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Guy Fawkes & The KJV
Guy Fawkes & The KJV
"Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?"
Ecclesiastes 8:4
This past Thursday, November 5, 2009 a fellow by the name of Malik Nidal Hasan shot up the army base at Fort Hood killing 13 and wounding 31. (I believe the Obama administration calls it "Workplace Violence.") But something you may not know is that the British celebrate November 5 (Guy Fawkes Day) kind of the way we celebrate 9/11.
November 5, 1605 was the day a group of Catholics had plotted to blow up the King of England along with the entire parliament. Most Catholics of that day like most Muslims of our day wouldn't have participated but wouldn't have felt too bad about it either.
In 1605 the economy was on the rise and thriving kind of like it was in 2001 when terrorists flew planes into the twin towers. The King knew he had opposition but never imagined it would escalate to the level it did.
The name of the King was James and he was a student of the Bible. He wrote a paraphrase of the Book of the Revelation and even translated some of the Psalms.
But being king of England wasn't James' first crowning achievement. In fact, James was only 13 months old when he was crowned James VI of Scotland on July 29, 1567. Five months earlier his father had died in a bomb blast at his home. Then 20 years later his mother was beheaded at the age of 44. Finally, in 1603 when Elizabeth died, James VI of Scotland was crowned King James I of England.
I don't know if James was a saved man but when you study the history behind Nov 5, 1605, you can't help but see the hand of God at work. Historians speculate that they would have carried out the plot sooner but for some strange reason the meeting of parliament had been delayed.
If you've ever noticed in football, sometimes when one team goes to kick a field goal the other team will call a timeout. They don't call a timeout because they need it. They call a timeout because they want the kicker to get shook up thinking about his next kick. And when God delayed the meeting of parliament those men got nervous.
Some of them even took the time to try and warn several members of Parliament to stay away from the court that day (all of which were Catholics too). One of those was Lord Chamberlain Monteagle. When he received an anonymous letter telling him to avoid parliament that day, he immediately brought it to the attention of the King
The king and his people had little to go on. On November 4, 1605 they were still investigating and looking for clues, when, at the stroke of midnight they discovered Guy Fawkes standing outside the cellar door of Westminster Palace. The men had searched the cellar before and found nothing. But after finding a tinderbox and some matches in the pocket of Guy Fawkes, they decided to search it again.
This time, under a pile of firewood and coal they found 36 barrels of gunpowder sitting right under the spot where King James would be standing in just a few short hours.
So at 1 AM they woke up the King and drug Fawkes in to stand before him. Historians say that he stood emotionless, regretting only that he had failed in his attempt to kill the King. If I'm not mistaken they used "enhanced interrogation techniques," otherwise known as "torture" to make him give up the names of his buddies. None of them ever stood trial but died in a shootout when authorities tried to apprehend them. Not long afterward, Guy Fawkes was tried and hung all by himself in St. Paul's churchyard.
400 years later the British celebrate Guy Fawkes Day as a day they killed the Catholics who tried to kill their King.
Now, why would Satan have wanted to destroy the King and his parliament? Perhaps because only a year before that day the new King had given permission to a large group of scholars to begin work on a new translation of the Bible. This translation would never have been completed had Fawkes and his Catholic co-conspirators been successful. But they weren't and in 1611 the new translation was completed, presented, and dedicated to King James.
Most King James Bibles still have this dedication in the front of the Book.
The Translators of the Bible wish Grace, Mercy and Peace, through JESUS CHRIST, our Lord.
GREAT and manifold were the blessings, most dread Sovereign, which Almighty God, the Father of all mercies, bestowed upon us the people of England, when first he sent Your Majesty's Royal Person to rule and reign over us. For whereas it was the expectation of many, who wished not well unto our Sion, that upon the setting of that bright Occidental Star, Queen Elizabeth of most happy memory, some thick and palpable clouds of darkness would so have overshadowed this Land, that men should have been in doubt which way they were to walk; and that it should hardly be known, who was to direct the unsettled State; the appearance of your Majesty, as the Sun in his strength, instantly dispelled those supposed and surmised mists, and gave unto all that were well affected exceeding cause of comfort; especially when we beheld the Government established in Your Highness, and Your hopeful Seed, by an undoubted Title, and this also accompanied with peace and tranquillity at home and abroad.
But among all our joys, there was no one that more filled our hearts, than the blessed continuance of the preaching of God's sacred Word among us; which is that inestimable treasure, which excelleth all the riches of the earth; because the fruit thereof extendeth itself, not only to the time spent in this transitory world, but directeth and disposeth men unto that eternal happiness which is above in heaven.
Then not to suffer this to fall to the ground, but rather to take it up, and to continue it in that state, wherein the famous Predecessor of Your Highness did leave it: nay, to go forward with the confidence and resolution of a Man in maintaining the truth of Christ, and propagating it far and near, is that which hath so bound and firmly knit the hearts of all Your Majesty's loyal and religious people unto You, that Your very name is precious among them: their eye doth behold You with comfort, and they bless You in their hearts, as that sanctified Person who, under God, is the immediate Author of their true happiness. And this their contentment doth not diminish or decay, but every day increaseth and taketh strength, when they observe, that the zeal of Your Majesty toward the house of God doth not slack or go backward, but is more and more kindled, manifesting itself abroad in the farthest parts of Christendom, by writing in defence of the Truth, (which hath given such a blow unto that man of sin, as will not be healed,) and every day at home, by religious and learned discourse, by frequenting the house of God, by hearing the Word preached, by cherishing the Teachers thereof, by caring for the Church, as a most tender and loving nursing Father.
There are infinite arguments of this right christian and religious affection in Your Majesty; but none is more forcible to declare it to others than the vehement and perpetuated desire of accomplishing and publishing of this work, which now with all humility we present unto Your Majesty. For when Your Highness had once out of deep judgment apprehended how convenient it was, that out of the Original Sacred Tongues, together with comparing of the labours, both in our own, and other foreign Languages, of many worthy men who went before us, there should be one more exact Translation of the holy Scriptures into the English Tongue; Your Majesty did never desist to urge and to excite those to whom it was commended, that the work might be hastened, and that the business might be expedited in so decent a manner, as a matter of such importance might justly require.
And now at last, by the mercy of God, and the continuance of our labours, it being brought unto such a conclusion, as that we have great hopes that the Church of England shall reap good fruit thereby; we hold it our duty to offer it to Your Majesty, not only as to our King and Sovereign, but as to the principal Mover and Author of the work: humbly craving of Your most Sacred Majesty, that since things of this quality have ever been subject to the censures of illmeaning and discontented persons, it may receive approbation and patronage from so learned and judicious a Prince as Your Highness is, whose allowance and acceptance of our labours shall more honour and encourage us, than all the calumniations and hard interpretations of other men shall dismay us. So that if, on the one side, we shall be traduced by Popish Persons at home or abroad, who therefore will malign us, because we are poor instruments to make God's holy Truth to be yet more and more known unto the people, whom they desire still to keep in ignorance and darkness; or if, on the other side, we shall be maligned by self-conceited Brethren, who run their own ways, and give liking unto nothing, but what is framed by themselves, and hammered on their anvil; we may rest secure, supported within by truth and innocency of a good conscience, having walked the ways of simplicity and integrity, as before the Lord; and sustained without by the powerful protection of Your Majesty's grace and favour, which will ever give countenance to honest and christian endeavours against bitter censures and uncharitable imputations.
The Lord of heaven and earth bless Your Majesty with many and happy days, that, as his heavenly hand hath enriched Your Highness with many singular and extraordinary graces, so You may be the wonder of the world in this latter age for happiness and true felicity, to the honour of that great GOD, and the good of his Church, through Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour.
Praying For A New Tongue?
Praying For A New Tongue?
Most Folks Can't Handle The One They've Got!
When a prophet named Balaam was headed somewhere the Lord didn't want him to go God sent an angel to block his way. The beast on which Balaam rode was apparently more sensitive to spiritual things than he was. Because the animal kept turning out of the way to avoid the angel, Balaam became frustrated and started beating her.
