The Cross Always Comes Before the Crown!

There is clear scriptural distinction between today which is the time before the manifestation of the kingdom of God, and that day in the future when the kingdom of God will be revealed. (2 Tm.4:1,8; 1Tm6:14) Indeed the Kingdom of God has always existed, (Dan.4:3, 34;7:14,27) and we become members of that kingdom at the time we place faith in Jesus Christ and are born again. (Col.1:13) We spiritually become members of that kingdom and are called citizens (Phil.3:20-21), but we remain in time, here on earth, surrounded by the kingdom’s of this world, serving as ambassadors to the people of the worldly kingdoms. (2 Co.5:20; 4:5; 2:14) The kingdom of God is not here yet, nor can it be until the King comes. Jesus said himself:

"My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place." (John 18:36)

Paul lived as though the kingdom would be manifested later (Rm.8:18f; 2 Co. 4:17; also, 1 Pt.4:13; 5:1) and rebuked those who confused today’s kingdoms with the Kingdom that will come. (1 Co.4:8; 1 Tm. 6:5; also, Rev.3:17) The reason this becomes an issue is that our view of the Kingdom will:

1. determine our attitude toward our role as a servant today (John13:12-17; Matt.20:25-28)
2. influence the significance we place on material possessions today(1 Tm.6:5, 9, 11)
3. determine how we assess circumstances (Phi.3:7-12;4:11-12) (good and bad) today

To have a wrong view of the kingdom could derail our purpose and God’s calling on our life (2Tm4:10; 1Tm1:19) because, simply put, we will resist the truth and purse a lie (2 Tm3:8) . We could turn from God’s will to follow a fantasy.

Today we are servants of an unseen kingdom. (Rm6:22; Titus2:13) Paul, James, Peter, Jude and John called themselves servants in time, (Rm.1:1;Jm.1:1; 2 Pt.1:1, Jude 1;Rv.1:1) but recognize themselves as kings when the Kingdom comes. (1 Co. 4:8; 15:49; 1 Pt.2:9,11;1 Jn.3:2; Rv.2:26) To live as a king today and reject the position of servant hood is to subject yourself to Jesus’ warning that when the Kingdom comes “there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.” (Lk. 13:29-3) We may not be willing to sacrifice today what it takes to become the type of king God has planned for us in eternity. (Mk.10:29-31)

Jesus was tempted by Satan to take the kingdom before he took the cross. (Mt.4:8-9) In the same way, the people wanted Jesus to take the kingdom of the Jews from Rome on Palm Sunday, but instead “he humbled himself and became obedient to death.” (Ph.2:8) Even his disciples’ first major concern after the resurrection was not obedience but “restoring the kingdom.” (Acts 1:6)

God is not restoring us to Adam’s position. Adam was “the earthly man.” (1 Co.15:48) God is changing us into “the likeness of the man from heaven,” (1 Co. 15:49) and we will see it! (1 Jn.3:1-3)

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com/

God’s Personal Word to Jeremiah

Like all of us, the prophet Jeremiah became confused and discouraged when things did not work out like he had expected. Jeremiah told God,

“When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight.” (15:16)

Soon, the cost of having received the sweet word of God brought bitterness. Jeremiah complains of the isolation and affliction the word brought into his life when he says,

“I sat alone because your hand was on me. Why is my pain unending? (15:17)”

He then accuses God of being deceptive and failing him. (15:18)

The Lord had told Jeremiah when he called him,

“Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them.” (1:17)

Twenty-four years later Jeremiah is complaining and God answers by telling him to repent of these things:

Fearing Men— In 15:10 Jeremiah had complained to God that no one liked him. He described himself as, “a man with whom the whole land strives and contends!” He says, “everyone curses me.” God’s reply was, “If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me” (15:19)

False Doctrine—Jeremiah was to bring the sinful people back to God. But in 14:7 Jeremiah prays false doctrine, “Although our sins testify against us, O Lord, do something for the sake of your name.” He was asking God to overlook sin and bless the people. God rebukes him for his false doctrine when he says, “If you utter worthy, not worthless words, you will be my spokesman.” (15:19)

Following Messages of Men-Jeremiah told God, “the prophets keep telling them, ’You will not see the sword. . .I will give you lasting peace’. (14:13) God replied, “Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them.” (15:19)

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

Eternal Rewards

The Bible teaches that rewards are available to the believer from God as recognition of that believer’s faithful service.

Some Christians question the existence of these rewards and others consider it selfish to even discuss them. In order to begin to clear up confusion and establish doctrine we need to identify the differences between the issue of eternal salvation and eternal rewards.

Four basic differences exist concerning salvation and rewards: God offers the lost salvation through faith in Christ.
1) God offers the believer rewards for faithful service.
2) Salvation is described as a free gift. Rewards are earned by works.
3) Salvation is a present possession now in time. Rewards will be possessed in the future and given at the Lord’s return.
4) Salvation can not be lost. Rewards can be lost.

From this list you can begin to see how people can get Bible verses about salvation and rewards confused and develop some of these false concepts:
A) Salvation is worked for or maintained by faithfulness
B) There is equality in heaven. Everyone receives rewards.

Our rewards will be determined by our actions on earth. It is possible to spend your life thinking you are serving the Lord only to find out you have few rewards. (1 Cor.3:15; 9:27) Receiving rewards is based on:
1) Pure or sincere motivation.
2) True and right actions.

To be sincere and pure in motive but to do the wrong thing equals zero. To do the right thing for the wrong reason brings the same, zero. Rewards are a matter of the heart and the head.

Rewards are based on knowledge of God’s will and a heart committed to that will. Rewards are distributed after a judgment before God. There are seven judgments recorded in scripture: 1—Believers from the church age,
2– Old Testament saints,
3—Martyrs of the Tribulation,
4—Jewish survivors of the Tribulation,
5– Gentile survivors of the Tribulation,
6—Satan and fallen angels,
7—The unsaved people of all time.

Romans 14:10-12 describes judgment for the church age believer: “For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. . So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.”

“Stand before” is a technical Greek term meaning to stand before a judge. The word “account” is the Greek word “logos” and means “a word or a rational expression.” We will not only be evaluated individually for our faithfulness, but we will also have to respond to the Lord with a rational expression of our lives.

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

"Heavenlies" in Ephesians 1:3

The phrase "heavenly realms" in Ephesians 1:3 (NIV) is from one Greek adjective ἐπουρανίοις or epouraniois. This adjective that stands alone without a noun at the beginning of the longest sentence in all of known ancient Greek (verses 3-14) means "above the sky, celestial, in heavenly, high." Nouns like "realm", "places", "world" are often added in the English translations to make sense of this Greek adjective so it say "heavenly realms" or "heavenly places."

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

A little study and investigation of this word gives us insight into the spiritual dimension that so often we dismiss or are unaware. In the Jewish understanding of the "the heavens" there was an upper part of this earth's atmosphere (as they understood the atmosphere or the sky) that was the realm of spiritual activity concealed from human view but directly involved in it. This may be similar to many ancient theologies that understood the upper levels of the sky to be the home of the gods. The gods were believed to be aware and involved in human events.

Paul refers to the "heavenlies" five times in Ephesians. In fact, this adjective is only used in Ephesians.

In Ephesians 1:3 we are said to be blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies. Paul is saying that in Christi the believer has every spiritual advantage available in this spiritual dimension. Remember, this spiritual dimension is not future but currently active and effecting the natural world.

In Ephesians 1:20 we are told that Jesus was seated at the right hand of God who is himself seated in the "heavenlies." Paul then says that Jesus' position at the right hand of God in the heavenlies is far above all the other spiritual forces (or, gods) that occupy the heavenlies. This verse identifies these spiritual beings in four classes: rule, authority, power, dominion.

