90 Minutes in Heaven

This is an excellent book written by Dan Piper. I read the book awhile back but had forgotten about it until tonight when I got an email from a friend who had recently ‘read’ it. Well, actually she listened to it as an audio book since she is now having vision problems. You know how it is when you get ‘old’.

Anyway, her book review is so succinct, that I decided to just cut and paste it so you could get her take on it.

So, here is what my friend said about this book:

“I recently "read" a book you might enjoy. I get them on tape, so miss all the pictures. Anyway, the name of it was 90 Minutes in Heaven by a Texas Baptist minister who's name, I believe, is Dan Piper. When he wrote this he was minister at a Pasadena, TX, church that had 10,000 members.

“He'd gone to a Baptist conference and on the way home was crossing a bridge when an 18 wheeler ran over his car. The medical people said he was dead, covered him with a tarp, and sent away the ambulances.

“90 minutes later another minister came by and went to see what had happened. He got as close as he could to him and prayed for him a lot, then he discovered that he was alive and told the rescue people, who said that he wasn't, but it turned out that he was and he wrote all the things he'd seen when he was out for this 90 minutes. It also talks about all his rehab .... He and one of his children had also graduated from LSU. It was an interesting book.”

Well, there you have it, the ‘book review’ by my friend. She is a graduate of LSU, which is why she picked up on his education and that of one of his children.

And, Yes, she is so right. This is an interesting book and she and I highly recommend it to you. The experiences which he recounts during his 90 minutes in heaven are very interesting, believable, and encouraging.

Really Unusual Vacation Hotels and Hostels

As you know, from time to time on this blog we suggest places to go or things to do for vacations. But, the link posted today tells of “the Top 5 Incredible Eco-Hotels and Hostels of the World”. And indeed they are incredible!

Having traveled with family and friends to many really interesting locations and having stayed in some really unusual places in the past, I think it is safe to say that we have never done anything quite as unusual as these.

I am not necessarily suggesting that you go to these hotels and hostels, but it is interesting to know about these new ‘options’ for ‘unusual places’ to stay. And, thanks to the internet, we can check them out even if we don’t make the trip. HERE’S THE LINK

Blind border collie has is own guide dog

You have probably already heard about this, but just in case you haven’t, this is really a heart warming story and I knew you would be interested. And, no, no dog dies in this story so it is safe to read it.

Seems that there is a Blind border collie named Clyde who has a dear dear dog friend, Bonnie, who takes care of him and actually serves as a guide dog for Clyde.

These were strays who “were rescued after being abandoned on a street in the middle of a storm three weeks ago.” They are up for adoption in England. It is truly amazing.

So, without further ado, HERE’S THE LINK

New Webpage Online !!

Wow ! It has finalllllly happened. After a long and often frustrating few weeks, the Web page snafu for BibleStudies.Net has been resolved and the new shiny web page is now on line.

The new website is not yet complete and is a work in progress but the exciting new changes have begun.

You will notice that some 'click throughs' take you to our mirror site. But not to worry. That is a 'real' site and you are still on Bible Studies Net.

Anyway, soooooo excited about this development and just had to let you know.

If you would like to see the new site HERE'S THE LINK

Mini Scale model of Solomon’s Temple

An article on the Arutz Sheva Newspaper website tells of a Mini-scale Model of Solomon’s Temple. This model is located in, of all places, England!

The builder has been working on this model for 30 years. Some say this is the most accurate model of the temple in existence today.

There is a Sunday School Class in the Atlanta area that will find this article exceedingly interesting as they have been studying about the Temple and its components for months, perhaps even years.

And, by the way, if you live in the Atlanta Area and would like to attend this class which obviously does a truly in-depth study of the Word of God, email me and I will tell you where it is and how to find it. Email address written to prevent spamming is BibleStudiesNet (at) yahoo (dot) com.

Anyway, that class will find this article interesting and so will you. So, HERE’S THE LINK

The Hamster dance and Singing Horses

Well, after that scary picture yesterday, today let’s have some fun and ‘silliness’ (is that a word?). And tomorrow we can get back to 'serious' for awhile.

While looking at Cards the other day (birthday cards, graduation cards, etc) I noticed that a lot of them these days play music when you open them. (Guess I need to get out more as this is probably not a ‘new’ thing).

Anyway, upon opening one, it played, you guessed it, the Hamster Dance. Wow. The Hamster dance. Hadn’t heard that ditty in years.

Have you missed it? Well, good news, the Hamster dance is still out there on the net in all its ‘glory.. HERE’S THE LINK

And another ‘great one’ is the Singing Horses. It is one of my all time favorites. Surely you have seen it. But, if not, HERE’S THE LINK

Oh Wow. Talk about scary

There were several things that were in the ‘running’ to be the post for today but then, pow, I found this picture and well, you just have to see it.

It was aptly titled “Dude, how did you get up there?”

I don’t know who took it, though a caption on the click through said it was made in Glacier National Park in Montana.

Well, where ever it was made and whomever took it, this is amazing.

