When Was Jesus Born?

Christians traditionally celebrate the birth of Christ on December 25th, but it is more likely that He was born in the month of September.
Bryan T. Huie calculates the times by looking at some remarkably simple verses in the Biblical text that present the most plausible evidence that Christ was born on the 1st day of the Feast of Tabernacles which occurred in that year in September. Using the Jewish calendar of the time, he examines the Zacharias, a priest of the division of Abijah and the time of Zacharias’ temple service, the timing of Christ’s birth can definitely be extrapolated. In his research he also determined that there two total lunar eclipses that year, one on that particular night, September 15, 5 BC, and one six months earlier that would correspond to the birth of John the Baptist.
But does it really matter when we celebrate the Holy birth?
There is no record that early Christians, from Pentecost to the early 300’s BC even celebrated the birth of Jesus. From the beginning ‘Christians’ were just another sect of Jews that mainstream Jews simply referred to as people “of this way.” They were first called Christians in Antioch.

Up until that time, first century Messianic Jews, or the first Christians celebrated Jewish holy days, and the resurrection of the Messiah. When Christianity spread throughout the Roman empire, many pagans were converted to Christ. Now here is where there is controversy, because some say the Romans practiced the pagan celebrations connected with the winter solstice. From that perspective, the Roman Christians converted the pagan holidays into Christian holidays. The website Cadre Comments strongly disputes this belief (that Christians adopted the Pagan holidays for their own) but says it was the pagans who adopted the Christian holiday.

Christmas was later outlawed by the Puritans in parts of early America.
I personally don’t worry much about the exact date that the Birth of Christ occurred. I celebrate the Holy Birth, December 25th. There is scientific research that shows the Magi's visit to Jesus (who was a toddler by that time) was on December 25th, 2 BC. Religion and faith are deeply personal and I currently find nothing wrong with celebrating my Saviors birth on December 25th, nor do I have any problem with those who don’t. Who He is and why He came are far more important to me.


Merry Christmas to All!

315 Miraculous Old Testament Prophecies Jesus Fulfilled

No other book in the history of the world has so many prophecies within it's pages. The Bible is totally unique in it's visions of the future. Listed in this article are 315 Old Testament prophecies that Jesus fullfilled. This is a fraction of the many overall prophecies contained in the Book. Some of the prophecies are "types" or "shadows" and therefore some skeptics have maintained that they are not valid; however included in my post I've placed the prophecies, types and forshadows side by side with their New Testament fulfillments, which for most Christian's validates those types and shadows.

These two men,

PETER W. STONER, M.S. [Chairman of the Departments of Mathematics and Astronomy at Pasadena City College (1953); Chairman of the science division, Westmont College, 1953-57; Professor Emeritus of Science, Westmont College; Professor Emeritus of Mathematics and Astronomy, Pasadena City College.]

ROBERT C. NEWMAN, S.T.M., Ph.D.Ph.D. in Astrophysics, Cornell University, 1967; S.T.M., Biblical School of Theology, 1972; [Associate Professor of Physics and Mathematics, Shelton College, 19689-71; Associate professor of New Testament, Biblical School of Theology, 1971-]

Wrote the book entitled "Science Speaks, Scientific Proof of the Accuracy of Prophecy and the Bible."

http://www.geocities.com/stonerdon/science_speaks.html

In it they took only eight of the more than 300 prophecies fulfilled by Christ and determined the odds of one person fulfilling just those eight. The results were astounding! They calculated the odds at 1 in 10 to the 17th power or 1 in 100, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000. Dr. Stoner calculated that if you spread out that many silver dollars, it would cover the entire state of Texas, two feet deep!

Now what do you think the odds are if say, one of those silver dollars was painted red, the likelyhood for a blind folded person to walk out on that pile of silver dollars and pick up the red one - on the first try? Certainly if one did that, it would be by definition, a miracle! The Bible is more than that.

THANKSGIVING

George Washington's 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and

Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to "recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"
Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to

pardon our national and other transgressions;

to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually;

to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed;

to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord;

to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789.
Signed - George Washington

God Bless America!

The Angels

The Angels - According to the Bible







Angels are depicted on the Ark of
the Covenant's Mercy Seat.

1. Called “sons of God” (Job 38:7)


2. Called PRINCIPALITIES, POWERS Ephesians 3:10;Colossians 1:16)


3. Created (Genesis 2:1; Nehemiah 9:6; Colossians 1:16)


4. Of different orders (Isaiah 6:2; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; 1 Peter 3:22; Jude 1:9; Revelations 12:7)


5. Immortal (Luke 20:36)


6. Worship God (Nehemiah 9:6; Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 1:6)


7. Not to be worshiped (Colossians 2:18; Revelations 19:10;22:8,9)


8. Do not marry (Matthew 22:30; Mark 12:25; Luke 20:35)


9. Have knowledge of, and interest in, earthly affairs (Matthew 24:36; Luke 9:31;15:7,10; 1 Timothy 5:21; 1 Peter 1:12)


10. Men called angels (2 Samuel 19:27)


11. Are examples of meekness (2 Peter 2:11; Jude 1:9)


12. Are wise (2 Samuel 14:17,20)


13. Mighty (Psalms 103:20; 2 Peter 2:11)


14. Holy (Matthew 25:31; Mark 8:38)


15. Elect (1 Timothy 5:21)


16. Aspects of (Judges 13:6; Isaiah 6:2; Daniel 10:6; Matthew 28:3)


17. To Abraham (Genesis 18:2;22:11-18)


18. To Hagar, in the wilderness (Genesis 16:7)


19. To Lot, in Sodom (Genesis 19:1-17)


20. To Jacob, in his various visions (Genesis 28:12)


21. To Moses (Exodus 3:2)


22. To the Israelites (Exodus 14:19; Judges 2:1-4)


23. To Balaam (Numbers 22:31)


24. To Joshua, "the captain of the Lord's host," (Joshua 5:15)


25. To Gideon (Judges 6:11-22)


26. Minister to the righteous (Genesis 16:7;24:7,40; Exodus 23:20,23;32:34;33:2; Numbers 20)


27. Administer God’s Judgment (Genesis 19:1-25; 2 Samuel 24:16,17; 1 Chronicles 21:15,16; 2 Kings 19:35)


28. Directs a backslidden prophet Numbers 22:35; God gives vision to men to actually be able to see angels who comprised a fierce army. 2 Kings 6:17 Job 4:15-19;38:7; P)
    

