I wonder, sometimes, if I was too hard on Rob Bell.

In 2011, author and pastor Rob Bell published a book about hell that nearly every Christian I knew had an opinion on, Love Wins. Before the book was even available, people were indignant. The trailer for the book depicts Bell walking through the snowy streets of Granville, Michigan, staring down the camera and floating rhetorical questions: “Gandhi’s in hell? He is? And someone knows this for sure?” For many, these questions were a step too far. “Farewell, Rob Bell,” pastor John Piper famously tweeted in response to the video. When the book was eventually released, the controversy only got more fervent. It was banned at Christian bookstores. By that summer, pastor Francis Chan had published a rebuttal book, Erasing Hell. I vividly remember an MSNBC interview that infuriated me, where — to my fifteen-year-old eyes, at least — Bell seemed unwilling to give straight answers to basic questions. Denny Burke of Boyce College proclaimed in a blog post that Bell had “outed” himself as a wolf in sheep’s clothing. At the time, I couldn’t have agreed more.

Fast forward a decade, and the questions that Bell was posing have found their way back into the cultural conversation again, in a highly public forum: a recent op-ed for The New York Times. David Bentley Hart is a philosopher and theologian — one of the most well-regarded in the world today — and in his article, he addresses a question similar to Bell’s Gandhi query: Why do some Christians so badly want there to be a hell? When it comes to the existence of eternal damnation, Hart writes, for many believers, something “unutterably precious is at stake… Why?”

According to Hart, the Christian idea of hell has never been entirely consistent. For one thing, Hart argues, the New Testament does not paint a full picture of hell, at least as we visualize it. Paul is virtually silent on the matter. Revelation renders vivid allegorical images of judgement day, but no “clear doctrine of eternal torment.” Hart also notes that it wasn’t until the fifth century that eternal punishment became a widely held belief. Prior to that, “especially in the Greek-speaking Hellenistic and Semitic East,” most Christians believed in “universal salvation” — that is, that God will redeem everyone eventually. For hundreds of years, “universalism” was actually not blasphemy, and many early Christian fathers — Clement of Alexandria, Origen and Gregory of Nyssa, to name a few — ascribed to that understanding.

Only when “the Christian Church became part of the Roman Empire’s political apparatus,” Hart says, did hell become a central part of the Christian tradition. From that point on, hell was frequently weaponized by the Church, as “spiritual terror became an ever more indispensable instrument of social stability.” Hart notes that it retains a similar power today.

So why do so many Christians still care about hell? Ultimately, Hart asserts, the reason the doctrine of hell has persisted has a lot to do with winning. For those believers, Hart writes, “the idea of hell is the treasury of their most secret, most cherished hopes — the hope of being proven right when so many were wrong…” For many, hell represents vindication.

A few weeks later, the New York Times published some responses to Hart’s piece, penned by individuals from across the country. The letters are pretty remarkable.

SOURCE: Christian Post, Hayden Royster

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As empty shelves appear in our social media feeds and in our local retailers, it’s easy to sense the apprehension and fear surrounding the threat of the coronavirus. Knowing how many lives it has taken, how quickly it has taken them, the fact that there is no vaccine and the seeming inability to stop the virus has put many in a state of uneasiness. However, is it really as bad as it seems? How should Christians respond?

At least 93,126 cases have been confirmed, with 3,198 deaths worldwide. In the US, there are over 100 cases, and at least 9 have died. But, let’s take a deeper look at the facts. Who is likely to pass away from this new virus?

A Business Insider chart shows how likely it is someone would pass away from the virus at different age brackets. A .2% chance is recorded for those ages 10 through 29, and the chances increase to .4% in ages 40 to 49. Then, chances increase, with a 14.8% chance in ages 80 or older. But that’s for those who contract the virus.

