Baptist Potluck

P U R I T Y

2012-02-13T10:29:00.001-08:00

Adult SS Lesson Feb. 12, 2012

P U R I T Y

Purity in general refers to bringfree from sin. Certainly this is one outstanding characteristic of Jesus’ life.Jesus has asked us to follow Him in word, deed and thought. Although we are notperfect, we can discipline ourselves to be godly. The lust of the flesh is oneof the greatest temptations that people are confronted with. Today, sexualimmorality is all but culturally acceptable. But neither God nor His commandsof right and wrong have changed. Purity among Christians is still a greatvirtue and much to be desired.

I Thessalonians 4:1-4

What is the will of God?

By whose authority is Paul expressing his commands?

What does it mean to be sanctified?

What does “vessel” refer to?

Describe how one can possess his vessel in sanctificationand honour?

II Timothy 2:20-22

List the characteristics of a vessel meet for the Master’suse.

What do you think youthful lust is?

What should we pursue?

I Corinthians 7:1

What do you think Paul meant by this statement?

Why do you think Paul made this statement?

Do you think Paul is being too strict? Why or why not?

Matthew 5:27-28

Is Jesus being too strict?

Do you think women have a responsibility in this issue? How?

How can a man avoid lusting?

How can a woman avoid being lusted after?

Do you think that there is anyone immune to impure thoughts?

II Corinthians 10:5-6

How are we to deal with immoral thoughts?

What is Paul’s suggestion to us in Philippians 4:8-9?

According to Romans12:9 what should we do and not do? Why?

James 1:13-15

When is a person tempted?

What does the expression “when lust hath conceived” mean?

According to I Corinthians 10:13 what can you do? Why?

Psalms 51:1-19

Why was David so remorseful?

Try to describe his feeling towards God as expressed inthese verses

v. 1

v. 4

v. 6

v. 7

v. 17

Try to describe his feelings towards his sin.

v. 2

v. 3

Try to describe his feeling towards himself.

v. 13

v. 14

Was David’s sin forgiven? Why?

When will God forgive us? I John 1:8-10

I N T E G R I T Y

2012-02-06T11:58:00.000-08:00

I N T E G R I T Y

Integrity describes a person’s adherence to moral values.Everyone is confronted with moral decisions. Daily we are confronted to choosebetween right and wrong, good and evil. The pressure to compromise and justifysin in our words and deeds is ever-present. But as followers of Jesus Christ wehave a responsibility to establish situations because Jesus did.

Proverbs 6:16-19

A. List the sevenabominations that the Lord hates.

B. Describe and citeexamples for each abomination.

C. What abominationsis a problem in your life?

Describe the admirable qualities of Paul in Acts20:32-35.

D. Name situationsthat tempt Christians to compromise.

E. Standing up forwhat is right in a group of people requires courage. Can you think of somereasons why a Christian would compromise? IITimothy 1:8

I Peter 4:14-16

A. Why should aChristian be happy when he is reproached?

B. Describedifferent ways a Christian might be reproached.

C. How is Godglorified in your reproach?

D. Can you think ofreasons why a Christian should be ashamed of Christ?

E. How can one bepleasing to God? SeeGalatians1:10

F. Describe how Christians can be one of two types of peopledescribed in Galatians 1:10.

Mark 8:38

A. Describe the two things that Jesus does not want us to beashamed of.

1. 2.

B. Is Jesus ashamed of you?

Acts 6:8-10

A. Why do you think Stephen was so determined?

B. To what extent areyou willing to stand up for truth and rightness?

C. How can youestablish the degree of integrity that Stephen had in your own life?

II Samuel 18:9-13

A. Why did this certain man not kill his enemy Absalom?

B. What would you have done?

C. How are we totreat our enemies? Romans 12:17-21

Colossians 3:12-15

A. List the characteristics that we should have.

B. List next to these the attributes we shouldavoid.

Ephesians 5:3-13

A. What are theattributes of those who are lost and not going to heaven?

B. What should a Christian be like?

C. What should aChristian prove?

E. Why should a Christian not fellowship with the unfruitfulworks of darkness?

F. How are we to reprove works of darkness?

Adult SS Lesson Feb. 5 2012

ASSURANCE OF SALVATION

2012-02-04T10:36:00.000-08:00

I INTRODUCTION

Many peopletoday who claim to be Christians suffer from a lack of assurance of theirsalvation. Their minds are filled withdoubts and fears concerning this issue, and as a result their ability to growand to be used by God is greatly hindered. God wants us to know that we have eternal life (I John 5:13). The best way to gain that assurance ofsalvation is to evaluate our experience in light of God’s Word, and then checkfor evidences of a changed life.

II. THE PROCESS OF SALVATION

1. Read each of the following verses. Beside each verse, write down the pointsinvolved in salvation.

a. Romans10:14, 15

Whatdoes “hear” mean in this verse?

What is the “gospel”?

b. Romans10:17

What is “faith”?

c. Isaiah6:5; Luke 18:13

What is “sin”?

d. Acts17:2, 3

e. Luke13:3, 5; 24:47

What does it mean to “repent”?

f. Acts16:30, 31; 17:4; Romans 10:9, 10, 13

What does it mean to “trust” for“believe”?

2. Evaluate your experience. How does it compare with the above points?

III. Some Evidences That Salvation HasTaken Place

1. Listed below are some things thatshould characterize the life of a Christian. Match them with the correct verses provided.

a. Peace with God rather than a sense of Hebrews 12:5-11

guilt and condemnation.

b. Growing desire to know God and His Word John 13:13-17

c. Genuine desire to keep the commandments Acts 4:18-20;

and have a changed life. Romans 1:16

d. Desire to serve Christ as Lord – theOne I Peter 2:2

to control your life.

e. Growing love for other Christians and I John 2:9-11; 3:14;

desire for theirfellowship. John 13:34,35

f. Desire to tell others about Christ Romans 5:1; 8:1

g. Inward sense that you are a child ofGod I John 2:3-6

h. Chastening of the Lord. Romans 8:16;

I John 4:13

2. Evaluate your life. Do any of these characterize your life? Is so, which ones?

Which ones do not?

IV. Reasons for Lack of Assurance

1. Not truly saved. Many who lack assurance of salvation haveactually never been born again.

a. Some have made professions as a resultof human-persuasion rather than Holy Spirit conviction. There may have been an emotional experienceor a desire to escape unhappy life circumstances, but such professionsgenerally leave out the issue of resolving sin.

b. Some have been convicted by the HolySpirit but never made a profession. These persons may have been told to sign a card or may have notunderstood what to do with instructions such as “receive Jesus, “ “acceptJesus,” “let Jesus come into your heart,” or “just give Jesus your life.”

c. Some may be putting trust in baptism ortheir own goodness to help save.