Angelic Appearances in the Bible

1. To Manoah (Judges 13:6,15-20)


2. To David, at the threshing floor of Araunah (2 Samuel 24:16,17; 1 Chronicles 21:15,16)


3. To Elijah (1 Kings 19:5)


4. To Elisha while he lay under the juniper tree (2 Kings 6:16,17)


5. To Daniel, in the lions' den (Daniel 6:22;8:16;9:21;10:5-10,16,18;12:5-7)


6. To Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in the fiery furnace (Daniel 3:25,28)


7. To Zechariah, in a vision (Zechariah 2:3;3:1,2;4:1)


8. To Joseph, in a dream (Matthew 1:20;2:13,19)


9. At the transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew 17:3; Luke 9:30,31)


10. To Mary, concerning Jesus (Luke 1:26-38)


11. To Zacharias (Luke 1:11-20,26-38)


12. To the shepherds (Luke 2:9-11,13,14)


13. To Jesus, after His temptation (Matthew 4:11)


14. In Gethsemane (Luke 22:43)


15. At the tomb of Jesus (Matthew 28:2-5; Mark 16:5-7; Luke 24:23; John 20:12)


16. At the ascension (Acts 1:10,11)


17. To Peter and John, while in prison (Acts 5:19)


18. To Philip (Acts 8:26)


19. To Cornelius, in a dream (Acts 10:3,30-32)


20. To Peter, in prison (Acts 12:7-11)


21. To Paul, on the way to Damascus (Acts 27:23)


22. To John, on the island of Patmos (Revelations 1:1;5:2;7:11;10:9;11:1;17:7;19:10;22:8)
    _________________________
    Some religions teach that Jesus Christ is the Archangel Michael. Hebrews 1:5-8 puts this to silence when this rhetorical question is asked: “For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?”

Note: The listed information was compiled from Nave's Topical Bible available on BibleGateway.com

Angelic beings are a supernatural manifestation in many religions. They have been popularized in art and culture. You hardly can go into a store without seeing some sort of statuary, card or print with some depiction of an angel. The popular version is baby's with wings or a female human with wings. Those depictions are not biblical. The only times that angels are referred to they are spoken of in the masculine. There are different types, each with the ability to worship God in their own right. They are apparently unrestricted by the different dimensions and can easily move through them, including time. What do you think? Have you ever encountered a supernatural being?

More on Angels at a later time.

New Scientific Evidence for the Existence of God

Astrophysicist Dr. Hugh Ross gives this lecture in MP3 format which is also transcribed on the site. Click on the title bar of this article to proceed. Hugh Ross is an "Old Earth" Creationist and rejects both the Gap theory and the literal 6 /24 hour days of creation. He considers that the Big Bang is evidence for God and discusses this and more.
Some of the topics covered are:

1. Why Big Bang = Jesus Christ



2. Belief in a Static Universe Led to Darwinian Evolution



3. Of all world religions, only Judeo-Christian theology says Time has a beginning



4. Why the God of Modern Physics Matches the God of the Bible

and much more including a special Q & A session.

Transcribed in PDF format

Air Pressure in the Bible

Air Pressure is described in

Job 28:23-28
"For He (God) looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens. "When He imparted *weight to the wind and meted out the waters by measure, when He set a limit for the rain and a course for the thunderbolt, then He saw it and declared it; He established it and also searched it out."

*Some people have attempted to say that this verse has nothing to do with air pressure. After examining this verse I've found that the reference to the "weight to the wind" can also be translated “how hard the winds should blow.”
In view of this it is all the more amazing since the wind velocity, as we well know today is determined by barometric pressures, which is exactly what is indicated in the verse above. So whichever way you want to look at this verse it does have everything to do with air pressure. The air flows from high pressure to low pressure producing wind. Jewish tradition attributes the book Job to Moses. (It certainly is a Hebrew writing and predates Christianity by at least 600 years and the discovery of atmospheric pressure by over 2,000 years).

Over two thousand years after Job, Evangelista Torricelli (1608 – 1647) invented the barometer in 1643 while using mercury in a glass tube in an attempt to create a vacuum. He noticed that the mercury level in the tube changed and deduced it was caused by changes in atmospheric pressure. First called Torricelli’s tube, when working with Galileo in Florence, Italy. Job is considered on of the oldest writings in the Bible. The diagram above-right depicts Torricellis barometer
In addition, this verse also says 'the 'course for the thunderbolt.' We know that electron flow always follows a 'course' or path of least resistance.

THE SCIENCE IN THE BIBLE - Atmosphere
The Water Cycle :

Job 36:27-29 - "For He draws up the drops of water, they distill rain from the mist, Which the clouds pour down, they drip upon man abundantly. Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds, the thundering of His pavilion? "
Psalm 135:7 - He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; Who makes lightnings for the rain, who brings forth the wind from His treasuries.

The Air Currents:

Ecclesiastes 1:6
"Blowing toward the south, then turning toward the north, the wind continues swirling along; And on its circular courses the wind returns."

The slow rotation of the earth toward the east causes the air to be deflected toward the right in the northern hemisphere and toward the left in the southern hemisphere. This deflection of the wind by the earth's rotation is known as the Coriolis effect.

Jesus Christ - King of the Jews by Birthright

Genesis 49:10 - 10 (ESV)- "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples."

Of the twelve sons of Jacob which developed into the twelve tribes of Israel, Judah was the tribe that this prophecy says the Messianic King will come from.

Jesus' lineage was traced back to Judah through both His mother, Mary, and his step-father, Joseph. These genealogies prove that Jesus actually was, by birth, the rightful heir to the throne of Israel. He actually was born the "King of the Jews."

