Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
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Vol. 43 No. 11
Bulletin
“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17) November 2019
A Sacrifice of
Thanksgiving
By Dr. Peter S. Ruckman when a nation ceases to be thankful,
“Enter into his gates with that God turns the people “over to
thanksgiving, and into his courts a reprobate mind” and “vile affec-
with praise: be thankful unto him, tions” to the point where men are
and bless his name” (Psa. 100:4). fornicating with men and women with
“Oh that men would praise the women.
LORD for his goodness, and for When this country started out as a
his wonderful works to the children nation, the cry was: “Give me liberty
of men! And let them sacrifice the or give me death!” After World War I,
sacrifices of thanksgiving, and it changed to: “Give me liberty!” By
declare his works with rejoicing” time the 60s rolled around, it was
(Psa. 107:21–22). just: “Give me!” Nevertheless, the
“By him therefore let us offer Christian is to be thankful for certain
the sacrifice of praise to God con- things regardless of how the lost
tinually, that is, the fruit of our lips world thinks.
giving thanks to his name” (Heb. First of all, a Christian should thank
13:15). God he can “Serve the LORD with
Thanksgiving is mentioned in gladness” (Psa. 100:2). It is not
both Testaments. In 1 Thessalonians always easy to serve your employer
5:18, Paul commands the Christian with gladness. It is certainly not easy
to “give thanks” because it is God’s to serve the government with glad-
will for him to do so. Giving thanks is ness. Once the personal income
called a sacrifice because many times tax and the Federal Reserve Act got
being thankful in certain situations foisted on the American people, and
can hurt you. If you haven’t learned once the Civil Rights Act got shoved
it already, you will: there are times through, Americans have been forced
when it is difficult to thank God. to support things with their tax money
Ever since FDR’s “New Deal,” they wouldn’t support if they had a
Americans have been an ungrateful choice and to associate with people
people. A welfare state where the with whom they don’t want to asso-
government takes care of you tends ciate. You have lost the freedom of
to breed an attitude of entitlement: association in this country.
“the world owes me a living.” With It’s not easy to serve an outfit like
Bible reading and prayer out of the that, but you can “Serve the LORD
schools, and evolution and sex edu- with gladness.” Any good thing
cation in, Americans no longer see about this country isn’t because of
“Every good gift” as coming from capitalism or the form of government.
God (James 1:17). It’s because there are still Christians
That’s the reason this country has that love the Lord, believe the Book,
been overrun by faggots, queers, and pray. You folks that have illusions
dykes, lesbians, and crossdressers. about why this country is still a great
You are told in Romans 1:21–28 that Continued on 3
BIBLE BELIEVERS’ BULLETIN November 2019 Page 3
A Sacrifice of
Thanksgiving
Continued from 2 me the truth,” he said. “I didn’t ask
country in which to live haven’t done you that,” I told him; “I asked you what
much traveling. God takes those did he do for you?” “I don’t under-
countries that are filled with idols; and stand,” he said. I replied, “My Prophet
He wipes out the crops with drought, loved me enough to die for me. What
with monsoons, with typhoons, with did your ‘prophet’ ever do for you?”
earthquakes, with floods, with volca- The guy didn’t say anything because
noes, etc. Those people don’t have his “prophet” did nothing for him.
the Bible readily available to them; I have told that story in many a
Bibles are hard to get. The saved prison where the Black Muslims were
people in those countries make up working over the black Christians
a staggering minority. I’m not talking in that place to get them to convert.
about churches that have a sign up When I did, the light went on for
with Mary saying, “Come unto ME, those colored brethren. They “got it”
all ye that labor and are heavy laden” because they knew something about
(a blasphemous misappropriation of love that no Black Muslim knows.
Matt. 11:28) or with statues of Mary “Herein is love, not that we
standing with her foot on the head loved God, but that he loved us,
of the serpent (a perversion of Gen. and sent his Son to be the propitia-
3:15 and Rom. 16:20). That’s an tion for our sins” (1 John 4:10).
idolatrous church; it’s not a church of How are you going to talk to folks
saved people. about “love” when you don’t know
When Donald Grey Barnhouse was anyone who loved you enough to die
over in Japan, he asked a Japanese for you?
young lady who waited on him, “What “Greater love hath no man than
religion do you follow?” The girl said, this, that a man lay down his life for
“I follow Buddha.” “And do you love his friends” (John 15:13).
Buddha?” asked Barnhouse. The girl Do you know anyone who loved
gave a perplexed look and replied, “I you enough to die for you? Who was
don’t know. I’ve never thought of love it? Not Mohammed. Not Buddha.
in connection with religion.” Not Mary. The Lord I serve loved me
You’re going to get the world to- enough to die for me when I wasn’t
gether around “love,” are you? Why, even His friend (Rom. 5:6–10); the
these people talking about “love, love, same goes for you. When you have
love,” don’t even know what love is. a Boss who loved you enough to die
Moslems know nothing about love; all for you, are you going to have a hard
they know is sex and killing. time working for Him? I don’t think so.
I have given this illustration before, Second, you can thank God you
but it is worth repeating. I had a Mos- are not the product of evolution. “It
lem back in my office one time, and is HE [i.e., God] that hath made us,
I asked him what his “prophet”—Mo- and not we ourselves” (Psa. 100:3).
hammed—ever did for him. “He gave Continued on 4
Page 4 November 2019 BIBLE BELIEVERS’ BULLETIN
A Sacrifice of
Thanksgiving
Continued from 3 they believe.
There are no monkeys in my “family People are justifying their adultery,
tree”; if there are in yours, that’s your fornication, and sex perversion on
problem. the fact that animals do those things.
