New Research Explores the Changing Shape of Temptation

A very interesting post from  www.barna.org about struggles with temptation. This follows this post about the domestic policy of the president. This follows this post about alternatives to raising taxes for the Fiscal Cliff!  This follows this post about a race hoax at U.T. Austin.  This follows this post about Emmit Till. In the meantime, you can read a very interesting book HERE.

New Research Explores the Changing Shape of Temptation

http://www.barna.org/culture-articles/597-new-years-resolutions-temptations-and-americas-favorite-sins


January 4, 2013 – It’s that time again—the end of one year and the beginning of another—when people resolve to make some changes in their lives. New Year’s resolutions are certainly nothing new—in fact, for many people, they are the same year after year. Making and breaking resolutions is something of a tradition. A new study from the Barna Group examines the temptations Americans say they most commonly struggle with—and how they resolve to deal with these moral and ethical lures.



The research reveals some new—and not so new—aspects to the temptations facing today’s adults. The research was conducted in conjunction with a book project from Todd Hunter called Our Favorite Sins.







New Temptations

Resolutions relating to technology are becoming more common—particularly those that involve spending less time on it. The research shows nearly half of Americans (44%) say they are tempted to spend too much time with media, including the Internet, television and video games. Another “new” media-related temptation is to express anger or “go off” on someone by text or email. Overall, one out of nine Americans (11%) say they often or sometimes feel tempted to do this.



Though sexual sins are nothing new, viewing pornography online continues to escalate and take on new forms as the Internet and social media evolve. Nearly one in five Americans (18%) say they are tempted to view pornography or sexually inappropriate content online. Men more commonly admit being tempted to view porn than women (28% versus 8%).



It is not surprising the most technologically oriented generation—the Millennials, or Mosaics—are more likely than average to admit to struggling with these temptations of modern technology. More than half of Millennials (53%) say they are tempted to over-use screens and one-quarter (25%) feel the temptation to use technology to express their anger at others. When it comes to viewing pornography online, Millennials are significantly more likely than other generations to admit to wrestling with this temptation: more than one quarter (27%) say they are tempted by online pornography, while only 22% of Busters, 15% of Boomers and 8% of Elders say the same.







Old Temptations

Most temptations are not so modern. Americans are still facing the same age-old deadly sins that humanity’s always wrestled with. Though, naturally, the more serious the sin, the fewer people admit to being tempted by it. Which, perhaps explains why “eating too much” is up near the top of the list of admitted temptations—more than half (55%) say they are tempted to overeat. While doing something sexually inappropriate with someone is at the bottom—less than one in ten Americans (9%) admit to this. As might be expected, the older the person, the more likely they are to struggle with overeating (though this decreases from Boomers to Elders) and the younger the person, the more likely they are to face sexual temptations (21% of Millennials admit to being tempted to sin sexually with someone verses only 11% of Busters, 5% of Boomers and 3% of Elders).



When it comes to other more “traditional” sins, about one-third of Americans admit to spending too much money (35%), one-quarter say they are tempted to gossip or say mean things about others (26%), a similar number struggle with envy or jealousy (24%), a little more than one in ten admit to being tempted to lie or cheat (12%) and about the same number say they are tempted by alcohol or drugs (11%).



Though Millennials admit to being more tempted by these things than any other generation, the answers are fairly consistent across ages. The one exception being envy or jealousy, which Millennials are significantly more likely to admit to (41% verses 29% of Busters, 19% of Boomers and 15% of Elders). This is perhaps a life-stage factor as twentysomethings try to find their place and establish a lifestyle. Though it could also point to the effects of nearly ubiquitous consumer advertising on a generation that’s been marketed to more than any previous age group.







Particularly Western Temptations

While most people may or may not consider procrastination and anxiety to be especially sinful, they are the temptations Americans are most likely to admit struggling with. Three out of five (60%) Americans say they are tempted to worry or be anxious and the same number say procrastination or putting things off is a serious temptation for them. In a similar vein, 41% of Americans say they are tempted to be lazy and not work as hard as they should. As with most of the other temptations, Millennials are more likely to admit they wrestle with these productivity-related temptations and each older generation is less likely to say so. Interestingly, when it comes to these work-related temptations, Protestants are more likely than Catholics to say they struggle with these (57% of Protestants say procrastination is a temptation and 40% admit to being lazy verses 51% and 28% of Catholics, respectively).



Such angst regarding productivity may be a result of the Puritan work ethic or of a society driven by busyness and material success. Either way, they reveal the high value Americans place on work—and the anxiety surrounding it.







Why Do People Give In?

People give in to temptations for many reasons—but it would seem most people aren’t actually sure why they do so. Half of the respondents say they don’t know what the most common reason is they give in to temptation. Of those who could identify a reason, one in five (20%) say they give in to escape or get away from “real life” for a while. Other responses given were listed by less than one in ten, but included: to feel less pain or loneliness (8%), to satisfy people’s expectations of me (7%), to take a shortcut to success (2%), for personal pleasure or because “I enjoy it” (2%), or simply as a result of human or sinful nature (1%).







Is Resistance Futile?

When facing a temptation, remarkably, most Americans (59%) say they don’t do anything specific to avoid the tempting situation. As one demonstration of the changing values undergirding temptation, nearly half of Boomers and Elders say they try to avoid giving into temptation, but just one-third of Millennials and two-fifths of Busters attempt to resist temptation. However, those who are practicing Protestants and practicing Catholics stand in contrast to this trend: a majority of both groups indicate they attempt to stand up to temptation.



Those who try to avoid “giving in” implement a variety of coping mechanisms, from simply walking away to recalling Scripture to exercising. The most common way Americans say they avoid temptation is to pray and ask God for strength—about one in five of those who resist (18%) say this is what they usually do to hold back temptation.



Other common responses include using reason to weigh the options (12%), choosing to just say “no” (10%), and simply avoiding or staying away from the situation altogether (10%). Most of the ways people say they resist temptation are fairly individualistic—only 4% of people say they talk to or call someone else when they are tempted and a mere 1% say they seek the company of others or attend a meeting. In general, Americans seem to rely on their own willpower (through reasoning, leaving the situation, thinking about something else, or focusing on positive thoughts—about 4%-5% each) or on a distracting activity (exercise, work, going for a walk, listening to music, going to bed—about 2%-3% each).







Observations

David Kinnaman, president of Barna Group, directed the study and offered four observations on the findings:



First, morality in America is undergoing a shift. One example of that is how temptation has gone "virtual." It now shadows many of the digital domains of contemporary life. Nearly half of Americans admit to being tempted to use too much media and one in nine admit to expressing their anger digitally. For faith leaders, this shift underscores the importance of including technology and media as part of a broader discussion of spirituality and stewardship.



Second, Millennials are significantly more likely to admit to being lured by most of the temptations assessed in the research. Why is that? Given their stage of life, are they simply more likely to be confronted by tempting situations than are older generations? Or is it that younger adults are more comfortable admitting to them in the context of a survey? Perhaps the perceived social consequences of being honest about personal struggles are dropping—or it’s merely the angst of youth, worrying about things older adults simply no longer worry as much about. The bigger concern is if Millennials are beginning to accept these emotions as normal and not inherently wrong—as a result of media influence, normative peer behavior and shifting values. Whatever the case, a distinct moral perspective seems to be emerging among younger adults when compared to older generations. Millions of Millennials do not see temptation as something to be avoided, but rather a relatively benign feature of modern life.



Third, distinctly work-related vices top the list of Americans' temptations. As a society, are Americans really most concerned with procrastination and productivity? People seem to be more aware of (or willing to admit to) "sins" that actually make them look better—i.e., it's somewhat self-serving to admit procrastination or laziness because it reflects well on one's work ethic. But few people want to admit to being envious or mean or tempted sexually. But, of the list, productivity is not exactly the most biblical pursuit—that specific "temptation" is much more reflective of American values than of core biblical themes.



