The BIBLE VIEW #933 — Thanksgiving

In This Issue:
The First Thanksgiving Proclamation
1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation
2019 Thanksgiving Proclamation
2022 Thanksgiving Proclamation

Volume: 933     November 20, 2023
Theme: Thanksgiving

Read the FREE typeset version of this newsletter at https://openthoumineeyes.com/newsletters.html (Click on #933).  Use it for your church bulletin inserts or as a ministry handout.

The First Thanksgiving Proclamation
William Bradford, Governor of the First American Colony

Inasmuch as the great Father has given us this year an abundant harvest of Indian corn, wheat, peas, beans, squashes, and garden vegetables, and has made the forests to abound with game and the sea with fish and clams, and inasmuch as he has protected us from the ravages of the savages, has spared us from pestilence and disease, has granted us freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience.

Now I, your magistrate, do proclaim that all ye Pilgrims, with your wives and ye little ones, do gather at ye meeting house, on ye hill, between the hours of 9 and 12 in the day time, on Thursday, November 29th, of the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and twenty-three and the third year since ye Pilgrims landed on ye Pilgrim Rock, there to listen to ye pastor and render thanksgiving to ye Almighty God for all His blessings.

William Bradford
Ye Governor of Ye Colony

“O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.” Psalm 117:1


1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation  

WHEREAS, It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor;

WHEREAS, Both the houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:”

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

George Washington – October 3, 1789



2019 Thanksgiving Proclamation 

On Thanksgiving Day, we remember with reverence and gratitude the bountiful blessings afforded to us by our Creator, and we recommit to sharing in a spirit of thanksgiving and generosity with our friends, neighbors, and families.

Nearly four centuries ago, determined individuals with a hopeful vision of a more prosperous life and an abundance of opportunities made a pilgrimage to a distant land.  These Pilgrims embarked on their journey across the Atlantic at great personal risk, facing unforeseen trials and tribulations, and unforetold hardships during their passage.  After their arrival in the New World, a harsh and deadly winter took the lives of nearly half their population.  Those who survived remained unwavering in their faith and foresight of a future rich with liberty and freedom, enduring every impediment as they established one of our Nation’s first settlements.  Through God’s divine providence, a meaningful relationship was forged with the Wampanoag Tribe, and through their unwavering resolve and resilience, the Pilgrims enjoyed a bountiful harvest the following year.  The celebration of this harvest lasted 3 days and saw Pilgrims and Wampanoag seated together at the table of friendship and unity.  That first Thanksgiving provided an enduring symbol of gratitude that is uniquely sewn into the fabric of our American spirit.

More than 150 years later, it was in this same spirit of unity that President George Washington declared a National Day of Thanksgiving following the Revolutionary War and the ratification of our Constitution.  Less than a century later, that hard-won unity came under duress as the United States was engaged in a civil war that threatened the very existence of our Republic.  Following the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863, in an effort to unite the country and acknowledge “the gracious gifts of the Most High God,” President Abraham Lincoln asked the American people to come together and “set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a Day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.”  Today, this tradition continues with millions of Americans gathering each year to give their thanks for the same blessings of liberty for which so many brave patriots have laid down their lives to defend during the Revolutionary War and in the years since.

Since the first settlers to call our country home landed on American shores, we have always been defined by our resilience and propensity to show gratitude even in the face of great adversity, always remembering the blessings we have been given in spite of the hardships we endure.  This Thanksgiving, we pause and acknowledge those who will have empty seats at their table.  We ask God to watch over our service members, especially those whose selfless commitment to serving our country and defending our sacred liberty has called them to duty overseas during the holiday season.  We also pray for our law enforcement officials and first responders as they carry out their duties to protect and serve our communities.  As a Nation, we owe a debt of gratitude to both those who take an oath to safeguard us and our way of life as well as to their families, and we salute them for their immeasurable sacrifices.

As we gather today with those we hold dear, let us give thanks to Almighty God for the many blessings we enjoy.  United together as one people, in gratitude for the freedoms and prosperity that thrive across our land, we acknowledge God as the source of all good gifts.  We ask Him for protection and wisdom and for opportunities this Thanksgiving to share with others some measure of what we have so providentially received.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Thursday, November 28, 2019, as a National Day of Thanksgiving.  I encourage all Americans to gather, in homes and places of worship, to offer a prayer of thanks to God for our many blessings.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand nineteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fourth.

DONALD J. TRUMP

“Christians should have an attitude of gratitude and servitude.”


2022 Thanksgiving Proclamation 

This Thanksgiving, as homes across America fill with laughter, favorite family foods, and the joy of friends and relatives reuniting, we give thanks for everything that is good in our lives and reflect on the many blessings of our Nation.

This American spirit of gratitude dates back to our earliest days, when the Pilgrims celebrated a successful first harvest, thanks to the generosity and support of the Wampanoag people.  It inspired George Washington to give his troops a day of prayer and thanks amid fierce fighting for American independence.  It also moved Abraham Lincoln to proclaim Thanksgiving a national holiday, honoring America’s bounty and asking God to bring us together to care for one another and heal our Nation.

Today, Jill and I share that same gratitude for America’s promise and for the millions of heroes across our country whose selflessness and care for their communities represent the best of who we are. 

We are grateful for our family and friends and for all of our fellow Americans, even those whom we may never meet but rely upon nonetheless.  We are thankful for the scientists, researchers, doctors, and nurses who have kept us safe through a pandemic, and for the frontline workers who have kept essential services going by growing and providing food for our tables.  We are grateful to faith leaders for their counsel, comfort, and support.  We thank our brave service members and veterans who sacrifice so much for our freedom, and the first responders who put so much on the line to keep us all safe. 

As scripture says:  “let us rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances.”  This is a special time in the greatest country on Earth, so let us be grateful.  America is a great Nation because we are a good people.  This holiday, we celebrate all that brings us together, grounded in history and our shared hopes for the future.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Thursday, November 24, 2022, as a National Day of Thanksgiving.  I encourage the people of the United States of America to join together and give thanks for the friends, neighbors, family members, and strangers who have supported each other over the past year in a reflection of goodwill and unity.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-third day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-two, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-seventh.   

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

** Notice the original purpose of the day of thanksfullness to God is not emphasized in  President Biden’s address. Credit was given to people rather than God! **

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.” Psalm 33:12

The BIBLE VIEW #932 — Witnessing

In This Issue:
Soul Winning
Why People Don’t Witness to Others
Talking Business
Suppose
A Dying Man’s Challenge
The Ant’s Evangelism

Volume: 932     November 13, 2023
Theme: Witnessing

Read the FREE typeset version of this newsletter at https://openthoumineeyes.com/newsletters.html (Click on #932).  Use it for your church bulletin inserts or as a ministry handout.


Soul Winning
Bill Brinkworth

When a person gets saved, all his sins are forgiven.  Although God will not remind him of his iniquities, the believer will be judged for what he did for Christ after he was saved.  

One of the responsibilities a Christian has is to tell others the biblical way to Heaven.  Although it is the most neglected commandment by Christians, it is the most important!  Here are some of what the Bible says about our personally winning souls to Heaven:

  • It is the primary way a lost person will hear about God’s way to Heaven.  
    “And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?  And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me?… Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.” Acts 8:30-35  

    How will the spiritually lost be saved unless a child of God tells them how?  Most of us who are saved were led to the Lord by someone telling us either by mouth or written word.
  • It will rescue a soul from spending an eternity in Hell.
    “Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.” James 5:20
  • It should be done in every house, as did the early church.  Door-to-door, one-to-one witnessing is still how we are expected to tell others.  It is how the early church grew, and it is how today’s ministries will grow.
    “And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.” Acts     5:42   Also Acts 2:46-47
  • It should be done by EVERYONE, not just the disciples, missionaries, pastors, and deacons!
    “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15
    “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” Matthew 28:19      Also: John 20:21, Luke 24:47.
  • It is some of the Christian “fruit” a born-again believer should produce.
    “And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.” John 4:36  Also: John 15:16, 20: 21.
  • The lost need to be “compelled,” as were the visitors in the parable of the Great Supper (Luke 14:16-24).  “Compelling” is done one-on-one!
    “And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” Luke 14:23
  • It is commanded by God for us to do!
    “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.  Amen.” Matthew 28:19-20
  • It is the wise thing to do.
    “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.” Proverbs 11:30 
  • Many commentators teach that believers will receive a crown of rejoicing for witnessing and winning a lost soul to Christ.
    “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” Daniel 12:3
    “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing?  Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?” I Thessalonians 2:19


God chose us to point others to the way to Heaven.  What a shame it would be for a Christian to live a full life on Earth and never, or rarely, have won a soul to a heavenly eternity.

