5/27/15

"DISCIPLINES FOR THE DISCIPLE" Introduction To Spiritual Discipline




                     "DISCIPLINES FOR THE DISCIPLE"

                  Introduction To Spiritual Discipline

INTRODUCTION

1. In 1Ti 4:7, we find Paul exhorting Timothy to...
   a. "exercise yourself toward godliness" (NKJV)
   b. What does this mean?

2. Compare other translations...
   a. "train yourself for godliness" (ESV, NET)
   b. "train yourself to be godly" (NIV, NLT)
   c. "discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness" (NASB)

3. Consider what some commentators have written...
   a. "cultivate piety, and seek to become more holy" - Barnes
   b. "Timothy is told that as an athlete trains his body, so the
      Christian must train his soul." - Barclay
   c. "Such exercise involves reading and studying the Bible, prayer,
      meditation..." - BBC

4. The value of such spiritual exercise is seen in 1Ti 4:8...
   a. "godliness is profitable for all things"
   b. "having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come"

[The disciple, therefore, is to engage in various "exercises" or
"disciplines" that cultivate godliness or piety.  In this series, we
shall take a look at such "Disciplines For The Disciple."  But in this
lesson, some introductory thoughts regarding...]

I. THE CONCEPT OF SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE

   A. DEFINITION OF SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE...
      1. In general terms, discipline means:
         a. "any training intended to develop moral character, or
            produce a pattern of behavior."
            -  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discipline
         b. "training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental
            faculties or moral character - Merriam-Webster
      2. Regarding spiritual disciplines in particular:
         a. "A spiritual discipline is, when practiced faithfully and
            regularly, a habit or regular pattern in your life that
            repeatedly brings you back to God and opens you up to what
            God is saying to you."
            - http://www.spirithome.com/spirdisc.html
         b. "Spiritual disciplines can be described as behaviors that
            facilitate spiritual growth."
            - http://www.wcg.org/lit/spiritual/group/discip1.htm
      -- Spiritual disciplines, then, are spiritual exercises that one
         engages in habitually which bring one closer to God and thus
         become more godly in character and behavior

   B. EXAMPLES OF SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES...
      1. Prayer - in which one spends time talking to God - e.g., 
                  Dan 6:10; Col 4:2
      2. Meditation - in which one contemplates on God's Word, or other
         things worthy of such attention - cf. Ps 1:1-2; Php 4:8
      3. Fasting - usually accompanied with prayer, in which one
         abstains from food - e.g., Neh 1:4; Ac 13:2-3; 14:23
      4. Singing - through which one can praise God and be edified
         - e.g., Ps 71:23; Ac 16:25
      5. Giving - by which we can please God and be blessed - cf. 
                  He 13:16; Ac 20:35
      6. Assembling - where we can exhort one another - cf. Ps 122:1;
         He 10:24-25
      7. Hospitality - showing kindness to strangers, which often
         results in a blessing - cf. He 13:2
      8. Teaching - which usually benefits the teacher more than the
         student - cf. He 5:12-14
      -- Such spiritual activities help to discipline or train one to be
         more godly

[We shall examine these more carefully in future lessons.  But to
appreciate the importance of spiritual disciplines for those who call
themselves disciples of Christ, let's review...]

II. THE CONCEPT OF DISCIPLESHIP

   A. THE WORD "DISCIPLE"...
      1. Literally means a learner
      2. It denotes "one who follows another's teaching" - Vine
      3. A disciple was not only a learner, he was also an adherent
      -- For such reasons, disciples were spoken of as imitators of
         their teachers

   B. THE GOAL IN BEING A DISCIPLE...
      1. Stated by Jesus himself:  to be like the teacher - Lk 6:40
      2. To be Christ's disciple, then, is to strive to be like Him!
      3. This coincides with God's goal in the redemption of mankind,
         that they be conformed to the image of His Son - Ro 8:29
      -- Since Jesus is the Son of God, the goal of a disciple is to be
         more godly

CONCLUSION

1. Are you a disciple of Christ...?
   a. Jesus wants you to become His disciple - Mt 28:19-20
   b. Jesus wants you to become like Him - Lk 6:40

2. With the aid of spiritual disciplines, we are more likely to become
   what Jesus wanted...
   a. For Jesus Himself often taught His disciples to engage in such
      activities
   b. Through both precept and example, Jesus taught His disciples
      regarding such activities

If you are a disciple of Jesus Christ, then I trust that this series,
"Disciplines For The Disciple" will be of special to interest to you.
Remember what Paul wrote to Timothy...

