Creation Family Ministries

Ron Paul files

2012-01-14T13:22:00.000-08:00

For those who are curious about Ron Paul...here is some information about his positions and practices concerning moral, military, and monetary issues. Make sure to confirm this via the links at the end of each point. We received this data from conservative watchdog, Gary Bauer, president of Campaign for Working Families.

Ron Paul: Hostile To Our Military

Ron Paul has teamed with far-left liberal Barney Frank (D-MA) to propose massive reductions in military spending, far beyond those Barack Obama is imposing. Obama is instituting approximately $500 billion in cuts to the Pentagon's budget over the next ten years. In 2010, Paul and Frank pushed a proposal by the Sustainable Defense Task Force calling for cuts of $1 trillion. (i) Not surprisingly, most members on the Sustainable Defense Task Force have connections to George Soros-funded organizations (ii) and other radical groups like the Democratic Socialists of America. (iii)

Paul routinely refers to America as an "empire" and insists we are "occupying" over one hundred countries. Conjuring images of mercenaries, Paul's obvious insinuation is that our soldiers are "imperial occupiers." But as Bret Stephens of the Wall Street Journal has noted:

"The bulk of U.S. forces deployed overseas … are stationed in just seven countries: Afghanistan, Iraq, Japan, South Korea, Germany, the U.K. and Italy, all of which are home to at least 9,000 troops. Aside from Afghanistan and Iraq (which may soon drop off that list) all of these are World War II and Cold War legacies. Another five countries—Spain, Turkey, Belgium (the headquarters of NATO), Bahrain and Djibouti—have between 1,000 and 1,500 troops. The next largest deployments are Portugal (703), Qatar (555) Honduras (403) and Greece (338)." (iv)

Are we "occupying" our allies who invited and welcome our military presence? To get 100+ "occupied" countries is difficult unless you include the small Marine detachments protecting U.S. embassies.

In May 2010, Paul was also one of just five House Republicans to vote to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, thereby allowing open homosexuality in the military. (v)

Ron Paul: Hostile To Israel
Examples of Paul's hostility toward Israel are almost too numerous to list. But in 2009, Ron Paul was the only Republican and one of just five members of the House -- along with Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) and Maxine Waters (D-CA) -- to oppose House Resolution 34, condemning Hamas as a terrorist organization and expressing America's support for Israel's right to defend itself from repeated rocket attacks from Gaza.vi As an example of Paul's warped mindset, he took to the House floor to oppose House Resolution 34 and stated that Hamas was "encouraged and started by Israel," a gross misinterpretation of historical events.vii Hamas was started by the Muslim Brotherhood and its charter calls for the destruction of Israel. (viii)

Ron Paul: Hostile To Ronald Reagan
In 1987, as he was preparing his third party presidential bid, Paul formally resigned from the Republican Party and blamed, of all people, Ronald Reagan for his leaving. Here is an excerpt of Paul's letter:

"I want to totally disassociate myself from the policies that have given us unprecedented deficits, massive monetary inflation, indiscriminate military spending, an irrational and unconstitutional foreign policy, zooming foreign aid, the exaltation of international banking, and the attack on our personal liberties and privacy. …There is no credibility left for the Republican Party as a force to reduce the size of government. That is the message of the Reagan years. …I therefore resign my membership in the Republican Party and enclose my membership card." (ix)

Ronald Reagan is widely credited for staring down the Soviet Union, rebuilding our military and our economy after the disastrous Carter years. He left office with a 63% approval rating. Once again, Ron Paul was in the minority. What exactly was Paul referring to when he referred to Reagan's "irrational and unconstitutional foreign policy"? In condemning Ronald Reagan's "indiscriminate military spending," we can see now that his teaming up with radical leftist and conservative-hater Barney Frank to slash the Defense budget is nothing new. Paul has been trying to slash defense spending for years!

In 1988, during his campaign for the White House as the nominee of the Libertarian Party, Paul said this about Ronald Reagan:

"I think we can further thank Ronald Reagan of course, for doing a good job. He certainly did a good job pointing out in 1980 the fallacies of the Democratic liberal agenda. He certainly did a good job on following up, showing the disaster of the conservative agenda as well." (x)

Ron Paul: Hostile To Values Issues
While Ron Paul says he is pro-life and presents himself as a pro-family conservative, he has frequently voted against pro-life, pro-family legislation. Consider the following examples:
o 1999 -- voted against the Child Custody Protect Act, which would make it illegal to take a minor girl across state lines to get an abortion in violation of her home state's parental notification laws. (xi)

o 1999 -- voted against the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, which would make it a separate crime to injure or kill an unborn child in any assault against a pregnant woman. (xii)
o 1999 -- voted against the Pain Relief Promotion Act (anti-euthanasia legislation) (xiii)
o 1999 -- voted against the Religious Liberty Protection Act (xiv)
o 1999 -- voted against school choice legislation (xv)
o 2001 -- again voted against the Unborn Victims of Violence Act (xvi)
o 2001 -- voted against the Human Cloning Prohibition Act (xvii)
o 2001 -- voted against school choice legislation (xviii)
o 2002 -- again voted against the Child Custody Protection Actx (ix)
o 2003 -- again voted against the Human Cloning Prohibition Act (xx)
o 2003 -- voted against school choice legislation -- for the third time (xxi)
o 2004 -- voted against the Unborn Victims of Violence Act -- for the third time (xxii)
o 2004 -- voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment (xxiii)
o 2005 -- voted against the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act (reaffirming state parental notification laws) (xxiv)
o 2006 -- again voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment (xxv)

Ron Paul left the Republican Party in 1988 to run for president as the candidate of the pro-choice Libertarian Party. At that time, the Libertarian Party platform supported "the right of women to make a personal choice regarding the termination of pregnancy." (xxvi)

MISCELLANEOUS
Ron Paul has suggested that the 9/11 investigation was a cover-up and called for a new investigation headed by left-wing radical Dennis Kucinich.xxvii

Ron Paul opposed the killing of Osama bin Laden and said that if he had been president he would not have ordered the SEAL raid into Pakistan. (xxviii) This position, like many others, puts

Paul in a very small minority. According to a Gallup poll, 93% of Americans supported the killing of bin Laden, while just 5% opposed it. (xxix)

In 2008, when virtually all conservatives were working to prevent the election of Barack Obama, Ron Paul refused to endorse the Republican nominee, Sen. John McCain, and instead told his supporters to vote for one of four third party candidates.(xxx)

One of them was Green Party nominee Cynthia McKinney -- an anti-Semitic, anti-Israel socialist who accused George W. Bush of allowing the 9/11 attacks to happen. (xxxi)

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Creation Chronicle - January, 2012

2012-01-12T09:37:00.000-08:00

“…will ye not tremble at My presence which have placed the sand for…the sea?” (Jer. 5:22)

May the LORD, our Creator bless each of you! We trust you had a blessed “holy day” time with family and friends, and we wish you many blessings this New Year! We are extremely grateful to be able to point people to our Creator, using His handiwork.

The Dreaded C-Word
We are grateful for how the LORD has helped Heather’s mom, Barbara Sheets, the past few months after she found a lump in her breast. All other tests have come back clear, but it was found that the mass was an estrogen-based cancer, and a mastectomy was suggested. This was done on November 7. We are thankful that she is doing very well and is now back to work! Both her parents have now adopted a healthy, hormone-free diet which the doctor said could only help. Please keep her mom in prayer as she begins radiation on January 13.

2011 Summer Re-Cap
Since June, we were blessed to serve at:
Redeemed Bapt. – Lincolnton, NC (VBS)
New Home Bapt. - Vass, NC (VBS)
Faith Bapt. - Bath, SC (VBS)
First Baptist - Winamac, IN (VBS)
First Baptist - Gunnison, CO (VBS)
Camp Grace – Wheatland, WY (jr. camp)
North Park Baptist - Walden, UT (VBS/ revival)
Calvary Baptist – Cañon City, CO (VBS)
Grace Baptist – Columbia Falls, MT (VBS)
Baptist Community - Afton, WY (VBS/revival)
Grace Baptist - Logan, UT (VBS)

After the summer, we participated in two fairs, a creation revival, a Scripture conference, and various other special services.

A Look Forward
We’re anticipating a couple of mini-conferences this spring, with the theme: Mountain Mysteries

Mt. Rushmore, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Ararat, and Mt. Sinai are powerful messages! The design of Mt. Rushmore points to the fact that real people have a Designer. No one would say that these heads formed all by themselves, over “millions of years,” without an intelligent designer! But evolutionists say that human beings have developed from an ape-kind of creature over “millions of years” with NO Creator involved! What insanity! The canyons at Mt. St. Helens are a wonderful illustration that points to the Flood of Noah’s day, in that they were formed in just 9 hours by massive mudflows that took place on May 18, 1980. While canyons like Grand Canyon are said to have formed over ‘millions of years,’ the eruption of St. Helens ‘blew’ that idea and gave creationists a God-given gift! Mt. Ararat is where Noah’s ark came to rest, and is being investigated still today. In short, Mt. Sinai is intriguing as MUCH archaeology points to the true location of this mountain being in present-day Saudi Arabia just as is stated in the Bible (Galatians 4:25)! Check our website for MORE information on these subjects that will strengthen your faith that God’s Word is true!

We ask for your prayers that our conference and website projects would be used by God to point people to Him, our Creator and Redeemer, the LORD Jesus Christ. We particularly look forward to April 27-29 at Victory Baptist in Nokesville, VA. This church has 140 acres of prime property that they want to use for the LORD, possibly for a creation ministry! What potential!

Two Corrupt Pastors

“they that handle the law knew Me not: the pastors also transgressed against Me…” (Jeremiah 2:8)

Recently, we have encountered “pastors” who do not believe the Bible. Last summer, we learned of a pastor (whom I knew in Bible college) whose wife, within the past year, had left him for another man. Within a short time, the pastor even remarried. By email, we confirmed that these things were true, and one thing he said was that preacher after preacher used the Bible to teach him that he could remain as pastor, regardless of the fact that God’s Word requires that the pastor be: “the husband of one wife…” (Titus 1:6; 1 Timothy 3:2)

Another pastor contacted us by email regarding the Gospel. Through our communication, he mentioned two false ideas:

1. Evidences are not important, and
2. There is more than one Gospel!

More and more, we need to do as the Bereans did:

“…searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:11)

Some Trailer Troubles
We are indeed grateful for God’s protection! We knew we had issues, but did not know how extensive those issues were until our rig was in the shop. In short, everything underneath (except for tires, wheels, and axles) was replaced. In addition, a hail storm had destroyed vent covers, a back corner of the wall had separated outward, and our roof had some issues. The cost was $3700! Wow! But the LORD provided through special gifts, and we are extremely grateful! Due to these needs, we have started a savings account for our next “RV/house.” Please pray for wisdom and provision as we plan this next step.

The Importance of Evidences

"To whom also He shewed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs being seen of them forty days” Acts 1:3

After His resurrection, why did Jesus stay around for forty days? As the Creator, He knows our makeup that we need to see evidence! When Thomas doubted even his closest associates, Jesus appeared just for him to show him the evidence!

"Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand,
and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. (John 20:27)

What was Thomas’ response? He said, “My LORD and my God.” Unlike Thomas, we cannot see Jesus walking around or touch his nail-pierced hand, so what do we have today as physical evidence for our faith? God knows our “frame” (Ps. 103:14) and has provided a myriad of evidences that prove His Word is true. Even His Word is evidence. It is a book of accurate history involving over 40 different writers covering about 1500 years of history, with fulfilled and miraculous prophecies. A myriad of archaeological finds have proven (and are proving) the Bible true, and the most up-to-date prophetic evidence involves the nation of Israel. Fossils, canyons, and sedimentary rock layers exist worldwide and are hard evidence that the world wide flood of the Bible is true! God likes rocks! He even wrote the Ten Commandments on a stony tablet, and He compares us to “lively stones”(1 Peter 2:5), However, with the Flood of Noah’s day, His judgment left billions of dead things (fossils), buried in rock layers, laid down by water, all over the earth! These are all evidences that the Bible is true!

More and more, we see doubters, skeptics, agnostics, and atheists in our culture. How should we present truth to them? We must do as Jesus did with Thomas. We should use physical evidence!

We ask for your prayers as we study to use evidences in presenting Biblical truth to all ages. Our theme this coming summer is “Secrets of the Sea” (http://SecretsoftheSea.org) which will cover subjects such as the Flood, whales, cuttlefish, sharks, and plesiosaurs. Check it out! May the LORD bless each of you!

Remembering the Creator,

Jeff & Heather

FOR PRAYER
Provision of a better RV/home/office
Wisdom for developing this work
Financial needs
Additional repair needs
Open doors for ministry

FOR PRAISE
Provision for trailer repairs
Protection on the roads
Healing for Heather's mom

Creation & a Christmas Consecration

2011-12-17T15:32:00.000-08:00

Creation in a Carol
Adam's likeness now efface, Stamp Thine image in its place.
Second Adam from above, reinstate us in Thy love.
(Hark the Herald Angels Sing)

Christmas is the celebration that the Creator stepped into His creation.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
"The Word became flesh and dwelt among us." (John 1:1, 14)

Jesus, as God and the Creator of the universe, took on human flesh. He entered His universe of time, space, and matter as a tiny, vulnerable baby. Why? He did so out of a pure love for the creation that He had made, for man, the only creature that was made in His image with a free will to choose good or evil. In Genesis, we read that man chose evil in what is referred to as "the fall." This choice brought perfect punishment from the perfect God of creation: judgment of disease, destruction, and death. However, the Creator had a plan to make all things new. His plan was to come to earth to pay for man's sin debt and to make right all of the wrong he had done. It is because of Christmas that all of the evil today can be made right. What was broken in the "fall" when, in the Garden of Eden, Adam introduced evil into the universe, will be justified through what Jesus did.

"For as in Adam all die..." (1 Corinthians 15:22)

Evil is evident everywhere. Massacres such as that of Columbine, Virginia Tech, 9/11, the Holocaust and abortion; other evils such as sodomy, rape, adultery, divorce, infanticide, euthanasia, genocide, theft, bribery, greed, lust, lying and much more are results of the Biblical origin of evil. Lucifer rebelled against God in seeking to "be like the most High" (Isaiah 14: 14). He, along with a third of the angelic host who followed him, was cast down to earth where he tempted Adam & Eve in the form of a serpent.

"Yea, hath God said?" (Genesis 3-1)

Adam listened. Whereas his wife was deceived and therefore not held fully accountable (not being the head of the human race), Adam was created first and held the responsibility as he not only wrongly listened to his wife, but also was fully aware of his choice to rebel against His Creator's one command.

"And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression." (1 Timothy 2:14)

Today, we see the results of Eden. Though all mankind is under the bondage of sin, and all sin will be judged by the perfect and holy Creator, mankind can be free from sin’s bondage! He can be a "new creation" in Christ Even though we have sinned due to the sin nature we received from the fall of Adam, as head of the human race, we can now be completely forgiven, made righteous even though we are unrighteous! THIS is the message of Christmas... that Adam's likeness might be effaced (wiped away), and HIS IMAGE stamped in its place! Hallelujah! The image marred by Adam's rebellion can ONLY be restored by complete faith and trust in Christ's death, burial, and resurrection for sin.

