Comments for Evangelical Baptist Church

Comment on Singles Lunch by Jessica Allen

Jessica Allen — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:26:12 +0000

Great pictures, Melita!

Comment on Student Global Impact by Colin

Colin — Sat, 10 May 2008 01:15:57 +0000

Wow - these pictures sure are small!

Comment on A Deacons Fund by Paul Payton

Paul Payton — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 13:49:40 +0000

Giving is best done closest to the heart. Be sure the deacons fund keeps that flavor and you will be pleased with the results. Church members giving to one another in time of need, not deacon doling out the dough. I know that your intent is right, pray for the results.

Comment on Think Small by Valarie Seabrook

Valarie Seabrook — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 15:28:47 +0000

I can relate Pastor, As I have a situation at present up close and personal. Mentoring a young lady. We are often found talking and reaing the Bible. I have to pray much about this situation for the up close and personal are more trying. You begin to be bothered by the day to day ways of a person that may annoy you. I pray for help to understand and to forgive. It sometimes is our society easy to give money to a cause, to pay it away and keep it at a distant. Jesus says feed his sheep. In doing so we need to rely on faith and the Holy Spirit to help us from day to day. Demons rear their ugly heads in day to day activity and can be very upsetting. We fight demons by PRAYER and BIBLE reading and Fellowship. It is good to rub shoulders to really know the sheep. It is good to know we also learn about the principles of our Heavenly Father when we are active with our family, friends in need and neighbors. Not just the day to dy hi and bye. But to really spend time talking and listening, sharing. Sometimes with my home situation my guest makes me so sad, but because we are sheep it helps me to remember to forgive and bear with one another. I pray for my mind to be more like Christ. And everyday he delivers me from my flesh to wnat to be combative about certain behaviors my guest will do. Sometimes to tears, I prayat night LORD help me and I know you will keep me strong. I pray for my guest to be healed of her past and to really depend on Father GOD in Heaven. Some say they belong to Christ, yet we have a ways to go in doing what he says. The process is demanding but like an idea planted in the mind. It is a mind set for Christ in the making, keep tending to the person in your mist and after awhile you see Christ in them.

Comment on A Deacons Fund by Jessica

Jessica — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 14:22:32 +0000

Great idea!

Comment on El-Roi by Valarie Seabrook

Valarie Seabrook — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 01:51:26 +0000

Yes, Pastor Colin our Father GOD sees the good and the fear in us. And he knows our motives. When we understand, respect and know, that GOD is almighty and all knowning, we have a change of mind about serving our darker side. Fears melt away. By our nature we are going to have ways that are not pleasing to GOD . GOD undrstands our motives and when we begin to see his wonderful ways in our lives and how we are like dirty rags. GOD calls us to him and we begin to fear less and less and rely on GOD we find courage and our trust begins to free us of our faults and we do better. In those moments we know GOD has spoken to us in LOVE and he gives us courage to let go of fear and wrong doing and to hold on to his love for us. Think of it, Haggar was in fear. She was a woman sent off with no one to help her. Her treatment to Sarah in part got her in that situation Gen 16:4. Then her son actions by teasing Isaac was the final straw for Sarah and Sarah said to Abraham she has to go Gen 21:10. Hagar now without support was overwhelmed in the desert. Gen 21:14-16. GOD gave her a new sight he stepped in, and knew her whole situation and opened her eyes to see the well water. Gen 21:19
A moment like that changes you and you know GOD personally and you are changed forever. Fear subsides and GOD gives you hope in him and his ways for you. How to live for his Honor. Our faults are a way GOD introduces himself to us… and when we work with him we are changed for his Glory. Amen

Comment on A Deacons Fund by Valarie Seabrook

Valarie Seabrook — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 00:40:07 +0000

“I am concerned that we not allow this mechanism to stand in for and replace personal charity and watchfulness. It would be terrible if we would stop, on our own, inquiring into people’s lives and being generous because, ‘that’s what the deacons fund is for.’” by Pastor Coiln

I agree Pastor Colin personal charity is very, very important and a reminder to us from time to time of the above statement would be a good thing to do to.

Mother Val

Comment on EBC Distinctions by GA Taylor

GA Taylor — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 23:36:38 +0000

Pastor Colin,
I frequently stop by your web site and am very impressed with the leadership you are giving to EBC. I am certain Pastor Viall would be pleased as you carry on the ministry that he founded.

GAT (saved under Pastor Viall’s ministry in 1951)

Comment on The Church by Valarie Seabrook

Valarie Seabrook — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 01:06:56 +0000

Amen, well said and I will soon be an active member!

Comment on EBC Distinctions by Brian Rice

Brian Rice — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 10:32:35 +0000

Colin,
What do you think of this?
Brian

Tribulation Talks
The 70th Week of Daniel Delusion
by Steve Wohlberg

A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes. — Mark Twain (1835-1910)

Christians often debate about whether Jesus Christ will return for His Church before the seven years of tribulation (the “pre-trib” view), in the middle of the seven years (the “mid-trib” view), or at the end of the seven years (the “post-trib” view). Yet by far the most important question worth asking is: Does the Bible really predict a future “seven-year period of tribulation” in the first place?

Shockingly, there is no specific Bible text predicting any seven-year tribulation. The entire theory is based on an interpretation of one primary verse, Daniel 9:27, which says:

He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease… (Daniel 9:27 KJV).

