Personal Story of Becky Kew - "In our small town of 800 people, it seemed as if drinking was all there was to do. I remember times when my Mom and Dad fought. I used to wonder: Why do they love this brown bottle so much when it brings so much misery? Why don't they love me? Is this all my fault?  One time he had her pinned down on the coffee table and I really thought that this time, he would kill her." (more)

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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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James Dyck

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Elaine Nordman

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Suzy Fitch

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Dale Robbins

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I have read somewhere that the Tribulation, a period of seven years, would be shortened by 220 days, which the writer confirmed by a reference to Daniel 8:13" TARGET="_blank">Daniel 8:13 and 14. Is this so?

I do not think there is the least justification for saying that the Great Tribulation is to last seven years. That is the length of time for which the Covenant is made between the Prince (or last Great Head of the Roman Empire Revived—otherwise known as the first Beast) and many of Israel, under the Antichrist, or second Beast (Daniel 9." TARGET="_blank">Daniel 9. and Revelation 13)," TARGET="_blank">Revelation 13), but it is only when the Covenant is broken in the midst of the week, and the daily sacrifice taken away, that the Great Tribulation and “the time of Jacob’s trouble” will occur (Jeremiah 30:7;" TARGET="_blank">Jeremiah 30:7; Matthew 24:21)." TARGET="_blank">Matthew 24:21). It is quite clear from the last passage that the days of the Great Tribulation will be shortened—”For the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (v. 22). But by how much, is another question. I have myself believed that this may be inferred from Daniel 8:13, 14." TARGET="_blank">Daniel 8:13, 14. The question in the former verse refers to the vision concerning the daily sacrifice and the transgression of desolation (or that maketh desolate), and the answer is, “Unto two thousand and three hundred days—then shall the sanctuary be cleansed” —that is, 220 days less than the full tribulation of 3 years, but that does not say that the period of seven years will be shortened, but that in some way the years of the Great Tribulation will be. How this will be effected we can safely leave in the hands of God, who alone is sufficient.

W.H.

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Can you give any Scripture for the “silencing” of a brother? For what “crime” is he to be “silenced”? and who is to do it?

This is an important enquiry. I suppose the questioner does not mean literally a “crime,” for surely no one guilty of a serious moral offence against the law could be allowed to preach or teach, even if he were allowed for the time being to remain in the assembly, which could hardly ever be the case. But I suppose what is meant is some brother, against whom, perhaps, no real accusation can be made, but who has been requested not to minister the Word.

Now, of course, we cannot judge of any particular case without knowing the details. I believe in general that no one would be silenced, unless there were good reasons—some manifest lack of gift, some recognised inability to edify the saints, some habit of too lengthy and unprofitable ministry, which had wearied hearers, or some clear moral defect. Sometimes a man may insist on reading and commenting on long chapters of the Bible, or always the same chapter, as we have known in one case, or always the same disputed doctrine, which in an unruly way he persists to inflict upon the saints.

Perhaps Paul refers to some such men in Titus 1:10" TARGET="_blank">Titus 1:10 as ”unruly and vain-talkers and deceivers . . . ,“ and then adds, “WHOSE MOUTHS MUST BE STOPPED.” It is not necessary to fill every line of this indictment, to deserve the form of discipline here prescribed. A man would seem to fall within it, who is known as an unprofit able talker, or as pushing some doubtful or controversial teaching. I do not think this silencing ought to be done by an individual acting on his own responsibility. It is a case where “two are better,” and they should act only as representatives of the assembly.

The phrase, “the liberty of the Spirit,” is sometimes quoted to show that the Spirit gives liberty to anyone who likes to teach, but in their context the words only refer to seeing Christ without a veil. Certainly the Spirit does not give liberty to those whom He has not qualified to speak. However, it does not always follow that the one silenced will never again be able to minister, for sometimes it may be that a young man may have been too quick to come forward into this service, and may develop a true gift later. I know of one such case, where the one silenced (and he submitted himself humbly to the ruling of his elders) became afterwards universally recognised as a true minister of the Word.

W.H.

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Is there anything wrong, when seeking to defend the real Deity and true humanity of our Lord, in making use of the statement, “He is very God of very God, and very Man of very man?”