A video from the WHO described the differences between the flu and the coronavirus. With the coronavirus, there’s a 3.4% chance of death, but with the flu, it’s less than 1%. That’s because more treatments are available for the flu and more people have built up an immunity to it. Still, the speaker shared some encouraging news that the coronavirus doesn’t transmit as effectively as the flu and containment is possible. China has seen a slowdown in new cases, the lowest since the outbreak began.

Keeping perspective

Though the threat of the coronavirus seems ominous, (mostly because it is unknown), it’s important to keep things in perspective. There are so many more people who die daily from ailments with which we are more familiar. Seventy-four percent of all deaths arise from the 10 most common causes below.

Consider these causes of death annually in the US:

Approximately 7,452 people die in the US every single day. With these kinds of numbers, it’s far more likely you’d be taken by one of these above causes. In fact, with 327 million people living in the US, you’re more likely to win the lottery than die from the coronavirus!

SOURCE: Christian Post, Charis Brown

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Welcome to the Ordained Chaplains podcast. My name is Daniel Whyte III. I am the president of Gospel Light Society University. We are going through the book “Out of the Depths: An Autobiographical Study Of Mental Disorder And Religious Experience” by one of the pioneers of chaplaincy, Dr. Anton T. Boisen. This is episode #68.

Our Scripture Verse for today is Psalm 37:23-24 which reads, The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.”

Our Ordained Chaplains quote for today is from Charles Spurgeon. He said, “I note that some whom I greatly love and esteem, who are, in my judgment, among the very choicest of God’s people, nevertheless, travel most of the way to heaven by night.”

In this podcast, we will continue discussing the book “Out of the Depths” by Anton T. Boisen. We continue today with “Chapter 4: A Little-Known Country” (Part 17):

The other proposition is that concerning treatment. He recognizes three stages in the process of cure:

1. There must be absolute frankness and truthfulness on the part of the patient, understanding of the trouble on the part of the physician, and the attempt to bring into clear consciousness the dimly understood ideas which should prevail.

2. He holds that in practically every case of successful treatment in which the sex instinct is involved, the patient’s affections are transferred to the physician. This, he says, is a fact that must be frankly recognized and wisely utilized as fundamental to the process of cure.

3. Re-direction or sublimation or elimination of the transference as soon as the right time comes. This marks the completion of the process of cure.

As I understand my own case, that it precisely what has been happening. Therein lies the explanation of the recent smash-up. May it not be the destruction or sublimation of the transference relationship and the completion of a process which has been going on for many years? That, at least, is the interpretation I had arrived at before I ever heard of Freud. I am glad to receive support of this sort. It makes me feel as in the days of old when I was working on some difficult problem in algebra, and then after getting my answer, I would turn to the key in the back of the book and find that my answer was right. But this is a problem on which I have been working for eighteen years.

My idea of the “family of four” would then be an attempt to express this principle. The idea I had in mind would be this, that there are those for whom the hope of salvation is involved with sexual love. This fact must be recognized. This does not mean, however, that such a desire should be gratified. If it is the right kind of love, it would not demand that. On the other hand, it must not be killed. The surgeon’s knife and the methods of fear and repression are not the right treatment, but frankness and co-operation. It seemed to me then that the finest men and the finest women are precisely the ones most likely to respond to the appeal of weakness and of need. Such a response has had blessing attached to it, but it has also meant sacrifice which should not have to be made. Of course, in my abnormal condition I went too far and attempted to universalize my own experience, but may there not be some element of truth in this crazy idea?

In our next podcast, we will continue with Part 18 of Chapter 4, “A Little Known Country”.

—PRAYER—

Now, if you have come across this podcast, and do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, allow me to show you how.

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Now this is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.

Romans 10:9-13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Until next time, my friend, God bless!

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Leadership That Gets the Job Done Podcast — Episode 57

This is Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International, and this is the “Leadership That Gets the Job Done” Podcast, Episode 57.

Our Bible passage for this episode is Mark 10:42-45 which says, “But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Our quote for this episode is from Peter F. Drucker. He said, “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.”

