When we come up from our watery grave, each of us are transformed into a new person. The change that takes place with the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit sets us on a one way path. With this new life we have also been given tools designed to help us succeed. But we choose whether our ultimate destination will be it eternal life or eternal death.
Robb Harris
FOT: Where is our Treasure?
Do we treat the opportunity of coming before God to give offerings as the treasure it is? Fulfilling the love Christ showed us by such a great example is the greatest kind of offering we can give to Him.
What are we Sharing?
We have been commanded to appear before God. Most importantly, to appear in the right frame of mind. Do we feel Awe in having this understanding bestowed upon us by God? If that is our attitude when we come before God, then we will be pleasing to Him.
Sustaining Our Light in Darkness
Christianity, as Jesus exemplified, is a path full of adversity. A world of hatred surrounds and tries to suffocate any light of God’s Truth. We must be resolute in our onward march in becoming perfect, especially when Satanic deceit is so encompassing in all aspects of life. In that light, it is critical that we look to God’s Sabbath and Holy Days for the rest and recharge we are afforded by them.
Acts of God
Recently, we had hail damage to an automobile totaling several thousand dollars. Our insurer covered the cost of repairs. Several years ago we filed an insurance claim for damage to our roof, also from hail, which insurance covered as well. These kinds of unexpected natural occurrences are usually covered by insurance, to a point. We know of someone who was dropped from their insurance company for filing too many claims for roof damage.
While it seems counterintuitive to lose insurance for using it, insurance companies are built on calculating risks. One consumer advocate states, “Filing more than one claim per year could cause your insurance company to drop you. So, say your vehicle is vandalized a few times, or stolen, or your vehicle is carried away by a flood, you’ll make a claim with your insurer, and rightfully so, but making too many claims (of any type) can make you too expensive of a customer to keep around” (clark.com).
Most of the industrialized world relies on the insurance industry for protection of property and health issues. But we know that reliance on these institutions is not lasting, nor will they stand for long with the nearing judgement upon mankind. The prophet Daniel stated, “At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Everyone who is found written in the book” (Daniel 12:1). Reliance on anything that is of man will not deliver or protect oneself in the Day of the Lord. Any assurances we give ourselves, that aren’t focused on God, will be worthless. As Ezekiel stated of this time, “…Their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them In the day of the wrath of the LORD…” (Ezekiel 7:19).
God has based the growth of His family on risk as well. But He stands by the choice to call each of us as long as we commit to relying upon Him for true salvation. “For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?” (Deuteronomy 4:7 ESV).
Judgement for sin is an inevitable truth that the world ignores. Our escape from this judgement is being built daily as each of us strives to overcome the sins that ensnare this world. The meaningful acts of God are “…faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
God’s Holy and infallible Word is our best assurance for the future events that will unfold upon this earth. It was decreed to His angels to conduct themselves soon in this way: “‘Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.’ And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed…” (Revelation 7:3-4). Let’s be sure that each of us invests in our insurance plan with God—today—before calamities are at our door.
Is it appropriate for a Christian to kill animals for sport?
We see many examples in this world of mankind using animals for heinous purposes, be it gambling on cockfighting or dogfighting or the culturally renowned bullfights in Spain. Some animals are harvested for valuable parts used for show or pagan remedies. Even in modern medicine, animals are used inhumanely in clinical drug trials.
Man was given dominion over the newly created world by God. “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth’” (Genesis 1:28). And God expected man to take care of it, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it” (Genesis 2:15 NIV). God even fashioned clothing for Adam and Eve using animals, “Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21)
The brutality mankind inflicts upon God’s creation is second only to the cruelty inflicted upon himself. God charged us to use animals for our needs and enjoyment but only in a biblical manner as ordained by God. Destroying animals just because we can is not godly.
God gave man animals as one of many food sources for us to survive. He outlined exactly what we could eat, stating that “You shall not eat any detestable thing…for you are a holy people to the LORD your God” (Deuteronomy 14:3, 21). And God told man that it was his duty to grow and harvest that food, “…for your livestock and the beasts that are in your land—all its produce shall be for food” (Leviticus 25:7).
Part of harvesting those beasts was through hunting. This method of acquiring meat has been part of man’s history since our creation. It was said of Isaac’s son Esau, “So the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents. And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob” (Genesis 25:27-28). As with other physical necessities, God allows enjoyment, skill and purpose to be derived from harvesting animals.
Under certain circumstances, the Bible does allow the killing of animals other than killing for meat. These purposes would include prevention of overpopulation of certain animals which might destroy the environment, or for reasons of self-defense. However, that would not include hunting for trophies, just for the fun or sport of it. To kill animals without a compelling purpose is clearly wrong.
In our Q&A, “What Kinds of Sports, Games and Related Activities Are Appropriate and Inappropriate for Christians? (Part 2)” we stated this:
“…a distinction must be made between ‘needed’ hunting for the purpose of the control of wild life and the acquisition of food, and trophies hunting for ‘fun’ and ‘entertainment.’ Examples would be fox hunting in Great Britain and killing animals on a safari in Africa.”