2. Unconfessed Sin. Sin breaksfellowship with God and this, in time, results in a loss of assurance.

a. Whatdoes I John 2:3 teach you about this?

IJohn 2:15, 16?

b. ReadI Corinthians 9:26, 27 andI Timothy 4:7, 8. What failures cancause you to lose your sense of assurance?

c. (Romans13:14) You can also lose your assurance when you make

for the to fulfill the .

3. Ignorance of God’s Promise, Power,and Willingness to Save

a. Read the following verses: John 3:15,16, 36; 5:24; 6:40, 47; IJohn 5:13. Has God promised everlastinglife to those who trust in Him?

b. Define “everlasting life”.

c. What promises do you find in theseverses?

John 10:27-30

Hebrews 7:24-25

Romans 8:35-39

d. Can God be depended on to keep Hispromises? (Hebrews 6:18; Numbers 23:19; I Kings 8:56; Isaiah 40:8) How do you know?

e. Is God really able to give everlastinglife to those who trust Him? (Matthew28:18; I Timothy 6:15, 16) How do you know?

f. Is God really willing to giveeverlasting life? (Romans 5:8; 8:32;John 3:16) How do you know?

g. Evaluate your attitude toward God’spromise, power, and willingness to give everlasting life. Have you trusted Him to keep His promise?

V. Summary

If your salvation experiencecorresponds to what God has said in His word concerning salvation, and if thereare some outward evidences of salvation in your life, you should be able torest assured that you have eternal life. If not, you can call upon the Lord right now and ask Him to forgive yoursins and be your Saviour, trusting that He will because He promised He would,He’s able and willing to, and He can be depended on to keep His Word.

Adult SS Lesson January 29, 2012

QUIET TIME

2012-01-19T01:00:00.000-08:00

I. What is a “quiettime”?

A. What do thefollowing verses describe about “quiet time”?

1. James 4:8

2. Psalms 5:3

3. Psalms 119:18

4. Psalms 63:5, 6

5. Mark 1:35

B. According toMatthew 4:4 what is God’s formula for how a man is to live?

C. Quiet time isvital for every Christian who wants to grow.

Explain what you think “quiettime” is.

II. Why is “QuietTime” so vital?

Most Christians know they need tospend time with the Lord in prayer and meditation in His word. But it seemsthat few do. Do you think it is necessary? Why?

A. We need it! Match the following verseswith each result:

Spiritual growth 1.Psalms 119:11

Strength in battle 2.Psalms 32:8

Guidance 3.I Peter 2:2

Spiritual cleansing 4.Ephesians 6:17, 18

Victory over sin 5.John 17:17

Fullness of joy 6.Psalms 16:11

B. We need “quiet time” because God wants tomeet with us!

John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ shall

worship the Father in _ _ _ _ _ _ and in_ _ _ _ _ : for the Father _ _ _ _ _ _ _ such to

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .

1. How didJob esteem God’s Word? Job 23:12

“NoBible, No breakfast”.

2. Job’sattitude towards God Word kept him from doing what? Job 23:12

III. Motivation –Duty or Love?

I Chronicles 28:9 “… _ _ _ _ thou the _ _ _ of thy father, and _ _ _ _ _ him with a

perfect _ _ _ _ _ and with a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ mind: for the LORD _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ all hearts,

and understandeth all the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ of the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ : . . . “

Check thecorrect attitudes we should have for “quiet time”:

“IfI don’t have my quiet time this morning I know the Lord won’t bless me today.”

“OK, Lord, you got 5 minutes to show mesomething – I’ve got lot to do today.

“Please, Lord, show me the treasures ofyour word.”

“I know the Lord will be mad at me if Idon’t spend time with him today.”

“I want to obey what you show me, Lord.”

When you harbour a wrongmotivation in “quiet time” you shouldn’t expect the Lord to “show you Histreasures.”

Myprayer Psalms 119:18 jnh

IV. Keys to aFruitful “Quiet Time”:

A. Commitment in your heart to know and loveGod through “quiet time”.

Read andStudy Psalms 119:15 and Psalms 55:16, 17

B. Specific timeand place.

Read andStudy Mark 1:35

Quiet time needs to be planned. If you don’t you probablywon’t “get around to it”. Some people say, “I don’t have time for quiettime.” But the fact is that if you areto busy for quiet time you are busier than god wants you to be.

C. Be fully alert.

D. Have a quiettime notebook. Record the thoughts, principles, ad applications that the Lordshows you.

E. Have a prayerlist.

F. Have a spirit ofexpectancy. If you come to the Lord with a soft expectant heart, He will showyou the treasures of His word.

TYPES OF QUIET TIME

2012-01-18T10:48:00.000-08:00

1. Get a calendar andprepare a month in advance.

2. Have a notebookfor Quiet Time and Prayer Requests.

3. The Methods:

A. DevotionalDiary

Date Passage

Wondrous Thing (Title)

Wondrous Thing in Context

Wondrous thing to Apply

B. Verse Analysis

Date KeyVerse

What is the thought before the verse?

What is the thought after the verse?

What is the thought of the verse?

What is another verse that teaches the same thought?

What are some questions or observations on the verse?

Personal Application.

C. Reading Psalmsas a Prayer (Doing ACTS)

Adoration

Confession

Thanksgiving

Supplication

D. ApplicationApproach

Example for me to follow

Command for me to obey

Error for me to forsake

New thought about God Himself

E. Meditation onGod’s Word using the vowels (AEIOU)

A – Ask a question

E – Emphasize words in the passage.

I – In your own words, what does the passage say?

O – Other references that have the same thought.

U – Use it in the way it applies to you.

F. Meditate onGod’s Word using questions

Where?

Who?

What?

When?

Why?

How?

G. Read Scripture(Ex: John) with the objective of knowing what Christ said about:

1) Himself

2) Man

3) The Father

4) The Holy Spirit

5) Sin

6) Hell

7) Heaven

8) Etc…

H. Working out awork sheet topic or study.

I. Readdevotional books or books deal with an area you have a need in.

But remember tokeep your Bible at hand.

True North Stong and COLD

2012-01-17T09:50:00.001-08:00

CURRENT CONDITIONS

-29.5^°C

Updated:
Tuesday January 17, 2012 at 09:00 PST
Condition:
Sunny
Temp:
-29.5°C
Pressure / Tendency:
102.6 kPa / (0.00)

FIVE DAY FORECAST

Today
Mainly sunny. Wind north 20 km/h. High minus 25. Wind chill minus 46 this morning and minus 38 this afternoon. Frostbite in minutes.
Tonight
Clear. Wind north 20 km/h becoming light late this evening. Low minus 35. Extreme wind chill minus 43. Frostbite in minutes.
Wednesday
Sunny. Wind up to 15 km/h. High minus 26. Extreme wind chill minus 45. Frostbite in minutes.
Thursday
Sunny. Low minus 37. High minus 29.
Friday
Periods of snow. Low minus 32. High minus 23.
Saturday
Snow. Low minus 25. High minus 20.

