<![CDATA[AV Bible Believers Fellowship - All Forums]]> http://www.avbbf.com/forum/ Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:40:11 +0000 MyBB <![CDATA[Rev. 1:8-11 I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last]]> http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7599.html Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:35:30 +0000 http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7599.html
Revelation 1:11 “I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last”

There are several words omitted from both Revelation 1:8 and 1:11 which provide strong testimony to the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ is Himself Jehovah, the Lord God Almighty.

In Revelation 1:8 in the King James Bible we read: “I am Alpha and Omega, THE BEGINNING AND THE ENDING, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and is to come, the Almighty.”

And in Revelation 1:11 we read of a voice speaking to the apostle John: “Saying, I AM ALPHA AND OMEGA, THE FIRST AND THE LAST; AND, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches WHICH ARE IN ASIA; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.”

When John turned to see the voice that spoke unto him, he say one like unto the Son of man. Then this same Son of man says to him: “Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of Hell and death.” Revelation 1:17-18. This is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last; He that was dead and is now alive for evermore.

If the Lord Jesus Christ is the one speaking here as the King James Bible and the Traditional Greek Texts read, then He is the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end, and He is Jehovah God Almighty.

Compare these titles to those Jehovah God gives us of Himself in the book of Isaiah. In Isaiah 44:6 we read: “Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts: I AM THE FIRST, AND I AM THE LAST; AND BESIDE ME THERE IS NO GOD.”

And in Isaiah 48:12 again we read: “Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I AM THE FIRST, I ALSO AM THE LAST.”

In Revelation 1:8 the words “the beginning and the ending” are omitted by the new Vatican Versions including the RSV, NIV, NASV, ESV, ISV, Jehovah Witness Bible and Daniel Wallace’s NET versions. They used to be in the Catholic Douay-Rheims and the Douay of 1950, but the more modern Catholic versions like the St. Joseph New American Bible of 1970 and the New Jerusalem Bible of 1985 omit these words by following the ever changing Critical (condition) texts of the United Bible Society’s Catholic/Evangelical Combine.

The words “the beginning and the ending” are found in several manuscripts like 205, 209, 1854, 2344, 2351. There is no book of the Revelation in the Vaticanus manuscript, but the words were included in Sinaiticus original. Then they were removed, and then later on put back into the Sinaiticus mss. They are found in the Traditional Greek Text and in the modern Greek New Testament used by the Greek Orthodox churches all over the world today.

The words are also found in the Old Latin copies ar, c, dem, div, haf, t and z. They were in the ancient Coptic Boharic version and were quoted here by Origin, Andrew, and Apringius Beatus.

The words: “the beginning and the ending” are included in Wycliffe 1395, Tyndale 1525, Coverdale 1535, the Great Bible 1540, Matthew’s Bible 1549 -”I am Alpha and Omega, the begynnynge and the endynge, sayeth the Lorde almyghty”, the Bishops’ Bible 1568, the King James Bible 1611, Mace’s New Testament 1929, Worsley Version 1770, Youngs, the NKJV 1982, Green’s Literal 2000 and the Third Millenium Bible of 1998.

Among foreign language Bible they are found in the Afrikaans Bible 1953, the Albanian Bible, the Dutch Staten Vertaling - “Ik ben de Alfa en de Omega, het Begin en het Einde”, the French le Bible de Geneve 1669, the French Martin 1744 and the French Ostervald 1998 - “Je suis l'Alpha et l'Oméga, le commencement et la fin,” Spanish Reina Valera of 1569, 1909, 1960 and 1995 - “Yo soy el Alpha y la Omega, principio y fin, dice el Señor, que es y que era y que ha de venir, el Todopoderoso.” Luther’s German Bible 1545 - “Ich bin das A und das O, der Anfang und das Ende, spricht der HERR”, the Italian Diodati of 1649 and the New Diodati of 1991 - “Io son l’Alfa, e l’Omega; il principio, e la fine”, the Portuguese Almeida Corrigida y Fiel version - “Eu sou o Alfa e o Ômega, o princípio e o fim, diz o Senhor”, the Modern Greek New Testament -"Εγω ειμαι το Α και το Ω, αρχη και τελος, λεγει ο Κυριος, ο ων και ο ην και ο ερχομενος, ο παντοκρατωρ." and the Modern Hebrew New Testament, both of which can be seen here -
http://unbound.biola.edu/

When we get to Revelation 1:11 the words “I AM ALPHA AND OMEGA, THE FIRST AND THE LAST” are omitted by the modern Catholic versions and the RSV, NIV, NASV, ESV, ISV and NET versions all of which are based on the ever changing UBS - Nestle-Aland Vatican Versions Critical Text. They are also omitted by the Catholic Douay Rheims, the St. Joseph New American Bible of 1970 and the New Jerusalem Bible of 1985.

The words are found in the Traditional Greek text and in the Greek texts of Stephanus, Beza and Elziever. They are also found in many individual Greek manuscripts that have survived to this day, including about 57 of Hoskiers cursives, according to Jack Moorman and his book ‘When the KJB Departs from the “Majority” Text’.

The words: “I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last” are found in Tyndale 1525, Coverdale 1535, the Great Bible 1540, Matthew’s Bible 1549 - “saiynge. I am Alpha and Omega, the fyrst and the laste.”, the Bishops’ Bible 1568, the Geneva Bible 1587, the King James Bible 1611, Mace’s New Testament 1729, the Worsley Version 1770, Young’s literal, the NKJV 1982, Green’s Literal 2000 and the Third Millenium Bible 1998.

Among foreign language Bibles these words are included in the Africanns Bible, the Albanian Bible, the Dutch Staten Vertaling - “Ik ben de Alfa en de Omega, de Eerste en de Laatste;”, the French le Bible de Geneve 1669, the French Martin 1744 and Ostervald 1998 - “Qui disait :Je suis l'Alpha et l'Oméga, le premier et le dernier”, the Spanish Reina Valera of 1569, 1909, 1960, 1995 - “Que decía: Yo soy el Alpha y Omega, el primero y el último.” Luther’s German Bible 1545 - “Ich bin das A und das O, der Erste und der Letzte”, the Italian Diodati of 1649 and the New Diodati of 1991 - “Io son l’Alfa, e l’Omega; il primo, e l’ultimo” , the Romanian Cornilescu, the Russian, the Portuguese Almeida Corrigida, Revisada y Fiel Version - “Que dizia: Eu sou o Alfa e o Ômega, o primeiro e o derradeiro”, and the Modern Greek New Testament - "ητις ελεγεν· Εγω ειμαι το Α και το Ω, ο πρωτος και ο εσχατος· και, Ο, τι βλεπεις, γραψον", and the Modern Hebrew New Testament, both of which can be seen at this site here -
http://unbound.biola.edu/

The omission of these words from Revelation 1:8 and 11 by the modern UBS Catholic Vatican Versions removes an important reference to the Lord Jesus Christ being equal to Jehovah God of the Old Testament who Himself is also “the first and the last, and beside Me there is no God”. The King James Bible is the complete, inspired and 100% true words of the living God. Accept no substitutes.

Will Kinney

Return to Articles - http://brandplucked.webs.com/articles.htm]]>
Revelation 1:11 “I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last”

There are several words omitted from both Revelation 1:8 and 1:11 which provide strong testimony to the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ is Himself Jehovah, the Lord God Almighty.

In Revelation 1:8 in the King James Bible we read: “I am Alpha and Omega, THE BEGINNING AND THE ENDING, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and is to come, the Almighty.”

And in Revelation 1:11 we read of a voice speaking to the apostle John: “Saying, I AM ALPHA AND OMEGA, THE FIRST AND THE LAST; AND, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches WHICH ARE IN ASIA; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.”

When John turned to see the voice that spoke unto him, he say one like unto the Son of man. Then this same Son of man says to him: “Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of Hell and death.” Revelation 1:17-18. This is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last; He that was dead and is now alive for evermore.

If the Lord Jesus Christ is the one speaking here as the King James Bible and the Traditional Greek Texts read, then He is the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end, and He is Jehovah God Almighty.

Compare these titles to those Jehovah God gives us of Himself in the book of Isaiah. In Isaiah 44:6 we read: “Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts: I AM THE FIRST, AND I AM THE LAST; AND BESIDE ME THERE IS NO GOD.”

And in Isaiah 48:12 again we read: “Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I AM THE FIRST, I ALSO AM THE LAST.”

In Revelation 1:8 the words “the beginning and the ending” are omitted by the new Vatican Versions including the RSV, NIV, NASV, ESV, ISV, Jehovah Witness Bible and Daniel Wallace’s NET versions. They used to be in the Catholic Douay-Rheims and the Douay of 1950, but the more modern Catholic versions like the St. Joseph New American Bible of 1970 and the New Jerusalem Bible of 1985 omit these words by following the ever changing Critical (condition) texts of the United Bible Society’s Catholic/Evangelical Combine.

The words “the beginning and the ending” are found in several manuscripts like 205, 209, 1854, 2344, 2351. There is no book of the Revelation in the Vaticanus manuscript, but the words were included in Sinaiticus original. Then they were removed, and then later on put back into the Sinaiticus mss. They are found in the Traditional Greek Text and in the modern Greek New Testament used by the Greek Orthodox churches all over the world today.

The words are also found in the Old Latin copies ar, c, dem, div, haf, t and z. They were in the ancient Coptic Boharic version and were quoted here by Origin, Andrew, and Apringius Beatus.

The words: “the beginning and the ending” are included in Wycliffe 1395, Tyndale 1525, Coverdale 1535, the Great Bible 1540, Matthew’s Bible 1549 -”I am Alpha and Omega, the begynnynge and the endynge, sayeth the Lorde almyghty”, the Bishops’ Bible 1568, the King James Bible 1611, Mace’s New Testament 1929, Worsley Version 1770, Youngs, the NKJV 1982, Green’s Literal 2000 and the Third Millenium Bible of 1998.

Among foreign language Bible they are found in the Afrikaans Bible 1953, the Albanian Bible, the Dutch Staten Vertaling - “Ik ben de Alfa en de Omega, het Begin en het Einde”, the French le Bible de Geneve 1669, the French Martin 1744 and the French Ostervald 1998 - “Je suis l'Alpha et l'Oméga, le commencement et la fin,” Spanish Reina Valera of 1569, 1909, 1960 and 1995 - “Yo soy el Alpha y la Omega, principio y fin, dice el Señor, que es y que era y que ha de venir, el Todopoderoso.” Luther’s German Bible 1545 - “Ich bin das A und das O, der Anfang und das Ende, spricht der HERR”, the Italian Diodati of 1649 and the New Diodati of 1991 - “Io son l’Alfa, e l’Omega; il principio, e la fine”, the Portuguese Almeida Corrigida y Fiel version - “Eu sou o Alfa e o Ômega, o princípio e o fim, diz o Senhor”, the Modern Greek New Testament -"Εγω ειμαι το Α και το Ω, αρχη και τελος, λεγει ο Κυριος, ο ων και ο ην και ο ερχομενος, ο παντοκρατωρ." and the Modern Hebrew New Testament, both of which can be seen here -
http://unbound.biola.edu/

When we get to Revelation 1:11 the words “I AM ALPHA AND OMEGA, THE FIRST AND THE LAST” are omitted by the modern Catholic versions and the RSV, NIV, NASV, ESV, ISV and NET versions all of which are based on the ever changing UBS - Nestle-Aland Vatican Versions Critical Text. They are also omitted by the Catholic Douay Rheims, the St. Joseph New American Bible of 1970 and the New Jerusalem Bible of 1985.

