire, let him be God." All the people answered, "It is well said."
1Ki 18:25 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one bull for yourselves, and dress it first; for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it."
1Ki 18:26 They took the bull which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any who answered. They leaped about the altar which was made.
1Ki 18:27 It happened at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud; for he is a god: either he is musing, or he is gone aside, or he is on a journey, or peradventure he sleeps and must be awakened.
1Ki 18:28 They cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them.
1Ki 18:29 It was so, when midday was past, that they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening offering; but there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any who regarded.
1Ki 18:30 Elijah said to all the people, Come near to me; and all the people came near to him. He repaired the altar of Yahweh that was thrown down.
1Ki 18:31 Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of Yahweh came, saying, Israel shall be your name.
1Ki 18:32 With the stones he built an altar in the name of Yahweh; and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.
1Ki 18:33 He put the wood in order, and cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood. He said, Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the burnt offering, and on the wood.
1Ki 18:34 He said, Do it the second time; and they did it the second time. He said, Do it the third time; and they did it the third time.
1Ki 18:35 The water ran around the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.
1Ki 18:36 It happened at the time of the offering of the eveningoffering, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Yahweh, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word.
1Ki 18:37 Hear me, Yahweh, hear me, that this people may know that you, Yahweh, are God, and that you have turned their heart back again.
1Ki 18:38 Then the fire of Yahweh fell, and consumed the burnt offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
1Ki 18:39 When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, Yahweh, he is God; Yahweh, he is God.
1Ki 18:40 and Elijah said to them, Take the prophets of Baal; don't let one of them escape. They took them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and killed them there.
1Ki 18:41 Elijah said to Ahab, Get up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.
1Ki 18:42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he bowed himself down on the earth, and put his face between his knees.
1Ki 18:43 He said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. He went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. He said, Go again seven times.
1Ki 18:44 It happened at the seventh time, that he said, "Behold, a small cloud, like a man's hand, is rising out of the sea." He said, Go up, tell Ahab, Get ready and go down, so that the rain doesn't stop you.
1Ki 18:45 It happened in a little while, that the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.
1Ki 18:46 The hand of Yahweh was on Elijah; and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.


Jul. 2, 3
Acts 4

Act 4:1 As they spoke to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came to them,
Act 4:2 being upset because they taught the people and proclaimed in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
Act 4:3 They laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was now evening.
Act 4:4 But many of those who heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.
Act 4:5 It happened in the morning, that their rulers, elders, and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem.
Act 4:6 Annas the high priest was there, with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and as many as were relatives of the high priest.
Act 4:7 When they had stood them in the middle of them, they inquired, "By what power, or in what name, have you done this?"
Act 4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "You rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
Act 4:9 if we are examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed,
Act 4:10 be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, in him does this man stand here before you whole.
Act 4:11 He is 'the stone which was regarded as worthless by you, the builders, which has become the head of the corner.'
Act 4:12 There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved!"
Act 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled. They recognized that they had been with Jesus.
Act 4:14 Seeing the man who was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
Act 4:15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,
Act 4:16 saying, "What shall we do to these men? Because indeed a notable miracle has been done through them, as can be plainly seen by all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we can't deny it.
Act 4:17 But so that this spreads no further among the people, let's threaten them, that from now on they don't speak to anyone in this name."
Act 4:18 They called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
Act 4:19 But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, judge for yourselves,
Act 4:20 for we can't help telling the things which we saw and heard."
Act 4:21 When they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people; for everyone glorified God for that which was done.
Act 4:22 For the man on whom this miracle of healing was performed was more than forty years old.
Act 4:23 Being let go, they came to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them.
Act 4:24 When they heard it, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, "O Lord, you are God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them;
Act 4:25 who by the mouth of your servant, David, said, 'Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing?
Act 4:26 The kings of the earth take a stand, and the rulers take council together, against the Lord, and against his Christ.'
Act 4:27 "For truly, in this city against your holy servant, Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together
Act 4:28 to do whatever your hand and your council foreordained to happen.
Act 4:29 Now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness,
Act 4:30 while you stretch out your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of your holy Servant Jesus."
Act 4:31 When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were gathered together. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
Act 4:32 The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and soul. Not one of them claimed that anything of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
Act 4:33 With great power, the apostles gave their testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Great grace was on them all.
Act 4:34 For neither was there among them any who lacked, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,
Act 4:35 and laid them at the apostles' feet, and distribution was made to each, according as anyone had need.
Act 4:36 Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, Son of Encouragement), a Levite, a man of Cyprus by race,
Act 4:37 having a field, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.