“I am not the product of amoeba Well, if all you are is an evolved
and sod, animal, I guess you have a point.
Or a shuttle thread in the loom of Animals eat their young too, in some
fate; instances. Are you going to do that?
But a born-again son of the living They do in China: they have restau-
God rants that serve meat from aborted
With eternity for my vast estate. babies. There is your “evolved ani-
mal”: he’s right back in the jungle with
“I’m not the action of cosmic night the cannibals.
Or a thing of chance that turned Listen, if evolution is true, why
into man; would you need science or education
But a deathless soul, an upward to “progress”? No amoeba needed
flight, science or education to crawl out of
And an heir to my Father’s perfect the “primordial ooze.” No fish had to
plan.” have science or education to walk
out of the ocean onto land. No ape
If I can’t thank God for anything, needed to be educated or advance
I can thank Him for that. It always scientifically to become a man. If
amazes me the fit some people make evolution is automatic, why would you
when a certain group of people are need science or education to move on
called “apes” or “gorillas” or “mon- up to the next level?
keys.” Why, that is what the govern- Why would you assume “change”
ment teaches them they are in the is “progress”? Why would you think
public schools—just advanced chim- man’s mind is getting better instead
panzees. Well, if that be the case, of worse? After all, it has been wrong
why do you object to them (or anyone before. I can find every dirty, rotten
else for that matter) being called what thing any man has ever thought or
they are? People have a fit when I call practiced justified by someone else
the pope a “monkey man.” Well, that’s in writing; even sadism and masoch-
what he is if “Genesis is a myth” like ism. You call that “progress,” do you?
he says (John Paul II). The current Nietzsche did. He taught you need to
position of the Catholic Church is that get rid of all morality and all restraint
Genesis 1–11 has to be interpreted to become a “superman.” Hitler killed
in light of evolutionary theory. If that twelve million people trying to be-
is so, then the whole lot of them from come the “master race.” Stalin killed
the popes to the cardinals, bishops, twenty million; Mao killed 45 million.
and priests are all monkey men. They all believed in evolution.
Why? Because that’s what they said Continued on 5
BIBLE BELIEVERS’ BULLETIN November 2019 Page 5
A Sacrifice of
Thanksgiving
Continued from 4 lot faster than running or walking? If
In 1991, scientists digging around you had kept your fur, you wouldn’t
in Africa found a jawbone they have to wear coats, and you would be
claimed belonged to a transitional ani- warmer in the winter. Evolution is one
mal between apes and men; that is, of the most convoluted explanations
IF the dating held up, it MIGHT repre- of how you got here the way you are
sent the sort of animal that MAY have that you will ever read.
been the transition between apes and In the Bible, the thing that sets you
men. That’s what the monkey men apart from the animals is that man
who monkeyed around in the dirt said was originally created in the image
about the bones they were monkey- of God (Gen. 1:26–27), and even in
ing with. Thank God I don’t have to his fallen state where that image has
rely on ifs, mights, and maybes that been marred, he still bears God’s
change once the scientists find out “similitude” (James 3:9). You can
they were wrong. Thank God I know thank God for that.
who made me, and it wasn’t Gaia or Next, you can thank God that you
“Mother Nature.” have a Good Shepherd: “we are his
Think about it for a minute: what people, and the sheep of his pas-
is the goal or objective in life if ev- ture” (Psa. 100:3). “The LORD is my
erything is just random chance. If shepherd; I shall not want” (Psa.
there is no purpose behind you being 23:1). I have a Shepherd who knows
here (and there is none if everything me personally (John 10:14) and loved
is the product of a cosmic explosion me enough to die for me (John 10:11).
in which random atoms just hap- Buddha wouldn’t die for any of his fol-
pened to assemble into the universe lowers; he wouldn’t even work to sup-
as we know it) what are you doing? port his own wife. He stopped working
Everything’s an accident: success, and went out and sat under a Bo tree
failure, looks, health, sickness, pov- for twenty years and let his family go
erty, wealth, peace, violence. There’s to pieces. When I wander out of the
no rhyme nor reason to anything; it’s way, a Shepherd’s crook gently draws
nothing but a cosmic “crap shoot.” me back; I don’t have someone of my
Evolutionists are as sharp as a own religion waiting to kill me like the
pound of wet liver. “Men are superior Moslems do.
to the animals because we lost all our I have never met someone who
useless appendages.” Why, animals could honestly say he was sorry the
are far superior to man in many ways. Good Shepherd found him. Of course,
Wouldn’t you like to be able to stay nowadays with just about everyone
under water for a long time; wouldn’t being in the sorry moral condition they
that make fishing a lot easier than are, you might have someone stupid
SCUBA tanks or deep-diving suits? enough to try it, but I guarantee you,
Wouldn’t you like to be able to fly? he would be one of the biggest liars
Wouldn’t that make getting places a Continued on 6
Page 6 November 2019 BIBLE BELIEVERS’ BULLETIN
A Sacrifice of
Thanksgiving
Continued from 5 (Matt. 24:35).
you ever met. In my 62 years in the Do you own a copy of the Book?
ministry, I have never met a man, Then you had better thank God for it.
woman, or child who was saved say, There are at least 52 countries where
“I have a bad Shepherd, and I regret the Bible is either banned completely
trusting Christ as my Saviour.” I have or made difficult by the government to
never heard anyone say it under the obtain. Bibles are banned completely
worst of circumstances; not even in Saudi Arabia. The Moslem govern-
when God took the person’s children ment of Iran shut down the Bible soci-
or burned down his house. ety in that country. In Afghanistan, the
The Good Shepherd provides for U.S. military will burn Bibles sent to
His sheep. He’s the one who bakes our boys who are Christians and want
the biscuits and makes the gravy: to witness to the Afghanis; the Mos-
“Thou preparest a table before me lems will burn you if they catch you
in the presence of mine enemies” translating or distributing the Bible.