"And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?" (Num 22:28)
Notice first of all (1) something is speaking that shouldn't be. 2Peter 2:16 says this "dumb (mute) ass" was speaking "with a man's voice." This is not the 1st time you find an animal speaking in the Bible (the serpent spoke to Eve in the Garden) but this is interesting. Notice also, Balaam's ass was a 'she'. In the average charismatic church, I'd say, women do 90% of the tongues speaking. Paul was dealing expressly with the gift of tongues when the Holy Ghost moved him to write:
"Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church." (1Co 14:34-35)
Paul knew it was the will of God for the "women to keep silence in the churches" when it came to the matter of tongues. But Paul was also a realist. He knew that people do not like being told what they can and can't do. Paul knew that later on liberal scholars would rise up out of the crevices of Hell and downplay what he had just written. Accordingly, some argue that the prohibition against women speaking in tongues here in 1Corinthians 14 and the qualifications of a pastor in 1Timothy 3 are all just Paul's "opinion." Paul anticipated all of this and wrote verse 37 for everyone who tries to justify their charismatic grandma or one of their friends who happens to be a woman preacher. In an almost sarcastic manner, he says:
"If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord." (1Co 14:37)
Paul knew many folks don't care what the Bible says. So he writes in verse 38: "But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant." (1Co 14:38)
Secondly, (2) this unnatural behaviour didn't appear strange to Balaam. Any sane person would have found this event beyond bizarre. But remember, Balaam is not right with God. People who are out of fellowship with the Lord are frequently and strangely comfortable in unusual circumstances. For instance, when Jonah was running from God, the Lord sent a storm that nearly destroyed the ship he was in. The heathen sailors were calling on every god they could think of! (It's just natural to pray when you're going thru a storm.) "…But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep." (Jon 1:5) In his backslid condition Jonah seemed immune to his problematic surroundings. If you have the slightest knowledge of the Bible you should know the Holy Ghost won't make you act like a complete fool. If you see nothing wrong with men and women foaming at the mouth and babbling on like idiots, then there's something wrong with you (you're spiritually retarded).
The Mosaic Law demanded that God's people (the Jews) abstain from unclean meats. Many of the Jews continued to observe these dietary laws even after they were converted. They did this more out of habit than necessity. But, in their defense, there was no verse in the Old Testament that said, "After you become a Christian you can eat whatever you want." So in their minds, certain things like pork were still taboo. When Gentiles started getting saved, because of their eating habits, many of the believing Jews were uncertain whether or not they should fellowship with them. (It was hard for them to believe God would bless someone who ate bacon.) On one occasion, because of this mindset, God revealed to the Jewish companions of Peter that He did indeed pour out His spirit upon Jew and Gentile alike.
"While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter," (Ac 10:44-46)
Again the Bible says they spoke with "tongues" (plural) and not with an "unknown tongue" (singular). Tongues were necessary since, as 1Cor 1:22 says, "The Jews require a sign." Until the New Testament scriptures were complete, the sign gifts were necessary for unbelieving Jews. Mark 16:20 indicates the Apostles had been commissioned to confirm (authenticate, backup, or validate) the Gospel with signs. The purpose of tongues was to confirm that God had indeed stretched out His saving arm to the Gentiles.
The word 'tongue' in Scripture refers to either: a language or an actual part of the body known as the tongue. As far as the Bible is concerned, the gift of tongues was the supernatural ability to speak in a language not previously learned. For instance if I was suddenly endowed by God with the ability to speak and understand Japanese, that would be similar to the gift on Pentecost. 1Corinthians 14 gives instruction concerning the utilization of this gift. Many of these rules are violated and completely disregarded in charismatic circles. However, the utter confusion, which "they" refer to as 'speaking in tongues,' is NOT that gift described in the Bible. Tongues, such as in Acts 2 and 10, were known languages and not ecstatic, unintelligible, gibberish.
Some say that "speaking in tongues" is evidence of being filled with the Holy Ghost. Some go even further, saying that you're not even saved if you don't speak in tongues. I strongly disagree. Take Jesus for example. Can you think of anyone more sanctified and Holy than the Lord Jesus Christ? None would ever accuse Him of not being Spirit filled. Yet in my Bible, I never find a single instance where Jesus ever spoke in tongues. If "tongues" is the evidence of having the "baptism of the Holy Ghost", why did the Lord not leave us that example in His life as He did with water baptism and communion? Moving on…
"For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries." (1Cor 4:2)
The word "spirit" in this verse is lowercase. It refers to our spirit and not God's Holy Spirit. Notice, the word "unknown' here is italicized, and the word 'tongue' is singular. 'Unknown tongue' refers to any language not understood by others. We are told not to forbid people to speak with 'tongues' (plural) in 1Cor 14:39. However, the Bible does NOT say "Forbid not to speak in the unknown tongue" (singular) this is Bible Doctrine, not merely my opinion.
And as Forest Gump once said, "That's all I got to say about that."
More Compromising: Billy Graham, God, & George Bush
Reading George Bush's new book Decision Points, I was shocked to read Billy Graham's answer to Bush Sr.'s question. He basically asked, "Is it essential to be born again?" You'll have to read this for yourself…Its unbelievable!
In the summer of 1985, we took our annual trip to Maine. Mother and Dad had invited the great evangelical preacher Billy Graham. Dad had asked him to answer some questions from the family after dinner. That was typical of Dad, always willing to share.
It would have sent a signal of importance to have had Billy to himself, but that is not George H.W. Bush. He is a generous man, devoid of a big ego. So there we sat, about thirty of us—Laura, my grandmother, brothers and sister, first and second cousins —in the large room at the end of the house on Walker's Point.
The first question was from Dad. He said, "Billy, some people say you have to have a born-again experience to go to heaven. Mother [my grandmother] here is the most religious, kind person I know, yet she has had no born-again experience. Will she go to heaven?"
Wow, pretty profound question from the old man.
We all looked at Billy. In his quiet, strong voice, he replied, "George, some of us require a born-again experience to understand God, and some of us are born Christians. It sounds as if your mom was just born a Christian." (Pgs. 48-49 of the Ebook)
Hopefully, Bush misremembers Graham's exact words. Otherwise, this is compromise of the nth degree!
Jesus said, "…Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3) It's imperative. It's essential. There's no getting around it. "…Ye MUST be born again." (John 3:7)
Matthew 3
In the previous chapters, the birth of Christ had stirred up a lot of things. There was political unrest and parents were uneasy. Now, another prophet is unveiled.
1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
"In those days" This man named John was raised up for "such a time as this!" In the darkest of times God often sends His brightest lights.
"…Preaching in the wilderness…" Luke 1:80 says that John "…was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel." Like Moses on the backside of the desert, John had a long dry spell of his own before his ministry kicked into high gear.
2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
John the Baptist preached "repentance!" John had a large following but he did not offer a free camel ride to whoever brought the most people to hear him preach, nor did he give an autographed copy of Isaiah to the oldest grandmother present. He was his own publicity and needed no press agent. (6) He said "repent" because the kingdom of heaven is "at hand". Like a man would say, "I like to keep my gun handy." "At hand" means close by. John was saying the kingdom wasn't far away. In fact, Heaven's King was about to begin His ministry on earth.
"Kingdom of heaven" is a phrase which appears thirty-two times in Matthew but nowhere else in the New Testament.
3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.[1]
Preparing "the way" involves removing stumbling blocks. Accordingly, John's preaching involved a lot of stump pulling.
4 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
"Raiment" means clothing. I find it interesting that it only took 62 words before the Holy Ghost told us about John's clothes. He was a preacher, but he didn't dress like one (or should I say 'he didn't dress the way we think a preacher should'). Notice, everything about John was rough. He wore camel's hair coats, leather britches, and ate insects.
At the Bible College I attended, we had chapel services each night. For a long time, it seemed all we heard were 'encouraging' messages. Don't misunderstand me: I'm for encouragement, but when that is all you have, it kind of makes you sick. On a particular occasion, I noticed the preacher they had in was wearing a bowtie. I thought to myself, "Great! We're about to hear a sermon from Mr. McGoo!" To make a long story short, he preached the devil out of us Bible college students and most of the staff too. When he was done, I didn't have enough hide left to close my eyes. It was Harold Sightler's grandson. He was a normal looking man; however, that bowtie threw me off. If not for that experience you'd never convince me that the power of God and a bowtie could be on the same man. That just goes to show you, you cannot put God in a box and you cannot always judge a book by its cover.
5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,
John's pattern would later be a commandment. Just as he started in "Jerusalem and all Judaea," the disciples were told in Acts 1:8 "…ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
The Sadducees and many of the Pharisees didn't believe what John was preaching, but they came anyway. Why? Because John was popular and religion always wants to be part of the latest thing.
Note: this is the first mention of "O" in the New Testament. "O generation of vipers" John said, "Yall come from a long line of snakes!" There are several things you should know about snakes: (1) they cannot hear, (2) they respond to movement, and most importantly (3) they will bite you! In fact, they pose the greatest danger when their mouths are open.
8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet[2] for repentance:
"Repentance:" Regret is being sorry mentally only (King Saul, for example). Remorse is being sorry both mentally and emotionally (like Judas). Repentance is being sorry mentally, emotionally, and volitionally (like Matthew, among others). (5)
"Fruits meet for repentance" include a (1) denial of sin, (2) departure from sin, (3) desire for Scripture, and (4) dependence on the Saviour.
9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
Many of the Jews believed their Abrahamic descent alone was pleasing to God. John, however, chopped their Theology to pieces.
10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
Remember, John was preaching to a mixed multitude. Some would be saved and some would not. Those who were not saved would be baptized in Hellfire.
12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
"Unquenchable" means: greedy, ravenous, unappeasable, unsatisfiable, or limitless. (7)
13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
In being baptized by John, Jesus was identifying Himself, not only with John's ministry but with the three Old Testament offices and anointing. There were three substances used to anoint people. These included; water, oil, and blood (Lev 8:6, 12, 23). The three offices were prophets, priests, and kings. While prophets and kings were anointed with oil only, priests were anointed with all three of the above. Jesus, as Prophet, Priest, and King was anointed: with water by John the Baptist (vss. 15-16), with oil by the woman with an alabaster box[3], and with blood by Himself[4].