HERE’S THE LINK

“Green Beetle’s super-shiny secret”

Guess what, the green “jewelled beetle” has cells which are almost identical to hi-tech liquid crystals. Then when polarised light shines on them the light causes the cells to have different colors, including green. Yet, the beetle does not have green pigments, just these interesting cells.

This and more is detailed in a recent BBC article.

I guess this is just another evolutionary ‘accident / chance innovation.’ Not!

To read this interesting article, HERE’S THE LINK

The Toucan uses its big Beak/Bill to regulate heat ? !

Hmm. This is very interesting!

A recent article in ‘Science’ proposes that the purpose of the humongous beak on the Toucan bird is a mechanism for the bird to regulate its temperature and to cool off. Apparently some studies have been done using infrared cameras to detect heat radiation from bills of Toucans.

”The scientists found that as the surroundings got warmer, the toucan's bill would rapidly heat up, effectively acting as a radiator to draw heat away from the bird's body, allowing it to stay cool. Conversely, in cooler temperatures, little heat would radiate from the bill, letting the bird conserve its warmth.”

What a great idea ! Using the huge beak to regulate heat! Makes sense to me.

But, did this just happen by random chance? Again, I don’t think so. Rather, it looks like another example of design and a Creator.

Anyway, thought you would be interested in this. So, HERE’S THE LINK

The Days Do Matter

Henry Morris, Ph.D has written a very interesting review of the book, “A Matter of Days” by Hugh Ross, PhD.

You have probably seen and heard Dr. Ross articulate his views on various TV and radio programs and perhaps have visited his website.

Thus, you probably know that Dr. Ross does not believe in the literal 6 days of Creation as presented in the Bible. Instead, he is a proponent of the Day Age Theory.

Bottom line: this book by Dr. Ross is not one that I would recommend for you to read (unless you are doing research on various views, etc.). Life is too short to read it since there are so many other books that we like to recommend on this site that you do need to read and they will surely keep you busy. : )

But, you do need to know what Dr. Ross believes and teaches-- and this short, concise, to the point book review by Dr. Henry Morris adequately covers what is in the book and clearly explains why the views presented by Dr. Ross do not line up with what the Bible teaches.

So, rather than reading the whole book, I suggest you read this excellent book review.
HERE’S THE LINK.

The 21st Century’s Longest Eclipse

The 21st Century’s Longest Eclipse occurred July 22, 2009.

We didn’t see it here in America but it was seen in Asia as it tracked over India, China, and the South Pacific during the daylight hours bringing near darkness to the areas involved. This was a Total Eclipse of the sun.

“At its peak over the Pacific, the total phase of the eclipse lasted 6 minutes and 39 seconds. That made it the longest-lasting total eclipse since July 11, 1991, when a stretch of totality lasting 6 minutes and 53 seconds was visible from Hawaii to South America. There will not be a longer total eclipse ... until 2132.”

“The next total solar eclipse is due to occur on July 11, 2010, and will be visible from the South Pacific and parts of South America. That dose of totality will last no longer than 5 minutes and 20 seconds. The continental United States isn't due for a total solar eclipse until Aug. 21, 2017, but on that day, the track of totality will stretch from Oregon to South Carolina.”

MSNBC has an article about it, pictures, and some video.
HERE’S THE LINK

Why Recent Creation?

Well, AIG has done it again. This time it is a really good article about Recent Creation and why it is important.

As you know, most of our schools today teach an old earth and long long ages. But, the Bible teaches a young earth of approximately 6000 years in age.

Because of the teachings in our current secular educational system, "...many scholars today do not believe that the Bible is historically accurate prior to the time of King David in ancient Israel, despite archeological evidence that confirms biblical information from the times of Abraham, Joseph, and the conquest of Canaan.”

This article, which was posted on the AIG website on June 16, gives a clear and easy to understand explanation of these different world views (old earth vs. young earth), their implications, and why Recent Creation is important. I think you will find it very interesting.

HERE’S THE LINK.

Vacation Suggestion

Well now I think I have heard everything. Talk about a vacation suggestion.

When my siblings and I were young, our mother used to take us to interesting places such as a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plant and we watched the making of aspirin tablets, cough tablets, etc. Really fun. We also went to other factories to see such things as Newspapers and Magazines being printed, patterns (for dresses, etc) being made and folded, Chili and other foods being made and canned, etc etc etc. It was such fun and very educational and I still remember the scenes as if they were yesterday.

But, Wow, if we could have seen this ! Seen what? you ask. Welllll....

It seems that there is a dairy farm, located in Fair Oaks, Indiana, about an hour south of Chicago, just off I 65. It has an ‘Adventure Center’ with all kinds of exhibits, electronic figures, etc.

At this humongous farm 32,000 cows are milked daily! And believe it or not, about 80 calves are born daily !!! And they say you can see it all happen.

There is a 5 minute 2 second video on You Tube that tells about it. I have not been to this place but, if I were in the area, it would be on my list of things to do, especially since they have Senior Citizen admission fees. : )

Anyway, to see the video, HERE’S THE LINK.

And to go to the Webpage for this amazing farm HERE’S THE LINK.

