Andrew Musch

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Sarah Stickfort

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Crossword Puzzle Maker

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How to write your testimony effectively - Telling your own story is perhaps one of the most effective methods in sharing the gospel message.  It's Biblical, attractive and effective if done right.  “The problem with some writing isn’t that it’s bad writing. It’s just boring,” - Ginger Kolbaba, managing editor of Marriage Partnership magazine...

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Jesus Tomb

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Avrell Bowden - "If I die tonight, where will I be? Heaven or hell?” People make commitments to God an confessions of faith that sometimes have no reality.  At age 6 I made a false profession of salvation. That is, I told people I was saved. (more)

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Is going to the doctor a sign of weak faith?

No.

Some forms of faith-healing teaching states that since God is capable of healing the body as an answer to our prayers it would be sinful or at least showing a lack of faith to go to the doctor. Such teaching is seriously flawed.

Do Christians eat healthy food and call it a lack of faith?  Of course we don’t.  We believe that a healthy diet, vitamin supplements, exercise, adequate sleep, avoidance of toxic substances such as tobacco and alcohol contribute to a long-life and disease-free lifestyle.  Why would going to the doctor be any less of a sound and healthy choice? The fact that God can and does perform miracles of healing does not mean we should always expect a miracle instead of seeking the help of individuals who possess the knowledge and skill to assist us.

If the water pump in your car breaks, do you wait for God to fix it and keep driving until the engine overheats?  No.  You get a mechanic to replace it right away.

The Bible speaks of health care in a positive light but with the knowledge that it is limited. Isaiah 1:6" TARGET="_blank">Isaiah 1:6 talks about binding up wounds.  James 5:14" TARGET="_blank">James 5:14 speaks of anointing the sick with oil.  The Good Samaritan poured in oil and wine to the wounds of the man on the side of the road in Luke 10:34." TARGET="_blank">Luke 10:34.  Timothy took wine for his stomach infirmity in 1 Timothy 5:23." TARGET="_blank">1 Timothy 5:23.  Revelation 3:18" TARGET="_blank">Revelation 3:18 says that the blind should anoint their eyes with eye salve.

Luke is the best-known doctor in the Bible.  His vocabulary and mention of various illnesses mentioned in his gospel show us that he was very aware of the meager technology of his day.  Although the Great Physician, Christ, was capable of healing what earthly physicians cannot, he does not condemn the use of medical treatments.

The numerous miracles that Christ performed are evidence that God can, and is willing, to heal when all humanly known remedies fail.  Mark 5:25-30" TARGET="_blank">Mark 5:25-30 is the story of a woman who spent all that she had on doctors for a bleeding disorder.  Her faith in Christ linked her to the power that was in him.

Should a believer go to the doctor?  Yes.  Should we view medical science as superior to God’s ability to heal?  No.

The elders who visit the sick man in James 5" TARGET="_blank">James 5 anoint him with oil and pray for him that he would be raised up again.  Although we have much far superior medicine available than mere olive oil, we should have the same prayerful attitude toward healing in our prayers.

The answer to the above question is from the examples of scripture.  I’ll now relate a story from a friend from Guatemala who now lives here in the United States.  One morning while living in Guatemala my friend Cupertino awoke to see his son with a severe eye infection.  Both eyes were “as red as tomatoes and swollen closed.”  A simple antibiotic treatment would likely have healed the infection.  However, Cupertino had barely enough money to feed his son, let alone visit a doctor.  He spent the day working with his hoe out in the fields.  Half of the time he worked the soil.  The other half of the day was spent in prayer beneath a nearby tree.  He poured out his heart in tears to God: 

“Lord, you know that my son is at home and very sick.  Please heal him.” 

When he arrived home, his son ran out to meet him with bright eyes. 

After immigrating to the United States, my friend had a severe case of stones in his gall bladder.  After suffering a sleepless night with severe pain, he agreed to go to the hospital. After a successful surgery, he was back at work 7 days later.  If he had been in Guatemala, he likely would have prayed, just as he did the night he was in pain.  The visit to the doctor would not have been an option, let alone surgery.  In both instances, he prayed and availed himself of the best help he had available.  The lesson is that if you have access to good health care, you should not consider it a lack of faith to take advantage of it. 