“Well, I just can’t do it” or “I am too shy to talk to anyone” are not excuses that biblically keep anyone from their God-commanded duty to witness.  I have never met a person who thought that it was easy for them to witness to strangers in the beginning.  However, God has always helped them when they showed they were willing to obey His commandment.

I am sure it was hard for the early church members to win souls to Christ, but because they obeyed God, their ministry grew.  After they witnessed to others, God blessed their church.

There are too many bound for Hell (Mark 7:13).  Do not be a selfish Christian and not share the way to eternity in Heaven with anyone.  

Someone probably shared it with you.  If they did not, you would most likely not be Heaven-bound.  Soul winning is the biblical way to get the message of salvation to others.  It still works today!  Have you witnessed to anyone this week?

“It has been estimated that probably 95% of all church members have never
led anyone to Christ!”

Why People Don’t Witness to Others
Bill Brinkworth

I have heard most of the excuses not to win others to Christ.  Honestly, I have used most of those justifications and listened to the same excuses from many of the best soul-winners I have encountered.  However, none of the reasons for not obeying God’s commandment to win souls to Christ are biblical. 

Here are some of the most common reasons for not winning a lost soul from an eternal destiny in Hell:

  • “I’m too shy.” All feel like this at one time or another, but should not obedience to God’s commandments supersede our pride and selfish feelings?  Is not a soul’s eternal destination more important than our feelings of self-consciousness and pride?
  • “I don’t feel like it.” Laziness to do the right thing is another non-biblical reason many hide behind.
  • “I didn’t know a Christian was supposed to tell others.”  Too many do not read the Word of God for themselves, so they do not know what they are commanded to do.  Unfortunately, many preachers who do not want to offend their members also do not make their flock aware of what they are expected to do.
  • “I’m afraid of what others may say or think.”  It is a shame that a person we may never see again may not have the opportunity to hear the salvation message from our lips because of our fear.  Jesus was not afraid to tell others the true way to Heaven, although it cost Him His earthly life, nor were the Apostles and many that gave their lives so that others could hear it.
  • “I don’t know what to say.”  Most people do not know how to tell others how to be saved when they first are born-again.  Tell them how you got saved. 

    God often convicts others through the use of His Word.  Hide Scripture in your heart by memorization so that when the Holy Spirit uses you to witness to another, you have it ready to win a soul to Him.

Talking Business
Author Unknown

A pastor was passing a big department store and followed an impulse to go in and talk to the proprietor about his salvation.  Finding the owner, the preacher asked, “Mr. T…, I’ve talked beds, carpets, and bookcases with you but never talked about my business to you.  Would you give me a few minutes to do so?”

Being led to a private office, the pastor took out his New Testament and showed the businessman passage after passage of one’s duty to accept Jesus Christ.  Finally, tears began rolling down the owner’s cheeks.  He said to the preacher, “I’m 70.  I was born in this city, and more than a hundred ministers and more than 500 church members have known me as you have in doing business with me.  You are the only man who ever spoke to me about my soul in all those years.”

What a sad commentary on the many who talked with this businessman.  Yet, many who have crossed our paths have never heard the Gospel from anyone, including us.

“Many Christians complain of the condition of the world today.  If they believed what they confessed, they would lead the lost to Christ, then the world would be changed!”  — Author Unknown

Suppose
“Suppose,” A tract from the Great Commission Prayer League

Suppose someone was to offer me a thousand dollars for every soul I earnestly tried to lead to Christ.  Would I endeavor to lead more souls to Him than I am attempting to do now just for the money?  Is my love of money stronger than my love of God or souls…?

“Whatever God gives you to do, do it as well as you can.  This is the best possible preparation for what He may want you to do next.”  — MacDonald


A Dying Man’s Challenge
Baptist Standard

A young married man went into a Christian man’s office on an errand of business.  As he was leaving, the proprietor said, “My young friend, are you a Christian?”

The young man replied, “I regret to say I am not.”

The faithful friend then kindly urged him to seek Christ at once and to delay no longer securing salvation.  The young man thanked him politely and said he would “think of it.”

In three weeks, the young man’s widow called the office to bring the man’s last dying words.  She said, “He thought much of your kind advice and resolved to seek Christ.  He was suddenly taken sick.  After a few days, he found sweet peace in believing, became entirely resigned to God’s will, and died in the assurance of faith.  ‘Tell the businessman,’ he said, ‘that I thank him with my dying breath for his faithfulness in telling me the way to Heaven.’”

“It is only God that saves souls!  However, Christians are to be His messengers of the wonderful, saving news.”


 The Ant’s Evangelism
Author Unknown

A gentleman laid a piece of food on the table, picked up an ant, and placed it on the morsel.  He was astonished to see the little creature rapidly descend by one of the legs of the table and seek his fellows.  They appeared to understand the ant’s news.  He then returned to the food, followed by a long train of his fellow citizens and directed them to the prize.

Are there not many who know the sweetness of the Gospel, who might learn a lesson from that ant?  If we have tasted and have seen that the Lord is good, let us now do what we can to lead others to a similar blessing.

“Witness to the person as you have the opportunity today.  They may not have a ‘tomorrow’.  It may be their last chance.”   

The BIBLE VIEW #931 — Christian Examples

In This Issue:
Be A Worthy Example
A Christian Home
An Encouraging Example
An Encouraging, Cleaned Example
Showing Hope and Love

Volume: 931     November 6, 2023
Theme: Christian Example

Read the FREE typeset version of this newsletter at https://openthoumineeyes.com/newsletters.html (Click on #931).  Use it for your church bulletin inserts or as a ministry handout.

Be A Worthy Example
Bill Brinkworth

“Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: 9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.” II Thessalonians 3:8-9

Every Christian is responsible for a very important task: to be a good Christian example (“ensample”) to others.  Many do not read the Word of God for themselves, have not learned what God has for them to do, and are more reliant on a godly example than they should be.  It is dangerous to their spirituality to totally follow someone else, but it does happen.

For this reason, Paul the Apostle was aware of eyes attuned to his behavior and actions.  He wrote some important points to be “… an ensample unto you to follow …”.  In II Thes. 3, he pointed some of them out:

  1. That obedience and understanding of God’s Word would be seen in his life, and God would get the glory.  If we are a godly example for someone, it should always be God and His work that get the glory, not us!
    “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:” II Thes. 3:1
  2. Keep your distance from others who are not doing right (“disorderly”), even if they are Christians (“brethren”).  He defines “disorderly” in verse 11 as those who are lazy and not working and those who are meddling in other people’s business (“busybodies”).  Association with those types of people may give others the impression that you are also like the crowd you are with.
    “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.” II Thes. 3:6
  3. Do not stop living and doing right.  Others around you, even Christians, may be acting worldly, not obeying God, or not involved in reaching others for Christ, but that is no reason for you to abandon your post!  Keep on keepin’ on, no matter what others are doing.  Do not tire of doing it alone.
    “But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.” II Thes. 3:13

It would be better for all if each Christian faithfully read God’s Word and obeyed all that he is shown but not many do that.  They often follow the actions and behavior of those they associate with.  With this reality in mind, our responsibility to be a proper, godly “ensample” is thrust on us.  Lead those who are watching or following your example down the right path.  There are eyes on your testimony — constantly!

“A godly, virtuous man shines the purity of his righteous life.  He is a lighthouse set by the sea-side, whereby mariners sail safely and avoid danger because of his light.  But, he that lives in sin is a false lantern, which shipwrecks those that trust him and follow his example.”  — Fellthan, 1668


A Christian Home
D. L. Moody

A godly house should be the best proof of true Christianity.  It is not my church; it is my house that knows me best.  It is not my pastor; it is my home companion who can best judge me.  It is the servant, the child, the wife, and the friend that can discern most of my real character.