(Psa. 23:5). In China, during the “Cultural Rev-
If you can’t get to sleep at night, olution,” the communists came to take
don’t count sheep; talk to the Shep- one woman’s Bible away from her,
herd. When I go to bed, I let the and that sister clutched it so tightly
Shepherd talk to me: I have the Bible that one soldier had to stomp it out
on CD, and I play it and fall asleep of her hand to make her let go. Her
listening to it. hand never did heal right. She went
And that brings me to this point: through the rest of her life with a de-
you can thank God for His word. formed hand because that Book was
Psalm 100:5 says, “his truth en- the most precious thing she owned.
dureth to all generations.” What Do you have a Bible? You had better
is God’s “truth” that endures “to all read it and cherish it and thank God
generations”? It’s His word. for it while you still can. The day will
“Sanctify them through thy come when the Marxists in this coun-
truth: thy word is truth” (John try will come to take it from you like
17:17). they did that sister.
“For all flesh is as grass, and Right now, the government doesn’t
all the glory of man as the flower want you reading it at school; it
of grass. The grass withereth, and doesn’t want you exposed to it in
the flower thereof falleth away: But public buildings. The atheists are try-
the word of the Lord endureth for ing to get rid of it in the hotel rooms.
ever. And this is the word which by There have even been instances
the gospel is preached unto you” on college campuses where Bibles
(1 Pet. 1:24–25). have been removed from Christian
I thank God that when this uni- chapels. Well, if the government and
verse is a smoldering ember (2 Pet. the Marxists and the atheists are go-
3:10–12), the Book will still be around Continued on 7
BIBLE BELIEVERS’ BULLETIN November 2019 Page 7
A Sacrifice of
Thanksgiving
Continued from 6 The Book is a pillow fit for a king to
ing to take our Bibles from us, what die on. I read about some redneck up
better book are they going to give us in Valdosta, Georgia whom the doc-
in its place? Origin of Species? The tors gave two years to live. He stuffed
Communist Manifesto? Das Kapital? his pillowcase with torn-out pages
Don’t be funny. None of those books of used Bibles and used that for his
give the solution to sin, death, or the pillow. He ended up living four years
afterlife. In the systems of Darwin more than the doctors expected.
and Marx, all you are is an advanced How’s that for “superstition”?
animal clawing your way up the evo- The infidel Bob Ingersoll said,
lutionary or economic ladder by tooth “What has religion to do with facts or
and claw—the law of the jungle. Ac- science? Nothing but hindered delay
cording to Nietzsche, you are either and embarrassment. I want to free the
master or slave. schools and politicians from religion.
I thank God I have a Book that Christ was an infidel in His time.”
tells me who the real Master is and That’s a God-hating, Bible-denying
how I can be His slave. I had rather infidel fashioning a “Jesus Christ”
serve Jesus Christ than some bum after his own likeness.
like Marx, Darwin, Nietzsche, Lincoln, Here’s the atheist woman who
Stalin, Hitler, Pope John Paul II, Len- got prayer and Bible reading out of
in, Pol Pot, FDR, JFK, Mandela, “Slick the public schools—Madalyn Murray
Willie,” “Winnie-the-Pooh” Churchill, O’Hair: “This day I led religious Ameri-
or Obama. ca out of belief in God to the promised
A fellow said to me once in an ar- land of atheism.” The son she used in
gument, “Ruckman, you believe that the court cases against Bible reading
Bible because you don’t know any and prayer in the schools ended up
better.” AMEN! That’s right. I don’t getting saved and left her. She ended
know any better. Up until the time my up being murdered by one of the em-
eyes were giving me problems due to ployees in her atheist organization.
macular degeneration, I had read a Some “promised land” there, huh?
book a day since I was ten years old. Atheism is about as useful as a
I never read any other book that was parachute in a submarine. When the
like the Bible. If you know one, give it time comes for you to die, what good
to me, I’ll check it out. I’m open-mind- is it going to do you to believe there is
ed, man, unlike some people. Some no God? Be practical about the mat-
people’s minds are shut tight with the ter: what comfort or satisfaction is it
lock rusted and the key thrown away. to die believing God doesn’t exist? It
I’ll give up this blessed Book when didn’t do someone like Voltaire any
I have no sins to confess. I’ll give it good. He was an atheist, but when
up when I no longer have griefs to go it came time to die, he said to the at-
through. I’ll give it up when I have no tending physician, “I am abandoned
more needs, and not one day before. Continued on 8
Page 8 November 2019 BIBLE BELIEVERS’ BULLETIN
A Sacrifice of
Thanksgiving
Continued from 7 God for it.
by God and man. I will give you half Finally, you can thank God that
of what I am worth if you will give me you have a God worth singing about:
six months of life. Then I shall go to “come before his presence with
hell, and you will go with me. Oh, singing” (Psa. 100:2). It is the lack
Christ! Oh, Jesus Christ!” That fellow of songs that mark out dead religions.
found out too late that his atheism You can always tell a worthless deity
was worthless. by the size of his songbook. Martin
The only book for which there is Luther King was like Jesus Christ,
any universal demand is the Bible. was he? Where are the songs about
Over a billion copies of the King him? Someone tried it with Obama
James Bible were distributed before when he got elected president: some
1960; the NIV and ESV couldn’t com- dumb, stupid public school teacher
pete, even if they did top the sales had her class chanting some praise
charts in a single year. Some part of song to Obama. It went over like a
the Bible has been translated in over lead balloon, and you never heard it
2,200 languages; the Koran couldn’t again.