D.L. Moody - Hero of Faith

A few weeks ago, we mentioned that the Moody Church (Chicago) puts its Sunday Worship programs on the internet to hear or view. And they keep having very interesting, informative, uplifting, God-honoring services. This week and last week are no exception.

Why? Well, Moody Church, as you recall, was started by D.L Moody in the late 1800s and still exists today. Its current pastor, Dr. Erwin Lutzer, preached this excellent, most informative, and spiritually uplifting 2 part series about the life of D.L. Moody.

You might think that it would be boring to hear 2 sermons about one person. But, think again.

D.L. Moody only had a 5th grade education but was powerfully used by God to preach to MILLIONS of people in America and in England, Scotland, etc.

This 2 part series is a MUST listen (or see, depending on your computer). Each part is 1 hour since it includes the music, Scripture reading, etc.

Note, I tried to watch the video but it seemed to link to a previous week. But the Audio links worked fine. So if you have the same video problems, just cancel and load the Audio.

Please take the time to listen. You will be glad you did.

To Listen to 7/12/09 D L Moody A hero of Faith Part 1 HERE’S THE LINK

To listen to 7/19/09 D L Moody A hero of Faith Part 2 HERE’S THE LINK

Moths outwit bats by Jamming Sonar

There is a most interesting article on the web that tells how some moths can “outfox bats by jamming their signals”.

Apparently “Aaron Corcoran, a graduate student at Wake Forest University, was intrigued by a species of moth that also makes ultrasonic sounds. He wondered if this was some kind of bat deterrent. The moth, a 1- to 2-inch-long orange species called Bertholdia trigona, has organs on its body called "tymbals."

This article even has a 15 second video that shows the “tiger moth jamming the sonar of the big brown bat”. Wow! Amazing.

But did this just happen by evolutionary processes? Ultrasonic jamming of the bat’s ‘radar’ using ‘tymbals” just happened by accident?!? You have got to be kidding me.

Of course this news release was written with the assumption that this all ‘just happened’ by evolutionary processes.

But think about it. Could this realllllly just happen by chance? Or, gasp, could there be a Divine Creator God who programmed this into the moth’s DNA? Which view seems more plausible? Think about it.

Even though this article is written from a secular worldview, it is very interesting. And, when you cut through the fog of that worldview, it reveals another awesome design that the Creator God has placed in His creations, even the little creations such as a moth.

I encourage you to read this article on the NPR website. HERE’S THE LINK.

Marathon .. "What kind of nut?"

This is one of my all time favorite articles written by the Sports writer we have referenced before on this blog. You surely recall his great article posted here on May 12, 2009, “When the Phone Rings”.

Well, he has done it again, this time with an article about his first Marathon.

Even if you are not a runner, (and I most definitely am not, never will be, nor want to be... “what kind of nut...”), you will love this most honest telling of his first Marathon.

Usually folks make this out to be an “oh, no problem, it was a piece of cake” type of experience. Well, this article tells you in a humorous way what really happens in a Runner’s mind and body. And, big hint, just as you suspected, running a marathon is not a 'piece of cake'.

You must read this even if you are not a runner. HERE’S THE LINK

It’s flying! Pet Airways, that is

You will recall that a few weeks back, we mentioned that there was going to be a special airline for Pets only. Well, it has launched and is flying.

To read the article, HERE’S THE LINK.

Book Review: “Already Gone” by Ken Ham & Britt Beemer

A few days ago we mentioned on this blog that a new book, Already Gone, had been published. I also said that I was looking forward to reading it.

Well, I have now read it - not once but Twice, which is unusual for me as I usually only read something once.

As you can suspect from my reading it twice, it is definitely a very important book and one that I highly recommend that you also read especially If you are a Pastor, Youth Director, Music Director, Sunday School Teacher, Bible Study Leader, Deacon, Elder, Administrator, Department Director, Parent, or ‘just’ a concerned lay person, such as I.

Why should you read it? Well, to read my "book review" telling why I highly recommend this book and why I think it is so important that you read it also CLICK HERE

More archeological evidence

“Old Testament 'proof': Royal seal discovered."

Well, hmmmmm. This seems to be turning out to be an 'archaeological week’ or something.

But, I always find it exciting to find articles that shed light upon the Biblical accounts. Having heard so many skeptics for so many years say that the events in the Bible were ‘just stories’ and can’t be taken literally, it thrills my heart to read about the many various archaeological discoveries which continue to confirm the validity of the Biblical accounts.

This time the ‘find’ is that archaeologists have unearth an ancient relic. a Royal Seal, from a prince (Gedaliah) mentioned in Jeremiah.

To read about it and see more pictures HERE’S THE LINK

David’s palace has been found !!!!

More archaeological evidence confirming many Biblical historical accounts has been unearthed.

This time it is the Palace of King David that has been discovered by Dr Eliat Mazar. She said it was amazing to find this after it has been lying undisturbed for 3000 years. A picture of part of the excavation site is in the upper left corner of this blog entry.

Yes, as we mentioned the other day, there are many archaeological discoveries which attest to the validity of the Biblical accounts. And this recent ‘find’ of King David’s Palace is one more very significant archaeological discovery.