TRUE STORY OF A BABY SAVED FROM ABORTION

2012-01-14T21:34:00.000-08:00

Pastor’s Pen of David Harness

Pam knows the pain of considering abortion. More than 24 years ago, she and her husband Bob were serving as
Baptist missionaries to the Philippines and praying for a fifth child. Pam contracted amoebic dysentery, an infection
of the intestine caused by a parasite found in contaminated food or drink. She went into a coma and was treated
with strong antibiotics and drugs before they discovered she was pregnant. Her baby suffered a severe placental
abruption.

Doctors urged her to abort the baby for her own safety and told her that the medicines had caused irreversible
damage to her baby, and probably would be stillborn. She refused the abortion and cited her Christian faith as the
reason for her hope that her son would be born without the devastating disabilities physicians predicted. Pam said
the doctors didn't think of it as a life, they thought of it as a mass of fetal tissue.

While pregnant, Pam nearly lost their baby four times but refused to consider abortion. She recalled making a
pledge to God with her husband: If you will give us a son, we’ll name him Timothy and we’ll make him a preacher.
Pam ultimately spent the last two months of her pregnancy in bed and eventually gave birth to a healthy baby boy
August 14, 1987.

Pam homeschooled all of her five children, instilling her Christian beliefs in them. Pam’s youngest son is
indeed a preacher. He preaches in prisons, makes hospital visits, and serves with his father’s ministry in the
Philippines. He also plays football. Pam’s son is Tim Tebow.

The University of Florida’s star quarterback became the first sophomore in history to win college football’s
highest award, the Heisman Trophy. His current role as starting quarterback of the Denver Broncos has provided an
incredible platform for Christian witness. As a result, he is being called The Mile-High Messiah. During his college
football career, Tebow frequently wore references to Bible verses on his eye black. In the 2009 BCS Championship
Game, he wore John 3:16 on his eye black; the verse was the highest-ranked Google search term over the next 24
hours, generating over 90 million searches. Later, when Tebow switched to another verse, there were 3.43 million
searches of Tim Tebow and Proverbs 3:5-6 together. Tim Tebow also makes it a practice during a game to kneel on
the field and give God thanks—the sports world now calls this “Tebowing”.

Tim’s notoriety and the family’s inspiring story have given Pam numerous opportunities to speak on behalf of
women’s centers across the country. Pam Tebow believes that every little baby you save matters. Amazing things
happen contrary to the secular world’s predictions when one depends completely on the Word of God in the face of
dire consequences or even death. All God wants us to do is trust in Him and obey His Word.

Pastor David Harness
(Adapted from an article by Melissa Lackey with other material added).

BTW -- The Broncos lost to the Patriots Saturday evening. Giving Tim extra time in serving his Lord.

www.timtebow.com

Great to work with thinking people -

2012-01-10T19:09:00.000-08:00

A toothpaste factory had a problem: they sometimes shipped empty boxes, without the tube inside.

This was due to the way the production line was set up, and people with experience in designing production lines will tell you how difficult it is to have everything happen with timings so precise that every single unit coming out of it is perfect 100% of the time. Small variations in the environment (which can’t be controlled in a cost-effective fashion) mean you must have quality assurance checks smartly distributed across the line so that customers all the way down to the supermarket don’t get pissed off and buy another product instead.

Understanding how important that was, the CEO of the toothpaste factory got the top people in the company together and they decided to start a new project, in which they would hire an external engineering company to solve their empty boxes problem, as their engineering department was already too stretched to take on any extra effort.

The project followed the usual process: budget and project sponsor allocated, RFP, third-parties selected, and six months (and $8 million) later they had a fantastic solution — on time, on budget, high quality and everyone in the project had a great time. They solved the problem by using high-tech precision scales that would sound a bell and flash lights whenever a toothpaste box would weigh less than it should. The line would stop, and someone had to walk over and yank the defective box out of it, pressing another button when done to re-start the line.

A while later, the CEO decides to have a look at the ROI of the project: amazing results! No empty boxes ever shipped out of the factory after the scales were put in place. Very few customer complaints, and they were gaining market share. “That’s some money well spent!” – he says, before looking closely at the other statistics in the report.

It turns out, the number of defects picked up by the scales was 0 after three weeks of production use. It should’ve been picking up at least a dozen a day, so maybe there was something wrong with the report. He filed a bug against it, and after some investigation, the engineers come back saying the report was actually correct. The scales really weren't picking up any defects, because all boxes that got to that point in the conveyor belt were good.

Puzzled, the CEO travels down to the factory, and walks up to the part of the line where the precision scales were installed.

A few feet before the scale, there was a $20 desk fan, blowing the empty boxes off of the belt and into a bin.

“Oh, that,” says one of the workers — “one of the guys put it there ’cause he was tired of walking over ….. “ every time the bell rang”.

Certificate of Completion

2012-01-09T11:43:00.000-08:00

Five of our ladies received Certificate of Completion for reading through their Bible in 2011 in acknowledging the 400th Anniversary of the King James Version. One of our ladies read her bible in 90 days.

Solitude and Leadership

2012-01-05T10:27:00.000-08:00

If you want others to follow, learn to be alone with your thoughts.

For Christian leaders read this article but make a few changes for oneself.

ie.. to be alone with God, thinker to prayer-warrior, and our warfare is spiritual not carnal. 

btw, being alone with one own thoughts have gotten a lot of folks in trouble. 

Solitude and Leadership: click here

Fantastic article on the differences between being an excellent doer and an excellent thinker and how that affects leadership. In a time when our generation, our culture, sorely needs better leadership, this message should be well received.

We have a crisis of leadership in America because our overwhelming power and wealth, earned under earlier generations of leaders, made us complacent, and for too long we have been training leaders who only know how to keep the routine going. Who can answer questions, but don’t know how to ask them. Who can fulfill goals, but don’t know how to set them. Who think about how to get things done, but not whether they’re worth doing in the first place. What we have now are the greatest technocrats the world has ever seen, people who have been trained to be incredibly good at one specific thing, but who have no interest in anything beyond their area of expertise. What we don’t have are leaders.

