In the Uplook magazine there was an article telling of the size of the universe. I’m just quoting a few facts here:
It would take 1,300,000 earths to make one sun. The milky way contains
300,000,000 suns. Some stars could hold 500,000,000 suns the size of ours.
It is estimated that there are some 100 billion galaxies with an average of
100 billion stars in each galaxy. Einstein believed that we have scanned
with our largest scopes only a billionth of “theoretical space”
(whatever that means). End of quote.
John 1:3 tells us that Jesus Christ, the Son of God created this vast universe. How is it then possible that the angels could say of Him: “Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger”? The creator of heaven and earth “of all things visible and invisible” is here a helpless infant. This is far beyond our understanding. We can only quote I Timothy 3:16 “great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh”.
I want to share a story of Samuel Munadawafa as told to me by Evangelist Davais Mburuma while in Zimbabwe. Samuel once celebrated the death of his ancestors but now celebrates the Birth of the Son. He is a man of 46 years and a father of four children. We used to visit his house sometime back because his family was coming to our church and I used to preach or share the word of God to him but he never responded. The Lord was gracious when his father passed away and he heard the gospel preached again. When Samuel came back from the funeral he thought of death and told his wife that he wished to become a Christian. We went to his house, made the gospel very clear and burned all his fetishes.
It is not so difficult to believe that this uneducated pagan thinks his ancestors, elders, and witch doctors all know far more than he does. After all, they do. He naturally believes them. Also, it satisfies his natural bent toward the worship of someone supernatural.
It is far more difficult to excuse the highly educated college professor when he looks at the heavens and contrary to everything he knows or observes insists there is no creator. If you had a map of the universe 1,000 miles square you would not be able to find the earth on this map. But on this speck of a planet there is a far smaller insect who knows there is no God. In fact, he is firmly convinced that in all this vast universe there is no higher intelligence than his
“Not many wise, not many noble”.

All of us have met the promoter of some cult and found the frustrating thing is that, although they claim to base their doctrine on Scripture in reality they don’t Scripture must always be twisted to fit their doctrine. Their doctrine is never adjusted to fit the Scripture, regardless of how plain and simple it not only seems to me but actually is. The underlying problem is that their particular doctrine is more important than Scripture. The result is that their doctrines have closed their minds to the plain teachings of Scripture.
It is very easy to see this failing in others; not so easy to see it in myself. I saw an interesting illustration of this in Uganda. Although many people were saved through our Bible studies, not one single seminary trained priest was. There were some fine born again priests that we knew, but they had become priests because they truly wished to serve God. This was in the Anglican church. I suppose their church doctrines had closed their minds to the simple gospel.
Show a catholic that in I Timothy 2:5 Paul writes that there is one mediator between God and man and he will insist that the priest is also a mediator. Let a Calvinist and a non Calvinist get into an argument and each will have his favorite versus which will always trump the Scriptures. Someone I know recently heard his Sunday School teacher say that God enjoys sending people to hell. In Ezekiel 33:11 God says: “As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his evil way and live”. It will be another case of a man sticking to his guns. The Word of God will have to be reinterpreted to fit his belief.
There is a real problem that Paul is addressing in the church of Corinth. They were not unconcerned liberals. They were sincere and concerned people. But it causes division as each sees spiritual truth from his perspective. This not only closes the mind to another but even more importantly, it closes my mind to the Scriptures themselves. There is some good practical advice in Philippians 2:3 “let each esteem other better than themselves” and in I Corinthians 14:30: “If anything be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace”. The deeper reason is that I may not hear the voice of God. Revelation 2:17: To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna”.
And still the cry goes on “I am of Appolos”. Whatever ism is mine will keep from the deeper things of God.
YOUR
GRANDPA