Unscriptural religious celebrations displease God by Roy Davison

http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Davison/Roy/Allen/1940/holidays.html

Unscriptural religious celebrations displease God.

Let us “serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear” (Hebrews 12:28).


The only prescribed day of remembrance for Christians is the Lord’s day, the first day of the week, the day on which Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus asked His followers to remember Him by partaking of a meal (1 Corinthians 11:24). New Testament Christians met each Sunday1 to partake of the Lord’s supper and commune with the body and blood of Christ.2 This assembly was not to be neglected (Hebrews 10:24, 25).
The religious observance of other days, however, is condemned by Paul: “But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly3 elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? You observe days and months and seasons and years. I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain” (Galatians 4:9-11).
Why this stern admonition? Their observance of special days was a return to weak and worthless principles. We are not told exactly what days they were observing. Maybe false teachers had persuaded them to celebrate Jewish holidays, or perhaps they had reverted to observing pagan holidays.

Many unscriptural religious holidays are celebrated today.
Their observance is considered a matter of course by many. I once read in a periodical: “I am writing this six days after Easter. Everyone who believes in Jesus Christ celebrated that day!” 
Are people who do not celebrate Easter unbelievers? According to Paul, observing special days is a return to weak and worthless principles of the world!

Christmas and Easter are based on human tradition.
Christmas probably has a good influence on the world. On Christmas Day in 1914, during the fighting of World War I, spontaneous truces occurred at places along the lines. German and English soldiers laid down their weapons for a day and celebrated Christmas together in no-man’s-land. But afterwards, the fighting resumed.
Paul was happy even when people with false motives contributed to the spread of the gospel: “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice” (Philippians 1:18). This of course does not mean that he sanctioned their falseness. Likewise, Christians can be grateful for any good influence Christmas has on the world! 

Christmas and Easter are of pagan origin.
Although Christmas and Easter bear witness to the historical existence of Jesus and to the hope and joy He brought to earth, they are in essence pagan festivals that have been adopted by the Roman Catholic Church.4
The first mention of “Christmas” (Christ’s Mass) being celebrated on December the 25th was in AD 336. Shortly thereafter, Pope Julius I declared that the birth of Jesus would be celebrated on the 25th of December. The Bible, however, does not tell us to celebrate the birth of Jesus and does not even tell us the date of His birth.
Nor are we told to celebrate His resurrection on a yearly basis. Easter Sunday is not the day of the year that Jesus rose from the dead. It is a day selected by the Roman Catholic Church that varies from year to year. Without embarrassment, Protestants use the Catholic date. Orthodox churches have their own dates for Easter. Faithful Christians celebrate the resurrection by partaking of the Lord’s supper every Sunday!

Unscriptural worship is not acceptable to God.
Some realize that the so-called Christian holidays are not found in the Bible, but they are of the opinion that such traditions are innocent or even useful.
At the time of Christ many Jews had a similar idea. They worshipped God on the basis of traditions. But Jesus said to them: “Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men’” (Matthew 15:7-9).
Why was Jesus so harsh? He told them: “You reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition” (Mark 7:9). 
People do the same today.
Most of those who flock to church on Christmas Day to celebrate the birth of Christ (something God has not commanded) have never been born again of water and the Spirit (something God has commanded5). They were “christened” as babies without their knowledge (something God has not commanded) rather than being immersed in water on the basis of personal faith (something God has commanded6). Many of those who have been immersed, were not baptized “for the remission of sins” as commanded in Acts 2:38.
Such worship is vain. “For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men” (Mark 7:8).
Most of those who flock to church on Easter Sunday for a yearly celebration of the resurrection (something God has notcommanded) do not observe the Lord’s supper each Sunday (something God has commanded7).
Catholics participate in an idolatrous perversion of the Lord’s supper. They worship a piece of bread (the Host) that, at the ring of a bell, supposedly has become the physical body of Christ. The priest sacrifices Christ anew in a so-called “bloodless offer,” whereas Christ was sacrificed “once for all” (Romans 6:10; Hebrews 7:26, 27). The people eat the bread, the priest drinks the wine. The celebration of Mass is not the Lord’s supper prescribed in Scripture.8
When people observe traditions and reject the word of God, their worship is in vain.
Someone who worships God according to human commandments, may have words of praise on his lips but his heart is far from God. Human traditions are sometimes impressive - for people that is, but not for God. God is not pleased when people worship their own way rather than according to His word, when they exalt their own will above the will of God. This is condemned as “will-worship” or self-gratifying religion in Colossians 2:23.

