3/22/13

The Secret






Thanks to Bruce Arnold for sharing this one with me!!!

Click on the link at the top to enjoy!!!

From Gary... Amazing



Mission possible

Last night we rented the movie "The life of Pi" and it was very good!!!  In short, it is the story of a shipwrecked boy on a lifeboat, whose only companion is a ferocious tiger.  I understand now, why it won Academy Awards.  If you haven't seen it, do so, you will be glad you did.  When I saw this picture of a flying squirrel, I thought I had seen everything... and then there was the video link above... Both the movie and the video reminded me of the book of Genesis account of creation...

Genesis, Chapter 1
 20  God said, “Let the waters abound with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of sky.” 21 God created the large sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed, after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind. God saw that it was good.  22 God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”  23 There was evening and there was morning, a fifth day. 

  24  God said, “Let the earth produce living creatures after their kind, livestock, creeping things, and animals of the earth after their kind”; and it was so.  25 God made the animals of the earth after their kind, and the livestock after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind. God saw that it was good. 

  26  God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

Animals are not the equal of man, they are subordinate to his will.  This is not my idea, it was ordained by the creator of the universe; to believe otherwise is falsehood.  Animals can do amazing things (like the flying squirrel in the picture) or even be trained (check out the video once again or watch the life of Pi) but they are NOT HUMAN!!!  When Hollywood raises the state of animals to that of man, they are in direct contradiction with the word of God.  Think about what you believe and why; then read Genesis, Chapter 1 again, you may look at yourself in the mirror differently from now on...

From Gary V. Womack...GOD'S ORDER Creation or Evolution



GOD'S ORDER
Creation or Evolution

Jn. 1:1-5,14, 18 John claims the Father and the 
                         Son (the Word) existed in past    
                         eternity - that all things were 
                         made through the Word (Creator)-
                         and that the Word came to this 
                         earth & declared God.

Has man been listening to the Son's declaration of God? The record of Christ's coming depends on the creation account.

Does it make any difference what we believe regarding the origin of all things? Does it effect our (or others') eternal outcome?

Consider our children, what they are taught, & the slow progression of whittling away at the foundation of our faith in God's word. If you can weaken the foundation - all that it supports will crumble.

The first 11 chapters of Genesis are called in question by both evolutionists & even creationists.

Gen. 1 Creation account points to Design - Order - Purpose

Design - Order - Purpose All demonstrated in:

1. Sequence of the days of creation by logical successive events.

2. Instantaneous creation -v/s - Evolution of billions of years.

3. Self-perpetuation of living things. (Reproduce "after their own kind.")

4. Man's unique nature & authority over creation ( "subdue and; rule over")



1. Sequence of days of creation by logical successive events


    Day 1 Earth & light }
              Light necessary for life

    Day 2 Sky }
             Atmosphere needed

    Day 3 Seas & plants }
             Land suited to man & food

    Day 4 Sun, moon & stars }
              Warmth, seasons, time

    Day 5 Birds & aquatic animals }
             Sources of food

    Day 6 Land animals and man }
             All things ready for man.

Gen. 1:26-ff Man: 
                   The focus of God's creative work - 
                   all made for man.

                    When man loses sight of this - his 
                    understanding of origins is colored.


                   Note: cf. Day 1 and 4 - Earth created 
                           before the rest of the universe.


                  Evidence: Universe is expanding as it 
                                   recedes away from the 
                                   earth.


                   Resulting false theory: "Big Bang 
                                   Theory" (15-20 billion years)


                   Assumption: All matter originating in 
                               one "lump" before exploding.


                   Question: If this were so, where did 
                                   the "lump" originate?


                   Quotation from "The Heavens" World 
                   Book Encyclopedia of Science under 
                   "The Stellar Universe: Evolution of the 
                   Universe" pg. 50, (sub-topic: "Testing 
                   the Big Bang Theory"):


                   "Despite these and other problems, 
                   however, most astronomers still believe
                   that the big bang theory provides the 
                   most plausible explanation of the origin 
                   of the universe." In short, we will 
                   ignore contrary evidence.