   "But reject profane and old wives' fables, and exercise yourself
   toward godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but
   godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the
   life that now is and of that which is to come. This is a faithful
   saying and worthy of all acceptance."
                                                       - 1Ti 4:7-9

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

eXTReMe Tracker 

What Good Things Can You Say About Islam? by Dave Miller, Ph.D.



http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=8&article=5143

What Good Things Can You Say About Islam?

by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

Q:

“There are 1.3 billion Muslims in the world. Islam can’t be all bad. What good things can you say about Islam?”

A:

Truth is not determined by the number of people that accept or reject it. Nor is any religion, ideology, or philosophy totally evil, false, or bad. No doubt Satan himself has some attributes that some may consider “good.” But this observation misses the point. If a religion is false, it must be rejected—even if it possesses some positive qualities. If the central thrust of an ideology is out of harmony with what both the Bible and the American Founders called “true religion” (i.e., Christianity), then ultimately it will be harmful and counterproductive to American civilization. Philosophies and religions impact life and society. If America loses its Christian moorings, dire consequences will follow—consequences that we are even now seeing in the form of increased crime, the breakdown of the home, and the dumbing down of our educational institutions. Christian principles are responsible for elevating America to the envy of the nations of the world. Remove or replace the Christian platform on which the Republic is poised and disastrous results will follow.
Is there some good in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam? Certainly. But that is a superfluous observation. The real question is: what has been the impact of those ideologies on the countries where their influence has prevailed? Answer: Poverty is rampant (except where the Western Christian nations have given assistance and technology—such as drilling oil wells), women are abused and mistreated, children are treated as chattel, the lower classes are treated with contempt, etc. Simply look at one of the premiere atheistic nations of the last century—Russia. Look at the most prominent Hindu nation on Earth—India. Consider the Buddhist countries of the world, from Thailand to Cambodia to Vietnam. Examine the premiere Socialist nations from Cuba to Central and South America. Look at the major Islamic nations of the world, from the Middle East to North Africa to Indonesia. Even a cursory examination of the societal conditions that prevail in all these nations causes the traditional American to shrink with horror and disgust, shocked at the extent of man’s inhumanity to man.
In stark contrast, what has been the result of Christianity’s influence on America? Christian influence has been responsible for the abolition of slavery, and the construction of hospitals, children homes, and the benevolent societies of our nation. Christian influence has created an environment that is conducive to human progress. Hence, America excels other nations in a host of categories of human endeavor. Indeed, where else in all of human history has a greater percentage of a nation’s citizenry achieved a higher standard of living? (Most “poor” in America do not even begin to compare with the poor of other nations and history.) America has orchestrated an unprecedented amount of progress—achieving what one author styled a “5,000 year leap” of technological advancement and progress in just 200 years (Skousen, 2006). Only one explanation exists for this extreme disparity: God has blessed America (Psalm 33:12).
Please give sober consideration to the words of Founding  Father, Jedidiah Morse (father of Samuel Morse who invented the Morse Code), who cogently articulated the thinking of the Founders and most early Americans regarding the importance of Christianity to America’s survival:
To the kindly influence of Christianity we owe that degree of civil freedom, and political and social happiness which mankind now enjoy. In proportion as the genuine effects of Christianity are diminished in any nation, either through unbelief, or the corruption of its doctrines, or the neglect of its institutions; in the same proportion will the people of that nation recede from the blessings of genuine freedom, and approximate the miseries of complete despotism (1799, p. 14, emp. added).
Whatever “good” might be acknowledged concerning Islam and all other non-Christian religions is, in fact, irrelevant and diverts attention away from the real issue: Is it true, i.e., of divine origin, and if not, what fruit will it produce in a nation? Abundant evidence exists to know the answers to these questions. [NOTE: See the author’s book The Quran Unveiled and DVD on “Islam, the Quran, and New Testament Christianity” at apologeticspress.org].