Finally, only 1% of Americans of any age are able to articulate that giving in to temptation might be caused by sin. Most Americans think of temptation more as a steady stream of highs and lows that must be navigated. This reveals a gap in biblical thought on the subject of temptation among the nation’s population.



About the Research

The OmniPoll(SM) included 1,021 online interviews conducted among a representative sample of adults over the age of 18 in each of the 50 United States. The sampling error for OmniPoll is plus or minus four percentage points, at the 95% confidence level.



This study used an online research panel called KnowledgePanel® based on probability sampling that covers both the online and offline populations in the U.S. The panel members are randomly recruited by telephone and by self-administered mail and web surveys. Households are provided with access to the Internet and hardware if needed. Unlike other Internet research that covers only individuals with Internet access who volunteer for research, this process uses a dual sampling frame that includes both listed and unlisted phone numbers, telephone and non-telephone households, and cell-phone-only households. The panel is not limited to current Web users or computer owners. All potential panelists are randomly selected to join the KnowledgePanel; unselected volunteers are not able to join.



Based upon U.S. Census data sources, regional and ethnic quotas were designed to ensure that the final group of adults interviewed reflected the distribution of adults nationwide and adequately represented the three primary ethnic groups within the U.S. (those groups which comprise at least 10% of the population: white, black, and Hispanic).



People are identified as having a practicing faith if they have attended a church service in the past month and say their religious faith is very important in their life.



Generations: Mosaics / Millennials are a generation born between 1984 through 2002; Busters, born between 1965 and 1983; Boomers were born between 1946 and 1964; and Elders were born in 1945 or earlier.



The research was commissioned by Thomas Nelson in associated with the launch of Todd Hunter’s book Our Favorite Sins.



About Barna Group

Barna Group (which includes its research division, the Barna Research Group) is a private, non-partisan, for-profit organization under the umbrella of the Issachar Companies. It conducts primary research, produces media resources pertaining to spiritual development, and facilitates the healthy spiritual growth of leaders, children, families and Christian ministries.



Located in Ventura, California, Barna Group has been conducting and analyzing primary research to understand cultural trends related to values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors since 1984. If you would like to receive free e-mail notification of the release of each update on the latest research findings from Barna Group, you may subscribe to this free service at the Barna website (www.barna.org ). Additional research-based resources are also available through this website.

Christianity Isn't for Wimps

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/  about the need for Christians to develop character. This follows this post about a "ghost" scene in the Bible. For a free magazine subscription or to get this book for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886-8632.

Christianity Isn't for Wimps






article by David Treybig





Most people today think being a Christian is easy, but the surprising truth is, the real Christianity of the Bible is challenging and difficult. Do you have the courage and conviction to be a real Christian?



The little tract said it was easy. All I had to do to become a Christian was accept Jesus. I didn't have to do anything else. According to the little booklet, Jesus did everything for me when He died for my sins and there was nothing that I had to do in return. The text said that if I accepted Him into my life, good things would happen to me now and in the future, I was guaranteed eternal life. Concluding, it asked, "Won't you accept Jesus into your heart right now?"



Perhaps you've read or heard the same message. It's readily available through friends, many churches, restaurant counters, bus stations and just about anywhere else one could imagine. But is being a Christian that easy? Is Christianity just accepting and celebrating what Christ did for us? Is nothing expected of us in return?



As a young person, how can you determine what God wants you to do? In this article we're going to see what the Bible itself says about Christianity. I hope you have the courage to read what it says and follow its advice.



Let's begin with a thought-provoking question. If Christianity is so easy, why aren't more people becoming Christians? After all, who in his or her right mind would turn down free benefits like winning the lottery, getting a tax refund or, in the case of Christianity, living forever? Could it be that some suspect there is something wrong with the message? Let's begin with a quick survey of the state of Christianity in general.



Survey of Christianity

The Christian Science Monitor recently reported that between 1990 and 2000, "the overall increase in religious affiliation did not keep pace with the rate of US population growth" (8.8 percent compared to 13.2 percent) and "the proportion who classified themselves as Christian dropped from 86 percent to 77 percent" ("Charting America's Religious Landscape," Jane Lampman, Oct. 10, 2002, http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/1010/p12s01-lire.html  ). In Europe, the trend to abandon Christianity is even more pronounced. Many churches sit empty, lacking people to fill them.



While immigration likely skews the above noted percentages in the United States, one additional fact did arise in the article: "Socially conservative denominations grew faster between 1990 and 2000 than others." In other words, the greatest appeal came from the more challenging religions.



Along similar lines, many have wondered why more women than men attend church. In 1999 Leon J. Podles wrote a provocative book titled The Church Impotent: The Feminization of Christianity suggesting reasons why men were less attracted to religion than women. His work reflected a desire to understand why Christianity had lost its appeal to men.



Putting today's trends into historical perspective, we have to ask why Christianity grew so rapidly in the early centuries, even in the face of intense persecution, and why it seems to be floundering today—especially when so many parts of the world have religious freedom.



The key: Jesus' teaching

Looking for an accurate explanation of the nature of Christianity, our best resource is Jesus Himself. In His famous Sermon on the Mount, considered to be the fundamental overview of Christianity and how we should conduct ourselves, Jesus said, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it" (Matthew 7:13-14 [13] Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

[14] Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.





See All..., emphasis added throughout).



Later in this same chapter, Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness! '" (verses 21-23).



These scriptures explain that being a Christian will be " difficult "--that doing God's will and obeying God's law are also prerequisites for entering the Kingdom; it would not be solely acceptance and celebration.



Now, please don't misunderstand. Accepting and celebrating what Jesus did for us is important. The Bible teaches us that we must be baptized and it commands observance of God's Holy Days—annual celebrations of God's plan to reconcile humanity to Himself (Acts 2:38Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.



See All...; Leviticus 23). But there is far more to Christianity than just accepting and celebrating Christ.



Paul's writings

To add to our understanding of the challenge of being a Christian, let's consider some of the apostle Paul's writings. In Romans 7 Paul commented on the struggle he was having with sin. Here he wrote: "For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin" (verses 22-25).



Later, Paul likened his effort to receive eternal life to the training of a runner. Using this analogy, Paul wrote, "... I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified." (2 Corinthians 9:27



See All...). In 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 [3] For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

[4] (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)





See All..., Paul described the efforts of Christians to honor God as spiritual warfare .



In these passages, Paul acknowledged that he was struggling to do what he should and he realized that he needed Christ's help to live as God intended. With this realization, he declared, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.



See All...). He gave his own life to God to be used for God's honor and purpose.



Understanding works

There is one important caution in understanding the effort God expects of those who seek Him. Struggling to live a Christ-like life does not earn us salvation. Ephesians 2:8-9 [8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

[9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.





See All... clearly explains, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God , not of works, lest anyone should boast." No amount of good works or effort on our part will ever earn us eternal life. The opportunity to live forever is a gift bestowed upon us by God through His great mercy.



The fact that eternal life is a gift, however, does not negate God's expectations of us. As the passage in Ephesians 2 continues, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works , which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (verse 10). The struggles we have to do good when others around us are doing evil are part of God's plan for perfecting His people. We build righteous character when we struggle against our human nature and the urge to retaliate against others who mistreat us. It is in this crucible of struggle that God sees who we are and what we are becoming.



In God's desire to see us develop into mature, principled Christians for His Kingdom, He realizes that we need challenges along the way. Just as weightlifters build muscle by actually lifting weights, we build spiritual character through challenge—not by watching someone else practice Christianity.