The words are found in the Traditional Greek text and in the Greek texts of Stephanus, Beza and Elziever. They are also found in many individual Greek manuscripts that have survived to this day, including about 57 of Hoskiers cursives, according to Jack Moorman and his book ‘When the KJB Departs from the “Majority” Text’.

The words: “I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last” are found in Tyndale 1525, Coverdale 1535, the Great Bible 1540, Matthew’s Bible 1549 - “saiynge. I am Alpha and Omega, the fyrst and the laste.”, the Bishops’ Bible 1568, the Geneva Bible 1587, the King James Bible 1611, Mace’s New Testament 1729, the Worsley Version 1770, Young’s literal, the NKJV 1982, Green’s Literal 2000 and the Third Millenium Bible 1998.

Among foreign language Bibles these words are included in the Africanns Bible, the Albanian Bible, the Dutch Staten Vertaling - “Ik ben de Alfa en de Omega, de Eerste en de Laatste;”, the French le Bible de Geneve 1669, the French Martin 1744 and Ostervald 1998 - “Qui disait :Je suis l'Alpha et l'Oméga, le premier et le dernier”, the Spanish Reina Valera of 1569, 1909, 1960, 1995 - “Que decía: Yo soy el Alpha y Omega, el primero y el último.” Luther’s German Bible 1545 - “Ich bin das A und das O, der Erste und der Letzte”, the Italian Diodati of 1649 and the New Diodati of 1991 - “Io son l’Alfa, e l’Omega; il primo, e l’ultimo” , the Romanian Cornilescu, the Russian, the Portuguese Almeida Corrigida, Revisada y Fiel Version - “Que dizia: Eu sou o Alfa e o Ômega, o primeiro e o derradeiro”, and the Modern Greek New Testament - "ητις ελεγεν· Εγω ειμαι το Α και το Ω, ο πρωτος και ο εσχατος· και, Ο, τι βλεπεις, γραψον", and the Modern Hebrew New Testament, both of which can be seen at this site here -
http://unbound.biola.edu/

The omission of these words from Revelation 1:8 and 11 by the modern UBS Catholic Vatican Versions removes an important reference to the Lord Jesus Christ being equal to Jehovah God of the Old Testament who Himself is also “the first and the last, and beside Me there is no God”. The King James Bible is the complete, inspired and 100% true words of the living God. Accept no substitutes.

Will Kinney

Return to Articles - http://brandplucked.webs.com/articles.htm]]> <![CDATA[Baptist Missionaries killed in Mexico]]> http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7598.html Sat, 04 Feb 2012 17:16:00 +0000 http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7598.html CHRISTOPHER SHERMAN, Associated Press, PORFIRIO IBARRA RAMIREZ, Associated Press
Updated 12:13 p.m., Thursday, February 2, 2012

Source: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/article...925236.php

Quote:EL CERCADO, Mexico (AP) — The bodies of John and Wanda Casias came one last time to the Baptist church they founded in a violence-plagued region of northern Mexico as mourners paid homage Thursday to the Texas couple who were discovered strangled in their home.
...
John and Wanda Casias were originally from Amarillo, Texas, but relatives said they moved to an area outside the city of Monterrey in the late 1970s or early 1980s and First Fundamentalist Independent Baptist Church.
...
They were well aware of the violence around them and the risks, but were so secure in their faith that they did not fear it, he said.
...
"The only hope for the Mexican people today is Jesus in them, the HOPE of glory," they wrote in one dispatch from last summer. "I confess that it's getting easier to witness to the wealthy, at least they are listening. The wealthy are fleeing to Canada and the USA for protection. The only problem is that when they return to renew their visas the cartel is waiting, and either kill them of (sic) kidnap them for thousands of dollars, in some cases millions. The cartel has NO mercy or value for life. They are ruthless murderers!"

It was the second slaying involving American missionaries in a year in the Mexican region bordering Texas.

In January 2011, a Texas couple who had been doing missionary work in Mexico for three decades were attacked at an illegal roadblock in one of the country's most violent areas.

Nancy Davis, 59, was fatally shot in the head while her husband, Sam, sped away from suspected drug cartel gunmen who may have wanted to steal their pickup truck, authorities said.

The Davises were driving along the two-lane road that connects the city of San Fernando with the border city of Reynosa in the state of Tamaulipas, which borders Nuevo Leon.
]]> CHRISTOPHER SHERMAN, Associated Press, PORFIRIO IBARRA RAMIREZ, Associated Press
Updated 12:13 p.m., Thursday, February 2, 2012

Source: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/article...925236.php

Quote:EL CERCADO, Mexico (AP) — The bodies of John and Wanda Casias came one last time to the Baptist church they founded in a violence-plagued region of northern Mexico as mourners paid homage Thursday to the Texas couple who were discovered strangled in their home.
...
John and Wanda Casias were originally from Amarillo, Texas, but relatives said they moved to an area outside the city of Monterrey in the late 1970s or early 1980s and First Fundamentalist Independent Baptist Church.
...
They were well aware of the violence around them and the risks, but were so secure in their faith that they did not fear it, he said.
...
"The only hope for the Mexican people today is Jesus in them, the HOPE of glory," they wrote in one dispatch from last summer. "I confess that it's getting easier to witness to the wealthy, at least they are listening. The wealthy are fleeing to Canada and the USA for protection. The only problem is that when they return to renew their visas the cartel is waiting, and either kill them of (sic) kidnap them for thousands of dollars, in some cases millions. The cartel has NO mercy or value for life. They are ruthless murderers!"

It was the second slaying involving American missionaries in a year in the Mexican region bordering Texas.

In January 2011, a Texas couple who had been doing missionary work in Mexico for three decades were attacked at an illegal roadblock in one of the country's most violent areas.

Nancy Davis, 59, was fatally shot in the head while her husband, Sam, sped away from suspected drug cartel gunmen who may have wanted to steal their pickup truck, authorities said.

The Davises were driving along the two-lane road that connects the city of San Fernando with the border city of Reynosa in the state of Tamaulipas, which borders Nuevo Leon.
]]> <![CDATA[Keeping Your Joy]]> http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7597.html Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:32:45 +0000 http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7597.html Saturday, February 4, 2012

by Dr. Paul Chappell

"For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow."

Philippians 2:26-27

As Paul penned the epistle of Philippians, the church at Philippi was concerned about a man from their church named Epaphroditus who had been very sick. Epaphroditus was away from Philippi, and when the church heard that he was battling sickness, they had become so concerned for him that they allowed it to overshadow their lives and steal their joy in serving God. Of course, we should pray for a sick or hurting fellow believer, but this church had let it hinder their work.

The devil is actively trying to steal your joy as a Christian. He can't change your eternal future once you're saved, but he can limit your effectiveness on earth and steal your joy.

Maybe your plans got changed last minute and created frustration. Maybe a friend or family member reacted harshly toward you and hurt you. Maybe a coworker lied about you. Whatever the circumstance, the devil seeks to use life's ups and downs to steal your joy.

Don't allow little things in life to keep you from joyfully serving the Lord. Things go wrong, plans change, and rough times come; but if you are daily in God's Word, you can still have joy despite the bad times.

Have you allowed the devil to steal your joy? It may not even come through something major or something outwardly bad, but little changes can take away a Christian's once joyful spirit of service. Readjust your heart and focus on having God's joy today.

Today's Rooted Principle:
As long as you're rooted in God's Word, there's always reason to be joyful.]]> Saturday, February 4, 2012

by Dr. Paul Chappell

"For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow."

Philippians 2:26-27

As Paul penned the epistle of Philippians, the church at Philippi was concerned about a man from their church named Epaphroditus who had been very sick. Epaphroditus was away from Philippi, and when the church heard that he was battling sickness, they had become so concerned for him that they allowed it to overshadow their lives and steal their joy in serving God. Of course, we should pray for a sick or hurting fellow believer, but this church had let it hinder their work.

The devil is actively trying to steal your joy as a Christian. He can't change your eternal future once you're saved, but he can limit your effectiveness on earth and steal your joy.

Maybe your plans got changed last minute and created frustration. Maybe a friend or family member reacted harshly toward you and hurt you. Maybe a coworker lied about you. Whatever the circumstance, the devil seeks to use life's ups and downs to steal your joy.

Don't allow little things in life to keep you from joyfully serving the Lord. Things go wrong, plans change, and rough times come; but if you are daily in God's Word, you can still have joy despite the bad times.

Have you allowed the devil to steal your joy? It may not even come through something major or something outwardly bad, but little changes can take away a Christian's once joyful spirit of service. Readjust your heart and focus on having God's joy today.

Today's Rooted Principle:
As long as you're rooted in God's Word, there's always reason to be joyful.]]> <![CDATA[IRAN WARNS WORLD OF COMING GREAT EVENT]]> http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7596.html Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:24:43 +0000 http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7596.html IRAN WARNS WORLD OF COMING GREAT EVENT

Quote:Amid crippling sanctions over its nuclear weapons program, Iran is continuing to prepare itself for war against the West, and now is warning of a coming great event.

“In light of the realization of the divine promise by almighty God, the Zionists and the Great Satan (America) will soon be defeated,” Ayatollah Khamenei, the Iranian supreme leader, is warning.

Khamenei, speaking to hundreds of youths from more than 70 countries attending a world conference on the Arab Spring just days ago, told a cheering crowd in Tehran that “Allah’s promises will be delivered and Islam will be victorious.”

Although the Iranians are renowned for their bluster, and the WND website is known for its ultra-right hyperbole, this article is fairly much spot-on as to what may be coming down the pike. Hmm]]> IRAN WARNS WORLD OF COMING GREAT EVENT

Quote:Amid crippling sanctions over its nuclear weapons program, Iran is continuing to prepare itself for war against the West, and now is warning of a coming great event.

“In light of the realization of the divine promise by almighty God, the Zionists and the Great Satan (America) will soon be defeated,” Ayatollah Khamenei, the Iranian supreme leader, is warning.

Khamenei, speaking to hundreds of youths from more than 70 countries attending a world conference on the Arab Spring just days ago, told a cheering crowd in Tehran that “Allah’s promises will be delivered and Islam will be victorious.”

Although the Iranians are renowned for their bluster, and the WND website is known for its ultra-right hyperbole, this article is fairly much spot-on as to what may be coming down the pike. Hmm]]> <![CDATA[You couldn't make this stuff up]]> http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7594.html Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:06:29 +0000 http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7594.html http://www.christianpost.com/news/video-...sed-68423/]]> http://www.christianpost.com/news/video-...sed-68423/]]> <![CDATA[Having Joy]]> http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7593.html Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:38:14 +0000 http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7593.html Friday, February 3, 2012

by Dr. Paul Chappell

"If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full."

John 15:10-11

The verb rejoice is found ninety-six times in the New Testament (including those times when used as a greeting). Also, the noun joy is used another fifty-nine times. It's easy to see that God puts a priority on joy and on the believer experiencing a life of joy.