In Ephesians 2:6 we are told that believers have been seated with Christ in the heavenlies. This once again demonstrates an incredible truth concerning the depth and extent of our complete salvation in Christ.

In Ephesians 3:10 God's intention for the church is that his wisdom should be made known to the spiritual powers (rulers and authorities) in the heavenlies. God is demonstrating his varied and multi-dimensional wisdom today to these spiritual beings who occupy the heavenlies.

In Ephesians 6:12 we are told that our struggle today is not against the natural realm "but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenlies." Because this is our struggle we are told to put on the armor of God.

From these verses we see that the heavenlies is the location of spiritual forces and oppostion to God who himself is seated with in the heavenlies but at the head of all the powers in the heavenlies. Jesus is seated with God and we are seated with Christ. In this position (with Christ or in Christ) we have been blessed with every spiritual advantage available in the heavenlies. During our time on earth God is demonstrating his wisdom to these powers in the heavenlies through our lives and the evil spiritual forces in the heavenlies are opposing us as God continues to demonstrate his wisdom through our lives (the church) in our times.

With this understanding Ephesians 2:2 receives some light for understanding:

. . . in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

And, also in Daniel 10:12-13 when the angel Gabriel said:

Do not be afraid,Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. Now I have come to explain to you what will happen . . .

Join us for our Tuesday night Bible study through Ephesians in West Des Moines or online.

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

Essays for Bible School

There is a new site for the Generation Word Bible School students to respond to essay questions. The new site is set up as a blog with 61 entrees or posts. Each post corresponds to a chapter in the textbook Framework for Christian Faith. Each post is titled after a chapter and is followed with an essay question to respond to in the comment box. At this time about fifteen of the questions are ready, but all 61 posts are set in place. Take a look at Generation Word's Online Bible School Essay Blog page.

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

New Quiz Site for New Textbook

I have just established a location on the internet to create, host and evaluate online tests and quizzes that will correlate with our new Bible school textbook, Framework for Christian Faith. I have had three people email just this week to sign up for the Generation Word Bible School. The material is ready but the sign up, evaluation and certification process are being assembled as we go. The first chapter test is complete and can be accessed here:

Introduction to Apologetics - Section A, Chapter 1

There are sixty one chapters in the book, and some of them are monster chapters.

Please take this test. It is free for the students and you do not have to register your name to take the test or to have it graded. Give me some feedback if you have time. I can rewrite the test questions, but I can not rewrite the book until the second printing which will occur after we have distributed 3,000 books (or, about 3 1/4 ton of paper.)

I am planning on adding to the assessment segment of the Bible school a blog page with a few essay questions. We envision having at least one essay question for each chapter. Students around the world can comment on the essay answers posted on the blog. This could simulate a classroom environment with feedback, motivation, a variety of perspectives, along with the negative features, such as fear, peer pressure and classroom bullies. There will also be additional reading assignments available.

Here is the Generation Word Bible School profile page which will serve as an index to all the tests that we create. You can see this first quiz at the bottom of that profile page.

The text and information from chapter one can be found here.

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

Audio Christmas Card

There are several things I need to add to this blog including responses to the rapture discussion and the atheistic crimes/violence. Also, I want to add a couple of blogs which include a brief teaching on Paul's intention for the Greek adjective translated "heavenlies" in Ephesians 1:3 and my plan to add online tests, an essay blog and online reading opportunities (or, assignments) for the Generation Word Bible School. But, for today I would like to give you a link to Toni's and my audio Christmas card. I hope you enjoy it and we wish you a Merry Christmas!

Click here to go to our audio Christmas card

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

Spilled Walnut Stain

Yesterday in my 8th grade shop classes the students were staining their oak end tables. We spent three days staining 100 of these tables. Finally on the third day the inevitable happened. As one student was repositioning his end table he knocked another student's one quart can of dark walnut wood stain on the floor. The stain splattered everywhere and on everything in a 10 foot radius. If this ever happens to you the first response is to prevent the students from walking away from ground zero which would result in stain being tracked through out the shop. The student whose stain was spilled quickly escaped ground zero to get something to begin cleaning up the mess before the wrath of Mr. Wiemers was released. After having left walnut foot prints all the way to the sink and back, she returned to ground zero with two paper towels.

It was at this point I realized I was observing a future sermon illustration. This poor student was going to try to hold off my anger, disappointment and frustration by bringing two inadequate paper towels to clean up a quart of walnut stain pooled up on the floor and splattered in every direction. Not to mention, in her attempt to help, she had tracked the stain across the shop and back and others were preparing to follow her. The usefulness of this illustration is enormous and its application will surely be used some Sunday morning.

It did remind me of the time a friend of mine cut his thumb off on the table saw in high school. With the student's thumb laying on the table saw the teacher that day said, "I'll go get a band-aid," and then left to locate a bandaid!? Both paper towels and band-aids are useful but not when we are dealing with a quart of walnut stain and a severed thumb.

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

Quadrants of Life

Through out the scriptures we are told that God is good. When we hear this we tend to describe the word good in terms of immediately recognizable “good.” Our definition of the term “good” could alternately use synonyms like “pleasant, pleasing, desirable, pain-free, or sought-after.” When we study the verses that often surround the praise “God is good,” we see that part of God’s “good” activity towards us is not within our definition. Things like “testing,” “trying,” “examining,” and “sacrificing.” In Psalm 107, which begins and ends with statements attesting to the “goodness” of God, forty-three verses are laced with real life situations where the goodness of God is manifested to people. Some of these people were lost and wandering, some had been subjected to bitter labor by God, others where caught in a storm sent by God, some of them were suffering in divine discipline for their rebellion. Although each group was in a different situation and for a different reason (some had rebelled, some had obeyed, some were guilty, some were innocent), they all were in the goodness of God.

The truth that God is doing something in our lives to change us is so obvious it goes without saying, but yet it is one of the things we must be taught so we do not go to extremes.

In Philippians 4:12-13 Paul says he has “learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.” With the phrase “learned the secret” he uses a technical term that refers to the process of initiation. The initiation would include more than knowledge but a sequences of life experiences. The situations in life are then listed by Paul forming a quadrant. Paul says he has learned to be content when “well fed,” “hungry,” “in plenty,” or “in want.” These four may seem redundant in the English Bible as if saying “prosperity or poverty, or prosperity or poverty.”

The tenses of the verbs that Paul uses in the Greek text develops the quadrants that can categorize every situation in life.

The first prosperity phrase (“well fed”) is passive. Meaning Paul was the recipient and not the doer of the verb. In other words he did not cause it to happen. This is true of the last phrase (“in want”) indicating there were times that Paul was in need that were out of his control. Paul did not deserve or cause the lack in this situation, it was given to him. The other two phrases (“hungry” or “plenty”) are in the active tense meaning Paul did or created both of these in his life at some time.

All of these serve a purpose and is the manifestation of the goodness of God in our lives. You may be suffering undeserving like Joseph or deserving like Samson. You may be prosperous undeservingly like Solomon or deserving like Abraham. But, one thing is true, God’s goodness will eventually take you to all four quadrants and through his initiation you can be content in any of them.