A good man will improve his household.  Rowland Hill once said he would not believe a man to be a faithful Christian if his wife, children, servants, and even the dog and cat were not the better for it.  That is being a good Christian.

If your household is not the better for your Christianity, if men cannot say, “This is a better house than others,” then be not deceived; ye have nothing of the grace of God.  

Let not your servant on leaving your employ, say, “Well, this is an odd sort of a Christian family.  There was no prayer in the morning, and I saw no prayer at night.  I was kept at their home all Sunday working.  Once a fortnight, perhaps, I was allowed to go out in the afternoon when there was nowhere for them to go so that I could hear a Gospel sermon.  My master and mistress went to a place where they heard the blessed Gospel of God; as for me, I had to work.”

Surely, Christians should not act that way.  Carry out your godliness throughout your home.

An Encouraging Example
Bates, 1625-1699

Precepts instruct us what our duty is, but examples assure us they are possible.  Examples resemble a clear stream wherein we may not only discover our spots and sins but also be encouraged to wash and clean them.

When we see men like ourselves, united to frail flesh and in the same condition as us, but they overcome the most glorious and glittering temptations, we are encouraged in our spiritual warfare.  We are encouraged that we, too, can get the victory over such temptations and sin.

“Men can ‘live’ long after they are dead.  They can outlive their memory and may be more enduring than any monument of brass or marble.

“Their example may be like the circles rising around a sinking stone.  The waves it makes grow wider and wider, embracing a larger and larger sphere, until it dies in gentle wavelets on a distant beach.  Likewise, your example can also reach a distant time.  Take care, then, how you live now.” —Guthrie

An Encouraging, Cleaned Example
Talmage

A child from a filthy home was taught at school to wash his face.  He went home so much improved in appearance that his mother scrubbed her face.  When the father came home and saw the improvement in domestic appearances, he also cleaned his face.

The visiting neighbors also saw the change and tried the same experiment until all on that street were cleansed.  The next street copied their example.  Soon, the whole city felt the result of one schoolboy washing his face.

This tale illustrates the best way for the world to be washed of its sins and pollution.  It can start by cleansing our hearts and lives.  

A man with grace on his happy face, Christian cheerfulness in his heart, and consistency in his behavior is a sermon that many will see and will impact many lives.  Your godly Christian behavior and attitude will make a difference!

“The flower blossom cannot tell what happens to its fragrance.  Neither can any man tell what becomes of his influence and example.”  — Unknown


Showing Hope and Love
Deb McCoy

Recognizing hope in unexpected places,
Displaying courage and character that shines forth on our faces.
Joy unrestrained in heartfelt authenticity,
Facing challenges without sinking to fleshly complicity.

Persevering by faith against all odds,
Battling exhaustion through the lenses of facades.
’Tis grace that is unleashed from Heaven above,
Telling the story of our Father’s great love.

Beyond the most painful chapters in each of our lives,
We are met by the mercies of God as our hearts He revives.
This pathway of hope strengthens our testimony in the Lord.
Growth and vitality permeate our hearts and minds as we lift up His Sword.

Our commitment to God will reveal our willingness to obey,
May we always be mindful that salvation was costly as on Calvary’s cross He did pay.
Whatever your circumstances, Christ is your truest and most loving friend,
Hope is assured as you receive God’s favor and victoriously run the race to the end.

“One watch kept on time is good to set the time of others.  On the other hand, if one is not on time, it will be a poor example for others to set their time by.  Christian, be careful by whom you set your ‘time’.”  — E. Cook

The BIBLE VIEW #930 —Tabernacle Giving

In This Issue:
Give and Give
Before Anyone Gave

Volume: 930     October 30, 2023
Theme: Giving for the Tabernacle

Read the FREE typeset version of this newsletter at https://openthoumineeyes.com/views23/EmailVersion/BibleView930email.pdf.  Use it for your church bulletin inserts or as a ministry handout.


Give and Give
Bill Brinkworth

God had just given Moses the instructions for the construction of the first “church,” the Tabernacle.  It was to be a beautiful place.  It was a “tent” and very portable, as it would be taken up and down as the people of Israel followed God through the wilderness.

Although the tabernacle was a tent, it was a holy dwelling place for God.  It would be richly laden with gold, silver, weavings, and precious stones.  The place of worship would be a monument honoring God.

“Take ye from among you an offering unto the Lord: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the Lord… (Exodus 35:5)” commanded God of His people.

The people of Israel had been delivered from the cruel clutches of the Egyptians.  They had seen God open the sea so they could walk through it on dry ground!  God’s people saw the pursuing enemy drowned by the waters that had been their escape route.  

The Hebrews had seen the sky darken and the Earth shake as their leader, Moses, ascended a mountain to meet with God.  They saw and felt the Earth tremble as Moses talked with God.  

Israel felt the fury of God when they displeased Him. God was very real and wonderful to them.  What a wonderful opportunity God’s people had to obey their heavenly Father and give back to Him!

So, the people gave and gave.  Animals were skinned, and the hides were prepared for the Tabernacle’s outer coverings.  Oil was readied for the tabernacle’s lighting.  Wood was hewn.  Gold and silver were collected and crafted.  Furniture was constructed.  

Women labored over weaving looms.  Men collected precious stones and polished them.  The people had a mind to work.  All continued to give of themselves and their possessions with which God had richly blessed them.

Rich men contributed.  Leaders donated.  Socially important men and women shared.  Families sacrificially offered what they could.  Poor men and women gave.  

What a sight it must have been to see the pile of goods given to the service of God continue to grow.  How it must have felt to feel the air of unselfishness and zeal amongst God’s people.

One day, Moses stepped out amongst the people and commanded their attention.  “ … Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary … for the stuff we have is sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.” (Ex.  36:6).  The people were restrained from giving as they gave more than enough!

Oh, Christian, if only we would have the same spirit of giving today.  Many today stop short when giving has anything to do with their pocketbooks.  

There is not one person who has anything that God has not given or allowed them to have.  Still, it is hard for people to give.

“Well, God had nothing to do with the new car I have sitting in my garage,” retort some.  Not true.  God blessed them with the job to earn the money to buy it.  He allowed them to have the health to be able to work.  Their heavenly Father blessed them with the intelligence to learn the skills that enabled them to earn money.

King Nebuchadnezzar once said almost the same thing.  He was proud of what he had done and gave God no credit for his accomplishments.  

Within one hour, God removed the leader’s intelligence.  High and mighty King Nebuchadnezzar was not so high and mighty any longer.  He ate grass and crawled on all fours like cattle.  

The once powerful ruler stayed that way for four years.  After finally recognizing that God had used him in doing all the marvelous things, God restored his sanity, and he became the leader again.

Do not learn the hard way, as did Nebuchadnezzar.  If you have anything, it is through God’s blessing.  Be a cheerful giver and give unto the Lord.  The most you can give is only part of what He has allowed you to have anyway.

We are responsible for being good stewards with our money, helping others, and seeing that the Gospel is carried throughout the country and world.  You can give of yourself, talents, time, and money to see that God’s will and way are accomplished.  He could do it Himself, but he chose to allow us.  

We also have the opportunity now to give and give.  Would it be wonderful for our spiritual leaders to get us to stop giving because we had given too much?  Oh, for giving hearts, as Israel once had.

“It is possible to give without loving, but it is impossible to love without giving.”  — Braunstein


Before Anyone Gave
Bill Brinkworth

After fleeing Egyptian slavery, one of the most significant accomplishments of Israel was building the Tabernacle.  That portable tent was a God-designed place of worship for the over two million refugees seeking a new land God had promised them. 

All gave to support the monumental task that was to be laden with gold, silver, woven materials, and other materials (Exodus 35:5-19).  However, giving did not come naturally to those people.  Before they would provide, a change had to be made in their hearts.

Their leader, Moses, gathered the people together and pronounced they would head to a new land of great wealth and opportunity, but God would not lead them.  Moses highlighted their sin as a reason for God’s not guiding them.  He said they were a “stiffnecked people” (Ex. 33:3, 5, 34:9).

Their stubbornness and hard-heartedness cost them God’s protection, provision, and other blessings.  They immediately knew what angered God.  It was their clinging to ornaments (jewelry) they had brought from their bondage in Egypt.  What in particular about their adornments was sin is not clear.  The decorations were somehow tied to Egyptian idolatry and false worship. 