Character is crucial

We build righteous spiritual character by resisting temptation. When others cheat on exams or in the preparation of papers, it takes effort by people striving to be Christians not to do the same. When others choose to have sexual relations prior to marriage, it takes courage and character to obey God and resist the desire to do likewise. When others break the Sabbath or skip church services, it takes character to do what God commands.



When young people see hypocrisy in the church or in other adults, it takes character to obey God anyway. And then there is peer pressure. Resisting it is hard, too.



Building righteous character through resistance to sin is so precious in God's sight that character is going to be the basis for our reward in God's Kingdom. As Jesus explains in Revelation 22:12And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.



See All..., "I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work." Simply stated, eternal life is a gift, but we are rewarded according to our works.



Given the challenge of being a Christian, some may feel discouraged--as though this struggle is more than they can bear. Yet under these circumstances, God promises to help. As Paul said, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13). Our human effort coupled with God's help makes it possible for us to be positive examples to those around us. This is precisely what Jesus had in mind when He said that we are to be lights to this world (Matthew 5:14-16 [14] Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

[15] Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

[16] Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.





See All...).



Where should you start if you're determined to become a serious Christian? We can't think of a better place than a summary of what God expects of us. You'll find it in The Ten Commandments, a free booklet that explains why God's commandments are so important and a crucial part of the solution to humanity's problems. You should also request Transforming Your Life: The Process of Conversion to better understand the hows and whys of becoming the kind of person God wants you to be. Both booklets can be ordered or read on-line.



Christianity is not a spectator sport. It is not a matter of simply watching others do what is right and it is not solely a matter of learning and accepting what Christ did for us. Instead, those of us who desire to be Christians must be actively involved in obeying God and doing His work. As Hebrews 12:14Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:



See All... admonishes us, " Pursue peace with all men, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord."



Christianity isn't for wimps; it takes effort and work. Holiness must be pursued . We hope you have the courage to do so. GN

.

"Hold the Line; Close the Gaps"

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/  about personal struggles. This follows this post about peace in countries such as Poland. This follows this post about the divinity of Jesus Christ. For a free magazine subscription or to get this book for free click HERE! or call 1-888-886-8632.

"Hold the Line; Close the Gaps"






article by Andy McClain





Satan relentlessly bombards us with his influence to commit sin. What can we do to proactively fight against his attacks?



In December 1944, near the end of World War II in the European theater, the German Army launched the Ardennes Offensive. Most in the Western world know this as the Battle of the Bulge. It was planned with great secrecy. Equipment and men were moved under the cover of darkness with minimized communication.



The goal of the German Army was to split the Allied forces in France by crossing the River Meuse and gain the seaport of Antwerp, Belgium, in just four days. In doing so, they would capture the Allied supply line, obtain much needed fuel and isolate the advancing divisions of Gen. Bernard Montgomery, coming through Belgium, and Gen. George Patton, advancing from northeastern France.



A key to the success of this German offensive was the small town of Bastogne. It was at the junction of several major roads leading to southeast Belgium. (This is summarized from Battle of the Bulge by Chester H. Philips and The Ardennes: Battle of the Bulge by Hugh Cole.)



Bastogne was being defended by the 101st Airborne. A vivid visual depiction of this battle is detailed in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers. The conditions were severe. They were dug into the forest in the middle of terrible winter weather. They had limited ammunition, little food and medical supplies, and lacked winter clothing. They were spread very thinly over the area they had been assigned to defend.



Before the intense fighting began, Gen. Anthony McAuliffe visited the frontline troops. After a brief discussion with the officers, all Gen. McAuliffe could say was, "Hold the line; close the gaps."



We are in a spiritual battle much like Bastogne. Conditions are tough. Our world is rapidly deteriorating both morally and spiritually. We are encircled and isolated. We are constantly under artillery fire from Satan. How can we win our spiritual battle? We must follow the same orders that Gen. McAuliffe gave the 101st Airborne: "Hold the line, close the gaps."



Hold the Line



What does this mean for us? Simply that we cannot give up or compromise in learning and living God's way. Paul told Timothy to "continue in the truths that you were taught and firmly believe" (2 Timothy 3:14But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;



See All..., Good News Translation). We must continue to grow in our understanding and application of God's truth each day. As Moses instructed Joshua, we need to "take careful heed...to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul" (Joshua 22:5But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.



See All..., emphasis added). "Hold fast" is translated from a Hebrew word that "is used of something sticking to or clinging to something else," according to the Complete Word Study Dictionary.



When the writer of Hebrews 10:23Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)



See All... says, "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering," we gain the greater understanding of what is meant by "hold fast." The root word for confession can also be translated as covenant. When God granted us repentance and we accepted Christ's sacrifice, we became betrothed to Jesus Christ, entering into a covenant relationship with Him. Remaining faithful to this covenant relationship requires us to keeps God's laws (1 John 5:2-3 [2] By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

[3] For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.





See All...). Our lives should reflect a pattern of faithfulness in keeping God's ways.



Daniel gives us an encouraging story about a life with a pattern of faithfulness. He was taken to Babylon as a young man. He served three different rulers during two empires. It would have been easy for him to become assimilated into the lifestyles around him. Yet Daniel "purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself" (Daniel 1:8But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.



See All...). This decision included concern for his spiritual condition, in addition to the physical dietary differences of Babylon.



God granted him tremendous grace and favor for many years. When he faced the trial of the lion's den, Daniel was an aged man ( New King James Study Bible, comment on Daniel 5:13Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry?



See All...). He could have reasoned that God would understand if he waited until the 30-day decree ended to pray. After all, he was an old man and had served God for many years. But he did not. He was faithful to what he understood despite adversity. So much so that King Nebuchadnezzar could say, "I know that the Spirit of the Holy God is in you" (Daniel 4:9O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.



See All...).



What is the pattern in our lives? Daniel's faithfulness was reflected in a display of the fruits of the Spirit. Do we "hold the line" in keeping God's truth? We must take seriously Paul's warning to "listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it" (Hebrews 2:1Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.



See All..., New Living Translation).



Close the Gaps



The German artillery "not only surprised American commanders with its considerable volume but also its accuracy, indicating that the enemy had remarkably good target information of American installation" (www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/articles/bastogne.aspx  ). Satan's bombardment is also extremely accurate and relentless. He has very good intelligence on our weak points. Because of this, we must guard our minds against the penetration of sin.



Peter tells us to "gird up the loins of your mind" (1 Peter 1:13Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;



See All...). What exactly does that mean? The New King James Study Bible helps clarify this for us by saying, "Just as people in biblical times would gather up their long robes and tie them around their waists so that they could move quickly and freely, we need to do whatever it takes to focus our thoughts on those things that allow us to serve God successfully, all the while eliminating any thoughts that would trip us up." We must reject the wrong thoughts and ideas from our minds.



Closing the gaps in our mind against sin is called overcoming. We must continually work at controlling our thoughts to be more in line with God's. Proverbs 4:23-27 [23] Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

[24] Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

[25] Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

[26] Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

[27] Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.





See All... in the New Century Version says: "Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life. Don't use your mouth to tell lies; don't ever say things that are not true. Keep your eyes focused on what is right, and look straight ahead to what is good. Be careful what you do, and always do what is right. Don't turn off the road of goodness; keep away from evil paths."



Doing this takes strength from God. But we must "close the gap" against sin.



During the prophet Ezekiel's day, Israel was filled with corruption and immorality, much as it is today. On one occasion, God told him, "I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall" (Ezekiel 22:30And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.



See All..., NLT).



While this may not seem to apply to us today, consider what the Life Application Study Bible says: "The wall spoken of here is not made of stones but of faithful people united in their efforts to resist evil. When we give the appearance of loving God without living his way, we are covering up sins that could eventually damage us deeply... Repair your life by applying the principles of God's Word."