At His trial before the Roman Governer, Pontius Pilate, he remained silent as to the accusations against Him until Pilate addressed Jesus with this question:
"Are you the King of the Jews?"
At the conclusion of a short statement by him, Jesus makes this simple declaration in answer to that question:
"You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness of the truth. Every one who is of the truth hears my voice."
Jesus fulfilled at least 300 Hebrew prophecies from the Torah (Old Testament) - could that be what he meant when he made this statement, "for this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness of the truth"...? All of the rightful Kings of the Jews, with the exception of Saul, (who fought against David, the rightful king) were from the royal tribe of Judah. Jesus came from the tribe of Judah and was rejected-also a prophetic fulfillment (Isaiah 53). Jesus remains the rightful King and the Bible says He will yet reign in Jerusalem at the conclusion of the Battle of Har-Megiddo, or more commonly called Armageddon. In Nov. 2006 I referenced 315 prophecies that Jesus fulfilled (be sure to read the "astronomical odds" segment at the end of that article).

Wars and Rumors of War

PREPARE WAR:
Joel 3:9 Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:

I will keep updating this thread for those who want to keep up with the events that concern war with Iran as tensions increase.


The Iranians have announced that 30000 centrifuges could be operational by the end of October. They have announced a goal of bringing 50000 centrifuges online eventually.
The stage is now being set for a coming war.

"If Iran escalates its military action in Iraq to the detriment of our troops and/or innocent Iraqi people, we will respond firmly" - George Bush, (in an interview with National Public Radio).
September 12, 2007 - Report: US crafting Iran bombing plan.

September 26, 2007, 12:44 PM The US Senate passes the Kyl - Iran amendment that authorizes the US to “combat, contain and [stop]” Iran via “military instruments.”

The Iranians test fired a missile that experts say can reach London.

Take a look at these ominous events since the first of this month (October 2007) so far.

October 1, 2007
*US Ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton said that negotiations with Iran had failed. He also said that he saw no alternative to a strike on Iran.


*Iran threatened to attack 170 American targets in the MidEast and around the world if it is attacked by Israel or the US.


*Iranian news reports the entire cadre of Russian nuclear engineers and technicians working on the nuclear reactor at Bushehr had abruptly packed their bags and returned to Russia.



October 2, 2007 *Congress approves $1.2 billion worth of weaponry for Israel's self defense. They include thousands of missiles, tens of thousands of new bombs worth $799 million and 132 million gallons of jet fuel worth $308 million and 50 GBU-28 guided bunker busters. (Bunker buster pictured on left).

US trains Gulf air forces for war with Iran.

October 5, 2007 Tens of thousands marched through the streets of Tehran in support of Palestinians, chanting "Death to Israel" for al-Quds Day, observed annually on the last Friday of Ramadan. Ahmadinejad said "Zionists" should move to empty lands in Europe or North America and out of the Middle East entirely.

October 7, 2007 Israel: Iran 3 months to nuclear point of no return. Iran will reach the point of no return and possess the capacity to build nuclear weapons within three months, Israeli Defense Forces Chief of Staff Dan Halutz warned today.

October 11, 2007 Turkey (which is crucial to US supply lines into Iraq), recalled their ambassador to the United States.

October 15, 2007
Turkey Joins Iran Against Kurds - promises attacks in Northern Iraq.

October 19, 2007

Mullen: U.S. can strike Iran

October 29, 2007

Bush Budget Plans for Iran Attack

April 9, 2008 U.S. shifts focus in Iraq to ‘special groups’
The top U.S. commander is shifting the focus away from al-Qaida. The so-called ``special groups,'' which are funded, trained and armed by Iran, played a ``destructive role'' in the recent clashes between extremist militias and Iraqi government forces in Basra and Baghdad, Petraeus said.
``Iran has fueled the violence in a particularly damaging way,'' he told the House Armed Services Committee today in Washington, his second day of testimony to lawmakers. ``Unchecked, the `special groups' pose the greatest long-term threat to the viability of a democratic Iraq.''

April 29, 2008 The U.S. military has drafted and won approval for attack plans in response to an Iran attack.

May 1, 2008 Second carrier group deployed to Gulf as U.S. approves plans for Iran counterstrike

May 3, 2008 Washington Times: "West Offers Iran 'Refreshed' Deal"

Dr. Dawkins Information Challenge

If you want to listen to the podcast then click here and it will take you to the page where you can access the podcast.

"On this episode of ID the Future, Casey Luskin addresses Richard Dawkins’ Information Challenge. When Dawkins was recently asked to explain the origin of genetic information according to Darwinism, he was embarrassingly silent. He later claimed to rebut this question using Shannon information, but Luskin reveals just how inadequate Dawkins’ explanation is when it comes to explaining the specified complexity of information."

You can click on the title bar and read Luskin's article.

More Evolution Frauds: Archaeopteryx Revisited

On one of my blogs I addressed the issue of transitional (intermediate) species for which there is no fossil evidence at all. Some gentleman evolutionist wrote back with his short response, "Archaeopteryx" as if that one word confirms Darwins theory. That provoked me to write the article, "Archaeopteryx or Giving Creationists the Bird." I've also dealt with the many frauds perpetrated on society by the "scientific community" to support the theory of evolution. Almost all creationists are familiar with the Nebraska Man and Piltdown Man frauds. Ironically, National Geographic was quick to publish this hoax (depicted above) as well as another fraud I covered, "The Lost Tribe of the Tasaday's." It strikes me odd that the same secular voices that cry out long and loud about wrong doing in the broader Christian society take extreme offense when confronted with the truth that "scientists" perpatrate even more frauds often in an attempt to actively promote their own agenda, especially evolution, and especially when it will net them new money's.
Today I was reminded of those frauds once again when I came across the following article which is reprinted here from nwcreation.net.



"Archaeoraptor Liaoningensis: Fake Dinosaur-bird ancestor

The most recent and perhaps the most infamous evolution frauds was committed in China and published in 1999 in the journal National Geographic 196:98-107, November 1999. Dinosaur bones were put together with the bones of a newer species of bird and they tried to pass it off as a very important new evolutionary intermediate.
'Feathers For T-Rex?', Christopher P. Sloan, National Geographic Magazine, Vol. 196, No. 5, November, 1999, pp.99,100,105



Interesting Quote - "National Geographic has reached an all-time low for engaging in sensationalistic, unsubstantiated, tabloid journalism" Storrs L. Olson, Smithsonian Institution."