David was known as someone who tended and took care of sheep, even protecting those flocks from predators. “But David said to Saul, ‘Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God’” (1 Samuel 17:34-36). David’s skill in field shepherding and protecting those flocks helped steer him into the position of King over Israel.
It appears that David’s “weapon” included a sling to protect his flocks, which was the best technology of his time. Just as the disciples of Christ’s time did with their fishing. “When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, ‘Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.’…And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking” (Luke 5:4,6). The disciples made their livelihood using the best methods available to them for catching fish.
For those of us who are hunters, there is nothing biblically wrong in using the best and most ethical ways of harvesting or hunting for our meat. In most US states, hunters must complete educational classes and obtain a license in order to harvest game. One key element in these hunter education courses is how to shoot in an ethical manner using legal guns or bows. This fundamental concept promotes becoming “skilled” so that a hunter shoots an animal causing minimal suffering.
But when people lose a biblical perspective, cruelty and godlessness follow. This occurred in man’s early history to the point that God forbade certain pagan customs. We read, “The first of the firstfruits of your land you shall bring into the house of the LORD your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk” (Exodus 23:19). While it is acceptable to eat meat and dairy together (see our Q&A: “Does the Bible prohibit eating a mixture of milk and meat?”), pagan practices pervert the way God intended us to eat meat.
And our godless attitudes towards animals have only grown worse today. Extreme groups like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), who place animals on the same level as humans, have no biblical perspective. By God’s own words, we were given dominion over the creation which man is failing to keep.
Even more destructive is the growing fascination with firearms that has overtaken many in this world. Assault rifles serve no purpose in hunting and are illegal for this purpose. These types of guns have no place in a Christian home, and we should rely on God alone for our protection.
But these godless attitudes will come to an end. There will eventually be no use for guns or weapons of any type when the Kingdom of God is established: “…They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore” (Micah 4:3). We will finally be taking care of God’s creation as he intended.
Lead Writer: Robb Harris
Conquering the Storm
The judgement of mankind is going to come upon the world like a thief in the
night. Putting off our spiritual growth for another day will lull us into a
state of unpreparedness. We must make it a daily goal to be spiritually
ready for these tumultuous times ahead.
night. Putting off our spiritual growth for another day will lull us into a
state of unpreparedness. We must make it a daily goal to be spiritually
ready for these tumultuous times ahead.
Choosing Our Consequences
We are given many examples in the Bible of men and women who faced consequences for their actions before God. These examples must become part of our consideration and the basis for our own daily actions. The path each of us takes is our choice to make. The rewards are there before us—will we follow God’s lead?
Wholehearted Choice
We must constantly be asking ourselves if we have a Philadelphian attitude. If we don’t care, then we are in jeopardy of allowing ourselves to fall into a Laodicean spirit. Drawing close to God on a daily basis is the surest way to thrive and persevere in an age filled with a lackadaisical attitudes.
Unyielding Truth in the Midst of Confusion
Mankind’s vision of the universe is built upon an ever-changing landscape of understanding. The pursuit of scientific discovery, in what has become religion to many, causes foundations of knowledge to often shift. What is understood today often replaces the understanding of our past. This fluidity of fact is considered part and parcel in the pursuit of scientific knowledge. No truth is unshakable if discovery proves it false.
In a recent web article entitled, “New Hubble Data Breaks Scientists’ Understanding of the Universe,” the author, talking about the Hubble Constant, states, “The value was first calculated by astronomer Edwin Hubble in the 1920s. But since then, astronomers observing and measuring the universe’s expansion have arrived at different values of the Hubble Constant, none of which seem to agree with one another. The discrepancy calls into question not only our idea of how old the universe is, but also our ability to fundamentally understand the physics that drive its behavior.”
The Hubble telescope, named in honor of Edwin Hubble, has called into question one of his fundamental truths. But for the scientific community, this is part of the process in gaining understanding. The earth was once flat until discovery proved it to be round. Today’s truth and understanding might end up as a simple footnote in the chronicles of our civilization.
How fortunate we are to have our eyes opened to Truth that doesn’t change! Truth that was set as a foundation for all eternity at creation when our God uttered the words, “Let there be light.” When Christ manifested Himself to mankind, He left us with examples of the unchanging Truth of God. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). We are warned to not take that Truth for granted by pursuing ungodliness.
Continuing in Hebrews, “Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them” (Hebrews 13:9).
Man searches in vain because Godly wisdom has been wholeheartedly rejected. Instead, our scientific leaders posit ideas such of parallel universes (to name one) as a way to explain what they can’t understand.
Christ, the one through which creation was accomplished (see Colossians 1:16), was clear in how applicable His teachings were for all ages. “‘Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven’” (Matthew 5:17-19).
We must stand firm in the Truth as this age draws deeper into ungodliness, and not be led away from Truth that doesn’t change.