In this podcast, we are using three books as our texts: Spiritual Leadership: Moving People On To God’s Agenda by Henry and Richard Blackaby; Everyone Communicates, Few Connect, by John Maxwell; and Organizational and Management Leadership: A Christian Perspective by Anita Satterlee.

Our topic today is Part 3 of “Chapter 3: Connecting Goes Beyond Words” from Everyone Communicates, Few Connect, by John Maxwell. He continues:

That’s what I’ve always tried to do as an author: put part of myself into my books. I don’t communicate anything that I haven’t lived and learned from experience. I hope that comes through. For example:

Developing the Leader Within You possesses conviction because I have developed myself to become a leader.

In Failing Forward, I share proven ways I used to overcome my own failures.

When I wrote Winning with People, I wanted the book to affect others the way Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People had impacted me as a teenager.

Thinking for a Change shares the way that I think on a daily basis. My wife, Margaret, says it has more of my DNA than any of my other books.

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership offers tried-and-true leadership principles I’ve used to equip more than four million people worldwide.

I work to make every one of my books more than just a book, more than just paper and ink or an electronic file to be offered in the marketplace. Every book comes from my heart and soul. I believe in it and genuinely hope it will help whoever reads it.

As important as it is for a message to be heartfelt and genuine, that of course isn’t enough. Your message must also be more than just a message. It must have value. It must deliver on the promise it offers to its audience. It must have the potential to change other people’s lives. That’s my goal every time I write a book or prepare to speak to an audience.

Many times each year I am engaged as a speaker for companies and other organizations. Often I request a call with someone in the organization prior to the speaking engagement so I can learn the expectations of my host and the background of my audience. My goal is never to simply deliver a speech. I want to add value to people. And to have a chance to do that, what I say and do must be within the context of the bigger picture of the organization’s purpose, mission, and goals. I always spend time tailoring what I’m going to say to fit what they need.

— PRAYER —

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, here’s how.

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Now this is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.

Romans 10:9-13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

God bless.

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This is Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International with the Whyte House Family Devotional Reading of Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening podcast. This is Episode #50.

Charles Spurgeon was a prominent English Particular Baptist preacher. He was very influential among the Christians of various denominations during his age and even today, and is commonly called the “Prince of Preachers”. After some time of alternately searching for God and running from God, he had a powerful encounter which led him to give his life to Christ. Spurgeon was only 16 when he preached his first sermon and he began publishing books shortly afterward. At the time of his death, he had preached nearly 3,600 sermons and published 49 volumes of commentaries, sayings, anecdotes, illustrations and devotions. Spurgeon said, “encouraging thoughts are like honey to the heart”, and wrote this devotional in hopes that its uplifting messages for each day of the year would bring comfort and refreshment to our walk with God. He was inspired by Isaiah 50:4 which reads, “He wakeneth morning by morning. He wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned” and Psalm 63:5-6 which says, “My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips; when I remember Thee upon my bed, and meditate on Thee in the night watches.”

Romans 3:31 reads: “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.”

When the believer is adopted into the Lord’s family, his relationship to old Adam and the law ceases at once; but then he is under a new rule, and a new covenant. Believer, you are God’s child; it is your first duty to obey your heavenly Father. A servile spirit you have nothing to do with: you are not a slave, but a child; and now, inasmuch as you are a beloved child, you are bound to obey your Father’s faintest wish, the least intimation of his will. Does he bid you fulfil a sacred ordinance? It is at your peril that you neglect it, for you will be disobeying your Father. Does he command you to seek the image of Jesus? Is it not your joy to do so? Does Jesus tell you, “Be ye perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect”? Then not because the law commands, but because your Saviour enjoins, you will labour to be perfect in holiness. Does he bid his saints love one another? Do it, not because the law says, “Love thy neighbour,” but because Jesus says, “If ye love me, keep my commandments;” and this is the commandment that he has given unto you, “that ye love one another.” Are you told to distribute to the poor? Do it, not because charity is a burden which you dare not shirk, but because Jesus teaches, “Give to him that asketh of thee.” Does the Word say, “Love God with all your heart”? Look at the commandment and reply, “Ah! commandment, Christ hath fulfilled thee already—I have no need, therefore, to fulfil thee for my salvation, but I rejoice to yield obedience to thee because God is my Father now and he has a claim upon me, which I would not dispute.” May the Holy Ghost make your heart obedient to the constraining power of Christ’s love, that your prayer may be, “Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.” Grace is the mother and nurse of holiness, and not the apologist of sin.