Galyn Wiemers

http://www.generationword.com

Three areas that cause us to sin:

1. Pride
2. Self-preservation
3. Lust

Five things we need to avoid sinning:

1. Fear of God
2. Trust in God
3. Be Humble Before God
4. Learn of God
5. Walk with God

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

Connxions - Event Center and Bookstore

Last night Toni and I had the privilege of attending Jerry Chiaramonte's grand opening reception for his new bookstore/event center in Urbandale. It has been a forty year dream for Jerry who began writing down ideas and drawing images of this project as a 20 year old college student. He told me he was going through a folder the other day containing pages of plans he had collected over the years and came across a forty year old sketch he had made of the layout of the store with a baby-grand piano in the center. Then he pointed right behind where I was sitting at the new baby-grand piano. Every detail of the store had been in the process of development over all these years. This is an inspiration for all of us who have dreams and plans. Abraham waited 25 years for a son, Moses spent 40 years in the wilderness before delivering Israel, and now, Jerry Chiaramonte has built his bookstore after forty years of planning and waiting.

One of the many features of Jerry's bookstore is the classroom he has set up right across the hallway from the event center. Beginning in January I will be teaching a weekly class in this classroom at Connxions beginning at 7:00 PM. (We are still discussing which night.) We will be handing out copies of our new 550 page book called Framework for Christian Faith and teaching through this Bible School material in a year.

Visit Connxions website

Download the .pdf files here for the new Framework for Christian Faith book which will be available in print in about a week.

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

God Moves Through People

Tonight in Bible study we reviewed Zechariah's eight night visions he received on February 15, 519 BC. The consistent theme of the visions was to show that God was able and willing to restore the Jews returning from Babylonian exile. The purpose of the visions was to motivate the Jewish leaders and the general public to fulfill God's plan for their generation.

In the fifth vision Zechariah is shown a lampstand that was burning oil supplied by two olive trees. At the end of the vision Zechariah ased the angel who was talking to him , "What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?" The problem with this question was the use of the word "What" instead of "Who" because the angel answered, "These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth."

The two trees were two men, Joshua, the high priest, and, Zerubbabel, the governor or civil leader. These two men were represented as two trees who supplied an unlimited supply of oil for the lamp, but this was only possible because they were anointed by God.

The point: God anoints people in order to accomplish his will. It was clear through out these eight visions that God was ready to move but he first had to convince the people who were anointed for that generation to move before his plan for rebuilding the temple and reestablishing the nation of Israel would move forward. It is the same today. When God moves in the earth or provides the supplies that are needed he will do it through people.

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

Individual Responsibility and Capitalism

Our cultural foundation includes the economic concept of capitalism. Capitalism has at its core the necessity of individual responsibility. For individuals to act responsibly there must be some level of ethics and morality. Before an individual or a cultural can identify right from wrong so that ethics and morality can be established there has to be some standard that is recognized as absolute. Thus, the sequence for establishing a capitalistic society:

1. Absolute standards
2. Ethics and morality
3. Responsible individuals
4. Profitable and beneficial capitalism
5. A Successful society

In Hope for America's Last Generation I closed the book with the following statement in the epilogue:

The other, and perhaps most important, thing you can do is change yourself. Begin to do what is right in every area of your life - taking personal responsibility for all your choices. If you change the one institution you have control over, the rest of the institutions will fall in line. (page 251)

The five institutions established by God for the well-being of mankind and man's societies are: individual responsibility (free will), marriage, family, nationalism and government. We know that nationalism, family, and marriage are under attack in our culture today. Could it be that due to the failure of individual responsibility being kept in perspective the institution of government is also being forced further out of line? The need for the bailouts is a sign that our new principles are false and failing. We have neglected Truth and reality for false philosophies and vanity. Are we following our idols to judgment?

Read Hope for America's Last Generation online in .pdf or request a copy at gw@generationword.com

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

Why Do Children Suffer?

Jan, a longtime listener and promoter of Generation Word who lives in Australia, emailed this morning and asked this question:

Hi Galyn,
Hope you and Toni and boys are all well, all my best wishes for your holiday season.

I am enjoying your teaching on Ephesians and I am also doing Romans (from the blue tabs). I was asked a question by a new believer (friend) and I didn't really know enough to answer her sufficiently and wondered if you could help me. I know you are very busy and I don't want to encroach upon your time, but if you could send a reply I would be really grateful. Her question was "why does God allow little children to suffer e.g. being born with aids or drug addiction or being abused by adults" my friend is a nurse and works in hospitals where she sees the suffering of small children and wonders why these things are allowed by a gracious and loving God.

Jan,
Thanks for the email. It is always encouraging to hear from you and know you are still using the website. I have attached an audio clip from the series "30 Questions and Answers". In this message I answer the question "Do science and the Bible conflict?" then in the second half I address the question you are interested in: "How could God allow suffering and evil?"

http://www.generationword.com/on_line_audio/q_a_3_4.ram

This message may also be of interest: "What do I say to my patients? How did Satan come to be?" It can be heard at:

http://generationword.com/on_line_audio/q_a_16_17.ram

The basic answer to the question is that God created a perfect world for man and then God told man that he was free to eat from any tree in the garden but advised him not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

"You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." Gen. 2:17

In summary:
1. God made a perfect world.
2. God told man he was free.
3. Man choose to corrupt the perfect world.
4. The result: we live in a fallen world.

Adam choose to live outside of God's will back then which still effects us now. Today men, including me, often make choices that are in rebellion to God's will which continues to compound the problem. Realize though that even if we choose to do everything in perfect agreement with God's plan (live a sinless life) we would still face suffering since we live in a fallen world.

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

The Rapture and 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3

A key verse to the time of the rapture (harpadzo) referred to in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 is found in Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians in verse 2:1-3. I teach that this event, the removal of the church, will occur before the beginning of Daniel's last "week" or the seven year tribulation. Friends of mine who attend one of my Bible studies hold to the mid-tribulation rapture that occurs at the 3 1/2 year mark or the half-way point of the tribulation. Still many others believe the church will continue on the earth through the entire seven year tribulation. This is an interesting study that has drawn good, Bible-believing Christians to the defense of any of these three positions of interpretation.

In 2 Thessalonians Paul writes to correct a mistaken understanding and application of his previous teaching. He writes:

"Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. Don't let anyone deceive you in any way for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction."

Several key phrases need to be correctly identified to keep Paul's comments in context. Again, the views Bible teachers have here will vary. These are some of the phrases:

1. "coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him"
2. "easily unsettled or alarmed"
3. "the day of the Lord"
4. "the day of the Lord has already come"
5. "that day will not come until: A) the rebellion occurs, B) the man of lawlessness is revealed

Number 1 - "coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" is his appearing to take the church and "our being gathered to him" is the rapture itself.

Number 2 - "easily unsettled or alarmed" is from the Greek words "εἰς τὸ μὴ ταχέως σαλευθῆναι ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ νοὸς μηδὲ θροεῖσθαι" and is translated in the NAS as "that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed" (notice the NIV translates the thought of the Greek but the NAS translates the words) . The key words "unsettled" means "to shake, to cause to move to and fro, to cause to waiver like the shaking of a foundation." This word "unsettled" is used beside the word "mind" in the Greek meaning the shaking is being done in their mind, the faculty for reasoning or understanding. This is followed by the word "alarmed" which in the Greek means "to be disturbed, to be frightened, to be inwardly aroused." The report the Thessalonians had accepted had not changed their outward circumstances (there was no increase in persecutions, plagues, or marks of the beast, etc.) but the trouble was on the inside caused by unwarranted fear of something that had not yet manifested.

Number 3 - "day of the Lord" is an Old Testament term for God's Day, or period (Daniel's 70th week) of judgment on the earth and Israel's testing.

Number 4 - "day of the Lord has already come" tells us what they were so unsettled and alarmed about in the mind and inward being. They were anticipating the tribulation and its accompanying events.

Number 5 - Paul says that day worthy of fear will not come until "the rebellion occurs" and "the man of lawlessness is revealed".