God had them gather these treasures from Egypt in the first place for His pre-known purpose of decorating the Tabernacle.  Most likely, the pagan etchings and engravings on the rings, earrings, bracelets, and necklaces depicted idolatrous images they were to flee from, not covet.  

Israel removed their jewelry (Ex. 33:4,6), which was a remnant of their ungodly past.  The realization that they were still hanging on to the old world and life they had been delivered from broke their hearts (they “mourned” – Ex. 33:4).  

Turning from their sin changed their heart about giving.  Those “treasures” of ungodliness lost their luster and value.  The things became a tool to glorify God.

People then gave so willingly that Moses did what every pastor dreams of doing; he commanded Israel to stop giving as what they had given was “sufficient” (Ex. 36: 5-7) for the task God had for them.  It is also recorded that they not only gave the valuables they were allowed to have while in Egypt, but many gave themselves to the task of building the place of worship.

This remarkable change in heart was all because they recognized their sin and desired to flee from its clutching grasp on their lives.  When they truly repented, their giving and service to the Lord were given more willingly (Ex. 35:21, 22, 29). 

Hearts were changed as their selfish priorities changed.  They were more united because they now had one important goal, and they accomplished what God had for them to do.

Too many today also have barriers that will keep them from living for God and serving Him.  It may be the pull on their lives of coveting, idolatry, dishonesty, or another sin.  They may have moments of “religious” activity, but a relationship between them and the Lord is missing. 

Unless sin is recognized, confessed, and repented of, people will not have the Lord’s leading in their lives.  Not until they get to the place of being grieved over the waywardness from obedience to God will anything change.  It is never too late to have the right change of heart!  It will change many things, including one’s giving.

“The manner of giving is worth more than the gift.” — Corneille

The BIBLE VIEW #929 — Modern Bibles

In This Issue:
The Attack to Change God’s Word
False Statements about Modern Bible Translations and Versions
Can’t Silence Conviction

Volume: 929     October 23, 2023
Theme: Modern Bibles

Read the FREE typeset version of this newsletter at https://openthoumineeyes.com/views23/BibleView928.pdf.  Use it for your church bulletin inserts or as a ministry handout.

The Attack to Change God’s Word
Bill Brinkworth

“For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.” II Corinthians 2:17

The most important possession anyone can ever have is God’s Word — the Bible.  His Word will save a person’s soul from Hell, help one live a successful and fruitful life, protect one from sin’s damage, and help one get eternal rewards.  Because of its great importance, unfortunately, great efforts have been made to keep man from its truths and to change it.  None of the interferences have been from God!

  • In the Garden of Eden, the woman God created was first tempted to question and doubt God’s Word.  It was Satan, using the serpent, who attempted to confuse Eve with what God had said.  She fell for his trickery and allowed sin to enter the human race by disobeying God’s commandments.
    “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.  And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?  Gen. 3:1
  • Satan’s tool of tempting others to question and disobey God’s commandments continued throughout the Bible.  The enemy of God and His people was most likely behind much of Israel and its leaders’ sins of disobedience.  Satan certainly was behind King David’s defiance of God’s commandments to him.
    “And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.” I Chron. 21:1
  • Early churches faced deceitful corruption of God’s truths and Jesus’ teachings.  Some false preachers claimed to have seen Christ and other “ministers” of God’s work deceived their flocks.
    “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.” II Cor. 11:13
    “Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:” Acts 15:24
    “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.  2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:” II Pet.  2:1-2
  • Many tempted God’s people with their words rather than God’s.
    “Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.” Gal.  1:7  The perversion of the Gospel is continuing in many of today’s churches.
    “And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.” Col. 2:4
  • Most that taught false doctrines and not what God’s Word says did it for their benefit and motives.  Many false teachings continue today for the same reasons. 
    “For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.” Rom. 16:18
    “For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: 11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.” Tit 1:10-11     Often these “deceivers” are “religious” (the circumcision).
    “Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:” Philip.  1:15


The main reason for all new “bible” perversions is to make money!  That is why each version varies from another, so it can be declared different and abide by copyright laws.  The KJV can be duplicated without paying royalties, whereas most modern “bible” owners are paid royalties when their revision is reprinted or even quoted, in some instances.

  • In man’s last days, there will be an increase in the corrupting of God’s commandments.  That occurs in ALL modern “bible” translations and versions.” 
    “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;” I Tim 4:1-2

A spiritual battle rages (Eph. 6:12) to turn many from obeying God’s Word.  His Word is still being changed and hidden in all the new “bibles.”

With all the deception continuing today, how can one protect himself from those false teachings?  Following God’s Word is the only protection from being a casualty in today’s spiritual war.  It is preserved in the King James Bible for English-speaking people (the same Hebrew and Greek of the KJV is also preserved in Bibles in other major languages).  

“Try” or test what is said about God, Jesus, or His Word to see if it aligns with God’s ruler — the Bible.  If it does not line up, it is not the truth.  It is a lie, and it is not of God!

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” I John 4:1

“People and organizations that declare to be of God are not always what they claim!  Do not be deceived.  Read and study your Bible to discern what is truly of God!” — Author Unknown

False Statements about Modern Bible Translations and Versions
Bill Brinkworth

“And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” Revelation 22:19 

Much is said to sell new “bible” versions and their changed doctrines.  However, much of what is said to convince readers to adopt their version of God’s Word is untrue.  Here is a brief examination of incorrect statements said about the modern “bibles”:

  • “They make the Bible easier to understand.”  Much of the King James Bible is at a 5.8 grade reading level (1) (Flesh-Kincaid Grade level indicator).  The New International Version is at 8.4 grade level, New King James is at 6.9, and the New American Standard Bible is at 8.12.  Besides that, it is the Holy Spirit that allows anyone to know God’s Word, not man’s editing (I Cor. 2:14)!

Another motive is also behind “making the ‘bible’ easier to understand.” That motive is to make money.  If there are numerous changes, it can copyrighted, and its owner can earn money from its sales, as it is a new and different book.  The King James Bible is not copyrighted, so no one makes any royalties from its sale!

  • “They come from the originals” or “originate from more reliable manuscripts.”  The originals were never assembled in one place together.  What some call more “reliable” manuscripts were the ones that earlier believers rejected because of their corruption,  errors, and were seldom used.  That is one reason some of the older manuscripts were in good condition.
  • “They change ‘archaic’ words.” They do, but in many places the words replacing them change the meaning of the verse.  There are less than 20 words, not including verbs with “eth” added to them, in the KJV that are not commonly used today.  It would make more sense to understand their meaning by using a dictionary rather than changing the Bible.  Many modern books have words that the reader often has to look up in the dictionary, and no one even thinks of rewriting them to make them easier to understand.
  • “Scholars now know more than they knew then.”  Many of the authors and translators of the new versions did not even know Hebrew or Greek, nor were they experts in over 10+ ancient languages, as were many on the 1611 King James translating committee.  The translators of the King James were some of the most outstanding scholars and Christians of all time.
  • “They come from older manuscripts.”  The Masoretic Hebrew Text and the Greek Textus Receptus used in the KJV are older and more reliable manuscripts, not what is used in most modern versions.  Some of what are called the “older texts” are not reliable at all.  Historically, they were avoided because of their known mistakes and alterations.  Also, some “most ancient manuscripts” are over 100 years newer than those used in the KJV.
  • “They are correcting errors.”  There are no known errors in the King James Bible!  Most of what people call errors are intellectual or spiritual problems people had with what God said and recorded.  Changing His words may have eased their consciences, but it does not make it God’s Word, will, and way.  If the new “bible” versions are correcting “errors,” why are all 300+ versions different from each other?  Don’t they have it right yet?  Why are they still changing them?

    Several years ago, a website offered a large sum of money to anyone who could find an error in the KJV.  As far as I know, no one has ever found an error and has never collected a cent from the site!
  • “The new versions are more reliable.”  Most versions are written to teach the beliefs of the author(s), religion, or organization that produced the work.  Scripture that was contrary to their beliefs was removed or changed.  Also, the King James translators were honest enough that if they added words to make the context understood or to show what the Hebrew or Greek meant, they italicized the words.  Most modern versions remove the italicized words or do not italicize them.
  • “It is egotistical to think that only the King James in English is preserved.”  There is a text that comes from the Masoretic Text and Textus Receptus for all the major languages, including English, Greek, Hebrew, French, and Spanish.  Most of the major languages also have the preserved Word of God available to them.