PRAY.

Thank you for listening to the Morning and Evening podcast. If you do not know the Lord as your Savior, here is how you can be saved from Hell and walk with the Lord morning and evening until you go to that wonderful place called Heaven when you die:

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 18:8: “Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Now that is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.

Romans 10:9 & 13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your Salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. I am sorry for my sins, and today I choose to turn from my sins. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. I trust Jesus Christ as my Savior and I choose to follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.

If you believed in your heart that Jesus Christ died on the Cross, was buried, and rose again, allow me to say, congratulations on doing the most important thing in life and that is accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour! For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door”. Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

If you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior today, please email me at [email protected] and let us know. There is some free material that we want to send you. If you have a prayer request, please e-mail that to us as well, and we will pray for you until you tell us to stop.

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

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This is Daniel Whyte III president of Gospel Light Society International with The Scripture & the Sense Podcast #436, where I read the Word of God and give the sense of it based on an authoritative commentary source such as the Bible Knowledge Commentary or Matthew Henry Commentary. This podcast is based upon Nehemiah 8:8 where it says Ezra and the Levites “read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.” The aim of this podcast is that through the simple reading of the Word of God and the giving of the sense of it, the church would be revived and the world would be awakened.

Today we are reading Amos 3:12.

12 Thus saith the Lord; As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear; so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed, and in Damascus in a couch.

________

That was Amos 3:12. Now here is the sense of it.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary reads:

Some of Amos’ hearers might have objected to this announcement, insisting that somehow the Israelites would be saved. The word “saved” often described God’s delivering or sparing of Israel. This revealed the mistaken belief of Amos’ hearers that God would surely rescue them from such a catastrophe. To dispel this false hope, Amos repeated what the Lord said: any “saving” of Israel would be like a shepherd saving a couple of leg bones or part of an ear from the jaws of a wild animal. These little bits of “rescued” evidence were to prove that a shepherd had not stolen or sold one of the sheep, but that it indeed had been torn by a beast of prey. The rescued shin bones and tip of an ear only proved that the rescue had come too late and that the animal was a total loss. Those Israelites in Samaria who dissolutely lounged on their beds and couches should not dismiss Amos’ message with vague assurances of deliverance. Israel would be savagely and totally devoured.

____________

Thank you for listening to the Scripture & The Sense Podcast. Remember to read the Word of God each and every day and pray without ceasing to God for wisdom to understand it and apply it to your life. Most importantly, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Please stay tuned for a complete presentation of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ so that you can get your soul saved from Hell to that wonderful place called Heaven when you die. May God bless you and keep you is my prayer.

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This is Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International with the Whyte House Daily Devotional Bible Reading Episode #101. Where I read three chapters of the Holy Bible in the King James Version a day with my family as a part of our family devotions, to encourage you to read the Holy Bible in a year’s time. Today we are reading Numbers 15, Psalm 42 and Acts 27.

Thomas Watson said, “Meditate on what you read. The Hebrew word for “meditate” means to be intense in the mind. Meditation without reading is wrong and bound to err; reading without meditation is barren and fruitless.”

John Stott said, “The Bible is the portrait of Jesus Christ.”