Those are powerful words we should apply. Sin can ruin our lives if not dealt with and overcome with God's help.



God shows us our gaps with great mercy and tenderness. In Matthew 19, Christ showed the rich, young ruler his gap—love of material wealth. Unfortunately, the rich, young ruler did not have the desire to "close the gap," and he left "sorrowful." When God shows us our gaps, do we desire to face and overcome them, or do we also go away sorrowful?



If we strive to overcome, we know with certainty that "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.



See All...). Christ promised, "To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life... He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death... shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life" (Revelation 2:7He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.



See All..., 11; 3:5). We must expend our energies now in overcoming so we can claim those promises.



The 101st Airborne received many credits and honors for their heroic efforts at Bastogne. We, too, look forward to a reward from God if we remain faithful. Paul encourages us to "fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life... I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus...that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ's appearing" (1 Timothy 6:12-14 [12] Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

[13] I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;

[14] That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our LORD Jesus Christ:





See All...).



Continue to "hold the line; close the gaps"! UN

.

Why doesn't God hear or answer me? Why do I have unanswered prayers?

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about the Bible's accuracy. This follows this post about Armageddon. For more interesting stories like this click here to follow this blog.

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Why doesn't God hear or answer me? Why do I have unanswered prayers?
Few attitudes are more disheartening and destructive to faith than the feeling that God doesn't hear our prayers, doesn't answer or doesn't care. It is easy to come to such conclusions when God doesn't respond when or how we want.
The apostle Paul was a man who could have concluded that God doesn't listen to people. After all, he urgently pleaded with God to intervene for him in a chronic trial. But God refused to grant Paul's request.
Does this mean Paul lacked faith? Of course not. However, there is a deeper lesson for us in Paul's life of living faith.
When Paul pleaded with God
Notice Paul's account of this trial: "There was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me" (2 Corinthians 12:7-8, New International Version).
What was this trial that tormented Paul? Comments in Paul's writings hint it may have been a problem with his eyes (Galatians 4:13-15; 6:11).
The implication is that Paul fervently asked God to deliver him from the trial, no doubt with fasting and heartfelt prayer (2 Corinthians 11:27). He wanted this hindrance removed so he could continue to spread the gospel effectively and care for the congregations God had raised up.
God's answer to Paul
Paul could have concluded that God had not heard his pleas. But this is not the case. God simply gave Paul a different answer: "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Whether God directly spoke these words to Paul or whether Paul gradually came to this understanding of God's will isn't clear from the Greek wording. What is clear is that Paul came to a deeper spiritual understanding that strengthened his faith and commitment.
Paul came to see that the credit belonged to God and Jesus Christ rather than to himself and that his weakness drew him closer to that source of power and strength. "I am therefore happy to boast of my weaknesses, because then the power of Christ will rest upon me. So I am content with a life of weakness, insult, hardship, persecution, and distress, all for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong" (verses 9-10, Revised English Bible).
Of course, Paul's experiences were not typical of what most modern Christians experience today. Along with his great trials, he also witnessed great miracles and evidence of God's power. Still Paul's "thorn in the flesh" stands as an important spiritual lesson for us. Sometimes when we experience unanswered prayers, God's answer for us is actually "no" or "not yet." God never intended our physical bodies to last forever. He has allotted us an existence of about 70 years (Psalm 90:10). He is far more concerned that we develop righteous character and a trusting relationship with Him that can last for eternity. He wants to resurrect us to eternal life in a glorious, immortal spirit body not subject to weakness, illness and death (1 Corinthians 15:40-44, 50-54).
In the meantime, Paul understood that God in His love will never allow us to fall into trials greater than we can endure. "But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it" (1 Corinthians 10:13, NIV). Sometimes that "way out" is simply the determination to endure the trial, to "stand up under it."
Hearing God's will
Paul was not the only one who learned that living, trusting, abiding faith is more important than physical health and long life. Even Jesus, knowing that He faced a cruel death only hours away, prayed, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me" (Matthew 26:39). Jesus loved life and wanted to live as much as any of us. But He acknowledged a greater purpose for this physical life: "Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done" (Luke 22:42).
Jesus Christ, the perfect example of faith, knew God's will was more important that His.
God knows what is best for us in the long run, even if it may conflict with our short-term wants and desires. As Peter tells us, "[cast] all your care upon Him, for He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7). Paul says we should be "confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6). Because God works within us from a broader perspective to build faith and character, He doesn't always answer our prayers in the way we desire.
Some were delivered, some not
The Bible tells us at times "women received their dead raised to life again." But "others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment… And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us" (Hebrews 11:35-40).
Even when we have unanswered prayers, know that God does listen. He does not always answer our prayers to our immediate satisfaction and instantly deliver us from our trials. But He will always do what is best for us.

Related Online Resources
When God Doesn't Make SenseWhy doesn't God always answer prayers? Why can it seem that God is ignoring us when we're trapped in the pit of despair? What do we do when God just doesn't seem to make sense?
Why a Loving God Allows Suffering from the booklet Why Does God Allow Suffering?Many people believe that if God is truly the God of love and mercy He would prevent all suffering in the world. Why doesn't God intervene to prevent suffering?

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Bible FAQ Topics
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Has the Bible Been Preserved Accurately?

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about the Bible's accuracy. This follows this post about Armageddon. For more interesting stories like this click here to follow this blog.