Stick with the King James Bible!  It is the reliable, preserved Word of God!

 ** The King James Bible has 783,137 words, whereas the New International Bible has only 727,969. **  
1 Riplinger, G. A. New Age Bible Versions, Ararat, VA, 1995

“I notice if a man goes to cut up the Bible and comes to you with one truth and says, ‘I don’t believe this, and I don’t believe that,’ and doubts portions of the Word of God, he soon doubts it all.”  — D. L. Moody


Can’t Silence Conviction
Author Unknown

A child was in the habit of going to room where there was a store of apples.  She occasionally went to steal apples but encountered something that greatly troubled her.  

There happened to be in that storeroom an old oil painting.  It had a large face with eyes that appeared to be following her and a voice that seemed to say to her as she stole apples, “I see you.  It is very naughty.  I’ll tell on you.  You are sure to be found out.”

That picture annoyed the little girl and she was determined to stop the convicting portrait.  She got a small knife and struck the eyes out.  

Two large holes remained in place of the eyes, and she never could look at them without thinking of what she had done and what they used to “say” to her.  She had put out the eyes, but she had not, nor could she, get rid of her reminding conscience.

The same conviction of one’s sin is experienced after reading the real Word of God.  One may find a modern “bible” translation that changes wording so one’s sin is no longer mentioned, but it is still remembered what the real Word of God said about one’s iniquity.  

“God’s Word is meant to change the sinner, not for the sinner to change His Word to ease their conscience.”

The BIBLE VIEW #928 — Worldliness

In This Issue:
Why They Never Matured
Terrible Goods for Sale
The Ice Palace Is Gone
It’s All Vanity
Shaky Ground

Volume: 928     October 16, 2023
Theme: Worldliness

Read the FREE typeset version of this newsletter at https://openthoumineeyes.com/views23/BibleView928.pdf.  Use it for your church bulletin inserts or as a ministry handout.

Why They Never Matured
Bill Brinkworth

“And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.  2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.  3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” I Cor. 3:1-3

The church in Corinth was often rebuked for its lack of spirituality.  As much as Paul the Apostle wanted to preach and teach the harder and more spiritual principles of living the Christian life, he could not because of their immaturity.

Many may have been saved for a longer time, but they still had not learned or practiced the basic spiritual concepts they had been taught.  Paul had to repeat and reteach principles they should have known and incorporated into their lives.

Why did they not grow in the things of the Lord?  Why were they still at the same spiritual level as some who had just been saved?

It was not their intellectual level that was holding them back from growth.  It was their carnal trust in their leaders rather than Christ Himself.  They had good, godly leaders, but their trust was more in the man who had taught them the principles of God than faithfully following the One the preacher spoke of!
“For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?  5  Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?  6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.  7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.” I Cor. 3:4-7

They boasted and were more proud that they had had Paul or Apollos as their preacher than that they were Christians and were following all the principles taught by Christ Himself.  Their carnality and immaturity were because they were not following Christ!

Today, similar carnality abounds!  Instead of obeying all they read from God’s Word, people choose to give earthly leaders and religions more credence than the Bible’s truths.

When asked if a person is going to Heaven, one often hears, “I’m Catholic” or “I’m Methodist.”  Sometimes, one hears, “I went to Billy Graham’s church,” or another popular preacher.

We all need to attend a good, Bible-believing, Bible-obeying local church faithfully.  Still, one must never put their faith in any leader, church, or even their teachings, especially if they do not align with God’s Holy Word.  Just being a member of a Presbyterian, Pentecostal, Baptist, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Catholic, Hindu, or Islamic group and following their teachings alone also will not save anyone, nor will anyone ever grow spiritually! 

That kind of “religion” only creates more carnal followers.  That is why this world is full of religionists and baby “Christians” rather than God-obeying Christ-followers.  Grow in a good ministry, but most importantly, be a Christ-follower!
“According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I [Paul] have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon.  But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.  11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” I Cor. 3:10-11

“Ah, vain world!  Thou art a poor reward for the loss of Christ and Heaven.  While Satan is pleasing thy fancy with the rattles and baubles of the Earth, his hand is on thy treasure, robbing thee of that which alone is necessary.  It is more necessary to be saved than to be in Hell.”
— Curnall, 1617-1679

Terrible Goods for Sale
Downaine, 1644

Like a subtle merchant, the world offers us a good sample of bad wares and outwardly presents the best end of the stuff to our view.  The innermost and middle parts of what was offered are usually coarse and unsatisfactory.  What we are tempted to partake in is slight and unworthy.  What we end up with is counterfeit and purposely falsified.  We find all this out when it is often too late to change our minds, and a life is often ruined by what the unsaved world offered.

“If you can get along with the world, then you are out of step with God.” — Dr. Harold Sightler

The Ice Palace Is Gone
Edited from an article by Newton, 1725-1807

As a boy, I read of an ice palace built one winter at Petersburg.  The walls, the roof, the floors, the furniture were all of ice and were finished with taste.  All that was in the ice palace could be found in a royal palace.  The ice, while in the state of water, had been previously colored so that all seemed formed of proper materials to the eye, but all was cold, useless, and transient.

Had the cold continued until now, the palace might have still stood, but with the returning spring, it melted away.  There should have been one stone in the building with an inscription reminding people of what once had stood on the spot, as there was no sign of it after the spring thaw.

Men build and plan as if their works were to endure forever, but time passes, and they are often gone.  After all their preparations and labor, there is usually no reminder of what they spent their money, passions, labors, and priorities on.  They put their life’s priorities on temporal things rather than those that would last for eternity.  Their priorities were spent on the wrong temporary things.

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.  If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” I John 2:15

It’s All Vanity
Edited from an article by Szvinnock, 1673

Men in the valley of poverty, disgrace, or pain often think that if they were on the top of a certain mountain, they would be far above their current position and be in a better place.  They think if they were there they would have riches, honors, fewer problems, more delights, and would be happier.

King Solomon had gotten to the top of that mountain and realized what he had done to get there.  It was there he said, “Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.” Eccl.  2:11.  The things of this world can only bring temporary satisfaction.

“Those who go to the limit to enjoy all the things that the devil provides in this world find that the way in the end is hard.  For the moment, sin appears to be the thing that you need, and there is a thrill in sin, but the thrill soon destroys the sinner, and it becomes a burden and a heartache.”
— Dr. Harold Sightler

Shaky Ground
Spurgeon

In Chile, where the ground is subject to frequent shocks from earthquakes, the houses are built of low height and are unenduring structures.  It is useless to dig deep foundations and pile up high walls where the earth is so unstable.  It would be foolish to build something that would stand for ages, when the whole edifice might be in ruins in a week.

Herein, we read a lesson as to our worldly schemes and possessions.  This poor, fleeting world deserves not that we should build our hopes and joys upon it as though they could last us long.  We must treat it as treacherous soil and build but lightly on it.

“Let us use worldly things as wise pilgrims do their walking staves and other necessaries they pack for their journey.  So long as they help us forward in our way, let us use them and accordingly esteem them.  But, if they become troublesome hindrances and cumbersome burdens, let us leave them behind us, or cast them away.” —Lowname, 1644.

The BIBLE VIEW #927 — Salvation

In This Issue:
“She’s Going Down!”
“The Walking Dead,”
“How Does the Bible Tell One to Be Sved?”

Volume: 927     October 9, 2023
Theme: Salvation

Read the FREE typeset version of this newsletter at https://openthoumineeyes.com/views23/BibleView927.pdf.  Use it for your church bulletin inserts or as a ministry handout.

“She’s Going Down!”
Bill Brinkworth

Unbeknown to the S. S. Human Race, she was sailing her last voyage.  In the misty darkness, at around 12 bells, the mighty ship struck a partially sunken shipping container that had previously strayed off a cargo ship.

The mighty vessel had been struck mid-ship, and there was a gashing, gushing hole on her bottom.  The incoming seawater could not be stopped, nor could the tear in the ship’s metal belly be covered.  Sea water was pouring in faster than all the bilge pumps could handle.  She was riding deeper in the water and was slowly sinking.