Numbers 15
1 And the Lord spake unto Mo’-ses, saying,

2 Speak unto the children of Is’-ra-el, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land of your habitations, which I give unto you,

3 And will make an offering by fire unto the Lord, a burnt offering, or a sacrifice in performing a vow, or in a freewill offering, or in your solemn feasts, to make a sweet savour unto the Lord, of the herd or of the flock:

4 Then shall he that offereth his offering unto the Lord bring a meat offering of a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of oil.

5 And the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering shalt thou prepare with the burnt offering or sacrifice, for one lamb.

6 Or for a ram, thou shalt prepare for a meat offering two tenth deals of flour mingled with the third part of an hin of oil.

7 And for a drink offering thou shalt offer the third part of an hin of wine, for a sweet savour unto the Lord.

8 And when thou preparest a bullock for a burnt offering, or for a sacrifice in performing a vow, or peace offerings unto the Lord:

9 Then shall he bring with a bullock a meat offering of three tenth deals of flour mingled with half an hin of oil.

10 And thou shalt bring for a drink offering half an hin of wine, for an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.

11 Thus shall it be done for one bullock, or for one ram, or for a lamb, or a kid.

12 According to the number that ye shall prepare, so shall ye do to every one according to their number.

13 All that are born of the country shall do these things after this manner, in offering an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.

14 And if a stranger sojourn with you, or whosoever be among you in your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord; as ye do, so he shall do.

15 One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the Lord.

16 One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you.

17 And the Lord spake unto Mo’-ses, saying,

18 Speak unto the children of Is’-ra-el, and say unto them, When ye come into the land whither I bring you,

19 Then it shall be, that, when ye eat of the bread of the land, ye shall offer up an heave offering unto the Lord.

20 Ye shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough for an heave offering: as ye do the heave offering of the threshingfloor, so shall ye heave it.

21 Of the first of your dough ye shall give unto the Lord an heave offering in your generations.

22 And if ye have erred, and not observed all these commandments, which the Lord hath spoken unto Mo’-ses,

23 Even all that the Lord hath commanded you by the hand of Mo’-ses, from the day that the Lord commanded Mo’-ses, and henceforward among your generations;

24 Then it shall be, if ought be committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour unto the Lord, with his meat offering, and his drink offering, according to the manner, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering.

25 And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Is’-ra-el, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire unto the Lord, and their sin offering before the Lord, for their ignorance:

26 And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Is’-ra-el, and the stranger that sojourneth among them; seeing all the people were in ignorance.

27 And if any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin offering.

28 And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the Lord, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him.

29 Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Is’-ra-el, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them.

30 But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

31 Because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.

32 And while the children of Is’-ra-el were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.

33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Mo’-ses and Aa’-ron, and unto all the congregation.

34 And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.

35 And the Lord said unto Mo’-ses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.

36 And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the Lord commanded Mo’-ses.

37 And the Lord spake unto Mo’-ses, saying,

38 Speak unto the children of Is’-ra-el, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue:

39 And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them ; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:

40 That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.

41 I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of E’-gypt, to be your God: I am the Lord your God.

Psalm 42
To the chief Musician, Mas’-chil, for the sons of Kor’-ah.
1 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

3 My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?

4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.

5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jor’-dan, and of the Her’-mo-nites, from the hill Mi’-zar.

7 Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.

8 Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.

9 I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

10 As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?

11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

Acts 27
1 And when it was determined that we should sail into It’-a-ly, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Ju’-li-us, a centurion of Au-gus’-tus’ band.

2 And entering into a ship of Ad-ra-myt’-ti-um, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of A’-sia; one Ar-is-tar’-chus, a Mac-e-do’-ni-an of Thess-a-lo-ni’-ca, being with us.

3 And the next day we touched at Si’-don. And Ju’-li-us courteously entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself.