God’s word is normative.
When we worship God we are not free to do just anything we feel like doing. Paul wanted believers at Corinth to learn “not to go beyond what is written” (1 Corinthians 4:6).
“Any one who goes ahead and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God” (2 John 9 RSV).
In our service to God we may do only what God has instructed us to do. Easter and Christmas are not from God, but are from man; these holidays are not from above but from below. God has never asked us to celebrate such days. When we do so, we exalt the traditions of men above the word of God.

The Scriptures are a complete guide for serving God.
“His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us” (2 Peter 1:3). Thus, anything that is not part of the knowledge of Christ does not pertain to life and godliness.
Since Easter and Christmas are not part of the doctrine of Christ, their celebration does not pertain to life and godliness. Someone who religiously celebrates such days has returned to the weak and worthless principles of this world.
The Scriptures are a complete guide for those who want to serve God. Paul wrote to Timothy: “But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:14, 15).
The Holy Scriptures can make us wise for salvation. We must remain within the doctrine of Christ (2 John 9). We may not go beyond what is written (1 Corinthians 4:6). Only if we abide in the word of Christ are we truly His disciples (John 8:31). 
Paul continues: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16, 17).
The Scriptures equip you for every good work. If in your worship you do something that has not been prescribed for Christians in the Scriptures, you are doing something that is not a good work.
Easter and Christmas have not been prescribed for Christians in the Scriptures. Their religious celebration is not a good work but is a return to the weak and worthless principles of the world.

Jewish holidays are not part of the Christian faith.
To avoid confusion it must be clarified that the Jewish festivals mentioned in the Scriptures, such as Passover, Pentecost and the Sabbath, are not part of the Christian faith. Because false teachers tried to make Jewish holidays binding for Gentile Christians, Paul wrote to the brethren at Colosse: “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ” (Colossians 2:16, 17).
No condemnation was allowed for not celebrating the Jewish festivals that were only symbols of the spiritual reality Christ would bring. 
Jesus, for example, is our Passover lamb. Paul wrote to the saints at Corinth: “Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:7, 8). Jesus is our Passover Lamb, not one day per year, but every day. Our unleavened bread is sincerity and truth.

There is a difference between personal practices and religious celebrations.
According to Romans 14:5, 6 optional practices on certain days were comparable to eating or not eating meat. “One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.”
What is the difference between the personal practices on certain days that are allowed here, and the celebration of religious holidays that is condemned in Galatians 4:10?
In the first instance it is an acceptable personal choice. March the 4th has meaning for me because I was baptized on that date. I know a brother from Panama who fasts until 6 p.m. each Sunday. In Ghana I met Christians who pray every morning at 6 a.m. Some have a “quiet time” for prayer and Scripture reading. These are choices of individuals within a Scriptural framework.
In the second case it is the celebration of certain days as a matter of faith or religious ritual! We may eat and drink. We may have a feast. But when the Corinthians had a feast in connection with the table of the Lord, they were condemned for departing from the pattern Christ laid down.9