Since many misunderstand the meaning of baptism, it is necessary to point out that getting baptized has never saved anyone. If water could wash away sins they're in revival at Myrtle Beach.
14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
Many times as preachers we have more honors bestowed upon us than we deserve. However, if it be the will of God, we are not to decline from our duty, even though it may flatter us. We can do no more than our duty; we should desire to do no less. Note: it was John the Baptist. Not John the Methodist or John the non-denominational.
15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
They say, "Never think too highly of yourself, even God became a baby!" And here, the Son of God submits Himself to baptism.
16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
The wording here demands baptism by immersion. For it would be difficult if not impossible to come "Up…out of the water…" if you're only being "sprinkled." In other words, sprinkling is not the Biblical mode of baptism. Furthermore, water is the only proper element to be baptized in. That should be elementary. In fact, I wouldn't have brought it up had it not been for a humorous story involving the translators of the King James Bible.
One day, when the translators were discussing baptism in front of King James, the Bishop of Peterborough made an off the cuff comment. He said that he knew of one case in which an ancient father had baptised with sand instead of water. James blurted out, "A turd for the argument. He might as well have pissed on them, for that had been more liker to water than sand." (8) Reportedly, the bishop's reputation never recovered.
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
In this chapter we see all three Persons of the Godhead manifested: the Son in the water, the Spirit in the air, and a sound from the Father in heaven. We serve a God that is so big He had to manifest Himself in three Persons!
It is true that the word "Trinity" does not appear in the Bible. However, it is also true that the word "Bible" does not appear in the Bible, yet both exist. "Godhead" is the King James word for "Trinity". It is only fitting then, that the word "Godhead"[5] appears three times in Scripture. Three, of course, is the number for divine completeness or perfection. Jehovah's Witlesses question the doctrine of the Trinity on the grounds it is hard to understand. Speaking of which, someone has well said, "To try and understand the Trinity is to lose your mind; to deny it is to lose your soul."
The Apostle John asked a good question: "Who is a liar?" We could answer that by listing the JW's, LDS, etc. Why? Because a liar is any man "…that denieth that Jesus is the Christ…" and "He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son." (1John 2:22) Again he says, "Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also." (1John 2:23) I do not attempt to fully comprehend; much less explain the Trinity. The Bible does teach it, however, and I accept it. Someone has said, "The Bible says it; I believe it; that settles it." But if the Bible says it, it does not matter who believes it; it is still true.
[1] Isaiah has 66 chapters just like the Bible has 66 books. Matthew is the 40th book in the Bible. The quotation in Matt 3:3 is from Isaiah 40:3. Students of Bible Numerology will find this connection interesting.
[2] "Meet" means fit; suitable; proper; qualified; convenient; adapted, as to a use or purpose. (Webster)
[3] "There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat." (Matt 26:7)
[4] "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." (Matt 26:28) "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." (Heb 9:12) "Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;" (Heb 1:3)
[5] Acts 17:29; Romans 1:20; Colossians 2:9
Matthew 2
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
In the book of Exodus, God's people had been in Egypt for over four hundred years. In all that time, over four centuries, the Lord never sent them a prophet or even a message from Heaven. Then one day the children of Israel began to cry out for deliverance. They had been slaves to Pharaoh for many years. But it wasn't until they began to groan under weight of their burdens that God sent them a deliverer whose name was Moses
The life of Moses, his birth and ministry parallels that of our Lord Jesus Christ. For instance, when Moses first revealed himself to his fellow Israelites, he was rejected; likewise with Christ at His first advent. Both of them did great miracles and brought salvation through the blood of the lamb. When Moses was born, along with being under the rule of a foreign government, multitudes of innocent children were being slaughtered. What am I getting at? I'm saying I believe the second coming of Christ will in many ways be similar to the first coming. That being said, I want to look at the conditions in Christ's day and then compare them to our own.
First of all, in vs. 1, there were very few wise men left! In fact, these had to be imported from the East. (By the way, we generally think of "three" wise men, but the Bible does not say how many there were.) Though it is hard to imagine wise men coming from the land of Iraq, these men were probably from Babylon[1] and had knowledge of Daniel's seventy weeks (Dan 9:24).
I believe the Bible calls these men "wise" for two reasons. First of all, vs. 2 says, after they saw his star, (after they 'saw the light') they came "to worship him!" Today wise men still worship Him! Secondly, I believe they were called 'wise' because they feared God. That is not in our text but Psalm 111:10 says, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom." You don't even come close to wisdom until you fear God. And if America lacks anything today, it is the fear of our God.
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
In the Old Testament, the first question God asked of man is, "Where art thou?" (Gen 3:9) In the New Testament, the first question man asks was "Where is he…?"[2]
"His star in the east…"[3] After studying the nativity story, my mom confessed she had always assumed the lady's group known as the Eastern Stars had something to do with the star of Bethlehem. She was mistaken. These men were in the East when they saw His star. That would have made it, if anything, a western star. Cults like the Eastern Stars, Masons, Shriners, Ku Klux Klan, etc. have nothing to do with the Babe in the manger.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
The Herods were an Edomite line of kings, who, under Rome, got control of Judea shortly before Christ. Herod the Great (37-3 B.C.),[4] got his throne, and kept it, by crimes of unspeakable brutality, murdering even his wife and two sons. He was cruel, cunning, coldblooded. It was he who slew the children of Bethlehem in an effort to kill Christ. His son, Herod Antipas, some 33 years later, killed John the Baptist (Mark 6:14-29), and mocked Christ (Luke 23:7-12). His grandson, Herod Agrippa I, 14 years still later, killed James the Apostle (Acts 12:1-2). His great grandson, Herod Agrippa II, 16 years later, was the king before whom Paul was tried Acts 25:13-26:32). (4)
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,[5]
Herod was told to look for Jesus in Bethlehem. "Bethlehem" means the House of God or a place of bread. If a man is looking for Jesus, he ought to be able to find Him at the house of God. Herod, however, did not seek the Lord for the right reasons.
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
Herod "had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together." This is one of the most striking parallels between Christ's day and our own. Herod gathering all the religious leaders together reminds me of the Ecumenical[6] movement infesting churches today. It seems like every time you turn around, some spiritually-retarded Church wants to get everybody together. Baptists, however, have always been diametrically opposed to everything the Roman Catholic Church stands for.
Recently, the news media (Fox) has been lambasting John Hagee for calling the Catholic Church a "Great Whore." In fact, the Bible calls the Catholic Church a "great whore" and a "mother of harlots" in Revelation 17.
Dr. Sightler used to say, "There's strength in division" and he was right. I would still rather be divided by truth than united by error. The Bible says, "…come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord…" (2Cor 6:17) But for some reason, many professing Christians don't see a thing wrong in fellowshipping sixteen different faiths.
By the way, let me throw this in; Baptists are not Protestants. We did not come out of the Catholic Church. We never were part of it. Before Martin Luther or John Calvin ever came along, there were men standing up with a Bible saying, "What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!" No, the name "Baptist" does not go all the way back to the days of the Apostles. But down through the ages, there have been men who believed the basic tenets of what we believe today. Unfortunately, the established church of their day persecuted them, branded them as heretics, and forced them into obscurity. Baptists need to read books like J.M. Carroll's Trail of Blood or Fox's Book of Martyrs and develop some doctrinal backbone.
But notice something about the ecumenical movement in our text. In Vs. 2 the wise men saw His star in the east. We read elsewhere, that shepherds saw it. However, we don't read where Herod, the Scribes, or the Pharisees ever saw the light! The religious crowd knew about Jesus. In fact they told Herod where He would be born. But we don't read where they ever looked for Him much less found Him. Might I say that the prominent, so-called preachers; the Joel Osteens, Jim Bakers, and the Oral Roberts may know a lot about God, but they've never met God!
7 Then Herod, when he had privily[7] called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
Note: when Jesus came the first time, the country was governed by two-faced lying politicians[8]. Herod made out like he loved God and he loved children, but in reality, he was a devil! He told the wise men to find Him because he wanted to worship Him too! But Herod didn't care a thing about that little baby, he didn't care about the wise men, he just told them what they wanted to hear in order to get the information he wanted.
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
Broadus says it was common in the East to travel by night and avoid the heat of the day. (9)
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
These wise men were perhaps the first Gentiles to worship Jesus. What a privilege.
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him:[9] and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
"Into the house:" Apparently then, some time had elapsed as the scenery changes from a stable to that of a house. In fact, judging from Herod's orders in vs. 16, Jesus was probably around two years old at this time.
Notice, the wise men did not give gifts to Mary. They gave gifts to Jesus. God knew that Joseph and Mary were poor. Without these gifts, especially the gold, they probably wouldn't have been able to afford their escape to Egypt (Vs. 14).
