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If I Were the Devil

 

by Janet Treadway Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

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As we watch disease, war, threat of terrorists, the decay of morality, crushing of God’s Word and His Ten Commandments enter into our country, here are the famous words from Paul Harvey almost 50 years ago, April 3, 1965.
“If I were the Devil”

If I were the Devil, I would not be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree. So I’d set about however necessary to take over the United States.
I’d submit the churches first. I’d begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve, “Do as you please.” To the young, I would whisper, “The Bible is a myth.” I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide that what’s bad is good, and what’s good is “square.” And the old I would teach to pray after me, “Our Father, which art in Washington…”
And then I’d get organized. I’d educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting so that anything else would appear dull and uninteresting. I’d threaten T.V. with dirtier movies and vice versa. I’d pedal narcotics to whom I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. I’d tranquilize the rest with pills.
If I were the Devil, I’d soon have families at war with themselves, churches at war with themselves, and nations at war with themselves until each in its turn was consumed. And with promises of higher ratings, I’d have mesmerizing media fanning the flames.
If I were the Devil, I would encourage schools to refine young intellects, but neglect to discipline emotions, just let those run wild, until before you knew it, you’d have to have drug-sniffing dogs and metal detectors at every schoolhouse door.
Within the decade, I’d have prisons overflowing, I’d have judges promoting pornography. Soon, I could evict God from the courthouse, then from the schoolhouse, then from the houses of Congress.
And in His own churches, I would substitute psychology for religion and deify science. I would lure priests and pastors into misusing boys and girls and church money.
If I were the devil, I would take from those who have and I would give to those who want it until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious.
And wouldn’t you bet I couldn’t get whole states to promote gambling as the way to get rich.
I would caution against extremes and hard work and patriotism and moral conduct. I would convince the young that marriage is old-fashioned, that swinging is more fun, that what you see on TV is the way to be. And thus I could undress you in public and I could lure you into bed with diseases for which there is no cure.
In other words, if I were the Devil, I’d just keep right on doing what he’s doing.
Paul Harvey, Good Day.

It is chilling to read Paul’s Harvey’s commentary and watch the events unfold 50 years later as he portrayed. But God gets the last word, as mentioned in Revelation 20:10 Revelation 20:10And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
American King James Version×: “Satan will be destroyed so he can no longer do harm.” Our hope is coming as mentioned in Revelation 21:4 Revelation 21:4And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
American King James Version×: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning, or crying, or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
I am so thankful that our hope is in God and He gets the last word! As Paul Harvey ended his prophetic program that day, with a “Good Day”, even those two words are prophetic for it will be a good day soon. So when you see these things happening, look up and know that the time is near for a great new world!

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Charles Darwin's 10 Mistakes

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article by Vertical Thought Editor

We made a list of 10 reasons Darwin's theory of evolution does not hold up to scientific scrutiny.

1. "Warm little pond" theory: There is no solid evidence of life arising spontaneously from a chemical soup.
2. Simplicity of the cell theory: Scientists have discovered that cells are tremendously complex, not simple.
3. Theory about the cell’s simple information: It turns out cells have a digital code more complex and lengthy than any computer language made by man.
4. Theory of intermediate fossils: Where are the supposed billions of missing links in the evolutionary chain?
5. Theory of the variation of species: Genetic adaptation and mutation have proven to have fixed limits.
6. Theory of the Cambrian Explosion: This sudden appearance of most major complex animal groups at the same low level of the fossil record is still an embarrassment to evolutionists.
7. Theory of homology: Similarity of structures does not mean the evolution of structures.
8. Theory of ape evolution : Chimpanzees have not evolved into anything else. Neither has man.
9. Theory of the tree of life: Rather than all life branching from a single organism, evidence has revealed a forest of life from the very beginning.
10. Rejection of an intelligent designer: This opened the door for many to reject God, the Bible and Christianity.