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Has the Bible Been Preserved Accurately?
Some Bible critics argue that we should disregard the Bible because it's impossible that our modern versions could match the original texts. But how does this argument stand up to scrutiny?
by Ken Graham
Has the Bible been preserved accurately? Are the Scriptures that we read today the same as the ones originally written so long ago? Has the Bible been changed, or does it constitute the same inspired words written by the prophets and the apostles?
Of course, there are language differences because the Bible was not originally written in English. The Old Testament was written primarily in Hebrew, with a few parts in Aramaic, and the New Testament was penned in Greek.
The Bible wasn't translated into English until the 14th century. But did it change over the many centuries until then?
These are important questions because if it can be shown that the Bible we have today is different from the one God originally inspired, why should we pay attention to it? If we can't trust that it has been accurately translated and preserved, there is little reason to trust that it is indeed God's Word. So it's very important that we see what the historical record shows. How can we know?
Has the Old Testament been accurately preserved?
The Hebrew Bible, what today is called the Old Testament, is far older than the New Testament—having been written between approximately 1446 and 400 B.C., some 25 to 35 centuries ago. Is the version we have today a faithful and accurate rendition of the original?
Let's take a look at how it was preserved for us.
The apostle Paul wrote that the oracles of God were committed to the Jewish people (Romans 3:2). For centuries they carefully and meticulously preserved their sacred writings. The manuscripts of the Bible that we have today were written by hand long ago, well before the invention of the printing press. The Jewish scribes who made the copies of the Old Testament Scriptures from generation to generation were scrupulously cautious about their copying procedures.
This meticulous care was perpetuated by the Masoretes, a special group of Jewish scribes who were entrusted with making copies of the Hebrew Bible from about A.D. 500 to 900. Their version of the Old Testament, widely considered the most authoritative, came to be known as the Masoretic Text.
Before and during this time, trained copyists followed various meticulous and stringent requirements for making scrolls of their holy books. The Masoretes required that all manuscripts have various word numbering systems. As an example of one test they used, when a new copy was made, they counted the number of words in it. If the copy didn't have the proper count, the manuscript was unusable and buried.
Such steps ensured that not a single word could be added to or left out of the Holy Scriptures. Through such steps the scrolls that formed the Hebrew Bible were copied meticulously, carefully and accurately, century after century.
What about the books of the Old Testament?
About A.D. 90 Jewish elders meeting in the Council at Jamnia, in Judea near the Mediterranean coast, affirmed that the canon —the set of writings acknowledged as being divinely inspired—of the Jewish Bible was complete and authoritative.
While there are some differences in organization—the Jewish Bible combines the text into 22 books while our modern Bibles divide the Old Testament into 39—the content is nonetheless the same. The differences are due to the fact that books like Joshua and Judges were written on one scroll, thus making them one book by Jewish count while they appear as separate books in our modern Bibles. Similarly, 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings all made up one book in Jewish reckoning, as did 1 and 2 Chronicles, though all these were divided into multiple books in our English translations.
The Jewish Council at Jamnia rejected other questionable books, known as the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, as inspired or authoritative. So they are not part of this count or the accepted Hebrew canon. Thus these books are left out of most modern Bibles.
Through the centuries the Jewish people were very careful to preserve the Old Testament as we have it today. The majority of the manuscripts that we have today of the Old Testament are virtually identical to the copies made by the Masoretes, with very little difference between them.
What do we know from the field of textual criticism?
"Textual criticism" is the field of study in which experts compare the various manuscripts in existence to one another, seeking to come as close as possible to what the original author wrote. The original manuscripts are called "autographs," literally "self writings." Today, with the passage of so much time, no autographs—original copies—exist of any of the Old or New Testament books.
Over the centuries minor differences (called variants) often make their way into successive copies of handwritten documents, even with the greatest of care of the scribes involved. Thus, the field of study called textual criticism exists to try to identify these variations and determine what the original texts said.
After 1455 and Johannes Gutenberg's invention of the first movable metal type printing press, the Bible could be printed over and over again with predictable accuracy, so variants no longer were a concern. However, before that time manuscripts still had variants. Thus the period before 1455 is where textual criticism comes into play.
Because of the strict requirements and few locations where the Old Testament was copied, few variants or versions of the Old Testament ever came into existence. When the Dead Sea Scrolls (primarily portions of the Old Testament dating mostly from the first century B.C.) were discovered in 1947, many people were initially concerned that they would show marked differences with the Masoretic Text of the Old Testament.
Because the Dead Sea Scrolls were a thousand years older than the oldest and most reliable Masoretic Text we have today (the Leningrad Codex, dating to A.D. 1008), scholars thought they might find drastic differences over that long passage of time. But did they?
After years of study, they found that the Dead Sea Scrolls they examined have only a relatively few minor, insignificant differences from today's Masoretic Text of the Old Testament.
"These oldest-known Biblical texts have one absolutely crucial feature," explains historian Ian Wilson. "Although ... a thousand years older than the texts previously available in Hebrew, they show just how faithful the texts of our present Bibles are to those from two thousand years ago and how little they have changed over the centuries. Two Isaiah scrolls, for instance, contain the Isaiah text almost exactly as it is in our present-day Bibles ...
"Although there are, as we might expect, some minor differences, these are mostly the interchange of a word or the addition or absence of a particular phrase. For example, whereas in present-day Bibles Isaiah 1:15 ends, 'Your hands are covered in blood', one of the Dead Sea pair adds, 'and your fingers with crime'. Where Isaiah 2:3 of our present-day Bibles reads, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of [the LORD]', to the house of the God of Jacob', the Dead Sea Scroll version omits, 'to the mountain of [the LORD]'.
"Such discrepancies are trifling, and there can be no doubt that the Biblical books someone stored away so carefully at Qumran two thousand years ago were as close to those we know in our present Hebrew and Old Testament Bibles as makes no difference" (The Bible Is History, 1999, p. 205).
Where there are differences, however, this does not mean the Dead Sea Scrolls were correct and the Masoretic Text incorrect. We should keep in mind that the Dead Sea Scrolls were not necessarily transcribed with the same meticulous preservation practices as those used by the main scribes of the time. Nonetheless, the remarkable discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls is astounding confirmation that the Old Testament has indeed been accurately preserved for us today.
What about the New Testament?
Compared to the scarcity of ancient Old Testament manuscripts, the New Testament is a different story. Today literally thousands of Greek manuscripts of the New Testament exist, each of varying antiquity and from various locations. But, like the Old Testament, no autographs of the New Testament books exist today either.
How reliable are these manuscripts, and how do they compare to other works from this general time period?
"... The New Testament documents have more manuscripts, earlier manuscripts, and more abundantly supported manuscripts than the best ten pieces of classical literature combined ... At last count, there are nearly 5,700 hand-written Greek manuscripts of the New Testament. In addition, there are more than 9,000 manuscripts in other languages (e.g., Syriac, Coptic, Latin, Arabic). Some of these nearly 15,000 manuscripts are complete Bibles, others are books or pages, and a few are just fragments ...
"The next closest work is the Iliad by Homer, with 643 manuscripts. Most other ancient works survive on fewer than a dozen manuscripts, yet few historians question the historicity of the events those works describe ...
"Not only does the New Testament enjoy abundant manuscript support, but it also has manuscripts that were written soon after the originals ... The time gap between the original and the first surviving copy is still vastly shorter than anything else from the ancient world. The Iliad has the next shortest gap at about 500 years; most other ancient works are 1,000 years or more from the original. The New Testament gap is about 25 years and maybe less.
"... The early church fathers—men of the second and third centuries such as Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Tertullian, and others—quoted the New Testament so much (36,289 times, to be exact) that all but eleven verses of the New Testament can be reconstructed just from their quotations ... So we not only have thousands of manuscripts but thousands of quotations from those manuscripts" (Norman Geisler and Frank Turek, I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist, 2004, pp. 225-228).
Sir Frederic Kenyon, authority on ancient manuscripts, sums up the status of the New Testament this way: "It cannot be too strongly asserted that in substance the text of the Bible is certain: Especially is this the case with the New Testament. The number of manuscripts of the New Testament, of early translations from it, and of quotations from it in the oldest writers of the Church, is so large that it is practically certain that the true reading of every doubtful passage is preserved in some one or other of these ancient authorities. This can be said of no other ancient book in the world" (Our Bible and the Ancient Manuscripts, revised by A.W. Adams, 1958, p. 23).
Dealing with different translations
Critics may use textual differences and claims of errors to discredit the Bible. But the fact remains that God is ultimately responsible for His Word, and its accurate preservation and transmission over so many centuries is nothing short of miraculous.
However, God did choose to record and preserve His Word in the Hebrew and Greek languages. When the Hebrew and Greek are translated into English, no one English translation preserves the complete essence of God's inspired thoughts. Regrettably, in moving from any language to another, something is always lost because not all words and concepts translate precisely.
Most people have found that they benefit from using several translations rather than relying on only one. And God has seen to it that we have several excellent English translations with which to obtain understanding, each with their own different strengths. We have found that the New King James Version usually best serves our publishing efforts in putting across the gospel message as clearly as possible.
God promises to guide, through His Holy Spirit, the true believer into understanding the essence of His Word (John 16:13). He also provides an educated, trained ministry to explain His Word clearly and accurately for the edification and instruction of those He has called (Ephesians 4:11-16; 2 Timothy 4:1-4). To this end The Good News magazine serves as a tool to help you better understand the Bible. We can be sure that the Word of God has been preserved accurately for us today. We must make sure to read it, study it, treasure it and put it into practice in our lives. GN
Recommended Reading
You can discover many proofs that the Bible is the accurate, inspired Word of God. To learn more, request or download your free copy of Is the Bible True? This booklet explores some of the proofs from science, history and archaeology that the bible truly is God's Word to humanity. To better understand the differences in Bible translations, request or download our free reprint article "Which Bible Translation Should I Use?"