To enable you read more about this, I found two really interesting articles and I encourage you to read both of them.

So for article one, HERE’S THE LINK

And for article two, HERE’S THE LINK

Don’t make the mistake of thinking you have more time!

“D.L. Moody called it the biggest blunder of his life.

It happened on October 8, 1871, during a preaching series in Farwell Hall, Chicago. His text was “What then shall I do with Jesus which is called Christ.”

At the conclusion of the sermon Moody said he would give the people one week to make up their minds about Jesus. He then turned to Ira Sankey for a solo, and Sankey sang “Today the Saviour Calls.”

But by the third verse Sankey’s voice was drowned out by the noise outside the hall. The great Chicago fire had begun, and the flames were even then sweeping toward the Hall. The clanging of the fire bells and the noise of the engines made it impossible to continue the meeting.

In the years that followed, Moody wished that he had called for an immediate decision for Christ.”

(The source of the above quote is http://woundedheart.org/1-2.htm)

The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 burned about 1,200,000 acres, destroyed about 17,450 buildings, killed about 250 people and left about 90,000 homeless.

Are you ready to meet God?

Just as those at the time of the Chicago fire, you may not have a week or a day or even an hour before disaster strikes and possibly even your death.

Bottom Line:

Now is the time to repent of and confess your sins and accept The Lord God Jesus Christ’s free gift of Salvation!

Not next week, next year, next month, or any time in the future. NOW is the time.

Who made God if God made everything?

This is a question that has likely crossed your mind. And it certainly is one that I hear posed from time to time by skeptics and others.

Recently I came across an article that does a good job of addressing this question.

I heard the author, Jonathan Sarfati, speak at a conference a few years ago. In addition to being a good speaker and writer, he is really a ‘sharp cookie’ with a PhD. And, he is a Chess expert and Champion.

At that meeting, he sat blindfolded and played simultaneous Chess games with 15 people! He would call out his move and a person would make the move for him on his board. Then the others would do their moves and the person would call out their moves so Jonathan would know what they did. Guess who won all 15 games? You guessed it. Jonathan Sarfati. I was soooooo impressed that whenever I see a book or article that he has written, I read it.

So. with that said, by way of introduction, to read the article that was first published in Creation Ex Nihilo Technical Journal 12(1):20-22, 1998., HERE’S THE LINK.

Archaeology and the Bible

You have probably heard folks say that the Bible, especially the Old Testament, is just a bunch of myths and stories and the people and places named didn’t ever exist and were just made up. Then, they usually add that because those places, peoples, kings, etc. never existed, they don't believe the Bible.

Well, guess what! Archaeological digs have repeatedly turned up (pun intended) evidence affirming the validity of the Bible.

Archaeological evidence now confirms that many, rulers, nations, Kings, cities, etc. that were previously thought to have be ‘made up’ were real and actually existed, just as the Bible said. And more and more such confirming evidence is being found as the digs continue.

The evidence is now extensive and many actual sites and artifacts are available for anyone to study and admire.

For example, the picture in the upper left corner of today’s blog entry is of an Assyrian Winged Bull which was unearthed in a dig at the Palace at Khorsabad, the palace of Sargon. Previously folks had contended that Sargon never existed, nor his palace. So they said the Bible can’t be true. But, the Palace has been found (in Iraq) and many artifacts such as this winged bull have been unearthed and placed in various museums around the world. This particular “Winged Bull” is in The Louvre in Paris.

But, don’t just take my word for it. There is a short but very interesting article that tells of other similar finds. The article is titled: “In what ways have the discoveries of Archaeology verified the reliability of the Bible?” I think you will find it most interesting and will aid you in further affirming your confidence in the validity of the Bible. HERE’S THE LINK.

David Barton -- Wall Builders

Most of you know about Charles Stanley, the Pastor of First Baptist Atlanta who has the weekly TV program “In Touch”.

But, are you familiar with David Barton and the Wall Builders Ministry?

Well, you should be because he is probably the most knowledgeable historian today regarding the history of the United States. He has many articles, books, videos and a daily radio program -- all of which are all excellent and informative.

So what does Charles Stanley have to do with David Barton?

Well, David Barton was the guest speaker on Stanley’s July 5, 2009 TV program. Barton presented an outstanding talk about America’s founding fathers. The title of the talk is “Is America a Christian Nation?” and it gives fascinating details about the founding of this Nation that you probably do not know but should.

This is the July 5, 2009 sermon on the “In Touch” website and you MUST watch it. It is about an hour in length but the time will literally fly by. You will be enthralled, amazed, and stunned at the historical information presented (with pictures, books, documents, etc. to support and illustrate what he is saying). This is a fast paced, lively, and most interesting presentation.

Be SURE to listen to this asap. HERE’S THE LINK.

Note: I assume that the sermons on the In Touch website are updated weekly. So, if another sermon has replaced the above link when you decide to watch, then go to the following link (to the video archives) and look for the July 5, 2009 sermon “Is America a Christian Nation?” HERE’S THE LINK TO THE ARCHIVES.