REFERENCES

Morse, Jedidiah (1799), A Sermon, Exhibiting the Present Dangers and Consequent Duties of the Citizens of the United States of America (Hartford, CT: Hudson and Goodwin),http://www.archive.org/details/sermonexhibiting00morsrich.
Skousen, W.C. (2006), The 5000 Year Leap (Malta, ID: National Center for Constitutional Studies).

Does a Personal Response by Paul Disprove Inspiration? by Wayne Jackson, M.A.



http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=13&article=217

Does a Personal Response by Paul Disprove Inspiration?

by Wayne Jackson, M.A.

Q.

Some have suggested that the Bible contains a lot of trivial information—e.g., Paul’s request that Timothy bring his “cloak” to Rome (2 Timothy 4:13). They say this sort of material argues against the idea of verbal inspiration. Could you comment on this?

A.

What appears to be superficial initially, upon deeper reflection, may contain a rich depository of truth. Consider the following possibilities.
(1) Why did Paul leave his cloak in Troas? Was he forced to flee, and thus had no time to obtain it? Is this another hint of the apostle’s ongoing persecution in his declining years? Perhaps.
(2) This is another commentary on the sacrificial poverty of him who was willing to spend and be spent for the cause of Christ (2 Corinthians 12:15). Think of it—winter approaching (vs. 21), and yet the apostle’s one coat is a thousand miles away! Paul was no stranger to “cold and nakedness” (2 Corinthians 11:27).
(3) Where are the saints in Rome during the time of Paul’s physical need? Where are the enthusiastic Christians who had rushed out of the city years earlier to meet the tireless preacher as he approached the city (Acts 28:15)? Had many of them been scattered by persecution? Had some turned against the apostle (see Philippians 1:15-17)? At Paul’s first defense, no one took his part; all forsook him (vs. 16). And even as this second letter to Timothy was composed, only Luke remained with him (vs.11). People can change; love can wax cold (Matthew 24:12).
(4) The passage is revealing of the fortitude and independence of the magnificent Paul. No word of complaining or whimpering comes from his courageous lips. No brow-beating of neglectful brethren, and no pitiful solicitation from others, is here in evidence. What a man!
Let it never be said that this, or any other passage of Scripture, is meaningless or trite. Such superficial criticisms come only from those who neglect the responsibility of serious investigation. There is not an insignificant sentence in the Sacred Volume.


Biologist Uses His Free Will to Reject Free Will by Kyle Butt, M.A.


http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12&article=2855

Biologist Uses His Free Will to Reject Free Will

by Kyle Butt, M.A.

