Baptized for the Dead

In 2019 a survey was done by the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation in all 50 states. The survey was conducted on 41,000 people. In the survey Americans were asked the the questions that are found on the citizenship test. The results were abysmal. 49 out of 50 states had less than a majority that could pass this test with Vermont being the only exception. Only 40 percent passed the test nationwide and only 27 percent of those under the age of 45 were able to pass the test. Only 15 percent of Americans knew that the Constitution was written in 1787.  It is clear with results like these that Americans don’t know their history and history is important. The writer-philosopher George Santayana is credited with saying: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” – George Santayana, The Life of Reason, 1905. If that is the case it seems like our culture is on a fast track to repeating our history. Is the same true for the church? The bible says: My people a...

Following the untimely death of Matthew Hill from cancer in 2007 the Hill family established what has now become known as No-Shave November. This organization seeks to raise funds and awareness for cancer by encouraging men to refrain from shaving during the month of November. To date the organization has raised millions of dollars to help fight cancer. The organization states that their goal: "is to grow awareness by embracing our hair, which many cancer patients lose, and letting it grow wild and free.” No-Shave November is not the only organization to encourage men to put down the razor to help raise awareness for charity. Movember a similar and even earlier organization encourages men to begin November clean shaven and then to grow a mustache to raise awareness for various charities. Both organizations have created a fun, community oriented approach to raising money for charities by telling men to put down the razor in November. But did you know that these organizations were n...

Nearing the conclusion of the controversy on this war torn and weary world John the Revelator writes about God’s people:   And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Revelation 12:11  Salvation it seems is hard won. After all, it cost the life of God’s own dear Son. Blood, sweat and tears were all shed by our Savior, but it is His blood that makes all the difference. For you see: “…without shedding of blood is no remission.” Hebrews 9:22  Without the spilled blood of Jesus there would be no forgiveness. The Bible says that the life is in the blood and Jesus gave it all for you and me.  The blood of Jesus is emblematic of the sacrifice of Jesus. The rescue of our souls required the purchase of His blood. God had to give so that we might live.  But did you know that when Jesus spilled His blood and poured out His life His blood began to take on new characteristics? As Jesus' li...

 Nobody likes to receive criticism. But the Bible says: He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: But he that heareth reproof getteth understanding. Proverbs 15:32 As hard as it might be, we need to receive correction. But not just any correction, correction from the word of God. The Bible says:  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 perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Timothy 3:16,17 It is through a knowledge of the word of God that we come to know the way in which God would have us live. Down through the ages the word of God has given messages of reproof and correction that are designed to discipline God’s people. The Bible says:  All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Hebrews 12:11 NASB...

 In the parable of the unjust steward in Luke 16 Jesus says that: “…the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. Luke 16:8 This passage has always somewhat perplexed me as I have perceived that Jesus seems to be commending the shrewdness of the unjust steward. Is this true? What exactly is going on in this story? Well in the story of the unjust steward we see that the steward is told by his lord that he will soon be released from employment.Apparently the lord had heard bad reports of the way that the steward has handled his accounts and he was displeased. When the steward recognizes that he won’t be employed much longer he goes to each of the people that owe his lord money. And then one by one he gives them an opportunity to pay back less than they owed. This of course makes them happy and in turn they are more likely to hire him when he needs employment. The bottom line ...

 In the book of Revelation we read:  “And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.” Revelation 12:15,16      This prophetic passage foretells the time when a new nation would grow up in the fertile soil of the new world. This nation which was built on the principles of religious freedom would provide God’s people a place where they could be free from tyranny but even more importantly a place where religious worshippers could exercise their faith according to the dictates of their conscience.      As citizens and inhabitants of the United States we have been granted great freedoms of expression and religious liberty that are a fulfillment of this prophetic passage. But we also know that the window of opportunity will not last forever. Re...