Learn, Live and Love the Bible

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about the Holy Bible. This follows this post about the Ten Commandments. For more interesting stories like this click here to follow this blog.

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Learn, Live and Love the Bible
God’s Word discusses several tools we can use to grow spiritually and build our relationship with our Creator. In this second article in a series on tools for spiritual growth, we examine the foundational tool of Bible reading and study.
by Don Hooser
The Bible is boring, I concluded. I was about 10 years old, had some reverence for the Bible and decided I should read it—from Genesis to the maps at the back. I didn't get very far.
I was proud of my progress until I almost crashed in chapter 5, a boring genealogical record. However, being a sequential person who hadn't learned when to skim or skip while reading, I struggled my way through, verse by verse. But then in chapter 10 I hit another genealogical record! At that point I gave up on the Old Testament.
At least I'll read the New Testament, I thought. Surely it would be more interesting. But the New Testament begins with a genealogical record! Though somewhat ashamed of my lack of spirituality and commitment, I gave up on reading the Bible. Based on my unfair sampling, I decided it was not very user-friendly.
Then when I was 12, one of my younger brothers died. I began to think much more seriously about the meaning of life and about life after death. Looking back on it, I see how God gradually used that painful memory to begin to turn my life around.
The real turning point
But I didn't read the Bible until I was forced to. A required one-semester university course for engineering students was "Survey of the Bible." We were assigned to read a wide variety of selections throughout the Bible. That opened my eyes. I was fascinated and amazed at much of what I read!
I learned many impressive things about the Bible, including how it ranks right at the top among mankind's greatest works of literature. Even in secular writing, the Bible is quoted, knowingly and unknowingly, far more than any other book.
Also I came to appreciate the meaning of the Judeo-Christian heritage— the profound influence the Bible has had on Western civilization. Today one can buy whole books of quotes from many of America 's founding fathers stating their strong beliefs in the Bible.
That class was the great turning point of my life. I soon began requesting publications (like those offered free in The Good News ) that gave clear and wonderful explanations of virtually every subject and section of the Bible. A whole new world had opened up to me. I was discovering how valid and valuable the Scriptures are—how reliable and relevant they prove to everyday life. My perspective on everything changed— and changed for the better.
Above all, I was not only learning about God, I was coming to know God in a real and personal way. From then on when I read the Bible, it was God talking to me!
At the same time, I was studying a lot of science and math. It became clear to me that every detail in the universe is the result of perfect planning, engineering and construction—it could not have happened by accident! I figured that if the Bible is from God, it too must be absolutely perfect—and I set out to prove whether this is so.
Indeed, God has revealed Himself in two ways—His words (the Bible) and His works (the creation we see around us) (compare Psalm 19:1-4; Romans 1:20).
The Maker's instruction manual
Of all the earth's creatures, it's obvious that human beings are unique. We have magnificent minds with amazing intellectual capacities. Human minds also have spiritual potential and a hunger for spirituality. This is not surprising once we learn that "God created man in His own image"—in the image of God Himself—to have an intimate relationship with Him! (Genesis 1:27).
All physical life-forms are governed mainly by instinct, except for human beings. We need a roadmap—a guidebook for life—or else our intellectual and spiritual interests will go in all the wrong directions.
It makes no sense that God would create His masterpiece and then leave us in the dark as to why we are here. God indeed did give us His revelation of what we need to know but could not learn on our own. It is a handbook for life that we call the Bible.
The English word "Bible" is derived from the Greek word biblion— meaning "books." The Bible is a collection of 66 books—39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New. These were composed by about 40 writers with different writing styles, living in 10 countries, over about 1,500 years!
However, miracle of miracles—in spite of the Bible's great diversity, there is astounding unity. It is consistent and coherent all the way through.
How could that be? It is because God inspired and directed every writer. Thus the real Author behind the scenes was always God (2 Timothy 3:16).
So the Bible is also one book. It is the Book—the Book of books. Many religions claim to have a sacred book. But the Holy Bible is exactly that— God's Book. It is divine revelation to man and therefore the literal and actual "Word of God." It is complete, and God warns in the Old and New Testaments not to add to it or take away from it (Deuteronomy 12:32; Revelation 22:18-19).
In fact, the Bible even gives us myriad first-person quotes from God that are introduced by such words as "Thus says the Lord . . ."
One Bible in two parts
Ironically, many Christians ignore the Old Testament as being irrelevant, while most Jews reject the New Testament. Both views are wrong. Together the two testaments constitute the written Word of God. The New Testament cannot be properly understood without a foundational knowledge of the Old, and the Old Testament must be understood in the light of the New. They complement and complete each other.
Jesus Christ and the writers of the New Testament repeatedly quoted from the Hebrew Scriptures we call the Old Testament. For many years they were the only Scriptures the early Christian Church had. These Scriptures, as amplified by Jesus' own statements, were the basis for Christian teachings and practices. Later, by the time the apostle Peter wrote his second epistle, some parts of what became the New Testament were also being accepted as "Scriptures" (2 Peter 3:16).
Many people erroneously believe that during His ministry Jesus Christ criticized the Pharisees and other Jews for teaching and living by the Old Testament. Not so. Jesus scolded them for not living by the Scriptures! It was as if they had not even read the Scriptures, because Jesus repeatedly asked, "Have you not read . . . ?" Jesus also said, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition" (Mark 7:9; see verses 5-13).
Today, Judaism is much the same. Plus, most of Christianity favors human religious traditions over the Bible, and many of those traditions are in conflict with the Bible.
What comes from God is perfect. The original Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek texts of the Bible were infallible (although no human translation of those texts is perfect). The Bible is true and it is truth—the ultimate truth (John 17:17).
The Bible should serve as the foundation for all areas of knowledge. Harmony with the Bible is the ultimate filter or test of truth. If an idea or theory is in conflict with the Bible, it cannot be correct. The Bible is especially necessary for understanding the absolutes of life, such as what is good and what is evil.
New Testament Church vs. today's skepticism
Notice this emphatic statement by the apostle Paul: "But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets" (Acts 24:14). True Christianity was called "the Way"—for it is a way of life, not just a belief.
And "the Law and the Prophets" here is a reference to what we call the Old Testament. So Paul said he believed all things in the Old Testament! Many "Christians" today don't believe everything in the New Testament, much less the Old Testament!
In today's world, the tragic trend is toward disbelief in and apathy toward the Bible. "Christianity" is increasingly disconnected from the Bible. Most professing Christians don't even read the Bible, and even fewer obey its teachings. Many of the beliefs and practices that they assume come from the Bible in fact do not.
Many people avoid reading the Bible—and some even hate it—because they know or suspect that it will correct them for sins and other habits they are not willing to give up.
We are also increasingly bombarded with skepticism and attacks against Christianity and especially Bible-based beliefs. Some claim only the "uneducated" would hold such beliefs. As Jude 18 notes, there will be "mockers" as the end of this age of man draws near.
All of this can be quite confusing and intimidating.
This is where you need courage. Be much more concerned about what God thinks than what any man thinks. Don't rely on someone else to tell you what the Bible says. Read it for yourself! Swim upstream. Be among the few who choose the "narrow gate" that leads to life, not the many who choose the easy "broad gate" that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13-14).
Keep this in mind. Noah preached the truth all the time he was building the ark, but only eight people believed and were saved from the Flood (2 Peter 2:5). Jesus Christ preached to multitudes for more than three years, but His Church began with only 120 disciples (Acts 1:15). Be among the few who listen well. Then go do the right thing!
The Bible is "good news"!
The message of Jesus and the apostles was called "the gospel." The word gospel comes from the Old English godspel, meaning "good news." But good news of what? Most Christians could not tell you exactly.
It was "the gospel of the kingdom of God " (Mark 1:14). So Christ preached the good news about His future return to establish the Kingdom of God on earth, and how human beings can become a part of that eternal Kingdom and family of God! It truly is a message of hope for all mankind (Romans 15:4).
We may think of the gospel as being in the New Testament, yet this message is also found throughout the Old. Indeed, all of the Bible is interrelated, so in one sense the gospel is the entire Bible. Scripture has a great deal of bad news about "this present evil age" (Galatians 1:4), but the long-range news is wonderful—a soon-coming new world under the reign of Jesus Christ!
Keys to understanding the Bible
How can you get the most out of reading and studying the Bible? Following are some important keys.
Take time— make time—out of your busy life to devote to daily Bible reading. Make it a high priority. Many great and successful men and women have been dedicated daily Bible readers. Even some U.S. presidents followed this practice while occupying that enormously important office. If they made time for daily Bible reading, if they could fit that in, why can't you?
Reflect and think deeply about what you read, and consider how you will apply the lessons in your life. You cannot make a better investment of your time.
For understanding, pray for God's help. "Ask, and it will be given to you" (Matthew 7:7). Prayer and Bible study go hand in hand (you may want to review the first article in this series, "The Privilege and Power of Prayer," in the last issue of The Good News).
Be sure to take advantage of human and technical resources. When an Ethiopian official was reading the book of Isaiah, Philip asked him, "Do you understand what you are reading?" The man responded, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" (Acts 8:26-31). It helps tremendously to have Bible teachers show you where to look for answers to life's important questions. So we invite you to ask for help from United Church of God as well. We offer many free resources that are crucial for gaining a foundation of biblical understanding (see "How to Read, Study and Understand the Bible,").
Note that the Bible can be understood on many levels. A person with no interest in God can read through the Bible and gain much understanding of history (His story!), human relationships and many other subjects. Scripture is full of great wisdom.
But to understand the Bible on a deeply spiritual level requires the reader to meet some important conditions. One key is a humble, teachable attitude— being receptive and responsive to God's instructions!
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments" (Psalm 111:10). To really comprehend God's Word requires an attitude of deep reverence for Him and submission to His authority. God blesses readers with understanding when they are willing to apply and obey what they learn.
Consider the significance of what Jesus said in Luke 4:4: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God."
It should first be observed that the purpose of God's Word is for us to live by it.
Second, this is what strengthens and sustains us spiritually as bread does physically.
Third, we should have an enquiring mind hungering for God's Word.
Fourth, Jesus included every word of God, not just some of the words of God.
Fifth, how can we live by the words of God if we have not read them?
Sixth, "you are what you eat." Ingesting the words of God can make us increasingly godly.
Even children can gain a remarkable understanding of the Bible, partly because they tend to have humble, teachable attitudes. Especially if you have children or grandchildren at home, be sure to read the article "Teach Your Children With Family Bible Study".
Also remember that God's thoughts are infinitely higher than our human thoughts (Isaiah 55:9-11). God's Spirit is essential to an ever-deepening understanding of spiritual truth and the power to live by that truth. Future articles in this series will cover the wonderful process for obtaining the gift of the Holy Spirit. In the meantime, for more understanding of this vital subject, request our free booklet Transforming Your Life: The Process of Conversion.
The Bible? Priceless!
God's revelation of how He will bring human beings into the Kingdom of God is a "treasure"—the "pearl of great price" (Matthew 13:44-46; see also Proverbs 3:13-18). It is worth every sacrifice. God wants us to dig and seek and search with our whole hearts to enter His Kingdom.
One definition of "disciple" is "student," so God would have us all become students of Jesus Christ. Blow the dust off your Bible then. Open your Bible and open your heart to listen to what God has to tell you.
Bible reading is "profitable" for many reasons (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The Berean believers were called "noble" because they "searched the scriptures daily," making sure that what was being preached to them conformed to its teachings (Acts 17:11, King James Version).
Bible study is a serious matter. The only reliable security we can have in this life is God. If we don't hear today, we can be gone tomorrow. What really matters is life after death. For that, we must become disciples and "doers of the word" (James 1:21-25). And any sacrifices we make in this life are tiny compared to the glorious everlasting life God is offering us (Romans 8:18).
The longest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 119. How fitting that it is an extensive love song praising God for His Word and His laws! The writer said, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (verse 105). May His Word light your path!
Be enthusiastic and passionate for God's Word. Immerse yourself in it! With increasing understanding comes increasing satisfaction and enjoyment. Try it—you'll like it! And it will transform your life!
The following verse from Revelation 1:3 applies directly to the book of Revelation, but it is true of the entire Bible: "Blessed is he who reads and those who hear [understand] the words of this prophecy, and keep [obey] those things which are written in it; for the time is near." GN