And, to go to David Barton’s Wall Builders website for even more articles, information, etc. HERE’S THE LINK

The Incredible Egg

Kirk Cameron has written a great article about the incredible egg.

But instead of the famous phrase “The incredible edible egg”, he calls it the "The Incredible Evangelistic Egg."

Why? Because it is not just an egg, it is a “Space Capsule.”

Now that should have your attention. It got mine.

Read this brief article. You will never look at an egg in the same way again. HERE’S THE LINK

1600 year old Codex Sinaiticus Bible online

Well, after that distressing news yesterday on the blog, here is some good and really interesting news.

According to an article on the BBC website, “About 800 pages of the earliest surviving Christian Bible have been recovered and put on the internet.”

Originally this Book, the Codex Sinaiticus, written in Greek, had about 1,460 pages according to the BBC article.

The 800 pages of this 4th Century Book which are available and online are not all complete pages. Indeed, many are just fragments but sill this is an very exciting find.

To read a more detailed and very interesting and informative article about this which was published on the Breitbart.com website, HERE’S THE LINK.

To read the short and very limited information in the BBC article, HERE’S THE LINK

And to go to the website where the pages and fragments are posted, HERE’S THE LINK.

Heads up re a movie to NOT see!!!!

Today I received an email from a friend telling about a website advertising a movie which is indicative of what is wrong with our society today.

What is this movie, you ask? Well, it is titled “The God Who Wasn’t There” and apparently is now available on DVD. I assume it has already been in theaters and, if so, it has already corrupted many minds and will be sending folks to Hell who believe what it is teaching.

I tried to find some movie reviews on the Christian movie review sites we suggested awhile back. But, alas, there were none. I guess they correctly figured no review was needed since just reading the promo on the website would let you know that this is not a movie to see.

There were a lot of movie reviews by atheists and secular sites that, of course, loved this movie, which is all the more reason to give this movie a wide wide berth.

But, actually, you don’t need a ‘review site’ to advise you about this movie. All you have to do is read /scan the info on the webpage advertising and selling the DVD and you will know to NOT recommend or even think about seeing this movie!

Let me say this again -- This is a movie to definitely NOT see!

And, if you know anyone who has seen it, you need to first pray for guidance and then confront them with the facts that Jesus IS God, that He IS ‘there’/here, and that He came, lived, died, and rose again so that they could have their sins paid for .... etc, In other words, witness to them, tell them the TRUTH, and help rescue them from an eternity in Hell.

Caveat !!!. If you do go to the webpage for this awful awful movie, just scan the page. Don’t waste your time reading and putting the heretical details in your mind and for sure don’t waste your time looking at the trailer and etc....just glance at the page and grieve at what society has come to ! HERE’S THE LINK

Coach Gran and his family

This is a touching and God-honoring story about a coach at UT and his daughter, Sydney. She had “a rare disease called Holoprosencephaly, which caused Sydney's brain to stop developing within the first three months in the womb.”

Likely and understandably you think it odd to have a link to a sports article and, yes, in the middle of the article there is a lot of sports info that will be of interest only to SEC fans (and UT fans in particular). So if you are not one of those folks, you can skim through that middle part. Although even the middle part has some really interesting and God honoring information.

But, It is the beginning and ending of this article (the ending beginning with the section titled “A Prayer Answered”) that is mainly the reason for today’s post.

Bottom line: Whether you are a College football fan or not, this is still worth your time to read.

So, with that said, HERE’S THE LINK.

Two Thirds of Teenagers Don't believe in God!

An article on the Telegraph.co.uk website posted Thursday June 22, 2009.... says
two thirds of teenagers don’t believe in God !!!

Yes, you read that correctly . TWO THIRDS !

And there are several more similarly dismaying statistics in that article.

Read it and weep and then pray! HERE’S THE LINK

It is the 4th of July. Is your flag flying?

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men
who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died.

Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.

Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured.

Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.

They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.

What kind of men were they?

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists.

Eleven were merchants,

nine were farmers and large plantation owners;

men of means, well educated,

but they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished.

So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank God for these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid.

Remember: freedom is never free!
... patriotism is NOT a sin,
and the Fourth of July has more to it than ...
picnics, fireworks, and baseball games.

.

The Doctrine Debate

From time to time, as you have noticed, I have posted poll results and various articles pointing out the fact that there are serious problems in the Christian Church today. And this is not just a little minor problem. This is a major problem concerning Fundamental Foundational Doctrines.

Specifically, many Foundational Fundamental Doctrines are being ignored, dismantled, dismissed or rejected.

Thus, The Pure Gospel is no longer being preached in most churches.

And, as this has happened, the results are beginning to be visible in society.

What results? Well, such things as significant changes in the individual Christian’s Worldview, in the way a person lives and makes decisions, in the ways that ... well, I could go on and on.... but ... recently I read a great article by Sean McDowell that explains all this in detail.

For those of you in or leading Bible Study Classes and or Sunday School Classes, or who are Pastors or Youth Directors, please consider sharing this article with your group and addressing its concepts.

This is definitely a Must Read Article. HERE’S THE LINK.