come close. There is no universal No Moslem sings about Allah or
demand for the Koran. If it weren’t for Mohammed. I have repeated that
an oil-rich country like Saudi Arabia claim several times, and someone
financing its distribution, it would be finally told me there was some song
practically a dead book outside of the about Mohammed. Only one?! He’s
Islamic religion. Over in Pakistan, the Allah’s final “prophet” and the perfect
Moslems think so little of their “holy example for all men, and there’s only
book” that the excess pages from the one song about him? Why, I have a
printers are thrown into the town’s hymn book with 500 in it (if you don’t
sewer system. count the patriotic songs) about Jesus
Of the world’s most expensive Christ. I could produce four more that
books, five of them are connected have an additional 100 not found in
with the Bible: the St. Cuthbert Gos- the first one. That’s 600 about Jesus
pel—$14.3 million, the Bay Psalm Christ and only one about Moham-
Book—$14.2 million, the Gospels of med. Moslems must not think much
Henry the Lion—$11.7 million, the of their “prophet”; he must not have
Gutenberg Bible—$4.9 million, the done anything for them worthy of
“Pauper’s Bible”—$2.42 million. Over song.
in China, Christians have been known Be thankful! I had a friend named
to sell their house to get a copy of Joe Voxx. Joe was a German who
the Bible. And in the Dark Ages and came over here after World War II and
the Reformation (and in many places joined the American Army and fought
around the world today), Christians over in Korea to get his U.S. citizen-
have given their lives to possess a ship. It was Christmas time, and Joe’s
Bible. Do you have one? Then thank Continued on 9
BIBLE BELIEVERS’ BULLETIN November 2019 Page 9
A Sacrifice of
Thanksgiving
Continued from 8 Mrs. Salter. She was flat on her back
unit was out in that freezing weather. in bed for 25 years. I never visited
The unit got canned turkey for Christ- her when she didn’t have the victory.
mas dinner, and the guys were hav- I would say, “Mrs. Salter, let me hear
ing to hack the cans open with their you praise the Lord.” She would say
bayonets and then hack the meat out at the top of her lungs, as loudly as
as well because it was frozen by the she could, “PRAISE THE LORD!” She
weather. The captain came around said it a lot louder than some of you
checking on his men. Most of them do, walking around on two good feet
were bellyaching about something. and playing sports. “God bless you,
He came to Joe who was hacking out Mrs. Salter. I wish I had 200 more just
a drumstick with his bayonet. like you.” That’s the business.
“How you doing, Joe?” said the Christian, if you have nothing else
captain. for which to thank God, you can thank
“Aw, captain,” said Joe, “this is the Him that you’re not going to hell.
best food a soldier ever had. We nev- That’s something, isn’t it? Aren’t you
er ate like this back in Germany. This glad you won’t spend eternity burn-
is great! Merry Christmas, captain!” ing? I sure am, brother.
That captain just beamed. He When I got saved, I thanked God
slapped Joe on the back and said, for the first time that I wasn’t headed
“God bless you, Joe. I wish I had 200 for hell. That’s all I knew. It never oc-
more just like you.” curred to me that I was now headed
Christian, wouldn’t you like the for heaven. When I found that out,
Lord to feel that way about you? it was like icing on the cake and
Well, it takes a thankful heart in the whipped cream on the sundae. No
worst of circumstances to generate hell, and heaven too! WELL GLORY!
that kind of praise from your Captain
(Heb. 2:10). Anyone can be thank- “Year ago, when I
ful when everything’s going great Was just a little lad.
and his belly is full and he’s in good An’ after school used to work
health and all the bills are paid. Can Around the farm with Dad,
you thank the Lord when the kids are I used to be so wearied out
sick, the electric company is about When eventide was come,
to turn off the lights, the car needs a That I got kind of anxious-like
major repair, the diagnosis is cancer, About the journey home;
all there is to go on the table is black- But, Dad, he used to lead the way,
eyed peas, etc.? That’s the time to An’ once in awhile turn round an’
praise the Lord; that shows Him that say,
you love Him and not just the things So cheerin’ like, so tender, ‘Come!
He gives you. Come on, my son, you’re nearly
There was a sister here in a nurs- home!’
ing home in Pensacola; her name was Continued on 10
Page 10 November 2019 BIBLE BELIEVERS’ BULLETIN
A Sacrifice of
Thanksgiving
Continued from 9 But still my Father leads the way,
That always used to help me An’ once in awhile I hear Him say,
some; So cheerin’ like, so tender, ‘Come!
An’ so I followed Father home. Come on, my son, you’re nearly
home!’
“I’m old an’ gray an’ feeble now, An’ same as then, that helps me
An’ trembly at the knee. some,
But life seems just the same today And so I’m following Father home.”
As then it seemed to me. “Following Father Home,” by John
For while I am still so wearied out Talman
When eventide is come,
An’ still get kinder anxious-like Thank God I know where I’m going,
About the journey home, and I know who’s taking me there.