The Thessalonian believers wrongfully feared they had missed the rapture that occurs with the appearing of the Lord before the tribulation begins. The tribulation is a seven year period that includes judgment on the nations, but also, a time of testing for Israel in order to bring them to a place of repentance when God pours out on them "a spirit of grace and supplication" mentioned in Zechariah 12:10 (12:10-14:21).

This is the order of events presented in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3:

1. Coming of the Lord to gather the church (rapture)
   
2. "The Rebellion" and "revealing" of the anti-Christ
3. The period of judgment known as the Day of the Lord, the seven year tribulation

Watch and listen to Galyn's teaching on End Time Basics in RealPlayer:

• End Time Basics 1
• Daniel's Prophecy
• Daniel's Weeks; Matthew 24; Luke 21
• Rapture
• The First Half of the Tribulation
• The Second Half of the Tribulation

Or, listen online to these entire audio sets:

• Verse by verse through the book of Revelation
• Overview of Eschatology
  

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

Book Details

I began in January of 2008 attempting to write and organize notes, thoughts and general information that I taught in our Generation Word's 50 week Bible School. During the next five months I found myself too busy with work, teaching Bible classes, following my boy's activities, updating the websites, etc. to make any progress on the book that I wanted to call "Generation Word's Bible School Notes."

But, when summer came I spent every possible minute between June 9 and August 12 writing and drawing maps for 61 chapters. The editing process began right away with many people reading through sections of the book. Tim Vaniman edited the portions that were turned in until sometime in October when we handed the book over to Clint Hansen to set the book for printing and add his illustrations.

Then over Thanksgiving break Jennifer Ruisch, Tim Vaniman and myself read through what Clint had put together. Today the final copy of the book was sent to the printer. The final page count was 550 pages.

When I asked about the shipping cost of the final product I was amazed to find out that the 3,000 books that will be delivered to my house for distribution will weigh over 6,500 pounds. So, sometime in the next 2-3 weeks we will be unloading 3 1/4 ton of "Framework for Christian Faith."

It has been called extensive by Steve Deace of WHO, comprehensive by Joe McGee of Faith for Families, a useful tool by Chuck Grassley of the United States Senate and a valuable reference tool by Mike Swaim, a leader of the men's Cross Trainers group.

I have dedicated this book to people who have spent years sitting in church but have never had the privilege of hearing teaching from the Word of God.

We have already had request from Pakistan, Finland, England, Australila, Nigeria, South Africa for this book. A church in Birmingham, Alabama is planning on using the book for developing Bible teachers and general Christian faith for their people.

We will start another weekly class in Urbandale, Iowa early in January to go through each of the 550 pages of what I call a textbook.

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

Combat Correspondent, LCPL. Wiemers, Justin

My son Zachary, age 15, was writing a paper for school about the Marines and was searching the web for infomation. What he found accidently was this article from the Quantico Sentry, the corps oldest newspaper, from Quantico, Virgina by his brother, Pfc. Justin Wiemers (age 25 and as of yesterday promoted to Lance Corporal). Justin is a combat correspondent for the Marines. The below articles were written by Justin and the photos were also taken by him:

http://www.dcmilitary.com/stories/111308/quanticosentry_28164.shtml
http://www.dcmilitary.com/stories/112608/quanticosentry_28159.shtml
http://www.dcmilitary.com/stories/112008/quanticosentry_28175.shtml

Justin will be continuing his training after Christmas in broadcasting with the United States Marines.

LCPL. Wiemers, Justin, Combat Correspondent

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

Grandfather's World War I Helmet

This weekend I was with my Dad out on his farm. We were doing some light work and looking through some things.
Ever since I was a young boy back in the 1960's I was always mesmerized by the World War I helmet my Grandfather had brought back from France after serving as a medic on the front lines. The helmet had a bullet hole dent on the right side. Even today my mind wonders about the story behind the dent. Did it result in a head injury? Was it picked up off the battle field? Was it Grandpa's? Did he get it from an injured or dead soldier who was picked up and brought in for treatment? I know very little but that my Grandpa served in France as a medic. I don't remember him talking about it much. My Dad says that as a medic Grandpa would say that no matter what the soldiers came in for, if it was a sore throat or a missing leg, they all were rubbed down with iodine.

Dad sent Grandpa's World War I helmet with me this weekend. It is now proudly displayed in my living room by some 100-150 year old Bibles and a couple of 400 year old pages from a King James Bible and a Geneva Bible.

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com/

King Herod is Featured in National Geographic, Dec. 08

I just received this month's National Geographic with a picture of Masada on the cover and a great article with photos of Herod's architectural exploits.

See the photo library here
Test your knowledge on Herod with a quiz here

The article includes photos and information concerning Herod's recently discovered tomb at the Herodium. We were fortunate to have been at the Herodium within 90 days of its discovery.

In typical fashion National Geographic considers the Bible at best legend and at worst Jewish/Christian propaganda when they state that Herod is innocent of the charges of killing the Bethlehem boys. These actions are not far from Herod's character in secular history which record him killing his son and his Hasmodean wife.

All in all, Herod was a great leader who lived a very impressive life during one of the peaks of Rome's power. Herod was friends with and influenced some of the most important people of history. I was thrilled to see this article and the photos. Read this article here

View my YouTube video of Herod's fortress at Masada here

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

Changes and Updates

I am working on some changes to the website and this blog site before the new book comes out. We are moving the website to a bigger server to hold more videos, etc. I am setting up a mobile blog so I can upload photos and blogs directly from my phone. A lot of time has been spent getting the book ready. Once the book is in print we will start an additional weekly class in the West Des Moines area on a week night. Then we will be back to blogging and more uploads. The book can be purchased at on Amazon.com at:
http://www.amazon.com/Framework-Christian-Faith-Galyn-Wiemers/dp/0979438217/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1227718539&sr=1-2

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

My Day Job

If anyone would like to see what I do during my day job just watch the below video I have uploaded onto SchoolTube. I teach 7 periods of shop class every day. This video was made during the first three classes one morning two weeks ago. I love my job! Take a look:



Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

Characteristics of the Emerging Church (part two)

It has been a busy week with cross country meets and Bible classes. I need to get a radio program ready and then I will be ready for the last two days of the week, Thursday and Friday, the easy days. My cross country team did win their meet, my middle school son did finish first and my high school sons' varsity team is rated #2 in state for 4A schools (They are down from #1). Bible studies were on theology (angelology and theology). They can be found with the notes on http://www.generationword.com/

Now . . . the next few characteristics of the emerging church problem. The emerging church is the result of the evangelical movement getting mixed up in church growth methods and techniques. Churches discovered that some doctrines sell easier than others. It is easier for people to visit and stay at a church that is teaching what the people already think. The obvious result is that church growth research basically tells us that if a church simply tells people the people what they already believe then they are going to be comfortable in your church and stay.

Characteristics #4-8 of an emergent church follow:

4. The moral failures of leaders in the church have caused the emergers to doubt the entire institution of the church.
5. Multiculturalism has caused an unresolvable tension between the gospel that says Jesus is the only way and multiculturalism that says every culture has found their own way. (So, how are those cultures doing? Are the emergers leaving the US yet for those other cultures yet?)
6. Just as the Gnostics of the second century could not grasp the concept of the God of wrath in the Old Testament, so also the Emergent Church can not resolve the conflict they have between their image of a tolerant, understanding God of love and mercy along with the holy God of righteous judgment found in the scripture. (Point: the emergers are not emerging but are regressing back into ideas and practices that time has proven to be failures.)
7. Concerning the issue of homosexuality the emergents consider the biblical view to be oversimplified compared to the complex issue of sexuality. (How hard can it be? God begins the Bible by telling us he made them male and female. People are either one or the other. Obviously, the sin nature is so powerful that people get confused with only two options. Just imagine how difficult sexuality would be for the emergers if sexual options were like a Baskin Robbins store??)
8. The use of language has its limits so the Bible itself is bound by the limits of language. (It is too bad that God did not have the foresight to overcome this. If God were only as wise as the emergers he could have skipped the whole process of the recording of scripture and just communicated to us through our feelings.)