God’s Cake

This came in another email and I have no idea who wrote it though I have seen the concept several times in the past. But, today it seems especially appropriate because a nephew has had yet another ‘disaster’. For him and his family, it is getting to be a ‘when it rains, it pours’ situation. You, also, may be experiencing repeated trials and problems. Hopefully this illustration will help him and others in their attempts to understand ‘why’.

So with that by way of ‘why’ this post today, here is the email:

“Sometimes we wonder, “What did I do to deserve this?” or “Why did God have to do this to me?”

Here is a wonderful explanation!

A daughter is telling her mother how everything is going wrong:

She’s failing algebra.

Her boyfriend broke up with her.

Her car (truck re my nephew) broke again!

AND her best friend is moving away.

Meanwhile, her Mother is baking a cake and asks her daughter if she would like a snack, and the daughter says,

“Absolutely, Mom, I love your cake.”

“Here, have some cooking oil,” her Mother offers.

“Yuck,” says her daughter.

“How about a couple raw eggs?”

“Gross, Mom!”

“Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?”

“Mom, those are all yucky!”

To which the mother replies:

“Yes, all those things seem bad by themselves.

But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake!

God Works The Same Way.

Many times we wonder why He would let us go through such bad and difficult times.

But God knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good to those who love the Lord! (Romans 8:28)

We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful!

God is CRAZY about you.

He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning.

Whenever you want to talk, He’ll listen.

GOD can live anywhere in the universe and for those who accept his free gift of salvation, He choses to live in your heart. WOW.

I hope your day is a piece of cake.”

Breaking the Sound Barrier

You probably have heard the BOOM that happens when a jet plane hits Mach 1 and breaks the sound barrier. But, I didn’t know till just recently that there is often also a dramatic visual phenomenon that occurs as well.

The picture on the upper left shows one of the several visual appearances that happens. Wow. Amazing. Who would have thought.

Anyway. There was a recent article telling about this. To read the article HERE’S THE LINK

And to see 14 more pictures HERE’S THE LINK

The Movie UP

Several of us went to see the Disney Pixar movie, UP, a few days ago.

And, believe it or not, it was a fun and well done movie with no hidden messages.

Several really young kids (3 or 4 years old) sitting behind us were scared in some of the scenes but older kids would not find this scarey and older kids and adults will find this to be a fun and charming movie.

As you surely know by now, I am not much ‘into’ movies but this one has no dark undercurrent and no hidden messages. It is just a fun fun movie. So, if you get a chance, this would be a good movie to see.

But, as always, don’t just take my word for it. Check out some of those movie links we mentioned awhile back just to be sure it is what you want to see. But I liked it! And that is saying a lot because there are verrrrrry few movies that I like or will recommend.

For one of those reviews from the movie links CLICK HERE

Veggie Flutes and other Musical Instruments

Ok, we have had some pretty ‘heavy’ posts recently -- what with folks dying and the AIG State of the Union Address and the update about the Providence Training Center in Kenya.

So, today, this will be a ‘fun thing’.

I got another email (oh no, not another email) from a couple whom I have known for years and who are accomplished professional musicians. So, the fact that they clued me into this is even more amazing.

What is it this time? Well, they told me about a guy who makes instruments out of vegetables and plays them! No Kidding! There are several YouTube videos of him doing this. I have selected 3 for you to see. So, watch them in this order.

First, a 2 minute 30 second video about how he makes the ‘instruments’.
HERE’S THE LINK.

Then, he plays “London Bridge is Falling down” on a Carrot Ocarina. 1 Minute 31 seconds. HERE’S THE LINK.

Finally, the big finale and my friend’s favorite of all he does. Are you ready for this? It is “Angels we have heard on high” played on a broccoli. 1 Minute 47 seconds.
HERE’S THE LINK.

Providence Training Center - Kenya Update

Friday May 22, we posted an article about the Providence Training Center in Kenya and requested prayers for the folks that were traveling there to assist in its ministry.

Well, that group is back and my friend has sent an email report of the trip and how your prayers were answered. Here are excerpts of that email.

“My Dear Friends & Family...

“It’s been a busy three weeks since we returned from Kenya as there has been a lot of “carry-over” business from the trip... plus life in general.

“First I want to thank you for your effective prayers. Because of them the trip was the most seamless one yet... no lost luggage, no sickness, no accidents, no delays, no vehicle problems, no mud, no relationship problems, etc. ... ...

“Next I want to apologize for the lengthy report I have attached. My daughter keeps telling me never to send more than one page because nobody will read it, and I’m sure she’s right. However, in order not to reinvent the wheel, I am sending you the report requested by my church ... with all its details. It has subtitles so feel free to read only what interests you, but don’t miss the last section on “Property Search” for the big news of the trip. The pastors’ comments in the “Celebrating with the Pastors” section also highlight the need for the school.

“Things continue to move along one step at a time. What a thrill it is watching God work! ... ... “Go ye into all the world” has taken on a personal meaning for me (Mark 15:16).

“Thanks for going along with me.”

Well, that was the ‘short version’ of the trip report. To read the more detailed report that was prepared for the Church, CLICK HERE.

