Ron Mills' Story - At the age of 22 I started to consider suicide as an answer to feelings of hopelessness. By the time I was 23 I would get brief periods of wondering “is this all there is to life?" I remember going to night clubs after drug use and drinking and just standing amongst hundreds of people and feeling very alone and tired of life. There had to be more to this Life (more...)

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Eric Walberer

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Marriage and the Family

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Bonnie Sharp

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Eternal Security

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Is going to the doctor a sign of a lack of faith?

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Were those of whom we read in the New Testament that they were demon-possessed responsible for being in that condition?

Certainly not in every case. In that of the boy in Mark 9:20-22," TARGET="_blank">Mark 9:20-22, his father in reply to the Lord’s question said that he had been thus from childhood. What was true with regard to the other miracles of healing wrought by Christ was probably true of the demon-possessed also, that in some instances the trouble was due to sin on the part of the person concerned, and in others not so. Contrast the warning to the impotent man in John 5:14," TARGET="_blank">John 5:14, “Sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee,” with the words spoken of the blind man in John 9.3," TARGET="_blank">John 9.3, “Neither hath this man sinned.”

W.R.

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Are there more earthquakes occurring in our world?

The reason that this question appears in a religious context is that Jesus Christ mentioned an increase in earthquakes during the time of the Tribulation.  Are recent earthquakes in Japan, Chile, Iran, California and other places a sign of the end?

Matthew 24:5-8" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 24:5-8 many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and they will lead many astray.  (6)  And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars.  (7)  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.  (8)  All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. 

It seems to us that that earthquakes are increasing in intensity and frequency.  News and video from Chile, Iran, Japan and other locations flood into the 24-hour news cycle with regularity.  But our perceptions are not the most accurate way to answer the question “Are more earthquakes occurring in our world?”

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) keeps a very close watch on the number of earthquakes, their intensity and size and locations.  At first glance at their data, one could conclude that earthquakes are indeed increasing but this is due to the fact that we have the capacity to measure more earthquakes.  In 1931, there were 350 locations measuring seismic activity.  Today the total of measuring points on the earth is over 4,000!  The instruments in use are much more sensitive and are able to detect smaller earthquakes. Each year between 12,000 and 14,000 earthquakes are detected.  Earthquake apps and alerts now show us instantaneous results on our smart phones.

Instead of looking at the total number of earthquakes that occur each year, it is more accurate to count the number of MAJOR earthquakes that occur.  Since 1900 there have been 18 earthquakes each year between 7.0 and 7.9.  On average there has been one earthquake each year above 8.0 on the Richter scale.  In recent decades, there has actually been less than the historical average of 18 major quakes per year.

The following graph shows the number of earthquakes that have occured world-wide each year from 2000 to 2011. The yellow line shows the number of earthquakes between 6.0 and 6.9.  The pink line shows the number of earthquakes measuring between 7.0 and 7.9.  The blue line shows the number of earthquakes 8.0 and higher.  The graph shows that the number of earthquakes is not increasing.

Shad Sluiter

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The word “Angel” means “messenger” meaning that their job is the identity.  Angels take on many forms to accomplish their specific mission.

Hebrews 1:14" TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 1:14 tells us that they are spirit beings, but Hebrews 13:2" TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 13:2 says that some have entertained angels unaware of their guests’ true identity.  That leads us to believe that angels appear as normal human beings.  Abraham met with two men for a meal in Genesis 18:1-19" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 18:1-19 who were actually angels.

However, at other times angels appeared in radiant glory and said “do not be afraid” like the case of Joseph in Matthew 1:20." TARGET="_blank">Matthew 1:20.  Zacharias was struck dimb in Luke 1:12." TARGET="_blank">Luke 1:12. The shepherds were afraid of the angels who came from heaven to announce the birth of Christ in Luke 2:9." TARGET="_blank">Luke 2:9.  

In Isaiah 6:1-10," TARGET="_blank">Isaiah 6:1-10, the Lord is seen in His full glory in the temple.  Seriphim fly around the throne using two wings to fly, two wings to cover their feet and two wings to cover their faces.

There is a variety of appearances for angels.  They have the ability to change their appearance.  Even Satan himself has the capability to appear as an angel of light 2 Corinthians 11:14." TARGET="_blank">2 Corinthians 11:14.

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Is there any scriptural authority for the assertion that Hezekiah wrote some of the Psalms?

Though ecclesiastical commentators seem to be attracted by such theories, we do not know of any authority, scriptural or other, for above assertion, It is enough to read an article in some Bible Dictionary, on the authorship of the anonymous Psalms, to be aware how precarious are the theories advanced. Some psalms speaking of desolation and judgment may be made to fit in with Sennacherib’s invasion, as also with any other invasion.
I believe it is possible to assign authorship to a few of the anonymous Psalms, following Psalms by well-known authors, on internal evidence. Thus it seems clear that Psalm 43" TARGET="_blank">Psalm 43: , is by the author of Psalm 42" TARGET="_blank">Psalm 42:  (the same phrase “Why art thou cast down, oh my soul?” occurring in both); Psa. 91, by the author of Psalm 90" TARGET="_blank">Psalm 90:  and Psalm 104" TARGET="_blank">Psalm 104: , by that of Psalm 103" TARGET="_blank">Psalm 103: , but as a rule it is safer not to attempt to be wise above that which is written. We believe the Holy Spirit spake by David and the other psalmists: that is the chief point. However, to return to our question, I read the following in a well-known Bible Dictionary,* as a whole reliable: “Book II. (i.e., of Psalms) appears by the date of its latest (I) psalm, Psalm  46: , to have been compiled in the reign of King Hezekiah.” We turn with interest to see on what this statement rests, and we find NIL. The real reason comes out later in the same article as to why Hezekiah’s name is brought in. It comes, I believe, from a misreading of the closing words of Psalm 72" TARGET="_blank">Psalm 72: , “the prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended.” But there are at least fifteen subsequent psalms, e.g., Nos. 86, 103, 110, 142, which are entitled “Psalms of David,” i.e., these must be by some descendant of David, so the theory runs, Hezekiah, Josiah, or Zerubbabel, in fact you may take your choice. Now, this will never do, because in the case of Psalm 142" TARGET="_blank">Psalm 142: —the place where David wrote it is indicated, and the Lord definitely ascribes to David the authorship of Psalm 110" TARGET="_blank">Psalm 110: , and as far as we know, though Hezekiah wrote a prayer, neither he, nor the others wrote psalms, and certainly not in a cave. The explanation is simple: the word, Kãlãh, translated “ended” in Psalm 72" TARGET="_blank">Psalm 72:  means also fulfilled or consummated; e.g., Ezra 1:1;" TARGET="_blank">Ezra 1:1; Ezekiel 5:13;" TARGET="_blank">Ezekiel 5:13;  Daniel 11:36;" TARGET="_blank">Daniel 11:36; Daniel 12:7." TARGET="_blank">Daniel 12:7. The words then refer to the prophetic subject of the Psalm, the Millennial Reign of David’s “Greater Son.” In that hope David’s prayers reached their zenith. He could not sing of anything higher. That infinitely greater Kingdom—the mystery of God’s will—was unknown to Him, when “in the dispensation of the fulness of times (i.e., the eternal state and the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ) all things in heaven and earth shall be headed up in Christ” (Eph. i. io). David prayed many subsequent prayers, but he could never reach a higher level than in that psalm.

W.H.

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