In all of secular history, whether of Rome, Greece or whatever, we hear only of the kings and counselors of the earth. The little man is lost and nameless. Only in the Bible do we read of shepherds, nomads, housewives and their names and doings.
When the God of heaven and earth came to our planet, shepherds were told about it, while the king was bypassed. In Matthew 13 and 24 and elsewhere Jesus foretold events which would transpire through future millenium to a group of peasants.
Four thousand years ago mighty Pharaoh ruled the world. In a mud walled shack lay a dying man, talking to his twelve sons. They smelled of the stable and the field. They were shepherds and cattlemen. Shepherds were an abomination to the Egyptians. It was also an abomination for the Egyptians to eat with these men. They were the untouchables.
As Jacob blesses his sons, he tells them that God has decreed that out of this family one would come who would rule the world in a reign which would never cease. The mighty of the earth paid not the slightest attention to whatever was being said in this hut. They in turn were completely ignored by God as He laid out His plan for the future.
Let me give an example from Egypt. In February of 1987,my wife Lillian and I were at a graduation ceremony at the Lillian Thrasher Orphanage in Asyut, Egypt, about 300 miles south of Cairo. This ceremony followed a training session for people involved in one of our Bible Studies; held in a church on the orphanage grounds.
In 1910 Lillian Thrasher read in Acts 7:34: “I have certainly seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt; I have heard their groaning and have come to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt”. Feeling that God was speaking to her, she went to Egypt as a missionary. Shortly after arriving she visited the dying mother of a tiny baby girl. She took the baby to her home. This was the beginning of her work with orphans. Today there is a well run orphanage on twelve acres of land, with about 600 orphans. Many of those who had been orphans, and brought up in this home are now influential in church or state.
A few days later we saw the pyramids at a place called Sakhara. These pyramids were crumpling, which surprised me. I had not known that any of the pyramids were being destroyed by time. There were two things which greatly impressed me while in Egypt. First, while at the orphanage in Asyut I saw the phrase: “Only one life, ‘twill soon be passed; only what’s done for Christ will last”. I thought of the fact that in 1910 Lillian Thrasher obeyed God’s call to go to Egypt. To some it must have seemed that she was throwing her life away. But her life has been a blessing to many. Most of these orphans came from a nominal Christian background. Over 3,000 had been won to Christ by the time we were there and many more since then, even after Lillian Thrasher’s death. Though not a wealthy woman, thousands have been fed and clothed by her, and because of her many will live forever.
Four thousand years ago, one of the Pharaohs lavished the wealth and knowledge of an empire on himself. He lived in luxury. For his death he built a pyramid that was to last forever. He built a tomb under this pyramid which was 90 feet below ground level and filled it with gold and precious things to supply him in the after life. As long as his body was undisturbed he would live comfortably in the realm of the dead. Therefore it must last forever. But long ago thieves ransacked the tomb, stole everything in it and tossed the body of Pharaoh out into the desert. The thieves destroyed his body and time destroyed his pyramid.
From Lillian Thrasher, though a poor woman, flowed material help to many and eternal help to thousands. Ancient Pharaoh, although the wealthiest on earth, drew the wealth of the rich and the meager resources of the poor to himself. Everything he has done has been destroyed by the hand of time.
“For whosoever will save his life will lose it, but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it”.

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Many nations, both past and present have their laws, written and unwritten.
The laws of these peoples are in many places somewhat like the ten commandments and
of some of the things we would read in the Old Testament, although they would be imperfect. We see this in Romans 2:14 and 15: “For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which show the work of the law written on their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness—“. As God is good He would give to all men a conscience which would be basically good.
An example of imperfect laws would be that most cultures put property ahead of people. Because the Bible taught that man was made in the image of God, a man could not be touched for stealing an animal. He must make it right but only with money or goods. Man was of more value than money, animals or property. Psalm 19 tells us that the law of God is perfect, unlike the laws of men.
The western world was based entirely and only on the Judeo-Christian ethic, which in turn was based on the Bible. In fact, in the dictionary of 1812 by Webster the Bible is often used as a reference point or proof for a word or phrase. It is obvious that even the non-Christians believed the Bible to be absolutely true. The young were brought up accordingly. Their entire upbringing was based on the Judeo-Christian ethic.
My point is that all young people were taught the difference between right and wrong; but we today would not accept the laws of ancient Rome or Greece or the modern laws of Japan or of the pantheists. All that the western world has knowledge of is the laws we have, based on Biblical do’s and don’ts. Therefore when the ten commandments were put out of our schools we left an entire generation growing up with no moral instruction. That was just the beginning. Now more and more any reference to Christianity is being erased.
The entire doctrine of salvation is also a subject of which only the Bible has the answer. All other religions teach that if one does his best, hopefully all will end up alright. This is true of even most Christian religions. The Bible is very clear on this: “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight”=Romans 3:20.
Galatians chapter 4:1-10 spells out clearly the difference between law keeping and salvation. “Even so we (the Jewish law keepers) were under bondage”=verse 3.
Verse 8 is to the Gentiles; “ye (the Gentiles) did service unto them which by nature are
no gods”. But both must come under the blood of the cross.