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The God Particle

Scientists fear space and time could fly apart if too much energy is applied to the Higgs Boson, considered to be the fundamental basis for matter. Could this happen?

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[Darris McNeely] An article came across my desk this morning that said that it could be possible for space and time to collapse if a particular particle called the Higgs boson had too much energy applied to it. Interesting concept, the idea that the universe would collapse because of time and space just simply disappearing if too much energy took place on something that is called the "God Particle". Everyone's favorite physicist Stephen Hawking wrote a introduction to a new book that's coming out in few weeks that is talking once again about this particular piece of energy or matter that was predicted, and a few years ago was actually found, called the Higgs boson.
Now, this is a very interesting term – don't get scared, it's such a unknown term, the Higgs boson – but what the Higgs boson really is, in essence, is the very fabric of energy that holds together the universe. That's about as simply as I can put it. Scientists believe that at the moment of the Big Bang, when the universe came into existence, energy and mass were created and held together by something that they call this particular Higgs boson or what it has been more popularly called, the God Particle – the very fabric of space, of matter, that they predicted would be there a few years ago. And again, in 2012, because of a huge machine that they built over in Switzerland that applied a great deal of energy to electrons – and a great force field was created – they actually proved that it existed. Now, Professor Hawking is saying that if too much energy were applied to it, that it could get out of control and space and time would collapse.
It's a fascinating subject and topic, as is the study of cosmology, and what scientists do know about our universe and are discovering almost every day with articles like this. You know, one of the things that can put the fear into a headline – and people perhaps don't have a combination of reason and faith as their foundation – is that what if something like this did happen? What if scientists got out of control and just ripped the fabric of the universe apart. Is it possible?
Well, I suppose theoretically, according to their formulas, it could be possibly done as well as so many other drastic scenarios that they predict will eventually happen as the universe expands to a point where something else more drastic will happen, but that's where, quite frankly, the matter of faith comes in, and those who do believe that there is a Creator God behind this universe can take great comfort and encouragement, as well as design and understanding, in what God does say about His role in the creation of the universe and also keeping it together because that's really what this is all about here – the idea of, can man by his own efforts destroy the universe? Don't worry; we can't.
In Hebrews:1:3Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;, it makes a statement about God: "who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high" – speaking of Jesus Christ, "who upholds all things by His power." Something that science hasn't yet discovered is that power by which God does uphold all things. We don't need to worry that some unknown force or energy – something that science calls the God Particle, or Higgs boson – if put into an unstable state, would destroy the universe. We don't need to worry about that. God is in control, just as He was when it was all created. That's encouraging and that's comforting.
That's BT Daily . Join us next time.

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Vertical News: Sandstone Arches Shaped by Stress and Gravity

article by Amanda Stiver

Unique properties of sand grains under stress help scientists understand sandstone rock formations.

Source: freeimages.com/ranjithd

Uniquely shaped sandstone arches and rock formations, like those found in the state of Utah and other places, are amazingly beautiful and for many years experts assumed their formation was simply the effect of random wind and rain erosion. However, recent research by scientists from Charles University in Prague has found that other factors are at play. Internal stress fields and the pull of gravity determine where and how much material is worn away by erosion.
In the experiment, small cubes of sand were used, put under stress and placed under water. As sand was worn away that which remained was put under greater stress and eventually the grains locked together and ceased to be affected by erosion. Using these basic factors, researchers were able to re-create some of the formations seen in the natural world (Jonathan Webb, “Sandstone Shapes ‘Forged by Gravity,’” BBC News at BBC.com, July 21, 2014).
God set laws of physics and nature in motion in order to shape and maintain the planet. The long-term effect of these laws can be seen in, among other things, the amazing variety of rock formations and strata visible all around the earth.
Using stress to create something far stronger and more lasting is an element of sandstone formation, as we’ve seen, but also a principle used in metalsmithing. However, the most relevant use of stress-to-strength is found as God works with us.
The apostle Peter put it this way, “But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you,” (1 Peter:5:10But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you., NKJV).  God allows us to go through trials in order to forge our character and refine our outlook as we prepare now to be God-beings, a part of the family of God, in the Kingdom of God.