Reverse Thinking

2011-12-24T19:31:00.000-08:00

not KJV

When Americans banned Christmas

2011-12-24T19:16:00.000-08:00

When Americans banned Christmas

The first 'War on Christmas' was declared almost 400 years ago, courtesy of our Puritan forefathers

POSTED ON DECEMBER 20, 2011, AT 12:48 PM

The Pilgrims who came to America in 1620 were strict Puritans who didn't celebrate Christmas: They spent their first Dec. 25th in Plymouth Colony working in the fields as they would on any other day.

How did the first settlers celebrate Christmas?
They didn't. The Pilgrims who came to America in 1620 were strict Puritans, with firm views on religious holidays such as Christmas and Easter. Scripture did not name any holiday except the Sabbath, they argued, and the very concept of "holy days" implied that some days were not holy. "They for whom all days are holy can have no holiday," was a common Puritan maxim. Puritans were particularly contemptuous of Christmas, nicknaming it "Foolstide" and banning their flock from any celebration of it throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. On the first Dec. 25 the settlers spent in Plymouth Colony, they worked in the fields as they would on any other day. The next year, a group of non-Puritan workmen caught celebrating Christmas with a game of "stoole-ball" — an early precursor of baseball — were punished by Gov. William Bradford. "My conscience cannot let you play while everybody else is out working," he told them.

Why didn't Puritans like Christmas?
They had several reasons, including the fact that it did not originate as a Christian holiday. The upper classes in ancient Rome celebrated Dec. 25 as the birthday of the sun god Mithra. The date fell right in the middle of Saturnalia, a monthlong holiday dedicated to food, drink, and revelry, and Pope Julius I is said to have chosen that day to celebrate Christ's birth as a way of co-opting the pagan rituals. Beyond that, the Puritans considered it historically inaccurate to place the Messiah's arrival on Dec. 25. They thought Jesus had been born sometime in September.

So their objections were theological? Not exclusively. The main reason Puritans didn't like Christmas was that it was a raucously popular holiday in late medieval England. Each year, rich landowners would throw open their doors to the poor and give them food and drink as an act of charity. The poorest man in the parish was named the "Lord of Misrule," and the rich would wait upon him at feasts that often descended into bawdy drunkenness. Such decadence never impressed religious purists. "Men dishonor Christ more in the 12 days of Christmas," wrote the 16th-century clergyman Hugh Latimer, "than in all the 12 months besides."

When did that view win out? Puritans in the English Parliament eliminated Christmas as a national holiday in 1645, amid widespread anti-Christmas sentiment. Settlers in New England went even further, outlawing Christmas celebrations entirely in 1659. Anyone caught shirking their work duties or feasting was forced to pay a significant penalty of five shillings. Christmas returned to England in 1660, but in New England it remained banned until the 1680s, when the Crown managed to exert greater control over its subjects in Massachusetts. In 1686, the royal governor of the colony, Sir Edmund Andros, sponsored a Christmas Day service at the Boston Town House. Fearing a violent backlash from Puritan settlers, Andros was flanked by redcoats as he prayed and sang Christmas hymns.

Did the Puritans finally relent? Not at all. They kept up their boycott of Christmas in Massachusetts for decades. Cotton Mather, New England's most influential religious leader, told his flock in 1712 that "the feast of Christ's nativity is spent in reveling, dicing, carding, masking, and in all licentious liberty...by mad mirth, by long eating, by hard drinking, by lewd gaming, by rude reveling!" European settlers in other American colonies continued to celebrate it, however, as both a pious holiday and a time for revelry. In his Poor Richard's Almanac of 1739, Philadelphian Benjamin Franklin wrote of Christmas: "O blessed Season! Lov'd by Saints and Sinners / For long Devotions, or for longer Dinners."

So Christmas was finally accepted at that time? No. Anti-Christmas sentiment flared up again around the time of the American Revolution. Colonial New Englanders began to associate Christmas with royal officialdom, and refused to mark it as a holiday. Even after the U.S. Constitution came into effect, the Senate assembled on Christmas Day in 1797, as did the House in 1802. It was only in the following decades that disdain for the holiday slowly ebbed away. Clement Clarke Moore's poem "A Visit From St. Nicholas" — aka "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" — was published in New York in 1823 to enormous success. In 1836, Alabama became the first state to declare Christmas a public holiday, and other states soon followed suit. But New England remained defiantly Scrooge-like; as late as 1850, schools and markets remained open on Christmas Day. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow finally noted a "transition state about Christmas" in New England in 1856. "The old Puritan feeling prevents it from being a cheerful, hearty holiday; though every year makes it more so," he wrote. Christmas Day was formally declared a federal holiday by President Ulysses S. Grant in 1870.

For a white Christmas -

2011-12-21T09:23:00.000-08:00

Google - Let it snow

From the Black-eye Pea Capital of the World

2011-12-19T10:50:00.000-08:00

As many as 5,000 attended a rally in a small Texas community to show their support for a Nativity scene under attack by a Wisconsin-based atheist group, according to a minister who organized the event.

FOLLOW CULTURE WAR NEWS AT TODD’S FACEBOOK PAGE

“We are humbled at the turnout of the crowd,” said Nathan Lorick, the pastor of the First Baptist Church in Malakoff and one of the organizers of Saturday’s rally in Athens.

“We believe that God led us to do this and so we knew he was up to something great,” he told Fox News & Commentary in an email message. “This message is resonating in the hearts of people all over the country. This was a real statement to the nation that Christians are tired of the persecution and suppression. We want all to know that we are ready to contend for the faith.”

We're # 1 again - B-(

2011-12-15T09:49:00.000-08:00

Prince George, British Columbia

Seven murders gave the city top spot in 2010, well above the national rate. Prince George, B.C., consistently has a high homicide rate: in 2009, its rate was 121 per cent above the national rate, exactly where it was in 2000.

Worst cities (% higher than national average)

1. Prince George, B.C. (486%)

2. Wood Buffalo, Alta (202%)

3. Saskatoon (168%)

4. Thunder Bay, Ont. (163%)

5. Regina (148%)

Best cities* (% lower than national average)

1. Joliette, Que. (100%)

2. Sarnia, Ont. (100%)

3. Windsor, Ont. (100%)

4. Red Deer, Alta. (100%)

5. Richmond, B.C. (100%)

*38 cities reported zero murders in 2010

Gunny & Glock ~ Wrong Diner

2011-12-10T13:31:00.001-08:00

The Commission Was Given To The Church

2011-12-07T22:44:00.001-08:00

By O. W. Taylor

The nature and the performance of the duties set forth in the Commission require the idea that the Commission was given to the church.

If given to the apostles only, the Commission ended when they died. But the duties enjoined were to continue "until the end of the age." This called for an organized body to carry on through the centuries after the apostles and after other workers died.