You may want to take note of the following. According to Roger Oakland these are some trends of the Emerging Church movement:

1. Scripture is no longer the ultimate authority as the basis for the Christian faith.
2. The centrality of the gospel of Jesus Christ is being replaced by humanistic methods promoting church growth and a social gospel.
3. More and more emphasis is being placed on building the kingdom of God now and less and less on the warnings of Scripture about the imminent return of Jesus Christ and a coming judgment in the future.
4. The teaching that Jesus Christ will rule and reign in a literal millennial period is considered unbiblical and heretical.
5. The teaching that the church has taken the place of Israel and Israel has no prophetic significance is often embraced.
6. The teaching that the book of Revelation does not refer to the future, but instead has been already fulfilled in the past or is allegorical.
7. An experiential mystical form of Christianity begins to be promoted as a method to reach the postmodern generation.
8. Ideas are promoted teaching that Christianity needs to be reinvented in order to provide meaning for this generation.
9. The pastor may implement an idea called "ancient-future" or "vintage Christianity"claiming that in order to take the church forward, we need to go back in church history and find out what experiences were effective to get people to embrace Christianity.
10. While the authority of the Word of God is undermined, images and sensual experiences are promoted as the key to experiencing and knowing God.
11. These experiences include icons, candles, incense, liturgy, labyrinths, prayer stations, contemplative prayer, experiencing the sacraments (for Protestants), particularly the sacrament of the Eucharist.
12. Some "evangelical" Protestant leaders are saying that the Reformation went too far. They are reexamining the claims of the "church fathers" saying that communion is more than a symbol and that Jesus actually becomes present in the wafer at communion.
13. Some suggest there are many ways to God.
14. Members of churches who question or resist the new changes that the pastor is implementing are reprimanded and usually asked to leave. If you are over age 50, your opinion will not even matter.

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com/

Characteristics of the Emerging Church

This month's issue of Christianity Today (Sept.) has an article focusing on describing the Emerging Church movement. Along with this main article is a smaller article on page 62 that provides us with eight characteristics of the Emerging Church. We could call today's blog "Eight Signs You are in an Emerging Church". Here are three of them:

1. Emerging churches believe that the doctrine of Scripture's inerrancy does not sufficiently capture the true character of the Bible. (Can you guess where this is heading?)
2. They believe that the gospel we have been preaching concerning Jesus' death as payment for our sins and his resurrection for our new life was Paul's idea and not Jesus' intention at all. Emergers, which is my word for people involved in an Emerging Church, describe the message Jesus preached as a 'secret message' that has been rediscovered by leading emergers. They have discovered that Jesus was focused on political action and he had global concerns. (Maybe the emergers would like to suggest a world political leader we could unite behind to follow into a golden age of world harmony. Are you ready for the anti-christ?)
3. The deification of science has created a generation of people that are ready to dismiss the literal biblical accounts whenever science's latest revelation, or hypothesis, demands obedience. This is easily done in the name of Christianity by assuming the Bible is written in some ancient form of poetry, allegory, parable, etc. With this understanding an Emerger can both agree with the Bible but at the same time redirect it to allign with current pop science. (Remember the house built on shifting sand? Well, this is that house.)

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

The Emerging Church Movement Problem

I called Maxine Sieleman Sunday night to ask her to write a comment for the back cover of our new book "Framework for Christian Faith". While we were talking she voiced her concerns about the new movement in the western church now labeled as the Emerging Church. Maxine and I had talked about this a few weeks ago when I was on her morning talk show but I have none nothing with the topic except throw out a few warnings on Sunday mornings and read some articles and blogs. The Emerging Church movement is the new wave of Christianity that follows the solid evangelical movement. This movement gets a foothold when the lack of biblical understanding among Christians, that stems from the evangelical's fear of commitment to intelligent expository teaching from the pulpit, combines with our cultures drive to destroy critical thinking skills while indoctrinating an entire generation to tolerate and accept anything that is strange or different. We are now faced with a generation that wants to embrace the concept of God but at the same time they can not comprehend an absolute God who does not think and feel exactly as they do about everything. We need to talk more about the Emerging Church in the next few days, but I would sum this blog up by saying that this movement is the ultimate example of people creating God in their own image instead of allowing themselves to be conformed into his image.

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

Paterology: The Fatherhood of God

Paterology is the study of God the Father. Pater, or pathr, is the Greek word for father. The fatherhood of God as creator is true for all men, but the New Testament develops a richer and deeper relationship with God as Father for the believer in Jesus Christ. The word for Father is used fifteen times in the Old Testament but 245 times in the New Testament. This concept was clarified by Jesus in his reference to God as his Father concerning his own relationship with God (see Matthew 11:25-27). The Aramaic term Abba, a term originally used by young children for their fathers, indicating an intimate and familiar relationship, was used by Jesus to address God (Mark 14:36).

The identification of God as Father goes even beyond Jesus’ own relationship with God when he teaches his disciples to also pray by saying “Our Father” (Matthew 6:9). It should be noted in passing that Jesus’ teaching concerning God’s fatherly relationship to them, and their familiarity and intimacy with God as Father, should not detract from their understanding of his awesome holiness and flawless righteousness because in the Lord’s Prayer Jesus followed “Our Father in heaven” with “hallowed be your name.” The Father/Son relationship of man with God is based on the redemptive work of God through Jesus. John says, “To all who received him (Jesus), to those who believed in his name, he (God the Father) gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God” (John 1:12, 13). Jesus and the apostles taught that God our Father demonstrated his Fatherly care and relationship with each believer in these ways:

Cares for daily needs (Matthew 6:32)
Individual concern and attention (Matthew 6:26)
Source of our spiritual life (John 1:12, 13)
His Love has been lavished on us (1 John 3:1)
Gives us grace and peace (Ephesians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:1)
Concerned with our welfare (Romans 8:15-28)
Gives us good gifts (James 1:17)
Oversees our discipline and growth (Hebrews 12:5-13)
Provides us with commands and directions for living life (2 John 4)
Makes us in the image of his own Son (1 John 3:2)

Paul begins all his epistles by identifying God as the Father (Rm.1:7; 1Co.1:3; 2Co.1:2; Gal.1:1; etc.). All human fathers receive the concept of fatherhood from God himself (Ephesians 3:14,15). God is the Father of glory (Eph.1:17), the Father of spirits (Heb.12:9) and the Father of lights (James 1:17). After his resurrection Jesus told Mary that he was “ascending to my Father and your Father” (John 20:17).

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

Confusion is Not an Excuse

I am a teacher, and I coach the boys’ track team at our school. Track practice takes place every weekday after school throughout the season. It’s always been that way, and probably always will be. One week I learned that a school dance was scheduled for Friday afternoon right after class ended. Because the dance was going to go well into the night, I told the boys we’d have track practice after school like usual, and they could head over to the dance when they were finished. I told them I was well aware of the dance, but practice was still on. I thought I’d made everything clear as the boys headed to their locker room after Thursday’s track practice.