Joy isn't a feeling or emotion based on circumstances; it is a state of being, a gift from the Holy Spirit. God has given us joy through the Holy Spirit and we must look to Him for joy each day. God points to Himself in John 15 as the source of joy. Because of who He is, what He's done, and where you're going one day, you can have joy.

Schedules frustrate, meetings bore, problems anger, responsibilities overwhelm, and life is hectic. But even when you are swamped or things don't go your way, God desires for you to experience His joy. Unconditional joy is not found in yourself, your surroundings, or others; it is from God.

What situation on earth is so terrible that it overshadows the joy of knowing one day you'll live with God forever in Heaven? What can be so bad that knowing Christ cannot bring you joy? If we were truthful, we'd have to admit that our lack of joy comes from focusing on earthly problems rather than God's goodness.

Take a few minutes to consider the goodness of God. Focus on Him today and allow His joy to fill your life.

Today's Rooted Principle:
Situations can change but they can't steal your joy if it's rooted in God.]]> Friday, February 3, 2012

by Dr. Paul Chappell

"If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full."

John 15:10-11

The verb rejoice is found ninety-six times in the New Testament (including those times when used as a greeting). Also, the noun joy is used another fifty-nine times. It's easy to see that God puts a priority on joy and on the believer experiencing a life of joy.

Joy isn't a feeling or emotion based on circumstances; it is a state of being, a gift from the Holy Spirit. God has given us joy through the Holy Spirit and we must look to Him for joy each day. God points to Himself in John 15 as the source of joy. Because of who He is, what He's done, and where you're going one day, you can have joy.

Schedules frustrate, meetings bore, problems anger, responsibilities overwhelm, and life is hectic. But even when you are swamped or things don't go your way, God desires for you to experience His joy. Unconditional joy is not found in yourself, your surroundings, or others; it is from God.

What situation on earth is so terrible that it overshadows the joy of knowing one day you'll live with God forever in Heaven? What can be so bad that knowing Christ cannot bring you joy? If we were truthful, we'd have to admit that our lack of joy comes from focusing on earthly problems rather than God's goodness.

Take a few minutes to consider the goodness of God. Focus on Him today and allow His joy to fill your life.

Today's Rooted Principle:
Situations can change but they can't steal your joy if it's rooted in God.]]> <![CDATA[What Must I Do to Be Saved?]]> http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7592.html Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:10:58 +0000 http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7592.html Thursday, February 2, 2012

by Dr. Paul Chappell

"And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house."

Acts 16:33-34

Paul and Silas were faithfully following God. They hadn't strayed from God's calling like Jonah. They hadn't modified God's plans like Saul. They were preaching God's Word when they were thrown into prison. From a human standpoint, Paul and Silas had every right to be upset, to question God, and to wonder why. Yet these men spent their time in prison honoring God. In the midst of pain, confusion, uncertainty, and injustice, they praised God. As a result of their testimony, the Philippine jailer and his entire household came to know Christ.

Had Paul and Silas focused on their own problems they would never had experienced the blessing of seeing this man saved. Had they not been singing and praising God, they would have missed out on the miracle of salvation.

When we're wronged it's easy to focus on the circumstance and ask why. Human nature wants us to fight back, to figure a way out, and to seek revenge. But God calls us to trust Him with the problem and continue serving Him. We have the choice of either becoming upset and bitter during injustice or trusting God and seeing His ultimate plan.

When you experience injustice, realize that God has a greater purpose in your hurt. He wants to work through you to show His goodness to those around you. People notice when you respond to hate with kindness. God wants to use you.

How will you react to injustice? Like Paul and Silas, sing God's praises and continue serving Him.

Today's Rooted Principle:
God wants to turn injustice into immense blessing; praise Him through the pain.]]> Thursday, February 2, 2012

by Dr. Paul Chappell

"And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house."

Acts 16:33-34

Paul and Silas were faithfully following God. They hadn't strayed from God's calling like Jonah. They hadn't modified God's plans like Saul. They were preaching God's Word when they were thrown into prison. From a human standpoint, Paul and Silas had every right to be upset, to question God, and to wonder why. Yet these men spent their time in prison honoring God. In the midst of pain, confusion, uncertainty, and injustice, they praised God. As a result of their testimony, the Philippine jailer and his entire household came to know Christ.

Had Paul and Silas focused on their own problems they would never had experienced the blessing of seeing this man saved. Had they not been singing and praising God, they would have missed out on the miracle of salvation.

When we're wronged it's easy to focus on the circumstance and ask why. Human nature wants us to fight back, to figure a way out, and to seek revenge. But God calls us to trust Him with the problem and continue serving Him. We have the choice of either becoming upset and bitter during injustice or trusting God and seeing His ultimate plan.

When you experience injustice, realize that God has a greater purpose in your hurt. He wants to work through you to show His goodness to those around you. People notice when you respond to hate with kindness. God wants to use you.

How will you react to injustice? Like Paul and Silas, sing God's praises and continue serving Him.

Today's Rooted Principle:
God wants to turn injustice into immense blessing; praise Him through the pain.]]> <![CDATA[Groundhog Day]]> http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7591.html Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:12:49 +0000 http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7591.html
I always thought Groundhog Day was disturbing, stupid, and vaguely Masonic (dear old Dad.)

I'm telling ya, sun worship is so ingrained in logos, holidays, customs, everything, I'm gonna get sick.

Quote:The Roman legions, during the conquest of the northern country, supposedly brought this tradition to the Teutons, or Germans, who picked it up and concluded that if the sun made an appearance on Candlemas Day, an animal, the hedgehog, would cast a shadow, thus predicting six more weeks of bad weather, which they interpolated as the length of the "Second Winter."

Pennsylvania's earliest settlers were Germans and they found groundhogs to in profusion in many parts of the state. They determined that the groundhog, resembling the European hedgehog, was a most intelligent and sensible animal and therefore decided that if the sun did appear on February 2nd, so wise an animal as the groundhog would see its shadow and hurry back into its underground home for another six weeks of winter.

The Germans recited:

For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day,
So far will the snow swirl until the May.

This passage may be the one most closely represented by the first Punxsutawney Groundhog Day observances because there were references to the length of shadows in early Groundhog Day predictions.

Another February 2nd belief, used by American 19th century farmers, was:

Groundhog Day - Half your hay.

New England farmers knew that we were not close to the end of winter, no matter how cloudy February 2nd was. Indeed, February 2nd is often the heart of winter. If the farmer didn't have half his hay remaining, there may have been lean times for the cows before spring and fresh grass arrived.

The ancient Candlemas legend and similar belief continue to be recognized annually on February 2nd due to the efforts of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.

http://www.groundhog.org/groundhog-day/history/

Imbolc 2011 -- The Spring Quarter Begins

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/grove-harr...16566.html]]>
I always thought Groundhog Day was disturbing, stupid, and vaguely Masonic (dear old Dad.)

I'm telling ya, sun worship is so ingrained in logos, holidays, customs, everything, I'm gonna get sick.

Quote:The Roman legions, during the conquest of the northern country, supposedly brought this tradition to the Teutons, or Germans, who picked it up and concluded that if the sun made an appearance on Candlemas Day, an animal, the hedgehog, would cast a shadow, thus predicting six more weeks of bad weather, which they interpolated as the length of the "Second Winter."

Pennsylvania's earliest settlers were Germans and they found groundhogs to in profusion in many parts of the state. They determined that the groundhog, resembling the European hedgehog, was a most intelligent and sensible animal and therefore decided that if the sun did appear on February 2nd, so wise an animal as the groundhog would see its shadow and hurry back into its underground home for another six weeks of winter.

The Germans recited:

For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day,
So far will the snow swirl until the May.

This passage may be the one most closely represented by the first Punxsutawney Groundhog Day observances because there were references to the length of shadows in early Groundhog Day predictions.

Another February 2nd belief, used by American 19th century farmers, was:

Groundhog Day - Half your hay.

New England farmers knew that we were not close to the end of winter, no matter how cloudy February 2nd was. Indeed, February 2nd is often the heart of winter. If the farmer didn't have half his hay remaining, there may have been lean times for the cows before spring and fresh grass arrived.

The ancient Candlemas legend and similar belief continue to be recognized annually on February 2nd due to the efforts of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.

http://www.groundhog.org/groundhog-day/history/

Imbolc 2011 -- The Spring Quarter Begins

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/grove-harr...16566.html]]> <![CDATA[A Focus On Preaching]]> http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7590.html Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:57:43 +0000 http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7590.html Wednesday, February 1, 2012

by Dr. Paul Chappell

"Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed."

John 6:27

A pastor of a large church was dedicated to preaching God's Word as he began his ministry. As the ministry began to grow, he realized that not everyone agreed with the strong preaching of God's Word. Every week he'd receive letters criticizing his messages. Some said they were too strong. Some said they should be mellowed out to appeal to a wider base. And some said the pastor should take a more loving approach. As time went on, the pastor soon noticed that the letters became fewer and the criticism was less. Convicted that this was a sign he had not been challenging his congregation enough, he stated, "I'm afraid that when I'm pleasing everybody, I'm not pleasing the Lord and pleasing the Lord is what counts."

Church is a great place to gather and fellowship with like-minded people. It's great to develop friendships with people who are saved and seeking to live holy lives. But when attending church, there should be a focus on preaching.

Sometimes we can become so caught up in the events of church that we forget the focus of church-listening to God's Word. The preaching of God's Word is one of the most important weekly activities in our lives. It strengthens us for battles, cleans us from the world, equips us for living, and guides us on our journey.

Value the preaching of God's Word. Open your heart to God's leading before every message and make preaching a priority. God's Word is a great asset in life, but it does no good if you aren't actively listening to it and heeding its commands.

Evaluate your attitude toward preaching. While working in the activities of the church is great, keep your focus on the meat of God's Word during preaching.

Today's Rooted Principle:
God's Word can help you in every aspect of life but only if you're allowing it into your life.]]> Wednesday, February 1, 2012

by Dr. Paul Chappell

"Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed."

John 6:27

A pastor of a large church was dedicated to preaching God's Word as he began his ministry. As the ministry began to grow, he realized that not everyone agreed with the strong preaching of God's Word. Every week he'd receive letters criticizing his messages. Some said they were too strong. Some said they should be mellowed out to appeal to a wider base. And some said the pastor should take a more loving approach. As time went on, the pastor soon noticed that the letters became fewer and the criticism was less. Convicted that this was a sign he had not been challenging his congregation enough, he stated, "I'm afraid that when I'm pleasing everybody, I'm not pleasing the Lord and pleasing the Lord is what counts."

Church is a great place to gather and fellowship with like-minded people. It's great to develop friendships with people who are saved and seeking to live holy lives. But when attending church, there should be a focus on preaching.

Sometimes we can become so caught up in the events of church that we forget the focus of church-listening to God's Word. The preaching of God's Word is one of the most important weekly activities in our lives. It strengthens us for battles, cleans us from the world, equips us for living, and guides us on our journey.

Value the preaching of God's Word. Open your heart to God's leading before every message and make preaching a priority. God's Word is a great asset in life, but it does no good if you aren't actively listening to it and heeding its commands.