Related Resources
The Privilege and Power of Prayer The Bible reveals and discusses several tools we can use to grow spiritually and build our relationship with our Creator. In this first article in a series on these tools for spiritual growth, we examine the foundational tool of prayer—a key to communication with God.
Learn, Live and Love the BibleGod’s Word discusses several tools we can use to grow spiritually and build our relationship with our Creator. In this second article in a series on tools for spiritual growth, we examine the foundational tool of Bible reading and study.
Meditation: What's on Your Mind?The Bible teaches us about tools we can use to grow spiritually and build our relationship with God. In this third article in a series, we examine the importance of godly thoughts and meditation.
Fasting: A Spiritual Power Tool!Three earlier articles in this series covered prayer, Bible study and thinking or meditation. Along with those spiritual tools, we need to frequently combine this fourth tool—fasting.
Repentance: A Profound Turnaround!Previous articles in this series showed how we attain biblical understanding and spiritual growth through prayer, Bible study, meditation and fasting. What do we do then? This article shows how we must further use and apply that understanding!
Baptism: Beginning of a New LifePrevious articles in this series have covered the vital spiritual tools of prayer, Bible study, meditation, fasting and repentance. But to receive the greatest gifts of God, there is another step you must take—the commitment of water baptism.
The Church: Help for Greater GrowthJust exactly what is the Church? What is its purpose? Why do you need it? The Church that Jesus Christ founded and directs can be a priceless tool for aiding personal growth.
Spiritual Growth: From Immaturity to ImmortalityIn the previous seven articles of this series we have explained essential tools for spiritual transformation—prayer, Bible study, meditation, fasting, repentance, baptism and the Church. Now we consider how to use all these tools to attain our ultimate destiny of eternal life!
Is the Bible True?Can you believe the Bible? What is this book, really? Is it only a collection of ancient legends and literature, as many believe? What about scientific discoveries that "disprove" the Bible? These are crucial questions. Humanity faces challenges that threaten our very existence, yet all too often we ignore the one source that actually has the answers. Shouldn't we, then, check to see if this source really is true? This eye-opening booklet discusses these vital questions and helps you find the answers.
How to Understand the BibleThe Bible is the world's best selling book...yet, in spite of the Bible's popularity, it has also been described as the world's most misunderstood book. Have you been one of those who have found the Bible difficult to comprehend? Do you wish you knew how to better apply its timeless principles, how to use it to build a right relationshipwith its author, your Creator? This eye-opening booklet will examine seven keys that will help open up this Book of books to your understanding.
Bible Study Lessons Only one book gives us the answers to life's crucial questions: Why are we here? Where is the world headed? What does the future hold? This 12-lesson Bible Study will make the Bible come alive as it leads you through the biblical answers to these and other questions!