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The Bible is Full of Real People and Places!

by Randy Stiver

Source: Amanda Stiver

There are real people in the Bible! They lived in, travelled to, fought and fell in love in real places!
The Bible is not Star Trek , Star Wars or even Galaxy Quest . Those are detailed, science-fictional stories about fictional people in fictional places. Granted, they are interesting stories about interesting though unreal people—if, like me, you like that sort of thing.
We can envision the fictional drama of their made-up lives, and most importantly, we can relate to those made-up folks. Sometimes we can see a little of ourselves in their characters. We can imagine their lives that led to the vignettes in the books and films. It’s like our minds filled in the gaps of time and space so we can see and hear what they saw and heard. We reason and feel what they thought and felt. We like those stories in part because we can envision the characters and places in our minds’ eye.

Behold the Bible!

If you love the dramatic, then this is it. Out of the physical nothingness but spirit fullness of deep eternity—suddenly life as we know it enters the scene! People live, breathe and do bad, foolish, destructive things (just like in the movies—and real life). But they do some good things, too, mostly because of the pervading, dynamic force and inspiration of God Himself.
The people in the Bible built societies like our modern nations, provinces and cities. They fought wars which destroyed those places and many of the humans in them. They rebuilt from the rubble—actually, because stone was cheap and handy, they usually rebuilt on top of the rubble. Over the few thousand years of human history, those destroyed, rebuilt and destroyed again city locations became mounds or hills of rubble which archeologists in the Middle East call a “tel” because the Hebrew word for mound is tel.
Every one of those biblical cities is a genuine, geographical location. That’s the difference between science fiction and science fact—or between just plain fiction and fact. The Bible is fact.

Samson

There was a super strong man called Samson in the Bible. His real life and adventures could have easily been the fabled basis for Hercules. God used Samson’s intelligence and strength (which He gave him in the first place) to free the beleaguered Israelites from the oppressive Philistines—at least for a few decades. Read about this real man and the real places he lived, travelled to and fought over in the book of Judges from chapter 13 to 16 (Judges:13:1-25 [1] And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.
[2] And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not.
[3] And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.
[4] Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing:
[5] For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.
[6] Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name:
[7] But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.
[8] Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born.
[9] And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband was not with her.
[10] And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other day.
[11] And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and said unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman? And he said, I am.
[12] And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?
[13] And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware.
[14] She may not eat of any thing that cometh of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: all that I commanded her let her observe.
[15] And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee.
[16] And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the LORD.
[17] And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour?
[18] And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?
[19] So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the angel did wonderously; and Manoah and his wife looked on.
[20] For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground.
[21] But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD.
[22] And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.
[23] But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these.
[24] And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.
[25] And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol., Judges:14:1-20 [1] And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.
[2] And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.
[3] Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.
[4] But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.
[5] Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.
[6] And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.
[7] And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.
[8] And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.
[9] And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.
[10] So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.
[11] And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him.
[12] And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments:
[13] But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.
[14] And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.
[15] And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so?
[16] And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?
[17] And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
[18] And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.
[19] And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.
[20] But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his friend., Judges:15:1-20 [1] But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in.
[2] And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to thy companion: is not her younger sister fairer than she? take her, I pray thee, instead of her.
[3] And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure.
[4] And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails.
[5] And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards and olives.
[6] Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire.
[7] And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.
[8] And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.
[9] Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi.
[10] And the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? And they answered, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us.
[11] Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.
[12] And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.
[13] And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock.
[14] And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.
[15] And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.
[16] And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.
[17] And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramathlehi.
[18] And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?
[19] But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof Enhakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day.
[20] And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years., Judges:16:1-31 [1] Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her.
[2] And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him.
[3] And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron.
[4] And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.
[5] And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.
[6] And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.
[7] And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.
[8] Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.
[9] Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known.
[10] And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound.
[11] And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.
[12] Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off his arms like a thread.
[13] And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.
[14] And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of the beam, and with the web.
[15] And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth.
[16] And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death;
[17] That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.
[18] And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand.
[19] And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.
[20] And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.
[21] But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.
[22] Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.
[23] Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.
[24] And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us.
[25] And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.
[26] And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them.
[27] Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.
[28] And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
[29] And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left.
[30] And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.
[31] Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.).
It won’t take you long, but while you’re reading, imagine. See Samson, his parents, Delilah, the unfortunate lion, the foxes and the frustrated and angry Philistine leaders—all in your mind’s eye. Marvel at the “special effects” (the foxes again). Relate to Samson’s love for his parents and shake your head at his foolish relationships, especially the toxic one with Delilah. In the end, over your favorite cup of tea or coffee, think about what the true drama of Samson’s life. What can you learn from it?