Evaluate your attitude toward preaching. While working in the activities of the church is great, keep your focus on the meat of God's Word during preaching.

Today's Rooted Principle:
God's Word can help you in every aspect of life but only if you're allowing it into your life.]]> <![CDATA[A rare political post]]> http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7589.html Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:18:08 +0000 http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7589.html I am breaking my self-imposed silence on politics (well, relative silence, anyway) to share this column with you, simply because it's so well-written, and I like good writing. It's from The American Spectator, which is the most literate of all the "conservative" magazines, and I love this guy's style of writing. The fact that I agree with the column is irrelevant, since it doesn't matter who's elected President in the long run. The nations are a drop in the bucket. (Note to non-Americans: "RINO" stands for "Republican In Name Only.")

Romney's Cheap and Empty Win
The GOP is signing its own political death warrant by backing him.

By George Neumayr on 2.1.12 @ 6:09AM
The American Spectator

Mitt Romney's plastic and philosophically vapid campaign secured an easy victory in Florida on Tuesday night. Sunshine state GOP voters swallowed his "electability" argument whole, according to the exit polls.

It appears that country club Republicans have succeeded again in duping the GOP electorate into crowning a "centrist" Republican. Never mind that "centrist" Republicans rarely win the center. They usually lose the center while sapping the spirit of the party's conservative base.

Out of Bob Dole's and John McCain's tattered Big Tent steps another "reformed" RINO, Mitt Romney, who will receive, should he win the nomination, a similar thumping from the Democrats.

But let's say that he is "electable," for the sake of argument. Who cares? The purpose of politics in a republic is not simply to win but to win on sound principles. A party that pursues victory by scrapping or sidelining its platform will have no truth left with which to govern once it does.

If "electability" is the goal, why don't the politically correct plutocrats of the GOP just call for a one-party state? That way they could win every time.

The "electability" argument is bankrupt on both philosophical and practical grounds. It destroys the party's soul and guarantees defeat.

Even though Romney paid for this Florida win on his debit card -- outspending Newt by millions -- he still couldn't nail down the rank-and-file vote. Seven out of ten self-described conservatives didn't vote for him. This foreshadows the boredom and disgust that will keep conservatives home in the fall.

Visions of a former Paul Tsongas voter and Planned Parenthood supporter won't exactly blast them out of bed in the morning. The confederacy of weasels that is the GOP establishment couldn't even find a moderate with an engaging personality to run. They settled on a robotic bore.

His high-priced strategists -- the ones who bragged to the New York Times about engineering his post-South Carolina comeback -- wind him up and then find photographers to capture him "doing his own laundry," buying a Big Mac, or woodenly tossing bags of potato chips to media jackals on his campaign plane.

This pitifully plastic campaign is what passes for winning politics in the GOP. Newt, Romney supporters crow, is a loser and "embarrassment." But what about their own candidate? Romney's teleprompter-dependent drivel is far more risible than Newt's grandiose opining. Romney comes off as the blinkered technocrat whose idea of wit is to compare his opponent to "Lucille Ball at the chocolate factory." All one can say for Romney is that he looks presidential. If Newt looked like Romney and Mitt looked like an overfed blowhard, Gingrich would be winning.

That Romney is a corny businessman of narrow learning and culture wouldn't be so deadly if he harbored conservative convictions. But he doesn't. He has been taught how to play a semi-conservative Republican on TV, but his deepest instincts remain liberal. Hence, his dogged pride in Romneycare, legislation that Barack Obama himself would have fathered had he governed the Bay State.

What's notable about the rise of Romney is not the extent to which he has pandered to conservatives -- the usual media narrative -- but the ease with which he has left his liberalism open for all to see and still won. In the debates, he has defended statist mandates, extolled gay rights (short of marriage), and waxed nostalgic about FDR's New Deal. Remember his rebuke of Rick Perry for even contemplating a system other than Social Security? Good Republicans, Mitt let Perry know, don't entertain such impure thoughts.

Almost two years after energy from the Tea Party swept Republicans back into congressional power, a politician who embodies the antithesis of that spirit stands on the verge of victory. This is regress, not progress, and the GOP will pay a severe price for the Faustian bargain of "electability" that it entails. A party that chooses power over principle will lose both.]]> I am breaking my self-imposed silence on politics (well, relative silence, anyway) to share this column with you, simply because it's so well-written, and I like good writing. It's from The American Spectator, which is the most literate of all the "conservative" magazines, and I love this guy's style of writing. The fact that I agree with the column is irrelevant, since it doesn't matter who's elected President in the long run. The nations are a drop in the bucket. (Note to non-Americans: "RINO" stands for "Republican In Name Only.")

Romney's Cheap and Empty Win
The GOP is signing its own political death warrant by backing him.

By George Neumayr on 2.1.12 @ 6:09AM
The American Spectator

Mitt Romney's plastic and philosophically vapid campaign secured an easy victory in Florida on Tuesday night. Sunshine state GOP voters swallowed his "electability" argument whole, according to the exit polls.

It appears that country club Republicans have succeeded again in duping the GOP electorate into crowning a "centrist" Republican. Never mind that "centrist" Republicans rarely win the center. They usually lose the center while sapping the spirit of the party's conservative base.

Out of Bob Dole's and John McCain's tattered Big Tent steps another "reformed" RINO, Mitt Romney, who will receive, should he win the nomination, a similar thumping from the Democrats.

But let's say that he is "electable," for the sake of argument. Who cares? The purpose of politics in a republic is not simply to win but to win on sound principles. A party that pursues victory by scrapping or sidelining its platform will have no truth left with which to govern once it does.

If "electability" is the goal, why don't the politically correct plutocrats of the GOP just call for a one-party state? That way they could win every time.

The "electability" argument is bankrupt on both philosophical and practical grounds. It destroys the party's soul and guarantees defeat.

Even though Romney paid for this Florida win on his debit card -- outspending Newt by millions -- he still couldn't nail down the rank-and-file vote. Seven out of ten self-described conservatives didn't vote for him. This foreshadows the boredom and disgust that will keep conservatives home in the fall.

Visions of a former Paul Tsongas voter and Planned Parenthood supporter won't exactly blast them out of bed in the morning. The confederacy of weasels that is the GOP establishment couldn't even find a moderate with an engaging personality to run. They settled on a robotic bore.

His high-priced strategists -- the ones who bragged to the New York Times about engineering his post-South Carolina comeback -- wind him up and then find photographers to capture him "doing his own laundry," buying a Big Mac, or woodenly tossing bags of potato chips to media jackals on his campaign plane.

This pitifully plastic campaign is what passes for winning politics in the GOP. Newt, Romney supporters crow, is a loser and "embarrassment." But what about their own candidate? Romney's teleprompter-dependent drivel is far more risible than Newt's grandiose opining. Romney comes off as the blinkered technocrat whose idea of wit is to compare his opponent to "Lucille Ball at the chocolate factory." All one can say for Romney is that he looks presidential. If Newt looked like Romney and Mitt looked like an overfed blowhard, Gingrich would be winning.

That Romney is a corny businessman of narrow learning and culture wouldn't be so deadly if he harbored conservative convictions. But he doesn't. He has been taught how to play a semi-conservative Republican on TV, but his deepest instincts remain liberal. Hence, his dogged pride in Romneycare, legislation that Barack Obama himself would have fathered had he governed the Bay State.

What's notable about the rise of Romney is not the extent to which he has pandered to conservatives -- the usual media narrative -- but the ease with which he has left his liberalism open for all to see and still won. In the debates, he has defended statist mandates, extolled gay rights (short of marriage), and waxed nostalgic about FDR's New Deal. Remember his rebuke of Rick Perry for even contemplating a system other than Social Security? Good Republicans, Mitt let Perry know, don't entertain such impure thoughts.

Almost two years after energy from the Tea Party swept Republicans back into congressional power, a politician who embodies the antithesis of that spirit stands on the verge of victory. This is regress, not progress, and the GOP will pay a severe price for the Faustian bargain of "electability" that it entails. A party that chooses power over principle will lose both.]]> <![CDATA[The Power Of God]]> http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7587.html Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:34:01 +0000 http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7587.html Tuesday, January 31, 2012

by Dr. Paul Chappell

"For by him were all things created, that are in Heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him."

Colossians 1:16

The Tournament of Roses is a New Year's parade of floats each year in Pasadena, California. Many colorful floats are built by companies to entertain guests and promote their business. But one year, the entire parade was held up as one of the floats ran out of gas in the middle of the event. Ironically, the float was built by the Standard Oil Company. A company known for powering vehicles had their own vehicle run out of power.

When you think about the power of God, you can become overwhelmed at just how great our God is. He formed the world from nothing, orders everything that happens, and takes notice of even the smallest of changes in the world. And that doesn't even begin to describe how powerful God is.

In the grand scheme of the world, we are but minute beings on the face of earth, yet God shows that He cares about every detail of our lives. God cares if you're facing a trial. He cares if you're going through a tough time. He cares if you need wisdom to make a life-changing decision. God cares about you.

Never take for granted the fact that God is interested in every aspect of your life. God has the power to change the world, and He engages that power on your behalf if you will but ask Him for help.

No one in this world loves you as much as God does and no one can help you like God can. He's promised to help. All you must do is seek His power.

Take some time today to seek God's help in your life. He has the power to help in your difficult situation, and He delights to help you.

Today's Rooted Principle:
The God who created all the world wants to use His power to help your weaknesses.]]> Tuesday, January 31, 2012

by Dr. Paul Chappell

"For by him were all things created, that are in Heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him."

Colossians 1:16

The Tournament of Roses is a New Year's parade of floats each year in Pasadena, California. Many colorful floats are built by companies to entertain guests and promote their business. But one year, the entire parade was held up as one of the floats ran out of gas in the middle of the event. Ironically, the float was built by the Standard Oil Company. A company known for powering vehicles had their own vehicle run out of power.

When you think about the power of God, you can become overwhelmed at just how great our God is. He formed the world from nothing, orders everything that happens, and takes notice of even the smallest of changes in the world. And that doesn't even begin to describe how powerful God is.

In the grand scheme of the world, we are but minute beings on the face of earth, yet God shows that He cares about every detail of our lives. God cares if you're facing a trial. He cares if you're going through a tough time. He cares if you need wisdom to make a life-changing decision. God cares about you.

Never take for granted the fact that God is interested in every aspect of your life. God has the power to change the world, and He engages that power on your behalf if you will but ask Him for help.

No one in this world loves you as much as God does and no one can help you like God can. He's promised to help. All you must do is seek His power.

Take some time today to seek God's help in your life. He has the power to help in your difficult situation, and He delights to help you.

Today's Rooted Principle:
The God who created all the world wants to use His power to help your weaknesses.]]> <![CDATA[Hebrews 10:23 "profession of our FAITH" (revisited)]]> http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7586.html Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:29:16 +0000 http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7586.html
Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our FAITH without wavering

There are many among the "No Bible is the complete and inerrant words of God" crowd that try to tell us that the King James Bible is wrong in its translation of Hebrews 10:23. They tell us the word should be "hope" and not "faith".