"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." (l Corinthians 15:22)

Evil in the world has been conquered... in Christ! The choice now is up to each individual as to whether he or she will accept the payment Christ made, or go their own way. Will you choose the way of Adam (rebellion) or the way of Christ (obedience)?

From Confusion to Corruption

"No wonder that Brigadier General F. D. Frost stated, "There is no doubt. . .that the doctrine of evolution is the greatest curse in our educational system'.... This philosophy seeks to... reduce man to the level of animal nature .... The surging unrest, the broken homes, the increasing divorce cases, the multiplied. . . criminals are but the inevitable outcome of the acceptance and practice of . . . evolutionary doctrine." (H. Enock, Evolution or Creation; 1966, pp. 1146-1147)

The idea that man is nothing more than a highly evolved animal would be devastating to the commitment of marriage. While some organisms mate for life, others live in groups or even change sex. Do humans fit into one of these categories simply because they think they can or because they have the ability to choose a particular physical relationship? A growing idea that some humans are 'born' desiring another of the same sex for 'marital relations' is only an indication that man comes into this world with an innate propensity to do that which is contrary to the design of his Creator. This design was communicated to us in the Record, the Bible, and has been exhibited in human behavior through the ages. Those who choose to live contrary to His design find themselves facing spiritual, emotional, or physical heartache.

Some think that they were 'made' this 'way,' and believe this, in part, due to the "Kinsey reports," false 'science' that used cadavers and abused small children. The cadavers had a slightly smaller portion of the brain of "gay" men, but such a finding is skewed in that the lifestyle the men lived could have caused this! It was an assumption to think that a characteristic of a dead person is indicative of an innate desire from birthl The Kinsey studies using children are too graphic to describe here, but they basically involved child abuse against even babies in the name of "science."

The confusion wrought by evolutionary concepts extends far outside the classroom to the culture. The crime we see prevalent today, along with the breakdown of the family, can easily be tied to a teaching that there is no moral absolute found in an ultimate Law Giver, God. Hence, men are free to do as they choose with no One higher than themselves to tell what is right and wrong. In no other aspect of society is this worldview so clearly seen than in marriage.

A Christmas Commitment

"Now the birth of Jesus was on this wise... as his mother... was espoused to Joseph...." Matt. 1:19

Mary had been committed to Joseph in a culture that afforded protections to marriage not generally seen in modern times. The closest idea is the practice of engagement. The espousal agreement of Biblical times was an agreement that could only be dissolved legally and for certain purposes. This is why Joseph was "minded to put her away (divorce) privily" after he discovered that Mary was with child, as there was only one way that she could have a child before marriage and that was through immorality. However, God sent an angel to affirm to Joseph that this was not a cause for legal divorce, but a special miracle of God!
It is clear from Scripture that this Baby was miraculous, as God chose to record for us the fact that Mary was with child "before they came together" and that He was "of the Holy Ghost." He also had the writer include the fact that the angel Gabriel said to Joseph,
"... fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife..." (Matthew 1:20)

This phrase means that Joseph and Mary were already husband and wife and that the espousal agreement was marriage. The only difference is that they had not yet "come together" for physical oneness. It bears repeating that there is nothing in modern American culture that is equivalent to this ancient concept.

While there are many who think that divorce or remarriage is acceptable with God, they are sadly mistaken. In His Word, He tells us that He "hates" divorce.

"For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away (or, divorce): for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously." (Malachi 2:16)

We read in Genesis of God's design for Adam & Eve when He brought them together as husband and wife to be "one flesh." This creation account communicates three basic concepts:

1. That God made humans special and very different from animals.
2. That He designed them as a man and a woman, different from but made for each other.
3. That He designed them to be "one flesh," i.e., in a permanent relationship.

What if Joseph had "put away" Mary? He certainly had a legal right to do so. If so, this would have been the end of the Christmas story! But he didn't, and we now have the beautiful account that we celebrate every year! Joseph's obedience to God and faithfulness to his wife, Mary, is critical to Christmas!

Like Joseph, Jesus has every right to bring against us just and legal proceedings because of our sin against the Creator, sin for which we must suffer the punishment of a literal, eternal, and fiery hell. Does He? No! Instead, He willingly gave Himself for us. He came to this world full of evil and gave His life in ransom for ours! Hallelujah, what a Savior!

The message in the Christmas account is clear: be consecrated to God and to your spouse! How?

1. Realize that your body does not belong to you.
1 Corinthians 6:19 ".. .your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost...ye are not your own?"

2. Realize that any relationship (marriage, dating, etc.) is not to please oneself but the LORD and the other individual.
1 Corinthians 10:31 "do all to the glory of God."

3. Realize that marriage is a solemn vow for life and that God hates divorce.
Malachi 2:16 "For the LORD...hateth patting away...."

4. Realize that any steps leading to divorce are contrary to the design of God.
Proverbs 14:12 "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."

A Tale of Two Mongers

2011-10-11T19:23:00.000-07:00

Titus 2:11-12 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.

The names have not been changed to protect the guilty. Enter two friends, Dwayne and Curt. While God’s Word has much to say about friendship and love, it says that a true friend speaks the truth “in love” (Ephesians 4:15). The apostle Paul “withstood to the face” his friend, Peter, when he acted in a deceptive manner (Galatians 2:11). We’re told “to provoke one another to love and good works” (Hebrews 10:24). The word “provoke” is the Greek word that actually is translated “contention” in Acts 15:39. There, Paul and Barnabas had a disagreement over John Mark going with them in missionary work. The result was the formation of two teams. Certainly, there will be disagreements between well-intentioned believers who love God and His Word. Sometimes those differences bring divisions.

Over some months, I have had some disagreements with Dwayne and Curt. These differences concerned the Bible and behavior, and had nothing to do with personality or preferences. Through communication over the internet, I learned that Curt is an open homosexual who co-leads a study group in his church. I also learned that Dwayne is a pastor of a Baptist church and that He describes himself as a “grace-monger.”

To be sure, God’s grace is powerful. Without it, mankind would be hopelessly lost. Any trial, testing, or temptation can be overcome by relying upon the grace of our God. His grace sustains us in every difficult situation we face.

For by grace are ye saved through faith… (Ephesians 2:8)

Over the past two years, I have been immensely perplexed and deeply incensed by the actions of these men who attended the same Christian high school and college, and claim to be Christian and to believe the Bible.

DWAYNE & 20/20
A 20/20 broadcast last spring claimed to reveal many negatives among “IFB” (Independent Fundamental Baptist) churches and made these churches appear to be a vast cult across America. Three quick thoughts are in order about that program:

1. Concerning any accusations, we must remember two adages:
"There are two sides to every story" and "It takes two to tango."

2. Regardless of the facts in that situation, it must be understood that all pastors and congregations are different. It is simply impossible to broad brush all IFB churches as connected, since there are many different Baptist churches and groupings of Baptist churches.

3. Though 20/20 presented some lies based upon the testimonials of disgruntled individuals, it did raise some serious questions that each of us must consider:

a. Is my pastor preaching opinion and preference, or the Word of God? (2 Timothy 4:2)
b. Is he speaking the truth in love? (Ephesians 4:15)
c. Does my pastor consider himself to be above the laws of man or God? (1 Timothy 3:2-5)

PURPOSE
In the broadcast, the major accusation against the pastor in question was that he knowingly harbored a convicted rapist in his church. The purpose of this post is not to delve into whether or not this man is guilty of the accusations. Neither is it to defend IFB churches. This is about truth and grace. Dwayne shared on Facebook a link to the 20/20 broadcast, further promoting a one-sided view that the pastor was guilty. This was done without any acknowledgement that there might be another side to the story.

“He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, to him it is folly and shame.” Proverbs 18:13

In response to Dwayne’s post, I placed a link on his wall that contains the pastor’s response to the accusations. Regardless, the presumption by Dwayne and others on his wall was that the pastor was guilty. Rather than correcting or removing his initial post in order to defray the debate, Dwayne, who refers to himself as a “grace monger,” removed responses that disagreed with his viewpoint. While Dwayne certainly has every right to control what is on his wall, his claim to be a “grace monger” rings hollow. Where was grace from him to be shown to this pastor?

Another example of Dwayne’s “grace mongering” is a response he made to a note on Facebook. In 2009, I posted “An Open Letter to Christian Educators,” which began like this:

Dear Educator,
As an evangelist and a former elementary school teacher, I am growing more and more burdened as I hear about young people from Christian homes who reject the beliefs they were taught. Just recently, I discovered that the class president of my graduating class from an independent Baptist church and school now lives with his “married partner,” David! Clearly, there seems to be a greater increase in our day of young people from Christian homes and schools who either reject Christianity or end up living “worldly” lives. I am sure that many of us ask ourselves, “Why?”

This note was written for the purpose of provoking among Bible believers a sense of urgent need for a creation conference. In drive-by style, Dwayne responded defensively of Curt (the class president) and asked me if I had received permission from him to post it.

QUESTION: Is it not a contradiction to claim belief in the Bible, yet to defend an open homosexual but condemn as guilty a pastor who is accused of harboring a rapist?

Is it me, or is there something wrong here? Let me clarify. On the one hand, Dwayne was defensive of an openly sodomite individual who also is “in the ministry,” while on the other hand, he assumed the guilt of an accused pastor. Where is grace from one who claims to be a “grace-monger”?

…scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, 4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. 7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. (John 8:3-11)

The actions of these two men in many ways represent my generation of “modern Christianity,” a society in which evil is called good and good is called evil (Isaiah 5:20). Actually, neither Dwayne nor Curt believes God’s grace, since it teaches some things that contradict the world views of both men. A prevailing view today is that grace is a license to enjoy any music, any marital arrangement, or use money for any type of enjoyment. In other words, an “I’m ok, you’re ok” idea seeks to rule the day. Let me expand that belief:

“I’m ok, you’re ok…until you say I’m not ok. Then you’re not ok.”

Actually, none of us are “ok.”

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)

TRUE GRACE

God’s grace teaches us to deny “ungodliness and worldly lusts” and to “live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world” (Titus 2:12). “Deny” means to refuse to accept something. None of us are perfect. ALL of us have broken God’s laws. Though all of us have purposefully “missed the mark” of God’s standard of absolute perfection, we still must refuse to accept or affirm un-Godliness and worldly lusts. Should I give in to pressure to accept that which is contrary to God’s grace—contrary to His design—simply because my friends accept or promote it? No. I refuse to accept homosexuality, not because of personal opinion or how I grew up, but because it is contrary to the revealed design of the Creator of marriage and sexuality. It also is unrighteous to affirm (“have pleasure in”) this lifestyle (Romans 1:32). I cannot affirm the lifestyle of Curt, a sodomite whoremonger, nor can I accept the un-Biblical “grace” of Dwayne, the “grace monger.” While both men are religious and claim to believe the Bible and to follow Jesus, their words and lives do not match up Biblically with the grace of God that teaches us to deny un-Godliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and Godly.

Are you a Dwayne or a Curt? If so, you can come to the God of all grace—the Designer of everything Who also has an awesome design for every area of our lives! Don’t fall for lies that can come even from friends! Come to the loving, living LORD Jesus Christ Who calls us to a life of true grace that teaches us how to live today!

The Message of Mt. St. Helens

2011-05-14T07:07:00.000-07:00

“God’s Gift to the Creationist”
On Sunday, May 18, 1980, Mt. St. Helens erupted, sending clouds of ash high into the sky and mudflows through the Toutle River valley. A 5.1 earthquake initiated the greatest recorded landslide in history that released underground tension that had been building for days. Prior to the earthquake, the northernmost slope of the mountain had been bulging at the rate of 5 feet per day. Though many warnings existed beforehand, 57 people lost their lives in this catastrophe. The most famous of these, Harry Truman, became somewhat of a celebrity as he refused numerous requests to leave “his” mountain. The most notable result of the eruption that gave Mt. St. Helens the status of “God’s Gift to the Creationist” is the canyon system that was carved through solid rock in a matter of hours. Modern science so often is associated with “evolution,” a belief about the evidence that asserts “millions of years” of time. Those who hold to this belief often use canyons as illustrations of the idea that rivers which flow through those canyons gradually carved them over long periods of time. However, such long ages of time cannot be tested or observed scientifically. What we do see today are rivers flowing through canyons, but does this mean that the canyons are there because of the rivers? What if the rivers exist because of the canyons? In other words, could canyons have been formed by massive catastrophes (such as mudflows from a volcano), and water flows through them afterwards? So often, “evolutionary science” promotes only one view to the exclusion of other, more scientific views about the same evidence!

Why Do Men Believe “Millions of Years” in Spite of Science?
It is a fact that canyons exist worldwide. Grand Canyon is the largest and most famous canyon in the world. Is it truly scientific to assert that these land formations formed over “millions of years”? No. No one observed it or tested it, and the time frame is a belief that cannot be confirmed by true science. Canyons and other formations found worldwide are consistent with a Biblical worldview, a view that includes the Biblical account of a global Flood, a man named Noah, and the ark of safety. Why, then, do men continue to believe in long ages of time despite the evidence?

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth (i.e. “hold back, suppress”) in unrighteousness.” (Romans 1:18)

The Bible, God’s Word, records a worldwide Flood sent by God as judgment for the wickedness of mankind. Canyons, fossils, and more are consistent with this event. However, men “hold” (or, suppress) the truth of God’s Word “in unrighteousness.” In other words, because of “unrighteousness” (sin, bad things), men do not want to submit to a Creator and they seek to hide His truth. One of the biggest lies men use to suppress the truth of God’s Word is the idea that “millions of years” of time is represented by canyons and rock layers. However, “millions of years” is a belief about the evidence that goes directly against the history of the Bible. Mt. St. Helens is a modern-day example that gives us a small glimpse of what took place at the time of the Flood.

Are You Like Harry?
Harry Truman (not the American President by the same name) did not listen to the warnings to leave the mountain. To his own peril, he thought that the mountain would not harm him. Yet, he perished under nearly 300 feet of sediment that was a result of the initial earthquake. No matter what he believed, he still suffered the consequences. Could it be that many who will not believe the Bible might still, like Harry, suffer the consequences? The same God who sent the Flood of watery judgment tells of a fiery judgment to come (Luke 17:26-32; 2 Peter 2-3). Judgment is coming, but there is a way out! The Bible tells us that men have sinned against their Creator (Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned…”). The bad news is that our sin must be judged in an eternal place of fire. Not only did Jesus preach about the Flood, but He also spoke of the literal fiery judgment of a place called “hell” (Luke 16). Though all men deserve this eternal punishment of fire, there is a simple way out: Belief! We must simply believe with all of our heart that Jesus, the Creator, came to earth to die on the cross in payment for the sins of all people. If we believe, the natural result is to receive God’s gift of salvation through a prayer (“call”) of faith. His Word says:

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power (i.e. “right, privilege”) to become the sons of God, even to them that call on His name.” (John 1:12)

Don’t be like Harry Truman who refused to heed the warnings, for there is a much greater fire that awaits all who refuse to heed the warnings from God to turn from sin to the Savior. Not believing the Bible does not void the fact of this future judgment. The same God Who brought the Flood created hell, but He also made a way of escape through His Son. For more information, please email us from our website.

Mountain Messages

2011-05-05T07:41:00.000-07:00

Psalm 144:6 "...touch the mountains and they shall smoke."