And there’s more…

When you pick up the Bible, you’re holding in your hands the most important collection of true stories about true people and true places. In addition to Samson, there are prequels and sequels to keep you enlightened with true “entertainment” and great wisdom for your whole life or at least until the end of the world as we know it and then the beginning of an incredible “world tomorrow!” A time coming when Jesus Christ returns to the earth. Those are called future stories, or prophecies—don’t miss them!

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A Response to Bill Nye's Critical Question: What truly is "the most serious problem facing human kind"?

by Michael Snyder

Source: By Ed Schipul (originally posted to Flickr as Bill Nye) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wiki

I like Bill Nye. I actually like Bill Nye quite a lot.
A former Boeing engineer, Nye possesses the unique capacity to ignite a passion for discovery, particularly for young people. Leveraging his flair for disarming humor, his television programs on science and discovery are legendary. “Bill Nye the Science Guy” is a universally recognized brand.
Nye recently appeared in a quasi-debate on CNN’s “Crossfire” television program, a multi-person show that typically appears to be more of a verbal food fight with guests and hosts talking over each other on controversial issues. Following his appearance, many opined that Nye should now be known as “Bill Nye the Climate Guy,” as he emotionally defended a recent report on climate change. The ratings for this program were high.
Following the debate, he made a most interesting statement: “I will look anyone in the eyes and remind them that climate change is the most serious problem facing human kind…What will future generations think of us?”
Is climate change truly "the most serious problem facing human kind"? That's a fair and important question arising out of Nye's statement. Nye's follow-on question, “what will future generations think of us?” is equally valid.
To answer these questions, perhaps we can first pose another more probing question: what happens when one treats the symptoms of a problem and not its cause?
Engineering training includes a strategic emphasis on root cause analysis. If a product or application fails, it’s not enough to just fix it. Engineers want to know why it failed. By finding out what failed or caused the failure, a design flaw or issue can be remedied for future production and use.
Concerning Nye’s statement, let’s consider the root cause of possible climate change. In reality, greenhouse gases and toxic energy byproducts simply represent the symptoms of a much greater problem. The surprising root cause of Nye’s climate issue actually lies in ancient history, which cause has been amplified many times through the ages.
To frame things in perspective, consider this critical fact: students of the Bible know that scriptural teachings generally divide how we live life into two broad categories. The first is the way of life that God directs and espouses, which focuses on giving, sharing and collaborating. When this way of life is practiced, peace, balance and freedom result. The other way of life is one that tries to justify unfairly taking, hurting, promoting an unbalanced focus on self and harmful greed. It is commonly practiced today, and its outcomes (called “fruits” in various biblical analogies) are all-too evident.
It is this latter category of cognitive self-indulgence that allows emotional space to somehow tolerate children being gassed to death in Syria. It helps people justify why it is globally permissible for roughly five percent of the world’s population to greedily consume over 50 percent of the world’s finished goods (while depending on people living in poverty to sustain it). Its relabeling of greed as somehow justifiable allows people to rationalize living with hot national debt at incomprehensible levels in order to prop up an unsustainable lifestyle. Instead having a balanced approach to nurturing and caring for the land and environment that sustains life, this harmful approach to living explains away insolent atmospheric belching of harmful chemicals for industrial and energy production. It accounts for why nations distrust, even fear each other, and why they spend upwards of an inconceivable two trillion dollars annually on military expenditures. I could go on, but the picture is sufficiently clear.
Simply put, it is  give  versus  get .
And “get” wins hands down almost every time.
How did we arrive at this destructive point? Its etymology squarely lies in the answer to what is the most serious problem facing human kind. Future generations will talk long about the world’s present inability to properly address this issue.
What is it? What is the true root cause? Here it is: The most serious problem today is the foolish rejection of God by billions of people. Rejection of God means to willfully cut oneself off from critical guidance, from what the Bible describes as God’s “incomparably great power for us who believe” (Ephesians:1:19And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,, New International Version).
Make no mistake. God is all-powerful. God is not trying to somehow convince us that He is right. At a future point where this way of “get” will lead humanity to the precipice of total annihilation, when the way of “get” crescendos to unfathomable evil, God  will  intervene (Matthew:24:22And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.).
Until that time, God will continue to allow humanity to demonstrate to itself its incapacity to act and govern apart from God (James:4:1-3 [1] From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
[2] Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
[3] Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts., Isaiah:59:8The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.). He will permit the deadly consequences of human folly to nearly reach their full measure. We need to understand that the potential destructive outcomes of climate change represent some of these consequences.