Anthony Cashmore, biologist at the University of Pennsylvania, recently wrote an article alleging that human free will does not exist. He wrote: “It is my belief that, as more attention is given to the mechanisms that govern human behavior, it will increasingly be seen that the concept of free will is an illusion” (2010). According to Cashmore, you are reading this article because your genes and your environment have forced you to sit in front of your computer. You are not responsible for your decision to read this article, and, based on your alleged evolutionary history and your environment, you could not choose to be doing anything different than what you are doing now. You are literally a slave to your genes and your environment. As Cashmore wrote: “[A]n individual cannot be held responsible for either his genes or his environment. From this simple analysis, surely it follows that individuals cannot logically be held responsible for their behavior” (2010).
A response to such a bizarre claim is certainly warranted. First, it should be noted that the concept of human evolution is patently false (see Harrub and Thompson, 2003). Any attempt to discard free will based on evolutionary scenarios is doomed to failure. Second, it must be stressed that many in the greater scientific community, who hold an evolutionary bias, admit that human consciousness defies naturalistic explanations (Harrub and Thompson, 2003, pp. 247-428). Third, humans possess inherent qualities unlike anything seen in the animal kingdom. This truth testifies to the fact that humans have been stamped in the image of their divine Creator (Lyons and Thompson, 2002a and Lyons and Thompson 2002b). These are just a few of the concepts that militate against Cashmore’s thesis.
The most damaging line of evidence against Cashmore’s proposition is the way in which he attempts to convince his readers of its truth. His five-and-a-half page article argues that our society should disregard the outdated concept that humans are responsible for their behavior. But if Cashmore is right, then there is no way we can disregard the concept, due to the simple fact that we did not choose it in the first place. If humans are not responsible for their beliefs or behaviors, then the generally held concept of free will, that Cashmore is trying to demolish, is nothing more than an evolutionary, environmental by-product. According to Cashmore’s line of thinking, if we believe in free will at the present, and act on that belief, we are not responsible for it. If he is right, why in the world would he attempt to urge the scientific community to change its mind about free will, if the community does not have the power to change its mind? Why spend time and effort arguing against free will, if your audience does not have the freedom to choose to accept or reject your reasoning anyway? The fatal flaw of the “no free will” argument is that it demands that the person making the argument has the free will to do so, and it tacitly assumes the parties evaluating the argument have the power to accept or reject it.
If Cashmore is right, his genes and environment forced him to write the article. All those who read it were equally compelled to do so, and their conclusions about his writing are preprogrammed responses that cannot be otherwise. So, if anyone disagrees with Cashmore’s thesis, using his line of thinking, that person cannot be said to be right or wrong. The most that can be said is that such a person’s genes and environment led him to a different conclusion than Cashmore’s. Yet the fact that Cashmore is writing a “persuasive” piece of literature belies the reality that his thesis cannot be correct.
It is ironic that Cashmore, in his concluding acknowledgements, thanked his colleagues and those who reviewed his manuscript. Yet if he is right, they were not responsible for their behavior, and they had no choice but to help him. Why thank biological organisms that are just stumbling around their environment without a choice in the matter? That would be like an architect thanking the bricks that made a home possible, or a pilot thanking the air for providing lift for his plane. In reality, Cashmore freely chose to write his article, just as I freely chose to respond to it. You freely chose to read this response, and you can and will freely choose how you respond to it. And it is upon the basis of free will that our divine Creator urges us, as free moral agents, to choose to serve Him and live moral lives (Joshua 24:15).

REFERENCES

Cashmore, Anthony (2010), “The Lucretian Swerve: The Biological Basis of Human Behavior and the Criminal Justice System,” PNAS, [On-line], URL: http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2010/02/04/0915161107.full.pdf+html.
Harrub, Brad and Bert Thompson (2003), The Truth about Human Origins (Montgomery, AL: Apologetics Press).
Lyons, Eric and Bert Thompson (2002a), “In the ‘Image and Likeness of God,’” Part 1, Reason and Revelation, [On-line], URL: http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/123.
Lyons, Eric and Bert Thompson (2002b), “In the ‘Image and Likeness of God,’” Part 2, Reason and Revelation, [On-line], URL: http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/125.


A Trip Out West—To See the “Dinosaurs” by Eric Lyons, M.Min. Kyle Butt, M.A.



http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=9&article=1494

A Trip Out West—To See the “Dinosaurs”

by Eric Lyons, M.Min.
Kyle Butt, M.A.

Every now and then, an opportunity arises to take a once-in-a-lifetime trip. This was one of those opportunities. After co-authoring our dinosaur book for kids, Dinosaurs Unleashed, we wanted to delve even deeper into several of the intriguing facts regarding dinosaurs. Initially, the Dinosaur National Monument bone quarry was to be our only destination. But after several hours of research, we learned that all sorts of remarkable dinosaur fossils and ancient Indian artifacts were within a few hundred miles of the quarry. Following a turbulent flight from Denver, and after having driven 1,100 miles in two days in a rented SUV, we returned home loaded with information, and even more determined to disprove the false, evolutionary idea that dinosaurs and humans never lived together. Join us as we offer up a brief summary of our journey.