(This article is reprinted here from nwcreation.net)



For more information on this fraud see the following:


Another Missing Link Takes Flight


Another Hoax?


Archaeopteryx, Archaeoraptor, and the “Dinosaurs-To-Birds” Theory


Crying Fowl: Tale of 'Missing Link' Embarrasses Scientists


Evolution Coverup

Ancient Bible Prophecies for Today

"Since a good portion of the Bible consists of Jewish prophecy, it stands to reason that fulfillment of those prophecies will be evident in the nation of Israel." - R. Hoeppner

That's exactly what we find! Here are only a few of those AMAZING prophecies that refer directly to -

ISRAEL

1. The (dissolved, non-existent) nation of Israel would be reborn in one day.

Isaiah 66:8 "Who has heard of such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land [a] be born in one day? Or shall a nation be brought forth in a moment? For as soon as Zion was in labor, she brought forth her children.

_______

[a] "Never in the history of the world had such a thing happened before--but God keeps His word. As definitely foretold here and in Ezekiel 37:21, 22, Israel became a recognized nation, actually "born in one day." After being away from their homeland for almost 2,000 years, the Jews were given a national homeland in Palestine by the Balfour Declaration in November, 1917. In 1922, the League of Nations gave Great Britain the mandate over Palestine. On May 14, 1948, Great Britain withdrew her mandate, and immediately Israel was declared a sovereign state, and her growth and importance among nations became astonishing." (c)Lockman Foundation

On May 14, 1948 Israel once again became a nation.

Status: Fulfilled
2. Jerusalem to be under Gentile control until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Luke 21:24 - "They will fall by [a]the mouth and the edge of the sword and will be led away as captives to and among all nations; and Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled (completed)."

Jerusalem was taken and possessed by Gentiles in A. D. 70 (under Titus of Rome) until the Jews regained control after the Six Day War of 1967.

Status: Fulfilled

3. During the diaspora (the dispersion of the Jews to the four corners of the world) Israel would become a wasteland.

Deuteronomy 29:23-28; - "The whole land is brimstone and salt and a burned waste, not sown or bearing anything, where no grass can take root, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah with Admah and Zeboiim, which the Lord overthrew in His anger and wrath-- Even all the nations shall say, Why has the Lord done thus to this land? What does the heat of this great anger mean? Then men shall say, Because they forsook the covenant of the Lord, the God of their fathers, which He made with them when He brought them forth out of the land of Egypt. For they went and served other gods and worshiped them, gods they knew not and that He had not given to them.
So the anger of the Lord was kindled against this land, bringing upon it all the curses that are written in this book. And the Lord rooted them out of their land in anger and in wrath and in great indignation and cast them into another land, as it is this day."

During the past 1900 years historic Israel was nearly an uninhabited wasteland used as a crossroads by nomadic tribes.

Status: Fulfilled

4. A day would come when Jews will return to Israel from the North, South, East and West.

Isaiah 43:5-6; "Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east [where they are dispersed] and gather you from the west.(A) I will say to the north, Give up! and to the south, Keep not back. Bring My sons from afar and My daughters from the ends of the earth--

Jeremiah 31:7-10; For thus says the Lord: Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and shout for the head of the nations [on account of the chosen people, Israel]. Proclaim, praise, and say, The Lord has saved His people, the remnant of Israel! Behold, I will bring them from the north country and gather them from the uttermost parts of the earth, and among them will be the blind and the lame, the woman with child and she who labors in childbirth together; a great company, they will return here to Jerusalem. They will come with weeping [in penitence and for joy], pouring out prayers [for the future]. I will lead them back; I will cause them to walk by streams of water and bring them in a straight way in which they will not stumble, for I am a Father to Israel, and Ephraim [Israel] is My firstborn.
Hear the word of the Lord, O you nations, and declare it in the isles and coastlands far away, and say, He Who scattered Israel will gather him and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock."

Zephaniah 3:10. "From beyond the rivers of Cush or Ethiopia those who pray to Me, the daughter of My dispersed people, will bring and present My offering."

Status: Observing the fulfillment currently taking place.

The Hebrew (pure) language to be restored.

Zephaniah 3:9 "For then [changing their impure language] I will give to the people a clear and pure speech from pure lips, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one unanimous consent and one united shoulder [bearing the yoke of the Lord]."

In 1948 the once lost language of Hebrew became the official language of Israel.

Status: Fulfilled

5. In the last days Israel would once again plant forests of trees. Trees are growing all over Israel today after the land was laid waste for nearly two millennia.

Status: Fulfilled

6. In the last days, Israel would blossom and be an exporter of produce to the world.

Isaiah 35:1-2; 6 "THE WILDERNESS and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the rose and the autumn crocus.
It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice even with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the excellency of [Mount] Carmel and [the plain] of Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty and splendor and excellency of our God."

Ezekiel 36:34-36. "And the desolate land shall be tilled, that which had lain desolate in the sight of all who passed by. And they shall say, 'This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden, and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.'
Then the nations that are left round about you shall know that I the Lord have rebuilt the ruined places and replanted that which was desolate. I the Lord have spoken it, and I will do it."

Today Israel exports in excess of a billion dollars worth of produce a year plus over 200 million dollars worth of flowers.

Status: Fulfilled

7. Israel would once again enjoy economic prosperity.

Ezekiel 38:12-13. "To take spoil and prey, to turn your hand upon the desolate places now inhabited and assail the people gathered out of the nations, who have obtained livestock and goods, who dwell at the center of the earth [Palestine]. Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish, with all their lionlike cubs [or satellite areas], shall say to you, Have you come to take spoil? Have you gathered your hosts to take the prey? To carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take a great spoil?

This young nation exports ten times ($30 billion) the goods of their neighbor, Jordan ($3 billion).

Status: Fulfilled (photo of date palms near Lake Galilee)

8. The Jews will once again plant vineyards on Israel’s mountains. Once in thier land they (the Jewish exiles) shall never again be driven out of it.

Joel 3:18; "And in that day, the mountains shall drip with fresh juice [of the grape] and the hills shall flow with milk; and all the brooks and riverbeds of Judah shall flow with water, and a fountain shall come forth from the house of the Lord and shall water the Valley of Shittim."