In support of the KJB reading of elpis as being translated as FAITH, the following should be considered. Liddell and Scott's Greek-English Lexicon 1968 on page 537 lists one of the meanings of elpis as "Reason to expect or Believe". The same is true of Kittle's massive work which shows that elpis shades over into being synonymous with Faith. "Hope as expectation of good is closely linked with trust. This hope is thus trust." "It consists rather in general confidence in God's protection and help." page 522.


This from Biblos.com on Hebrews 10:23 http://scripturetext.com/hebrews/10-23.htm
elpis noun - genitive singular feminine elpis  el-pece':  expectation (abstractly or concretely) or confidence -- FAITH, hope.


The verb form of this noun is elpizo and even the NASV and NIV have at times translated this word as to Trust. The KJB translates this verb as to Trust 18 times as well as to hope. If you trust something or someone, you believe them. It is really "gnat straining" to suggest that we are talking about the noun here and not the verb, when the very verb from which this noun comes is also translated as "to trust" in all the modern Bibles as well.

In fact, Liddell and Scott's Abridged Lexicon Seventeenth Edition 1887 on page 217 lists the meanings of this verb elpizo as: "to hope, expect, think, BELIEVE."


The King James Bible is not the only one to translate this word as FAITH in Hebrews 10:23. In 1755 John Wesley made his own New Testament translation, and he changed thousands of words from the King James readings, but in Hebrews 10:23 Mr. Wesley went with "the profession of our faith".

 I have found other independent English translations that  translated the phrase as "the profession of our FAITH". One is called "The book of the New Covenant of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" done in 1836 by Granville Penn. Others are  "The New Testament Translated from the Original Greek" done in 1858 by Leiester Sawyer; Whiston's Primitive New Testament 1745, An Exposition of the New Testament by William Gilpin in 1790, and the 2001 Urim-Thummin Version by Dallas James, the Heritage Bible by Gwin Turner done in 2003 and God’s Word to the Nations 1995 - “We must continue to hold firmly to our declaration of faith.” 

A couple of other modern English versions are very similar in meaning to the King James Bible reading.  These include the 2004 The Holy New Covenant translation by Thomas Hackett.  It says: “Let us hold tightly to the hope we said we believed in”; the Context Group Version of 2007 with “Let us hold fast the confession of our abiding confidence” and the Worldwide English New Testament of 1969 reads: “We must hold onto God’s promise that we have said we believe.”



 You can see these versions online here:
http://www.lookhigher.net/englishbibles/index.html  

  
 
There are several foreign language translations that have the same reading of “faith” like the King James Bible. Among these are the Spanish Reina Valera Antigua of 1602 and the Reina Valera 1909 - Heb 10:23 Mantengamos firme la profesión de nuestra FE sin fluctuar; que fiel es el que prometió.”, the Spanish Valera Nuevo Testamento of 1858,  the Spanish Dios Habla Hoy 1996 by United Bible Society is similar with - “Mantengámonos firmes, sin dudar, en la esperanza de la FE que profesamos.” = "Let hold ourselves firm, without doubting, in the hope of the faith that we profess".   Likewise the Italian La Parola e Vita (The Word of Life) done in 1997 reads just like the King James Bible - “Rimaniamo fermi nel dichiarare LA NOSTRA FEDE”
 
There is also the Portuguese New Testament: Easy-to-Read Version Copyright 1999 by World Bible Translation Center, that reads exactly like the King James Bible with: "Vamos seguir firmes e sem vacilar na esperança da nossa fé, pois aquele que fez a promessa é fiel."



The 2004 Spanish Reina Valera Gomez translation can be seen online at this site. It is a very accurate modern day Spanish translation.
http://www.reinavaleragomez.com/RVGhtml/index.html

Hebrews 10:23 reads exactly like the King James Bible with: “Mantengamos firme, sin fluctuar, la profesión de nuestra FE; que fiel es el que prometió”


John Wesley's 1755 "Let us hold fast the profession of our FAITH without wavering, for he is faithful that hath promised"


The Spanish Reina Valera Antigua of 1602 and the Reina Valera of 1909 - Hebreos 10:23 - "Mantengamos firme la profesión de nuestra FE sin fluctuar; que fiel es el que prometió". The Reina-Valera Antigua was first translated and published in 1569 by Casiodoro de Reina, after twelve years of intensive work, and later put out in 1602 in revised form by Cipriano de Valera, who gave more than twenty years of his life to its revision and improvement."


Even the same people who put out the NIV, the International Bible Society, have recently translated the 1997 Italian version called La Parola é Vita, and it reads just like the King James Bible. It says: "Rimaniamo fermi nel dichiarare LA NOSTRA FEDE (our faith) , senza vacillare, perché fedele è colui che ha fatto le promesse."


There is another interesting case of a modern day Spanish Bible which follows the Westcott-Hort text. It is a Catholic Bible called Santa Biblia Versión Popular done in 1983.  It combines both ideas in it's translation - "Mantengámonos firmes, sin dudar, en la esperanza de LA FE que profesamos, porque Dios cumplirá la promesa que nos ha hecho." - which means "Let us hold firm, without doubting, the HOPE OF THE FAITH which we profess..."


Adam Clarke's commentary is interesting in that, though he disagrees with the reading "the profession of our FAITH", yet he acknowledges that this is the reading in "one of the Barberini MSS. and two others", but perhaps more significantly, when he actually expounds upon the meaning of the verse, he himself uses the word "faith" three times, and "hope" not at all.


Adam Clarke comments (CAPS are mine) "The word omologia, from omou, together, and logos, a word, implies that general consent that was among Christians on all the important articles of their FAITH and practice; particularly their acknowledgment of THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL, and of Jesus Christ, as the only victim for sin, and the only Saviour from it. If the word washed above refer to Christian baptism in the case of adults, then THE PROFESSION is that which the baptized then made OF THEIR FAITH in the Gospel; and of their determination to live and die in that FAITH."


Another English version that has translated this word as Faith in Hebrews 10:23 is Webster's 1833 translation. Webster knew some 15 different languages including Hebrew and Greek, and he made his own translation of the Bible in 1833. He changed the wording of the KJB in many places, but he left the word Faith here in Hebrews 10:23.


In addition to this, we also have the more modern translations of the KJB 21st Century Version 1994 and the Third Millenium Bible  of 1998 and both of these also have elpis as Faith in Hebrews 10:23. J.P. Green's Modern KJB 1998 and the King James 2000 translations also read "the profession of our FAITH". In 1842 a group of Baptists decided to update the KJB and they still kept the translation as it stands in the 1611 King James Bible.


Several Bible commentators agree with the reading as found in the KJB. Matthew Henry, who often made textual corrections to the KJB, when commenting on this passage made no attempt to "correct" the KJB but rather said this verse means: "the duty itself - to hold fast the profession of our faith, to embrace all the truths and ways of the gospel, to get fast hold on them, and to keep that hold against all temptation and opposition."


Jamison, Faucett and Brown, who likewise often correct the KJB, say the word is elpis or hope but remark "our hope, which is indeed Faith exercised as to the future inheritance."


 John Gill - In his commentary on Hebrews 10:23 he makes no comment correcting the reading of the KJB's "the profession of our Faith" but rather defines faith here as being "faith - either in the grace or doctrine of faith, or in the profession of both."


John Owen comments on Hebrews 10:23 - “"Let us hold fast the profession of our FAITH without wavering: For He is faithful that promised" (verse 23). There is some uncertainty as to the Greek here: some manuscripts having "faith" others "hope"; both the R.V. and Bag. Inter. have "the confession of our (the) hope." IT SEEMS TO US THAT THE A.V. IS TO BE PREFERRED, for while it is true that if we adopt the alternative, we then have "faith" verse 22, "hope" in verse 23, and "love" in verse 24, yet this is more than offset by the weighty fact that perseverance in the faith is the theme which is steadily followed by the apostle not only throughout the remainder of this 10th chapter, but also throughout the 11th.”


Barne’s Notes on the New Testament - Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering -”... the apostle adds that they should hold fast the profession of their FAITH without being shaken by their trials, or by the arguments of their enemies. We have the same inducement to hold fast the profession of our FAITH - for it is the same religion still; we have the same Saviour, and there is held out to us still the same prospect of Heaven.”


Lancelot Andrewes was one of the King James Bible translators. In a devotional book he commented on Hebrews 10:23. http://books.google.com/books?id=-ewDAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA65 The heart by Lancelot Andrewes
Hebrews 10:23 - "Grant me always to hold fast the profession of my FAITH without wavering; For thou art faithful who hast promised. To this hope set before me."


I think it is a bit hypocritical of those who criticize the KJB for rendering this word as Faith here in Hebrews 10, yet all other times as Hope. The new versions likewise do many similar things in their translations. For example, the word Faith itself. The Greek word for faith is pistis and most of the time the NASV and NIV translate this word as Faith. Yet both translate this same word as Pledge only one time (I Timothy 5:12) and only one time as Proof (Acts 17:31). Wouldn't they also be wrong then for departing from the usual sense of the word and translating it this way? We can easily see that Proof, and Pledge and Faith are not at all the same things in English, yet words have different shades of meaning depending upon the context.


In Summary, we see that the evidence for the KJB being correct, or at the very least, not in error for translating elpis as Faith in Hebrews 10:23 are # 1 - the Lexicons of Liddell and Scott, and that of Kittle; # 2 - other translations both foreign and in English - the Spanish Reina Valera of 1602, and 1858, Dios Habla Hoy 1996, the 1997 Italian version put out by the International Bible Society, the Portuguese Easy to Read Version of 1999,  Wesley's 1755 and Webster's 1833 translations, The Book of the New Covenant of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ done in 1836 by Granville Penn, "The New Testament Translated from the Original Greek" done in 1858 by Leiester Sawyer; Whiston's Primitive New Testament 1745, An Exposition of the New Testament by William Gilpin in 1790, the 2001 Urim-Thummin Version by Dallas James, the Heritage Bible by Gwin Turner done in 2003, God’s Word to the Nations 1995, the KJB 21st Century version 1994, Green's 2000 MKJV, the King James 2000, and the Third Millenium Bible 1998, and # 3 - many commentaries make no attempt to change the reading of the King James Bible but rather expound it accurately just as it stands with the reading: "the profession of our Faith".


The context as well shows that Faith is the better choice here than Hope. The context is the once for all sacrifice of our Lord, the remission of our sins and no more offering to be made for sins. In holding fast the profession (what we speak and affirm) of our faith, is it more accurate to say "I hope I am forgiven", or "I believe (have faith) that I am forgiven"? I believe God guided the KJB translators in giving the proper sense of this word "elpis" as being contextually equivalent to "faith, or what we trust in and confess before others.


Will Kinney


Return to Articles - http://brandplucked.webs.com/articles.htm]]>
Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our FAITH without wavering

There are many among the "No Bible is the complete and inerrant words of God" crowd that try to tell us that the King James Bible is wrong in its translation of Hebrews 10:23. They tell us the word should be "hope" and not "faith".


In support of the KJB reading of elpis as being translated as FAITH, the following should be considered. Liddell and Scott's Greek-English Lexicon 1968 on page 537 lists one of the meanings of elpis as "Reason to expect or Believe". The same is true of Kittle's massive work which shows that elpis shades over into being synonymous with Faith. "Hope as expectation of good is closely linked with trust. This hope is thus trust." "It consists rather in general confidence in God's protection and help." page 522.