Read the Book

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about the Holy Bible. This follows this post about the Ten Commandments. For more interesting stories like this click here to follow this blog.
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Read the Book
Advertising executive and writer Bruce Barton called it The Book Nobody Knows. No other book is more important to you and your future.
by Scott Ashley
Presidents, monarchs and judges place their hands on it when they swear into office. Witnesses in trials place one hand on it while they swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Many brides carry it at their weddings.
It sits unobtrusively in desk and dresser drawers of many hotels and motels. Most residences have at least one, and often it occupies a place of honor on the mantel, coffee table or nightstand, where it gives the impression of being read daily.
If it were listed by booksellers, it would perpetually make the best-seller lists, with millions of copies sold and given away year after year. It has been translated into more than 2,000 languages and dialects.
This book is, of course, the Bible.
But, popular though it is, how many people ever take the time to read it?
Last year a survey by the Barna Research Group, a research firm specializing in religious issues, found that only one in three Americans read the Bible regularly or could name the writers of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). Not even half of those surveyed could name even five of the Ten Commandments. Most indicated they find the Bible irrelevant.
Although Bible sales in recent years have surged among some publishers, and dozens of varying versions and translations line the shelves of religious and secular bookstores alike, surveys like this show that relatively few take the time to actually read the Scriptures. Even fewer understand them.
What a remarkable turnaround from earlier generations!
Bible-believing leaders
Ronald Reagan, U.S. president from 1981 to 1989, said of the Scriptures: "Within the covers of the Bible are all the answers for all the problems men face. The Bible can touch hearts, order minds, and refresh souls."
Only a generation ago Dwight D. Eisenhower, president from 1953 to 1961, extolled the Scriptures with these words: "The Bible is endorsed by the ages. Our civilization is built upon its words. In no other Book is there such a collection of inspired wisdom, fealty and hope."
The legendary Winston Churchill firmly believed in the accuracy and integrity of the Bible. "We reject with scorn all these learned and labored myths that Moses was but a legendary figure," the British statesman wrote. "We believe that the most scientific view, the most up-to-date and rationalistic conception, will find its fullest satisfaction in taking the Bible story literally."
Many other great leaders have likewise believed in and tried to order their lives according to the Bible's instructions.
Queen Victoria, who ruled Great Britain at the height of its power, exclaimed, "That book [the Bible] accounts for the supremacy of England!"
Abraham Lincoln, who led the United States through the Civil War as its 16th president, perhaps summed it up best when he said: "I believe that the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man."
George Washington, Revolutionary War commander and first president of the United States, said: "It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible."
Substance or show?
What about you? How much attention do you pay to the Bible?
Of the world's six billion inhabitants, about a third claim to be followers of the Bible. But how many follow Jesus Christ's advice to read that Book? (Matthew 12:3, 5; 19:4; 21:16, 42; 22:31; Mark 2:25; 12:10, 26; Luke 6:3).
Notice God's view of those who outwardly adhere to His words but neglect to live by them: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men" (Isaiah 29:13, New International Version, emphasis added throughout).
God is neither impressed nor pleased with empty outward appearances of religion. He is pleased, though, with those who deeply respect His Word: "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word" (Isaiah 66:2, NIV).
The choice is up to you
How does God view our choice of whether to live by His Word or not?
When He revealed His instructions to ancient Israel, formerly a slave people in Egypt, He wanted the Israelites to serve as a model nation to the other peoples around them. Through His servant Moses God told them: "See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the LORD my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.' What other nation is so great as to have ... such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?" (Deuteronomy 4:5-8, NIV).
God intends that His way of life be a shining example. When we live by them, His laws are a model of wisdom and understanding to those around us. Christ Himself made it clear that we are to live not only by physical food "but by every word of God" (Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3).
But it is up to us whether we will take the initiative to study and live by those words. When God revealed His instruction to the Israelites, He set before them a choice: "See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the LORD your God will bless you ...
"But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, ... I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; ... I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live" (Deuteronomy 30:15-19).
In other words, God promises great blessings for those willing to study His Word and put it into practice. Failing to live by it will bring its own punishments in the sorrow and suffering that inevitably follow breaking God's laws.
More reasons to read the Book
Besides these reasons straight from our Creator, there are many other reasons we should read the Book:
It is the basis for Western civilization and Jewish and Christian culture and society.
It is a unique historical document spanning some 4,000 years of history.
It is a remarkable literary work, studied in thousands of college and university classes for its value as literature alone.
It offers straightforward, practical advice on every aspect of life.
It is a consistent best-seller year after year.
The early-American patriot Patrick Henry, famous for his stirring cry of "Give me liberty or give me death!," said that the Bible "is worth all other books which have ever been printed."
Where to begin
If by now you see the value in discovering the treasures of the Bible for yourself, you may wonder where to begin. The answer is to begin at the beginning, with the first chapter of Genesis.
Some Bibles contain only what is called the New Testament, plus perhaps Psalms and Proverbs. By omitting the Old Testament, such Bibles leave out about three quarters of the material God inspired to be written and preserved through the ages for us.
Be sure you have a Bible that contains both the Old and New Testaments. After all, the Old Testament writings were the "Holy Scriptures" to which the apostle Paul referred when he wrote to Timothy: "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
The writers of the New Testament understood the Hebrew Scriptures to be inspired by God. They included about 300 quotations from the Old Testament in their writings as well as hundreds of allusions to it.
Read and learn
If you spend only 10 to 15 minutes a day reading the Bible, you can complete it in about a year. Initially you need not be so concerned with studying the Bible or solving problems as much as simply reading through it. At other times you can sit down with The Good News, some of our booklets or our Bible Study Lessons and study the Scriptures in much greater depth as you examine various topics.
As you read you'll discover many fascinating stories involving history, romance, danger, violence, intrigue and even prophecy. You'll quickly encounter men and women such as Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, Rachel, Joseph, Moses, Miriam, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Peter and Paul-along with the biographies and teachings of Jesus Christ. Their stories were written down as examples for us, preserved so we could learn from their many and varied experiences (Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:6-11).
The Bible explains things as they really are-the good, the bad and the ugly. It presents a clear picture of human failings and gives the solutions.
If some passages are unclear, you may want to compare one or more Bible versions to clear things up. Used-book stores are a good place to find inexpensive Bible translations. (To understand the differences in approach among various translations, be sure to request your free copy of the booklet How to Understand the Bible.)
Try to read with an open mind and fresh approach, as though you were reading every scripture for the first time. You'll be surprised what you'll discover. Some scriptures, for example, may directly contradict what you always believed the Bible said. Be sure to rely on what the Bible says, not what someone says it says.
Questions may come to mind as you read along. Jot them down before you forget. Feel free to write us with any questions you may have. In many cases your question will be covered in detail in one of our booklets or an earlier Good News article. Or you may find the answer later as you continue to read the Scriptures.
First things first
If you apply its words, reading the Bible can be the most rewarding thing you ever do. Woodrow Wilson, U.S. president from 1913 to 1921, compared his success to the application of God's Word. "There are a good many problems before the American people today, and before me as President, but I expect to find the solution of those problems just in the proportion that I am faithful in the study of the Word of God." No doubt much of the success of the American experience can be attributed to its leaders' familiarity with God's Word.
By studying the Bible you'll gain wonderful insights into your relationships with family, friends and others. You'll far better understand why our world is in the condition it's in. You'll come to understand yourself far better than you ever did.
The Bible records a lasting compliment to citizens of Berea who, on hearing the apostle Paul's teaching, "searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11). They wanted to be sure that what they were learning was really what the Scriptures said. They set a commendable example for us.
How about you? Where do you fit in? Do you search the Scriptures to discover whether the words written there are true? If you do, you can share the joy of discovery experienced by the writer of Psalm 119, who praised God and His eternal Word:
"Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies ... I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Your precepts. I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Your word. I have not departed from Your judgments, for You Yourself have taught me. How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" (verses 97-103).