Amos 9:13-15. "Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine and all the hills shall melt [that is, everything heretofore barren and unfruitful shall overflow with spiritual blessing]. And I will bring back the exiles of My people Israel, and they shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards and drink the wine from them; they shall also make gardens and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be torn up out of their land which I gave them, says the Lord your God."

Dozens of vineyards are now growing throughout the Golan Heights and other mountains of Israel.

Status: Fulfilled (pictured are grapes in Israel)

9. Jerusalem would be rebuilt on its own ruins.

Jeremiah 30:18 "Thus says the Lord: Behold, I will release from captivity the tents of Jacob and have mercy on his dwelling places; the city will be rebuilt on its own [old] moundlike site, and the palace will be dwelt in after its former fashion."

Zechariah 12:6. "In that day will I make the chiefs of Judah like a big, blazing pot among [sticks of] wood and like a flaming torch among sheaves [of grain], and they shall devour all the peoples round about, on the right hand and on the left; and they of Jerusalem shall yet again dwell and sit securely in their own place, in Jerusalem."

Exactly as predicted, Jerusalem is being rebuilt on the old ruins. The fact is that new construction often has to be temporarily halted because the construction site is also an archaeological site.

Status: Continually being fulfilled.

The Bible Book of Genesis

The name "Genesis" comes from the Greek translation of the Old Testament, (the Septuagint), where the first book in the Bible is called “Geneseos,” meaning "origin" or "source." This is appropriate since it's this book that tells us about the origin of the universe, man, and creation. It explains the how’s and why’s of sin entering into the human race and gives the promise of a Savior to redeem man.

Who Wrote Genesis?
Both the Old and the New Testaments ascribe the authorship of the first five books (Pentateuch) of the Bible to Moses.

Jesus and the Jewish leaders both ascribed these books to Moses:
"And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. 3) And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? 4) And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. 5) And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. 6) But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. 7) For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; 8) And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh." – Mark 10:2-8

"And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?" – Mark 12:26

And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. – Luke 24:27

And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. – Luke 24:44

"Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?" – John 7:19

The Apostle John: "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." – John 1:17

St. Philip: "Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph" - John 1:45

St. Paul: "And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening." – Acts 28:23

(Here are two other references to look up: Hebrews 9:19 and 10:28-29).

Genesis is a Book of God and His Relationship With Man

Genesis centers on God and His relationship with humankind in general. Ultimately Genesis shows God and His relationship with seven individuals: (1) Adam, (2) Enoch, (3) Noah, (4) Abraham, (5) Isaac, (6) Jacob, (7) Joseph.

Why Study Genesis?

Genesis is the ‘Seed plot’ of the Bible. All of the great doctrines originate here. God revealed as Creator, Covenant Maker, Almighty, Trinity, the Provider, King, Judge and the Most High. We are also given to recognize the Devil’s strategies, we need not be ignorant of his devices .

Genesis1.1-2: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2. The earth *was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

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Resources: Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance;

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” - Genesis 1:1.

In the beginning [God…Heb. -el-o-heem'] "Plural of; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative:—angels, exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), (very) great, judges, mighty." --Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

In the beginning God [created…Heb. -baw-raw'] A primitive root; (absolutely) to create; (qualified) to cut down (a wood), select, feed (as formative processes):—choose, create (creator), cut down, dispatch, do, make (fat).

It's interesting that the word Elohim is plural but created is singular. This is the earliest reference to the Holy Triune God. In the act of creation we see the work of God the Father, God the Word and the God the Holy Spirit. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth... God defined"earth" as dry land (Genesis 1:10). Genesis 1:2a. “And the earth *was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. ”

"And the earth *was without form"[Heb. - toòhuò] to'-hoo - From an unused root meaning to lie waste; a desolation (of surface), that is, desert; figuratively a worthless thing; adverbially in vain:—confusion, empty place, without form, nothing, (thing of) nought, vain, vanity, waste, wilderness.and voidHeb. - boòhuòPronounced - bo'-hoo From an unused root (meaning to be empty); a vacuity, that is, (superficially) an undistinguishable ruin:—emptiness, void."and darkness was upon the face of the deep. "[Heb. - choòshek]pronounced - kho-shek' - From the dark; hence (literally) darkness; figuratively misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness:—dark (-ness), night, obscurity.

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*Also translated “became” as a footnote in the Torah and used in the Bible 67 times as

"became.".And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. - Genesis 1:2b
[Heb. - raòchaph]raw-khaf'A primitive root; to brood:—flutter, move, shake.

The three most common Christian theories of Creation:

1. Age-Day Theory

2. Gap Theory

3. Six equal 24 hour periods of the creation week.

All three believe that God the Creator created everything; all three believe the Bible is the inerrant Word of God; All are theories.One theory, the Gap theory stands out because it accounts for certain events that the others don't.

Isaiah 45:18. “For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, (tohu) he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.”
Here God clearly said that he created it (the earth) not in vain (Heb - tohu) yet in Genesis 1:2 that's exactly the word (tohu) used to describe the Genesis 1:2 earth. What could have happened?
Also on the third day God seperated the dry land from the waters and called the dry land "earth." Genesis 1:1 states that God created the heaven and the earth (dry land). In Genesis 1:2 there was no dry land, not until day 3 of the creation week.
In the detective business that's called a clue. Something cataclysmic evidently happened on the earth between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2.

Logical Speculation

Now since Satan was present in the Garden of Eden early on, it is reasonable to consider that his prior history with the angels, he being a chreub, occupied more than one literal earth week. Lucifer (Satan) was created perfect 'until the day' that iniquity was found in him (Ezekiel 28:15-17) and he was cast out of heaven, as was testifed to by the Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 10:18 below).
That would account for the total destruction that laid waste to the earth and killed off whatever pre-adamite world existed at the time. Whatever physical beings were on the earth at that time were destroyed and beyond redemption and their spirits or 'ghosts' are roaming around becoming familiar with people of Adams race - also called familiar spirits. Jesus said that these demons seek to inhabit bodies indicating that they have been disembodied. Luke 10:18 (Jesus speaking)

"And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven."