The words, “very God of very God” were inserted in the creed of the Nican elders and teachers at the council of Nica in A.D. 325," TARGET="_blank">D. 325, for whose faithful contending for the faith we may well thank God. They were intended to safeguard the true Deity of Christ, in opposition to the soul-destroying heresies of Anus, which denied it. They affirmed that the Son, though truly said to be the only begotten of the Father, is no less truly God—co-equal, co-substantial, and co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit. The creed, like every human writing must be tested by the Word of God. In this case, I judge, the expression in question to be quite legitimate and laudable. But the expression, “very Man of very man,” stands on other footing. It does not, for one thing, occur in the Nicene creed, nor, as far as I know, in any other, and in my judgment ought to be avoided. It is an attempt to express “the secret things” of the Incarnation, but seems to ignore the part the Holy Spirit had in the conception—”That which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.” We must and do insist on the true humanity of our Lord, but without attempting to define how it was produced.

W.H.

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Online Bible Versions

The Searchable Bible versions online can be found here. 

The Bible Versions that are Online at GospelHall.org provide a way to view one or two Bible versions in parallel.  "Bible Versions" refers to Bible translations since origial books from the Bible were written in Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament).  So a Bible version is really, more accurately a Bible translation.

Instructions for the the Online Bible Versions

1. Select this link Online Bible Versions.

2. Choose a Bible version in which to find your verse (ASV -American Standard Version, BBE - Bible in Basic English, DBY - Darby "New Translation",  GFR - God's Word for Readers,  KJV - King James Version, WEB - World English Bible, YLT - Young's Literal Translation, or the ESV - English Standard Version) 

3. Click "Go".

The results of your bible search will be different with each online Bible version since the language in each Bible version is slightly different.

About the Online Bible Versions

The King James or Authorised Version of the Bible is an English translation of the Christian Bible first published in 1611. The New Testament was translated from the Textus Receptus (Received Text) edition of the Greek texts, so called because most extant texts of the time were in agreement with it. The Old Testament was translated from the Masoretic Hebrew text.

(Modern English Bibles such as the New American Standard Bible and the English Standard Version decline to use the Textus Receptus, opting instead for what many modern scholars feel are more reliable critical editions.)

The King James Version has had a profound effect on English literature. The works of famous authors such as John Milton, Herman Melville, John Dryden, and William Wordsworth are deeply inspired by it.

The Bible In Basic English (also known as BBE) is a translation of the Bible into Basic English. The BBE was translated by Professor S. H. Hooke using the standard 850 Basic English words. 100 words that were helpful to understand poetry were added along with 50 "Bible" words. The New Testament was released in 1941 and the Old Testament was released in 1949.

The American Standard Version (ASV) of the Holy Bible was first published in 1901. It has earned the reputation of being the Rock of Biblical Honesty. Although the English used in the ASV is somewhat archaic, it isn't nearly as hard to understand as some passages of the King James Version of nearly 3 centuries earlier. This translation of the Holy Bible is in the public domain, since its copyright has expired. You are encouraged to download, copy, publish, and use this translation freely.

John Nelson Darby Version

First published in 1890 by John Nelson Darby, an Anglo-Irish Bible teacher associated with the early years of the Plymouth Brethren. Darby also published translations of the Bible in French and German.

The English Standard Version (ESV) was Published in 2003 as a translation to bridge the gap between the accuracy of the NASB and the readability of the NIV.

The ESV is an “essentially literal” translation that seeks as far as possible to capture the precise wording of the original text and the personal style of each Bible writer. As such, its emphasis is on “word-for-word” correspondence, at the same time taking into account differences of grammar, syntax, and idiom between current literary English and the original languages. Thus it seeks to be transparent to the original text, letting the reader see as directly as possible the structure and meaning of the original.

In contrast to the ESV, some Bible versions have followed a “thought-for-thought” rather than “word-for-word” translation philosophy, emphasizing “dynamic equivalence” rather than the “essentially literal” meaning of the original. A “thought-for-thought” translation is of necessity more inclined to reflect the interpretive opinions of the translator and the influences of contemporary culture.

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Are the “rests” of Matthew 11:28," TARGET="_blank">Matthew 11:28, 29 two distinct “rests”, or does it mean that the rest is not obtained by soul approach, but by taking the yoke, and learning of the Lord?