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BIBLE BELIEVERS’ BULLETIN November 2019 Page 11
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Page 16 November 2019 BIBLE BELIEVERS’ BULLETIN
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Page 20 November 2019 BIBLE BELIEVERS’ BULLETIN
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Page 24 November 2019 BIBLE BELIEVERS’ BULLETIN
A Sore Wound
By Robert Militello enjoyed the bounty of this nation will
“In every thing give thanks: for offer up a prayer of gratitude. A rare
this is the will of God in Christ sight today is a grateful soul praying
Jesus concerning you” (1 Thess. before eating in a restaurant. It should
5:18). bring conviction to those who don’t
Teaching children the importance of pray, but don’t count on it. Abundance
saying “Thank you” was a duty every has spoiled America. We have never
parent understood. A thank you from experienced famine; therefore, every
a child puts a smile on the face of ev- day is a thanksgiving day for those
ery adult who receives one. Failing to who had parents that taught them to
show appreciation for a kindness giv- say, “Thank you.”
en us warps our souls in ways which “What shall I render unto the
are not at first noticeable. This serious LORD for all his benefits toward
deficiency in character development me?” (Psa. 116:12).
is clear evidence that our society has Good question, amen? Well, the
been sickened by a prevailing attitude answer is obvious—service! If you
of entitlement. Our willingness to con- have been put in Christ’s body, you
sider the idea that God has a claim on have a sacred obligation to help nour-
our lives is not popular. ish that body. To render holy service to
Paul was told how things would be the Lord, you first need to put some-
just before the body of Christ goes up thing on the altar of sacrifice.
(Tit. 2:13): “For men shall be lovers “I beseech you therefore, breth-
of their own selves” (2 Tim. 3:2). No ren, by the mercies of God, that you
surprise here because self desires present your bodies a living sacri-
to rule the heart alone. The apostle fice, holy, acceptable unto God,
to the Gentiles lists eighteen charac- which is your reasonable service”
teristics of social degeneration, and (Rom. 12:1).
the seventh on his list is “unthank- In light of what was done for you
ful.” That trait is sandwiched between personally at Calvary is the Lord ask-
“disobedient to parents” and “un- ing too much? With words, we profess
holy.” From this, it is easy to see how to love God, but our deeds too often
rebellion in a child left uncorrected make our words vain. It’s no easy thing
spawns unthankfulness and later, un- for a Christian to live with a bad con-
holiness. Don’t expect any of this to science. Don’t expect the Holy Spirit
be explained in child psychology text- to give you the peace that “passeth
books or courses on sociology. Our all understanding” (Phil. 4:7) without
educational system dumped the word surrendering to His control. Much for
of God a long time ago. what we often pray is kept back from
Unthankful and evil people expe- us because of our refusal to submit.
rience God’s kindness according to “If I regard iniquity in my heart,
Luke 6:35, but unless that kindness is the Lord will not hear me” (Psa.
a narrow escape from injury or death, 66:18).
few bother to say “Thank you, Lord.” I don’t believe that verse needs to
Thanksgiving may be the only time be understood in any way other than
of the year when millions who have Continued on 25
BIBLE BELIEVERS’ BULLETIN November 2019 Page 25
A Sore Wound
Continued from 24 place at the Lord’s table. When medi-
what it plainly states. A servant with tating upon this truth, the heart of a
dirty hands should not be waiting on Christian ought to burst with gratitude.
tables. Amen? Does it, brother?
“And one of them, when he saw Lost sinners have experienced
that he was healed, turned back, God’s mercies countless times, even
and with a loud voice glorified God, before entering into the adult world.
And fell down on his face at his feet, They know that much of their devil-
GIVING HIM THANKS: and he was ment has gone unpunished. Sadly,
a Samaritan. And Jesus answering this often emboldens the sinner to
said, Were there not ten cleansed? continue on a course of rebellion. This
but WHERE ARE THE NINE?” (Luke leads eventually to a disastrous loss
17:15–17). of the fear of God. What will the end
The one leper who was obviously result of this be? It could be myriad
raised right was given something the health issues, jail time, or early death;
other nine who disappeared were not. sin has consequences.
“And he said unto him, Arise, go “Because that, when they knew
thy way: thy faith hath made thee God, they glorified him not as God,
whole” (Luke 17:19). NEITHER WERE THANKFUL, but
Thankfulness made this man became vain in their imaginations,
whole—body, soul, and spirit. That’s and their foolish heart was dark-
what real gratitude does for a Chris- ened” (Rom. 1:21).
tian. It sanctifies him, enabling him to We know there is a God because
render quality service to his benefac- creation testifies to His existence.
tor. Isn’t that what we strive for? What we do not see at first is His holi-
A leper’s body is like a rotting ness.
corpse. It stinks and appears gro- “And the light shineth in dark-
tesque in its later stages. No one ness; and the darkness compre-
wants to go near the body of a leper hended it not” (John 1:5).
because it is contagious. Sin in our As our God-given conscience be-
hearts has made us lepers in the gins to work in our hearts and minds,
eyes of God. God’s holiness is re- we come to a fork in the road. How
pelled by the putrefying sores in our will we react to a God who now re-
soul. “Thou art of purer eyes than veals Himself not just as the Creator,
to behold evil, and canst not look but also as a moral being? Are we
on iniquity” (Hab. 1:13). Sinners in thankful for a God that has clear lines
America lead hopeless lives cut off of right and wrong? If not, you begin
from the love of God. How can they to understand why there are so many
know this unless a faithful witness perverts and sexual deviants in these
shows them the scripture? Religion last days.
is no cure for the leprosy of the soul. “And even as they did not like
A leopard can’t change his spots (Jer. to retain God in their knowledge,
13:23) unless a miracle occurs. The God gave them over to a reprobate
new birth is such a miracle. It takes us mind, to do those things which are
from the leper colony of sinners to a Continued on 26
Page 26 November 2019 BIBLE BELIEVERS’ BULLETIN
A Sore Wound
Continued from 25 to report that a rebel was now a broth-
not convenient” (Rom. 1:28). er in the Lord. Christians ought to re-
How thankful I am for a Book God joice over a conversion regardless of
gave me to better understand how and how they might feel personally toward
why this world I live in has become so a new brother or sister who may have
corrupt. How does a Christian justify wounded them in the past. When you
keeping that Book closed day after nourish your hurts, you open the door
day while clutching a smartphone that to bitterness, and your walk with the
he or she cannot now be without? Lord becomes a chore and not a joy.