There was a church before the Commission was given. "He that hath the bride is the bridegroom" (Jn. 3:29). "The bridegroom" was Christ. "The friend of the bridegroom" was John the Baptist. What was "the bride," if not the church in its initiatory stage? Was "the bride" non-existent when "the friend of the bridegroom" said, "He that hath the bride is the bridegroom," referring to the time then present? Evidently the bride was existent. This same body was later called "the church which was at Jerusalem."

Jesus gave "commandments unto the apostles when he had chosen" (Acts 1:2). One of these was the Commission. The apostles were "set ... in the church" (1 Cor. 12:28). The apostles corporately considered were the initial church. To it the Commission was given.

The duties in the Commission could be performed "unto the end of the age" only by an organized body carrying on when individual workers died. Only such a body could furnish the necessary workers and support for the program. Left to people unorganized, the work would not and could not be done. The body which meets the specifications is the church.

"Make disciples" carries, of course, an individual responsibility. But to "make disciples of all nations," and that "unto the end of the age," requires the idea of an organized body, the church, sponsoring the program.

"Baptizing them" is enjoined. If this was entrusted simply to individuals, then no church as an agency in relation to it is in view in the Commission and no baptism into a church is indicated. But this conflicts with 1 Corinthians 12:13, which teaches that the New Testament idea is baptism into a church. It is logically unthinkable, therefore, that Jesus commissioned men to baptize independently of the church. And the duty of making and baptizing disciples among "all nations" to "the end of the age" requires the concept of church sponsorship of the program which brings the duty into exercise.

"Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." Admittedly, one of the things included here is the Lord's Supper. With men reasonably instructed in the Word of God, the proposition calls for no argument that no individual has the right and authority to administer the Lord's Supper "on his own." Then neither does he have the right and authority to baptize "on his own." These duties and the other things in the Commission were entrusted to the church as the organized and authorized body to carry on the program through the centuries.

Only the church is the sponsoring body logically its into the concept of the Commission considered as a whole.

(O.W. Taylor {1885-1958} was a Southern Baptist pastor, editor, author, and denominational leader. He served as editor of the "Baptist and Reflector", the weekly Southern Baptist newspaper in Tennessee, from 1933 until his retirement in 1950. In the above article, Taylor explains why Baptists believe the Great Commission was given to the local church.)

Effective or Ineffective ~ What kind of person are you?

2011-12-03T09:55:00.001-08:00

Hidden habits ofineffective people

by Chris Wake

No one setsout to be ineffective, but it's easy to pick up the habits. Too easy.

Consuming more than you create -
Effective people tend to create a lot ofcontent. Content can mean a lot of things - but the rule is always thesame, create more than you consume.

Ineffective people, on theother hand, spend the majority of their time consuming the fruits of others'labor. They are consummate lurkers.

Watching your own vanity metrics -
Everyone suffers from some level of vanity. A need to be liked. The Internetfeeds that need, keeping popularity at the forefront of any online identitywith lists of 'Friends,' 'Followers,' 'Connections,' 'Re-Pins' and even the'Like' itself.

Ineffective people tend to feed on these popularity metrics,whereas effective people recognize that these are shallow indicators.

Effective people focus more on engagementand strength of relationships; they create quality content to solicitengagement from others, or seek out interesting people and proactively engagethem on their own terms.

Starting the day responding to others -
Ineffective people allow others to setthe agenda for their day. They start their morning reading or responding toothers' requests.

Effective peopleapproach each day with an agenda for what they want to accomplish, starttheir day tackling a task crucial for accomplishing their goal, and respond toothers when (or if) it works with their agenda.

Prioritizing the wrong activities -
Busy work. It's quite literally work that keeps you busy; it saps your time,but gets you no closer to your end goal.

Ineffective people tend not torecognize busy work, and therefore, they prioritize tasks that will not movethem any closer to their goals.

Effectivepeople recognize busy work for what it is and waste little to no timetrying to appear busy when they know there are more important tasks to becompleted.

Relying on multi-tasking to "save time" -
Multi-tasking is a scam. Being able to walk and chew gum at the same time maybe the only true form of multi-tasking worth doing.

Ineffective people use multi-tasking to appear busy, or to foolthemselves into believing they can reach their goal faster by making minorprogress on a lot of things at once.

Effectivepeople have a secret weapon to saving time. Focus. Effective people knowwhich tasks are important for reaching their goal, and they focus on each oneafter another.

This article was a great reminder to myself, how about you?

comment?

Movember 30th 2011

2011-11-30T12:03:00.001-08:00

Thirty days have come and gone, I am glad to have had a small part in Movember 2011 looking forward to doing it again next year.

Good Church Music

2011-11-21T09:05:00.001-08:00

Movember 15th 2011

2011-11-15T22:13:00.001-08:00

Hi,

It’s Movember, the month formerly known as November, which is dedicated togrowing moustaches and raising awareness and funds for men’s health. I havejoined the movement and will be donating my upper lip to the cause for 30 days.My Mo will spark conversations, and no doubt generate some laughs; all in thename of raising vital awareness and funds for prostate cancer.

Why am I so passionate about men’s health?
*On average men live 4-5 years less than women
*1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime
* 25,500 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year in Canada

I invite you to support me by donating to me http://mobro.co/JeffHallmark

You can even go old school and write a cheque payable to “Movember Canada”,reference my name and Registration Number 1776104 and send it to: MovemberCanada, 119 Spadina Avenue, PO Box 65, Toronto, ON M5T 2T2

All donations are tax deductible.

We only have a month to grow Mos and raise awareness and fund, so please comealong for the ride.
Funds raised will help make a tangible difference to the lives of others.Through the Movember Foundation and their men’s health partner, the ProstateCancer Canada, Movember is funding world class awareness, research, educationaland support programs which would otherwise not be possible.

For more details on how the funds raised from previous campaigns have been usedand the impact Movember is having please click on the links below:

About Movember
Prostate Cancer Foundationresearch
Global Action Plan

Please donate here - http://mobro.co/JeffHallmark

Thank you in advance for helping me change the face of men's health. Go the Mo!

Jeff Hallmark

Moustache Season. Now Open.

Locally here in Prince George you can donate through Spiritof the North Healthcare Foundation.

http://spiritofthenorth.ca/support/ in memory of Laurence Patrick Sinclair.This will go to the new Cancer Clinic in Prince George the ``OncologyDepartment``.

Day two of NWYC trip

2011-11-10T07:47:00.001-08:00

After traveling for 10 and a half hours, we pulled into a motel in Everett, WA. Quickly changed and head off to Wooden Valley Baptist Church, and attend the Wednesday Evening Bible Study and Prayer meeting. After Service we had a great time of Fellowship with Pastor Rick and Dianna Farranilla.