Those in the low-rate berths were the first to experience the danger.  Their cabins filled up with water quickly.  Some drowned without even waking from their slumber.  Many who did escape found that the passageways were blocked with floating debris and could not get out.  They, too, drowned.

On the more luxurious upperlevels, a different situation occurred.  They heard the warning alarms.  They listened to the screams and heard of the disasters in the lower-class levels, but most were unalarmed, as most assumed they would be rescued.

“Why, we are important people in our society.  Some of us are leaders in our country and are essential to our nation’s well-being.  Others are wealthy and mean so much to the companies and foundations they run and support.  We are all well-educated and have far more degrees and honors than most.  Many are the elite and have done nothing but good to all around them.  We are nothing like those poor, ignorant folks below deck.  When the danger we are in is heard of, all effort will be made to keep us from the tragedy those other poor brutes below deck have faced,” was the thinking of those in the upper decks.

However, help never came in time.  The vessel expelled its last breath of air and succumbed to the water’s pull.  She went down with no survivors.  The liner went down with all aboard: the poor, the rich, the ignorant, the intellectuals.  All perished on the sinking ship.

Humankind is also on a similar “ship.”  It has always gone down morally, spiritually, and socially since the first sin in the Garden of Eden.  It is destined to perish.  Finances, knowledge, good works, kindness, man-made religion, or goodness can never plug its leaking hull.  Although it is still above water, it is riding lower in the sea of sin and shame daily.  One day, it will be too late for anyone to be rescued from the doomed vessel.

However, right now, there is an opportunity for any to be rescued from her sinking demise if they do what God requires.  God hates all of the sins we are guilty of, but He does not wish any to perish.
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” II Peter 3:9

Many years ago, God sent His only Son, Jesus, to be a sacrifice for all of man’s sins if individuals would accept what Jesus had done for them.  All that is needed to escape the sinking, Hell-bound “ship” is to acknowledge and confess to the Father the truth that we are sinners and are headed for a hot, lonely, eternal torment.  After recognizing our sinful situation, the only life raft available can be boarded by trusting that Jesus’ death was the only payment God will accept for our sins.
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Rom. 3:23

No good works, kindness, good living, religion, or anything we can do can rescue us from our doom.  Only calling upon Jesus to save us will get us off the sinking “vessel.”
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Eph. 2:8-9

A “savior” rescues a person from harm, but no person can save anyone from eternal destruction.  Only a “Saviour,” who is God, can do that. 

The only real Saviour is Jesus Christ, and He can save anyone from eternal damnation.  Trust Christ alone as your Saviour to keep you from the Hell many on the S.S. Human Race will one day experience.
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Rom. 10:13

“I am not a Christian because I am strong and have it all figured out.
I am a Christian because I am weak and admit I needed a Saviour.”  
— Author Unknown


The Walking Dead
Bill Brinkworth

“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” Ephesians 2:1-3

Is it possible to be dead, still walking, and appear alive?  Could scenes from the old horror movies where the dead staggered through the villages be close to reality?

Of course not!  When a person is dead, they either go to Heaven or Hell.  However, it is possible to walk, talk, see, hear, smell, touch, and be spiritually dead.

When sin first entered humanity through Adam and Eve’s sin of disobedience, something terrible happened to them.  God commanded Adam not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  He told them (Genesis 2:17) that if they did eat of the fruit, “… thou shalt surely die.”

They disobeyed God and ate the fruit, but it is clear that they did not die right away.  They talked, walked, hid, and had children.  Was God not telling the truth?  No, God cannot lie.  Eventually, their bodies died.  They are definitely not walking the streets today.  However, something more important in them did “die” long before their bodies gave their last breath.

When God made Adam, he became a living soul (Genesis 2:7).  When sin was committed, that part of him “died.”  He still walked, talked, and lived life, but not to the fullest because the most important part of him, his soul, became separated from God – a type of death.  From then on, every person born was born separated from God.  They laugh, cry, talk, and sometimes live long lives, but spiritually, they are far from God and are “dead”!

All are the “walking dead” until that dead part of them is made “alive.” When people realize they are guilty of breaking God’s heart and commandments with their sin and trust that Christ’s death on the cross is the only payment God will accept to cover their sins, they can be saved from Hell.

John 3:3 calls salvation being “born again.” When one is born again, he is a new creature in Christ (II Corinthians 5:17).  The new person should see, think, talk, and live differently.  

The famous hymn, “Amazing Grace,” touts this revived difference in the changed person when it says, “… I once was blind, but now I see.” A born-again person has a new, spiritual birth, and many things in his life change.  He sees and experiences life quite differently.

It is possible to be alive but missing one of the most important facets of life: a soul in fellowship with God.  Without that living part, there may be laughter but no joy, and sight but no understanding of the danger to which one is headed.  There may be hearing, but only heeding the voice of the world and the wicked, and thinking only of themselves and certainly not what God desires of them.  

Just as the deaf or blind are certainly alive but missing some of what life has to offer, so are the “walking dead.” Those that are not born-again are the walking dead.  Are you born-again or one of the spiritually unborn?

“The most important question concerning any man living is this: Is he a saved soul or not?  Is he a child of God or an heir of wrath?” — Spurgeon

How Does the Bible Tell One to Be Saved?

  1. Know that you are a sinner:
    “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:23  Also: Romans 5:12, I John 1:10.
  2. Know that Hell is the payment for all that have sinned.
    “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rom. 6:23
    “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” Romans 5:12
  3. BUT, there is good news!  Jesus’ death on the cross is the payment for the sins of all that call upon Him for salvation!
    “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Romans 10:9
    “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Rom. 10:13

“There are only two classes of people in this world: the saints and the ain’ts.”
— Vernon McGee

The BIBLE VIEW #926 — Temptations

In This Issue:
The Weapon Against Temptations
There’s A Battle Out There!
Satan Knows
Always a Way of Escape
Making Provision

Volume: 926     October 2, 2023
Theme: Temptations

Read the FREE typeset version of this newsletter at https://openthoumineeyes.com/views23/BibleView926.pdf.  Use it for your church bulletin inserts or as a ministry handout.


The Weapon Against Temptations
Bill Brinkworth

All people face temptations at one time or the other.  Often, we can choose to do God’s will and way or ignore His desires and do what we desire. 

Jesus was not exempt from facing similar temptations.  The most famous of Jesus’ trials is in Luke 4, where the devil tempted Jesus.

Although most of us will not rank the personal attention of Satan’s temptations, we can learn how to face our temptations by following Christ’s example.  What gave Christ the victory then will help us succeed today.

In all three testings (Luke 4:1-13) Jesus faced, He was victorious.  We can also win when we are tempted to sin.  We do not have to succumb to the impulse to lie, cheat, deceive, commit adultery, or any other weakness our flesh wants to give in to.

None of Jesus’ trials were won by clever answers, reasoning with the enemy, or compromising.  They were overcome by simply quoting and abiding by biblical principles.

When Jesus was tempted to turn the stones into bread, He quoted Deuteronomy 8:3, “… make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.”  Satan attacked again and tried to tempt Jesus by offering power and the things on Earth.   Christ’s defense was scriptural: “…Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve.…” Deut. 10:20.

By the third temptation, Satan knew how Jesus would fend him off.  Satan attempted to counter with Scripture.  Satan’s misquoting and misusing of God’s Word (Psalm 91:11, did not hamper Jesus.  Jesus simply quoted Deuteronomy 6:16: “Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God….”

The key to facing temptation is not running from it, ignoring it, or giving in to it.  It is determining if it is wrong, and if so, sticking to the guidelines given in the Bible.  That is why reading and studying God’s Word is so important. 

One never knows what temptations will be faced.  When you do encounter them, will you know what God’s Word says about the confronting trial?  Do you know Scripture well enough to make it your protection and guide you through the pitfalls you are encountering?

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”  I Corinthians 10:13

There’s A Battle Out There!
Bill Brinkworth

One of the most important principles for a Christian to understand is that there is a spiritual battle going on.  Most of the assault is invisible, but the war against God and His followers rages.
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:12

Peter closed his letter in I Peter with a similar warning as was stated in Ephesians 6:
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” I Peter 5:8

Many Christians trust Christ as Saviour, but that is as far as the relationship goes.  They never see there is a spiritual battle around them, they are involved in it,  and they are a casualty.