For many little ones and even some not so little ones school is out for the summer. And at this point, school isn’t exactly what most students are thinking about. But of course even if school is out there is still learning to be had. After all, life presents opportunities for learning far past our time in formal school. But did you know that if we are heaven-bound our education is only just beginning? We are told in the Spirit of Prophecy that we will continue to study throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. Ellen White explains:  Heaven is a school; its field of study, the universe; its teacher, the Infinite One. A branch of this school wasestablished in Eden; and, the plan of redemptionaccomplished, education will again be taken up in the Eden school. Heaven, p146. Can you imagine sitting under the giant boughs of a great tree and listening to the eternal truths straight from the lips of our Creator? We will have the opportunity to learn on the greatest campus in the universe....

 In a solemn statement God said to Israel through the prophet Hosea: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.”  Hosea 4:6 In a time of wide spread apostasy God declared to the Israelites that they would be destroyed because of their lack of knowledge. What knowledge did they fail to possess? The Bible explains: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. Proverbs 9:10 The people of Israel had lost their knowledge of God and as a result they had lost their knowledge of salvation. Hundreds of years later Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, would prophesy concerning his son John: And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation un...

 At this time of the year we have a phrase that we often use: “April showers bring May flowers.” This is  perhaps just a lyrical way of reminding ourselves that spring is indeed here. And with spring we can see that nature brings renewal to the earth. This renewal is generated by the Creator Himself. Ellen White explains:“The sunshine and the rain, that gladden and refresh the earth, the hills and seas and plains, all speak to us of the Creator’s love.” Steps to Christ, page 9. After the cataclysmic flood that disrupted all life on earth God promised: While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. Genesis 8:22. It is our heavenly Father that maintains the seasons that organize our lives. It is also our heavenly Father that refreshes the earth with rain. And as we recognize God’s provision for the plants and animals that depend on Him we need to also remember that God refreshes you and I spiritually....

 After the great flood that drowned the old world God said: While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. Genesis 8:22  God declared that going forth the seasons would continue in regular cycles. After the chaos of the flood God wanted to reassure the frightened remaining inhabitants of earth and their future descendants that life would continue. I can imagine that to Noah and his family the receding flood waters were a welcome sight but as the waters began to drain away the landscape emerged battered and bruised. Nothing was where it had been and all traces of the old world were gone.  As Noah and his family surveyed the devastated scenery before them they must have wondered how they would go forward. How would they make their way in this new but yet broken world? God had a plan.  God always has a plan. Life may not have been easy for our ancient ancestors as they emerged from the rafter...

 Jesus says to us: And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Matthew 6:5. Apparently prayer should be practiced in humility. Prayer, Jesus tells us, is not for show or to draw attention to ourselves but rather an opportunity to seek the mercy, power and love of God. In this time of year in our part of the world perhaps we can think of the grayer days, the darker days as our seasonal quiet place. Very soon we will be able to throw open the windows of our homes to let the sunlight stream into darkened corners. But until then when the gray skies sheath the winter days perhaps we can seek God in the quiet shadows of our seasonal closet. God has allowed the rhythms of nature to remind us of our dependence upon Him. Winter seems stark, cold and indifferent but it can also be quiet, still and serene. Like the morning hours of every day, the beginning mont...

As the earth hurtles through space during the month of January it slings around the sun to begin its journey towards warmer weather. But while the days may be slowly getting longer the temperatures still cling to the bottom of our thermometers. January is a month of colder days and darker weather. It can be a difficult time that stresses even the strongest optimist. But at this time of year there are still lessons to be learned. The snow that comes and goes reminds us of the grace that covers our brokenness. The darker days remind us to appreciate the light that we receive and the dreary weather reminds us that there is a brighter world to which we must aspire. In fact, January is really a microcosm of the conflict between good and evil. The Bible says: “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.” Romans 8:22 The winter months and the darker days remind us that the world isn’t the way that it is supposed to be. The bare trees and monotone co...