DINOSAUR NATIONAL MONUMENT

We arrived in Hayden, Colorado, on Thursday, May 20, 2004, at about 12:30 p.m. Our rented vehicle was ready, and we quickly loaded our things. From Hayden, we drove 124 miles west, just across the Utah border, to the Dinosaur National Monument fossil quarry. This particular quarry is one of the largest fossil repositories in the world, where over 1,600 fossilized dinosaur bones are buried (“Dinosaur National Monument,” 2004).
Built around the major rock face that contains the fossils is a museum, which offers some interesting information about the early discovery of the monument in 1909. It also propagates the standard evolutionary refrain that the dinosaurs lived millions of years ago (as is the case with almost every federally funded dinosaur exhibit we saw).
Museum built around fossils
Fossils in rock face in museum
One intriguing thing about the monument is the explanation that is given regarding the cause of this huge fossil graveyard. The wall opposite the rock face contains a large painted mural. This mural shows various dinosaurs wading through deep water. Under the mural, a placard reads: “After a seasonal flood: This scene of 145 million years ago is based on clues found in the rock face behind you. Carcasses brought downstream by the fast-moving, muddy water were washed onto a sandbar. Some were buried completely by tons of sand—their bones preserved in a nearly perfect state” (emp. added).
Interesting, is it not, that such a huge fossil graveyard is said to have occurred because of a “seasonal flood”? Further research has shown that many fossil finds are explained using a seasonal, regional, or flash-flood scenario. In November 1999, University of Chicago paleontologist Paul Sereno uncovered a 65-foot-long dinosaur called Jabaria. This skeleton was almost 95% complete. And what was the explanation for its burial? “It looks as though the dinosaurs may have been caught in an ancient flash flood and buried quickly” (“Dinosaur Articles,” 1999, emp. added). Robert Sanders, in an article copyrighted by the Regents of the University of California, described a huge pterosaur graveyard by noting: “The fossil bones were found strewn throughout an ancient flood deposit in Chile’s Atacama desert,
Seasonal flood painting
On the wall opposite the fossils, a large painting shows a picture of what scientists think caused the fossils to form. Notice that the writing displayed under the picture suggests that the fossils formed during a flood. We have circled the words in the paragraph that explain. While the comments on the millions of years is incorrect, the idea that a flood caused the fossils fits perfectly with the biblical idea of Noah's Flood.Text explaining picture above with key words circled
suggesting that they were animals or corpses caught up in a flood perhaps 110 million years ago at the beginning of the Cretaceous period” (“Pterosaur Insights,” 1995, emp. added).
On the BBC Website, there is an article discussing the series, “Walking With Dinosaurs,” which explains that much of the information for the first episode of “Walking With Dinosaurs” came from a fossil find called the Ghost Ranch, located near Abaquiu, New Mexico. The text describes this site as one of the richest fossil finds in the world. How does the article explain the fact that so many dinosaurs were buried suddenly? “Palaeontologists believe that the collection of fossils was the result of a mass death around a dwindling water resource during a drought. Before the bodies of the animals were eaten by scavengers, a flash flood buried them in muddy sediments where they were preserved” (“Dig Deeper,” n.d., emp. added).
How interesting to learn that evolutionists explain many of the largest dinosaur graveyards in the world as having been caused by a flood, though they are quick to include words such as seasonal, flash, regional, and the like. Yet, after looking at several such explanations, it quickly becomes apparent that if so many of these graveyards were caused by a huge flood, then the global Flood of Noah’s day provides an excellent explanation for many of the dinosaur graveyards we find today.
After reading the multiple placards, taking numerous pictures, and asking various questions, we loaded up and began our five-hour drive to Blanding, Utah, where we hoped to get up at sunrise the next day and see one of the clearest dinosaur petroglyphs in the world.