Then in v. 2 the Spirit of God came on the scene and moved on the face of the waters. With that in mind, check out these two verses:

Jeremiah 4:23 “I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.”

Psalm 104:30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou **renewest the face of the earth.

Consorting with a familiar spirit was one of the reasons given for King Sauls death.

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* *chaòdashkhaw-dash'A primitive root; to be new; causatively to rebuild:—renew, repair.

What About the Virgin Birth? Is It Necessary?

The First Prophecy Concerning Christ: The Virgin Birth

He would be born of the “Seed of the woman.”

“And I will put enmity Between you and the woman,

And between your seed and her Seed;

He shall bruise your head,

And you shall bruise His heel.” – Genesis 3:15 NKJV

This is a direct three part prophecy referring to three distinct events in the life of Jesus Christ:
1. The virgin birth of Jesus Christ (seed of the woman).
2. His victory over the serpent, (Satan)
3. His own suffering (bruised heel).

Note that in the Bible it’s always the case that offspring are the ‘seed of their father’ and not the reverse; except here!

Old Testament prophecy of Isaiah:

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” – Isaiah 7:14

The New Testament fulfillment:
‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, “God with us.” – Matthew 1:23

Mary, the mother of Jesus herself wondered about what was to take place in her life.
“Then the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. – Like 1:30-35

Joseph, her betrothed learned of her pregnancy and this is what the Bible says about that:
“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” – Matthew 1:18-21.

This is the record – “and (Joseph) did not know (have intercourse with) her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS.” – Matthew 1:25 (Jesus means “Savior”)

Jesus was this promised ‘seed’ of the woman that God said would deal the death blow to Satan and crush the ‘serpents head.’ Satan was embodied in the serpent of the Garden of Eden. Jesus crushed him on the cross but eventually will cast him into the lake of fire.

“And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” - Revelation 20:10
The promised seed (Jesus) would also suffer a non-lethal blow. The crucifixion of Jesus was referred to here. Though He died physically, he remained alive in the spiritual realm for he himself dismissed his spirit on the cross after assuring the penitent thief that they would be together in Paradise that very day.

Question: Don’t Pagan Traditions Also Have A Promised Seed And A Virgin Birth Story?

The birth of Jesus is not the first story that contains a chosen seed or a virgin birth. Does the word counterfeit ring a bell? Don’t forget that Satan (Lucifer) was in the Garden of Eden with the first human couple. After persuading them to disobey God, Satan heard with his own ears God’s pronouncement of his own doom at the heel of the virgin born, promised seed of the woman. Remember, Satan (the devil, Lucifer) wants to be God and will counterfeit the things of God to suit his evil purpose. It doesn’t surprise me that he uses his powers of deception to present a false messiah. Satan has done it in the past and will again do it in the future (i. e. false Christs).

Is It Necessary To Believe In The Virgin Birth?

Question: What if you believe in Christ and accept most of the Bible but chalk up miracles like the virgin birth to ‘allegory?’
Answer: If Jesus wasn’t the fruit of a virgin’s womb he couldn’t save himself, much less mankind. How can I make a such a dogmatic statement as that? Because when Adam sinned, he contaminated the gene pool of his descendants. The life of the flesh is in the blood, and death passed on to all men because all have sinned. The only remedy for sin is the shedding of innocent blood. The problem is that all of the descendants of Adam have a sinful nature and can not pay the price for redemption. The solution for centuries was an annual sacrifice of a spotless lamb, a temporary, substitutional atonement for the sins of the people. When a family would remember the Passover, for instance, the head of the family would provide a lamb; but God had His own Lamb.

The science behind it is that the blood of an individual is determined by their father – not their mother. So when Jesus came, born of a virgin, offspring of the Holy Spirit (God), His blood was the only uncontaminated human blood in the universe (since Adam before he sinned). In effect, Jesus was the second Adam. Since He never sinned, He was able to offer his own blood once and for all for the sins of the world, eliminating the need for an annual sacrifice.
We know His sacrifice was accepted from symbols like the rending of the veil in the Temple that opened up the Holy of Holies to the common people.

So what would be the ramifications if Jesus was born of a human father? The answer is quite simply that He could never save anyone from their sins being lost himself. So the ultimate answer to the question, “is belief in the virgin birth necessary?” it's a resounding yes! But belief may take time. It’s a building process. I knew I’d met Jesus on the night of August 8, 1964 but by August 10th I was still filled with doubt about the importance of the virgin birth. It took prayerful study and then I finally saw what I’m sharing here. Jesus inherited his humanity from his mother but the blood, the cure for all sin was the unstained blood provided by God Himself.
It is only through that blood, and nothing but that blood we have cleansing from sin!
“If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” - 1 John 1:6-7

“He...(God)...hangeth the earth upon nothing.”

"He stretches out the north over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing." - Job 26:7

*"For millenniums, various theories of what supports the earth--elephants, giants, and other fantastic means--were accepted by mankind as truth. The Bible made no such absurd error. How could Job, more than 3,000 years ago, possibly have known that God "hangs the earth upon or over nothing," except by divine inspiration?" [*footnote in the AMP Bible]

This concept was utterly foreign to the thought of man during this time. No other ancient document describes the earth floating on nothing. The Bible doesn't stop there.

"It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in." - "Isaiah 40:22 (KJV).

The Duoay-Rheims translation (which comes from the Latin Vulgate) records it this way;

"It is he that sitteth upon the globe of the earth"

Global Warming

This subject should be re-visited. I've written about global warming from the perspective of Bible prophecy and the current debate.