Our "Mountain Mysteries" theme this year is an extremely important theme. From the message of design in Mt. Rushmore, to the intriguing archaeology and Biblical ramifications of Mt. Sinai, this theme is perhaps the most faith-building series of messages of the five themes we have! Added to these two mountains are Mt. Ararat (with the search for Noah's Ark) and the volcanic island (mountain almost underwater) of Krakatao (tying in to the Biblical Flood).

Except for Sinai, each of these mountains ties in perfectly with creation or the Flood. The message of Sinai ("The Secret of Sinai") is the most intriguing of all as we explore the distinct possibility that Bible maps are wrong and God's Word is right! Much more than the archaeological implications is the Biblical message of Sinai. It was the place where Moses received the Ten Commandments and where he saw a portion of God's glory. In addition, we read in the book of Hebrews:

"For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest... (Heb 12:18)

We later read that we've come instead to a mountain named Sion that entails great blessings, one of which is a "new covenant" of blood--the LORD Jesus! The "mountain messages" in God's Word are extremely important indeed as God Himself used His earth to teach us great truths.

Job 12:8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

For more on this, click here

Dealing with the Dragon

2011-04-02T18:04:00.000-07:00

(Part 3 of "Dragon Tales")
“Who then is able to stand before me?” Job 40:7
CreationFamilyMinistries.org

Of Dinosaurs & Dragons
The Purpose of Dragons
From Barney to Jurassic Park, “dinosaurs” is a subject that is extremely intriguing and important! It is particularly interesting to children and a wonderful tool to use in pointing people to the One Who made them! God told Job: “Behold now behemoth…” (40:15), and described this animal as moving a tail “like a cedar.” In addition, He gave many details of an unknown, fearsome reptile called “leviathan” (Job 41). One of these descriptions was that it breathed fire (41:18-21)! If God so used His creatures (including dinosaurs) to proclaim His power and presence, we no doubt likewise must use His animals as a way to point people to the Bible and to God. Consider these facts:

1. He used a lion and a bear to instill confidence in David to meet Goliath (I Sam. 17:38).
2. He rode a donkey into Jerusalem (Matt. 21:1-10).
3. He is called “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Rev. 5:5).

God has a purpose for all of His creation, and we should use His animals as He intended. Today, we could say, “Behold the dinosaur; he moves his tail like a cedar tree.”
While the word “dinosaur” is not in the Bible, in many places in Scripture we do find the word “dragon” or “dragons.” If these creatures were mentioned only once it would be important, for every word of God is important. However, we must consider this question:
What really would be the difference between a dragon and a dinosaur?

The Power of Dragons
If we take descriptions of “leviathan” in Job 41, we find a creature that was some type of reptile (“His scales are his pride…” v. 14) and had the ability to breathe fire!

“Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.” (Job 41:19).

Perhaps this animal was what we call a “fire-breathing dragon.” Some may say, “Fire-breathing dragons…that’s a myth!” While myths are often based on a grain of truth, some factoids provide clues that the dinosaur parasauralophus may have had the capacity to breathe fire. Skulls of these dinosaurs had differing types of crests that were hollow on the inside with passageways that connected to the “breathing area” of the skull. If this animal had an ability similar to the modern-day bombardier beetle, which produces 212o chemical-based fire, and you quite possibly could have a fire-breathing dragon! Either way, the description of “leviathan” in Job is of an extremely fearsome animal. It is no wonder that God said, “Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more.” In other words, “You lay a hand on him, Job, you’re gonna remember the battle because that will be the last thing you will do!”

“None is so fierce that dare stir him up…”

No one would be brave enough to rouse this animal, and God then applies a very important truth:

“…who then is able to stand before me?” (Job 41:10)

If we would fear what a large animal can do to us, should we not fear more what the Creator of that animal can do if we disobey Him? The power of the dragon’s message is that the Creator of dragons has more power!

The Praise of Dragons

Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps: (Psa 148:7)

All of God’s creation praises Him!

For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is… (Exo 20:11)
God that made the world and all things therein…he is Lord of heaven and earth… (Acts 17:24)
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. (Rev 4:11)
And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
(Col 1:17)

When one considers a painting or a building, the design speaks of the ability of the artist or architect. What does the intricate and awe-inspiring universe (which includes the animals) bring but wonderful praise to its Designer?

Defeating the Dragon
Hailing back to Genesis 3, the Book of Revelation refers to Satan as “that old serpent”:

And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, (Rev 20:2)

God’s Word also tells us that Satan will be defeated:

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying … the accuser of our brethren is cast down…. (Rev 12:9-10)

Though he is ultimately defeated, we know that we battle him and his forces of darkness:

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness… (Eph 6:12)

How can we defeat Satan on a daily basis? First, we must STAND CLOTHED with the armor of God. (See Ephesians 6:13-17.) Second, we need to SEEK the LORD in prayer and STAND GUARD for other believers:

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; (Eph 6:18)

Then, we rely on the SACRIFICE our LORD made on the cross of Calvary, our STAND for Him, and our SELFLESS devotion to Him.

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. (Rev 12:11)

These truths will help us overcome Satan daily.

The Draw of Dragon
In November of 2010, we conducted a meeting at a church in Floral City, FL. After a message entitled, “Dragon Tales,” a lady said to me, “I was saved because of dinosaurs.” She then told me how she had been indoctrinated with evolution and the scenario that dinosaurs died out “millions of years” before man arrived. Over time, she realized that her only hindrance to believing in God and the Bible was dinosaurs. If they died out “millions of years” before man, as evolution asserts, then the Bible was wrong. When she read the Book of Job (particularly chapters 40-41), she realized that dinosaurs and man existed at the same time! This realization broke down the wall in her mind, and she came to trust the Bible and in Jesus as her Savior!

In 2008, we were at a grocery store when I handed the cashier a “fossil trading card.” While I was prepared to mention something about fossils and the Flood, the picture reminded her of dinosaurs and she asked, “Are you the ‘Dinosaur Man’?” Wondering what she had heard, I said “Well, I guess so.” Before I could say anything else, she called out to three of her co-workers: “Hey look! The “Dinosaur Man’s here!” Three young men promptly came over to where we were standing, and we had a few minutes to speak to these young people about the Bible and dinosaurs!

Because Satan has used dinosaurs to promote lies, we must realize the growing importance of this subject (and “dragons”) in our culture and use it to bring people to the Word of God and the God of the Word.

Creation Chronicle - January, 2011

2011-01-12T09:25:00.000-08:00

“Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:” (Psalm 148:7)

Greetings in the name of our LORD, the Creator! It is truly a blessing to serve our Maker pointing people to Him and to the reliability of His Word. We especially thank those who contribute prayerfully and financially to help make our labor possible. May HE bless you real good!

A LOOK BACK
We praise the LORD for opportunities HE has given us to serve HIM these past few months! Since June, we have had wonderful times of ministry and fellowship each of these weeks, for which we are extremely grateful:

Good News Baptist - Virginia Beach (VBS)
Calvary Baptist - Hendersonville, NC (VBS)
First Baptist - Winamac, IN (VBS)
Victory Baptist - Montrose, CO (VBS)
Central Baptist - Hayden, CO (VBS)
First Baptist - Escalante, UT (VBS)
Grace Baptist - Logan, UT (VBS)
Santaquin Baptist - Santaquin, UT (VBS)
Calvary Baptist - Tremonton, UT (VBS / fair)
Santaquin Baptist - Payson, UT (fair)
Heritage Baptist - Mt. Pleasant, UT (revival)
Baptist Community Church - Afton, WY (revival)
Grace Baptist - Terre Haute, IN (revival)
Thompson Rd. Baptist, Indianapolis (miss. conf.)
Gospel Tabernacle Baptist, Tullahoma, TN (Creation Day)
Faith Baptist - Shelbyville, TN - (Script. Conf.)
New Testament Baptist - Floral City, FL (revival)
Freedom Baptist - Havelock, NC (Creation conf.)
Tabernacle Baptist, Virginia Beach (Chapel)
Sharon Baptist - Hampton, VA (Creation Day)

2010 SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS

Some highlights from the summer are:
 Meeting Klaus, a man who grew up in Germany during the Holocaust and was a member of Hitler's youth!
 Meeting an artist, Brent, who helped us with a "pterosaur sheet" we used for decoration this past summer.
 Special opportunities to present the Gospel:
1. To a group of about 25 from a boys home who came Sunday morning to First Baptist in Escalante, UT.
2. To a group of about 25 LDS (Mormons) on Sunday morning in a baby dedication at Grace Baptist in Logan, UT.

 Meeting three men (Zach, Cody, Mason) who believed evolution at the fair in Payson, UT. They listened well and accepted material from us.

For updated information and pictures from our travels, look up jeffandheather on Facebook.

A LOOK FORWARD
We’re excitedly planning TWO Creation Conferences this year:
February 24 – 26
Hickory Metro Convention Center - Hickory, NC
March 2 – 6
Tabernacle Baptist - Virginia Beach, VA

Our theme will be Dinosaurs & the Bible with special guests:
Creation Truth Foundation (mobile museum from Noble, OK)

Dr. Jobe Martin (Rockwall, TX)

Dan “the Animal Man" Breeding (Rolesville,NC)

Steve Lawwell (Shelbyville, TN)

Ken Sheets (Tabernacle Baptist Seminary; Virginia Beach, VA)

We ask for your prayers for these efforts that God would use them for HIS glory to strengthen the faith of believers and to point the lost to the LORD as our Creator AND Redeemer. These events will be FREE to the public and will include daytime and evening sessions for all ages:

Elementary Day (Thurs.)
High School Day (Fri.)
Family Day (Sat.)

For more information or to donate online, see http://DinoMight.us.

Once again, we plan to head west in 2011 and will likely start that way in July. We will have an itinerary in our June, 2011 newsletter.

A CONTRAST
Two recent responses from Christians to our ministry illustrate the vast differences that exist even among Bible believers when it comes to creationism. One response in one of our meetings was from a lady who soaked up the messages like a sponge. As she told me that she had attended two other creation conferences recently, she compared ours very favorably, saying that it was totally different. The other response came from a man:

“Other evangelists come each year and preach the Bible, but all you have is this (gesturing to our fossil table).”

These two responses to the same subject matter represent great differences among Christians regarding the knowledge and understanding that is applied to creationism. Some view it as “Well, we believe this…now let’s go on to the next subject”…while others just can’t get enough! Why this vast difference? In short, it is ignorance.

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…”
(Hosea 4:6)

“If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things” (John 3:12)

Ignorance of God’s design in the physical realm results in ignorance of His design in the spiritual realm. According to Jesus, understanding the physical realm is key to understanding spiritual things. More and more as we serve in creation ministry, we see the negative results of the church giving “education” (study of the physical realm) over to public institutions, most of which formerly held the Bible as the basis for truth. However over the years, establishments such as Harvard and Yale, ones which once taught the Bible and trained preachers, have long ago departed from the Bible, a Genesis view of creation, and a global Flood. As religious institutions succumbed to the world’s thinking (e.g. accepting “millions of years”)—rejecting the Bible from its foundation—so the ones who were trained in those institutions succumbed to humanistic and false views(e.g. C. I. Scofield promoting the un-Biblical and illogical “Gap Theory”). It is no wonder today that we see vast ignorance and apathy among Bible-believers when it comes to foundational issues such as creation (the design of God) and its application to our daily lives. Without a solid foundation, sinful men reject God’s Word as unscientific and unreliable, and they live out a world view that is void of accountability to a Creator or to His design. If Christians are not proclaiming the truths of creation (the “earthly things”) the world cannot believe and accept our message of “heavenly things.” Hence, they are left to flounder in their own ideas. This is one reason why we are using conferences--to proclaim to the world that God does exist, that His Word is true from its beginning, and that He is a rewarder of all who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). If we can help you in any way, please do not hesitate to contact us. Of course, we’d love to see you at one of the conferences! Most of all, we request your prayers as we labor in this field. We desperately need them! May the LORD our Maker bless you with what you truly need.

Remembering the Creator,
Jeff & Heather Setzer

PRAISES
VERY busy & blessed summer & fall (2010)
Jeff’s brother faithfully serving the LORD
opportunities to serve in two UT fairs
additional supporter
provision for new brochure & other materials.

FOR PRAYER
Funding for our 4th year of Conference ministry
Increase in monthly support
Wisdom for writing & web development
Unsaved friends & family members
various ministry and personal needs

Dragon Tales, part 2

2010-12-07T16:12:00.000-08:00

Dragons Alive!

Are dragons alive today? We know that komodo dragons, bearded dragons, and Chinese water dragons exist today, but these don’t have wings or breathe fire! Beginning our thinking with the Bible, we find the word “dragon” or “dragons” occurs 35 times in Scripture! In Nehemiah 2:13, as the prophet mapped out a plan to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, he went out by night and was near a “dragon well.” Is it possible that in Bible times there was a well of water outside of a city to attract dangerous animals, keeping them out of the city?

Another reference to “dragon” is in Jeremiah 51:34.

"Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed me… he hath swallowed me up like a dragon…."

In this passage, “dragon” appears twice: v. 34 & 37. In my Bible, “dragons” (v. 37) has a reference to a definition in the column: “or jackals.” QUESTION: Is a jackal remotely like the reptilian dragon? No. In short, we must not rely solely on notes in our Bibles.

Fire-Breathing Dragons?
One may wonder, “Isn’t a fire-breathing dragon the stuff of fairy tales?” First, we must avoid misconceptions based upon pre-conceived notions (such as a dragon with wings), and we must always begin our thinking with the Bible. In Job 41, the last subject in His creation that God used to change men’s false views is the fearsome “leviathan”:

"Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down? -- Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens? -- Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more. Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him? None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me? ~~ Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about. ~~ His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal…."

While we do not know specifically what this creature was (or is), we know some things about it from Scripture.
1. It lives in the water (v. 1).
2. It is un-tameable (v. 5).
3. It is fearsome (vs. 8-10, 25).
“When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid…” (v. 25)
4. It has many fearsome teeth (v. 14).
5. It has scales (possibly reptilian or fish scales, vs. 15-17).

While these descriptions are intriguing, the most interesting characteristic is in verses 18-21:

"By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out. Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron. His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth." (Job 41:18-21)

These verses leave us extremely curious as to the identity of “leviathan”! However, a cursory reading of this passage indicates that this animal breathed fire. “Isn’t this a myth?” one may ask. This response is typical. However, would not Creator God be able to do anything? Sometimes though, men cannot accept God as He is, and they apparently feel that they need to read into the Bible something that is not there. In a book on Job entitled, Be Patient, Warren Wiersbe wrote:

"In verses 12-24, God gave a poetical description of this great creature's mighty limbs, fierce teeth, and strong jaws, and impregnable covering (vv. 12-17). When the crocodile churns up the river and blows out water, the sun reflects the vapor; and it looks like fire and smoke from a dragon's mouth."

QUESTION: does a crocodile breathe fire? No. Warren Wiersbe apparently could not envision a fire-breathing creature at the time of Job, so he re-interpreted Scripture (“looks like”) to mean something not intended by either the writer or by God Himself! It is such re-interpretation that leaves people confused about the Bible and in doubt concerning God as Creator.

Even though we don’t see leviathan or fire-breathing creatures alive today, we can piece together some interesting facts:

1. Fossilized skulls of the dinosaur, parasauralophus, show head crests that are hollow. The hollow passageways are connected to the “breathing area” of the skull.
2. The bombardier beetle makes chemicals that it uses to produce a 212 blast as its defense against predators.