What kind of intense interrogation will Paul expected Philemon to be
we be subjected to at the Lord’s judg- more than a hearer of the word, but
ment seat? That thought should terrify a doer also. “Having confidence in
you, and if it doesn’t, you don’t really thy obedience I wrote unto thee”
own the phone that is in your pocket (Phile. 21). Paul could have exer-
or purse. It owns you! cised his authority and commanded
“Now therefore thus saith the obedience on Philemon’s part, but he
LORD of hosts; Consider your judged otherwise.
ways” (Hag. 1:5). “Wherefore, though I might be
And for slow learners, the Lord re- much bold in Christ to ENJOIN
peats this exhortation again in verse THEE THAT WHICH IS CONVE-
7. Consider how thankful we ought to NIENT, Yet for LOVE’S SAKE I
be in light of what we have in the per- rather beseech thee, being such an
son of Jesus Christ. one as Paul the aged, and now also
“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and a prisoner of Jesus Christ” (Phile.
FORGET NOT ALL HIS BENEFITS” 8–9).
(Psa. 103:2). Paul prefers beseeching over com-
“It is of the LORD’s mercies that manding, as shown in Romans 12:1
we are not consumed, because HIS regarding how we are to serve the
COMPASSIONS FAIL NOT. They Lord. Nevertheless, in other places
are new every morning: great is thy (see 2 Thess. 3:6–14 for example),
faithfulness” (Lam. 3:22–23). the apostle to the Gentiles doesn’t
We get a fresh supply of grace ev- hesitate to pull rank. See Luke 6:46
ery day we wake up. Our God doesn’t for more light regarding our duty.
serve His children leftovers, and yes- We are debtors, and because of
terday’s prayer of thanksgiving is not the flesh, we need to be reminded as
sufficient for today. to who owes whom and how much we
It pleased the Holy Spirit to close owe. Paul tactfully reminds Philemon,
out Paul’s letters to Christians with a “If thou count me therefore a part-
lesson on indebtedness. Paul leans on ner, receive him as myself” (Phile.
Philemon, a rich Christian in Colosse, 17). He doesn’t stop there. “If he hath
to do the right thing regarding Onesi- wronged thee, or oweth thee ought,
mus. Paul, while in jail, led Onesimus put that on mine account” (Phile.
to the Lord and wanted Philemon to 18). Then in verse 19, Paul the aged
take him back after Onesimus had (Phile. 9), uses the knife that a plain-
quit on his employer. Paul was happy Continued on 27
BIBLE BELIEVERS’ BULLETIN November 2019 Page 27
A Sore Wound
Continued from 26 teach the value of gratitude. Parents
speaking Jew resorts to when dealing who raise their children without ever
with a Gentile who may be slow in teaching them why Jesus came from
sizing up the situation: “I Paul have heaven to suffer and die are building
written it with mine own hand, I will a house without a foundation. Later, to
repay it: ALBEIT I DO NOT SAY TO their regret, some will see the damage
THEE HOW THOU OWEST UNTO done by their neglect. Christians who
ME EVEN THINE OWN SELF BE- lament the Supreme Court decisions
SIDES.” In other words, “Pay up, or to outlaw prayer and Bible reading
I will put you down in my little black in the public schools did not see that
book—O.K.?” the Lord was using the court to fix re-
We can never repay the Lord for sponsibility on the parents and not the
our salvation, and He knows that. state. The Holy Spirit within us is our
Nevertheless, our lives must be a con- teacher, but if a parent won’t open the
tinual thank offering in order to avoid Bible, the Lord’s textbook, what will he
the entitlement mentality that affects or she teach from?
the society around us, more so now To help cultivate a spirit of genuine
than ever before. thanksgiving, there are some verses
What the Lord has, which we do that should be memorized.
not have because of sin, is a limitless “He hath not dealt with us after
capacity to forgive. our sins; nor rewarded us accord-
“Then came Peter to him, and ing to our iniquities” (Psa. 103:10).
said, Lord, how oft shall my brother How’s that for a starter? We like
sin against me, and I forgive him? to be thanked by those to whom we
till seven times? Jesus saith unto show special favor. Is there a greater
him, I say not unto thee, Until sev- gift than salvation? We did nothing to
en times: but, Until seventy times earn God’s favor, yet here we are al-
seven” (Matt. 18:21–22). ready seated “in heavenly places”
How would you have reacted to according to Ephesians 2:6. We have
that admonishment? Readiness to God’s promise that we shall escape
forgive is a clear manifestation of the the horrible judgments that will come
beauty of the Holy Spirit within a be- upon the world in the great tribulation.
liever. Would to God we see more of Imagine a violent tornado smashing
that in these last days. If thanksgiv- everything around your home and yet
ing is not demonstrated by deeds, miraculously missing your house. You
what good are the words “Thank you, would be talking about the mercy God
Lord”? There is much a child can do showed you for the rest of your life,
to grieve a loving parent. Children dis- and who could blame you? Today,
obey, lie at times, refuse to apologize, folks have become so self-absorbed
and possess an aversion to sharing that the mercies of God are quickly
which can make parenting extremely forgotten, but the tendency to com-
challenging. If you have raised chil- plain when things don’t go well seems
dren, you understand this. Still, what to abound more and more.