Here’s the crux of the matter: It doesn’t have to be this way! The answer? David instructed Solomon: “Acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you;  but if you forsake him, he will reject you ”(1 Chronicles:28:9And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever., New International Version, emphasis added).

As the world will learn, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews:10:31It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.). The consequences of humanity’s present preferred way of life are relentless.
With all due respect to Bill Nye, here’s a new statement to consider: Our variant? “I will look anyone in the eyes and warn them that rejecting God and embracing ‘opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge’ [1 Timothy:6:20O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:, NIV] is the most serious problem facing human kind. Climate change is simply the consequences of humanity rejecting the benevolent law of God, which if truly applied, would result in the outbreak of peace and sanity. To survive, we must identify and treat the cause of our problems, not just the symptoms.”
God’s way is a way of love, of helping, of prospering. You don’t have to be a victim of humanity’s most serious problem. You have a choice .
From across the ages, the cry to choose wisely is clear: “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation” (Acts:2:22Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:). What will you do?

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Help! I've Been Brainwashed

article by Mario Seiglie

This article is addressed especially to high school and college students who will be taking biology classes. If you take this subject, you will most likely be exposed to teachers who will falsely teach that evolution is how life came into existence. Don't let them do to you what they did to me.

I had been brainwashed! Believe me, it was not a good feeling. It happened while in high school, and it happened in my favorite class—biology. Here is how it came about.
My father was a medical doctor in Murphy, North Carolina, and I wanted to follow in his footsteps. Seeing an obvious connection between being in this vocation and science, I couldn't get enough of biology. At that time, I had been taught evolution by my biology teachers, and it made sense. Besides, I had a church background that taught that God created the first cell and then evolution took over to create the rest of the species.
So you see, I had been brainwashed by my church as well. My focus was that God had created the cell and then all living things had evolved. Yet this belief indirectly undermined the Bible's teaching that God had created Adam and Eve as completely finished, and not as evolved beings. So I wasn't interested in the Bible at the time and believed my church was the ultimate authority—what it taught was to be believed. As a result, I started contemplating a loose moral lifestyle. After all, if I had evolved from a monkey, and evolution was true, why should I believe in biblical laws that limited me?
Confronting an evangelical
Then, in my last year of high school, I met Danny, an evangelical. He said he didn't believe in evolution. I thought that was such an unsophisticated belief and that it showed great ignorance.
So I brought out a host of evolutionary "proofs." I told him about fruit flies evolving after being exposed to radiation and having different colored eyes or more wings. I told him about the British moths that had turned a different color, from white to black, as the industrial revolution had spewed so much soot in the air that the white trunks of some trees had been darkened, making the moths change color as a camouflage. I told him about Darwin's finches, and how they had evolved different beak sizes in the Galapagos Islands. I told him about the fossil record, and how species went from simple to complex over time. I told him about the embryos of different species resembling each other, and about the fossils of ape-men. So I managed to convince him, after making him feel very ignorant.
A life-changing experience
Yet a few weeks later I met another fellow student, Sammy, who would change my life. We both liked to play chess, and one day while playing chess at his home I talked about my background. I had come from Cuba to the United States when I was 7. We had lost all our basic freedoms to communism and were exiled. I mentioned that after my father arrived in the United States, he once remarked, "If the U.S. falls, where will we go to keep these freedoms and be safe?"
Sammy said, "That's interesting. I have an article where it says, if WW III occurs, is there a place of safety?"