Rom. 1:18-22 When man disregards God, he 
                      becomes a fool & his thinking 
                      leads him to all kinds of 
                      ungodliness. See vss. 28-ff

2. Instantaneous creation v/s Evolution of billions of years

The expanding universe points to a point of beginning.

Ex. 20:10-11; 31:17 Moses referred to 6 days of creation & sabbath (7th) rest This is an affirmation of earths literal 6-day creation.

Earth was created to be inhabited

Isa. 45:18 "For thus says the Lord, Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it, Who has established it, Who did not create it in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited."

What kind of intelligence builds a house, leaves it empty for vast years before giving its primary tenets residency?

God commanded man to "subdue" (exercise control over) earth & its creatures

Gen. 1:28 "Then God blessed them, and God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.' "

Did God allow billions of animals to die (some to extinction) before creating man? What purpose did those animals serve with no man present?

Man's futile effort (in the form of a hoax) to discredit God's creative account

The "Geologic Column" found in most science text books depicts the evolutionary process of life from non-living matter to man.

It assumes a godless process covering a span of 4.5 - 5 billion years.

We must be more than creationists:

Mt. 7:21-23 On judgment day, some of these may 
                   be creationists

Mt. 7:24-27 Regardless of what they believe, did 
                   they obey God?

                  a. This "column" exists nowhere at  
                      any one place on earth.

                      If it did exist as depicted, it would 
                      extend to a depth of about 130 
                      miles.

                      (Sedimentary rock where fossils 
                      appear are never more than 12-15 
                      miles deep)

                      Earth's crust is only 25-30 miles 
                      thick.


                  b. This evolutionary theory of non-life 
                      to simple life to complex life defies
                      accepted laws of science such as:

                      The Second Law of                   
                      Thermodynamics
                      
                      "Matter and energy always tend to 
                      change from complex and ordered 
                      states to disordered states."

                      Everything winds down, and wears 
                      out.


                      Isaac Asimov (leading evolutionist 
                      and astronomer) acknowledged this 
                      law:

                      "As far as we know, all changes are in        
                      the direction of increasing entropy, of 
                      increasing disorder, of increasing 
                      randomness, of running down." 
                      (Science Digest, May, 1973, pg. 76)


                  c. This geologic "order" is found to 
                      be inverted in several places


                      Near Yellowstone N. P. (Wyoming) 
                      in a 30 mile wide area, what is 
                      called Paleozoic strata is found on 
                      top of Paleozoic strata (said to be 1 
                      billion years older than Paleozoic 
                      strata)


                  d. This geologic order is often found 
                      to be out of sequence, with fossils 
                      from one geologic period 
                      imbedded in layers of another 
                      widely separated period


                      This is physical evidence that 
                      disproves vast periods of time for 
                      such layers to be formed.


                  e. Evolutionary theory says man 
                     (Homo Sapiens) appears near the 
                     top layer. (Quaternary Period) 
                     representing 1/1,000 of the geologic 
                     record.


                     Evidence: Many human footprints 
                     found in Carboniferous Period

                     (Said to precede man's existence by 
                     300 million years.)


                     Albert Ingalls (noted evolutionist) 
                     "...noted that such footprints are found 
                     from Virginia and Pennsylvania 
                     through Kentucky, Illinois and 
                     Missouri. He was very much 
                     impressed with the "human-like' 
                     appearance of the tracks, but 
                     dismissed them, observing that if 
                     they were human tracks, "then the 
                     whole science of geology is so 
                     completely wrong that all 
                     geologists will resign their jobs 
                     and take up truck driving." ("The 
                    Carboniferous Mystery, "Scientific 
                    American, CLXII, January, 1940, pg. 
                    14; as quoted from Reason & 
                    Revelation, "The Geologic Timetable" 
                    by Wayne Jackson, November, 1984, 
                    Vol. IV, No. 11)


                f. Trilobites (Used as an "index" fossil to 
                   measure existence of Paleozoic strata -
                  1/2 billion years ago according to 
                   evolutionary theory) Have been found 
                   in Delta, Ut. (1968, by William Meister) 
                   inside human footprints wearing 
                   sandals.