With these facts in mind, along with an understanding that fire-producing chemicals do not fossilize and that soft tissues rarely fossilize, we have a distinct possibility that crested creatures such as parasauralophus may have produced chemical-based fire and smoke, such as the bombardier beetle can do today.

The most important thing about leviathan is that God, as with all of His creatures, has a special purpose for him!

"He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride." (Job 41: 34)

That purpose is to humble us by showing that we are not in charge! The message of God’s creation is to show man his rightful place as created and not creator.

"When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him?" (Psa 8:3 ,4)

(Next… Dealing With the Dragon)

Ministry Update, December 2010

2010-12-01T08:25:00.000-08:00

A LOOK BACK
We praise the LORD for opportunities HE has given us to serve HIM these past months! Since our June newsletter, we have had wonderful times of ministry and fellowship each of these weeks, for which we are extremely grateful:

Good News Bapt. - Virginia Beach, VA - Walt Coles (VBS)
Calvary Bapt. - Hendersonville, NC - Ken Mason (VBS)
First Bapt. - Winamac, IN - Mark Pilger (VBS)
Victory Baptist in Montrose, CO - Jim Welch (VBS)
Central Baptist in Hayden, CO - Bill Ditges (VBS)
First Baptist in Escalante, UT - Dale Richards (VBS)
Grace Baptist in Logan, UT - Jerry Stonehouse (VBS)
Santaquin Baptist in Santaquin, UT - Mike Bardon (VBS)
Calvary Baptist in Tremonton, UT - David George (VBS / county fair)
Santaquin Baptist in Payson, UT - Mike Bardon (city fair)
Heritage Baptist in Mt. Pleasant, UT - David Preston (revival)
Baptist Community in Afton, WY - Amo Stephens (revival)
Grace Baptist in Terre Haute, IN - James Haddix (revival)
Thompson Rd. Bapt., Indianapolis, IN - Tony Slutz (mission conference)
Gospel Tabernacle Bapt., Tullahoma, TN- Rod Shrader (Creation Day)
Faith Baptist in Shelbyville, TN - Charles Redmond (Scripture conference)
NT Baptist in Floral City, FL - Clarence Helms (revival)
Freedom Baptist in Havelock, NC - Jim Kohr (Creation conference)
Tabernacle Baptist, Virginia Beach - James Baker (Praise Chapel)
Sharon Baptist in Hampton, VA - David Carroll (Creation Day)

2010 SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS
Some highlights from the summer are:
--Meeting Klaus in NC, a man who grew up in Germany during the Holocaust and was a member of Hitler's youth!
--Meeting an artist in NC, Brent, who helped us with a "pterosaur sheet" we used in decoration the rest of the summer.
--Special opportunities to present the Gospel:
1. To a group of about 25 from a boys home who came Sunday morning to First Baptist in Escalante, UT.
2. To a group of about 25 LDS (Mormons) on Sunday morning in a baby dedication at Grace Baptist in Logan, UT.
--Meeting three men (Zach, Cody, Mason) who believed evolution at the fair in Payson, UT. They listened well and accepted material from us.

For more update information and pix from each meeting, feel free to look us up on Facebook (jeffandheather).

2011 CREATION CONFERENCE
We are excitedly planning our 2011 "Behold Now Behemoth" Creation Conference on "Dinosaurs & the Bible"! This year, we are planning two events:

February 24-26 Hickory Metro Convention Center Hickory, NC
March 2-6 Tabernacle Baptist Church Virginia Beach, VA

Special guests will include staff and mobile museum of Creation Truth Foundation (Noble, OK; CreationTruth.com), Dr. Jobe Martin (Rockwall, TX; BiblicalDiscipleship.org), Dan “the Animal Man" Breeding & “friends” (Rolesville, NC; CreaturesofCreation.org), Steve Lawwell (Shelbyville, TN; EchoesofEden.org), and Ken Sheets (Virginia Beach, VA; tbbcs.com). We ask that you pray earnestly for these efforts that God would supply wisdom and finances, but most of all that He would use these events in mighty ways for HIS glory. These events will be free to the public with both day time and evening sessions for all ages, including an Elementary Day (Thursday), High School Day (Friday), and a Family Day (Saturday). For more information or to donate, please see DinoMight.us.

May the LORD, our Creator, bless each of you and grant you a wonderful holy-day time with family and friends!

Jeff and Heather
Creation Family Ministries

Dragon Tales, part 1

2010-09-29T12:15:00.000-07:00

“Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox.” Job 40:15
“Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:” Psalm 148:7

“Dinosaur”: in the Bible?
From Barney to Jurassic Park, the subject of dinosaurs is an extremely intriguing and important one, demanding much Scriptural and scientific scrutiny. It’s interesting for all ages, particularly children, and an extremely useful subject in pointing people to the Creator and to His Word, the Bible. The word “dinosaur” comes from two Greek words, deinos (which means “extremely dangerous”) and saura (which means “lizard). It was first coined in 1841 by Sir Richard Owen.

Did these “extremely dangerous” creatures live “millions of years” before man, or were they created only thousands of years ago on Day 6 of Creation Week? Were they all massive, or were some of them quite small? Have they always lived with man and could be alive today? While some correctly allege that the Bible does not mention “dinosaurs,” we must remember two things: 1.) when the word was coined (1841), and 2.) the year given the King James’ version of the Bible (1611). This is why the Bible does not contain the word “dinosaur” – we wouldn’t have the word for another 230 years! Even though the word itself is not in the Bible, there are creatures such as the “dragon,” “behemoth,” or “serpent” that correspond with what we know today about the fearsome animals called “dinosaurs”!

God’s Great Creation Message
The book of Job is an intriguing account that delves into both spiritual and physical realms unlike any other book of the Bible! In it, we catch a glimpse of the spiritual realm as Satan came before God to accuse Job. Through long dialogue, we also see conflict in the earthly realm between well-intentioned, but wrong, men. Toward the end of the account, we read the greatest Creation Message of all time, given by God Himself! When He came onto the scene (Job 38), He used a whirlwind (tornado)! No doubt this method had everyone’s attention as He began a long series of questions:

Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding. (Job 38:2-4)

In short, God corrected men’s wrong views with the right view of Himself as Creator! In the account of Job, chapters 38 through 41 contain a great amount of information about many aspects of God’s creation as He revealed Himself using the sky, sea, earth, weather, light, and animals. It is interesting to note that throughout this message God never explained to Job why he suffered. Rather, He simply revealed Who He IS by using His creation! As we face challenges or difficulties in life today, we need not know why. Rather, we simply need to know WHO!

As we approach chapters 40 and 41, God points to two intriguing animals, “behemoth” and “leviathan”:

Job 40:15 Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox.
Job 41:1 Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook?
or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?

As we examine these creatures, we see that God spent more time on them than anything else in this message! Since these are at the “close” of His message, we wonder if God wished to save the “best for last” or if He used them as an “invitation time”! Note the phrase “which I made with thee” in Job 40:15. This verse not only makes it clear that Job could see (“behold”) this creature, but it also reveals that God wanted Job – and us – to know that He made this animal at the same time as man.

Behold Now Behemoth
The word “behemoth” simply means “large animal.” While many commentators surmise that it refers either to an elephant or hippo, we must look at all of the descriptions to see if they match:
1. Behemoth ate grass like an ox (v. 15).
2. “His strength is in his loins…his force is in the navel of his belly” (large, strong stomach) (v. 16).
3. He moved his tail “like a cedar” (v. 17).
4. The “sinews of his stones are wrapped together” (v. 17).
5. He had bones like “strong pieces of brass” and “bars of iron” (v. 18).
6. He is the “chief of the ways of God” (v. 19).
7. He likes shade (v. 20-21).
8. He drinks water and is extremely large (v. 23).

While an elephant or hippo certainly fits some of these descriptions, not ALL of them match. Perhaps the most “tell-tail” characteristic that separates “behemoth” from either hippo or elephant is this one: “He moveth his tail like a cedar…” (Job 40:17).
The tail of an elephant or hippo does NOT look like – or move like – a cedar tree! However, the massive sauropods such as brachiosaurus or diplodocus DID have HUGE tails which certainly fit this description! From this one characteristic of “behemoth,” it is clear that God was NOT describing an elephant or a hippo. Rather, “behemoth” best fits some type of sauropod dinosaur.

Dragons Alive?!
Are dragons alive today? Before we discuss this topic, we may wish to avoid a preconceived notion of a huge reptile that breathes fire and has wings. We know that komodo dragons, bearded dragons, and Chinese water dragons exist today, but they don’t have wings or breathe fire! Can Scripture help us with this subject? Most certainly!
(To Be Continued, Part 2)

Suffer the Children, part 2

2010-08-19T10:30:00.000-07:00

Jesus’ Compassion to Care for His Flock, v. 16

Picture the scene: the Creator of the universe took the children into His arms, laid His hands upon them, and blessed them. What a tender picture of love! A book entitled, "The Blessing" by Gary Smalley and John Trent details many things regarding the importance of the Old Testament "blessing" that was passed on from father to son. Would you desire for your child to be influenced by an ex-murderer and reviler of Christians? How about being influenced by the Apostle Paul – that is exactly what he was! Often, a parent’s influence upon a child is emphasized to the exclusion of others who may also contribute in a great way toward influencing a child for righteousness.

Suffer Children to Lean on Jesus

"My son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." (II Timothy 2:1)

The word for "son" used here is the same word Mary used in speaking to Jesus (Luke 2:48) and indicates that Paul felt a kinship with Timothy as a true father for his son.

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)
"A father of the fatherless..." (Psalm 68:5)

The Biblical pattern is that a parent has the first and most influential role in a child's life. From that foundation, God adds others who assist in influencing that child for righteousness. With Timothy, there was Lois, Eunice, and Paul. After that, Paul's command to Timothy was for him to impact others:

"…commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also" (2 Timothy 2:2)

Of course, the most important influence in one’s life is Christ Himself. Hence, the complete pattern of influence is:
Jesus, the Creator
Parents & Grandparents
Pastors
Faithful teachers

Suffer Children to Learn from Jesus
And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." (I Timothy 3:15)
The word used here translated "child" is the Greek word, "brephos" which is the youngest age indicated previously: an infant age 0 – 8 days. This is quite interesting that God would use this term, indicating that we must understand that children are teachable even in the womb!

The Importance of Teaching Creation to Children
Jesus is the Creator.

For by him (Jesus) were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible…all things were created by him, and for him:
And he is before all things, and by him (Jesus) all things consist. (Colossians 1:16-17)

The familiar Bible “stories” that children are taught in Sunday school…Jesus walking on water, healing the blind man, feeding the thousands…are all based upon the fact that not only is He the Creator, but Jesus was and is in control of His creation! Therefore, it just makes sense that if He made it, He can control it!

What about evolution?
If we teach children in Sunday school these “stories” (better terms would be “history” or “Bible lesson”) as fact, but then turn around and send them to a science class or to a museum that says “millions of years ago,” are we not contradicting our own teaching? We must take great care when we take a group of children to a museum or watch a TV documentary. We MUST realize that at some point, our children will be taught evolution. The question we must ask ourselves is:
Are we ready to effectively counteract and contradict the lies,
and show that the evidence points to a Creator…the LORD, Jesus Christ?

Suffer Children to Live for Jesus:
Once young people know that there is a God and that He has a special design for their lives, it is but one step for them to say (like Isaiah of old), “Here am I, send me.” However, God has not left us to serve Him alone or to fend for ourselves. He has given to us each other to influence for the sake of righteousness.

Isaac was influenced by Abraham & Sarah, Samuel by Hannah and Eli, the priest. David was influenced by Jesse, Samuel, Jonathan, and Nathan, the prophet. Timothy was influenced by Lois, Eunice, and Paul. Every parent must realize that he or she has the extremely important task not only of influencing a child, but also of choosing others who would impact the life of their child. Later, there is the vastly important aspect of helping young people to discern in choosing their friends. The most important One to influence one’s life is the LORD Jesus Himself, and the wise parent is willing to turn the child over to Him and to His perfect will. Even those who do not have children of their own can, like Paul, be used of God to be spiritual "parents" to young people.

Who & How?
To whom are you passing along your faith? Are you sharing evidence that causes others to trust the Bible? How are you influencing others for Christ? Is there someone younger whom you can “adopt” as a “spiritual child” and with whom you can share the evidence of your faith? May each of us find a “Timothy” with whom we can share our faith and vision!

2010-08-17T10:41:00.001-07:00

We do request prayer as we plan our 4th Creation Conference: Feb. 24-26 in Hickory, NC & Mar. 2-6 in Va. Beach! 2011

2010-07-31T06:57:00.001-07:00

Well, we praise the LORD for safety and no deer in the roads as we made the 12hr trip from Hayden, CO to Escalante, UT...arriving at 10:45pm mst.

The Pride of June

2010-06-09T12:30:00.000-07:00

The President's recent proclaimation of June as "LGBT Pride Month," engendered a need to proclaim the other side: the design of the One Who made mankind and designed marriage. This One is the Creator of the universe. While there are many who believe that God does not exist, the design all around us proclaims the glory of a Designer. Some wonder, "Why are there bad things if a good Designer (God) exists, and why doesn't this God eradicate evil?" The simple answer is that God created mankind with a free will to choose good or evil...and they chose evil. The Genesis account of creation, along with the event of man's choice to disobey his Maker, is recorded in the Word of God, the Bible. In the first book of this Book, Genesis, we read that God made two first human beings, a man and a woman (Adam and Eve) and that He told them to "...Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth..." (Genesis 1:28). It is clearly impossible for a union of two of the same gender physically to fulfill this command. Not only this, God's design was further clarified by the fact that Adam stated:

This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. Genesis 2:23, 24

The President's proclamation of honor to a union of two of the same gender is not in accordance with the Creator's one man/one woman design. In fact, it is contrary to God's design for the human race and is the height of human hubris in the face of his Creator. The question Obama must ask himself is this:

Is my authority higher than the authority of the One Who made me?

The President of the United States is full of extraordinary hubris to proclaim honor to a "union" that is contrary to the design of his Maker. It is our desire to proclaim the truths of the Word of the living God, that Jesus Christ, the Creator of mankind, affirmed the design for marriage when He said:

Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. (Matthew 19:4-6)

We must ask, "Whose proclamation carries more weight--Obama's or God's?"

Suffer the Children, part 1

2010-05-24T10:46:00.000-07:00

Mark 10:14
Evangelist Jeff Setzer
Creation Family Ministries

There is a story about a man who punished his 3-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight, and he was infuriated when she decorated a box to put under the Christmas tree. Nevertheless, the little girl gave the gift to her father the next morning and said, "This is for you, Daddy." He was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, but his anger flared once again when he saw that the box was empty. He yelled, "Don't you know that when you give someone a present, there’s supposed to be something in it?" The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and said, "Oh, Daddy, it's not empty. I blew kisses into the box, all for you, Daddy." The father was crushed. He put his arms around her and begged forgiveness. He kept the box by his bed for years. Whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.

In a sense, parents, teachers, or church leaders have been given with each child an empty container ready to be filled with unconditional love and truth. In addition, the container is ready to give truth and love in return. There is no more precious possession that anyone could hold than this immense responsibility.