The Pharisees tried to trick Jesus with a question they felt He could not answer. The question was regarding paying tribute to Caesar. If He said they should pay it would insure the wrath of the common people who hated Caesar. If He said they should not, He would be in rebellion against the Romans and be in trouble.
Jesus simply asked to see a coin. They showed Him one . Seeing the coin He asked whose image was in the coin. They acknowledged that it was the image of Caesar. Jesus therefore told them to give to Caesar that which was
Caesars=Matthew 22:21.
There is a strong point made here by the Lord Jesus Himself. The image bearer belongs to the one whose image he bears. In the case of the child God leaves us in no doubt. In the very first book of the Bible we read that Adam had a son in his own image. Every son born since that time is made in the image of his father. Perhaps it would be correct to say that the daughter is more in the image of the mother. Increasingly the state believes that the children belong to them. God would say, “not so”. The child belongs to the one in whose image he is made. It is not the state.

Periods of Time

1. First World War 1914-1918
Ended “Divine Right of Kings”
Age of Man Began = Nietsyke
“God is Dead”

2. First Modern Despotic Regime’s
Lenin Into Russia 1917
Mussolini 1920
Hitler 1933

3. Second World War 1938-1945
End of Warring Nations of Western Europe
Russia Emerges As World Power

4. The Cold War 1945-1990
Israel Becomes a Nation 1948 Matt. 24:32-35
Arab Oil A Dominant Factor: Rise of Islam
America:
Russia’s Antagonist
Defender of Israel
Rebuilds Europe
Rise of Nations in Africa and Asia
Nation Against Nation
Kingdom against Kingdom

5. Fall Of Communism in Russia 1990
Russia Humiliated
Rise of Islamic Terror
Russia Joins With Islam:
To Be Again Equal With U.S
Protection From Moslem Terror
Rise of the EU

6. Bush Invades Iraq 2003
Islamic World Loses Fear of America

7. America Leaves Iraq
Russia and Islam Sees Israel As Defenseless
Stage Set For Ezekiel 38 and 39

It is true that discipline imposed from the outside eventually defeats when it is not matched by desire from within. This may be true of the young person under his father’s authoritarian ways who kicks over the traces when he leaves home. It is not true of the man in middle years who decides to be more disciplined. It is then a matter of the heart.
Psalm 119:9 reads “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way; by taking heed thereto according to thy Word.” John 14:26 Jesus promised to bring all things to our “remembrance.”
On Bible Study
John 6:63 reads “Thy Words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life. Also in Matthew 4:4 the Lord Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 8:3: “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Joshua 1:8: “This law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate thereon day and night”. God said “mouth”. We think with words; not with vague thoughts.
C S Lewis has Screwtape saying “The English will always run to the side of the boat that is already gunwale under.” They just call it “legalism”: and do as they please. “let me find my own way to God.” Jesus said: “No man cometh to the Father but
by Me”. Back to the thought on Scriptural study: It’s like Hebrew 10:18 “where remission of these is, there is no more offering of sin:” And so the rest of the chapter. The writer says “I have demonstrated that there is no salvation in angels, Moses, Aaron, sacrifice, or keeping the old law: If you do not trust Christ for salvation I have nothing else to offer.” And so the other Scriptures, also.
Let me just take some of the basic philosophies rampant today:
First, “Our hearts are good.”
But the Bible says:
Jeremiah 17:9 “Deceitful and desperately wicked.”
Mark 7:21-23 – thirteen abominations in the heart.
Second, “listen to our hearts.” But the Bible says:
Proverbs 28:26 – “He that trusteth in his heart is a fool.”
Third, “Listen to your hearts.”
But the Bible says:
Jeremiah 23:16 – The prophets that ‘speak a vision out of their own heart and not out of the mouth of the LORD.’
Job, in Chapter 42:5, 6 finally saw things rightly.
Joy is the result of obedience to the laws of God.
Holiness brings joy. Nothing else does. In Proverbs 29:6 we read “the righteous doth sing and rejoice.”