The Gap Theory of Creation

The Bible is not a science book but as I have claimed earlier in this blog, where it touches on proven science it is accurate and reliable. Nobody knows all of the mechanisms God used to create the universe but the Bible encourages us to explore. Believers generally view the creation from three standpoints. Each view makes valid points and each will determine how the creation event in the Bible will be interpreted. It should be remembered that all three are theories and should be acknowledged as such and not used to ostracize or disfellowship other believers. All three view the creation story as recorded in the Bible as divinely inspired.
The Three Most Common Biblical Creation Models are: The “Gap” theory; the “Age-Day” theory and the "Literalist" theory (in which the original universe, including earth were created in six literal days about 6011 years ago)

I. “Gap” or “Reconstruction” Theory. This theory suggests the condition in Genesis 1:2 is the result of a cataclysmic judgment involving the fall of the angels; that there was a primeval creation, complete in itself, in which the Angels were created as well as an inhabited pre-Adamite earth. After an unknown interval of time between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2 there was a rebellion by Lucifer who was cast out onto the earth (Isaiah 14:12-14; Luke 10:18) perpetuating a catastrophe creating the conditions of Gen. 1:2. Therefore, the six creative days in the following verses would be the new creation of the earth that had become desolate.
Problem: That death was in the world before Adam sinned.
Solution: Sin (iniquity) was found in Lucifer. (Isaiah 14:16-17; Ezekiel 28:11-19)
At some point (in Genesis 1:2) the Holy Spirit began brooding over the waters covering the earth as God began to create the earth as a home for man and the life we see about us. When Adam disobeyed God and obeyed Lucifer, he forfeited all that God had given him to Lucifer, and that old serpent became ‘god of this world’ (2 Corinthians 4:4) over which he has no right (Psalm 24:1; 1 Corinthians 10:26) and to whom Adam by nature became servant and the earth itself came under a curse.

II. “Age-Day Theory”
This theory regards the first two verses of Genesis as that of the original creation in its raw state as from nothing, while the remaining part of the chapter is a formation and organization of the matter thus created. Genesis 1:1-2 is merely an introductory statement of fact, with each creative day being an indeterminate period or era of time. This is based on verses like 2 Peter3:8 which equates a thousand years as a day. These “era’s” are the geologic era’s t hat fit into modern scientific theories. How long it was, we do not know but ample space is given to all the requisitions of geology.
Problems:
(1). The Scripture says that each day of the creation week is “an evening and a morning.”
(2). The geologic era’s of science do not correspond to the same order that life appears in the scripture.
(3). Plant life was made before there was sunshine. If the age-day theory is correct then plant life survived an era or at least a thousand years without it.
Solution: none

III. 24 Hour / Six Day Creation Theory (Young Earth Creationism)
This theory says that the entire universe was created by God in 6 equal twenty four hour days about 6,011 years ago according to Ussher's Chronology.
Genesis 1:1-2 is an introductory statement showing the earth at the outset, like a lump of clay that God began to squeeze and form into the earth we live in today. Proponents of this theory often say that it is futile to question creation for God said “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” (Job 38:4) and “the secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” (Deuteronomy 29:29)
Problem: The stars & ‘sons of God’ were witness to the creation of the earth. (Job 38:6, 7) How can this be if the stars weren’t created until the fourth day? See other problems.

I believe in both an old and young earth interpretation. God created it from a pre-adamite earth that was destroyed by a flood that completely destroyed all life. This does not conflict with the Bible at all as some have claimed.

(Definitions are derived primarily from Strong's Concordance)

Genesis 1:1. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”In the beginning…In the beginning God -- (the Self-existent One) Here the Hebrew word for God is 'el-o-heem' which is a plural form of; 1) "gods" in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the "supreme God;" occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative:—angels, exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), (very) great, judges, mighty."In the beginning God created…" Here "created" comes from a Hebrew word pronounced "baw-raw'"'Baw-raw'' is a primitive root; (absolutely) to create; (qualified) to cut down (a wood), select, feed (as formative processes):—choose, create (creator), cut down, dispatch, do, make (fat).

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth..." Earth here is the same word as 'earth' which is defined as 'dry land' in verse 10.
Genesis 1:10: "And God called the dry land Earth"
The gap in the creation story is between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 for it says-(Genesis 1:2) “And the earth [**was] without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”

Below, you will notice the words I've italicized are terms used in the Bible to commonly describe the aftermath of divine Judgement, not the creation. To say that this a state of the creative act is to contradict every specific creative act of the God who creates all things orderly and whom Isaiah says clearly (Isaiah 45:18) "God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else."
The word vain is from the Heb. word pronounced toòhuò or to'-hoo. Same word used in Genesis 1:2:
And the earth was without form ( toòhuò or to'-hoo) which comes from an unused root meaning to lie waste; a desolation (of surface), that is, desert; figuratively a worthless thing; adverbially in vain:—confusion, empty place, without form, nothing, nought, vain, vanity, waste, wilderness and void (boòhuò or bo'-hoo) comes from an unused root meaning to be empty; a vacuity, that is, (superficially) an undistinguishable ruin:—emptiness, void.and darkness (khoh-shek') was upon the face of the deep.From the dark; hence (literally) darkness; figuratively misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness:—dark (-ness), night, obscurity.
How do Young Earth Creationists (YEC) reconcile the state of the earth in Genesis 1:2 to a God who Creates all things good?
Now if God said He didn't create the earth in vain, (toòhuò or to'-hoo) who are we to say that He did? This is a state that the earth came into after it's original creation.
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**Also translated “became” in the footnote of the Torah.

New Creation

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." - 2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

My Testimony

Outdated Book

By definition I was an agnostic throughout my high school years-when an elder Christian gentleman (Mr. Garry Lawrence) confronted my non-belief with the Bible.
To me the Bible was an outdated book full of contradictions and fairy tales with little relevance for the twentieth century. Each week I would see Mr. Lawrence and he'd bring a page from a little notebook he kept, with biblical references he'd written down on it. His tireless effort to reach me with the Gospel was surprising since I had launched every objection I could against his belief without so much as making a dent in his faith. Regardless of what topic was covered on his little pages of biblical references, it always ended with my need to be 'saved' (his words) and experience the reality of Jesus Christ in my heart as Lord and Savior.

The Experiment
As time went by I thought to myself that I'd conduct an experiment. I would ask this "Jesus" into my life, and then when nothing happened I could say with some authority that I tried it and it nothing happened! But how does one conduct such and experiment?

How would you conduct such an experiment?

I pondered this question seriously. Certainly, I reasoned that even if a god existed who created everything, he probably wouldn't be interested in this little speck of dust in one solar system in one of billions of galaxies let alone one fininte individual among billions who lived on that speck of dust. There was no way I believed in any god(s) especially a personal God, so what harm could there possibly be to simply say one 'prayer' as an experiment?