Modern interpreters often conclude:

1. “He” is the Antichrist
2. Antichrist will make a treaty with the Jews for “one week” (the last “week” of the 70-week/490-year prophecy)–meaning seven years of Tribulation.
3. In the middle of the Tribulation, Antichrist will cause the sacrifices of a rebuilt Jewish temple “to cease.”

Thus Daniel 9:27 is applied to Antichrist, a seven-year Tribulation, and a rebuilt Jewish temple–yet the verse itself says none of this. The fact is that countless credible Bible scholars of the past applied Daniel 9:27 to Jesus Christ, not antichrist.

Matthew Henry’s commentary on Daniel 9:27 states, “By offering himself a sacrifice once and for all, he [Jesus], shall put an end to all the Levitical sacrifices.” (1). British Methodist Adam Clarke’s commentary says that during Daniel 9:27’s “term of seven years,” Jesus Himself would “confirm or ratify the new covenant with mankind.”(2). The Jamieson, Fausset and Brown commentary also says: “He shall confirm the covenant—Christ. The confirmation of the covenant is assigned to Him.” (3).

The following ten points provide solid evidence that Daniel’s 70th week doesn’t refer to any future Tribulation at all. Rather, it was fulfilled nearly two thousand years ago.

1. The prophecy of “seventy weeks” means seventy straight sequential weeks. There is no example in Scripture (or anywhere else!) of a time period starting, stopping, and then starting again. All biblical references to time are consecutive: 40 days and 40 nights (Genesis 7:4), 400 years in Egypt (Genesis 15:13), etc.
2. The 70th week follows immediately after the 69th week. If it doesn’t, then it cannot properly be called the 70th week!
3. It is illogical to insert a 2,000-year gap between the 69th and 70th week. There is no gap between the first seven weeks and sixty-two weeks. Why insert one between the 69th and 70th week?
4. Daniel 9:27 says nothing about any “tribulation,” “rebuilt” Jewish temple, or “antichrist.” Zero.
5. Daniel 9:24-27’s focus is the Messiah. After the Messiah is “cut off” (referring to Christ’s death), “the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.” This refers to the destruction of Jerusalem by Roman armies led by Prince Titus in A.D. 70. (4)
6. “He shall confirm the covenant.” Paul said “the covenant” was “confirmed before by God in Christ” (Galatians 3:17). Jesus Christ came “to confirm the promises made to the fathers” (Romans 15:8). The word “covenant” is Messianic, and always applies to the Messiah, not antichrist.
7. “He shall confirm the covenant with many.” Jesus said, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many…” (Matthew 26:28). Jesus was quoting Daniel 9:27 specifically.
8. “In the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice…to cease.” After 3 ½ years of ministry, Jesus Christ’s death put an end to all sacrifices in God’s sight. He is the final Sacrifice!
9. “For the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate” (Daniel 9:27, KJV). It was abominable for the Jewish leaders to put God’s Son to death. This ended their temple. Jesus predicted, “Your house is left to you desolate” (Matthew 23:38).
10. The 70 weeks applied to the Jewish people (Daniel 9:24). Christ’s public ministry lasted 3 ½ years during which His focus was “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:6). After His resurrection and then for another 3 ½ years, His disciples preached mostly to Jews (see Acts 1-6). When the Jewish Sanhedrin stoned Stephen in 34 AD (see Acts 7), the gospel shifted to the Gentiles (see Acts 13:46)–exactly as prophecy predicted.

One major reason why the Jewish nation as a whole failed to receive its Messiah was because its scholars misinterpreted Daniel 9:27.

The evidence is overwhelming! These eight words found in Daniel 9:27: “confirm… covenant… many… midst… sacrifice… cease… abominations… desolate” all find perfect fulfillment in Jesus Christ and early Christian history. One major reason why the Jewish nation as a whole failed to receive its Messiah was because its scholars misinterpreted Daniel 9:27. They failed to see Jesus Christ as the predicted One who would die in the midst of the 70th week! The same thing is happening today as Christian scholars misapply the same prophecy.

The “seven-year tribulation theory” is like a gigantic bubble. Once Daniel 9:27 is correctly understood and the pin of truth inserted, “Pop goes the seven years!” It’s a fact: There is no Bible text that teaches any “seven-year tribulation.” If you hunt for it, you’ll end up like Ponce de Leon searching for the Fountain of Youth. He never found it.

Jesus Christ confirmed the covenant and caused the sacrifices “to cease.”

May error cease in our minds as we follow God’s truth.

Endnotes:

1. Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, Vol. IV—Isaiah to Malachi, Complete Edition, (New York, NY: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1712) 1094-1095, notes on Daniel 9:27.
2. The Holy Bible with a Commentary and Critical Notes by Adam Clarke, Vol. IV—Isaiah to Malachi, (New York, NY: Abingdon-Cokesbury, written about 1825) 602, notes on Daniel 9:27.
3. Rev. Robert Jamieson, Rev. A.R. Fausset, and Rev. David Brown, A Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, Complete Edition, (Hartford, CT: S.S. Scranton Company: 1871) 641, notes on Daniel 9:27.
4. See notes on Daniel 9:26 in commentaries by Matthew Henry (p.1095), Adam Clarke (p.603), and Jamieson, Fausset and Brown (p.641).