In our ministry, we sense a great burden to see young people receive unconditional love from the ones who influence them and to see their leaders lovingly and forthrightly share with them the truth. However, in our nation we often see examples that promote lying, adultery, murder, worship of false gods, ignoring special days of devotion to God, etc. The corrupt lives or philosophies of public figures such as Barak Obama or Tiger Woods go a long way toward teaching youth to believe and to do the same things. Explicit violence in media shows that murder is entertaining, while news programs seek better ratings by covering salacious details of some Hollywood divorce, murder, or rape, all the while glorifying crime and indecency. Examples abound of how youth today are encouraged to break all of God’s Ten Commandments. While it is a fact that we are all sinners and have broken God's laws, never before in the history of mankind has Satan’s lie of evolution been so accepted. What would be the main result of an evolutionary teaching that humans are related to animals, but humans behaving like animals? In fact, if we truly consider the end result of evolutionary ideas that are presented in public schools, museums, zoos, on television, the internet, and in the movies, we must realize that false beliefs such as humans being related to apes or dinosaurs existing today as birds, among others, contradict Scripture AND science while undermining the faith of our children. Beliefs have consequences!

Children in the Bible
Before we look at Mark 10, we should examine different Biblical terms used for children and their ages. Some years ago, my pastor (who is now with the LORD) asked me if I had a message on the subject of children, to which I had to say that I did not. However, his query prompted me to study the Scripture regarding children. The descriptions that follow are a result of some of that study: The word “brephos” (BREE-fos) refers to an infant from age 0 up to 8 days and is found in Luke 2:12 ("Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes…). “Paidion” (Pie-DEE-on) is a very broad term as far as age, indicating 8 days up to 12 years (Luke 2:21 "And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child…"; Luke 2:40 "And the child grew…"). The word “Pais” (pah-EES) has a variety of meanings, including age 12 to adulthood (Luke 2:42-43 "And when he was twelve… the child Jesus tarried…").

Suffer Children to Look to Jesus:
His Commitment to Conserve the Family
When the Pharisees sought to trap Jesus on the subject of marriage, He took them back to the Genesis account of creation when God made Adam and Eve to leave and to “cleave” to one another as “one flesh.”
And he answered…Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? (Matthew 19:4, 5)

He then said,

What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

(Matt. 19:6)
Thus, He laid a solid foundation for children: the home, a permanent relationship between a husband and a wife as “one flesh.” Why then do we see rampant divorce in our society…even among Christians? What’s more, can we trace divorce back to a particular philosophy, namely the teaching of evolution?

Brig. Gen. F. D. Frost stated…

“There is no doubt about it that the doctrine of evolution is the greatest curse in our educational system… This philosophy seeks to determine the morale, the principles and practice of virtuous conduct, and to reduce man to the level of animal nature… The surging unrest, the broken homes, the frustrated lives, the increasing divorce cases, the multiplied number of criminals are but the inevitable outcome of the acceptance and practice of this evolutionary doctrine.”

(H. Enock, Evolution or Creation 1966, pp. 1146-1147)

Jesus was not like many today who misuse or abuse the so-called "exception clause" (Matthew 19:9), using it to advocate divorce as the only remedy for certain marriage situations. There are a number of wrong views about this clause and why it has been so used to teach an allowance for divorce when “fornication” is involved. However, two main thoughts will help us understand that Jesus was not making an “exception” for “fornication.”

THE WORD
The term Jesus used for “fornication” is a word that refers to all kinds of immorality, particularly that which is outside of the marriage relationship. He did NOT use the specific term for adultery which meant infidelity within marriage. Even today, the term “fornication” refers to sexual activity outside of marriage. In fact, all of the other uses of “fornication” in Scripture refer to illicit activity outside of the marriage relationship.

THE RESPONSE
The tell-tale response of the disciples to Jesus’ statement shows that He was not making an allowance for divorce. Rather, He was establishing more permanence to marriage than what was allowed in that day! This is clear from
1.) The disciples’ response to question whether one should even get married in the first place, and
2.) Christ’s use of the subject of permanent singleness (“eunuchs”) in His response to the disciples.

His Concern to Correct His Followers, v. 12-14
After Jesus strengthened the home, people brought children to Him. However, the disciples rebuked those who did so. Perhaps they said to them: "Jesus is too busy," “He is in a board meeting," or "We don't have a nursery." In response, Jesus said:
Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
(Matthew 19:14)
With the subject of creation in mind, let me add another hypothetical response from the disciples: "Shouldn’t your kids be in school?"

Similar to the rejection of the disciples, the church has basically given over to the public school system the education of our children. As a result, they are indoctrinated with God-less, humanistic, evolutionary teaching (couched as “science”). This handover essentially hinders or prevents children from believing in Jesus as the loving Creator. In the wake of this gradual move by the Church, we see today that even many Christian parents and schools often blindly take young people to secular institutions (e.g. museums or universities) to be indoctrinated even more so with an evolutionary world view! Why should we wonder when our children grow up and neglect or reject the beliefs they were taught?
(Cont’d)

Behold Now Behemoth

2010-03-08T14:10:00.000-08:00

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of dinosaurs? Children? Jurassic Park? Barney? What about the possibility of letting your mind be drawn to the fact that dinosaurs were creatures that were marvelously designed, and that design demands a Designer? What's more--perhaps the subject of dinosaurs can bring us to consider the words of God to Job:

"Behold now, behemoth which I made with thee..." (Job 40:15)

The word, behemoth, simply means a "large creature." This could mean an elephant, a whale, or a hippo. But are there any other descriptions in the passage that could help us further qualify what type of large creature that is being described?

"...he eateth grass as an ox." (Job 40:15)

Since this creature eats grass and God told Job to look at it, we can safely assume that we're looking at some type of land creature. Many large land animals eat grass like an ox. In fact, if you say "green things" or "things that grow," an elephant or hippo would certainly fit. However, there is a another key description that makes a HUGE difference:

"He moveth his tail like a cedar." (Job 40:17)

This description is very interesting, in that a cedar is a type of tree. This brings the question: What type of large creature has a tail so big that it moves it like a tree? This certainly doesn't apply to an elephant or a hippo! However, it would apply to the sauropod-type of dinosaur such as a brachiosaur or diplodocus. One might wonder why the word "dinosaur" isn't in the Bible. The simple answer to this is the word wasn't yet coined at the time of the 1611 King James Version of the Bible. A simple reading of the Job 40 passage about "behemoth" is that this is describing a dinosaur! What are the implications to this? Well, for one, it means that man and dinosaur lived at the same time. Secondly, God used these massive creatures to communicate an extremely important message to Job, his friends, and to us today. If we fast forward to Job 42 and see Job's response to God's creation message (Job 38-41), we see that he repented of his sin!

I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. (Job 42:5-6)

The desired response to the message of creation (which includes dinosaurs) is a recognition of Who is ultimately in charge and that we all have gone against His perfect design. In addition, God used His handiwork to reveal Himself to Job and his friends. Should we not therefore follow His example and do the same? I think we too must use the subject of dinosaurs to present to the world the proper view of the Designer, with the ultimate result being repentance. Let's behold God's behemoth...NOW!

Jungle Tales Website

2010-01-25T12:11:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! Check out our new website at JungleTales.net! We are extremely excited about what the LORD is doing and what He will do through the upcoming conference! Just for the conference, we are also offering a special! If you purchase

The Mysterious Islands

an awesome 2-disc documentary that exposes the fallacies of evolution and exalts the Creator of the Galapogos Islands, you will also receive as a FREE gift the DVD entitled, "The Case for a Creator" by Lee Stobel. You can pay by check made out to (and sent to):

Creation Family Ministries
1225 29th Av Dr NE
Hickory, NC 28601
(Please place JTOFFER in the memo)

OR by Paypal:
http://jungletales.net/donations.html
(Please place JTOffer in a Paypal note)

Even if you aren't able to come to the event, you can participate by a DVD purchase or by a donation of any amount! Tax-deductible donations are received by checks made to "Tabernacle Baptist Church" (Jeff Setzer in the memo) and sent to:

Creation Family Ministries
1225 29th Av Dr NE
Hickory, NC 28601

Most of all, we need the prayers of God's people as we labor to point people to the Creator. Everything in life goes back to a foundation, a world view of either a creation or an evolutionary mindset.

Jungle Tales Conference Schedule

2010-01-15T04:59:00.000-08:00

JUNGLE TALES Conference on Biblical Creation

We are excited to provide this special time to exalt our Creator for His Word and His works! Due to the viewpoint discrimination by evolutionary and humanistic teachers in public education and in society at large, we are burdened not only to present the "other side," but also to show that this 'side' has so much more! As we study the Biblical side of things, this question continues to bug us: If there is a Creator/Designer, what is the purpose of His creation? If the Creator of all things perfectly designed it all, does He have a special plan for all humanity, even for His animals...ones like big cats or snakes? An amazing, yet intriguing thought that the Bible answers in a BIG way!

Special guests this year include:
Dr. Jobe Martin
Dan "the Animal Man" Breeding
Dr. Dennis Payne
Kam Badibu (native to the Congo)

Schedule & session titles:
February 12-14 at Ambassador Baptist Church in Hudson, NC
Friday, 7-9 pm
Why Our Children Are Already Gone - Martin
The Gospel of Evidences - Setzer

Saturday, 9 am - noon
Anatomy of the Jungle - Martin
Conception Deception - Payne
Monkey Business - Setzer

Sunday, 10 am - noon; 5 pm, 6 pm
Defending the Basics - Martin
Lifting Up The Serpent - Setzer
Which Came First? - Martin
ID: What's Wrong With It?

Februrary 19-21 at Tabernacle Baptist in Hickory, NC
Friday, 7-9 pm
Conception Deception - Payne
Consider the King - Setzer

Saturday, 9 am - noon;
The Gospel of Evidences - Setzer
Conception Deception - Payne (SPANISH)
Monkey Business - Setzer
Lifting Up The Serpent - Setzer (SPANISH)

12:30 "King of Creation" luncheon (ticket required)
Dinosaurs Alive?! - Setzer (special guest from the Congo: Kam Badibu)

Sunday, 9:30 - 1:30 "Domingo de Creacion"
(all sessions will be translated into Spanish)
The Cause of Creation - Setzer
Lifting Up The Serpent - Setzer
special guest: Dan Breeding

For more information, please check:
Creation Family Ministries
Jungle Tales

There will be special sessions for children ages 4-10. Oh, and one more thing. Other than the luncheon, this conference is FREE to the public! (Love offerings will be received.) See you here! If you have any questions, please call Creation Family Ministries at 828-238-0016 or email Brother Jeff at jeffandheather@juno.com. Thanks!

--Brother Jeff

Lifting Up The Serpent

2010-01-07T17:50:00.000-08:00

And as Moses lifted up the serpent, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. (John 3:14)

In the fields of Biblical creationism and creation evangelism, we find that people seem to often misunderstand what these subjects are all about. They seem to wonder why these subjects are necessary. For one, these areas of study are not solely scientific disciplines for a classroom setting. Rather, they represent life-changing worldviews that affect all of our lives in some way. Most important, God chose to begin His Record with:

In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)

Could it be that this initial concept of Scripture—that there is a God and that He is the Creator of all things—is the bedrock foundation upon which the rest of Scripture rests? This is how HE chose to begin His Word: with the concept that HE is the Creator, and that everything else is built upon this foundation. Equally important to knowing what He communicated from the beginning is to learn why He communicated it. The foundation of creation must be applied to everyday life, answering this question: "How does this affect my life?"

In the same way that God used creation to begin the ‘structure’ of His Word, so the concept of God's design should begin our thinking as we "build" our ideas concerning anything. In other words, God’s design should be the first consideration in when we think about marriage and family, music, animal rights, current events, or healthcare. In essence, Biblical creationism is like a pair of eyeglasses that clears up "fuzzy" thinking, or a GPS that helps direct us in our thinking about God, His Word, and His works. Creationism is not just a "Genesis subject." Rather, it is a worldview that courses throughout Scripture like blood flowing throughout our bodies.

Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived (apart from Christ). Though he was used of God to write Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and much of the Proverbs, his God-given wisdom did not prevent him from making some very un-wise decisions. Toward the end of his life, he saw the critical need in youth for one to recognize his ultimate Authority: the Creator.

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth... (Ecclestiastes 12:1)

How can we help youth to consider their Maker when they are so taken in by the glitz and glamour of the world’s system of lust and pride (1 John 2:15)? For that matter, how can we help everyone to recognize the Creator as the ultimate Authority? To accomplish this task, there is no better way than to take an individual to God's handiwork—animals! In February 2009, we were blessed to see firsthand the unique ministry of "Dan the Animal Man" Breeding. He used an owl, a porcupine, a gibbon, and an alligator to point people to the Designer. Ages four to adult were held spellbound as he spoke about God’s creatures! Hmmm. I seem to remember that Jesus used animals such as foxes or birds in His messages.

But ask now the beasts and they shall teach thee... (Job 12:7)

What is GOOD about the Snake?
The snake is probably the most despised and misunderstood of all creatures. Most everyone to some degree seems to hate or at least dislike this animal. This common reaction may be a result of the Biblical reference to Satan as “that old Serpent" (Rev. 20:2). However, the snake is still a creature that God made. As with all other animals, it should cause us to think of its Maker. In fact, if Christ Himself used this animal an a preface to the Gospel, should we not do the same? (John 3:14)

THE SERPENT AS A WEAPON
In the Old Testament, we read that the children of Israel were enslaved in Egypt. In multiple messages to Pharoah commanding him to release the Israelites, God displayed His mighty power to Pharoah, giving unique abilities to both Moses and Aaron. One ability involved Moses’ use of a rod. When Aaron threw the rod down onto the ground, it turned into a serpent. In some way, the magicians of Pharoah were able to duplicate this miracle, but God’s snake devoured the magicians’ snakes and Moses picked up the restored rod! Nevertheless, Pharoah’s heart remained unchanged though God’s power was revealed through a snake (Exodus 7:9-13).

THE SERPENT IN WITNESSING
While on earth, the LORD Jesus chose twelve men as His disciples. When He did so, it is recorded that He gave them special instructions (Matthew 10:5-19). At one point in His discourse to the group, He said “Behold, I send you forth as sheep…be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. (Mat 10:16) While we are not aware of all the reasons why Jesus chose the snake, we know that He used animals to teach. Perhaps we can learn better how to witness through studying the serpent!

THE SERPENT AS A WONDER
We read in Scripture that, Agur considered the "way of a serpent upon a rock" as "too wonderful" (Proverbs 30). But isn’t the snake the most despised of God’s animals? Could it be that we despise a creature that GOD described as "too wonderful"?

What is BETTER about the Snake?
In Genesis, we read the account of the Fall of man and God’s future remedy for man’s sin: that one day, the “seed of the woman” (Jesus) would bruise (“crush”) the serpent’s (Satan) head!

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15)

Praise God that Satan was mortally wounded at Calvary and he will ultimately be defeated!