NATURAL BRIDGES NATIONAL MONUMENT

On the underside of the third largest natural bridge in the world (Kachina Bridge), several petroglyphs and pictographs exist, which rock-art experts believe to be anywhere from 500 to 1,500 years old. The carvings are thought to be the work of the Anasazi Indians who once lived in that area of southeastern Utah. A mountain goat, a human figurine, multiple handprints, and many other carvings and drawings are seen quite easily underneath the bridge on both sides of the span. The most fascinating piece of rock art at Kachina Bridge, however, is the petroglyph of a dinosaur found to the right of the span about ten feet up from the ground. This figure, which is carved into the rock, has a long, thick tail, a long neck, a wide midsection, and a small head. Any unbiased visitor to Kachina Bridge would have to admit that this particular petroglyph looks like a dinosaur—specifically an Apatosaurus (more popularly known asBrontosaurus).
After examining this petroglyph firsthand and taking many pictures of it, as well as of the surrounding rock art, we proceeded to the Natural Bridges National Monument visitor’s center where we spoke with one of the staff members at the front desk. Upon informing her that we had just hiked down to the base of Kachina Bridge, she immediately asked if we saw the petroglyph that resembles a dinosaur. We acknowledged that we had, and then asked her how “they” explain such an anomaly? (If, according to evolutionary scientists, humans never lived with dinosaurs, how did the Anasazis, who inhabited southeastern Utah from A.D. 500 to 1450, carve such an accurate picture of an Apatosaurusonto the side of a rock wall?) Her response: “They don’t really want to explain it.” After politely pressing the woman for more information, she indicated that the dinosaur petroglyph was carved too early to be a horse, because the Anasazis did not have horses. She also commented that some people actually think it really is a picture of a dinosaur, but “they are crazy.” She further explained that there are petroglyphs that resemble mammoths around this area. So the petroglyph at Kachina Bridge may be just “some monster” that the Anasazis carved onto rock.
The only other animal that the staff member at Natural Bridges National Monument seemed to think that the petroglyph in question could have been was a horse. But, according to her own testimony, the Anasazi Indians were a horseless people.
Kachina Natural Bridge
Seen here from several hundred feet away, the Kachina Natural Bridge is the third largest in the world.
(Spanish settlers did not introduce the horse to America until the late sixteenth century.) Thus, she concluded it is some kind of monster. This “monster,” however, looks exactly like the scientific reconstruction of the large sauropod dinosaur known as Apatosaurus. It is no wonder that this woman earlier admitted that scientists “don’t really want to explain” this petroglyph. They do not want to deal with it, because they cannot logically find a way to explain it away.
Interestingly, no one with whom we spoke about the petroglyph, nor any reputable writer whose works that we have consulted on the matter, has challenged the authenticity of the petroglyph. In fact, two well-known rock-art experts have written about this particular petroglyph, and neither has suggested that it is a modern-day forgery. Francis Barnes, an evolutionist and widely recognized authority on rock art of the American Southwest, observed in 1979: “There is a petroglyph in Natural Bridges National Monument that bears a startling resemblance to a dinosaur, specifically a Brontosaurus, with long tail and neck, small head and all.” Barnes also pointed out that other animals, such as impalas, ostriches, and mammoths, are seen on rock-art panels in the southwest that either have been long extinct in the western hemisphere or were never here at all. “Such anomalous rock art figures can be explained away,” wrote Barnes, “but they still tend to cast doubt upon the admittedly flimsy relative-time age-dating schemes used by archaeologists” (Barnes and Pendleton, 1979, pp. 201-202). More than twenty years later, evolutionary geologist Dennis Slifer wrote about this petroglyph in his Guide to Rock Art of the Utah Region.
At the base of Kachina Bridge are approximately one hundred elements, both petroglyphs and pictographs, dating from A.D. 700-1250. These include a series of red handprints and a large red butterfly-like figure, spirals, bighorn sheep, snake-like meandering lines, a white pictograph of a chain-like design, and some geometric petroglyphs.... One of the most curious designs is a petroglyph that resembles a dinosaur, which is apparently Anasazi origin based on its patination (2000, p. 105).
Kachina Natural Bridge
To help you see the image, we have enhanced the color of certain portions and circled both the human figure in the upper left-hand section and the dinosaur figure to the right.
Following these comments, Slifer placed a diagram of the petroglyph in question—the diagram looks exactly like a dinosaur (specifically, some kind of large sauropod).
Both Barnes and Slifer know that the dinosaur petroglyph at Natural Bridges National Monument shows every sign of age. One can be sure that, if there were any orthodox way to explain it away, they would have attempted to do so. In fact, earlier in his book, Slifer did not hesitate to state his systematic objections to another particular piece of rock art that some have asserted is a pictograph of an extinct pterosaur (see pp. 59-63). The petroglyph at Kachina Bridge, however, was not, and could not, be explained away in any logical fashion.