On Friday, about five minutes before the last bell rang, I noticed a DJ setting up his sound equipment for the dance in the school gym. Since our track team practices right outside the gym, I knew the boys were going to be frustrated when they heard the music and saw fellow classmates dancing. I wondered if some boys might still be tempted to skip practice, so, for good measure, I decided to make one final announcement over the intercom as a reminder. Over the loud speaker came the words, “There will be track practice as usual immediately after school today for the entire boys track team.”

Right as the announcement ended, eight boys from the track team walked into my classroom dizzy with confusion. One boy conjured up his best look of bewilderment and asked, “Coach, do we have practice tonight? We were wondering because nobody really knows.” When I again confirmed that we did, another boy quickly asked, “What happens if we don’t come?” My reply was simple: “You’ll be punished.”

Confusion was not limited to this group of boys. Many members of the track team lingered in the hallway—debating about whether or not there was track practice. One boy approached a team manager and inquired about it. The manager supposedly told him, “I think there’s practice…but it might be optional.” That was all that the boy needed. Now armed with words straight from the mouth of the team manager, he could claim ignorance and later justify the reason he followed his desires and went to the dance.

As I left my classroom to head to the track, another boy stopped me to ask about practice. I looked right at him and said, “Yes, we have practice.” He went to the dance.

The track boys who chose to go to the dance could actually see their teammates running warm up laps on the track outside as they walked into the gym. Yet these boys remained “confused” as to whether or not there was track practice.

Confirmations about track practice that had taken place:
1) I had announced there would be practice on Friday and even warned the boys that there might be some confusion because of the dance, but that shouldn’t change anything. 2) An announcement was made over the loud speaker moments before the boys had to make the decision whether to go to track practice or the dance. 3) Some of the boys had approached me even after hearing the announcement, and I told them face-to-face, “Yes we have track practice.” 4) The fifty-eight boys who showed up for track practice were running right outside the gym, and the boys who were dancing could actually see their teammates—thus confirming that practice was indeed taking place.

When all seventy track boys showed up on Monday, I asked why twelve of them had missed Friday’s practice. The excuses were varied but all came back to the same claim: they were in a state of ignorance due to so much confusion. Some insisted that I hadn’t made it clear. One blamed the manager for saying practice was optional. Others swore they forgot. And all the boys who went to the dance confirmed each other’s confusion by contending that there was just no way of knowing whether or not we had practice. Their strategy involved insisting on confusion. They figured if enough people said they were confused, I would have to accept it as a legitimate excuse. But I didn’t. The confused boys lost the privilege of running in our first track meet.

As I stood there on Monday afternoon at track practice surrounded by the track team it became very clear to me that in life people choose to be confused. I could not have done anything more to help get them to track practice other than to pick them up and carry them from the school to the track. Even then some of the boys would have slipped away to the dance while I wasn’t looking. With all my effort to communicate a testable and provable obvious truth almost 20% of those I communicated with remained confused. Many of the things in life that we claim to be confused about are as obvious. I will even say many of the things we just can’t “wrap our minds around” are testable and provable. It is not that we can’t “wrap our minds around” them but we don’t want to “wrap our minds around” them.

Today in the United States of America many people have found comfort when faced with moral decisions, personal responsibility and spiritual realities by using the same excuse as these junior high boys. We are looking at a growing cultural pandemic that is more dangerous than any threat the media is covering. Our society is conveniently confused about what is right, what is true, what is moral, who is God, who should be responsible, who should be honored and who should be shunned. America apparently hopes to be able to cry out for mercy because they are just so confused. How can God expect us to be moral, responsible people when there are so many things to be confused about!! Right?

I suppose if I had not announced there would be practice or had failed to realize there was a conflict with the dance the boys would have had an excuse for being confused. Likewise, if there is no way of knowing what is right or moral how could we help but be anything but confused. If God had never communicated with man nor had the concept of God ever crossed man’s mind then man could be excused from having failed to come to grips with his Creator. If that were the case then I suppose mankind could claim to have an excuse.

I have learned that claiming to be confused is not the same thing as being confused. Likewise, searching for a reason to convince yourself you are confused is still not an excuse. Even if you find a whole group of people who all claim like you to be confused, this still does not mean anyone of them has not heard the truth and rejected it only to later claim to be confused.

I suppose that claiming to be confused after rejecting the truth is no different than claiming to be in the dark after you shut off the light.

(This is blog is taken from chapter one of Galyn's book "Hope for America's Last Generation")

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

The Apocrypha

The Apocrypha was accepted in 1546 at the Council of Trent. This decision was an error on the part of this church council for these reasons:

1. Jesus, the apostles and the New Testament never quote from the Apocrypha.
2. The Apocrypha itself never claims to be authoritative, inspired, or the word of God.
3. The internal evidence within the books themselves even disclaims inspiration, stating that there were no prophets that could speak or write under the inspiration of the spirit during the years these books were written (1 Maccabees 4:46; 9:27; 14:41).
4. Some books have major historical errors. For example in the book of Judith, Nebuchadnezzar is said to be the king of Assyria, and in the books of First and Second Maccabees, Antiochus Epiphanies is recorded as dying three different ways in three different places.
5. Some books promote doctrinal error. For example, prayer for the dead (2 Maccabees 12:45-46), attainment of complete sanctification and sinlessness,
6. Some of the books accept practices that the Bible condemns such as suicide, assassination and magical incantation.
7. Josephus, who rejects the Apocrypha and other books outside of the Jewish scriptures says: “From Artaxerxes to our own time the complete history has been written but has not been deemed worthy of equal credit with the earlier records because of the failure of the exact succession of the prophets.” (Against Apion 1:8)
8. The Dead Sea Scrolls do not consider the Apocrypha as inspired.
9. Jerome rejected the inspiration of the Apocrypha and originally refused to translate them as part of his Latin Vulgate – but did include them in the end at the request of the Roman bishop. He warned readers not to “apply them to establish any doctrine” concerning “these portions which exhibit no authority as Holy Scripture.”
10. The Apocrypha lacks any prophetic authorship or content and so there is no possible prophetic fulfillment to confirm their authority.
11. In accepting these writings in 1546, the Council of Trent broke with the traditional views of the Jews, the early Church, and major church councils in the past.
12. The Council of Trent made its decision in reaction against Martin Luther’s criticism of their doctrine of praying and collecting indulgences for the dead.
13. The Council of Trent accepted only 11 of the apocryphal books. They accepted 2 Maccabees because it supported their belief in prayer for the dead, but rejected 2 Esdras because it opposed prayers for the dead.

The New Testament Apocryphal Books
There are books from the first and second century that have been compiled as the so-called New Testament Apocrypha. These books can be broken down into two groups: books written by known authors that are not considered scripture, and pseudo-writings which are books written by unknown authors claiming to be someone else (For example: an author who wrote a book with his own ideas and doctrine but signed Peter’s name to it to help it gain acceptance).

Some books written by known authors from the early church that are authentic but not considered scripture are Clement’s letter to the Corinthians, Ignatius’ seven letters written on his way to martyrdom in Rome, and others. A few books written by unknown authors who ascribed the writings to apostles or other famous Christians are the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Peter, and the Apocalypse of Peter.

These books are rejected because they do not meet the requirements of canonicity listed above. In addition:

1. They were never recognized by a major church council.
2. If they were ever listed in the same document with the canonical books they were always placed on a separate list.
3. None of these books ever received universal acceptance by the churches. At best they experienced local acceptance (or consideration), and then only for a limited time. Once they were tested and carefully considered they were universally removed from acceptance in the canon
4. Some of these books are clearly fables, deceptions, or products of some early unorthodox group trying to gain acceptance into Christendom.
   