I judge that two “rests” are indicated, or perhaps I should say, two distinct stages of rest: the one, rest of conscience for the soul who has never known true rest in Christ; and the other, rest from a restless will, unsatisfied desires and self-seeking service. The word for “rest” is the same in both cases (anapausiS—or up-rest), which might be illustrated by the action of the Good Samaritan: first he relieved the smitten one, pouring in oil and wine, and then set him on his own beast, brought him to an inn (set him down there) and took care of him. This latter action may denote the “rest” (katapausis—down-rest) of Hebrews 3" TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 3 and 4, where this root is always used, except in verse 9: “There remaineth, therefore, a rest for the people of God.” The word here means a “Sabbath rest” (Sabbatismos)—the true spiritual thought of the Sabbath—a resting from our own works. This does not describe a future heavenly rest, but a Christ-rest, to be enjoyed here and now by all the people of God.

W.H.

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It is not good to stereotype all Jews or all Muslims as being hateful or even distrustful.  It is also important to note that not all Arabs are Muslim and not all Muslims are Arabs.  There are Arab Christian minorities that still live in the middle eastern countries.  There is, however, a long history of conflict, terrorism, war and bloodshed between the Muslims and the Jews.  Why is that? Does the Bible give us any insights?

The Beginning of the Family

The roots of the Arabs and the Jews can be traced back to their father Abraham.  Abraham had a son, Ishmael, through his slave-wife Hagar.  Later, he had his second son, Isaac, through his wife Sarah.  Isaac, the son promised by God became the father of Jacob, later renamed Israel, and then Isaac became the grandfather of 12 sons of Israel who are the heads of the 12 tribes of Israel.  Ishmael left home and became the father of the Ishmaelites, who are the Arab peoples.  

Genesis 16:1-16" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 16:1-16 and Genesis 21:1-21" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 21:1-21 tell the story of how these two groups began.  Since Sarah was not successful in getting pregnant, she offered Hagar to Abraham to become his concubine.  The seeds of conflict were sown in the fact that Abraham had two women.  The desire of God was never that a man would have more than one spouse.  Genesis 2" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 2 and Jesus words in Matthew 19:4-5" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 19:4-5 tell us that the pattern of marriage is found in Adam and Eve – one man and one woman.

Before the birth of Ishmael, the Angel of the Lord said

“He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen."  (Genesis 16:11)." TARGET="_blank">Genesis 16:11).

Islam

Islam was founded in 610 A.D. by conquest and subjugation of infidel religions.  Many Arabs are of the Muslim faith.  Jews, as well as other faiths, who refuse to submit to Allah, can be and should be destroyed, according to Islam.

The Qur’an teaches that Ishmael, not Isaac, was born as the son of promise.  It also teaches that God tested Abraham by asking him to offer Ishmael, not Isaace, as the Bible says, as a sacrifice. Teaching that Ishmael was the chosen son of promise, the Arabs become God’s chosen people.  The rise of Islam has increased this conflict between the two groups who both claim to be God’s people.

Modern Conflict

The Jews occupied the land of Israel since the time of Moses to the time of Christ.  In AD 70, the Roman army put down a rebellion and obliterated most of the Jews living in Israel, scattering the survivors to all parts of the Empire.  In 1948, the Jewish homeland was established as a new country on this piece of ground.  However in the middle of the 20th Century, Palestine was occupied by Arabs. The formation of the Nation of Israel has united Arabs of many countries in a common hatred of the Zionists who established Israel as a country on land they believe was stolen from them.  Conflict has simmered, and sometimes erupted into open war over the question of who owns the land. 

The original story in full...

Here is the Bible’s story about the origins of Abraham’s two nations…

Genesis 16:1-16" TARGET="_blank">Genesis 16:1-16  Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar.  (2)  And Sarai said to Abram, "Behold now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.  (3)  So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife.  (4)  And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress.  (5)  And Sarai said to Abram, "May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my servant to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me!"  (6)  But Abram said to Sarai, "Behold, your servant is in your power; do to her as you please." Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her.  (7)  The angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur.  (8)  And he said, "Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?" She said, "I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai."  (9)  The angel of the LORD said to her, "Return to your mistress and submit to her."  (10)  The angel of the LORD also said to her, "I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude."  (11)  And the angel of the LORD said to her, "Behold, you are pregnant and shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has listened to your affliction.  (12)  He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen."  (13)  So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, "You are a God of seeing," for she said, "Truly here I have seen him who looks after me."  (14)  Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; it lies between Kadesh and Bered.  (15)  And Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.  (16)  Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

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