12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
After "being warned of God" the wise men didn't go back the same way they had come. They went "another way." There's a whole lot in that verse. After you meet Jesus you will walk another way too! It will change your direction.
13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
Notice, after the marriage, divine directions are given to the man and not Mary.
14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
They left by night, indicating that Joseph wasted no time in heeding God's warning.
15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.[10]
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men[11], was exceeding wroth,[12] and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
With all the other signs of His soon coming, isn't it strange that when Jesus came the first time, the mass murder of children was sanctioned by the state? Today, there are some who believe certain situations exist where abortion might not be that bad. People with this mentality can be found, even among professing Christians. What do you think? Would you consider abortion in any of the following four situations?
(1.) There's a preacher and wife who are very, very poor. They already have fourteen children, and now she finds out she's pregnant with the fifteenth. They're living in tremendous poverty. Considering their poverty and the excessive world population, would you consider recommending an abortion?
(2.) In one family, the father is sick and the mother has tuberculosis (TB). Of their four children; the first is blind, the second recently died, the third is deaf, and fourth has TB. The mother finds that she's pregnant again. Given their extreme situation, would you consider recommending an abortion?
(3.) A white man has raped and impregnated a thirteen-year-old black girl. If you were her parents, would you consider recommending an abortion?
(4.) A teenage girl is pregnant. She's not married. Her fiancé is not the father of the baby and he is highly upset. Would you consider recommending an abortion in this situation?
If you said yes to the first case, you just killed John Wesley, one of the great evangelists in the nineteenth century. If you said yes to the second case, you killed Ludwig van Beethoven. If you said yes to the third case, you killed Ethel Waters, the great black gospel singer who thrilled audiences for many years at Billy Graham Crusades around the world. And, if you said yes to the fourth case, you killed Jesus Christ. (5) Would you have killed anybody important?
Isn't it strange the same bleeding-heart liberals, who talk about how important it is to educate our children, can turn around, and in the same breath, promote killing them in abortion clinics?
The average politician today is a low-down, sorry, tax-raising, fag-loving, baby-killing devil. That is exactly right! They might get some heathen's vote because of it but they're selling this country down the river. But brethren, the Bible is still true. Queers are still going to Hell and abortion is still murder in the eyes of God. I don't care whether you call it an embryo or a fetus, it is a baby! And God hates "hands that shed innocent blood." (Prov 6:17)
17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy[13] the prophet, saying,
18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.[14]
Herod had a warped sense of mercy. It probably made him feel better that he didn't have anyone killed who was over a certain age. Rachel is mentioned because she was buried in Ephrath which is Bethlehem[15]. Thus Micah refers to it as Bethlehem Ephratah.[16]
19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
Herod was a formidable foe, but now "Herod was dead." Mary's husband Joseph has a lot of similarities with the Joseph of Genesis. Both had dreams (Gen 37:5) and both had a daddy named "Jacob" (Matt 1:16).
20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.
21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.
Notice, Jesus was a Nazarene and not a Nazarite. This difference is important to point out when dealing with the subject of long hair.[17]
[1] H.A. Ironside says these men had probably read the LXX. (See comment and footnote under 12:21)
[2] "The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?" (Song 3:3)
[3] Thus begins the first "Star Trek."
[4] When you're dealing with time before Christ (B.C.) the years go down.
[5] "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." (Mic 5:2)
[6] "Ecumenical" Relating to, involving, or promoting the unity of different Christian churches and groups (often at the expense of Bible doctrine).
[7] Secretly
[8] The word "politics" comes from poli (many) and tics (blood sucking creatures).
[9] "O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker." (Psalm 95:6)
[10] "When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt." (Ho 11:1)
[11] Note: sometimes wise men mock public figures.
[12] Note: Herod was "exceeding wroth" liberals can't stand to have their authority questioned.
[13] See the comment on Matthew 27:10
[14] (Jer 31:15)
[15] (Gen 35:19)
[16] "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." (Mic 5:2)
[17] "Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?" (1Cor 11:14)
Matthew 1
The lineage in Matthew is Christ's mother's ancestry which shows His legal claim to the throne of David. While not of the same bloodline; Christ is in the royal line.
1 The book of the generation[1] of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
This verse commences a brief overview of the Lord's earthly ancestry. Matthew's target audience consisted of Jews. It is logical therefore, that he begins with Abraham; the patriarch of Judaism.
2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;
Abraham begat Ishmael before Isaac, and others after him, but they are not mentioned; because the Messiah was not to spring from any of them. Jesus would come from Isaac's descendents. "…In Isaac shall thy seed be called." (Gen 21:12) (3)
Jacob was later renamed "Israel." "Judas" or "Judah" was one of Jacob's sons and also head of the tribe out of which Christ came. This is why Jesus is called the "Lion of the tribe of Judah" (Rev 5:5).[2]
3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;
"Thamar" is the same Tamar who tricked Judah into sleeping with her. (Gen 38:15-16)
4 And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;
5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;
"Rachab" is the next one mentioned in vs. 2. She is not a very pretty character especially in Joshua 6. There she is called Rahab the harlot. But she did become a wonderful person after she came to a knowledge of the living and true God. "By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace" (Heb 11:31). She got into the genealogy of Christ for the simple reason that she believed. She had faith. Notice the progression here. (4)
"Booz" not booze but Boaz from the Book of Ruth. Ruth, if you remember, was a native of Moab and so was Orpha. These two non-Jewish girls married Mahlon and Chilion; the sons of Elimelech and Naomi. When Naomi's children[3] and husband died, Orpha (a type of the old nature) went back to her old ways but Ruth clave unto her mother-in-law. Naomi tried to persuade Ruth to go back to her own people but she refused. One of my favorite passages in Scripture is where Ruth told her mother-in-law:
"…Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me." (Ruth 1:16-17)
"Obed" was the child of Ruth and Boaz. Obed means "worship." When Ruth was put in the family, she had a little worship! Not bad for a girl who was once an alien from the commonwealth of Israel, "…having no hope, and without God in the world" (Eph 2:12).
6[4] And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;
Even though David was said to be a man after God's own heart, the sin which he committed followed him all the way into the New Testament. The sword truly never departed from his house. (2Sam 12:10)
Note: Solomon wasn't David's firstborn son by Bathsheba. David's firstborn child died as a direct result of David's sin.[5] The firstborn in the Bible is often a type or illustration of a lost person; someone who has been born only once. Ishmael illustrated this. Being the firstborn, he despised the son of promise: Isaac. "For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid (Ishmael, Abraham's firstborn child), the other by a freewoman (Isaac). But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh;[6] but he of the freewoman was by promise." (Gal 4:22-23)
Anyhow, David wasn't able to keep that first birth but oh; that second birth was magnificent. The Lord said that there was none like Solomon, nor would there ever be (1Kings 3:12). That second birth was one of a kind. In fact, it was a royal birth. (John 3:3)
7 And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa;
In 1Kings 15:11 the Bible says, "Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD…" (1Kings 15:11) What was it that so pleased God, the Bible records he "…Did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD?" I don't have time to mention them all, but the first thing he did right was "…he took away the sodomites out of the land…." (1Kings 15:12) By "took away" it means Asa killed that crowd. I say hallelujah for king Asa! You cannot have the blessings of God in a land overrun by perverts! If it was sin 2000 years ago, it is still sin today, and it always will be sin. The dictionary defines sodomy as a "crime against nature!"
8 And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias;
9 And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;
10 And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias;
11 And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon:
12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;
13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;
14 And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud;
15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;
Four questionable women appear in this genealogy. It was not customary to list the names of women in a genealogy; therefore, the inclusion of these names must be deliberate on the part of the author. Tamar, mentioned in verse 3, was the mother of two illegitimate sons (Pharez and Zerah) by Judah. Rahab was the converted harlot of Jericho and the mother of Boaz. Ruth, the wife of Boaz, was a godly foreigner (Moabitess).
The wife of Uriah is none other than Bathsheba whose adultery with David is infamous. However, she later became the legitimate wife of David and the mother of Solomon. The curious feature of mentioning these women in this genealogy indicates that the evangelist wished to disarm Jewish criticism about the unusual virgin birth of Jesus by showing that some irregular unions were divinely blessed in the Messiah's legal ancestry. (5)
16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.
Here we find three sets of fourteen.[7] Fourteen is the number which represents deliverance or salvation. It is used some 26 times in the Bible.
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
The most amazing thing about Mary was she was still a virgin when she got married. I have been to several weddings where the bride wore the wrong color but Mary was a virgin. Never forget, Mary may have given Him His bottle, but God gave Him His blood.
Several things about Mary's pregnancy are similar to getting saved. Notice; a new birth is on the way and man had nothing to do with it.[8] The Bible says, "She was found with child" before she ever knew (had sex with) a man.
Secondly, her conception was "of the Holy Ghost." One young man said, "I believe we have all we need inside of us!" But that would be ridiculous; unless you were Mary! Isn't it amazing that Mary was to deliver her Deliverer? For nine months God lived inside this girl named Mary. But if you are saved, He lives within your heart[9] and thank God; He will be there forever.