The AIG State of the Nation address

The AIG State of the Nation address is now online.

Thursday night June 25, Ken Ham of Answers In Genesis presented a live internet video address about the State of the Nation.

I tried to watch it along with about 85,000 others. But, alas, even with a high speed connection, there was a lot of ‘starting and stopping’ of the feed. Finally, I gave up and hoped that they would repost it. Well, good news. It has been reposted and is now available to view for free. It still does some stopping and starting, though not as bad as previously. I guess the current s & s is because lots of folks are still trying to listen to it.

So, you ask, What is it about? Why are so many still watching it?

Well, as stated on their website: “...It is important to realize that although America has more Christian resources and Bible colleges than ever in its history, the nation is on a spiritual downward spiral. What has happened? Why is the church not reaching the culture today as it has in the past? ...”

This video is about an hour in length and well worth watching. I don’t know how long they will keep this online, so don’t put this in your “I think I will do this later” category. Watch it now! HERE’S THE LINK

Dogs ! And what we can learn from them!

Emails, Emails. What would we do about emails ?

The other day I got an email about what dogs can teach us regarding relationships.

For example, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

• When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
• Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
• Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.
• Take naps.
• Stretch before rising.
• Run, romp, and play daily.
• Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
• On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
• On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
• Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
• Be loyal.
• Never pretend to be something you're not.
• If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
• When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.
• Enjoy every moment of every day !

Then today, I got an email about Monk, the Kingdom dog, who understands obedience and what a dog’s obedience can teach us concerning our relationship to God and authority. You will love this video. It is about 4 minutes long. HERE’S THE LINK.

And while looking at that video, I saw another really amazing video, about 2 minutes long. In it, the dog is not only obedient, It can even count! HERE’S THE LINK.

3 More “Famous’ Folks have Died and entered Eternity!

Ed McMahon Dead at 86
Farrah Fawcett Dead at 62
Michael Jackson Dead at 50


Deaths of famous people get our attention. Some are ‘old’, others ‘young’, often too young.

But, regardless of age, and whether ‘famous’ or not, they and we will sometime die. And THEN what happens? Is death the end? Or is it the beginning of an eternal afterlife?

For some, death is the beginning of eternal bliss in heaven. For others, death is the beginning of eternity in Hell and eternal suffering! Where did these 3 go? And where will you go? And why?

To help answer those questions, we recently posted a link to a Bible study entitled: “What happens when you die?” If you haven’t read it, now might be a good time to ponder this thought.
HERE’S THE LINK

Also, we recently posted a link to “Dying Testimonies of Saved and Unsaved .” As far as I know, we haven’t heard the final words of these 3 who recently died. Those words would give us a clue as to where they went (to heaven or to hell). But, we do know the dying words of many many others. If you haven’t yet read this free on line e-book, you really should. It is most enlightening and frightening. HERE’S THE LINK.

ICR Yosemite Creation Tour Sept 12-20,2009

The Vacation suggestion for this week is a tour by ICR (Institute for Creation Research) to Yosemite National Park and Mammoth Lakes. It is a bus tour and will be Sept 12-20, 2009.

Having personally been on 3 ICR tours in the past, though not this one, the 3 I did take were great, so there is no reason to think this will not be likewise.

According to the ICR website description of this tour: “Highlights include Half Dome, Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, Tuolumne Meadows, a gondola ride to the top of Mammoth Mountain, Glacier Point, and free time to enjoy day-hiking trails, rock climbing, horseback riding, fishing, bicycling and overlooks.”

The lectures will be given by experts in their fields (Geology, etc.), travel will be by ‘luxury coach’, and hotels and motels will be in Yosemite Valley, Wawona, and Mammoth lakes.

Details, prices, early bird discount info (before July 6), and other details are on the website. HERE’S THE LINK.

Old Man Feeds Seagulls! Why?

Recently another email made the rounds with a most amazing story. It tells of an old man feeding seagulls. Now that might not sound very ‘exciting’ to you. But, it is truly amazing and is definitely a must read.

But, it is even ‘better than that’ because when you find out who this old man was and why he was feeding the seagulls, you will be astounded and will want to know even more.

And, indeed, there is so much more. I found another website that tells ‘the rest of the story’ and it is truly amazing. The link to the ‘rest of the story’ is at the end of the story itself. So to get started, HERE’S THE LINK.

Do you need Tracts?

While chatting with a friend recently, she mentioned that she felt that with the way things are these days, she wanted to alert more folks regarding salvation and was very interested in handing out tracts while doing this.

If you are similarly interested, may I suggest you check out this website because the tracks they have are reallllllly awesome and effective. I have personally used them and can attest to the fact that this site is reputable and the tracts are wonderful.

One of the helpful features about this site is that you can click on the individual tract and it will become big enough to read on line so you don’t have to wonder what each tract says.

There are so many good tracts that you might want to start by getting one of the starter kits or perhaps the Tract Sample pack. That was how I started. Anyway, HERE’S THE LINK

Already Gone

Why are 2 out of 3 young people leaving the church?

Why does attending Sunday School makes their exit even more likely?