wounds a parent worst of all is a Sometimes, not always, the Lord
child spoiled by the parents’ failure to Continued on 28
Page 28 November 2019 BIBLE BELIEVERS’ BULLETIN
A Sore Wound
Continued from 27 injured, and in one passenger car, a
lets you see the wisdom of giving dozen commuters suffered severe
thanks in everything (1 Thess. 5:18), injuries. Ambulances were on the
especially when your faith needs a scene. It so happens that the car that
boost. Some years ago, a Christian was most badly mangled was the
man saved for only a short time had car our Christian brother would have
an experience that brought him to his been sitting in. How many times has
knees thanking God for sparing him. the Lord graciously detoured us away
This man was about to start a new from danger, and we didn’t know that
job that he had prayed for many days He did. This Christian needed this
and nights. Like a child on Christmas experience to grow in faith and learn
morning, he awoke early, giving him- why we are told to give thanks in ev-
self ample time to catch his commut- erything.
er train—such was his excitement. I’m certain that when we get home
While driving to the “Park-and-Ride” to glory, we will see all the remarkable
at the railroad station, he realized deliverances we were granted by a
that he forgot a personnel form that loving and caring Father. Sometimes,
he needed to hand in. He drove back the Lord lets us see those mercies
to his house, picked up his paper, while we are here, but for each one
and not heeding the speed limit, re- we see, there may be thousands that
turned to the station, parked, and ran were unknown to us. The care the
to the platform. The train had just ar- Lord exercises over His saints can-
rived, and the doors were closing. He not be fathomed by our finite minds.
missed his train by no more than a It’s wicked to question His great love
half a minute. To say he was crushed for us. Look at the butchered Lamb of
is an understatement. The Lord who God hanging on that cross for you and
had answered his prayer and put a me; then question His dealings with
song of praise in his heart, didn’t help you. What do we really know about
him to make his train. Why? God’s love? Very, very little, I dare
He cried to God, begging for an say.
explanation. Would you have been What bedeviled the Jews in the
thanking God if you were that man? wilderness after being rescued from
Well, he waited for the next train to the cruelty of the Pharaoh? The Red
the city, expecting it to arrive in fif- Sea opened for them, and they were
teen minutes. A half hour went by with saved. Our new birth is a miracle no
no train and the platform was now less spectacular than what God did
jammed with anxious and complain- through Moses. Our “Pharaoh” was
ing commuters. About forty minutes told by the Holy Ghost to release us,
after the last train had departed, the and the new life in Christ began. Our
station master made an announce- sins had purchased for us a ticket to a
ment. Power on the line was turned place of everlasting torment and fire.
off and was not likely to be restored The Lord took that ticket and nailed it
for quite a while. Radios were tuned to a tree on a hill that looked like a
to the local news station. There was skull. Moses was a good pastor, but
a derailment on the line. Scores were Continued on 29
BIBLE BELIEVERS’ BULLETIN November 2019 Page 29
A Sore Wound
Continued from 28 watch, O LORD, before my mouth;
he could not stop the Jews from mur- keep the door of my lips” (Psa.
muring and complaining. In Exodus 141:3).
chapter 15, the Jews start looking God knows the troubles that come
back. It is a high priority of the Devil our way. If our Lord tarries still, there
to stop a mouth that praises God and will be more to come. Through our tri-
turn thanksgiving into complaining. als and tribulations we are given an
Often, the transition is so smooth that opportunity to offer what are called
you are slow to realize what has hap- “the sacrifices of thanksgiving”—
pened to you. It can be a difficult habit see Psalm 107:22.
to break, as there is now so much in Job got hit as hard as any man
our society that disgusts us. “Set a Continued on 30
THE CREED OF
THE ALEXANDRIAN CULT
1. There is no final authority but God.
2. Since God is a Spirit, there is no final authority that can be seen, heard, read,
felt, or handled.
3. Since all books are material, there is no book on this earth that is the final
and absolute authority on what is right and what is wrong, what constitutes truth and
what constitutes error.
4. There WAS a series of writings one time which, IF they had all been put into a
BOOK as soon as they were written the first time, WOULD HAVE constituted an infal-
lible and final authority by which to judge truth and error.
5. However, this series of writings was lost, and the God who inspired them was
unable to preserve their content through Bible-believing Christians at Antioch
(Syria), where the first Bible teachers were (Acts 13:1), and where the first missionary
trip originated (Acts 13:1-52), and where the word “Christian” originated (Acts 11:26).
6. So God chose to ALMOST preserve them through Gnostics and philosophers
from Alexandria, Egypt, even though God called His Son OUT of Egypt (Matthew 2),
Jacob OUT of Egypt (Genesis 49), Israel OUT of Egypt (Exodus 15), and Joseph’s
bones OUT of Egypt (Exodus 13).
7. So there are two streams of Bibles. The most accurate—though, of course, there
is no final, absolute authority for determining truth and error; it is a matter of “pref-
erence”—are the Egyptian translations from Alexandria, Egypt, which are “almost the
originals,” although not quite.
8. The most inaccurate translations were those that brought about the German
Reformation (Luther, Zwingli, Boehler, Zinzendorf, Spener, et al.) and the worldwide
missionary movement of the English-speaking people: the Bible that Sunday, Torrey,
Moody, Finney, Spurgeon, Whitefield, Wesley, and Chapman used.
9. But we can “tolerate” these if those who believe in them will “tolerate” US. After
all, since there is NO ABSOLUTE AND FINAL AUTHORITY that anyone can read,
teach, preach, or handle, the whole thing is a matter of “PREFERENCE.” You may
prefer what you prefer, and we will prefer what we prefer. Let us live in peace, and if we
cannot agree on anything or everything, let us all agree on one thing: THERE IS NO
FINAL, ABSOLUTE, WRITTEN AUTHORITY OF GOD ANYWHERE ON THIS EARTH.