A Christian cannot lose his salvation in the battle.  It is already bought and paid for.  His name was already written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life.  However, a Christian can have his testimony destroyed in the foray.  That is the intent of the enemy, Satan.  He cannot take a saved man to Hell with him, but he can make sure the child of God is of no use to the cause of Christ.  If he can wound one of God’s warriors, that Christian will be out of the battle, at least temporarily.

Sadly, Satan has won many battles.  Many Christians have been saved, but the “roaring lion” sought them and devoured their zeal and testimony. 

The enemy of God and mankind may have pounced on a Christian’s pride and sent the child of God permanently home from church because his feelings were hurt.  Satan’s efforts may have crippled a babe-in-Christ by making it seem like the Word of God was too hard for him to understand, so the believer never read the Bible and was weakened by spiritual ignorance.  

Perhaps the enemy used the ploy of leading the Christian to a dead or liberal church.  The child of God never grew because he was not spiritually fed or educated with the Truth. 

The enemy also may have encouraged believers to read a modern perversion of the Word of God, so they never hear all God desires them to know.  They are also weakened because they were not fed meat from God’s Word.

There are thousands of weapons in the enemy’s war chest.  Satan hates God and the things of God.  Satan’s primary purpose is to make sure that the cause of Christ is hampered.  Sadly, he has succeeded with his attacks on many attempting to live for Christ.

We have been warned.  There is a battle for the souls of mankind and for the disarming of Christian soldiers.  However, if the spiritual armor described in Ephesians 6 is spiritually donned, all can be victorious in the battle for the cause of Christ.  With God’s help, we can overcome the trials and temptations we face.
“Whatsoever is born of God, overcometh the world,”  I John 5:4

“You cannot win the war if you are not even in the battle.” — Author Unknown


Satan Knows
T. Watson, 1871

The devil does not know the hearts of men, but he may feel their pulse, know their temper, and accordingly can apply himself.  As the farmer knows what seed is proper to sow in such soil, Satan, discovering one’s temper, knows what temptation is suitable to plant in such a heart.  He tempts the ambitious man with a crown, the sanguine man with beauty, and the covetous man with a wedge of gold.  Mankind’s enemy provides savory temptations he knows the sinner loves.  

“The temptations of Satan, which he intended for their destruction, frequently become jewels to adorn the crowns of God’s people when they stand before the eternal throne.”  — Author Unknown


Always a Way of Escape
Author Unknown

There is a place in the Hudson River where, as you sail, you seem to be entirely hemmed in with hills.  The boat drives on toward a rocky wall, and it looks as if it must either stop or be dashed to pieces.  However, as you come within the shadow of the mountain, an opening is suddenly discovered, and the boat passes out into one of the grandest bays on the river.

So it is with temptation.  You are not to seek it and not to surrender to it.  God promises no way out in such a case.  But, if it meets you on your Heavenward journey, you are to go straight on, though you see no way out.  

God does not promise “… a way to escape …” (I Cor. 10:13) until the temptation actually comes.  If you keep on, the “way” will reveal itself in due time.  Remember, as in that river, the beautiful bay lies just around the frowning rock.  So often, your sweetest and best experience in life lies just behind your most threatening temptation.

“When meeting temptation, turn to the right.” — Author Unknown


Making Provision
W. B. Knight

One day Bob was given definite instruction by his mother not to go swimming in the nearby pond.  Shortly afterward, he was to pass the pond enroute to the ballpark.  He took along with him his bathing suit, just in case he was tempted.  The boy made provision for the flesh to fail.

It was different for an older man.  He knew what tempted him and how he would react.  “When I pass a watermelon patch, I can’t keep my mouth from waterin’, but I can run past it.”

“But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”   Rom. 13:14

The BIBLE VIEW #925 — Getting Right with Others

In This Issue:
Get It Right — Immediately!
When Anger Is Sinful
You’re Only Fooling Yourself

Volume: 925     September 25, 2023
Theme: Getting Right with Others

Read the FREE typeset version of this newsletter at https://openthoumineeyes.com/views23/BibleView925.pdf.  Use it for your church bulletin inserts or as a ministry handout.

Get It Right — Immediately!
Bill Brinkworth

“Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.” Matt 5:23-24 

Although much of the Matthew  5:23-24 verses was about another time, the principle of getting right with fellow Christians still applies today.  Getting along with others,  even Christians,  will always be a challenge.

As a church deaf interpreter, I stood before the deaf congregation at the front of the church.  After hearing what the pastor said over my right shoulder, I relayed what God had laid on Pastor Fedena’s heart to the deaf congregation in sign language.

Part of the sermon was about not holding a grudge against another Christian.  Being angry at a brother or sister in Christ will hinder the Holy Spirit from working in one’s life and may keep one from being used by God.  The pastor detailed some examples of how that sin hurts individuals and the church. 

God began to deal with my heart about a grudge I was holding against a man in the church.  The man had offended me, and the smoldering embers of bitterness were rekindled every time I looked at him.

Trying to concentrate on delivering the message to the deaf and remembering my sin soon distracted me.  The pastor’s sermon became more personal and required a decision on my part.  “If God reminds you of a person you have something against, go to him and get it right,” the pastor emphasized.  

As the preacher continued, he made the invitation even more immediate.  “If that person is here, go, get it right now.  Don’t delay!  Go to them and deal with your sin.…”

“Gulp!” That was when the conviction became overwhelming.  I silently argued with the Lord while still interpreting.  “Lord, I can’t do it now.   I’m interpreting.  I’ll do it later….”

The conviction became stronger, and dealing with it immediately seemed inevitable.  It was as if the preacher knew about the sin I had harbored in my heart and was speaking to me personally.  He did not, but it certainly felt like it.  More urges like “… now  … don’t grieve the Holy Spirit … go to that person now … don’t wait another second …” pestered my thinking.

That was it.  I could not take another second of the Holy Spirit’s conviction.  I signed to another nearby interpreter to take over and interpret for me.  After he had taken my position, I looked for the man with whom I was harboring bitterness.  Wouldn’t you know it, he was sitting on the other side of the church and towards the back.

I crossed the front of the church and went down the aisle to the back of the church.  It seemed like all eyes were on me, but I had to get that sin right.  I went to the man and leaned over to speak to him.  Without getting into details and trying not to justify that my reasons were right, I apologized to him for getting angry at him and asked for his forgiveness.  He must have been embarrassed as much as I, but fortunately, he accepted my apology, and the matter was closed. 

I had previously apologized to the Lord, and now I had forgiven the man.  The conviction subsided.  I had done what the Lord told me to do.  Peace returned.

No matter what the other person did or said, it is essential for us not to sin.  If the offender sinned, it should not be a reason for us to do likewise.  However, if we sin, it may require humbling ourselves and getting it right with a family member, child, parent, friend, or acquaintance.  If their sin was greater, that is between them and the Lord.  Our concern should be to keep our slate clean from unconfessed sin.

Is there a person you may have something against?   Perhaps it is a matter that happened a long time ago, but it still gnaws at your memory.  Is that bitter feeling more important than grieving the Holy Spirit by harboring that sin?

If your conviction reminds you of an unsettled matter, now would be a good time to get that sin forgiven by God and right with that person.  You may not have to cross a whole church congregation, but you may have to pick up a phone, write a letter, or even visit that person personally — TODAY!

“And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.  26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.” Mark 11:25-26
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9

“If anger is not restrained, it is frequently more hurtful to us than the injury that provokes it.”   — Seneca


When Anger Is Sinful
J. Beaumont, 1871

Anger is a sin:

  • When we are angry with the providence of God.
  • When we are angry with the laws of God.
  • When we are angry at the doctrines taught in the Word of God.
  • When we are angry at the good we see in others.
  • When we are angry with those who differ from us in religious sentiments.
  • When we are angry at reproof.
  • When we wish evil upon our reprover. 

“The sun must not set upon anger; much less will I let the sun set upon the anger of God towards me.”   — Donne

You’re Only Fooling Yourself
Bill Brinkworth

In starting the first of his three letters, John the Apostle bluntly covers two areas many are not completely honest with themselves about.  Those areas are:

  • When people claim to be in fellowship with God but are not!
    “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:” I John 1:6

    Many times folks fool even themselves into believing that they can talk to God, He is listening to them, answering them, and they are in full fellowship even when they are in sin.  They are lying to themselves.  

