Watchman Newsletter

The Divine Preservation of the Jewish People

World of the Bible (Link | Bible Prophecy Today) - Dr. Randall Price (July 7, 2010)

In a conversation on religious questions, Fredric II, King of Prussia (1740-1786) asked Joachim von Zieten, General of the Husars, whom he esteemed highly as a Christian for his plain and uncompromised views, “Give me proof for the truth of the Bible in two words!” To which Zeiten replied, “Your majesty, the Jews!” The General’s statement reflected his understanding of not only the miraculous preservation of the Jewish people, but his belief that their preservation was for the purpose of bringing God’s unfulfilled promises to pass. To Zeiten, the present existence of the Jewish people was proof that God’s Word was true because Scripture had promised that they would remain until all that had been prophesied concerning them was fulfilled. Remarkably, this expression of faith was made in a day when the Land of Israel was desolate of a Jewish population and the majority of Jews were scattered among the nations.

A century before Zieten, Martin Luther also struggled with the significance of Jewish existence, but came to a very different conclusion based on his observation of the miserable condition of the Jews in his day (sadly, one largely imposed upon them by the Christian Church). Deciding that such Jews could not be those to whom the Bible referred in its promises of future restoration, he said:

“If the Jews are Abraham’s descendants, then we would expect to see them back in their own land. We would expect them to have a state of their own. But what do we see? We see them living scattered and despised.”1

As a result, he continued to accept the spiritual interpretation of his Augustinian order that the Church is the only heir of the promises to Abraham. I wonder what Luther would say if they lived in our day when almost six million Jews have returned to the biblical homeland to regain their independence in a developed Jewish state whose technology and military achievements are the envy of the world? How different might have been the religious and political history in Germany and Europe (and the world) had Luther rightly understood God’s purpose for preserving the Jews?

Importance of the Dead Sea Scrolls

Lamb & Lion Ministries (Link) - Nathan Jones (December 11, 2009)

What exactly are the Dead Sea Scrolls and why are they important?

In 1947, Bedouin goat-herders were searching the cliffs along the Dead Sea for (supposedly) a lost goat and came upon a cave containing ancient jars filled with manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts made their way to scholars, spurring a great archaeological race.

Eleven caves produced some 825 manuscripts and thousands of scroll fragments, dating from approximately 200 B.C. to 68 A.D. The writings included copies in the original Hebrew and Aramaic languages of the Old Testament (all but Esther), hymns, prayers, and Jewish writings. Much of the writings pre-date Jesus, so there is no direct mention of him. The strict Qumran community called the Essenes hid their writings in the caves before a Roman invasion killed them.

What makes these manuscripts so amazingly important to archeologists is that before 1947 the oldest copy available of the Old Testament was from 1008 A.D. Scholars could finally take our most modern Hebrew and Aramaic copies and compare them to the older Dead Sea Scrolls and try to find potential differences. What they found were accurate copies.

Aborted fetus cells used in beauty creams

The Washington Times (Link) - Valerie Richardson (November 3, 2009)

A San Francisco cosmetics company has ignited an outcry among pro-lifers for including an unexpected ingredient in its anti-aging creams: skin-cell proteins from an aborted fetus.

Children of God for Life, a watchdog group that monitors the use of fetal material in medical products, called last week for a boycott of all treatments manufactured by Neocutis Inc., which acknowledges that the key ingredient in its product line was developed from an aborted boy.

"There's just no excuse for using aborted babies in skin-care products," said Debi Vinnedge, executive director of Children of God for Life, a 10-year-old organization based in Murfreesboro, Tenn. "The reaction, the shock and anger I've seen is incredible."

In a statement released Friday, in response to a wave of condemnation from pro-life and religious blogs, Neocutis defended the use of its trademarked ingredient, Processed Skin Cell Proteins, or PSP, arguing that the fetal cell line was harvested in a responsible, ethical manner for use in treating severe dermatological injuries.

The company compared its situation to that of researchers who used fetal kidney cells to develop the polio vaccine.

"Our view - which is shared by most medical professionals and patients - is that the limited, prudent and responsible use of donated fetal skin tissue can continue to ease suffering, speed healing, save lives and improve the well-being of many patients around the globe," said the statement.