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com/

The Chain of Prophetic Continuity in the Old Testament

There is a clear scriptural chain of prophetic continuity through the complete Old Testament revelation. Luke referred to this chain when he wrote of Jesus talking with the disciples on the road to Emmaus:

• "Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” Luke 24:27
  

This same chain of prophets was referred to by the Jewish historian Josephus when he wrote:

• “From Artaxerxes to our own time the complete history has been written but has not been deemed worthy of equal credit with the earlier records because of the failure of the exact succession of the prophets.” Against Apion 1:8

This concept eliminates the possibility of canonicity and the inspiration for the Apocrypha. The word Apocrypha comes from the Greek word apokryphos which is built on the Greek word krypto which means “secret or hidden”. They were given this name by Jerome around 400 AD because they are books that are rarely seen. They were written between 400-200 BC after the inspired Old Testament canon was closed.

Old Testament revelation can be traced through a series of prophets who form a prophetic chain through the Old Testament beginning with Moses (1440 BC) and ending with Nehemiah who compiled the final books after Malachi closed Old Testament Revelation around 432 BC. Scripture identifies these prophets as Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Nathan, Ahijah, Iddo, Jehu, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Ezra and Nehemiah.

1. Moses -Genesis, Exodus, Revelation, Leviticus, Deuteronomy (Nehemiah 9:14Luke 24:27
2. Joshua - End of Deuteronomy, book of Joshua
3. Samuel - Samuel wrote an early history of Samuel and David (1 Chron. 29:29)
4. Nathan & Gad - Nathan and Gad recorded events in the reign of David (1 Chron. 29:292 Chron. 12:15)
5. Nathan, Ahijah, Iddo - Nathan, Ahijah and Iddo wrote of the events during the reign of Solomon (2 Chron. 9:29-31)
6. Shemaiah, Iddo - Shemaiah and Iddo chronicled the events in the reign of Rehoboam (2 Chron. 12:15)
7. Iddo - Iddo wrote of the events of the reign of Abijah (2 Chron. 13:22)
8. Jehu - Jehu wrote of the events of the reign of Jehoshaphat (2 Chron. 20:34)
9. Isaiah - Isaiah wrote of the events of the reign of Hezekiah (2 Chron. 32:32
10. (Hozai?) - An unknown prophet (possibly Hozai) wrote of Manasseh’s reign (2 Chron. 33:19)
11. Jeremiah - Jeremiah prophesied and recorded the final days of Judah during the reigns beginning with Josiah through Jehoiakim through Zedekiah (Jeremiah 1:1-3)
12. Ezekiel - Ezekiel prophecied and recorded events from July 5, 593 until April 28, 573 BC during the Babylonian captivity (Ezek. 1:2; 40:1)
13. Daniel - Daniel prophesied and recorded events from 605-536 B.C. This included the time of Jehoiakim of Judah, and Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon until Cyrus and Darius of the Medo-Persians (Daniel 1:1; 10:1)
14. Ezra - Ezra returns to Jerusalem with the exiles with the written revelation and teaches the people. Ezra taught the word of God and recorded events (Ezra 6:18; 7:11; 9:4
15. Zechariah - Zechariah prophesied to the Jews who returned from Babylon and recorded events in 520 BC (Zechariah 1:1)
16. Malachi - Malachi closed the time of revelation around 432 BC – until the coming of “the prophet Elijah”, or, John the Baptist (Malachi 4:5)
17. Nehemiah - Nehemiah was governor in Jerusalem for two terms (445-432 and a second term somewhere between the years 430-407). Nehemiah compiled the final prophetic books with all the previous revelation into an organized collection of written revelation known to Christians today as the Old Testament (Nehemiah 1:1; 5:14;13:6)

On Thursday or Friday we will take a look at the Apocrypha. I believe we should be familar with the Apocrypha. One of the greatest stories is recorded in the book of Maccabees concerning the Maccabean revolt.

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com/

Transcendence, Immanence and Theism

Transcendence and Immanence - These are two characteristics of the God of the Bible. Transcendence refers to God as being prior to and existing outside the created world. To describe God as transcendent means God’s existence, his person and his nature, are not connected to the created world. God exists unchanged before, during and after the universe, or any created thing, existed. Immanence refers to God’s ability, desire and practice of being involved in the universe. This includes his general indwelling of every part of creation. God is everywhere simultaneously and is present at every point in space (but, this does not mean he exists as every point in space.) As transcendent, God is beyond time and space and is not affected by creation. As immanent, God is aware, present and involved in the created world. The Biblical God is both transcendent and immanent. He exists outside the universe but is active in the universe.

There are seven major world views of concerning God:

1. Atheism – believes there is no God
2. Polytheism – believes there are many gods
3. Panentheism – believes God is finite. He learns and changes as the free universe makes decisions.
4. Finite godism – believes God is finite but lives beyond the universe yet still has limited action in the universe
5. Pantheism – believes God is infinite but lives or exists with the creation
6. Deism – God is infinite, does not live in or effect the world; he is totally outside creation (transcendent).
7. Theism – God is infinite and beyond creation but he does act within creation; he is personal and knowable

Theism is an ancient philosophical concept that needed to be identified when the philosophy of deism began to be embraced in the 1600’s. Deism simply believes that God created the universe like a clockmaker. God wound it up and is letting it run. In deism God is entirely transcendent or outside the created world. Deism describes God as the first cause who created the world and established immutable, universal laws that can not be altered even by divine intervention. Theism on the other hand is the belief in the existence of one God who is transcendent and yet immanent. Theism embraces an infinite God who has personhood and interacts with people.

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com/

Bad Choices Eliminate Good Options in the Future

In Genesis 19 Lot is left in a very difficult situation. Lot wants to be the good host for the strangers that have come to his city of Sodom but he is unable to provide them with a good meal (the unleaven bread he gave them was the frozen pizza of his day) or a safe home. Even Lot's invitation to stay at his home was quickly turned down by his guest. When it came time to be the good host and protect his guest, Lot felt he had to choose between forfeiting his daughters and so be the bad father or surrendering his guest and be the bad host. Why was Lot left to chose between two bad options? Why did he not have any better choices?

Many times in life the decisions we make today eliminate the options we will get to choose from in the future. Bad choices today cancel out the good options from our list of future choices. Even in human history and in world events there are no "right" answers to our dilemmas because previous sins or selfish choices have destroyed the win/win options. Thus, we find ourselves with no clear direction and no real commitment to move ahead since any decision will produce lousy results.

As the angels tried to get Lot to leave the city, Lot hesitated and refused to flee. Why? He was fleeing into the dark wilderness were he would end up living in a cave in the mountains. Why did things end so badly for Lot? He had made a series of bad choices which included leaving Abraham who was still a powerful and wealthy relative living only twenty miles to the west.

Watch this 9:55 minute YouTube message by Galyn Wiemers:


Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com/

Ancient Wall Discovered in Jerusalem

Yesterday, Wednesday, September 3, archaeologists announced the discovery of a 2,100 year old wall from the ancient perimeter of Jerusalem. It was a 10 1/2 foot high wall located on Mount Zion which is in the south west corner of the ancient city. The ancient walls which encircled Jerusalem in Jesus' day were part of a 3 1/2 mile-long wall providing fortification.

A year ago in June Toni and I, along with Ryan and Jenn, spent three weeks in Israel attending a class on Mount Zion near the location of this recently uncovered wall. There is a different wall that surrounds the Old City of Jerusalem now that was built by Suleiman in 1538 AD. This current wall runs 2 1/2 miles around old Jerusalem. While we were in Israel Toni and I ran the 2 1/2 mile route around this 500 year old wall on several occasions. One day I ran it three times running up and down Mount Zion each time. The most difficult part of the run is from the southeast corner of the Old City up the east side along the east wall of temple mount to the north east corner of the city which is the Muslim quarter of the city.