“What does the age of the Earth have to do with the exodus of young people from churches?

These and other important questions are addressed in the new book, Already Gone, by Ken Ham.

“Ken Ham, ... says a major study he commissioned by a respected researcher unveils for the first time in a scientific fashion the startling reasons behind statistics that show two-thirds of young people in evangelical churches will leave when they move into their 20s. ... and finds church youth already are "lost" in their hearts and minds in elementary, middle and high school – not in college as many assume. “

I have not yet read this book -- it has just been released -- but I have read reviews about it and it is definitely on my ‘must read’ list and should be on yours also.

To read one of those reviews HERE’S THE LINK.

Happy Father’s Day

As you no doubt recall, shortly after mother’s day, we posted a great article that was in the Register-Guard Newspaper of Eugene, Oregon. If you haven’t yet read it or want to read it again, Click Here.

And, that talented writer has done it again.

This time it is about Dads and is titled ‘Why we love Dad.’ It is another great article (this guy can write !) HERE’S THE LINK

Birds from Dinosaurs?

Thinking again of the birds that were in the Scripture tree yesterday, reminds me of the folks who have been saying that birds evolved from Dinosaurs. Of course, that is ridiculous and laughable if you stop and think about it.

And, guess what-- a recent “paper in the Journal of Morphology presents the research of two Oregon State University scientists who don’t agree with the evolutionary dogma on bird origins.”

Even though these two researchers are evolutionists and still believe that birds evolved instead of being directly created by God, at least this is one more presupposition (birds from dinosaurs) that is being challenged. And well it needs to be.

A.P. Galling of AiG–U.S. has written an interesting article summarizing the research of the OSU Scientists and explaining some of the ramifications of what this means. This is a really interesting article. Be sure to check it out. HERE’S THE LINK.

The Scripture Tree

This was another email sent to me that is too good to not share.
I don’t know who did this web page but it is amazing.

When the tree comes up, you will see it has a zillion flowers on it. Click on a flower to read a verse. Then click to close it and click on another. What a wonderful concept.
HERE’S THE LINK

The Holy Land Experience

It is Thursday so it is time for another ‘vacation suggestion’. And this time I would like to suggest that you visit the Holy Land Experience Theme Park, located in Orlando, Florida.

I have been a couple of times (before it was recently purchased by TBN) but have not visited it since TBN acquired it from the group that originally developed it. So, I don’t know what, if any, changes have been made, but would assume it is much the same as before. And, if it is, then you will love it also. I personally found it to be fun, educational, interesting, and uplifting.

Of all the exhibits, I was most impressed by the 2/3 size replica of the Wilderness Tabernacle and the recreation of what went on in the tabernacle.

My next ‘most favorite thing’ was the Scriptorium. Also the model of the city of Jerusalem at the time of Christ was really interesting. And there are other exhibits, and outdoor performances that were impressive.

Bottom line, this is a place you really need to visit.

To go to the website to learn about the exhibits, hours of operation, ticket information, and etc. HERE’S THE LINK.

Does God really exist? ... Who made God?

“Does God really exist? How can we know? If God made everything, who made God?”

These questions have surely been asked by everyone at one point or another in their life. And the answers to these questions are not only needed and important but will also have a bearing on where we spend eternity. So they are not just questions for intellectual debates. They are really questions that impact our destiny.

Some folks have written complicated and technical answers and I will post a link to one or more of those more technical responses on future postings.

But, today, let’s start with an easy non-technical explanation.

Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis wrote a very interesting and easy to read article about these questions. It was first published in Creation Ex Nihilo, 20(3):32-34, June-August 1998. Recently it was republished on the Christian Answers website. I think you will find it not only personally useful, but, if you teach a SS class, a small group Bible study, or do counseling, you will likely find this article very helpful and might want to use it with your group .

So, without further ado, HERE’S THE LINK

Basic anatomy 'baffles Britons'http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

It looks like the US is not the only country reported to be lacking in basic educational knowledge.

An article was posted on the BBC website Friday June 12, 2009, titled “Basic anatomy 'baffles Britons'.”

This article tells about a recent survey done by King’s college London which reveals that “Many people in the UK are unable to identify the location of their major organs,...”

People were asked to locate the heart, kidneys, pancreas, and other organs.

What they answered is astounding! HERE’S THE LINK.

Dating of “oldest pottery” from China is based on assumptions

As reported on BBC news June 1, 2009, “Pottery recovered from a cave at Yuchanyan in Hunan Province, China, is hailed as being the oldest known.”

But, is it really as old as the secular scientists are saying (i.e. between 18,300 and 15,430 years old)? Are the “secular world view” assumptions about Carbon Dating correct or do they need to be questioned? Does the “young earth worldview” have anything to say about carbon dating?

I found a great article by Tas Walker which discusses these assumptions and points out how evidence is actually consistent with Biblical history rather than the longer time periods assumed by the secular worldview assumptions.

The article also explains why the secular assumptions about Carbon dating are not as reliable as we have been led to believe. This is a very interesting and informative article. Be sure to check it out. HERE’S THE LINK