THE DINOSAUR MUSEUM

What could further verify that this particular petroglyph depicts an actual dinosaur that was seen by the Anasazi Indians? As we pondered this question, we could think of at least one piece of evidence that would bolster this conclusion. If we could verify that Apatosaurus had ever lived in the area, then that would lend credence to the idea that the Anasazis had seen them. Had apatosaur bones been found anywhere close to the bridge?
The Dinosaur Museum
We did not have to search long for the answer to this question. We traveled the 45 miles back to Blanding, Utah, where we had planned to stop and eat a late breakfast and visit a museum (appropriately titled The Dinosaur Museum). Within a few minutes of the tour, we were directed to two actual fossils (not replicas) of a dinosaur hip. Interestingly, the dinosaur who once owned the bones just happened to be anApatosaurus. The bones had been found over forty years earlier in the Blanding area.
There it was, almost like a puzzle for us to put together—an ancient petroglyph that looked just like an Apatosaurus, with bones from the very same type of animal, found within 50 miles of the carving. Taken together, this type of evidence presents an amazing case for the coexistence of dinosaurs and humans.
Eric Lyons posing with <i>Apatosaurus</i> bones
All in all, the trip out West was a huge success. We were able to do a little “firsthand” research, and we came back with even more evidence for the accuracy of the Genesis account of Creation and the Flood. If in the future, you decide to take a trip to this area of the United States to visit one of the many dinosaur attractions, we suggest that you arm yourselves and your children with the type of information provided in this article (and that we at Apologetics Press attempt to provide on a regular basis). Evolutionists have used dinosaurs long enough to teach their false world view. It is time we take them back, and use them to teach about the awesome power of the One Who created these magnificent creatures.

REFERENCES

Barnes, F.A. and Michaelene Pendleton (1979), Canyon Country Prehistoric Indians: Their Cultures, Ruins, Artifacts and Rock Art (Salt Lake City, NV: Wasatch Publishers).
“Dig Deeper” (no date), [On-line], URL: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dinosaurs/dig_deeper/finds_ 1.shtml#top.
“Dinosaur Articles 1999” (1999), [On-line], URL: http://www.crystalinks.com/dinosaurs3.html.
“Dinosaur National Monument” (2004), [On-line], URL: http:// www.desertusa.com/dino/.
Sanders, Robert (1995), “Pterosaur Insights,” [On-line], URL: http://www.berkeley.edu/news/berkeleyan/1995/0503.pterosaur.html.
Slifer, Dennis (2000), Guide to Rock Art of the Utah Region (Santa Fe, NM: Ancient City Press).

An Atypical American’s Typical Bible Knowledge by Eric Lyons, M.Min.



http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=7&article=1193

An Atypical American’s Typical Bible Knowledge

by Eric Lyons, M.Min.

Charles Barkley is no average Joe. In the 1990s, he was one of the best basketball players in the world. While playing in the National Basketball Association, he scored more than 23,000 points, played in nine All-Star games, was voted the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 1993, and now serves as a television basketball analyst. Even people who know very little about basketball are familiar with Charles Barkley. As atypical as Barkley is as a famous athlete and television personality, sadly, his Bible knowledge is typical of many Americans.
In a recent political discussion with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Barkley condemned “conservative” Christians for making judgments against homosexuals and abortionists. He said:
Every time I hear the word “conservative,” it makes me sick to my stomach because they’re really just fake Christians.... I think they want to be judge and jury. Like, I’m for gay marriage. It’s none of my business if gay people want to get married. I’m pro-choice. And I think these Christians—first of all, they’re supposed to be—they’re not supposed to judge other people, but they’re the most hypocritical judge of people we have in this country.... [T]hey act like they’re Christians, and they’re not forgiving at all (2008).
Barkley has implied that “fake Christians” are those who oppose homosexuality and abortion. Christians who condemn homosexuality and abortion supposedly are hypocritically judging others, and being unforgiving.
Sadly, Barkley’s beliefs and allegations are typical of many, many Americans whose Bible knowledge would hardly fill a thimble. This kind of ignorance, combined with an attempt to teach people about unrighteous judgments, forgiveness, and morality, is a dangerous combination. You get the very opposite of what God’s Word actually teaches.
The same Jesus who said, “Judge not, that you be not judged” (Matthew 7:1), taught men to “judge with righteous judgment” (John 7:24). The same Jesus who taught about the necessity of forgiveness (Matthew 6:12; Luke 17:3-4), denounced fornication, adultery, and murder (Matthew 15:18-20). In the same letter in which the apostle Paul warned Roman Christians of making unrighteous judgments (Romans 14:3-4), he condemned men who “burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful” (Romans 1:27). To the same church that Paul wrote to “forgive and comfort” (2 Corinthians 2:7), he commanded to condemn sexually immoral Christians when the church gathered together (1 Corinthians 5:1-13).
The fact is, Satan has sold lie after lie to Americans. Just like he convinced Israel in Isaiah’s day to “put darkness for light, and light for darkness...bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter,” he has convinced American politicians, the media, and others to “call evil good, and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20).
“Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight” (Isaiah 5:21). Woe to the typical, biblically ignorant American who attempts to pit the virtues of forgiveness and righteous judgments against specific sins that Almighty God condemns. Americans, be warned. Christians, listen carefully. The same prophet who condemned Israel for their depravity, prophesied of their captivity.
“Therefore my people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge” (Isaiah 5:13, emp. added).
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children” (Hosea 4:6).