INVITATION


Eccl. 3:11 "He has made everything beautiful in its 
                 time. Also He has put eternity in their 
                 hearts, except that no one can find out 
                 the work that God does from beginning 
                 to end."

Eccl. 8:17       "then I saw all the work of God, that 
                       a man cannot find out the work that  
                       is done under the sun. For though a 
                       man labors to discover it, yet he will 
                       not find it; moreover, though a wise 
                       man attempts to know it, he will not 
                       find it."

Rom.11:33-ff "...How unsearchable are His 
                       judgments and His ways past 
                       finding out!"

1 Cor. 1:18-ff "Greeks seek after wisdom...but we 
                      preach Christ crucified... to the 
                      Greeks foolishness...Because the 
                      foolishness of God is wiser than        
                      men."

From Jim McGuiggan...Free Will and God's Sovereignty


Free Will & God's Sovereignty

Free will is not the same as freedom of action. There are many things we will to do and but for some limiting factors we'd carry them out. But there are limiting factors and we don't or can't carry them out. Joseph went to Egypt but he willed otherwise and Jonah willed to go to Tarshish but he ended up in Nineveh after some fishy business.
Free will is not absolute and unlimited; but then I'm not sure anyone ever thought it was. We all know we were capable of saying "no" even when we said "yes" and of saying yes when we said no. We all know we have free will even if we can't argue it to our own satisfaction (or anyone else's). We blame people for behaviour we know they should and could have avoided and we praise people for behaviour they could have ducked out on and wouldn't. So to some degree we determine our responses and it is to that degree we rightly say people have "free will".
There are two common reactions to the truth of our freedom to will. One is: if God has given us the capacity or freedom to will then he shouldn't be upset with us when we choose to do what displeases him. And the other is, since God has given us free will that must limit his sovereignty over us. The first confuses two categories the moral and the anthropological. Humans are capable of making choices and willing all kinds of things but morally speaking they shouldn't want to choose or will some things.
George Bernard Shaw said there were some things we shouldn't want to know. Like, how long would it take to boil our mothers-in-law into a mass of raw meat? How long would a healthy baby survive if placed in a refrigerator? There are some things we shouldn't want to will or choose. Maybe instead of being irritated with God for putting limits on what we can or should choose maybe we should thank him.
The second one is equally thoughtless though perhaps not as widely held. It makes no sense to say our freedom of choice limits God's sovereignty when in fact our freedom of choice is an expression of God's sovereignty. We have free will because God has given it to us! And we continue to have free will because God continues to sustain us as creatures of free will. Our very existence is a gift from God, a gift he maintains moment by moment because we're never alive apart from him. Life, with the freedom to will, is not a gift like an Oscar that exists independently of the giver once it is given. God continuously gives life and all the blessings that go with it to us.
But what if we resist him and choose to do what he is displeased with? Then we take the consequences of our evil choice. The gift God gives us is the capacity and opportunity to choose and we prostitute the gift. The gift God gives us is not the evil choice. Even when we choose to do evil (and it isn't God choosing evil for us) we are using the gift he gave us. We seem to forget that we need freedom to choose to do evil as well as good. And if we pervert his gracious gift and choose evil God will use the evil to serve his divine purposes. You can't make a prisoner out of God!

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Mark Copeland...They Led Him Away


                        "THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW"

                       They Led Him Away (27:1-2)

INTRODUCTION

1. In the night and morning prior to His crucifixion, the Son of God
   suffered many ignobilities...
   a. Illegal trials held during the night
   b. Shuffled back and forth before different authorities
   c. Falsely accused, mocked, and physically abused

2. There is a phrase used several times that may be used to summarize
   this ill treatment...
   a. That phrase is "they led Him away"
   b. It (or a variation) is found eight times - Mt 26:57; 27:2,31; Mk 15:1,16;
      Lk 23:26; Jn 18:13; 19:16

3. Being led around like this was in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy:

          "He was led as a lamb to the slaughter..." - Isa 53:7

[To remind us of the things Jesus suffered in our stead and for our
sins, let's review how Jesus was led around during that fateful night
and the morning that followed...]

