Thursday, June 23, 2022

Dinosaurs and You!

Tyrannosaurus rex Fossil Exhibit — at American Museum of Natural History. The photo was taken by Minister Leonard V. Johnson


THE OTHER DAY I was watching a program on television and I heard a Protestant minister telling someone, “You know, dinosaurs were never real. Scientists have made up this lie to prove their teaching of the theory of evolution.” This hearing reminded me of something which occurred to me in my youth while I was attending church services with my grandmother. One Sabbath a senior member of that organization asked me how school was. And very innocently I answered, “Great, in school I’m learning about dinosaurs!” And you could have heard a pin drop after I said this. And he very loudly and assuredly said to me, “Dinosaurs are not real!”

Well, take a walk through any natural history museum! I did! Back in 2020, I visited the American Museum of Natural History in New York, NY! The largest in America! And I saw a plethora of ancient skeletons of prehistoric life!

My Protestant friends, there really were literally MILLIONS upon MILLIONS of dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures which roamed a pre-Adamic world here on planet earth! Why!? And how did they suddenly disappear!?

Scientists are befuddled as to how and why a great catastrophe occurred which caused a time of great death!

Sadly, the average student of God’s living word – the Holy Bible – does not properly understand that the existence of dinosaurs as well as other prehistoric creatures DOES NOT disprove God’s living word! And no wonder, for what most professing Christians have been taught about God’s word is wrong!

No one need fear the facts of science. And I’m aware that there are in this world theistic evolutionists (one who believes in a God creating all things, but then had a “hands-off” approach, hence evolution), and atheistic evolutionists (also commonly known as Darwinian evolutionists, the belief in no God at all), neither of which we here at the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries or our affiliated churches are. We believe and teach that God’s living Word is TRUTH! – John 17:17. God says what He means and He means what He says!

“Then God [the great Elohim, the family of God] said, ‘Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth [the SAME DAY] across the face of the firmament of the heavens.’ 21) So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 23) So the evening and the morning were the FIFTH DAY” – Genesis 1:20-21, 23.

God, literally (not figuratively) created with the Word (see John 1:1-3) the sea creatures and birds which fly above the earth ON THE FIFTH DAY! This TRUTH is in direct opposition to the Darwinian view that birds evolved from land animals. Notice that land animals were not created until the SIXTH DAY!

“Then God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth [not in evolutionary steps, but in an instant from the Word of God] the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind’; and it was so. 31) Then God saw everything that He made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the SIXTH DAY” – Genesis 1:24, 31.

God’s living word, however, was not written as a science textbook. It came into existence as a type of “Owner’s Manual” for all mankind.

Carl O. Dunbar - an American paleontologist who specialized in invertebrate fossils – openly admitted in his well-known 1949 geology book, Historical Geology, that not one prehistoric creature was known to have lived to see the Cenozoic Era!
“The end of the Cretaceous, like the close of the Paleozoic, proved to be a great crisis in the history of life. … For example, the dinosaurs were highly varied and apparently adaptive right up to the end of Laramie Time, yet not one is known to have lived to see the dawn of the Cenozoic Era. … The decline and extinction of the ammonites and belemnites at the very close of the period, and the passing of the several stocks of reef-forming clams (rudistids) show that the marine invertebrates did not escape the crisis.

It is difficult to account for the simultaneous extinction of great tribes of animals so diverse in relationships and in habitats of life. … Whatever the cause, the latest Mesozoic was a time of trial when many of the hosts were 'tried in the balance and found wanting' — wanting in adaptiveness to their new environment. Walther has picturesquely called it ‘the time of the great dying’.” 1
Two tyrannosaurus rexs’ (“king”) - the Late Cretaceous period - inhabited this planet before the creation of man

Great tribes of prehistoric creatures SUDDENLY disappeared from the geological records without any gradual extinction as the theory of evolution requires.

From the earliest of school learning involving dinosaurs, we learned this! Yet, schools continue to teach the theory of evolution as fact! And an innumerable amount of books have been written trying to reason just why the SUDDEN EXTINCTION of the dinosaurs!

In 1961, the distinguished American vertebrate paleontologist and prolific researcher and author, Edwin Colbert writes in his final thoughts of his book, Dinosaurs: their discovery and their world
“At the present time we can therefore only look upon the problem of extinction of the dinosaurs as a hard fact, as a closing of a most spectacular chapter in the history of life on the earth.” 2
Well, the very real fact – the “hard fact” – of the extinction of the dinosaurs as well as all the many other prehistoric creatures is that they were deposited in Mesozoic rocks – and this creates a problem for theistic evolutionists as well as atheistic evolutionists. For their theories do not allow for any SUDDEN appearance or disappearance of any life forms! Yet, God’s living and undeniable word says that it did! I will cover this in just a moment.