Also, there was likely a change in Mary's appearance. She may have kept her pregnancy a secret at first, but it wasn't long before it started to show. That reminds me of a little girl who said, "I don't see how such a big God can live on the inside of me and not poke out every now and then!"
No doubt there was also a change in Mary's appetite. Pregnant women often have strange cravings. These desires wake them up in the night and make them drive to the grocery store. A good dose of Holy Ghost salvation will have similar effects: for, "As newborn babes," you will "desire the sincere milk of the word" (1Peter 2:2). I believe there was a change in Mary's associations as well. As you will see; the new life within her caused family problems.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
Mary and Joseph had probably been High School sweethearts and gotten engaged early in life. Then the poor girl just lost her mind. She started talking about angels and prophecies, and here she is pregnant with somebody else's baby. I mean really! Can you imagine being in Joseph's shoes? Your engagement has already been announced in the paper; you have had all the pictures made; and your family has already paid for the honeymoon. Then your blushing bride-to-be, whom you have never touched, comes up pregnant?
Joseph was ashamed, brokenhearted, and disgusted with her. Though the Bible says Joseph was a just man at the end of the day, every man is still just a man. Besides, according to the law, he would have been just if he had stoned her! Nonetheless, the Bible says Joseph was going to "Put her away privily." If I was in Joseph's shoes that would mean "I was looking for a good place to hide the body!" But God says "…I desired mercy, and not sacrifice…" Joseph didn't try to humiliate the person who had hurt him. So, how do you deal with hurt?
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
Praise God! If ever somebody needed a little encouragement from Heaven it was Joseph! God sent a messenger to tell him, "…Fear not!" In other words: 'God is going to take that very thing causing trouble in your marriage and use it to save the world!' What Joseph thought was a disaster turned out to be a deliverer. The tragedy of his life became the biggest blessing the world had ever known. And God allows things in our lives that we don't understand right now. But "…all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Rom 8:28)
"…That which is conceived in her…" Mary was the only saved person who didn't have to believe the virgin birth by faith. She experienced it! "For that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost."
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.[10]
No earthly person could have told Joseph what the child would be. Remember, this was before sonograms. But God declares the "end from the beginning."
"…Jesus…shall save his people from their sins." Are you among "his people?" If so, what sins has He saved you from?[11]
22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
23[12] Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Vs. 23 – in Bible numerology, many believe that twenty three is the number of death. If so, from Christ's birth we see death lingering ever near Him.
24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
Modern perversions of the Bible omit the word "firstborn" from this verse. For example, the ASV says, "…and knew her not till she had brought forth a son…" The King James (the right Bible) uses the word "firstborn" for a good reason.
"Firstborn" implies that Mary had children other than Jesus. The Roman Catholic Church, however, teaches that Mary was a perpetual virgin (she never had sex). Therefore, when Catholics pray to "Mary," they profess to pray to the "Virgin" Mary. Unfortunately, she hasn't been a virgin for two-thousand years. The "virgin" Mary and Joseph had children like rabbits after Jesus was born[13]. They are praying to someone who does not exist. Besides, there is only "…one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;" (1Tim 2:5) and Jesus said, "…no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
Note: ASV stands for American Standard Version: which is a humorous name for a Bible since American Standard is also the name of a company that makes toilets. I do not know if these two companies are related. It would be fitting if they were. After all, both their products contain the same thing.
[1] "This is the book of the generations of Adam…" (Gen 5:1)
[2] "For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda…" (Heb 7:14)
[3][3] Naomi's husband and children were "Ephrathites of Bethlehemjudah." No doubt they were called so, because Ephratah was one of the names of Bethlehem.(5)
[4] Six is the number of man. The sixth word in verse six is "King."
[5] "…And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick…And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died…" (2Sam 12:15-18)
[6] "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:6)
[7] It was the 14th day of the first month of the year when the children of Israel were delivered from Egyptian bondage, and from the stroke of judgment which fell upon the firstborn of the Egyptians. (Ex 12:6-7; Ex 12:12-13; Lev 23:4-5) The number 14 is found three times connected with Christ's coming into the world, and He came to save, or deliver His people from their sins. The Salvation of the soul takes place when one believes, at which time, he comes under the blood of Christ, "Our Passover". But the body will not be delivered from the bondage of corruption until the resurrection of the believer or the rapture of the saints, then the redemption of our body takes place. (Rom 8:20-23) This explains why the numbers 14 and 3 are found together. 14 is for deliverance and 3 is for the resurrection. (65)
[8] "Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Eph 2:9)
[9] "…The Spirit…dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." (John 14:17)
[10] "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." (Isa 7:14)
[11] "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature…." (2Cor 5:17)
[12] Vs. 23 – in Bible numerology, many believe that twenty three is the number of death. If so, from Christ's birth we see death lingering ever near Him.
[13] (Matt 13:55-56)
Arnold Murray
More information will be forthcoming but suffice it to say that this man seriously deviates from orthodox Bible teaching. I hate to use the word "orthodox" but it sounds more professional than saying the man teaches some "off-the-wall" stuff!
Benny Hinn
Come on people. You'll never see this guy at the Shriner's Hospital healing kids.


text:
March 07, 2013 - Doncaster (UK) and Lucca (Italy)
Keepmoat Selects Tagetik to Streamline Consolidation and Reporting Processes
UK construction and services company improves Finance productivity with robust Performance Management software
Tagetik, a global provider of enterprise software solutions for Performance Management, Disclosure Management, Financial Governance and Business Intelligence, today announced that Keepmoat – UK market leader in community regeneration, repairs and maintenance, sustainability, and housing solutions – selected Tagetik's Performance Management solution to manage their financial consolidation and reporting processes on top of Microsoft SQL Server.
The software will be replacing Keepmoat's existing spreadsheets. At a later stage, the company will also be implementing Tagetik's unified application to manage their budgeting, planning, and forecasting processes.
"With the merger of Apollo & Keepmoat Group and different underlying ERP systems we needed an overarching EPM solution which would provide flexible management reporting across different business and statutory needs. During the selection process, Tagetik proved to be robust and rich in functionality which we knew would allow us to implement our current needs as well as future plans such as budgeting, forecasting and cash flow planning," says Stefan Allanson, Deputy CFO at Keepmoat.
"We are delighted to have another construction company, and more importantly, a well-known name in the housing and regeneration industry," explains Shak Akhtar, Managing Director at Tagetik UK. "Implementation of Tagetik will enable the Finance team and other Keepmoat subsidiaries to engage in the financial reporting process in a secure and structured way whilst, at the same time, allow Keepmoat Finance team to provide their senior management with information that matches the needs of a growing and changing organisation."
"By implementing Tagetik's unified software platform, I know Keepmoat will benefit from this powerful solution which simplifies the complex processes of managing business performance and financial assets," adds Manuel Vellutini – EVP, Chief Operating Officer at Tagetik. "Our software's 'built-in' functionality empowers the Office of Finance with greater data insights, shorter process cycle times, and higher customer satisfaction."
About Keepmoat
Keepmoat, is a national market leader in community regeneration and housing solutions, which was formed by the merger between Apollo and the companies making up the former Keepmoat Group. They have brought together their complementary experience and skills to form a new £1.0 billion regeneration company, which has the financial strength, capability and experience to do bigger and better things. The common thread between the two companies is people: some 3,200 full time employees based at 22 regional offices spanning the length and breadth of the UK.To learn more: www.keepmoat.com
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
It's the end of the month and for some it'll be the first payday of 2013. So, there are plenty of games out this week, right? Nope, just three.
Luckily for those still paying off Christmas presents purchased with their credit cards, Hitman Trilogy HD and Omerta: City of Gangsters are both less-than-full-price releases.
The contents of Hitman Trilogy HD aren't as old as you may think – Hitman: Blood Money was released on Xbox 360 not long after the console itself. The other two games it contains are Hitman 2: Silent Assassin – which was the first Hitman to arrive on consoles – and Hitman: Contracts. As an nice extra bonus, Hitman: Sniper Challenge is also included. This was originally Hitman: Absolution's pre-order incentive, and a very decent one at that.
Reviews of the trilogy haven't been exactly amazing so far, including a 6.5 from the US Official Xbox Magazine. "Both [Silent Assassin and Contracts] still feel plain compared to the newer releases, and the enemy A.I. is spotty throughout, but fond fans will appreciate the HD recap, original warts and all," they said.
Grainger Games is the cheapest place for it at the moment – a not too shabby £14.99.
They're also the cheapest place online for Omerta: City of Gangsters on Xbox 360, at £24.99. Although it may on first glance look like a low budget clone of LA Noire, it is in fact a simulation game with turn-based combat. It's from the guys behind the Tropico city-building games, all of which were pretty good. A demo is incoming we believe.
Then we've got Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch on PlayStation 3. This is Namco's long awaited Studio Ghibli RPG and reviews suggest it has been worth the wait. A 9.4 from IGN, 9/10 from Destructoid and an 8 from EDGE are just a few of the scores catching our collective eyes. "A familiar tale in a familiar genre, then, but this is a game full of youthful wonder, imagination and thoughtfulness," said EDGE.