What is BEST about the Snake?
The Book of Numbers (chapter 21) records the account of God's judgment on Israel in which He used poisonous snakes. He could have used any other animal, but He chose the snake. Since the snake is the creature that Satan used in the Fall; perhaps, by using this animal, God is sending a message to us today that:

1. He can use anything, and
2. The snake belongs to Him!

He instructed Moses to make a serpent of brass (a symbol of judgment) and to raise it on a pole. If the people looked at the serpent, they were healed of the burning poisonous snakebite and their lives spared. Just before the most familiar Gospel verse in all of Scripture, Jesus referred to this account:

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: ---
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:14 & 16)

This is the purpose of creation: to carry the Creator’s message! As a donkey carried Jesus into Jerusalem or as a star led the wise men, God uses His creation to proclaim HIMSELF! Creation brings mankind to the Redeemer! Jesus used the lowest and most despised animal of all—as He Himself would be despised and rejected of men (Isaiah 53:3)—and He elevated it to a status higher than any other animal. The same creature that Satan thought to have confiscated as his own, as he used it for his own purpose to bring about the Fall of man, Christ elevated to the privileged position of representing Himself on the cross! He was “despised and rejected of men,” and in behalf of all mankind, He willingly received the punishment of all of our sins (Isaiah 53:6). As we contemplate this, we should be totally amazed, humbled, and blessed to know that through faith alone in Christ’s work on the cross, we low, despised, and rebellious creatures can be exalted as children of the Most High God. What love and compassion! And He even used the low-down, despised snake as an illustration of this! Hmmm. I'm with Agur. I think the "serpent upon a rock" is too wonderful too!

He brought me up also out of an horrible pit…and set my feet upon a rock….

(Psalm 40:2)

Creation Chronicle: Jan. 2010

2010-01-01T12:07:00.000-08:00

Hello! Greetings in the name of our LORD Jesus Christ, the Creator! We are grateful that we can come to you by way of our biannual newsletter! To each one who faithfully prays for us or supports us financially, we humbly thank you for your kindness. We wish all of you a blessed time with family and friends during this time of year in which we exalt our LORD for His Incarnation, and we reflect on 2009 and anticipate 2010. May the God of creation bless each of you immensely in the New Year!

2009: A REVIEW
We were extremely blessed to serve in 10 VBS meetings from VA to UT! At the end of the summer, we once again were blessed to serve in a creation revival at Baptist Community Church in Afton, WY. In September, we again served at the Payson, UT city fair (“Onion Days”) where we distributed much material and spoke with people on the street about our Creator! Jeff enjoyed two good opportunities to share the Gospel with two couples! In addition, the week of October 6-10 we were able to sponsor a booth at the Alexander Co. Fair in Taylorsville, NC. This was made possible by the efforts of a good friend from our church, Brother Bryan Warner. We are extremely grateful to him for spearheading this project and to all those who helped him at the booth.
As we entered the fall, the LORD provided special Creation Sundays in states such as WA, OR, UT, and AZ. One highlight for us was assisting our missionary friends, Chuck & Lynda Otto in two public school Bible clubs! We’d love to do more of these! What’s more—we were blessed to see a number of children respond and about 6 of those made decisions for either salvation or assurance! Praise the LORD! In addition, we were blessed to conduct 4 chapels in Christian schools in Kent, WA and in Tigard, OR. On our way back home to NC, we traveled through TN and were blessed to report to a supporting church in Shelbyville (Faith Baptist). We were home only a day before heading out again! This time, we took just the truck to VA for a missions conference at another supporting church, Sweethaven Baptist in Portsmouth. During this time, we stayed at Heather’s parents’ home in Virginia Beach for a week, and Jeff had the opportunity to speak in chapel at Tabernacle Baptist Seminary. Upon returning to Hickory, we left once again to serve at Calvary Free Will Baptist in Swannanoa, NC where Frank Cantrell is pastor. We had a wonderful Creation Weekend there Oct. 30-Nov. 1. Just before Thanksgiving (November (18-22), we served in a creation revival at Calvary Baptist in Covington, VA where Dean Bowser is pastor. On December 13, we were at Fellowship Baptist in Lincolnton, NC with Pastor Phil Pringle. We praise the LORD for all of these great opportunities, and for smooth and safe travel.

JUNGLE TALES CREATION CONFERENCE
We’re excitedly preparing for our third annual Creation Conference…
February 12 – 14 & 19 - 20
…with special guests:
Dr. Jobe Martin (Biblical Discipleship Ministries)
Dr. Dennis Payne (rheumatologist)
“Dan the Animal Man” Breeding (Wild Animal Encounters)

Our theme is JUNGLE TALES, and we’re going to use animals in presenting truth that relates back to the foundation of all things: God as the Creator. Some message titles will be:

Why Our Children are Already Gone
Anatomy of the Jungle
Conception Deception
Consider the King
Lifting Up the Serpent
Monkey Business

After the conferences, our itinerary is pretty open until summer. Right now, we have only a couple of VBS meetings lined up, but our summers usually fill up quickly. Our theme will be Dino Might as we use dinosaurs to answer intriguing questions, like:

Are dinosaurs in the Bible?

Why do we not see them today and what happened to them?

Could they still be alive?

Can we use them to tell people about God?

The Book of Job is an excellent book in dealing with this subject.

Job 40:15, 17
Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass...
he moveth his tail like a cedar:

Job 42:5, 6
I have heard of thee…but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself and repent…

THE WEST & A NEW WEBSITE
We once again are planning to head west in 2010, and will likely start that way around the middle of July. We also are tentatively planning to add a 3rd fair to our schedule: the “Onion Days” of Payson, UT; the Box Elder Co. fair in Tremonton, UT, and the Alexander Co. fair in Taylorsville, NC.

Another change in the works is an entirely new website and more!! For some time, we’ve needed to come “up to par” in technology and how our ministry is presented. As the LORD provides, we’d love to launch an interactive site that is more geared for children. We’re preparing for a greater outreach to our culture as we test different avenues for e-ministry!

As we serve in this ministry of education and edification, we continually are reminded that this is the LORD’s work “and it is marvelous in our eyes” (Psalm 118:23). We praise Him for what He has done and what He will do!

Remembering the Creator,

Jeff & Heather

PRAISES:
creation revivals in Swannanoa, NC and Covington, VA this past fall; Jeff’s brother (Randy) back in church; financial provisions; safety in travel

FOR PRAYER:
funding for our 3rd Creation Conference; increase in monthly support; Jeff’s uncle, Ken, in the loss of his wife; wisdom for growing this work; funding for new ministry “e-overhaul”;

See our itinerary at http://JungleTales.net

2010-01-01T11:05:00.001-08:00

We wish everyone a wonderful New Year filled with renewed vision of the design& purpose of our Creator.

Creation & a Christmas Consecration

2009-12-11T07:59:00.000-08:00

Creation in a Carol

Adam’s likeness now efface, Stamp Thine image in its place. Second Adam from above, reinstate us in Thy love...

(Hark the Herald Angels Sing)

The celebration of Christmas hinges fully on the Biblical truth that the Creator stepped into His creation.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:1, 14)

Jesus, as God and Creator of the universe, came to earth in human flesh. He entered His Own universe of time, space, and matter as a tiny, vulnerable baby. Why? He did so out of pure love for the creation that He had made, for mankind, the only creature that was made in His image with a free will to choose good or evil. We read in Genesis that mankind chose evil in what is referred to as ”the Fall.” This choice brought perfect punishment from the perfect God of creation: judgment that included disease, destruction, and death. However, the Creator already had a plan to make all things new. He would come to earth to pay for man’s sin debt and to make right all of the wrong that he had brought upon himself through his sin. It is because of Christmas that all evil can be made right. What was broken by the “Fall” of Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden when they introduced evil into God's "very good" universe, can and will be completely justified through the work of Christ the Creator on the cross of Calvary!

“For as in Adam all die…” (1 Corinthians 15:22)

Evil is evident everywhere. The massacres of Columbine, Virginia Tech, 9/11, the Holocaust, or abortion, along with other evils like sodomy (homosexuality), rape, adultery, divorce, infanticide, euthanasia, thievery, bribery, greed, lust, deception and much more are results of the Biblical origin of evil. Lucifer rebelled against God in seeking to "be like the most High" (Isaiah 14:14). He, along with a third of the angelic host who followed him, was cast down to earth where he tempted Adam & Eve in the form of a serpent.

“Yea, hath God said…?” (Genesis 3:1)

Adam listened to his wife. Though Eve was deceived firsthand and not held totally accountable, Adam as head of the human race with full responsibility was completely aware of his choice to rebel against His Creator.

”And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.” (1 Timothy 2:14)

Today, we see the results of what transpired in Eden. Though all sin will be judged in light of the perfect and holy Creator, mankind can now be free! He can be a “new creation” in Christ! Though we have sinned (due to the sin nature we all received from the Fall), we can now be completely forgiven--made righteous though we are unrighteous! THIS is the message of Christmas…that Adam’s likeness might be effaced (wiped away), and HIS IMAGE stamped in its place! Hallelujah! The image marred by Adam’s rebellion can ONLY be restored by complete faith and trust in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection for sin.

“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:22)

The evil in the world has been conquered…in Christ! The choice is now up to each individual as to whether they will accept Christ’s payment, or go their own way. What will you choose, the way of Adam (rebellion), or the way of Christ (obedience)?

Corruption from Confusion

“No wonder that Brigadier General F. D. Frost stated, ‘There is no doubt…that the doctrine of evolution is the greatest curse in our educational system‘…. This philosophy seeks to…reduce man to the level of animal nature…. The surging unrest, the broken homes, the increasing divorce cases, the multiplied…criminals are but the inevitable outcome of the acceptance and practice of…evolutionary doctrine.” (H. Enock, Evolution or Creation; 1966, pp. 1146-1147)

An idea that man is nothing more than a highly evolved animal would be devastating to the commitment of marriage. While some creatures mate for life, others live in groups or can even change sex. Do humans fit into one of these categories simply because they think they can or because they have ability to choose their physical relationships?

An idea that some humans are ‘born’ desiring others of the same sex for ‘marital relations’ is only one outward indication of man's innate propensity to do that which is contrary to the design of his Creator. This propensity to evil is revealed to us in the Record--the Bible--and has been shown in human behavior through the ages.

For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

Those who choose to live contrary to the design of their Maker find themselves facing great spiritual, emotional, or physical heartache. Some think that they were ‘made’ to desire their same gender for marital relations, and believe this, in part, because of false science such as the “Kinsey reports.” These "studies" wrongly used cadavers and children to "prove" a point about sexuality. Because the cadavers had a slightly smaller portion of the brain of “gay” men, it was touted that the men were "born gay"! However, such findings were skewed. It isn't that the brains were the CAUSE of their behavior; it was the RESULT of their lifestyle! The corrupted studies on the children are too graphic to describe, but they essentially involved sexual abuse against even babies!

The confusion wrought by evolutionary concepts extends far outside the classroom to the culture. The crime we see prevalent today, along with the breakdown of the family, can easily be tied to the idea that there is no moral absolute found in an ultimate Law Giver: God. Hence, men are free to do as they choose with no One higher than themselves to tell them what is right and wrong. In no other aspect of society is this worldview so clearly seen than in marriage and the home.

A Christmas Commitment

“Now the birth of Jesus was on this wise…as his mother…was espoused to Joseph….”

Mary had been committed to Joseph in a culture that afforded protections to marriage not generally seen in modern times. The closest idea today is the practice of engagement. The espousal agreement of Biblical times was a legal agreement that could only be dissolved certain purposes. This is why Joseph was “minded to put her away (divorce) privily” after he discovered that Mary was with child. There was only one way that she could have a child before marriage and that was through immorality. However, God sent an angel to affirm to Joseph that this was not a cause for divorce, but that it was a miracle of God!

It is clear from Scripture that this Baby was miraculous, as God chose to record for us the fact that Mary was with child “before they came together“ and that He was “of the Holy Ghost.” He also had the writer include the fact that the angel Gabriel said to Joseph,

“…fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife…” (Matthew 1:20)

This phrase means that Joseph and Mary were already husband and wife and that the espousal agreement was equivalent to marriage. The only difference is that they had not yet “come together” into the physical relationship of marriage. It bears repeating here that there is nothing in modern American culture that is equivalent to this ancient concept. While many think that divorce or remarriage is acceptable with God, they are sadly mistaken. In His Word, He tells us that He “hates” divorce:

For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away (or, divorce): for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously. (Malachi 2:16)

We also read in Genesis of the design of God for Adam & Eve as He brought them together as husband and wife to be “one flesh.” This creation account communicates three basic concepts:
1. That God made humans special and very different from animals.
2. That He designed them as a man and a woman, different from but made for each other.
3. That He designed them to be “one flesh,” i.e., in a permanent relationship.

What if Joseph had “put away” Mary? He certainly had a legal right to do so. If so, this would have been the end of the Christmas story! But he didn’t, and we now have the beautiful account that we celebrate each year! Joseph’s obedience to God and faithfulness to his wife, Mary, is critical to Christmas!

Like Joseph, Jesus has every right to bring against us just and legal proceedings because of our sin against the Creator, sin for which we must suffer the punishment of a literal, eternal, and fiery hell. Does He? No! Instead, He willingly gave Himself for us. He came to this world full of evil and gave His life in ransom for ours! Hallelujah, what a Savior!

The message in the Christmas account is clear: be consecrated to God and to your spouse! How?
1. Realize that our bodies do not belong to us.
1 Corinthians 6:19 “…your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost…and ye are not your own?”
2. Realize that relationships (marriage, dating, boyfriend/girlfriend) are not to please ourselves. Rather, they are for the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31 “…do all to the glory of God.”
3. Realize that marriages are solemn vows for life and that God hates divorce.
Malachi 2:16 “For the LORD…hateth putting away….”
4. Realize that any steps leading to divorce are contrary to the design of God.
Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way that seemeth right…but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

This Christmas, what can we give to God? Does He need anything? No. The best thing we can do for Christ on HIS birthday is to consecrate ourselves to Him afresh and anew, and to commit ourselves to HIS design in creation...keeping faithful to God and to our mates.

Thankful for Thorns

2009-12-03T05:32:00.000-08:00

I read a Facebook post on Thanksgiving night that helped me personally to see the need for us to be grateful for both good and bad (Romans 8:28; I Thessalonians 5:18). This brief note led me to share a situation that we've faced in recent months. In short, a pastor we have known for about 5 years has gone outside of God's design for his position of authority and leadership concerning us and two of his former church members. These members are long time friends of ours who introduced us to this pastor. For four times in five years, we parked at their home and served alongside their church at a fair. Until 2009, we had great fellowship each time we were there and we were blessed to minister at the church.

SOME THORNS
Over the past year or so, a "thorny" situation has arisen after our friends left that church due to various differences over some of their pastor's decisions and his overall leadership. After they left, instead of solely bringing their names before the church for a vote to remove them from the roll (as is common practice), this pastor wrote them a letter accusing them for "not being right" with "the church." In addition, this letter was signed by three other men of the church, one of whom harbors open sin. After our friends wrote each of these men to answer the charges against them, the pastor labeled them as "being divisive." When we (knowing some of these matters already), decided to park at their house to serve at the fair (as in the past), we then were labeled as being "hurtful to the cause of Christ."

SOME FACTORS
Here are some factors as to why we made this decision:
1. We asked for details as to what wrong our friends had done but were never given a clear answer, nor were we given a Biblical reason to not park at their home.
2. Concerning what our friends had done, we were given ambiguous answers such as, "you don't need those details," "they tried to destroy four churches," or "can't you trust us (pastors)?" These answers did not suffice.
3. We live in an RV year-round as our home/office on the road. At present, this unit needs daily supervision because of a battery-charging issue. This year, we were to be absent from it for up to 3 weeks traveling in just our truck up to the northwest and flying back home for a few days. Our friends are a.) retired and b.) RV owners so they were perfect to meet the need of supervision.
4. In the past, when we entrusted to churches the care of our RV in similar absences, we were "burned." Once, it cost us a great deal of $$$.