DNA Proves Intelligent Design

Bible Prophecy Today (Link) - Nathan Jones (October 9, 2009)

One of the world's leading spokesmen for Atheism, Dr. Anthony Flew of England, announced that he now believes in Intelligent Design rather than Evolution as the best explanation for the existence of the Universe. What amazing piece of evidence could move a staunch Evolutionist to conclude that there has to be an intelligent designer?

To discover just what this tremendous evidence is that would turn even the biggest skeptic's mind around, we went to Dr. Jobe Martin, former dentist, professor and Evolutionist. Having clearly seen God's eternal power and divine nature from what has been made (Romans 1:20), Dr. Martin came to faith in Jesus Christ and a trust in the biblical account of the six days of Creation. He and his wife Jenna Dee have since formed Biblical Discipleship Ministries based in Rockwall, Texas to teach on campuses, classrooms and churches that we can trust the Bible's account of the Creation and Jesus as Savior.

To Judge or not to Judge...That is the Question?

God Thoughts Wired (Link) - Pastor Brad (December 8, 2008)

Matthew 7:1
"Do not judge, lest you be judged."

How many times have you heard this verse used to try and stop someone from speaking out against false teaching? If I had a nickel for every time someone warned me "not to judge" I'd be a very, VERY RICH MAN today. You know, when you think about it, the term "false teaching" is a very "judgmental" statement, isn't it? In this age of tolerance and relativism ("truth" is what you want it to be) even the term itself, "false teaching" has become politically...incorrect, hasn't it?

And if Jesus is really saying here in Matthew 7:1 that it is wrong to judge, then why would He give the OK for judgment just four verses later in verse 5? And why would He go on to teach, in the same chapter, how important it is to "beware of false teachers," admonishing us to "judge" them by their fruit (see Matthew 7:15-20)? Have you ever given serious thought to this entire chapter?

DID YOU KNOW THAT JESUS ALSO SAID:

John 7:24
"Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."

Brothers and sisters, the Bible CLEARLY teaches that we must "judge all things," lest we fall into error.

Non-Following Christians?

God Thoughts Wired (Link) - Pastor Brad (December 1, 2008)

Jude 3
"Contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints."

We live in a day and age where we absolutely must adhere to the scriptural admonition to, "Examine everything carefully, hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil" (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21). Why? Because there is an awful lot of teaching today that,

Tickles the ears but doesn't save the soul!

From the prophets of the Old Testament to John the Baptist to Jesus Himself, along with all of the apostles after Him, the message of the gospel is clear:

Mark 1:15
"Repent and believe in the gospel...FOLLOW ME."

Salvation has 3 components:

1. REPENT. "Repentance for forgiveness of sins" (Mark 1:4). "Repent" means to turn from sin and turn to God.

2. BELIEVE. "He who believes has eternal life" (John 6:47). The "belief" that saves us is defined as "putting your trust in." REMEMBER: The demons also believe (see James 2:19). In other words, they know that Jesus is God. However, they are not saved because they do not "put their trust" in Jesus.

3. FOLLOW. "He who believes in the Son has eternal life, but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him" (John 3:36). There is no such thing as a "non-following Christian."

The Power You Carry

God Thoughts Wired (Link) - Pastor Brad (November 19, 2008)

Proverbs 18:21
"Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit."

It's so amazing, isn't it? The power of the tongue. Countless lives have been shaped by the words spoken over them. "A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but perversion in it crushes the spirit" (Proverbs 15:4). As I've said before, If you can speak...you are among the most powerful people on earth.

How so? The spoken word carries with it the authority to:

-build up or tear down.
-encourage or discourage.
-help or hurt.
-add value or steal.
-bless or curse.

Yes, our Bible teaches us that the spoken word can be so powerful as to include the supernatural component of blessing and cursing. "From the same tongue comes both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not be this way" (James 3:10).

Brothers and sisters, if you count yourself a follower of Christ, will you commit with me this very moment to align yourself with the scripture that says,

Ephesians 4:29
"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification, according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to all who hear it."

Words are like seeds. Seeds bear fruit. The fuit around you is a reflection of seeds that YOU have planted. If you don't like the fruit... Change the seed.