Kokatu posted a helpful tip a couple of days ago that might help you get started on this mammoth quest. It sounds like you'll need a lot of time and caffeine to get through this one.
A collector's edition is also being released, but from the looks of things it's sold out already at most of the online retailers. Amongst other things, it contains a 'Drippy plush doll'.
Downloads, now. There's just one game arriving on XBLA, but it's a good one. Skulls of the Shogun scored 9/10 from the Official Xbox Magazine. It's a strategy game likened to Advance Wars, minus the grids. "In a year of Xbox Live Arcade essentials, this is right up there with the very best," claimed their review.
On PSN there's Let's Fish! Hooked On from the developers of SEGA Bass Fishing, while Wii U owners get Zen Pinball 2 and a wealth of add-on content for it, ranging from £2.39 to £7.99. The few tables that we've played on the Xbox 360 version have all been superbly designed. There are even tables based on Marvel Avengers and Plants vs Zombies.
Next week: Dead Space 3 (PS3, 360, PC), Scribblenauts Unlimited (Wii U), BioShock Ultimate Rapture Edition (PS3), Sonic and All Stars Racing Transformed: Limited Edition (3DS), Fist Of The North Star: Ken's Rage 2 (PS3, 360, Wii U) and Wreck-It Ralph (Wii, DS, 3DS).


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The folks at Netflix are showing a delightfully twisted sense of humor by debuting the second season of the dark-hearted political drama "House of Cards" on Valentine's Day. But in at least one respect, the timing makes sense: The show centers on a couple inextricably bound, if not by love for one another, then by a shared lust for power – and revenge.
In Season 1, Kevin Spacey's Democratic House Whip Frank Underwood, furious at being denied a promised post as secretary of state, unleashed a domestic torrent of schemes within schemes to get back at the president and seize an even greater position. As Underwood's intricate power plays grow both bolder and more precarious with Season 2, "House of Cards" is poised to further rise as a powerhouse of drama.
Netflix didn't just help reinvent entertainment by producing original programs like "House of Cards" and "Orange is the New Black." The streaming service's efforts mark another step in recreating television-style drama with shows that slowly unfold, defying traditional characters arcs. It's a journey that began on cable with "The Sopranos," and extends to "Mad Men," "Boardwalk Empire" and "Masters of Sex," among others.
U.S. & World
"House of Cards" also taps into the apparent popular craving for political intrigue also playing out via more traditional outlets, as evidence by CBS' "The Good Wife," network TV's strongest drama, and the deliciously overwrought ABC White House soap opera "Scandal."
But "House of Cards" and Frank Underwood operate on their own plane. So does Claire Underwood (Robin Wright), a clean water advocate who shares her husband's unquenchable thirsts. The first season offered us moments of humanity (or at least character insight) that pulled Frank and Claire back from "Scandal"-like caricature – most notably Claire's soul-searching her way back to an artistic old boyfriend and Frank discovering a mixed bag of nostalgia in a return to his roots at The Citadel.
But we're frequently reminded that there's nobody to admire in Underwood's expanding house, built in a use-or-get-used Washington where people at all levels are played and discarded. Murder and sex are mere tools, shocking only for their blasé deployment. We saw as much when Frank committed the ultimate sin to save himself, and when Claire visited a dying underling who loves her and hates her husband.
Given the current state of government, few of us see or expect to find many heroes in Washington these days. But it's a good bet (at least we hope) there's no one as devious – or as smart – as the intrinsically flawed Frank Underwood lurking in the Capitol. His Achilles' heel (beside barbecue and the blind fury that being scorned can wrought) is that he needs a release valve – and luckily for viewers, it's us.
Spacey smashes the fourth wall in asides to the audience that few actors could get away with, in what's become the show's hallmark. Underwood constantly lets us in on how his mind works, perhaps more for ego gratification than exposition.
The device is becoming part of the pop culture, as evidence by a self-parodying bit performed by Spacey during the opening of last year's Emmys. Some viewers probably got the joke only after catching up with the series on Netflix. There'll be plenty more opportunity to watch Underwood wield his calculated evil cloaked in Southern charm this go-around and next year, when Netflix is expected to stream the third and presumably final season of "House of Cards."
In the meantime, here's a preview of Season 2 where Frank Underwood's power grows as he begins a new round of slinging arrows that you won't find in Cupid's quill:
Hester is founding director of the award-winning, multi-media NYCity News Service at the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism. He is also the author of "Raising a Beatle Baby: How John, Paul, George and Ringo Helped us Come Together as a Family." Follow him on Twitter.


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The Australian dollar is almost level, trading in a narrow range with no data or economic events to drive price changes.
At 1700 AEST on Monday, the local unit was trading at 92.38 US cents, a touch down from 92.41 cents on Friday.
During the local session, the Australian dollar traded between 92.27 US cents and 92.46 cents.
FXCM market analyst David de Ferranti said the Australian dollar is consolidating after falling 1.4 per cent last week.
"A relatively light domestic economic docket for the week ahead offers few catalysts that could spark the same magnitude of declines for the Australian dollar seen last week," he said.
"The US Memorial Day holiday is likely to keep trading volumes thin over the session ahead, which could leave the currency to tread water above 92 US cents mark."
Mr de Ferranti said US economic data out later in the week may push the US dollar higher and weigh on the Aussie.
"Strong consumer confidence and durable goods orders readings could help restore faith in the pace of the US economic recovery after a fragile first quarter growth reading," he said.
"This in turn may help stir the US dollar bulls and awaken the greenback from its recent slumber."
US and London financial markets will be closed during the offshore session on Monday for the Memorial Day public holiday and the British bank holiday.
At 1700 AEST, the Australian dollar was at 94.16 Japanese yen, up from Friday's close of 93.97 yen, and at 67.81 euro cents, up from 67.77 euro cents.
Meanwhile, Australian bond futures prices were slightly higher.
Westpac senior market strategist Damien McColough said traders are reluctant to invest in riskier assets ahead of the New York and London closures during the offshore session on Monday night.
"Obviously nobody is putting much risk on ahead of that given that we don't have much economic data that will greatly move markets," he said.
"There's nothing much going on really, it's quite low volumes."
At 1630 AEST on Monday, the June 2014 10-year bond futures contract was trading at 96.265 (implying a yield of 3.735 per cent), up from 96.225 (3.775 per cent) on Friday.
The June 2014 three-year bond futures contract was at 97.200 (3.800 per cent), up from 97.180 (2.820 per cent).


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Suzanne Brockmann eBooks
Suzanne Brockmann is a New York Times bestselling author of over fifty romantic and suspense novels. Her best known works are the eleven novels of the Tall, Dark and Dangerous series.
Brockmann was born in 1960, and studied film and creative writing at Boston University. After dropping out, she worked as a musician while starting a family. It was not until the early 1990s that she began her writing career.
Among Brockmann's initial interests as a writer were television scripts and science fiction. In 1992, she decided to focus on romance novels and quickly produced ten manuscripts. The first of these was published a year later as Future Perfect. This was followed in 1994 by Hero Under Cover. She published three additional novels in 1995.
In 1996, Brockmann published her first two Tall, Dark, and Dangerous novels, Prince Joe and Forever Blue. The rest of the series was published regularly between 1997 and 2003. The books are military romance and suspense fiction following a team of Navy SEALs.
Her second series of novels, Troubleshooters, was launched in 2000 with the publication of Unsung Hero. The sixteen novels of the series are also military romantic suspense novels. A seventeenth part, Headed for Trouble, has a planned publication date of February 2013.
In addition to her award-winning books, Brockmann is known for her work in the civil rights and gay rights movements. Her Troubleshooters books have featured a romantic subplot about an openly gay character. In 2007, she donated the profits of a holiday novella, All Through the Night, to MassEquality, an organization supporting gay rights in Brockmann's home state of Massachusetts.


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The Highlands at Newcastle is a premiere neighborhood located in the Seattle suburb of Newcastle, Washington. The area is known for its 162 luxury homes nestled on larger lots, all bordering wooded greenbelt. Multiple parks and play areas dot the neighborhood. Cougar Mountain serves as a lush backdrop to the residences, with views of Mount Rainier to the southeast. Miles of trails surround the neighborhood, connecting with the 3,000 acre Cougar Mountain Wildland Park and its 40 miles of hiking and equestrian trails. The neighborhood has a variety of social activities such as an Easter egg hunt, Fourth of July kids parade, Bunco group (a dice game), block party and ladies' night.
One neighbor says "It is kind of like an old-fashioned neighborhood — people actually know who their neighbors are."
Lost your password? Choose the Login menu and choose Forgot Password. Enter the user id or email associated with your account and you will be sent instructions for resetting your password.
For other questions about our community, or questions about the web site, please
e-mail the Webmaster or enter your comments online.