REFERENCES

Barkley, Charles (2008), “CNN Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer,” CNN, February 17, [On-line], URL:http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0802/17/le.01.html.

From Gary... Repent!


Lets be honest, here: no one really like to change.  And change is NOT EASY.  A few weeks ago, I started to go to the gym and at 66 years of age, I can tell you it is tough. However tough it is- it must be done. If not, I will die earlier than I should and that would be unfortunate.  I can only imagine a future where I am disabled by a heart attack or stroke and thinking- I wish I had listened to that little voice in my head, telling me to get up and do something about my situation- NOW!!!  

And then there is sin- what do we do about SIN? And what are the consequences of sin? The answer is twofold- the here and now AND the hereafter and FOREVER!!!  Because even the best of us sin, we all need to address the concept. Consider David, a man after God's own heart and the matter of Bathsheba...  

2 Samuel, Chapter 12 (WEB)

 1 Yahweh sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, “There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. 2 The rich man had very many flocks and herds,  3 but the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and raised. It grew up together with him, and with his children. It ate of his own food, drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was to him like a daughter.  4 A traveler came to the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man who had come to him, but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man who had come to him.” 

  5  David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As Yahweh lives, the man who has done this is worthy to die! 6 He shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity!” 

  7  Nathan said to David, “You are the man. This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul.  8 I gave you your master’s house, and your master’s wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that would have been too little, I would have added to you many more such things.  9 Why have you despised Yahweh’s word, to do that which is evil in his sight? You have struck Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.  10 Now therefore the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 

  11  “This is what Yahweh says: ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes, and give them to your neighbor, and he will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.  12 For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.’” 

  13  David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against Yahweh.” 

Nathan said to David, “Yahweh also has put away your sin. You will not die.  14 However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to Yahweh’s enemies to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.”  15 Nathan departed to his house. 

Yahweh struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it was very sick.  16 David therefore begged God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night on the earth.  17 The elders of his house arose beside him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.  18 On the seventh day, the child died. The servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead; for they said, “Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he didn’t listen to our voice. How will he then harm himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?” 

  19  But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; and David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” 

They said, “He is dead.” 

  20  Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his clothing; and he came into Yahweh’s house, and worshiped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he ate.  21 Then his servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child was dead, you rose up and ate bread.” 

  22  He said, “While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows whether Yahweh will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?’  23 But now he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.” 


When confronted with his sin, David acknowledged it and begged God for the life of Bathsheba's child. When God did not grant David's request and the child died, David moved on.  

The point of all this is when we are confronted with sin, we need to do everything we can to change- if we don't- we will regret it. And the consequences, well, the consequences of sin are terrifying.  Hell is not a word that should be used lightly.  Change, please God in everything you do, in order to avoid Hell at all costs. And do it NOW!!!!