A Sore Wound
Continued from 29 but we see it as precious. If you allow
can: “For the thing which I greatly the cares of this life to keep you from
feared is come upon me” (Job 3:25). that Book, the Thanksgiving Day meal
After getting the news that all his chil- will do nothing more than add to your
dren were killed, he held his peace weight and force your heart to work
and did not charge “God foolishly” harder. Consider what Job had to say
(Job 1:22). What troubles can befall about eating: “I have esteemed the
us that would keep us from praising words of his mouth MORE THAN
God and offering to Him the sacrifice MY NECESSARY FOOD” (Job.
of thanksgiving. We enjoy His bounty 23:12). That should bring a good dose
every day, yet when affliction arises, of conviction to every believer pre-
and not for our sins, our countenance pared to stuff his face over turkey, all
falls, and we forget that we were not the trimmings, and whatever else will
promised sunny days continually. Re- be lifted from table to mouth.
member Job. Each year, millions of Americans
“Although the fig tree shall not who profess belief in Jesus Christ
blossom, neither shall the fruit be will sit at a table with loved ones,
in the vines; the labour of the olive relatives, friends, and neighbors en-
shall fail, and the fields shall yield joying the national holiday, and for
no meat; the flock shall be cut off many, the long weekend that follows.
from the fold, and there shall be no At a holiday table, we can taste and
herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice see that the Lord is good. Still, it was
in the LORD, I will joy in the God of at a table where Jesus sat that the
my salvation” (Hab. 3:17–18). Devil entered into Judas. Though
Godly contentment is hard to there be many who appear to be on
preach today in America. Amen? the Lord’s side, we were told that
Brethren, the day is fast approaching the tares grow alongside the stalks
when our tongues will be silent. of wheat. They look alike. When the
“So teach us to number our trump of God sounds and the saints
days, that we may apply our hearts leave for glory, there will be many
unto wisdom” (Psa. 90:12). empty seats. But many, many more
Our duty is to find out what the Lord will remain occupied by those who
would have us do and then pray for believed in Jesus, but remained lost,
the grace and strength to do it. Thank never having been born again. What
God, the Lord has not left us without a surprise it would be for America
instruction. We have a Book that this if the Lord took His bride home on
world finds distasteful and threatening, Thanksgiving Day.
RADIO LOG
ALABAMA LOUISIANA
Huntsville-Decatur Alexandria-Lafayette-Lake Charles
WBXR 1140 AM 10:30 A.M. Sat. KWDF 840 AM 9:00 A.M. Sat.
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Mobile MICHIGAN
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ARIZONA MISSISSIPPI
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7:00 A.M. Sun. NEBRASKA
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4:30 p.m. Sat. Albuquerque-Santa Fe
Lancaster KXKS 1190 AM 11:00 A.M. Sat.
KFXM 96.7 FM 7:30 A.M. Sun. KKIM 1000 AM 8:00 A.M. Sat.
kfxm.com (streaming) 7:30 A.M. Sun. NORTH CAROLINA
China Grove
COLORADO
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Aurora
Kannapolis
KLTT 670 AM 10:30 A.M. Sun.
WRKB 1460 AM 4:00 P.M. Sun.
FLORIDA
PENNSYLVANIA
Pensacola
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WNRP 1620 AM 7:30 A.M. Sun.
WWNL 1080 AM 7:00 A.M. Sun.
WNRP 92.3 FM 7:30 A.M. Sun.
WWNL 103.8 FM 7:00 A.M. Sun.
WNVY 1070 AM 4:00 P.M. Sat.
WNVY 104.5 FM 4:00 P.M. Sat.
INDIANA
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Indianapolis
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WBRI 1500 AM
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VIRGINIA
KANSAS
Richmond
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WDZY 1290 AM 7:30 A.M. Sat.
KCNW 1380 AM 6:30 P.M. Sat.
WDZY 103.3 FM 7:30 A.M. Sat.
KCNW 96.1 FM 6:30 P.M. Sat.
TV LOG
ALABAMA NEW YORK
Andalusia–Ch. 63 10:00 AM Sun. Broome—Time Warner–Ch 6 4 PM Mon. /6 PM Wed.
Covington Co.–Ch. 42 10:00 AM Sun. Buffalo–Public Access–Ch 20 5:05 PM Sun.
Opp–Ch. 59 10:00 AM Sun. Elmira–Corning–Ch 1 9:00 AM Sun.
UHF–Ch. 25 10:00 AM Sun. Farmington Time Warner–Ch 12 8:00 PM Sun.
CALIFORNIA Mid-Hudson Cable–Ch 11 3 PM Wed.
San Pedro–Cox Communications 6:30 PM Fri. Lockport–Ch 20 LCTV 1301 4:00 PM Mon.
San Diego–Cox–Ch 24 & 18 4:00 PM Wed. 10:00 PM Fri.
San Diego–Time Warner–Ch 16 Time varies Suffolk–Ch 20 12:30 PM Sun.
Woodbury–Cable Vision–Ch 7 14:00 PM Fri.
CONNECTICUT
Willimantic–Charter Comm.–Ch 192 5:30 PM Tue.
NEW MEXICO
IOWA Albuquerque Community Cable–Ch 27 5:00 PM Mon.
Dubuque–Media Com–Ch 81 Times Vary Los Alamos–PAC 8 6:00 PM Sun.
MICHIGAN
Battlecreek–Access Vision–Ch 16 2:00 PM Sat. TEXAS
Brownwood–Ch 777:00 AM Sun.
MONTANA San Angelo–Ch 55 7:00 AM Sun.
Missoula—MCAT–Ch 189, 190 2:00 PM Mon.
Page 32 November 2019 BIBLE BELIEVERS’ BULLETIN
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