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Europe's Largest Internet Exchange Decides To Open US Office, Risks Making Itself Subject To NSA Demands
from the and-that's-a-good-idea-because? dept
The Internet may be a series of tubes, but those tubes have to be joined together. That takes place at Internet exchanges (IXs), where different ISPs can pass on and receive data. One of the largest and most important such IXs is AMS-IX, which is based in the capital of the Netherlands, Amsterdam. Techdirt reader Dirk Poot points out that AMS-IX has just made the following move:
the Board of the AMS-IX Association proposed the set up of a US-based legal entity for possible expansion to the United States. In an extraordinary General Meeting (GM) held on 27 September 2013, AMS-IX members approved the set up of a US-based legal entity by a majority of votes.
It's understandable that US content providers and telecom operators would want to reduce their costs in this way. But as an email written by Erik Bais to AMS-IX members points out, there is a huge risk here for AMS-IX:
Recently, an opportunity arose with the Open-IX initiative for AMS-IX to expand and build exchanges in the US. Representatives from US-based content providers and telecom operators -- many of them current AMS-IX members or customers -- as well as other Internet industry parties, such as datacenters, founded this initiative. It aims to encourage the development of neutral and distributed Internet exchanges and reduce IP interconnection complexity and cost in the US. In the US this is more complicated and prices are higher than in Europe, where the neutral and distributed Internet exchange model is more common.
Having an US entity within the (AMS-IX org. structure) association / [AMS-IX B.V. company] will directly bring the [AMS-IX B.V. company] and indirectly the association under the influence of the infamous Patriot Act and FISAA.
For the AMS-IX US entity (under US Law) they will receive the official request for the information [passing through AMS-IX], which they are required to send through to their holding company (which is AMS-IX B.V.) as the information or connection isn't on US soil, but in Amsterdam.
In other words, by opening an office in the US, AMS-IX might be forced by US laws to give the NSA direct access to the huge flows of data at its European Internet exchange.
1. Denying such request means that they US Entity will most likely be in contempt of court, bringing the US entity and its management in a situation where they can't deny the request of the US Government and the AMS-IX Management. It is a very difficult split between 1 party whom doesn't want to provide the information (Let's assume the AMS-IX B.V. doesn't want to provide the information) and the US Government who has the right to request and all the paperwork and laws at hand to request it.
2. Information in this case could mean: Information about, but also information from (data).
AMS-IX has this to say about the way its US office would be set up:
The chosen structure will need to protect AMS-IX's current operation and the AMS-IX Association's customers and members from commercial, legal, financial and technical risks and, more specifically, from interception activities by US government agencies.
There are two issues here. One is whether such a legal structure that protects AMS-IX's European operation from the NSA's demands exists or not. And even if it does, there is the question of trust. Once there is the possibility of the NSA demanding access to the AMS-IX traffic, there will always be the fear that it is being granted, even if AMS-IX denies it. After all, if access were granted to the NSA, AMS-IX would be forbidden from talking about that fact, and so it would be impossible to tell what the true situation was.
As a result, it's hard to see how anyone in Europe can really trust AMS-IX again if it goes ahead with this proposed move to open a US office, which means it could lose a lot of its current and future business. That seems a heavy price for a European organization to pay for something that will largely benefit US companies.
Follow me @glynmoody on Twitter or identi.ca, and on Google+
Filed Under: ams-ix, europe, internet exchange, ix, jurisdiction, nsa, nsa surveillance, us


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Mazie Hirono on Abortion
Democratic challenger; Representative (HI-2)
EMILY's List, a Democratic, abortion-rights organization, has supported Hirono in her previous campaigns.
Proponent's Argument for voting Yes:
[Rep. Fortenberry, R-NE]: Americans deserve to know how the government spends their money, and they are right to refuse the use of their tax dollars for highly controversial activities--in this case, abortion. Abortion harms women. It takes the lives of children, and it allows a man to escape his responsibility. The abortion industry many times profits from all of this pain. We can and must do better as a society, and at a minimum, taxpayer dollars should not be involved. This issue has manifested itself most intently during the health care debate. Unless a prohibition is enacted, taxpayers will fund abortion under the framework of the new health care law. Abortion is not health care.
Opponent's Argument for voting No:
[Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-NY]: H.R. 3 is actually dangerous for women's health. By refusing to provide any exceptions to women who are facing serious health conditions--cancer, heart or whatever that may be--you are forcing women to choose to risk their health or to risk bankruptcy, and I think that is morally unacceptable. Under H.R. 3, a woman facing cancer who needs to terminate a pregnancy in order to live might have to go into debt over the $10,000 that the legal and necessary procedure could cost. Despite having both health insurance and tax-preferred savings accounts, this bill would prevent her from having that.
Proponents support voting YES because:
Since 2 years ago, the last Stem Cell bill, public support has surged for stem cells. Research is proceeding unfettered and, in some cases, without ethical standards in other countries. And even when these countries have ethical standards, our failures are allowing them to gain the scientific edge over the US. Some suggest that it is Congress' role to tell researchers what kinds of cells to use. I suggest we are not the arbiters of research. Instead, we should foster all of these methods, and we should adequately fund and have ethical oversight over all ethical stem cell research.
Opponents support voting NO because:
A good deal has changed in the world of science. Amniotic fluid stem cells are now available to open a broad new area of research. I think the American people would welcome us having a hearing to understand more about this promising new area of science. As it stands today, we will simply have to debate the bill on the merits of information that is well over 2 years old, and I think that is unfortunate.
The recent findings of the pluripotent epithelial cells demonstrates how quickly the world has changed. Wouldn't it be nice to have the researcher before our committee and be able to ask those questions so we may make the best possible judgment for the American people?
Requires emergency contraception to be included on the basic core formulary of the uniform formulary of pharmaceutical agents for the pharmacy benefits program of the Department of Defense.
Introductory statement by Sponsor:
Sen. CLINTON: Last year, the FDA made emergency contraception available over-the-counter for women 18 years of age and older. Research shows that emergency contraception is safe and effective for preventing pregnancy. More than 70 major medical organizations, including the America Academy of Pediatrics, recommended that Plan B be made available over-the-counter.
Women deserve access to this medically approved drug and our servicewomen are no different. By providing access to emergency contraception, up to 95% of those unintended pregnancies could be prevented if emergency contraception is administered within the first 24 to 72 hours. For survivors of rape and incest, emergency contraception offers hope for healing.
Current Department of Defense policy allows emergency contraception to be available at military health care facilities. Currently, it is available at some facilities, but not others. The Compassionate Care for Servicewomen Act would simply ensure broader access by including emergency contraception on the basic core formulary, BCF, a list of medications stocked at all military health care facilities.
There is a real need for this legislation. According to the Pentagon, the number of reported sexual assaults in the military increased approximately 24% in 2006 to nearly 3,000. We have reports from women & health providers in the military who have sought emergency contraception on an emergency basis and have been unable to obtain it quickly enough.
Ensuring that emergency contraception is more broadly available at military health care facilities is a fair, commonsense step that everyone should be able to agree on. It is my sincere hope that my colleagues join me in supporting this important legislation.
A bill to expand access to preventive health care services that help reduce unintended pregnancy, reduce abortions, and improve access to women's health care. The Congress finds as follows:
At-Risk Communities Teen Pregnancy Prevention Act: to award grants for teenage pregnancy prevention programs & prevention research.
|2012 Governor, House and Senate candidates on Abortion:
|Mazie Hirono on other issues:
HI Gubernatorial:
Neil Abercrombie
HI Senatorial:
Daniel Akaka
Daniel Inouye
Linda Lingle
Retiring to run for other office:
Running for President:
TX-14:Ron Paul(R)
Running for Mayor:
CA-51:Bob Filner(D)
Running for Governor:
IN-6:Mike Pence(R)
WA-1:Jay Inslee(D)
Running for Senate:
AZ-6:Jeff Flake(R)
CT-5:Chris Murphy(R)
FL-14:Connie Mack(R)
HI-2:Mazie Hirono(D)
IN-2:Joe Donnelly(D)
MO-2:Todd Akin(R)
MT-0:Dennis Rehberg(R)
ND-0:Rick Berg(D)
NM-1:Martin Heinrich(D)
NV-1:Shelley Berkley(D)
NY-9:Bob Turner(R)
WI-2:Tammy Baldwin(D)
Lost Primary 2012:
IL-16:Donald Manzullo(R)
NJ-9:Steven Rothman(D)
OH-2:Jean Schmidt(R)
OH-9:Dennis Kucinich(D)
PA-4:Jason Altmire(D)
PA-17:Tim Holden(D)
TX-16:Silvestre Reyes(D)
Retiring 2012:
AR-4:Mike Ross(D)
AZ-8:Gabby Giffords(D)
CA-2:Wally Herger(R)
CA-6:Lynn Woolsey(D)
CA-18:Dennis Cardoza(R)
CA-24:Elton Gallegly(D)
CA-26:David Dreier(R)
CA-41:Jerry Lewis(R)
IL-12:Jerry Costello(D)
IL-15:Timothy Johnson(R)
IN-5:Dan Burton(R)
KY-4:Geoff Davis(R)
MA-1:John Olver(D)
MA-4:Barney Frank(D)
MI-5:Dale Kildee(D)
NC-9:Sue Myrick(R)
NC-11:Heath Shuler(D)
NC-13:Brad Miller(D)
NY-5:Gary Ackerman(D)
NY-10:Ed Towns(D)
NY-22:Maurice Hinchey(D)
OH-7:Steve Austria(R)
OK-2:Dan Boren(D)
PA-19:Todd Platts(R)
TX-20:Charles Gonzalez(D)
WA-6:Norm Dicks(D)
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Race Engine Preseason Tips - Get Your Motor Running!