Shad Sluiter

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Who are the speakers in the Song of Solomon?

Some say they are Christ and the Church; others, God and Israel. Who is the questioner In Song of Solomon 5:9" TARGET="_blank">Song of Solomon 5:9?
The Song of Songs is not, of course, a mere love-song; nor is it a song of espousals, but a marriage song. Certain companies of persons are introduced and take part in the dialogue, e.g., the watchmen, the daughters of Jerusalem; but the Bridegroom and the bride are the principals. Who are they? The Church was an unrevealed mystery in the Old Testament, so may safely be ruled out. Surely there can be no doubt that we have in this Book, a beautiful picture of the affections of Jehovah toward the true Israel, and the response of the bride. “I am married to you, saith Jehovah” (Jeremiah 3:14)." TARGET="_blank">Jeremiah 3:14). “Thy maker is thy husband” (Isaiah  54:5). The watchmen of the city seem to represent men of the world with no sympathy for the bride, while the daughters of Jerusalem may stand for nominal Israel. These distinctions being made, the inspired language of the Book fits in well with the affections of a believer to-day toward Christ, when enjoying communion with the “Lover of his soul.” The spiritual believer knows how to use the Book in this way to his own soul’s blessing and to the glory of Christ.
W.H.

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Why do some versions of the Bible not include the name Lucifer in Isaiah 14:12" TARGET="_blank">Isaiah 14:12?

This page was adapted from an answer at Truth and Tidings Magazine by David Oliver.

Lucifer is a name that means the "shining one, light-bearer, morning star" (Brown-Driver-Briggs). In the English language, we capitalize names, but in Hebrew this is not the case; without using capitals in the Hebrew text, translators must sometimes make an intelligent guess as to whether a word is a general noun or a name. This is a case in which the translators of various Bible versions have come to different conclusions.

If John Nelson Darby’s French translation of this verse (cited by the person who sent in these questions) were translated back into English, the Hebrew word would be the "brilliant star." However, in Darby’s English Bible translation, the text says, "How art thou fallen from heaven, Lucifer, son of the morning!" A Bible translator may choose whether to translate a word as a general noun (as in Darby’s French translation) or a proper name or title (as in his English translation).  This is done based on the context of the words. This involves some degree of interpretation in translating. Because there is a variety of opinion on how the translation should be done, perhaps some translators (ESV, NASB, YLT, and others) gave a neutral translation.  That is, they did not interpret the text, but simply translated the words exactly.

The problem with translating this verse is determining where the quote from "all the kings of the nations" (v 9) stops. The words of their mourning for the fallen king of Babylon (v 4) continue at least to the end of verse 11. The passage likely contains a reference to Canaanite and Syrian mythology (Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, TWOT).  The son of one of the gods attempted to, but was unable, to hold the throne. He "attempted to climb to the highest point of heaven and as the dawn star [emphasis added] was ever condemned to be cast down into Hades." If the heathen kings are still speaking in verse 12, they may be citing this mythology when "the dawn star" was thrown down. Even if this is the reference, the Spirit of God moves from this to the more profound incident of which this is a reminder (perhaps elements of the myths were actually perversions of truth revealed long before). Only one truly aspired to superiority above other angelic creatures ("upon the mount of assembly" with a throne above "the stars of God" in v 13, also see Job 1:6; 2:1;" TARGET="_blank">Job 1:6; 2:1; and 38:7) and to be "like the Most High." The pride of the king of Babylon was like Satan’s pride, and the fall of the king is similar to Satan’s condemnation to be in the Lake of Fire (Rev 20:10)." TARGET="_blank">Rev 20:10). The "light-bearer" or "morning star" in this passage is Lucifer, Satan himself, whether the word is translated "morning star," "light-bearer," or "day star" rather than "Lucifer."

D. Oliver

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