4 And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cy’-prus, because the winds were contrary.

5 And when we had sailed over the sea of Ci-lic’-i-a and Pam-phyl’-i-a, we came to My’-ra, a city of Lyc’-i-a.

6 And there the centurion found a ship of Al-ex-an’-dri-a sailing into It’-a-ly; and he put us therein.

7 And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cni’-dus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Sal-mo’-ne;

8 And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of La-se’-a.

9 Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them,

10 And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.

11 Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.

12 And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phe-ni’-ce, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the south west and north west.

13 And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.

14 But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Eu-roc’-ly-don.

15 And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.

16 And running under a certain island which is called Clau’-da, we had much work to come by the boat:

17 Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.

18 And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;

19 And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.

20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.

21 But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.

22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.

23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Cae’-sar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.

26 Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.

27 But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in A’-dri-a, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country;

28 And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms.

29 Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.

30 And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship,

31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.

32 Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.

33 And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing.

34 Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.

35 And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.

36 Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.

37 And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.

38 And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea.

39 And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship.

40 And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.

41 And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.

42 And the soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.

43 But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:

44 And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.

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PRAY
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When I was a teenager I wanted to get wisdom and knowledge, so I set out the read the big family Bible that many families had in those days. But I couldn’t get past Genesis 2 before I got bored with reading the Bible. I found out later in life that you have to believe on Christ and get saved before you can understand the Bible. So here is how I became a Christian and how you can too:

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 18:8: “Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Now that is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.

Romans 10:9 & 13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your Salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. I am sorry for my sins, and today I choose to turn from my sins. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. I trust Jesus Christ as my Savior and I choose to follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.

If you believed in your heart that Jesus Christ died on the Cross, was buried, and rose again, allow me to say, congratulations on doing the most important thing in life and that is accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour! For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door”. Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

If you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior today, please email me at [email protected] and let us know. There is some free material that we want to send you. If you have a prayer request, please e-mail that to us as well, and we will pray for you until you tell us to stop.

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

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BETHLEHEM, Israel (BP) — A Southern Baptist pastor on lockdown in a Bethlehem area hotel while awaiting results of testing for the coronavirus (COVID-19) said he and his 12 congregants are confident God will use the experience for His glory.

Pastor Chris Bell and 12 members of 3Circle Church based in Fairhope, Ala., were tested with nose swabs for COVID-19 Friday (March 6) and expect results within a day, he told Baptist Press. They have been quarantined since Thursday at the Angel Hotel in Beit Jala after a hotel resident tested positive for the virus.

“It is impossible for me to believe that God does not have a plan for this,” Bell told BP, “because how in the world could we end up in the hotel where the epicenter of this thing takes place?

“And we are convinced — we don’t like it, we don’t want it — but we’re convinced God’s going to use this. We’re convinced that He knows exactly where we are, and He has not forgotten us. And we believe that deeply.”

When Bell, church leaders and their wives traveled to Israel for a tour of the Holy Land, they were assured Israel was one of the safest places to travel while avoiding the coronavirus outbreak, he said. What were only three cases in Israel when the group left the U.S., he said, have since grown to at least 21, Israel’s health ministry announced Friday.

Despite faith, Bell and his members are still suffering.

“But of course we’re human,” he said, “and we’re worried and concerned and tired and exhausted and all of those things. Our emotions are running the gamut for sure.”

Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee President Ronnie Floyd contacted White House and U.S. State Department officials Friday to ensure they are aware of Bell’s situation, Floyd told BP.

Bell pastors the multisite 3Circle Church in Alabama, with campuses in Fairhope, Mobile and Daphne. The travelers have no indication of what the Israeli government’s procedure will be when tests results are received, but are eager to return home.

Source: Baptist Press

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NASHVILLE (BP) — Fulfilling a goal to produce an entire album of songs using verbatim Scripture, the Immanuel Nashville worship team recently released their second album titled “Romans 8 — Live.”

The 15-track record features songs alternating with Scripture readings from Romans 8 by artist Shai Linne and sermon excerpts from pastors Ray Ortlund, T.J. Tims and Sam Allberry.