I borrowed the article and became acquainted with Bible prophecy for the first time. I was astounded to read that the Bible talks about today's issues and gives a warning as well as hope. I asked him to lend me a Bible, and I started reading it and biblical literature. I was amazed to find everything in the Bible was true—historically, and, more surprisingly, scientifically.
So, I reasoned, if the Bible was historically true, then evolution was wrong. As I read on, all my arguments about evolution crumbled and I realized I had been brainwashed. I had been shown only one side of the story—and a distorted side at that!
I proved God exists and that cells couldn't have evolved. I learned that God created animals and human beings in a perfect and complete way. I slowly realized each "fact" of evolution had been a clever lie! It seems some scientists had chosen not to acknowledge the possibility that there could be a Creator God, which led them, whether knowingly or not, to distort the evidence. Why? It turns out that some of the early proponents of Darwinism had pushed the theory to avoid giving account of their sinful deeds to a righteous God.
As Aldous Huxley, one of the most fierce defenders of evolution, once admitted. "I had motives for not wanting the world to have meaning, consequently assumed it had none… For myself, as no doubt for most of my contemporaries, the philosophy of meaninglessness was essentially an instrument of liberation. The liberation we desired was simultaneously liberation from a certain political and economic system and liberation from a certain system of morality . We objected to the morality because it interfered with our sexual freedom … There was one admirably simple method of confuting these people and at the same time justifying ourselves in our political and erotic revolt : we could deny that the world had any meaning whatsoever" ( Ends and Means , 1937, pp. 272-273, emphasis added).
An old argument
This idea that the creation doesn't need a Creator, but created itself or has always existed is not new. The Greeks of Paul's day had similar, although simpler, theories about the origin of life without God.
Paul, in his critique of Greek philosophy, showed the consequences of this type of reasoning.
He wrote in Romans:1:18-24 [18] For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
[19] Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
[20] 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:
[21] Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
[22] Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
[23] 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.
[24] Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
"Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves…"
This type of philosophy is certainly alive and well today.
Apologizing to Danny
So after I proved I was wrong about evolution, I went back to Danny and apologized to him, admitting I was mistaken. It left him speechless. It was only many years later that I again met him, and to my surprise, he had become a Church of God member! He had been so surprised by my complete about-face that he had looked into what I believed and came to the same conclusion.
In hindsight, I must say the biggest part of my conversion had been understanding and applying God's holy laws. As each of you mature, you will also face a world deeply prejudiced against God and the Bible. But since my high school days, I've made many additional discoveries that have gone against evolution and for a Creator.
As Stephen Meyer, an expert in physics, philosophy and molecular biology, wrote, "The major developments in science in the past five decades have been running in a strongly theistic direction. Science, done right, points toward God" (Lee Strobel, The Case for a Creator , 2004, p. 77).
The book of nature and the book of Scripture
Let's briefly look at some of these discoveries along with the Scriptures that support them.
In Psalm 19, God revealed to David that there are two books that witness to God's existence: the book of nature and the book of Scripture. In this Psalm, David says the majesty and the orderliness of the heavens declare the glory of God. He mentions the wonders of the spinning earth, the cycles of day and night, and our benign sun that emits light and heat.
The more scientists study our galaxy, the Milky Way, the more they see how perfectly arranged it is for life. It is a spiral galaxy, which is the most stable of galactic systems, and our solar system is situated between two spiral arms, which is one of the safe zones, away from the core of the galaxy, where supernovas explode and can decimate entire solar systems.