May Christians observe non-religious aspects of religious holidays?
It is definitely wrong to celebrate Christmas as the birthday of Jesus because it is not His birthday, and He never asked us to celebrate His birth!
Through the centuries, however, Christmas has become a cultural holiday celebrated largely on a non-religious basis. Many traditions have developed that have no religious meaning whatever. Even atheists celebrate Christmas!
Among Christians who want to follow the Bible, some believe they should not participate in activities that have any relationship whatever to Christmas. They should not violate their conscience. 
Others believe they can observe non-religious aspects of a holiday while omitting religious aspects. This is a personal matter and various circumstances could influence what might or might not be acceptable.
Few would object to Christians having a special dinner on Christmas Day. Other non-religious traditions might be observed as well. Many of us have fond memories of joy and love in the family circle at Christmas time. My parents never celebrated Christmas as a religious holiday. Yet the house was decorated, we exchanged gifts and we had a joyous time together.
If a Christian decides to celebrate non-religious aspects of a religious holiday, he should avoid religious symbols and activities.

What have we learned?
Unscriptural religious celebrations displease God. The only prescribed day of remembrance for Christians is Sunday, the Lord’s day! The religious celebration of other days is condemned by Paul. We must avoid all unscriptural forms of worship because God does not accept them. Christmas and Easter may not be celebrated religiously because they are based on human tradition, not on the word of God. The Scriptures are a complete guide for serving God. Thus, religious service must be limited to what is prescribed for Christians in Scripture. Jewish holidays are not part of the Christian faith. There is a difference between optional Scriptural practices and unscriptural religious celebrations.
“But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? You observe days and months and seasons and years. I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain” (Galatians 4:9-11).
Let us “serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear” (Hebrews 12:28).
Amen.
Roy Davison
The Scripture quotations in this article are from The New King James Version. ©1979,1980,1982, Thomas Nelson Inc., Publishers unless indicated otherwise. Permission for reference use has been granted.
Endnotes

1 See Acts 20:7. Sunday is the first day of the week.

2 See 1 Corinthians 10:16, 17.

3 Beggarly means impoverished or worthless.

4 Christmas replaced the Roman Saturnalia that celebrated the return of light after the shortest day. Easter replaced spring fertility festivals that celebrated the return of life after winter.

5 Jesus said, “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5).

6 Jesus said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16).

7 See Acts 20:7.

8 See 1 Corinthians 11:23-27.

9 See 1 Corinthians 11:20-22.


Published in The Old Paths Archive
http://www.oldpaths.com

Different Names, Same Person by Eric Lyons, M.Min.

http://apologeticspress.org/AllegedDiscrepancies.aspx?article=786&b=2%20Kings

Different Names, Same Person

by Eric Lyons, M.Min.

Names can be rather confusing at times. A teacher might become puzzled on the first day of school when she finds out that half of her students do not immediately respond when she calls roll. The reason: they normally are called by another name than that which appears on the school records. A coach may not immediately recognize a certain player’s identity, because his team speaks of this player (on the opposing team) only by using a nickname. After some investigation, however, the coach soon learns who the player actually is. Millions of individuals through the millennia have worn more than one name. Even at Apologetics Press, nearly half of my co-workers wear derivatives of their full, official name. Our Production Administrator's name is James Monroe, but he prefers to be called Jim. David Lee, our Executive Director, is just Dave to those who know him. Most people in the twenty-first century understand that this is simply the way it is; people often go by more than one name.
When reading the Bible, we need also to remember that people in ancient times frequently had more than one name as well. Keeping this in mind will help clarify various passages that may seem somewhat ambiguous. When studying the book of Genesis, it is helpful to bear in mind that Abram’s name was changed to Abraham (Genesis 17:5), and Jacob’s to Israel (Genesis 32:28). Later, while living in Egypt, “Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnath-Paaneah” (Genesis 41:45). Numerous other individuals mentioned in the Bible also were known by more than one name.
  • Moses’ father-in-law was known both as Reuel and Jethro (Exodus 2:18; 3:1).
  • Gideon acquired the name Jerubbaal because he destroyed the altar of Baal at Ophrah (Judges 6:32; 7:1; 8:29,35).
  • Pharaoh Necho changed the name of King Josiah’s oldest son, Eliakim, to Jehoiakim (2 Kings 23:34).
  • The apostle Peter is sometimes called Peter, Simon Peter, Simon, and Cephas (Matthew 14:28; 16:16; 17:25; John 1:42; 1 Corinthians 1:12).
  • And Saul is called Paul (Acts 13:9).
Attention needs to be given to how the Bible writers frequently used different names when referring to the same person, because recognition of such name usage may help clarify certain alleged contradictions. Take, for instance, Matthew 1:9. Someone might wonder why Matthew mentioned Uzziah as being the father of Jotham, while 2 Kings 15:1-7 and 1 Chronicles 3:12 call Jotham’s father Azariah. The answer lies in the fact that that both names apply to the same person. Within the same chapter (2 Kings 15), Jotham’s father is called both Azariah (15:7) and Uzziah (15:32). The names are different, but they refer to the same person (cf. 2 Chronicles 26:1-23; Isaiah 1:1).
Countless Bible questions can be answered logically just by acknowledging that the ancients often were just as flexible in their giving of names as people are in the twenty-first century.