All of the songs feature portions of Romans 8 exactly as they are written in the English Standard Version, a feat not easily accomplished in the songwriting world.

“Conceptually this seems to be something that had really never been done before, in terms of including the sermon pieces and the Scripture and the music,” Jessica Waterman, musical director at Immanuel, said.

The songs from Romans 8 were not intended to turn into a full-length album, Waterman explained.

Beginning ideas

The church was going through a sermon series focused on Romans 8 and Waterman simply set out to write some songs that helped the congregation internalize the truths.

“What can we do as the worship ministry to come alongside what he’s [Pastor Ortlund] doing?” Waterman said she asked herself and the team.

Waterman knew that personally, music helps her with memorization of Scripture.

Songs help get Scripture into believers’ hearts, she said.

The first two tracks of the album, “No Condemnation” and “If Christ Is in You” were birthed out of her own personal mediation on the Scripture, trying to see what melodies God would bring to her mind, Waterman explained.

Co-writing played a large part in album with the tracks “Who Shall Separate Us”, “Abba Father” and “Sons of God,” but Waterman said she was personally encouraged by the solo writing she was able to do for the album.

“Sometimes I bring insecurity to those moments when I try to write by myself,” Waterman said. “Can I do this on my own? Do I need somebody to come alongside me and write this?”

The joining of creative minds is awesome, Waterman said, but having the encouragement from the Lord with her individual part in the album’s songs was a blessing.

The goal with many of the songs on the album, in addition to utilizing verbatim Scripture, was to create singable melodies for the congregation, Waterman noted.

Waterman said as she wrote she asked herself “How can we hear this one time and still be able to sing it with each other? How can we dwell on the Scripture with music?”

The challenge of style

Although writing verbatim Scripture was a new challenge, it was a rewarding experience to see how the crafted melodies folded around the words that otherwise may have been altered or changed, Waterman said.

“Sometimes, as songwriters, we can shy away from doing this kind of thing because it seems like too daunting of a task,” Waterman noted. “But what I loved about it was that we came at it like we’re not trying to make this into our own thing, we’re trying to take what God has given through His Word and create melodies that can go along with that.”

The album ranges stylistically all the way from folk and country influences featuring prominent fiddle lead lines and steel guitar droning slides to heavy rock grooves with soaring electric guitar riffs.

Waterman said the inclusion of diverse styles was very purposeful in the arrangement of the songs as well as the actual writing process.

“There’s so many different ways that we can come to the Scripture and there’s so many different ways we can sing it. The Lord is not limited by style, and He’s not limited by melodies,” Waterman said. “He’s still exalted through however we choose to sing and lift His Scripture.”

The team wanted to create an album of various styles in order to keep it exciting, fun and prevent the wearing out of one particular musical feel, Waterman said.

“We try to not be tied to one style or one arrangement of a song but we really try to touch on a lot of different kinds of music,” Waterman noted. “We’re commanded to sing; we’re not commanded to play a certain style or with certain instrumentation.”

The album reflects to a great degree what the weekly services look like at Immanuel Nashville.

With instrumentation including banjos, trumpets, saxophones and pedal steel alongside drums, piano, guitar and bass, Waterman said no music style is off limits for the team.

“Nothing’s off the table in terms of musical style and diversity, and we know we still have a long way to go with that,” Waterman said.

T.J. Tims, lead pastor at Immanuel, said the album in its usage of singing, preaching and spoken word all together, showed the diversity in which God is worshiped.

“The line between preaching, singing, spoken word, are very arbitrary, and when we sing, we’re preaching,” Tims said. “There’s a very real sense in which God preaches and sings the world into existence.

“Each one brings its own element, of course,” Tims continued. “But they’re all essentially doing the same thing, and it’s proclamation, it’s preaching the Word of God.”

Source: Baptist Press

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