SOME CONCERNS
We are greatly concerned by the actions of two pastors in this situation, for three main reasons:
1. There was NO open door with either one to allow us to use the time with our friends as a possible outreach to them in order to "restore such an one in the spirit of meekness..." (Gal. 6:1). Instead, they spoke against our friends to both us and to other pastors in their area.
2. These pastors had NO interest in allowing us just this year to park at our friends' and in the process check out another site for next year. They allowed NO mercy; ONLY irrational and unnecessary judgments against us without clear and Biblical reason to reject our friends' offer.
3. Most of all, we were totally taken aback by the fact that the first pastor went so far as to tell us not to return to the fair next year! He wrongly thinks that years ago we solely and initially attended the fair ONLY at his invitation. Hence, he believes that he has "authority" to dis-invite us!

SOME REASONS
For some time, after communicating back and forth with both our friends and this pastor, I sensed a need to do something more. Not knowing what this first pastor may do to spread discord or incorrect information, I made a decision to post a generic account of this situation, since:

1. The first pastor threatened to call our pastor and other pastors, allegedly to "tell on" us.
2. He followed through on this threat and called our pastor. We therefore believe he will call other pastors to "warn" them of us.
3. While I seek NOT to stoop to attitudes or actions of these pastors or to retaliate against them, I AM interested in answering false allegations and divisive attempts that might undermine 10 years of labor in creation and missionary ministry.
4. We desire prayer from all of our friends for this situation that God would work HIS will in each life, as the eventual outcome is up to the LORD.

Most of all, and through all of this, we are indeed thankful for "thorns" the LORD allows to come our way, particularly since we know that whenever a "great door" is opened, there are also great adversaries (1 Cor. 16:9). While we are grateful for both open and closed doors, closed doors can help us find new open doors more quickly!

Declare HIS Glory

2009-10-24T10:38:00.001-07:00

Ecclesiastes 12:1 “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth…”
Psalm 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God…”

Much talk of origins exists these days. Consider the recent “Big Bang” experiment. Do concepts such as evolution, intelligent design, millions of years, The Flood, ‘The Big Bang,’ and creation affect everyday life in any way? Should Christians isolate these and other related subjects to a science class? Does science support the Bible and do Christians need to study creationism? Though some may wish to keep the subject of origins confined to a classroom, each person must consider how these subjects and the ideas underlying them impact every area of life.

How Must Christians View Science?

The Word of God begins with: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” This statement is simple, yet scientific. In the beginning tells of the origin of time, heaven is the space to contain all that the Creator made, and earth refers to the building blocks for the physical universe, or matter. Time, space, and matter comprise all that scientists seek to study. God’s Word begins with science.

Science Points to God

Job 12:7-9 “But ask now the beasts and they shall teach thee; and the fowl of the air, and they shall tell thee: Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?”

Romans 1:20 For the invisible things from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.

Design demands a designer. Within every person is the knowledge that a creation points to its creator. One gazes at a painting and asks “Who painted this?” or he observes a building and wonders “Who built this?” He does not think to himself, “An explosion created this.” Likewise, it is natural and logical to assume and understand that a Creator designed the intricate and marvelous universe that exists. However, creation does not point only to the existence of a Creator but also to His glory (”the heavens declare the glory of God” - Ps. 19:1). As the quality of a painting or a building reflects its creator, likewise a universe of order and complexity reflects the Designer, the LORD Jesus Christ (Col. 1:16). As the Creator, He has authority over every area of life. After all, if He is the Designer and Architect of the universe, He has a plan for every aspect in it.

Some take for granted that, in general, all people believe in a Creator. While it is true that “God hath showed…unto them…the invisible things from the creation of the world…” (Rom. 1:19-20), in America and around the world, a particles-to-people belief called evolution has been taught for many years as a fact of science. Evolution is not a scientific discipline. Rather, it is a belief that undermines the Word of God from the very first verse, thus blinding the minds of them which believe not (2 Cor. 4:4). True science involves what is observable, testable, or repeatable; but evolution is outside of these areas since no one can observe, test, or repeat it. While many correctly associate Charles Darwin with evolution, evolutionary thought did not begin with him. Rather, it began with Satan in the Garden of Eden who asked, “Yea, hath God said ‘Ye shall not eat of every tree…?’” (Gen. 3:1) Evolution inserts a question mark where God put a period!

The belief in evolution begins with “millions of years.” This hypothetical time frame involves an idea called “uniformitarianism” which means “the present is the key to the past.” In other words, what we see happening today has been going on for “millions of years.” During this supposed time (after an initial “cosmic explosion” or “Big Bang”), stars and planets formed, life began from non-life, rivers carved canyons, and people developed from ape-like ancestors.

Though most Christians do not believe or teach particles-to-people evolution, evolutionary thought ultimately impacts every person on earth. Not only are unbelievers affected by this worldview, but Christians also are negatively impacted by the confusion and humanistic thinking that evolutionary thinking engenders. High fuel prices, the Holocaust, animal rights, divorce, homosexuality, false religions, abortion, euthanasia, and a host of other subjects can and must be traced back to the foundational worldview underlying them. Therefore, Christians should consider these subjects-and their underlying beliefs-as opportunities to point people to God as the Creator Who is the Authority over every aspect of life.

Frenzy & Folly on Facebook!

2009-10-24T10:37:00.000-07:00

Frenzy & Folly on Facebook!

Have you ever said or done something that was miscontrued or taken out of context by someone else? Early this year ('09), I posted on Facebook an email we received that consisted of a “joke” that made a poignant point about socialism in our nation. The anecdote told of a new immigrant who sought to thank an American for free health care, free education, etc. He spoke to different ones of various nationalities only to be told by each one that they were not American. Finally, he asked, “Where are the Americans?” and was told, “Probably at work!” The point to the story is that Americans are paying for the freebies.

Though many of the responses were positive or well-meaning, it was very surprising to see negative responses from Christians who thought the joke was “racist” or that it could be taken as such! However, no one pointed out exactly WHAT in the story gave rise to this accusation. The story mentions countries or continents like “Russia,” “Mexico,” ”Vietnam,” or “Africa,” but these are NOT ”races” nor are they “racial characteristics” like skin color or eye shape. In short, there couldn’t be ”racism” in the story. It could only be there if that is the reader’s perspective. If there had been the slightest inference to “racism” in the story, I would not have posted it in the first place. However, since it did turn out to be a lightning rod for the subject of people groups or ”races,” I thought it a wonderful and necessary opportunity to broach this critical subject.

What is race and why do we so often hear or refer to races? The Scriptural view of “race” is that we ALL are of the “human race.”

And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

(Act 17:26 KJV)

Any differences that humans have physically in skin tone, eye shape, or other unchangeable characteristic is ultimately the result of the dispersion at the Tower of Babel. At that major event in world history, mankind rebelled against God’s command to “fill the earth” and said,

Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

(Gen 11:4 KJV)

However, God had a different plan! He changed one language (most likely ancient Hebrew) into many languages and brought about the greatest of changes in humanity. In light of this, there are a number of factors we must consider:

1. God established the languages.
2. Many languages exist today.
3. Similarities exist between languages or groups of languages.
4. Using Scripture, we can discern that ancient Hebrew was the language of Adam.
5. A language barrier from Babel would have caused the separation of people groups.
6. Intermarriage within a separated group would have isolated various physical characteristics.
7. Disunity that exists among people today over ‘race’ is "not skin, but sin.”
In reality, what we see today as “race” is nothing more than the results of the Biblical event called the Tower of Babel! We may then ask, “Why are there such divisions over “race”? For one, we know that God is not the author of confusion:

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

(1Co 14:33 KJV)

Who then is the “author of confusion”? It is none other than Satan! He is the one who seeks to bring confusion where God’s design is clear. His lie to Eve,

Yea, hath God said…

…created doubt in her mind as to what God had clearly said. Based upon this founding premise, he then denied the very word of God:

Ye shall not surely die…

After this, he was able to draw her into disobedience by exalting her to equality with God, deifying mankind.

…your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as gods.

It is interesting to note the double-speak of Satan as he used the word elohim, a word that is also used for the LORD. It is a plural-unity: a word that is singular and plural at the same time. Literally, Satan was saying that Eve could be like the one true God! Then, she and God would be more than one god and NEITHER would be supreme!

As Satan causes confusion regarding the people groups so often referred to as “races,” he follows the same pattern. Through evolutionary, humanistic teaching in schools and in society as a whole, he has created great division even among God’s people through a false view of people groups. Through a belief that men are related to an ape-like ancestor “millions of years ago,” he creates doubt in God’s Record, particularly of Genesis. This doubt leads to a denial that the Word of God is trustworthy as an historical account of mankind. Rather, it is a “story” that teaches truth. Finally, the lie leads some to think that they are in charge (”as gods”) of their lives.

Adolph Hitler was one such individual. He was religious, yet he believed Jews were the lowest evolved of the "races," and therefore unfit to live. He based his beliefs upon the teachings of Charles Darwin, who was a racist. The full title of Darwin’s book is often not included because of its racism:

On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life.

Evolution, when applied to humans, is a devastating and destructive belief! It has even caused a great deal of confusion among Bible-believing Christians who believe what they hear from numerous untrustworthy sources. We hear terms such as “race” or “racism” so often, but the meaning is unclear because of confusion in society that stems from the teaching of evolution in our schools as a “fact of science,” a world view without God.

The Word of God is like eyeglasses. Where “fuzziness” about any subject exists in our culture today, we can put on the Bible glasses and see that subject more clearly from the standpoint of God’s design. There should not be “frenzy” among Bible-believing Christians over a simple anecdote that mentions nationalities! Rather, we should expose folly over an incorrect and unBiblical view of the various people groups, and bring the subject of “races” to the light of God’s Word, the One Who made us all “of one blood” (Acts 17:26).

Dinosaurs: Key to Revival

2009-10-24T10:33:00.000-07:00

GOD’s GREAT CREATION MESSAGE (Job 38 - 42)

In the latter part of the Book of Job, after he and his friends had conversed for most of this account, God came into the picture in a whirlwind! As He did so, He spoke to Job and his friends using His Own handiwork: a tornado! He used stars, the earth, animals, and more as He revealed Himself to those men at that time and to us today. Toward the end of this greatest of all creation messages, God spoke of behemoth and leviathan, two incredible creatures that brought about an awesome response in Job!

BEHEMOTH IS A DINOSAUR
This summer, we were intrigued to learn that the noted author, Warren Wiersbe, believes that behemoth was referring to a hippo and that descriptions of leviathan were “poetic” descriptions of a crocodile. Concerning leviathan, the Scripture says:

“Out of his (leviathan) mouth go burning lamps and sparks of fire leap out” (Job 41:19)

Concerning this creature, Wiersbe wrote in a commentary entitled, Be Patient:

“In verses 12-24, God gave a poetical description of this great creature’s mighty limbs, fierce teeth, and strong jaws, and impregnable covering (vv. 12-17). When the crocodile churns up the river and blows out water, the sun reflects the vapor; and it looks like fire and smoke from a dragon’s mouth.” (emphasis added)

It is inconceivable how one could make such an illogical comparison and explain away Scripture this way. It is clear that likenesses are made when “like the eyelids of the morning” (v. 18) and “as out of a seething pot or caldron” (v. 20) are used. However, in verse 19 we read that “sparks of fire leap out” and verse 21 clearly states, “…a flame goeth out” of his mouth. By saying these statements in Job are “poetic” (and not literal in the references to these particular animals), Wiersbe has done an injustice against Scripture in making these verses refer to a known animal that does not breathe fire! Perhaps this assessment is due to an a priori belief that fire-breathing dragons are elements of ancient mythology and NOT true creatures that existed at some point in recorded history. Rather, the descriptions given in Job 40:15-24 and Job 41:1-34 best describe what we today refer to as “dinosaurs.” More specifically, Job 40 would most likely refer to some type of sauropod while leviathan would be a fearsome, fire-breathing reptile of some kind, perhaps the plesiosaur called kronosaur.

JOB’S RESPONSE
After detailed descriptions of behemoth and leviathan, Job’s response is clear. First, he recognizes God’s omnipotence and omniscience:

“I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. (42:2)

Then, his own inadequacy: “I uttered that I understood not;” (42:3)

But most revealing of all is his recognition of spiritual need:
“I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I repent in dust and ashes.” (42:5, 6)

If God so used His creation in this way to reveal Himself, and Job responded in repentance, should not we likewise proclaim God’s handiwork today? Job and his friends were good men, but good men are sometimes very wrong. In a message entitled, “Flood Theology in the Book of Job,” Dean Kenneth Sheets of the Tabernacle Baptist Seminary in Virginia Beach pointed out at our first Conference on Biblical Creation that men sometimes use outward circumstances as a standard for “righteousness.” If there is an illness, it must be because of sin. If church attendance is down, there must be disobedience. On the other hand, if things are going well, then men think that God must be blessing their obedience. However, judgments such as these are made by fallible men who know not all of God’s purposes in a given situation.

We do know from the “rest of the story” that Job’s sufferings were not because of his sin. Rather, they were allowed by the Creator in order to reveal Himself to mankind. How did He reveal Himself? Through His creation. What was the response of Job? Repentance, the first step toward revival…TRUE revival that comes from a vision of the KING of the universe, the Creator. More than anything else, people need a fresh vision of the LORD, the GOD-Who-IS, the Creator of the universe. Since God used His animals (behemoth, leviathan–dinosaurs), a very good place to begin a fresh vision of the Creator is with a new look at DINOSAURS!

Father Folly

2009-10-24T10:28:00.000-07:00

Father Folly
“…because he hath wrought folly in Israel.” (Josh. 7:15)

"But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry. 37 Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well. 38 So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better." (I Cor. 7:36-38)

From time to time, Jesus said, “Ye have heard that it hath been said…” after which He would contradict accepted thought and practice of His day. (See Matt. 5:21, 27, 33, 38, 43.) A modern example of standard thinking and practice that likewise must be exposed is the “millions of years” time frame that is so often associated with subjects like dinosaurs. This time frame is contrary to true science and is the basis for evolution, a world view that has brought about great evils such as abortion and the Holocaust. Even some who claim to believe the Bible have tried to insert particles-to-people evolution into the Bible through ideas such as the “gap theory” which inserts a span of time (“gap”) between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 that supposedly contained events such as the fall of Satan and subsequent “Luciferian flood,” fossils, dinosaurs, and the evolution of man. Many things both Biblically and scientifically contradict both macro-evolution and this so-called “gap.” Though these ideas may generally be accepted by many scientists or Bible scholars, there is a great need to show that they are wrong Biblically. Similarly, there is a great need to expose a common but un-Biblical approach to 1 Corinthians 7:36-38. Much of what has been taught about these verses regarding fathers and daughters contradicts Scripture and is in need of critical examination.

The idea that “any man” in this passage refers to any father may at first seem tenable in light of God’s design for parents to care for and to communicate Biblical wisdom to their children (Eph. 6:4). However, closer examination (Acts 17:11; I Cor. 2:13) reveals that this idea is not in accord with the context of the passage. In addition, it is un-Scriptural and even grossly immoral! A re-wording of this passage, incorporating the father view, will reveal to the reader that the idea is contrary to common sense and to the design of God revealed in Genesis 2:24:

“But if any father thinks that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin daughter, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let the father do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry. 37 Nevertheless the father that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his daughter, doeth well. 38 So then the father that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but the father that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.”