“You Cannot Legislate Morality!” by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=7&article=1507


“You Cannot Legislate Morality!”

by Dave Miller, Ph.D.


The CEO of a major American corporation was forced to resign after admitting to a sexual affair with a female subordinate (Merle, 2005). The incident triggered the oft’-debated ethical question: “Should one’s personal behavior in moral matters have any bearing on one’s position in public life?” Conventional wisdom now says, “no.” You’ve heard the claims—over and over again ad nauseam: “What a person does on his own time is none of the company’s business.” “Public life and private life are separate issues.” “After all, you cannot legislate morality and personal behavior.” From the president of the United States and the CEO of a large corporation to the public school teacher, Americans in large numbers have swallowed the baseless and ludicrous assertion that personal conduct and moral choices have no bearing on one’s employment position and credibility. Character, integrity, and ethical behavior increasingly have been detached from job performance as people compartmentalize their lives into separate and distinct spheres.
But such ethical schizophrenia is irrational, nonsensical, and destructive to the fabric of society. When a person manifests immorality in one aspect of his life, he demonstrates a character flaw that has become a part of his being. This circumstance must inevitably and naturally permeate a person’s character. If he is willing to lie in his private life, logically his propensity for lying can know no boundaries. The person who becomes comfortable with lying in one area of his life will eventually feel comfortable lying in other areas as well. Once a person sacrifices her integrity by embracing one illicit behavior (e.g., lying), she instantaneously opens herself up to embracing additional illicit behaviors (e.g., stealing, cheating). If a man cannot be trusted with your wife, why would you trust him with your money or your business?
God’s Word is the only reliable guide for human behavior (Psalm 119). In the Bible, God has given rules for the regulation of human behavior. Only He is in a position to establish the parameters of proper behavior. Without law, humans would have no guidance and no framework for assessing their actions. They would be free to conduct themselves in any manner whatsoever. One person may choose to murder while another may choose not to murder. There would be no ultimate difference between those two choices—no objective basis upon which to assign any ethical or moral significance. The person who engages in immoral behavior would be open to being immoral in any and every area of his or her life. Only incidental circumstances would decide when and where the immorality manifested itself. If a CEO would sacrifice his sexual integrity, given the right circumstances, he would be willing to sacrifice his financial integrity as well.
Human civilization is, in fact, grounded and dependent on the fundamental principle that human behavior can and must be regulated. Laws, by definition, regulate human behavior! Why do we have traffic laws? Why do we require people to drive their automobiles on the correct side of the road, stop at red traffic lights, or yield to pedestrians in crosswalks? Weren’t we told that we could not legislate human behavior? Why do we have laws governing the food industry’s handling of food for human consumption? I thought we could not legislate human behavior? Why do we have laws that make murder, stealing, and perjury in court illegal—if human morality cannot be legislated? The fact of the matter is that human behavior can and must be governed. The very fabric and functioning of society depends on it!
Ultimately, morality must be based on the laws of God, with the understanding that one day all humans will stand before the Supreme Judge of the world Who will “render to each one according to his deeds” (Romans 2:6): “For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil (Ecclesiastes 12:14). “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men” (2 Corinthians 5:10-11).

REFERENCES

Merle, Renae (2005), “Boeing CEO Resigns Over Affair with Subordinate,” Washington Post, Tuesday, March 8, [On-line], URL: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13173-2005Mar7.html.