Traveling with four teens is lots of fun, traveling with four teens from Canada to the US of A is even more funner( I don't think funner is a word, but it is still fun). Today we will be in Portland OR about noon, a little shopping and then off to Greater Portland Baptist Church and the Northwest Youth Conference.

I'll try to keep our folks posted on our events.

Thanks for you prayers

Movember 8th 2011

2011-11-08T23:03:00.000-08:00

Just one week into Movember and it is starting to grow.

Check out my Mo Page - http://mobro.co/Jeffhallmark

I Ate All Your Candy

2011-11-05T08:21:00.000-07:00

Movember 1st.

2011-11-01T11:33:00.000-07:00

Greetings across & from the TRUE NORTH STRONG AND FREE... Canada

Today we start with our Movember Moustache, I have shaved this morning and for the next 30 days I will NOT SHAVE under my nose.

Movember is a men's movement around the world to bring awareness and funds to help with Men Cancer Needs.

I have join Movember Canada in which you may make a national donation to go the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

http://mobro.co/JeffHallmark

I am also raising funds for our local Prince George Cancer Centre in memory of Pat Sinclair. Pat a friend and member of Spruceland Baptist Church, went to be with our Lord and Savor Jesus Christ, September 2011.

If you would like to help me locally make cheque payable to "Spirit of the North" and mail it to

Jeff Hallmark
3106 Monahan Crescent
Prince George, BC. V2N 4E3

7 Billion Today

2011-10-30T16:43:00.001-07:00

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-31/population-to-hit-7-billion-today/3609708?section=world

DEVOTIONAL SUGGESTIONS

2011-10-24T22:46:00.000-07:00

DEVOTIONALSUGGESTIONS

YourTools

Everydisciple of Christ should own a King James Version of the HolyScriptures…without marginal notes. Additionally,you should have a good unabridged English concordance of the Bible,such as Strong’s or Young’s or Cruden’s, to helpyou find verses of interest and to trace themes and doctrines throughtheScriptures. A spiritual principles diaryis also helpful to make a lasting note of the things which God revealsto youfrom His Word. A sample page is includedin this exercise which can be duplicated into a sufficient number tofill aloose leaf notebook. Finally, a goodhymnal is most helpful for both private and group devotions.

YourWorkshop

Finda quiet place, away from family, friends, and the telephone. It should be a place where you have maximumprivacy, where you can commune with God and pour out your heart withoutfear ofinterruption.

TheTime

Everyone’sschedule is different. The most suitabletime for your communion with God is something that you alone mustdecide. It is usually best to stick to the sametimeevery day, give or take a little. Makesure that you give God your best time. Itshould not be when you are sleepy or tootired or distracted by other cares of the day. Do not plan for a devotional time of more than fifteen to thirtyminutesat a time. Remember, this is not a Biblestudy. It is a time of personalfellowship with God, your Heavenly Father who loves you and isconcerned aboutevery detail of your life. God islooking for ways to bless you and to make your life more meaningful andfulfilled, but this is not possible when He has no opportunity to speakto youand to direct you.

TheDevil will try to convince you that there is not really good timeavailable inyour schedule at present and that the thing for you to do is topostponestarting your personal devotions until a more convenient time. The problem is that a more convenient timenever arrives, so do not let the Devil talk you out of the blessings ofspiritual growth and fellowship with the One who loved you so much thatHe diedfor you that you might have eternal life and abundant life as well. With a sincere desire for a closerrelationship with God, you can expect opposition, but God respectssincerityand wants you to succeed in overcoming the obstacles.

ASuggested Plan

Althoughit is desirable to read through the Scriptures, this is no time forunrealisticgoals or too fast a pace. Quality ismore important than quantity at this time. The disciple must come with a heart seeking the face of God andnot as astudent studying a text book.

Ifpossible, try to read a portion from the Old Testament in the morningandanother from the New Testament in the evening. This provides variety. Record inyour spiritual principles diary precious verses and exciting truths, asGodlays them on your heart during this time. Do not forget that God speaks to us through His Word, so what wereceivefrom Him is most important to our lives, and lessons taught by Godshould neverbe forgotten. There may be times whenyou will wish to review your spiritual principles diary to see evidenceof yourspiritual growth and to recount the blessings that you have receiveddirectlyfrom the hand of Almighty God. Countingyour blessings can be a wonderful inspiration and a cause for praise totheLord. The most important things are yourcommunion with your Lord and Savior and learning the lessons which Hesetsbefore you.

Itis best to be systematic in your reading as opposed to letting theBible fallopen to a random place. The themes ofGod flow through the entire Bible and He can speak to you on anysubject ofneed when you are following a systematic plan of Scripture reading foryourdevotions. Do not use the Bible like aOuija Board unless you prefer to hear from the Devil instead of theLord. Sometimes it will work as desired, butalltoo often the practice of letting the Bible fall open at random andplacingone’s finger on it to discern the will of God leads rather to openingsfor theDevil to play tricks by causing the words to be taken from context andwronglyapplied. Discerning the will of God isno game to be played in imitation of the black arts of witchcraft. That is not necessary. Godis more concerned about your knowing Hiswill for you than you are, and He does not make it difficult todiscover. The things that keep a child of Godfrom therevelation of the will of God are insincerity, disobedience to what hasalreadybeen revealed to them, sin in their lives with which they refuse todeal andseeking truth in unapproved ways, like the one described here.

Selectyour own topic of interest. For example:

Reada chapter of Psalms a day…… for worship and devotion.

Reada chapter of Proverbs a day…… for wisdom and character.

Reada chapter of Joshua a day …… for courage and guidance.

Reada chapter of the Gospels a day…… for example and blessing.

Reada chapter of Romans a day…… for doctrine and interest.

Reada chapter of Galatians a day…… for liberty and grace

Reada chapter of Malachi a day…… for warning and judgment.

Reada chapter of Corinthians a day…… for morality and warning.

Warning

· Donot let your communion be one-sided. Give God achance to speak to you

(1Samuel 3:1-10)

· Avoidcomplicated portions of Scripture such asRevelation, etc. (2 Peter 3:16).

BelieveGod for His promises and personallyapply them to your heart (Hebrews 11:6)

· Donot have your devotions in bed, unless youare confined to bed for some reason, like sickness or injury.

· Donot rush your devotions.

· Prayand ask God to guide you in the choice ofthe book of the Bible you will begin reading in your devotions. Do not become stumped by waiting on skywriting from God to tell you which one. Ask for His leadership and move forward to the choice withconfidencethat He will keep His promise to answer your prayer. Yourchoice will be just the right one foryou, and God will speak to you from His Word.