The earth's orbit keeps it at just the right distance from the sun. A bit farther away from the sun and it would be too cold, freezing the oceans, while a bit closer would make it too hot, melting the ice caps and flooding the whole globe.
Our moon is situated perfectly to protect the earth from many meteorite hits, and its gravitational pull regulates the tides, another essential part of our ecosystem. The tides keep the oceans oxygenated, allow currents to form and gently sweep the coastal beaches of any debris, not permitting the seas to stagnate.
The earth has the right spin, right size, right core, right chemicals and the right axis. Scientist call this anthropic fine-tuning, where all systems are fine-tuned to permit our fragile life system to exist. They have found that all the laws of nature and its physical constants combine in a mathematically incredible way to make life in the universe possible.
Another remarkable proof of this fine-tuning is what scientists call the big bang, the moment when the universe began. According to Nobel-prizewinning physicist Steven Weinberg, this was not a typical explosion that starts from a definite center and spreads out, but an explosion that occurred simultaneously everywhere , filling all of space from the beginning with every particle of matter rushing apart from every other particle.
"In three minutes," said Bill Bryson, "98% of all matter was produced. We have a universe. It is a place of the most wondrous and gratifying possibility, and beautiful too, and it was all done in about the time it takes to make a sandwich" (ibid., p. 94).
This is very hard to reconcile with evolutionary thought. Nobel-prizewinner Arno Penzias said about the big bang: "The best data we have are exactly what I would have predicted had I nothing to go on but the first five books of Moses, the Psalms and the Bible as a whole" (ibid., p. 77).
What is the conclusion? Dr. Meyer said, "When I look at the stars in the night sky, it is an occasion for me to worship the Creator who brought them into existence. So exploring the scientific and historical evidence for God is not only a cognitive exercise, but it's an act of worship for me. It's a way of giving the Creator the credit and honor and glory that are due to him" (ibid., p. 91).
This is exactly what David was saying in the first part of Psalm 19. In addition, as a lasting reminder that He is the Creator of the universe, God left us with the Fourth Commandment, the command to remember our Creator by resting and worshipping Him on the seventh day (Exodus:20:8-11 [8] Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
[9] Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
[10] But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
[11] For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.).
The book of Scripture
Then, after David finished mentioning the wonders of the "book of nature" where we glorify God as our Creator, he turned to the marvels of the book of Scripture. He says we should also give God glory for having given us His Word.
In verses 7 to 11, he praised its power to restore the person to a healthy wholeness, by assuring forgiveness and cleansing. God's Word also gives wisdom to those who accept it, even to the "simple" or inexperienced.
By applying the Scriptures, David said, we learn what "the fear of the Lord" is all about—developing a deep respect for God and His way of life. As a result, we will have "joy," or the inner peace and tranquility that comes from loving God with all our heart. The Bible is also "trustworthy" because its laws are true and are verifiable by life's experiences.
As a result of studying God's "two books" that give witness to Him, our faith is strengthened. We read in Hebrews:11:1-3 [1] Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
[2] For by it the elders obtained a good report.
[3] Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. about this type of faith: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible." This is what scientists are discovering as well—the physical could not have invented itself, but must have come from some superior and invisible source.
We also learn we have a spiritual and moral responsibility to our Maker. Hebrews:11:6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. says, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." Yes, this is a God who is concerned about us and wants to bless us as we obey Him.
So, please, don't allow yourself to be brainwashed as I once was. Remember what Psalm:14:1(To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.) 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. says, that only "the fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.'" VT