The thought that this passage deals with a father keeping his daughter from marrying is an idea that one must insert into the passage, for it is not clearly expressed. Paul simply refers to “a man” and does not stipulate that this man is a father. It is solely in the reader’s mind as to whether “man” refers to a married man with a daughter or to an unmarried (single) man. As one looks more closely at the passage, several reasons make it clear that “man” in this passage means a single man and not a father:

CONTEXT
In the context of verses 36-38, Paul had just referred to women in their positions as either wives or virgins (7:34). Therefore, it is logical that Paul would then address men who were husbands or virgin men. In doing so, he used an indefinite pronoun (Greek, “tis”) meaning “anyone.” It is not the same word that is translated “father” (Greek, “pater”). In fact, there is nothing within the context that clearly indicates Paul is referring to a parental relationship. Rather, the context is the marital relationship throughout this passage. The last instance in which he referred to the parent/child relationship is verse 14.

CUSTOM
Paul knew the custom of that day which in modern times is referred to as the “betrothal period,” a Jewish custom that established an engaged man and woman as a legally married couple before they came together as husband and wife. (See Matthew 1:18.) However, this letter was written to believers of Greece who presumably were not as familiar with this custom, a practice that even allowed parents to choose a spouse for their children years in advance of “marriageable age.”

COMELINESS
The clearest indication that this passage refers to an unmarried, engaged couple is a word Paul uses.

“But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin…” (v. 36)

“Behave himself uncomely” is a translation from one Greek word, “ah skay moh nayn,” the infinitive form of a word which means “to behave improperly” or “to act unbecomingly.” However, this definition leaves one wondering exactly what kind of behavior the word means. It is therefore helpful to see other Biblical uses of this word (or forms of it):

1 Corinthians 12:23 “And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.” (ah skay moh nah – adjective form)

1 Corinthians 13:5 “Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own…” (ah skay moh nay – verb)

Romans 1:27 “…men…burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly… (ah skay moh soo nayn – noun)

Revelation 16:15 …Blessed is he that … keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. (ah skay moh soo nayn – noun)

As one examines these other translations and uses of “ah skay moh nayn” as “uncomely,” “unseemly,” or “shame,” it becomes clear that the uncomely behavior referred to in verse 36 involves unlawful sexual desire or shameful nakedness. Paul certainly would not condone this type of behavior or desire of a father for his daughter, nor would it be within the character of a loving God to allow a father to keep his daughter unto himself for such un-comeliness.

COMMAND

“Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power (or authority) over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well. So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.” (1 Corinthians 7:37, 38 - Note the added emphasis upon “her.”)

The “father view” (v. 36) along with the meaning of the words “behaveth himself uncomely,” combine to give more impact to verses 37 and 38. This view even gives authority for a man to retain his daughter for his own needs and desires, and states that it is better for a father to not give away his daughter in marriage! This is inconsistent with the design of God that “marriage is honorable in all…” (Heb. 13:4) and one must leave “father and mother” to become “one flesh” in marriage (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:6). Instead, the father view allows for a spiritual reason for a father to keep his daughter from marrying, offering no reason to do so other than power (or authority) over his own will!

CLARITY
Instead of “man” (v. 36) referring to a father, the view that is clear and consistent both Biblically and logically is that this passage is referring to a single man who has an espoused virgin just as Joseph was espoused to Mary as his wife (Matt. 1:18). In this view, the phrase, “if she pass the flower of her age,” would refer to the age of his fiancé, while “necessity” (v. 37) would mean “necessity to be married.” Therefore, if a young man has “power over his own will” and has “so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin (or keep his espousal a virgin, i.e., refrain from marrying her) doeth well.” Here, Paul repeats the principle that singleness is good:

1 Corinthians 7:8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, it is good for them if they abide even as I.
————
1 Corinthians 7:25, 26 “…concerning virgins…I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful. … it is good for a man so to be.”

Under inspiration from God, the Apostle Paul wrote that it is good for a man to remain single and to “attend upon the LORD without distraction” (7:35). Marriage is not only a father giving away his daughter. It also is a “’til-death-do-us-part” vow before God as each partner gives themselves to each other in marriage. Based upon instruction directly from God, Adam said:

Genesis 2:24 “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”

In addition, one must remember that “her” (7:38) is in italics, indicating a word that was inserted by the translators for clarity. For our understanding today, the verse may be read this way:

So then the virgin man that giveth (himself) in marriage doeth well; but
he (the virgin man) that giveth (himself) not in marriage doeth better.

Paul then continued the topic of marriage as he addressed the life-long permanence of the marriage relationship (v. 39), but nowhere does this passage express the father/daughter relationship. Instead, one must read into this passage that “man” (v. 36) means “father.” If man does mean “father,” there would be theological, biblical, and moral difficulties and inconsistencies that must be addressed.

CONCLUSIONS
The view of “man” as “father” (1 Corinthians 7:36) is inconsistent both Biblically and logically.
The key to understanding that the father view is incorrect is the word “uncomely” (“unseemly” in Romans 1:27 & 1 Corinthians 13:5, and “shame” in Revelation 16:15). Various uses of this word refer either to sexual desire or to physical nakedness (e.g. Romans 1:27; Revelation 16:15).
This view allows a spiritual basis for a father to contradict the design of God for his daughter.
Nowhere in the context of this passage is the father/daughter relationship clearly expressed. Rather, the marital or pre-marital relationship is consistently addressed throughout the context.
As “evolution” has produced wrong ideas about God and life, the father view of 1 Corinthians 7:36-38 results in wrong views about God, marriage, singleness, and the father/daughter relationship.

CONCERN
God is intensely concerned with every area of our lives. He is NOT distant or absent from our day-to-day lives. He cares! He even cares about marriages and the way men and women discover their spouses. He wants for us to experience His best. However, sometimes people hinder what God offers. Sadly, those hindrances might even come from a well-meaning parent who holds a false view of this passage…a view that can bring about folly in the lives of those who do not know the Scripture.
Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”

Fundamentally, Folly

2009-10-12T22:19:00.000-07:00

Areas of conflict we see in our culture, from homosexuality to abortion or even Bible versions or music, are all in great need of starting with a foundational question: Who is the ultimate Authority? No one is totally unbiased in any situation or concernng a given issue. However, the message of design in the universe is overwhelming! How did it originate? It is understood that design comes from a designer! A building must have an architect or a painting, a painter. Would a perfect Designer of the universe have intricate order in all that we see, but leave people up to their own devices and without specific instruction?

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Proverbs 1:7)

True knowledge, including knowledge of the physical world, begins with an understanding…

That the Creator exists.
That He gives wisdom and instruction (Prov. 2:6)
Scientists often refer to “millions” or “billions” of years of time as they speak of earth’s history, but such long ages directly contradict Scripture, facts from true history, and facts from true science. According to the Bible, God made everything in 6 actual days about 6000 years ago. The universe, humans, and all of the animals were made directly by Him. There is no evidence of a long, gradual transition from “ape-like” ancestor to human, nor is there solid science that proves the absurd notion that dinosaurs exist today as birds!

True knowledge of the physical realm begins with an understanding that the design of all things points to a Designer Who made it all and Who has a plan for it all. Those who reject this founding premise, or despise this “beginning of knowledge,” are here referred to in Scripture as “fools.” What folly it is to reject knowledge!

"The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good." (Psalm 14:1)

Scripture also describes those who reject the idea of God as “corrupt” and as doing “abominable works.” Of course, no human being is perfect. Everyone has done something wrong. The Bible states that we are all sinners (Romans 3:23) and that the payment for our sin is eternal death.

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

However, Scripture sometimes uses more potent terms for certain sins. For instance, the actions of men together in sexual activity in the Bible is referred to as an “abomination.”

"Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination." (Leviticus 18:22)

This is a clear prohibition in the area of sexual activity. One may look up other places in the Bible and find that the same term (”abomination”) is used for various other prohibitions, such as shepherding being an “abomination” to the Egyptians or that eating fish without fins and scales was to be an “abomination” to the Israelites. The common usage of this term for these other prohibitions need not eradicate the seriousness of the prohibition of a sexual practice. Each of these actions were described as being, in essence, “detestable.” Herding sheep was detestable to the Egyptians, and fish without fins and scales was to be detestable to the Israelites. Though the same cannot broadly be said of shepherding or of ancient Hebrew dietary laws today, the sexual law is still applicable. There are many things that are detestable. Something could be detestable in the realm of artwork, or food, or any other area that you might consider. However, it is clear from Scripture that, to God, activity which is still legally referred to as “sodomy” (homosexuality) is morally detestable and “unseemly.”

"…likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet." (Romans 1:27)

The Greek term for “unseemly” is “ah-skay-muh-SOO-nay” (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:5) and the use of this word involves nakedness (Revelation 3:18). The phrase “men with men” is literally “men in men,” and could not be more clear in referring to homosexual behavior. For someone to say that this passage is referring solely to “temple prostitution” is totally illogical and unbiblical. If one follows the context of chapter one of Romans, he will see that the behavior of these men is itself the judgment of God.
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God (as Creator) …but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator…. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. (Romans 1:20-27)
We see in this passage the results of mankind’s decision to reject the knowledge of God as Creator. Hence,
They become vain in their imaginations.
Their foolish hearts are darkened.
They become fools while professing wisdom.
They change the glory of God into images like men, birds, beasts, or bugs (”creeping things”).
They change truth into lie.
They worship and serve the creature more than the Creator.

These are results of man’s choice to reject the knowledge he had been given of God as the Creator. God’s choice, then (”Wherefore”), is:

To give them up to vile affections (women against nature; men in lust one toward another).
To give them over to a reprobate mind. (Romans 1:28)
The folly (above) that men encounter is a result of their own choice to reject the clear knowledge of the Creator and His design. Part of this folly includes same-sex, sexual activity that many seek to tout as “normal” or “natural.” If one takes the Scripture as his guide, homosexuality is the ‘normal’ outflow of one’s rejection of God as the Creator.

He That Winneth Souls

2009-10-12T21:51:00.000-07:00

The Faith for the Message
As an evangelist, I love to see people come to the LORD! However, over the past few years I have become increasingly concerned about people who make multiple decisions for Christ or who do not live a godly life after salvation. It concerns me when I hear a testimony of someone who thought he was saved when he was young, but struggled for years with assurance before actually coming to know the LORD. I have oft wondered, “Why the doubt or lack of desire to follow the LORD?” When Saul of Tarsus believed, he immediately asked, “What wilt Thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6) The Ethiopian eunuch was reading Isaiah when Philip the evangelist came along and asked him what he was reading. When he asked, “What doth hinder me to be baptized?” Philip said,

“… If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he…said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” (Acts 8:37)

All that was necessary for this man was the simple statement, “I believe.” Likewise, the Philippian jailor (Acts 16) saw the testimony of Paul and Silas in prison and God’s power in creation through an earthquake, and he asked, “What must I do to be saved?” None of these notable situations involved a “sinner’s prayer” and none involved a “soul winner.” Rather, the LORD used a combination of His Word, His works, and His workers to impact the hearts of men so that they might believe on Him.

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart…” (Romans 10:9)

Words said in a salvation prayer MUST be based upon belief. Without belief, words are just words and there is no inner change in the heart. Words and belief are inseparable.

The Foundation for the Message
“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.” (Proverbs 11:30)

In His Word, God often related the sharing of truth in planting terms. One cannot plant a tree one day and see fruit the next day. Throughout life, there are many influences that help to “grow” faith before one is ready to trust Christ as Savior. Jesus said:

“Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: But other fell into good ground, and brought forthsome an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Matthew 13:3-9)

It is interesting to see that God did not record a “soul winning” endeavor in which an individual leads someone to Christ in a “sinner’s prayer” for salvation. Rather, His emphasis for believers is on witnessing…sowing the seed or watering it, allowing God to give the increase. For an unbeliever, the emphasis is a belief in the heart. A prayer is not life-changing without belief. Paul explained:

“How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent?” (Romans 10:14-15)

Paul traced the foundation of the salvation prayer (“call,” v. 14) to God as Creator. Take a building, for instance. Its floors, walls, trusses, and roof must ultimately be based upon a solid foundation. Paul, after a series of “how” questions, brought the entire “salvation prayer structure” to its bedrock foundation by stating that the ultimate basis for the salvation prayer was creation. The prayer (“call”) must be based upon belief and belief upon hearing; the hearing must be founded upon the preaching, and a preacher that is sent must have an authoritative message. What is the ultimate authority? The Creator!

“But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.” (Romans 10:18)

In bringing salvation to its ultimate foundation, Paul quoted from Psalm 19:4,

“Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.”

Creation is the message that goes to the end of the world! In other words, the design of the Great Designer is clearly shown to all mankind so that everyone is without excuse in recognizing Who He is! (Romans 1:20)

Does the fact of God’s creation message to the “heathen” in “deepest, darkest Africa” mean that they do not require a missionary since they are “without excuse” and can seek their Maker through His creation? No! The message of creation is not enough for salvation! The same Creator Who made everything has instructed His servants to “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel…” (Matthew 28:18-20). The problem of “heathen” not knowing the name of Christ is believers’ disobedience! God did His part in sending His Son. Are we doing ours?

The Fruit from the Message
“Winning” in modern terms is often associated with games and points. “Sowing seed” may therefore seem to be contrary to “soul winning,” but it isn’t. As already mentioned, Jesus used the sowing of seed in His teaching. Also, Paul used “planting terms” to illustrate the sharing of truth:

“Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.” (1 Cor. 3:6, 7)

Using the term “winning” as we seek to have people make decisions for Christ may dangerously promote an abnormal and un-Biblical emphasis upon numbers in church activities such as visitation or evangelistic services. Due to a variety of factors, people may think that if they don’t achieve so many “points” (i.e., salvation decisions), God isn’t blessing them or that they may not be “doing it right.” Such an emphasis couldn’t be further from a Scriptural approach to witnessing! (See Acts 8, Romans 10, and 1 Corinthians 3) Believers must simply sow the seed and water it, leaving the increase up to God. Biblically, “winning souls” is any part of the process of sowing, watering, or picking the “fruit” (the “increase”). Is one part in this process more important than another? No.

“Come now and let us reason together, saith the LORD.” (Isaiah 1:18)

What about the results? It is certainly Biblical to invite folk to Christ, for God Himself invites us to come to Him. However, through comparing different Scriptures, we see that His emphasis for believers is to faithfully sow and water the seed (the Word), all the while trusting God to give the increase. It is not up to us to “twist an arm,” to “clinch a deal” (as a salesman), or to “win” a sinner (as in getting points in a game).

As an evangelist, I have always given an invitation and sought to see responses to the Word. I regularly go “soul winning” and “visiting” many times a year. However, I have come to realize that faithfulness to preach the Word is just one part of winning souls. Whatever one may do to sow the seed or to water it is all a part of the entire process of “soul winning.” Was Noah faithful to God? Was not he faithful as a “soul winner”? Certainly, for God’s testimony of him affirms that he was a “preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5) and a faithful servant. How many did he “win” other than his family? He was successful before God (for we are all here!) and that is what counts! Noah was a faithful soul winner.

How can we faithfully win souls? There are numerous tools available today, from websites and email, to pamphlets, video, text messaging, radio, and more that can be used in a multitude of ways to impact people with the Word of God. Faithfully sharing God’s Word, coupled with a godly life, is the key. Any way of doing so is a part of the entire process of winning souls to the LORD–producing “fruit” on the “tree” of eternal life!