· Alwaysfinish what you start.

· Ifyou are floundering and seem not to beenjoying this time of fellowship with the Lord or getting nothing fromit,contact your minister and ask for his help.

SPIRITUALPRINCIPLES DIARY

Makean accurate note of all you want to remember – leave nothing to memory.

Date Occasion Time

Reference

Principle

MyPersonal Application

CrossReferences

Date Occasion Time

Reference

Principle

MyPersonal Application

CrossReferences

Date Occasion Time

Reference

Principle

MyPersonal Application

CrossReferences

FRESH BLESSINGS

2011-10-23T22:01:00.000-07:00

FRESH BLESSINGS

There is nothing that will rob the disciple more of spiritual nourishment and cause him to question the credibility of his fellowship with God than second-hand blessings.

What did the Psalmist David say in Psalm 16:11?

Hence, the first lesson to learn is regarding the personal touch of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life… and the sweet fellowship that comes from being in the presence of God…. And finding there, food to meet the needs of any appetite. Read John 7:37-39 and John 16:7, 13, 14.

Whose thirst was quenched?

By whom was this to be accomplished?

Whom would the Spirit share?

Find three other verses that promise blessing to the disciple who will search for it. Write them in the space provided below.

Although some of the devotional books on the market today may be helpful, avoid allowing them to rob you of:

the personal discovery of truth from God’s Word yourself;
learning to recognize the voice of God and as a result the Will of God for yourself;
becoming more familiar with the pages of Scripture and a systematic understanding of Bible doctrine; and
the chance of recognizing your own spiritual need by not being able to cope with a quiet time with only you, your Bible, and God… without anyone else’s helps!

These exercises are not designed to become a lazy man’s crutch, but rather a bridge that can bring together the sincere Christian and God’s answers to his needs by making the resources and information necessary for a closer walk with God available to him. Hopefully, much of the information contained in these exercises will soon become second nature, a natural part of your life like eating which does not require careful planning to remember and not to neglect, as you grow through discipleship to the Lord Jesus Christ.

...TODAY AS THE END OF THE WORLD?

2011-10-22T13:08:00.000-07:00

WILL HAROLD CAMPING REPENT FOR PREDICTING TODAY AS THE END OF THE WORLD?

While flock members face this expectations, the old ganders will fight
to their death before any sign of humility. I hope Harold is not too
proud this time. For some reason, many organizational men think they
are above making things right. Nope! Not on Judgment Day!

Bible repentance is to turn from sin. It includes a change of mind
that leads to a redirection with the decision to forsake
unrighteousness. That has not been the pattern of the false prophets
in the past.

THE PATTERN:

- Ellen G. White of the Seventh Day Adventists said people alive in
1856 would be translated at the 2nd coming of Jesus. (Testimonies, V1,
p 131,132).

- Williamn Branham of the Branhamites said 1977 would terminate the
world systems and usher in the millennium. (The Seven Church Ages, p.
322).

- Herbert W. Armstrong of the Worldwide Church of God said, "In less
than 15 years all nations are going to live in this Utopia..."
(Tomorrow's World", May-June, 1970, p. 18).

- Charles Taze Russell of the Jehovah’s Witnesses said in 1914
Christendom will have passed away as shown from prophecy. (Thy Kingdom
Come, 1891 ed., p. 153).

- Joseph Smith of the Mormons said the coming of the Son of Man would
be when he was 85 (or 1890), in 56 years (or about 1891), and as the
Civil War turns into an International War (D&C 130:14-22; History of
the Church, 5:336; D&C 87:1-8).

Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland etc etc

Thanks CB

Sunday School Teachers Information

2011-10-06T11:57:00.000-07:00

Check out this information for Sunday School Teachers and Workers.

http://www.sprucelandbaptist.com/sermons/A%20Good%20Sunday%20School%20Worker%20Booklet.pdf

If you can use this in your ministry, help yourself.

God Bless, Jeff

Steve Job - For what shall it profit a man,

2011-10-06T09:39:00.000-07:00

Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Mark 8:37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

2011-10-02T08:28:00.000-07:00

Starting a new SS lessons for our Teens and Adults -

Baptist Church Membership

Sunday Morning Preaching Service message -

"Satan, the Hinder-er"

Bro. Joshua Mitchell will be preaching in our

Evening Preaching Service.

BCTexan

2011-09-30T16:58:00.000-07:00

Eighteen Years ago today I became a Canadian.

Support our Troops & Their Families

2011-09-30T06:29:00.000-07:00

Are they breaking the LAW

2011-09-27T13:52:00.000-07:00

KJV & Neil Armstrong on the Moon

2011-09-26T14:52:00.000-07:00

Faith in Space: Behind the Mission to Land a Bible on the Moon

By Loren Grush

Published September 02, 2011

It was one small step for man -- and for some astronauts it was a big leap of faith, too.

Rare artifacts and trinkets from the history of NASA are going to auction in the upcoming week-long Space & Aviation Autograph and Artifact Auction from RR Auction starting September 15th. The auction will feature a letter from Neil Armstrong about his first words on the moon, Armstrong’s training glove, and other exceptional items from the history of space flight and aviation.

But one of the more unique items up for bid?

A full King James Bible that has journeyed all the way to the moon’s surface.

“It’s an inch and a half by an inch and a half,” Bobby Livingston, VP of sales marketing with RR Auction, told FoxNews.com. “You need a microscope to really read it, and it’s more symbolic than anything. But it’s all there. The entire King James Bible is there.”

The story of the microfilm Bibles -- there have been several, although this is the first to make it to the moon -- has almost been shrouded in mystery, partly because NASA logged them as “small microfilm packets” rather than Bibles.

The first lunar Bible traveled to Earth’s satellite on February 5, 1971, on board Apollo 14. Lunar Module Pilot Edgar D. Mitchell brought the Bible with him to honor Apollo 1 astronauts Ed White, Gus Grissom, and Roger Chaffee who died in a cabin fire during testing of the Apollo 1 vehicle. It had been a dream of White’s to bring a Bible to the moon’s surface. Mitchell turned that dream into a reality.

Why a compact microfilm edition? Faith is precious in space -- but space is dear in space as well.

“The astronauts had personal preference kits where they could bring personal items with them,” Livingston explained. Those kits each had an 18-ounce weight restriction, so the bibles were printed on microfilm in order to meet NASA’s weight requirements. Microfilm made it possible to shrink all 1,245 pages of that edition of the Bible onto small pieces of film.

“A lot of astronauts brought religious symbols, like crosses, into space with them. This was just one of many Bibles that made it down to the surface,” Livingston said.