This from Biblos.com on Hebrews 10:23 http://scripturetext.com/hebrews/10-23.htm
elpis noun - genitive singular feminine elpis  el-pece':  expectation (abstractly or concretely) or confidence -- FAITH, hope.


The verb form of this noun is elpizo and even the NASV and NIV have at times translated this word as to Trust. The KJB translates this verb as to Trust 18 times as well as to hope. If you trust something or someone, you believe them. It is really "gnat straining" to suggest that we are talking about the noun here and not the verb, when the very verb from which this noun comes is also translated as "to trust" in all the modern Bibles as well.

In fact, Liddell and Scott's Abridged Lexicon Seventeenth Edition 1887 on page 217 lists the meanings of this verb elpizo as: "to hope, expect, think, BELIEVE."


The King James Bible is not the only one to translate this word as FAITH in Hebrews 10:23. In 1755 John Wesley made his own New Testament translation, and he changed thousands of words from the King James readings, but in Hebrews 10:23 Mr. Wesley went with "the profession of our faith".

 I have found other independent English translations that  translated the phrase as "the profession of our FAITH". One is called "The book of the New Covenant of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" done in 1836 by Granville Penn. Others are  "The New Testament Translated from the Original Greek" done in 1858 by Leiester Sawyer; Whiston's Primitive New Testament 1745, An Exposition of the New Testament by William Gilpin in 1790, and the 2001 Urim-Thummin Version by Dallas James, the Heritage Bible by Gwin Turner done in 2003 and God’s Word to the Nations 1995 - “We must continue to hold firmly to our declaration of faith.” 

A couple of other modern English versions are very similar in meaning to the King James Bible reading.  These include the 2004 The Holy New Covenant translation by Thomas Hackett.  It says: “Let us hold tightly to the hope we said we believed in”; the Context Group Version of 2007 with “Let us hold fast the confession of our abiding confidence” and the Worldwide English New Testament of 1969 reads: “We must hold onto God’s promise that we have said we believe.”



 You can see these versions online here:
http://www.lookhigher.net/englishbibles/index.html  

  
 
There are several foreign language translations that have the same reading of “faith” like the King James Bible. Among these are the Spanish Reina Valera Antigua of 1602 and the Reina Valera 1909 - Heb 10:23 Mantengamos firme la profesión de nuestra FE sin fluctuar; que fiel es el que prometió.”, the Spanish Valera Nuevo Testamento of 1858,  the Spanish Dios Habla Hoy 1996 by United Bible Society is similar with - “Mantengámonos firmes, sin dudar, en la esperanza de la FE que profesamos.” = "Let hold ourselves firm, without doubting, in the hope of the faith that we profess".   Likewise the Italian La Parola e Vita (The Word of Life) done in 1997 reads just like the King James Bible - “Rimaniamo fermi nel dichiarare LA NOSTRA FEDE”
 
There is also the Portuguese New Testament: Easy-to-Read Version Copyright 1999 by World Bible Translation Center, that reads exactly like the King James Bible with: "Vamos seguir firmes e sem vacilar na esperança da nossa fé, pois aquele que fez a promessa é fiel."



The 2004 Spanish Reina Valera Gomez translation can be seen online at this site. It is a very accurate modern day Spanish translation.
http://www.reinavaleragomez.com/RVGhtml/index.html

Hebrews 10:23 reads exactly like the King James Bible with: “Mantengamos firme, sin fluctuar, la profesión de nuestra FE; que fiel es el que prometió”


John Wesley's 1755 "Let us hold fast the profession of our FAITH without wavering, for he is faithful that hath promised"


The Spanish Reina Valera Antigua of 1602 and the Reina Valera of 1909 - Hebreos 10:23 - "Mantengamos firme la profesión de nuestra FE sin fluctuar; que fiel es el que prometió". The Reina-Valera Antigua was first translated and published in 1569 by Casiodoro de Reina, after twelve years of intensive work, and later put out in 1602 in revised form by Cipriano de Valera, who gave more than twenty years of his life to its revision and improvement."


Even the same people who put out the NIV, the International Bible Society, have recently translated the 1997 Italian version called La Parola é Vita, and it reads just like the King James Bible. It says: "Rimaniamo fermi nel dichiarare LA NOSTRA FEDE (our faith) , senza vacillare, perché fedele è colui che ha fatto le promesse."


There is another interesting case of a modern day Spanish Bible which follows the Westcott-Hort text. It is a Catholic Bible called Santa Biblia Versión Popular done in 1983.  It combines both ideas in it's translation - "Mantengámonos firmes, sin dudar, en la esperanza de LA FE que profesamos, porque Dios cumplirá la promesa que nos ha hecho." - which means "Let us hold firm, without doubting, the HOPE OF THE FAITH which we profess..."


Adam Clarke's commentary is interesting in that, though he disagrees with the reading "the profession of our FAITH", yet he acknowledges that this is the reading in "one of the Barberini MSS. and two others", but perhaps more significantly, when he actually expounds upon the meaning of the verse, he himself uses the word "faith" three times, and "hope" not at all.


Adam Clarke comments (CAPS are mine) "The word omologia, from omou, together, and logos, a word, implies that general consent that was among Christians on all the important articles of their FAITH and practice; particularly their acknowledgment of THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL, and of Jesus Christ, as the only victim for sin, and the only Saviour from it. If the word washed above refer to Christian baptism in the case of adults, then THE PROFESSION is that which the baptized then made OF THEIR FAITH in the Gospel; and of their determination to live and die in that FAITH."


Another English version that has translated this word as Faith in Hebrews 10:23 is Webster's 1833 translation. Webster knew some 15 different languages including Hebrew and Greek, and he made his own translation of the Bible in 1833. He changed the wording of the KJB in many places, but he left the word Faith here in Hebrews 10:23.


In addition to this, we also have the more modern translations of the KJB 21st Century Version 1994 and the Third Millenium Bible  of 1998 and both of these also have elpis as Faith in Hebrews 10:23. J.P. Green's Modern KJB 1998 and the King James 2000 translations also read "the profession of our FAITH". In 1842 a group of Baptists decided to update the KJB and they still kept the translation as it stands in the 1611 King James Bible.


Several Bible commentators agree with the reading as found in the KJB. Matthew Henry, who often made textual corrections to the KJB, when commenting on this passage made no attempt to "correct" the KJB but rather said this verse means: "the duty itself - to hold fast the profession of our faith, to embrace all the truths and ways of the gospel, to get fast hold on them, and to keep that hold against all temptation and opposition."


Jamison, Faucett and Brown, who likewise often correct the KJB, say the word is elpis or hope but remark "our hope, which is indeed Faith exercised as to the future inheritance."


 John Gill - In his commentary on Hebrews 10:23 he makes no comment correcting the reading of the KJB's "the profession of our Faith" but rather defines faith here as being "faith - either in the grace or doctrine of faith, or in the profession of both."


John Owen comments on Hebrews 10:23 - “"Let us hold fast the profession of our FAITH without wavering: For He is faithful that promised" (verse 23). There is some uncertainty as to the Greek here: some manuscripts having "faith" others "hope"; both the R.V. and Bag. Inter. have "the confession of our (the) hope." IT SEEMS TO US THAT THE A.V. IS TO BE PREFERRED, for while it is true that if we adopt the alternative, we then have "faith" verse 22, "hope" in verse 23, and "love" in verse 24, yet this is more than offset by the weighty fact that perseverance in the faith is the theme which is steadily followed by the apostle not only throughout the remainder of this 10th chapter, but also throughout the 11th.”


Barne’s Notes on the New Testament - Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering -”... the apostle adds that they should hold fast the profession of their FAITH without being shaken by their trials, or by the arguments of their enemies. We have the same inducement to hold fast the profession of our FAITH - for it is the same religion still; we have the same Saviour, and there is held out to us still the same prospect of Heaven.”


Lancelot Andrewes was one of the King James Bible translators. In a devotional book he commented on Hebrews 10:23. http://books.google.com/books?id=-ewDAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA65 The heart by Lancelot Andrewes
Hebrews 10:23 - "Grant me always to hold fast the profession of my FAITH without wavering; For thou art faithful who hast promised. To this hope set before me."


I think it is a bit hypocritical of those who criticize the KJB for rendering this word as Faith here in Hebrews 10, yet all other times as Hope. The new versions likewise do many similar things in their translations. For example, the word Faith itself. The Greek word for faith is pistis and most of the time the NASV and NIV translate this word as Faith. Yet both translate this same word as Pledge only one time (I Timothy 5:12) and only one time as Proof (Acts 17:31). Wouldn't they also be wrong then for departing from the usual sense of the word and translating it this way? We can easily see that Proof, and Pledge and Faith are not at all the same things in English, yet words have different shades of meaning depending upon the context.


In Summary, we see that the evidence for the KJB being correct, or at the very least, not in error for translating elpis as Faith in Hebrews 10:23 are # 1 - the Lexicons of Liddell and Scott, and that of Kittle; # 2 - other translations both foreign and in English - the Spanish Reina Valera of 1602, and 1858, Dios Habla Hoy 1996, the 1997 Italian version put out by the International Bible Society, the Portuguese Easy to Read Version of 1999,  Wesley's 1755 and Webster's 1833 translations, The Book of the New Covenant of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ done in 1836 by Granville Penn, "The New Testament Translated from the Original Greek" done in 1858 by Leiester Sawyer; Whiston's Primitive New Testament 1745, An Exposition of the New Testament by William Gilpin in 1790, the 2001 Urim-Thummin Version by Dallas James, the Heritage Bible by Gwin Turner done in 2003, God’s Word to the Nations 1995, the KJB 21st Century version 1994, Green's 2000 MKJV, the King James 2000, and the Third Millenium Bible 1998, and # 3 - many commentaries make no attempt to change the reading of the King James Bible but rather expound it accurately just as it stands with the reading: "the profession of our Faith".


The context as well shows that Faith is the better choice here than Hope. The context is the once for all sacrifice of our Lord, the remission of our sins and no more offering to be made for sins. In holding fast the profession (what we speak and affirm) of our faith, is it more accurate to say "I hope I am forgiven", or "I believe (have faith) that I am forgiven"? I believe God guided the KJB translators in giving the proper sense of this word "elpis" as being contextually equivalent to "faith, or what we trust in and confess before others.


Will Kinney


Return to Articles - http://brandplucked.webs.com/articles.htm]]> <![CDATA[NEW BIBLE YANKS 'FATHER,' JESUS AS 'SON OF GOD']]> http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7585.html Tue, 31 Jan 2012 03:58:13 +0000 http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7585.html NEW Bible YANKS 'FATHER,' JESUS AS 'SON OF GOD'

Islam-sensitive project ignites controversy, online petition

"...there is a major controversy developing as the latest altered Bibles are being created by organizations that most would think of as being more conservative and reasonable. At the forefront of the controversy are the Wycliffe Bible Translators, the Summer Institute of Linguistics and Frontiers, all of which are producing Bible translations that remove or modify terms which they have deemed offensive to Muslims."