I. THEY LED HIM AWAY TO FACE ANNAS

   A. ANNAS, FATHER-IN-LAW TO CAIAPHAS...
      1. John records this meeting in his gospel - Jn 18:12-14
      2. Annas had been high priest, but was deposed in 15 A.D. by
         Roman authorities
      3. He continued to exercise considerable influence, as he was
         still viewed by the Jews as a high priest - Lk 3:2
      4. After Pentecost he was involved in the questioning of Peter
         and John - Ac 4:6

   B. BEFORE ANNAS...
      1. Jesus was asked about His disciples and His doctrine - Jn 18:
         19-21
      2. Jesus was struck by one of the officers - Jn 18:22-23
      3. At this point, Annas sent Jesus bound to Caiaphas - Jn 18:24

[As we return to the gospel of Matthew, we read of how...]

II. THEY LED HIM AWAY TO FACE CAIAPHAS

   A. CAIAPHAS, THE HIGH PRIEST...
      1. It was Caiaphas who with others plotted the arrest and death
         of Jesus - Mt 26:3-5
      2. He also was involved in the later questioning of Peter and
         John - Ac 4:6

   B. BEFORE CAIAPHAS...
      1. Jesus faced an assembly of scribes and elders - Mt 26:57
         a. This was an illegal assembly of the Sanhedrin (high council
            of the Jews)
         b. It was illegal for taking place at night
      2. False witnesses were finally found - Mt 26:59-61
      3. Jesus first kept silent, then told them of His coming in
         judgment - Mt 26:62-64
      4. In anger Caiaphas tears his clothes, and accuses Jesus of
         blasphemy - Mt 26:65
      5. Jesus is pronounced worthy of death - Mt 26:66
      6. He is spat in the face, beaten, slapped, and mocked as the
         Messiah - Mt 26:67-68

[Meanwhile, Peter is denying Jesus three times in the courtyard (Mt 26:69-75).  With the dawn of morning, the chief priests and elders decide
to put Jesus to death (Mt 27:1).  To do this...]

III. THEY LED HIM AWAY TO FACE PILATE

   A. PONTIUS PILATE, THE ROMAN GOVERNOR...
      1. To whom Jesus was bound and delivered - Mt 27:2
      2. He governed Judea from 26-36 A.D.
      3. He did much to anger the Jews - cf. Lk 13:1
      4. But without his approval, the Jews could not execute Jesus

   B. BEFORE PILATE...
      1. Jesus was asked if He was the king of the Jews - Mt 27:11
         a. Because Jesus was accused of forbidding to pay taxes and
            claiming to be a king - cf. Lk 23:1-2
         b. Jesus did not reply to the accusations of the Jews - Mt 27:
            12-14
         c. But He did converse with Pilate about the nature of His
            kingdom - Jn 18:33-38
      2. Pilate found no fault in Him - cf. Lk 23:4
      3. But Jesus was accused further of stirring up people throughout
         all Judea, beginning from Galilee - cf. Lk 23:5

[With the mention of Galilee, Pilate thought he had a way to pawn Jesus
off on to someone else (Lk 23:6-7).  And from Luke's account we learn
that...]

IV. THEY LED HIM AWAY TO FACE HEROD

   A. HEROD, KING OF THE JEWS...
      1. This was Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great
         a. His father was the Herod who massacred the infants - Mt 2:
            16-18
         b. Antipas was the one who beheaded John the Baptist - Mt 14:
            1-12
         c. He was tetrarch over Galilee and Perea from 4 B.C.-39 A.D.
            - Lk 3:1
      2. Herod was glad to see Jesus - Lk 23:8
         a. He had heard many things about Jesus - cf. Lk 9:7-9
         b. He hoped to see some miracle done by Jesus

   B. BEFORE HEROD...
      1. Jesus was questioned, but answered Herod nothing - Lk 23:9
      2. Jesus was vehemently accused by the chief priests and scribes
         - Lk 23:10
      3. Jesus was treated with contempt and mocked by Herod and his
         soldiers - Lk 23:11

[Arrayed in a gorgeous robe mocking His claim to be King, Jesus was
then sent back to Pilate (Lk 23:11-12).  And so...]