Details of this discovery of the 2,100 year old wall can be seen at
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1220444319782&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com/

Inspired Words of Scripture

It is important to accept that the written words of scripture are inspired, or breathed from God, because if you simply accept that God’s inspiration reached only to the thoughts of the writers you could then assume that it was possible for them to fail to properly communicate those thoughts in words they spoke or wrote. If this concept is accepted, which regretfully it is, then we really do not know if we have an accurate recording of the revelation of God. We could believe that he inspired Paul, Peter, Isaiah, David, etc. in the past but the revelation they received could then be rejected based on the fact that they failed to accurately record it. The Bible teaches that God inspired the very words the prophets spoke and the very words the apostles recorded. Inspiration of Scripture extends to the words of Scripture.

Points of Doctrine Concerning Inspiration
1. All Scripture is inspired (2 Tim. 3:16)
2. Scripture comes from the mouth of God (2 Tim. 3:16)
3. Scripture reveals God’s plan and God’s ways to man (2 Tim. 3:16)
4. Scripture did not originate in the thoughts of man (2 Peter 1:20)
5. Scripture came through men who were carried along by the Holy Ghost in their thinking, speaking and writing (2 Peter 1:20)
6. The Words of Scripture were written through inspiration (1 Cor. 2:13)
7. The Words of Scripture continue to be inspired throughout all time (Mark 13:31)

Doctrinal Errors Concerning Inspiration
1. Natural Inspiration – erroneously sees the writers of the Bible as very great men who were geniuses. They came up with their own thoughts and wrote them down.
2. Mystical Inspiration - this incorrect perspective accepts the Bible to be the result of men who were assisted by the Holy Spirit to write good material that was “inspired” by God like many of today’s sermons, songs, books, conversations and actions as equally “inspired” by God.
3. Dynamic Inspiration – an errant opinion that presents biblical authors as having had a revelatory experience with God. Then they wrote down in their own words and abilities what happened.
4. Degree Inspiration – this view accepts the Bible as inspired but considers some parts to be more inspired than others.
5. Limited Inspiration – in this position some parts of the Bible are inspired and others are not inspired. Inspiration is accepted in the case of doctrinal teaching, but some of the historical accounts (creation, flood, Abraham, Job, even miracles) are fables, stories, inaccurate recordings, etc.
6. Concept Inspiration – an illogical proposal that believes that the ideas of scripture are inspired but that the words themselves are not. This is like saying I understood the novel but I could not understand any of the words.
7. Barthian Inspiration – Karl Barth held that Jesus was the Word and that the Bible revealed and testified about Jesus. In this view Jesus is revealed in the Bible but the Bible is not inspired, and worse, it contains errors.
8. Neo-orthodox Inspiration – this false doctrine teaches the Bible is the word of God but not the words of God. When you read the Bible it becomes the Word of God, or inspired, for the you.
9. Mechanical or Dictation Theory – this undeveloped position teaches that the writers of the Bible were used by God as human typewriters (or word processors). God dictated word for word, and the writer simply recorded it.

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers" (Psalm 1:1) Watch this video and listen to Obama voice his opinion of the scriptures. Either his hermeneutic skills are highly underdeveloped (which is hard to accept since he has an ivory league education) or he knows that his audience wants to hear the Judeo-Christian scriptures mocked. Psalm 1:1 says blessed is the man who does not walk in this counsel or sit in this mocker's seat. (Note: this blog is not stating that the Republican's are any better, although I wish they were.) Here's the video:

http://www.youtube.com/v/4FCNKwHRCQM

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

80% of 7,948,359 Support "In God We Trust"

A current online poll by MSNBC asks "Should the motto 'In God We Trust' be removed from U.S. currency?" Readers can chose:

• Yes. It's a violation of the principle of separation of church and state.
• No. The motto has historical and patriotic significance and does nothing to establish a state religion.

80% of the 7,948,359 voters support the motto "In God We Trust." America still has hope to choose what is right and can continue to be a light to the world. We must support individual responsibility, marriage, family, just government and nationalism.

Take the poll and cast your vote here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10103521/

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

Restored Blogs and YouTube

We have uploaded many of the old blogs and will begin posting new blogs this week. Check out our new 10 minute videos on our YouTube video page at http://www.generationword.com/youtube.html

Galyn Wiemers
http://www.generationword.com

Restored, Strong, Firm and Steadfast

In First Peter 5:10 Peter speaks to Christians who have been enduring some social rejection and are feeling the strain of living separate from the world. Peter lists a sequence of four things that God will do for them because of this process and through this process called suffering.

Peter writes:, “The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” (1 Pt. 5:10)

First, it needs to be noted that Peter writes, “after you have suffered a little while.” Although God’s plan includes suffering and takes into account trials and tribulations, the suffering is not God’s final destination for his people. The suffering will end. There is a time in our lives identified here as the time “after” suffering.

This reminds me of Paul’s words at the end of Romans: “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” (Rm.16:20) The concept here is that believers must maintain hope and endure the process. The end of a trial will come. The end of Satan’s temptation is inevitable. Christ’s glory is revealed in us in the battle as well as it is in the victory.

James says, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12) The process will produce for us. Peter says that after the suffering, in fact, even during the suffering, God will do four things for us:

1. Restore you – The Greek word “katartisei” (future, indicative, active) means “to put in order, to mend, to reestablish, to make whole.” It is a medical word used to describe the setting of a broken bone. It is also used of refitting or repairing a broken vessel or of James and John repairing their nets in Mark 1:19. Paul uses this word in Ephesians 412 when he says that the gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher are to “prepare” God’s people for works of service. After a time of suffering, even during the time of suffering, God will establish you . . . he will prepare you . . . he will mend you . . . he will position you for the glory of Christ that is to be revealed in you. Probably refers to your character having been prepared to handle God’s plan.

2. Make you Strong – The Greek word “steridxei” (future, indicative, active) means “to set up, to fix firmly, to establish, to strengthen, to support”. A form of this word is used in the previous verse (5:9): “Resist him (Satan), standing firm (“stereos”) in the faith.” Through testing, trials and suffering God will plant your roots deep so that in the future you will be unshakable in you faith. You will be able to resist hopelessness , temptation, doubt and even Satan himself.


3. Make you Firm – The Greek word “sthenosei” (future, indicative, active) means “to strengthen, to make strong”. This word is used nowhere else in the New Testament and rarely used in Greek literature at all. If we see these words in a sequence then this word follows the mending of character and the fixing of faith but comes before grounding on the solid foundation. It would appear that this word refers to your actions and works that are made strong by God. These works would follow character and faith but proceed the final, unmovable product of the glory of Christ in you.

4. Make you Steadfast – The Greek word “themeliosei” (future, indicative, active) means “to make a foundation, to provide a solid foundation, to ground firmly”. Jesus had said that that man who hears and does the word would be like a man who built his house on the rock. The storms of this life would not be able to move this man because he was ground firmly on the truth. In the midst of future storms or suffering you will be steadfast and will not collapse.

NOTE:
Future tense – the action will take place at a future timeIndicative mood – a statement of fact. (not the mood of potential, or a command or removed from actually occurring)
Active Voice – the subject does the action. Here God himself will do each of these four things.

Conclusion of the tense, mood and voice of the four verbs: It is a statement of fact that God himself will do these four things in the future. In the context of the verse, the future is in a “little while”.

God himself will:
- restore your character so that no fault remains
- establish you faith so that nothing will shake you
- strengthen your actions so that you will finish the course
- firmly ground your life so that storms will not destroy your work.
Visit www.generationword.com