Read]]> NEW Bible YANKS 'FATHER,' JESUS AS 'SON OF GOD'

Islam-sensitive project ignites controversy, online petition

"...there is a major controversy developing as the latest altered Bibles are being created by organizations that most would think of as being more conservative and reasonable. At the forefront of the controversy are the Wycliffe Bible Translators, the Summer Institute of Linguistics and Frontiers, all of which are producing Bible translations that remove or modify terms which they have deemed offensive to Muslims."

Read]]> <![CDATA[Did Abraham's Seed Get the 300,000 Miles of Dirt or Not?]]> http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7584.html Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:45:42 +0000 http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7584.html
Josh. 21:43-45, "And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein.
44) And the LORD gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand.
45) There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that the church replaces Israel or anything weird like that. The promises made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, were all intended to be everlasting. So if Israel did get all of the land, they have since lost it and will certainly get it back, especially considering all the passages that follow Joshua in which it states they will get it back again one day (millennium).

But anyways, it looks like they had all the land promised to them at one time. Did I miss something on this or has everybody else known this but me? :-)]]>
Josh. 21:43-45, "And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein.
44) And the LORD gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand.
45) There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that the church replaces Israel or anything weird like that. The promises made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, were all intended to be everlasting. So if Israel did get all of the land, they have since lost it and will certainly get it back, especially considering all the passages that follow Joshua in which it states they will get it back again one day (millennium).

But anyways, it looks like they had all the land promised to them at one time. Did I miss something on this or has everybody else known this but me? :-)]]> <![CDATA[Praise During Persecution]]> http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7583.html Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:29:47 +0000 http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7583.html Monday, January 30, 2012

by Dr. Paul Chappell

"Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?"

Psalm 50:14-16

Oswald Chambers once wrote the following about trials, "Faith for my deliverance is not faith in God. Faith means, whether I am visibly delivered or not, I will stick to my belief that God is love. There are some things only learned in a fiery furnace."

We all face trials and times of persecution. Even Paul was wrongfully imprisoned and beaten unlawfully as he preached the Gospel. But whether the persecution is unwarranted or even illegal, God shows us that we can give Him praise during difficult times.

First Peter 4:12-13 is a needful passage for those facing difficulties, "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you. But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy."

How can someone sing praise during a time of sorrow? Praise often comes after prayer. During trials, your best course of action is to spend much time in God's presence. Pour your heart out to Him. Tell Him of your trials and seek His help. God alone can help you during difficulties and He should be the first one you turn to.

As Oswald Chambers noted, God doesn't always remove trials. Sometimes His work can only be accomplished as you face the difficulty. So more than praying for God's deliverance, pray for God's strength to praise Him.

Have you praised God during your trial? Bathe yourself in prayer and glorify God's goodness in your life despite the outside circumstances in your life.

Today's Rooted Principle:
Praise comes not from a feeling of happiness but from an understanding of God's goodness.]]> Monday, January 30, 2012

by Dr. Paul Chappell

"Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?"

Psalm 50:14-16

Oswald Chambers once wrote the following about trials, "Faith for my deliverance is not faith in God. Faith means, whether I am visibly delivered or not, I will stick to my belief that God is love. There are some things only learned in a fiery furnace."

We all face trials and times of persecution. Even Paul was wrongfully imprisoned and beaten unlawfully as he preached the Gospel. But whether the persecution is unwarranted or even illegal, God shows us that we can give Him praise during difficult times.

First Peter 4:12-13 is a needful passage for those facing difficulties, "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you. But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy."

How can someone sing praise during a time of sorrow? Praise often comes after prayer. During trials, your best course of action is to spend much time in God's presence. Pour your heart out to Him. Tell Him of your trials and seek His help. God alone can help you during difficulties and He should be the first one you turn to.

As Oswald Chambers noted, God doesn't always remove trials. Sometimes His work can only be accomplished as you face the difficulty. So more than praying for God's deliverance, pray for God's strength to praise Him.

Have you praised God during your trial? Bathe yourself in prayer and glorify God's goodness in your life despite the outside circumstances in your life.

Today's Rooted Principle:
Praise comes not from a feeling of happiness but from an understanding of God's goodness.]]> <![CDATA[Facing Opposition]]> http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7580.html Sun, 29 Jan 2012 18:49:21 +0000 http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7580.html Sunday, January 29, 2012

by Dr. Paul Chappell

"And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks."

Acts 16:22-24

When Paul started preaching God's message in Macedonia, people began to take notice. Most notably, the owners of a demon possessed girl who trusted Christ took notice, and they didn't like what was happening. Christ had changed the girl's life and these men were left without a means of income.

These men made all sort of false accusations against Paul and had him thrown in jail. Roman imprisonment was preceded by being stripped and then beaten until the prisoner was bloody. Most cells were dark and damp. Unbearable cold, lack of water, cramped quarters, and sickening stench from few toilets made sleeping difficult and waking hours miserable. Because of the miserable conditions, many prisoners begged for a speedy death. Others simply committed suicide.

If anyone faced opposition, it was Paul. The irony? Paul was a Roman citizen which made his imprisonment against Roman law. Paul had reason to curse what was happening yet he kept his faith.

When God's work abounds, the devil's work goes down. Most people don't mind if you're religious. People don't mind if you attend church or believe the Bible. It's when you actively live out God's commands and spread His Word that feathers get ruffled, and the devil sends opposition.

You can't control what opposition you face but you can control how you react to it. God desires for you to remain faithful even during opposition all to His glory.

What opposition are you facing today? Commit to keeping your testimony and remaining faithful even during hard times.

Today's Rooted Principle:
God receives greatest glory when you continue serving Him during opposition.]]> Sunday, January 29, 2012

by Dr. Paul Chappell

"And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks."

Acts 16:22-24

When Paul started preaching God's message in Macedonia, people began to take notice. Most notably, the owners of a demon possessed girl who trusted Christ took notice, and they didn't like what was happening. Christ had changed the girl's life and these men were left without a means of income.

These men made all sort of false accusations against Paul and had him thrown in jail. Roman imprisonment was preceded by being stripped and then beaten until the prisoner was bloody. Most cells were dark and damp. Unbearable cold, lack of water, cramped quarters, and sickening stench from few toilets made sleeping difficult and waking hours miserable. Because of the miserable conditions, many prisoners begged for a speedy death. Others simply committed suicide.

If anyone faced opposition, it was Paul. The irony? Paul was a Roman citizen which made his imprisonment against Roman law. Paul had reason to curse what was happening yet he kept his faith.

When God's work abounds, the devil's work goes down. Most people don't mind if you're religious. People don't mind if you attend church or believe the Bible. It's when you actively live out God's commands and spread His Word that feathers get ruffled, and the devil sends opposition.

You can't control what opposition you face but you can control how you react to it. God desires for you to remain faithful even during opposition all to His glory.

What opposition are you facing today? Commit to keeping your testimony and remaining faithful even during hard times.

Today's Rooted Principle:
God receives greatest glory when you continue serving Him during opposition.]]> <![CDATA[How Can I Clear My Cache & Cookies?]]> http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7579.html Sun, 29 Jan 2012 11:02:08 +0000 http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7579.html The cache (pronounced "cash") is a space in your computer's hard drive and in RAM memory where your browser saves copies of previously visited Web pages. Your browser uses the cache like a short-term memory. Instead of downloading an image from a recently viewed website, it will load the image from your cache folder, thereby making the browsing process a little quicker.

How do I clear my cache?
How you clear your computer cache depends on a number of factors: Whether you have a windows or macintosh system, the browser you are using, which version of a browser you are using. Several options and instructions are found below:

To clear your cache with Internet Explorer 4+
From the Menu bar select Tools then click on Internet Options
On the General Tab select Delete Files from the Temporary Internet Files section
When prompted select OK to clear your computers Memory Cache. Close all menus and you're done.

To clear your cache with Internet Explorer - earlier versions
Click the View menu, then click Internet Options. With Macintosh, click the Edit menu, then click Preferences.
Click the General tab. With Macintosh, click Advanced in the right column.
Click Delete Files under Temporary Internet Files. With Macintosh, Empty Now.
Click OK.

To clear your cache with Netscape Communicator 4
Click the Edit menu, then click Preferences....
Click the + ( with Macintosh ) next to Advanced.
Click Cache.
With Windows, click Clear Memory Cache, and Clear Disk Cache. With Macintosh, click Clear Disk Cache Now.
Click OK to close the Preferences window.

To clear your cache with Netscape Navigator 3
Click the Options menu, then click Network Preferences.
Click the Cache tab.
Uncheck every check box except for Temporary Internet Files.
Click Delete Files in the Delete Browsing History dialog box.
Click Cancel.
Click OK.
Close and reopen your browser.

Clearing Cache on Firefox 1.0
Click Tools and select Options.
Click the Privacy Icon.
Click Clear next to the Cache section.
Click Ok.
Close and reopen your browser.

Clearing Cache on Firefox 1.5
Click Tools and select Options.
Click the Privacy icon.
Click the Cache tab and click Clear Cache Now.
Click Ok.
Close and reopen your browser.

Clearing Cache on Firefox 2.0
Click Tools and select Options.
Click the Advanced icon and click the Network tab.
Click Clear Now under the Cache section.
Click Ok.
Close and reopen your browser.

Clearing Cache on Firefox 3.0
Click Tools and select Options.
Click the Privacy icon on the Options menu bar.
Scroll down to the Private Data section.
Click the Settings button to open the Clear Private Data window.
Verify that the Cookies and Save Passwords boxes are not checked.
Click OK to close the Clear Private Data window.
Click Clear Private Data Now.
Click OK to close the Options window.
Close and reopen your browser.

Clearing Cache on Netscape® Navigator 9.X
Click Tools and select Options.
Click the Privacy.
Click Clear Now under the Private Data section.
Check the box Cache and Clear Private Data Now.
Click OK.
Close and reopen your browser.

Safari 3.0
Click Edit and select Empty Cache.
Click Empty.
Close and reopen your browser.

AOL 7.0
Close your browser.
Click Start, select Settings and Control Panel.
Double-click Internet Options.
Click Delete Files.
Click OK on the Delete Files dialog box.
Click OK.

AOL 8.0
Close your browser.
Click Start, select Settings and Control Panel.
Double-click Internet Options.
Click Delete Files.
Click OK on the Delete Files dialog box.
Click OK.

AOL 9.0
Close your browser.
Click Start, select Settings and Control Panel.
Double-click Internet Options.
Click Delete Files.
Click OK on the Delete Files dialog box.
Click OK.

Safari 1.x for Macintosh

Click the Safari menu and select Empty Cache.
Click Empty on the Are you sure message box.
Close and reopen your browser.

Safari 2.0 for Macintosh
Click the Safari menu and select Empty Cache.
Click Empty on the Are you sure message box.
Close and reopen your browser.

Safari 3.0 for Macintosh
Click the Safari menu and select Empty Cache.
Click Empty on the Are you sure message box.
Close and reopen your browser.

Firefox 1.5 for Macintosh
Click the Firefox menu and select Preferences.
Click the Privacy icon and click the Cache tab.
Click Clear Cache Now.
Click the X in the top left corner to close the Privacy window.
Close and reopen your browser.