Dozens of these almost microscopic scriptures have made it to the moon and back. Most have been given away to dignitaries and politicians (George W. Bush has one in his inventory). But the very first Apollo 14 Lunar Bible will be up for grabs -- and space connoisseurs from around the world will have the chance to duke it out at the upcoming auction.

The event also draws attention to the dichotomy of religion and science, two concepts that have a long history of being at odds. In her book The Apostles of Apollo, Carol Mersch examined how it was difficult for the astronauts and for NASA to discuss their religious beliefs.

“These explorers were not only men of science, many were men of faith,” Mersch said. “Expressing faith in space, however, created a dilemma for many of the astronauts and their government agency -- and that's why it may not have received as much media attention as many of the other Apollo achievements.”

Mersch also references the Apollo Prayer League, a religious gathering that many Apollo astronauts attended. The League was led by Reverend John Maxwell Stout, a NASA employee who doubled as a scientist and a chaplain. Mersch says that for Stout, reconciling the two concepts was never difficult.

“He certainly shared that thought that they were one in the same,” Mersch told FoxNews.com. He once made a comment along the line of, ‘I have no problem with God looking through a microscope along with my students.’”

Livingston, who has consulted with numerous Apollo astronauts for the auction, says that many of them have no issue with finding faith in their science. If anything, Livingston says, it only strengthens their convictions.

“It’s not incongruous. Spirituality and science do go together,” Livingston told FoxNews.com. “I’ve met several astronauts, one of them told me, ‘I know infinity exists.’ I asked him how he knew and he said, ‘Cause I saw it! I sat on God’s back porch and saw it every day.’”

“Sure these are engineers and scientists, but they experience these moments of extreme stress and terror. It’s only natural that [they’d] find comfort in some kind spirituality.”

Amazing Grace Amazing Missions

2011-09-26T10:43:00.000-07:00

Our Annual Faith Promise Missions Conference.

Bro. Dave Wiebe - Church Planter of

New Life Baptist Church in Maple, ON

Sunday's offering has been counted and recorded, our missions giving for 2010/11 is $23,891.10. We are Praising the Lord for his goodness and faithfulness.

To admit, my faith was weak but not God's peoples faith. As we counted our commitments for 2011/12 we by faith will meet and add to our Missions budget again this year. Why was my faith a little weak? We had four of our faithful givers moved over the summer. PRAISE GOD, HE IS FAITHFUL.

I'LL GIVE MYSELF

Tune of “Amazing Grace”

AmazingGrace how sweet the sound,

T0those who know the Lord

Butwhat of those who still are bound

Anddo not have His Word?

Themany dangers, toils and snares,

Thruwhich we daily go,

Arenothing to compare, Oh Lord,

Withwhat the heathen know.

Tenthousand years to sing His praise

Brightshining as the sun,

Whilelost men suffer endless days,

Theirtorment never done.

Sincegrace has meant so much to me,

Myzeal must never dim.

I'llgive myself, Oh Lord, to thee

Totake thy grace to them.

How Your Day??

2011-09-24T21:58:00.000-07:00

How Different Groups Spend Their Day

The American Time Use Survey asks thousands of American residents to recall every minute of a day. Here is how people over age 15 spent their time in 2008. Related article

copy and paste below link
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/07/31/business/20080801-metrics-graphic.html?hp

Bible readers prefer King James version

2011-08-23T11:26:00.000-07:00

Now how about this ...

Bible readers prefer King James version

By Cathy Lynn Grossman, USA TODAY 4/21/2011

If thou hast a Bible in the house right now and readeth it at least once a month, chances are strong it’s the majestic King James Version of the Bible in Elizabethan English, a new survey out today finds.

Of the 89% of U.S. adults who own at least one Bible, 67% own a King James, which marks its 400th anniversary this year, according to LifeWay Research, a Nashville-based Christian research agency.

Although there are two dozen English-language Bibles in many contemporary translations, the King James Version reigns even more supreme among those who actually read their Bibles: 82% of those who read the Good Book at least once a month rely on the translation that first brought the Scripture to the English-speaking masses worldwide.

This version’s now-archaic phrasing and vocabulary don’t seem to be a problem of casting “ye your pearls before swine,” as it says in Matthew 7:6.

When LifeWay asked about readers’ experience with the language dating back to 1611, many called it “beautiful” (31%) or “easy to remember” (23%). It is, after all, the book that gave English countless idioms such as “salt of the earth,” “an eye for an eye,” “at our wit’s end” and “oh ye of little faith.”

About two in 10 of those under age 35 reported trouble understanding it, compared with about three in 10 of their elders.

“It is hard to overstate the influence of the KJV,” said Scott McConnell, director of LifeWay Research.

Topography of Religion State by State

2011-08-18T14:42:00.000-07:00

This is interesting ...

Topography of Religion State by State

As you move your cursor from state to state the statistics automatically change!

Compare different states and their religions.

Click on the following map and see the percentages of different religions by state.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/graphics/pew-religion-08/flash.

__._,_.___

Baptist Potluck

P U R I T Y

I N T E G R I T Y

ASSURANCE OF SALVATION

QUIET TIME

TYPES OF QUIET TIME

True North Stong and COLD

CURRENT CONDITIONS

-29.5°C

FIVE DAY FORECAST

TRUE STORY OF A BABY SAVED FROM ABORTION

Great to work with thinking people -

Certificate of Completion

Solitude and Leadership

Reverse Thinking

When Americans banned Christmas

When Americans banned Christmas

The first 'War on Christmas' was declared almost 400 years ago, courtesy of our Puritan forefathers

For a white Christmas -

From the Black-eye Pea Capital of the World

We're # 1 again - B-(

Gunny & Glock ~ Wrong Diner

The Commission Was Given To The Church

Effective or Ineffective ~ What kind of person are you?

Movember 30th 2011

Good Church Music

Movember 15th 2011

Day two of NWYC trip

Movember 8th 2011

I Ate All Your Candy

Movember 1st.

7 Billion Today

DEVOTIONAL SUGGESTIONS

FRESH BLESSINGS

...TODAY AS THE END OF THE WORLD?

Sunday School Teachers Information

Steve Job - For what shall it profit a man,

Starting a new SS lessons for our Teens and Adults -

Baptist Church Membership

BCTexan

Support our Troops & Their Families

Are they breaking the LAW

KJV & Neil Armstrong on the Moon

Faith in Space: Behind the Mission to Land a Bible on the Moon

Related Slideshow

Amazing Grace Amazing Missions

How Your Day??

How Different Groups Spend Their Day

Bible readers prefer King James version

Topography of Religion State by State

-29.5^°C