21 Preseason Engine Tips From Jay Dickens
Editor's Note: Circle Track recently caught up with master engine builder Jay Dickens and asked him to pen a list of critical tips that short trackers need to check on their motors before turning that first lap of the new season. In creating this list, we asked Jay to assume that the motor ran well in the previous season and that there were no major or obvious issues. We also told him to assume that the engine would not be rebuilt and that all the work would be done by the racer. So, without further ado, here are 21 preseason engine tips from Jay Dickens to help you and your motor get off to a healthy and strong start for the 2009 racing season. The tips are in no particular order of importance with the exception of No. 1. While you're performing the check of your motor, learn the limits of your engine and remember where they are. Keep in mind that if you ever have any questions during the maintenance of your motor, consult a professional builder like Jay.
1.TAKE YOUR TIME You will get out of it exactly what you put into it. I know that's a clich but you can always tell who spends the time and works on their stuff. From Hendrick Motorsports to Joe's Garage, those are the racers who rarely have failures. Maintaining your engine takes a lot of attention and time. Don't assume anything is OK. If you have any doubt about a particular component or system, take your inspection process a little further and check it out to make sure its OK. There's a lot you can do in the shop to prevent a failure on the track.
2. GETTING STARTED I like to start at the firewall and work forward. Make a list and keep notes that way you won't miss anything. Remember, if you have a 300-400 horse engine, you can get away with stuff that's marginal but the margin for error gets real small with a 9,000 rpm 15:1 motor. In those motors, you have to make sure everything is perfect. But in reality, attention to detail is important regardless of the engine you're running. Good habits are formed early, so if you get into the practice of being methodical about your 300 hp motor, when you graduate up the ranks to a high horse motor, you'll be ahead of the game.
3. QUALITY OF FUEL Never assume that the fuel you have stored in your shop is good. Even if it's sealed and capped in the proper container, the likelihood is that it has gone bad, especially if it has sat for any period of time. Some guys could have fuel sitting around for a couple years and think it's still good. This goes for the fuel in the tank also. Hopefully you didn't store your car over the winter with fuel in the tank, but if you did, you'll need to clean the whole system out before you turn the motor over. Bottom line: get new fuel for your new season.
Following on the quality of fuel concept you need to inspect all of the fuel lines and replace the filter. This is important even if you checked all of the lines in your post-season prep for winter storage. Inspect the lines for cracks, cuts, sharp bends, and/or crimps. Debris from the track can come up and damage those lines in spots that are easily missed by a quick glance at the track. Perform a detailed visual inspection of every inch of every line.
5. VENT YOUR TANK During storage, it's really important to cap your vents on the fuel tank to prevent debris or foreign material from contaminating the system. However, it's even more important to make sure there's a fresh clean vent on that fuel tank when it's time to go racing. Your fuel cell should have a vent at least #6 AN, preferably #8 AN. We had a customer who put a brand-new fuel tank in his car before the season but he forgot to put in a vent (it was capped). He ended up running the motor lean and burnt a piston. That one little mistake of not properly venting the system cost him several thousand dollars.
6. OIL Like the quality of your fuel and fuel system, the same holds true for your oil. Fresh oil and filters are cheap compared to motor rebuilds. Don't forget to inspect the oil system lines as thoroughly as you did the fuel lines. Remember to use only a racing oil filter. Stock oil filters should never be used since they can't handle the pressure and flow of a racing pump. If you're using an O-berg-type inspection screen, it should be no smaller than 115 micron.
7. DRY SUMP Do you run a dry sump system? If you do, make sure you know the proper way to check the oil level. The oil level should be 65 percent of your tank's capacity with the engine running. Just because your buddy's car takes 15 quarts doesn't mean yours does. There's no required amount, every system is different.
8. CONNECT IT All of the connections need to be checked. This goes for all of the lines, fuel, oil, water, and so on. If any of the fittings look worn or damaged, replace them. Don't take any chances.
9. CARBURETOR Assuming you won't do a complete rebuild, you should drain any fuel and clean it out front to back. You want to start fresh. Replace the power valves, make sure the gaskets are in good shape, and recheck your float level. The float level on belt drive pumps should be set with the maximum fuel pressure the carb will see at max rpm. Also, thoroughly inspect the throttle linkage and the springs. There should be no binding, kinks, or other damage. If there's any sign, replace the component immediately. During the season, remove the carb and check the base plate screws every 100 laps.
10. INTAKE BOLTS The intake bolt length should not be changed as this can cause pushrod interference.
11. VALVESRPINGS As part of the winterizing process some guys will back off the valvesprings and clear out the cylinders. If you did this, check your springs and lash to be sure they are at the recommended setting. You should plan on firing the motor a week or two before your first race/practice to make sure it's running smoothly.
12. FRESH PLUGS As obvious as it seems you should start the season with a fresh set of spark plugs. This is another one of those "too inexpensive not to" tips.
13. DISTRIBUTOR Inspect the inside of your distributor for corrosion in the rotor and cap. Some guys and gals will run the distributor for two or three years without checking it. Over that long time period they can canker up pretty good and will need to be cleaned and serviced before they cause a problem at the track.
14. ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS Check the ignition and all electrical connections, make sure everything is clean and tight.
15. I LOVE MSD BUT ... MSD is a wiring deal that can cause you problems if you don't read the instructions. Its distributors are color coded along with the ignition boxes. The distributor has a purple/black wire coming out of it while the box has a solid purple one. Most people think that because there's purple on both you need to connect them. However if you put those two wires together you will add 30 degrees of timing to your engine, and that will melt your pistons 100 percent of the time. The purple/black wire needs to be connected to the solid green wire. That solid purple wire gets connected to the orange/black wire. If you put a new MSD system in your car be sure to read and follow the instructions to the letter.
16. TIMING BELTS Speaking of timing, your timing belt, as well as all of the belts on your car, should be nice and tight. You should also inspect them closely to be sure they are free of cracks or nicks. Replace them if necessary, remember a belt is another one of those items that is inexpensive enough to replace every season. Don't take any chances on a cheap part ruining your Saturday night. By the way, if you have a dyno session in the off season and find that you have to move the ignition timing after that session, then something is wrong. Go back and start digging.
17. WATER PUMP Like other external components a check of the water pump can catch a potential problem long before you get to the track. Ask yourself if you were running at ideal engine temps all season. If not you know you have to start digging into the cooling system. If you were, don't take that pump (or any other part of the cooling system) for granted. Check the pump for play in the shaft, inlet and outlet seals, and hairline cracks, especially near the bolts.
18. TIGHTEN UP Check all of the bolts that you can get to externally. In fact, check them twice. If they need to be torqued to a certain spec, re-torque them. You cann't recheck a bolt's tightness too many times.
19. A $30 FAN CAN RUIN YOUR DAY For the local racer I recommend replacing your fan each year. If you race at the national or even regional level, you should replace the fan 2-3 times each season. If those blades sling off, it can be bad. I had a customer who had a fan blade sling off. When it did, it pulled the water pump off the front of the motor. The force literally yanked the water pump housing in half. In another case, the fan blade came off and hit the rack. That one literally tore the rack and pinion in half.
20. HEADER CHECK! You should check your headers for cracks, especially if they are mild steel which are prone to cracking. Look at tabs and where the pipes are connected to the flanges. If you're running Tri-Y headers make sure that they are correct and matched to the firing order of your engine.
21. CHANGE All The Fluids Finally, when the motor as been gone through and you're satisfied that you're ready to go, change all the fluids, and make sure they are at the proper level. Start off fresh and plan for a winning season.
About Jay DickensJay Dickens was interested in cars from an early age, and actually built his first engine at the age of 12. During his high school years, Jay worked for the late Bobby Brown, helping to build racing engines for the likes of Bobby Allision and Grand Adcox. A few years later, Jay started working on engines in his garage at home on a part time basis. In 1991, his part-time business was on the grow and he built his first building dedicated to engine building. Finally, in 1994 Jay decided to quit his day job and officially went in to business with Jay Dickens Racing Engines in March 1994.
Based in the Northeast Mississippi town of Aberdeen, Jay Dickens Racing Engines (JDRE) has grown from a small company with a few customers into a large scale business with customers nationwide. Along the way, JDRE customers have picked up track championships, series championships, and countless wins. The JDRE customer base ranges from Dirt Late Model competitors to Drag Racers to competitors in NASCAR Sprint Cup racing.
Check your headers for cracks, especially if they are mild steel which is prone to cracking. If yours are like these on the left, then you need to make them look like those on the right. Rob Fisher