    It is impossible for a believer to have close fellowship with God when there is sin in their life!  God hates sin, and although people do not lose their salvation when they fall for sin’s enticement, they certainly grieve Him (Ephesians 4:30).  

    That grieving will cost anyone a close relationship with God.  The only remedy for that broken relationship is to turn from sin (Acts 8:22) and again “… walk in the light …” (I John 7).  One should then live in the manner in which God requires.
  • When people claim to have no sin.
    “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” I John 1:8   Also: vs. 10.

    Some consider themselves sin-free.  My grandmother claimed never to have sinned.  She was a good person by man’s standards, but when I approached her with the Bible truth that “… all have sinned …” (Romans 3:23), she insisted that she was not a sinner. 

    I remember her even being insulted that I would even think such a thing about her.  No matter how much I loved my grandmom, she was like the rest of us — a sinner!  She was deceiving herself, and as far as I know, she was never saved because of that deception.

    The only cure for my grandmom, and any other person in that state of not recognizing their sin, is to acknowledge their iniquities and admit them.  Once we realize and confess it to Him, God is “… faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9).  

    However, that first step is the tough part: recognizing oneself as a sinner.  Some know it at a young age, but other folks, such as my grandmom, can go 80 years and still not recognize their sinnership.  One of the most important steps for anyone’s salvation is to first realize they are a sinner.

The most valuable and important thing everyone has is their soul.  Making the decision to be close to God and to go to Heaven rests on their shoulders.  That decision can only be made when one is completely honest with Him, and is willing to do what the Bible commands.

“The wages of sin is death.  There is no minimum wage.”

The BIBLE VIEW #924 — Bible

In This Issue:
Get the Context
Difficulties in the Bible
Why Some Do Not Read the Bible
Wealth Untold

 Volume: 924     September 18, 2023
Theme: Bible

Read the FREE typeset version of this newsletter at https://openthoumineeyes.com/views23/BibleView924.pdf.  Use it for your church bulletin inserts or as a ministry handout.


Get the Context
Bill Brinkworth

“Context”: “The parts of a piece of writing or speech which precede and follow a particular word or passage and may fix, or help to fix, its true meaning” — Chamber’s Dictionary

Too often a Bible verse is selected to prove a point or doctrine without understanding what it is really about.  The context of what was penned is often ignored.  The statement is often misunderstood because previous or following verses that inform more fully what the Scripture is about are not heeded.

Not understanding the context of a conversation is something we all have done at least once.  We listened to some talking and thought we knew what was being discussed.  However, after we put our two cents of an opinion into the discussion, we were soon embarrassed because what we thought was being talked about was wrong.  They were talking about something completely different.  We came into the conversation at the end and did not understand the original context.

Too often this happens to a Bible reader.  They assume they know what the verse means but are in left field in understanding it.  Getting the context of the verse is paramount. 

Here are some simple guidelines to keep one from making an error in understanding a verse(s):

  • To whom is the verse addressed?  Too many try to apply to this church age what was given to Old Testament saints only or to the Jews.  It should not usually be applied to today’s church.  One should not make verses fit to suit what they want them to mean.

    Although many principles in the Bible apply today, many do not.  To be safe, read the verse as the original recipient would understand it.  (This will take some knowledge of the audience and their customs, practices, thinking, etc.)

    Read “Matthew” as a Jew would with their understanding of the Old Testament and what they were looking forward to in their future.  Read Paul’s Epistles from the point of a man burdened for the Gentiles and with a vast background of the Old Testament.
  • What event or time are the verses concerning?  Some scripture specifically dealt with a time in past history, but future to the ones being written to.  Often, those verses are made to fit today when they do not apply. 
  • Do other verses indicate that a previous practice or teaching is no longer to be followed?  Some have tried to follow Old Testament worship when the New Testament commands that we are no longer to have sacrifices, as Jesus is the once-forever sacrifice.  We are no longer to have high priests as Jesus is our High Priest (Heb. 4:14).
  • Is the verse a part of a previous sentence?  Sometimes, the Scripture continues a preceding verse(s).  Perhaps that verse even ends with a comma or a semicolon (;).  Understand those verse(s) before jumping to conclusions about one select verse.

    Sometimes, a verse starts with a word that connects it to an earlier verse or even a chapter.  A giveaway is if it is a verse that begins with “Therefore,” “Wherefore,” or other connecting words.  A common rule is if one sees a connecting word such as “therefore,” ask one’s self, “What is it there for?” and look and see!
  • What are the previous verses (and chapters) talking about?  Some read a whole chapter that is about one thing and take one verse in that chapter and claim it is about something completely different.  ALWAYS read previous verses, maybe even the whole chapter or more, before assuming you know what the verse means. 
  • Is the principle you believe that is being taught, taught elsewhere in the Bible?  Many stick to a biblical doctrine only “taught” by one verse.  Usually, a principle is mentioned in many places in the Bible, not just one.  One should be suspicious when getting a doctrine from only one verse.  Search further.  If it is a teaching God wants you to know, it will be in multiple places.
  • Do not take another’s understanding of the verse for granted.  We all make mistakes and often have the wrong context of the verse.  Study it and search it out for yourself.  I have heard somebody’s understanding of a verse was based on “what our religion teaches,” “what our tradition follows,” or “what my Aunt Hilda, whose great-grandfather was a preacher, said.” The best commentary of the Bible is the Bible!  If you are English-speaking, ensure that the Bible you use is the KJV.  ALL other modern versions change words, delete words and verses, and teach many things differently than the preserved Word of God!

The Bible is not just a book.  It is God’s preserved Word.  Often, it is not easy to understand what you are reading unless you have the proper background of the verse.  Always understand a verse’s context before coming to conclusions about its meaning!

“A text without its context is a pretext!”


Difficulties in the Bible
John Bates, 1871

No one need deny that there are difficulties in the Bible.  Those hard-to-understand statements do not affect its Divine origin any more than the difficulties in understanding things in nature affect the truth of its Divine origin. 

Because a man cannot comprehend all the difficulties that meet him in many of the pages of the Book, would he be wise in saying that God was not the Creator of it?  How can one be wise, for a similar reason, when one denounces the Bible as the Book of God?

“The Bible was human in penmanship but divine in authorship!”
— Author Unknown


Why Some Do Not Read the Bible
Author Unknown

Queen Elizabeth’s wrinkles waxed deep and many.  It is reported that an unfortunate master of the mint (the person designing the country’s coins) was disgraced by making a too faithful likeness of her cast on the shilling, which showed her aging.  The die was broken, and only one mutilated specimen exists.

Her maids took the hint and were careful that no fragment of a looking glass remained in any room in the palace.  The Quarterly Review, a magazine of the time, said the queen “had not the heart to look herself in the face for the last twenty years of her life!”

A mirror exposes wrinkles, dirt, etc., that may be on one’s face, as the Word of God shows what is in one’s heart.  Reading the Bible shows us our sins.  If we refuse to repent and change, we soon tire of seeing our “dirty faces” in God’s “Mirror.” So many stop looking into His “mirror.”  How foolish!  Better see the “dirt,” confess it, arid be cleansed by the Blood of the Lamb. 

“It’s not the will of God if it is against what is taught in the Word of God.”

Wealth Untold
Author Unknown

Precious things of wealth untold,
Stores of silver and of gold,
God hides oft within the ground,
Till by seeking they are found.
In His Word He’s hidden, too,
Riches that He means for you.

Search the Scripture’s precious store
As the miner digs for ore,
Finding wisdom not of Earth,
Far above a ruby’s worth.
Search, and you will surely find
Treasures to enrich the mind.

Search the Scriptures every day,
Search, and find there hidden away,
Like a pearl within its shell,
Promises that fears dispel.
Search, and find God’s words impart
Treasures to enrich the seeking heart.

Search the Scriptures, finding there
Christ, its chiefest Treasure rare,
Through whom God makes wealth abound
In each life where is found.
Search, and find what Christ will do
To enrich all life for you.

“To own a Bible and not read it is proof of one’s unconcern for what God
has to say!