V. THEY LED HIM AWAY TO FACE PILATE (AGAIN)

   A. PILATE SOUGHT TO RELEASE HIM...
      1. Using the custom of releasing one prisoner during the feast
         - Mt 27:15; Jn 18:38-39
         a. Offering a choice between Jesus and Barabbas - Mt 27:16-18
         b. The latter a notorious prisoner, who was a robber, rebel
            and murderer - Mk 15:7
      2. Encouraged by his wife to have nothing to do with Jesus - Mt 27:19

   B. BEFORE PILATE (AGAIN)...
      1. The chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude to ask
         for Barabbas and to have Jesus crucified - Mt 27:20-23
      2. Bowing to the multitude, Pilate succumbed to their wishes - Mt27:24-25
      3. Jesus was then scourged - Mt 27:26

[At this point Pilate delivered Jesus to be crucified (Mt 27:26).  But
before Jesus was taken to the place called Golgotha...]

VI. THEY LED HIM AWAY TO FACE THE SOLDIERS

   A. THE SOLDIERS OF THE GOVERNOR...
      1. Roman soldiers, who likely had little love for any Jew
      2. Who took Jesus into the Praetorium (the barracks in the
         governor's house) - Mt 27:27
      3. Surrounding Jesus with the whole garrison of soldiers - Mt 27:
         27

   B. BEFORE THE SOLDIERS...
      1. Jesus was stripped and clothed with a scarlet robe - Mt 27:28
      2. A twisted crown of thorns was placed on His head, and a reed
         in His right hand - Mt 27:29a
      3. The soldiers bowed the knee and mocked Him as King of the Jews
         - Mt 27:29b
      4. They spat on Him, and struck Him on the head with the reed 
         - Mt 27:30
      5. When they were finished mocking Him...
         a. The soldiers took off the robe and put His own clothes on
            Him - Mt 27:31a
         b. The soldiers led Him away to be crucified - Mt 27:31b

CONCLUSION

1. Up to this point, the Son of God had been...
   a. Struck by officers of the high priest
   b. Spat in the face, beaten, slapped, and mocked as the Messiah by
      the chief priests
   c. Falsely accused by the chief priests and scribes before Pilate
      and Herod
   d. Treated with contempt and mocked by Herod and his soldiers
   e. Scourged by Pilate, mocked, spat upon and beaten by his soldiers
   -- And then they "led Him away to be crucified", to face the cross
      of Calvary

2. Why did Jesus allow Himself to be so led...?
   a. At any time He could have called for twelve legions of angels 
      - cf. Mt 26:53
   b. "They Led Him Away" only because He allowed them to do so!
   c. Jesus understood that all this was necessary to fulfill Scripture
      - cf. Mt 26:54; Lk 24:44-47

And the purpose of the Scripture was that Jesus would die for our sins
(Isa 53:5).  As expressed beautifully in the song "Ten Thousand Angels"
by Ray Overholt:
                   They bound the hands of Jesus
                      In the garden where He prayed;
                      They led Him through the streets in shame.
                   They spat upon the Savior
                      So pure and free from sin;
                      They said "Crucify Him, He's to blame."
                   Upon His precious head
                      They placed a crown of thorns;
                      They laughed and said, "Behold the King."
                   They struck Him and they cursed Him
                      And mocked His holy name.
                      All alone He suffered everything.
                   He could have called ten thousand angels
                      To destroy the world
                      And set Him free.
                   He could have called ten thousand angels
                      But He died alone
                      For you and me.

He died alone for you and me...will we not heed and obey His message of
repentance and remission of sins first proclaimed in Jerusalem? - cf.
Lk 24:46-47; Ac 2:36-38

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

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