But any experiment will yield results of somekind and then the experimenter will be faced with what to do with those results. That begs this question; what if by the remotest chance my prayer should bear fruit of the 'divine' - would I be willing to see it through? In other words, would I allow the results of the experiment to influence my conception of the truth if it were proven to my satisfaction that I encountered God; would I then be willing to change the entire course of my life? This was a difficult decision because up to this point I had been my own god. I enjoyed my life and the so-called 'sins' that being my own god allowed me to participate in.
After much thought, I concluded that it would be worth the infinitesimal risk to my personal lifestyle to know the truth. My opinion was that the experiment was actually a futile attempt that would only continue to confirm to me that my pre-conceptions about God, the Bible and religion in general were correct.

So on Saturday night, August 8, 1964 I knelt down beside my bed in the dark and contemplated what words would constitute a 'prayer.'

God Encounter
While kneeling there I suddenly sensed a presence I'd never known before - emanating slightly behind me and to the left. I turned and looked but saw nothing -yet I sensed what can only be described as the purest love I've ever experienced! It radiated all around me and immediately I felt filthy and naked, as though this radiance exposed my most foul, secret imaginations. Strangely it was without condemnation. My eyes filled with tears as this amazing love melted me down and I knew without a doubt that I was in the presence of Jesus Christ. I cried and pled for forgiveness and then I actually felt a weight lift from my shoulders. I don't know how long I remained on the floor but I knew that I encountered deity, and His name is Jesus Christ.

Plummer St. Foursquare Church
Having had a standing invitation for months to attend the Lawrences' church, (Plummer Street Foursquare, in Sepulveda California) I decided to take him up on it the very next morning. Persuading my dad and brother to go along, I mentioned nothing that had happened the previous night.
We drove up in front of an average house on Plummer Street. The house was a "pioneer" Foursquare church with a small congregation. Before the service began Mr. Lawrence had instructed me that, if at the end of the service I wanted to be 'saved' I should wait for the 'altar call' (an invitation by the pastor to go forward to an altar). At the end of the service I went forward at the invitation and to my surprise so did my dad and brother. The minister, Rev. Marion V. Wagner prayed first with my dad, then my brother and finally she came to me. She laid her hand on my head and said -"you've already received Christ!" which amazed me since I'd kept quiet about it. Then someone began speaking in a strange language following which someone else spoke in English. That was very strange. I wanted to know what Mr. Lawrence thought of that.

Spirit Baptism
Later that day Mr. Lawrence explained it as the Holy Spirit's gifts of tongues and interpretation. He showed me an article in a Pentacostal Evangel magazine citing where he'd spoke out in tongues in a church service and there was no interpretation. He was discouraged thinking he had spoken out of order but after the service two Catholic Jesuits who were in attendance at the meeting approached him wanting to know where he learned that language, because it was a language they were working on. Of course the only conclusion was that this was a demonstration of the gift of tongues. I asked him if it were possible for me to receive those gifts and he said certainly but rather to pray first for for the Baptism in the Holy Ghost. This seemed 'far out' to me, but I wanted to get more of what I'd experienced. That Sunday evening I went back to the church. I asked those in the congregation to pray for me; I wanted to receive the Baptism in the Holy Ghost. They gathered around me and began praying, laying their hands and Bibles on me. They told me to pray out loud as well and I began stammering in another language. Later I was baptized in water as the Lord commanded.

My Old Friends
When school started again I tried to hang out with the old crowd but the dirty jokes, profanity and porn no longer held an attraction for me and I drifted away from them. I began carrying a Bible to school and spending lunch hours reading from its pages. One thing I ran into right away was a ridicule from those who were as I had been before. They asked me questions I had of my own and couldn't answer back then, but it forced me to dig deeper into the Bible. Many of the questions took me beyond the knowledge I had and still do, but dozens of those questions have been answered to those who will seek the answers. As I progressed in my Christian walk I began finding others who shared a love for Christ and the joy that is inherent in knowing Him. I thought then as now that even if there weren't a hereafter I was personally much more gratified by being a Christian than as an agnostic. I realized a new purpose and meaning to life that had been lacking. I even became acquainted with influential men in the '60's Pentacostal movement, Demos Shakarian, David J. DuPlessis, Ray Bringham and a host of others who shared my love for Jesus Christ.

The Living Word
Its amazing how the Bible came alive! It's still that way. It's characters live right off it's wonderful pages.
There’s a great song that describes it – though it’s not sung much in today’s modern churches with their pop-Christian chorus', but it's one of my favorites anyway; it describes the difference Jesus made in my life.

“Since Jesus Came Into My Heart”

What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought
Since Jesus came into my heart!
I have light in my soul for which long I had sought
Since Jesus came into my heart!

I have ceased from my wandering and going astray
Since Jesus came into my heart!
And my sins, which were many, are all washed away
Since Jesus came into my heart!

I’m possessed of a hope that is steadfast and sure
Since Jesus came into my heart!
And no dark clouds of doubt now my pathway obscure
Since Jesus came into my heart!

There’s a light in the valley of death now for me
Since Jesus came into my heart!
And the gates of the City beyond I can see
Since Jesus came into my heart!

I shall go there to dwell in that City I know
Since Jesus came into my heart!
And I’m happy, so happy as onward I go
Since Jesus came into my heart!

Chorus:
Since Jesus came into my heart-
Since Jesus came into my heart!
Floods of joy o’er my soul
like the sea billows roll--
Since Jesus came into my heart!

A lot of those old 'saints' have gone home to be with Jesus. Garry and Vera Lawrence, Rev. Marion Wagner and her husband Forrest, my dad--yet memories from those days are vividly imprinted on my mind!
When I go to Hawaii I visit Garry Lawrences' grave. He and his wife Vera went home to be with the Lord years ago; but I'm forever thankful for Garry's faithfulness in not giving up on me. I know he's not in that grave but I visit to remember and take pause to thank God that He sent that man into my life. I only hope that I've touched someone else's life as he did mine. One day I will see him, Vera and many others who've departed this earth to heaven's shore-

R. W. Hoeppner