Firefox 2.0 for Macintosh
Click the Firefox menu and select Preferences.
Click the Advances icon and click the Network tab.
Click Clear Now under the Cache section.
Click the X in the top left corner to close the Advanced window.
Close and reopen your browser.

BlackBerry Handheld
Clearing the content caches clears both the rendered pages and server data:
Highlight the Browser icon and click the trackwheel.
Click the trackwheel again to display the Browser Options menu.
Scroll down to Options and click the trackwheel to open the Browser Options screen.
Scroll down to General Properties and click the trackwheel to open the General Properties screen.
Click the trackwheel to open the Cache menu.
Scroll down to Clear Content Caches and click the trackwheel to clear the cache and return to the General Properties screen.
Press the Escape button to page back to the main menu.

Google Chrome
Click the Tools menu. (the wrench in the upper-right corner)
Click Clear browsing data…
Check the boxes for the types of information you wish to delete.
•Clear browsing history
•Clear download history
•Empty the cache
•Delete cookies
•Clear saved passwords
You can also choose the period of time you wish to delete cached information using the Clear data from this period dropdown menu.
Click Clear Browsing Data when ready.]]> The cache (pronounced "cash") is a space in your computer's hard drive and in RAM memory where your browser saves copies of previously visited Web pages. Your browser uses the cache like a short-term memory. Instead of downloading an image from a recently viewed website, it will load the image from your cache folder, thereby making the browsing process a little quicker.

How do I clear my cache?
How you clear your computer cache depends on a number of factors: Whether you have a windows or macintosh system, the browser you are using, which version of a browser you are using. Several options and instructions are found below:

To clear your cache with Internet Explorer 4+
From the Menu bar select Tools then click on Internet Options
On the General Tab select Delete Files from the Temporary Internet Files section
When prompted select OK to clear your computers Memory Cache. Close all menus and you're done.

To clear your cache with Internet Explorer - earlier versions
Click the View menu, then click Internet Options. With Macintosh, click the Edit menu, then click Preferences.
Click the General tab. With Macintosh, click Advanced in the right column.
Click Delete Files under Temporary Internet Files. With Macintosh, Empty Now.
Click OK.

To clear your cache with Netscape Communicator 4
Click the Edit menu, then click Preferences....
Click the + ( with Macintosh ) next to Advanced.
Click Cache.
With Windows, click Clear Memory Cache, and Clear Disk Cache. With Macintosh, click Clear Disk Cache Now.
Click OK to close the Preferences window.

To clear your cache with Netscape Navigator 3
Click the Options menu, then click Network Preferences.
Click the Cache tab.
Uncheck every check box except for Temporary Internet Files.
Click Delete Files in the Delete Browsing History dialog box.
Click Cancel.
Click OK.
Close and reopen your browser.

Clearing Cache on Firefox 1.0
Click Tools and select Options.
Click the Privacy Icon.
Click Clear next to the Cache section.
Click Ok.
Close and reopen your browser.

Clearing Cache on Firefox 1.5
Click Tools and select Options.
Click the Privacy icon.
Click the Cache tab and click Clear Cache Now.
Click Ok.
Close and reopen your browser.

Clearing Cache on Firefox 2.0
Click Tools and select Options.
Click the Advanced icon and click the Network tab.
Click Clear Now under the Cache section.
Click Ok.
Close and reopen your browser.

Clearing Cache on Firefox 3.0
Click Tools and select Options.
Click the Privacy icon on the Options menu bar.
Scroll down to the Private Data section.
Click the Settings button to open the Clear Private Data window.
Verify that the Cookies and Save Passwords boxes are not checked.
Click OK to close the Clear Private Data window.
Click Clear Private Data Now.
Click OK to close the Options window.
Close and reopen your browser.

Clearing Cache on Netscape® Navigator 9.X
Click Tools and select Options.
Click the Privacy.
Click Clear Now under the Private Data section.
Check the box Cache and Clear Private Data Now.
Click OK.
Close and reopen your browser.

Safari 3.0
Click Edit and select Empty Cache.
Click Empty.
Close and reopen your browser.

AOL 7.0
Close your browser.
Click Start, select Settings and Control Panel.
Double-click Internet Options.
Click Delete Files.
Click OK on the Delete Files dialog box.
Click OK.

AOL 8.0
Close your browser.
Click Start, select Settings and Control Panel.
Double-click Internet Options.
Click Delete Files.
Click OK on the Delete Files dialog box.
Click OK.

AOL 9.0
Close your browser.
Click Start, select Settings and Control Panel.
Double-click Internet Options.
Click Delete Files.
Click OK on the Delete Files dialog box.
Click OK.

Safari 1.x for Macintosh

Click the Safari menu and select Empty Cache.
Click Empty on the Are you sure message box.
Close and reopen your browser.

Safari 2.0 for Macintosh
Click the Safari menu and select Empty Cache.
Click Empty on the Are you sure message box.
Close and reopen your browser.

Safari 3.0 for Macintosh
Click the Safari menu and select Empty Cache.
Click Empty on the Are you sure message box.
Close and reopen your browser.

Firefox 1.5 for Macintosh
Click the Firefox menu and select Preferences.
Click the Privacy icon and click the Cache tab.
Click Clear Cache Now.
Click the X in the top left corner to close the Privacy window.
Close and reopen your browser.

Firefox 2.0 for Macintosh
Click the Firefox menu and select Preferences.
Click the Advances icon and click the Network tab.
Click Clear Now under the Cache section.
Click the X in the top left corner to close the Advanced window.
Close and reopen your browser.

BlackBerry Handheld
Clearing the content caches clears both the rendered pages and server data:
Highlight the Browser icon and click the trackwheel.
Click the trackwheel again to display the Browser Options menu.
Scroll down to Options and click the trackwheel to open the Browser Options screen.
Scroll down to General Properties and click the trackwheel to open the General Properties screen.
Click the trackwheel to open the Cache menu.
Scroll down to Clear Content Caches and click the trackwheel to clear the cache and return to the General Properties screen.
Press the Escape button to page back to the main menu.

Google Chrome
Click the Tools menu. (the wrench in the upper-right corner)
Click Clear browsing data…
Check the boxes for the types of information you wish to delete.
•Clear browsing history
•Clear download history
•Empty the cache
•Delete cookies
•Clear saved passwords
You can also choose the period of time you wish to delete cached information using the Clear data from this period dropdown menu.
Click Clear Browsing Data when ready.]]> <![CDATA[1 Samuel 17:4 How tall was Goliath? More perversions coming out.]]> http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7575.html Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:40:45 +0000 http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7575.html


There are also a few other perverted Bible versions like the new ISV (International Standard Version) that says: "A champion named Goliath from Gath came out from the Philistine camp. He was six and a half feet tall." Among the Catholic versions the Douay-Rheims, the Douay, and the newer New Jerusalem Bible of 1985 say he was "six cubits and a span", but the previous St. Joseph New American Bible of 1970 had "he was six and a half feet tall", thus following the corrupt Greek Septuagint reading and rejecting the Hebrew text. We also can see the newest Catholic version called The Catholic Public Domain Bible of 2009 and it also has gone back to the Hebrew reading and says: "whose height was six cubits and a palm."

For more examples of corrupt numerical readings see Scatterbrained Septuagint Silliness here - http://brandplucked.webs.com/scatterbrainseptuagint.htm

Will Kinney]]>


There are also a few other perverted Bible versions like the new ISV (International Standard Version) that says: "A champion named Goliath from Gath came out from the Philistine camp. He was six and a half feet tall." Among the Catholic versions the Douay-Rheims, the Douay, and the newer New Jerusalem Bible of 1985 say he was "six cubits and a span", but the previous St. Joseph New American Bible of 1970 had "he was six and a half feet tall", thus following the corrupt Greek Septuagint reading and rejecting the Hebrew text. We also can see the newest Catholic version called The Catholic Public Domain Bible of 2009 and it also has gone back to the Hebrew reading and says: "whose height was six cubits and a palm."

For more examples of corrupt numerical readings see Scatterbrained Septuagint Silliness here - http://brandplucked.webs.com/scatterbrainseptuagint.htm

Will Kinney]]> <![CDATA[Joyful During Trials]]> http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7574.html Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:27:01 +0000 http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7574.html Saturday, January 28, 2012

by Dr. Paul Chappell

"Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture."

Psalm 100:1-3

In June of 2002, things went terribly wrong for missionaries Martin and Gracia Brunham as the couple were captured by the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group in the Philippines. The terrorists kept the Brunhams in jungle captivity for 376 days while the Philippine army pursued the terrorists and eventually surrounded the group. As the Scout Rangers opened fire, Martin and Gracia sought shelter. Both were caught in crossfire. Gracia was shot in the leg, but Martin was fatally hit in the chest. After being taken back to the States, Gracia shared how just before the shootout and while both were in captivity, Martin told her, "The Bible says to serve the Lord with gladness. Let's go out all the way. Let's serve Him all the way with gladness."

Most of us will never know the level of persecution and terror that Martin and Gacia Brunham experienced, yet we all face trials and difficult times in life.

Our trials might come in the form of a wayward child, a lost job, a health crisis, a cross-country move, a dying loved one, a financial meltdown, or another burden to carry. The unsaved person has no hope during trials and is left to face them alone, but as God's children, we have reason to rejoice in even the darkest of nights.

Whatever your trial, you can still rejoice even through the pain. Psalm 100 tells us to serve the Lord with gladness and approach God with singing. Those commands aren't based on how well life is working out for us, but based on the inherent goodness of our God.

Spend time praising God today despite whatever trials you face.

Today's Rooted Principle:
God deserves praise based on Who He is regardless of what is happening in your life.]]> Saturday, January 28, 2012

by Dr. Paul Chappell

"Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture."

Psalm 100:1-3

In June of 2002, things went terribly wrong for missionaries Martin and Gracia Brunham as the couple were captured by the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group in the Philippines. The terrorists kept the Brunhams in jungle captivity for 376 days while the Philippine army pursued the terrorists and eventually surrounded the group. As the Scout Rangers opened fire, Martin and Gracia sought shelter. Both were caught in crossfire. Gracia was shot in the leg, but Martin was fatally hit in the chest. After being taken back to the States, Gracia shared how just before the shootout and while both were in captivity, Martin told her, "The Bible says to serve the Lord with gladness. Let's go out all the way. Let's serve Him all the way with gladness."

Most of us will never know the level of persecution and terror that Martin and Gacia Brunham experienced, yet we all face trials and difficult times in life.

Our trials might come in the form of a wayward child, a lost job, a health crisis, a cross-country move, a dying loved one, a financial meltdown, or another burden to carry. The unsaved person has no hope during trials and is left to face them alone, but as God's children, we have reason to rejoice in even the darkest of nights.

Whatever your trial, you can still rejoice even through the pain. Psalm 100 tells us to serve the Lord with gladness and approach God with singing. Those commands aren't based on how well life is working out for us, but based on the inherent goodness of our God.

Spend time praising God today despite whatever trials you face.

Today's Rooted Principle:
God deserves praise based on Who He is regardless of what is happening in your life.]]> <![CDATA[Crow Troll]]> http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7573.html Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:50:31 +0000 http://www.avbbf.com/forum/thread-7573.html



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