Well, scientists who teach and support this theory of evolution somehow need to account for the sudden disappearance of the many varied life forms. And they also need to account for their sudden appearance as well.

Professor Dunbar once again –
“G. G. Simpson has said, the most dramatic and in many respects the most puzzling event in the history of life on the earth, … is the change from the Mesozoic, Age of Reptiles, to the … Age of Mammals. It is as if the curtain were rung down suddenly on a stage where all the leading roles were taken by reptiles, especially dinosaurs, in great numbers and bewildering variety, and rose again immediately to reveal the same setting but an entirely new cast, a cast in which the dinosaurs do not appear at all, …”

“Throughout the long Mesozoic Era — for more than a hundred million years — reptiles completely dominated life on the Earth; but at its close, their dynasty suddenly collapsed. Turtles, lizards, snakes, and crocodiles survived, but they are mostly small and restricted in their range, … At the dawn of the Cenozoic Era, the dinosaurs were extinct, the pterosaurs had disappeared, and the great marine reptiles were gone.” 3
Such as the megalodon shark – which estimates suggest was about 52ft long and weighed upwards of 114 short tons! – that’s nearly three fully-loaded tractor trailers!

Truly, the “curtain” rose SUDDENLY on a whole new set of players! The reptiles alive today are no comparison to the impressive dinosaurs of the prehistoric era! – the Mesozoic Era! The curtain closed with an earthshaking destructiveness the likes of which this earth had not witnessed before – a violent catastrophe!

CHAOS On Earth!

Artistic impression of the asteroid slamming into tropical, shallow seas of the sulfur-rich Yucatán Peninsula in what is today Southeast Mexico. The aftermath of this immense asteroid collision, which occurred approximately 66 million years ago, is believed to have caused the mass extinction of dinosaurs and many other species on Earth.

Now friends, in my library, I have a book entitled Cosmos, by the late renowned astronomer, planetary scientist, and astrophysicist Carl Sagan. And it has one section which mentions experiments that were performed in the early ‘50s by a graduate student – who had argued that the early atmosphere of the Earth was hydrogen-rich (scientists have reassessed their theories as to why dinosaurs grew so large, they have since discovered “that oxygen concentrations in the atmosphere were likely lower than that of the present day.” 4 But they also continue using today’s land creatures as their guide) – and that the origin of life occurred before the hydrogen was lost, and that such gases sparked, creating life. That life began in the ocean with temperatures that began to fall, and the amino acids, and the proteins and the nucleotides – and how these different chemicals and the different aspects of this old earth – which condensed out of interstellar gas and dust some 4.6 billion years ago – and how they came together to form the earliest stages of life – a kind of organic soup. And how over time these different molecules that evolved would put away the characteristics that were not working for them and rather inherent characteristics that were better. He gives an example in the book – the invention of sex. With the invention of sex, two organisms could exchange whole paragraphs of their DNA code, producing new varieties ready for the sieve of selection. And, of course, I have read through this book, writing notes, reading it objectively, yet listening to what Mr. Sagan had to say. Yet, in the back of my mind truly say – all of this is foolishness. Because God created all of these things that they see in their greatest of powerful microscopes. But what they don’t realize is that what they are looking at – such as when they look at the skulls and bones of ancient apes or dinosaurs – is that this earth was turned upside down at one point in time! And if they would only read and believe the living word of God, especially what the apostle Peter says, “But this fact is hidden from them – they themselves choosing to ignore it – that by the Word of God the heavens existed of old, and the earth came forth out of water and amid water” – 2 Peter 3:5, NET. The EARTH had become “without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep” – very likely when Satan the devil – and let’s not forget about this evil one – was thrown down unto tartaroo, this earth.

Since the writing and publishing of Dr. Dunbar’s informative history of geology, in 1991, researchers found evidence of a giant crater near the town of Chicxulub in Mexico. And it came into being about the same time as ‘the time of the great dying.’ So, some 66 million years ago utter destruction – a massive asteroid (about 6.2 miles in diameter) carved out the Chicxulub crater and greatly aided in the death of all these creatures – some instantaneously with food still within their mouth. An INSTANT destructive force which destroyed the dinosaurs, and legendary flying pterosaurs, called pterodactyls. And the largest species of the Late Cretaceous, Pteranodon, attained wingspans of up to 30 feet, much larger than any flying birds alive today. Just amazing creatures that were inhabiting the face of this Earth!

So, using some facts from science, let us see just what God’s living word does say. Let us begin “in the beginning” – Genesis, chapter 1.

The SIX DAYS of creation are well known by any dedicated Bible student. And, contrary to some, these were literal “DAYS” – each day consisting of a 24-hour duration! For proof, be sure to read Genesis 1:4-5 in which God gives the very definition of what He calls “light” and “darkness.” Along with the very TRUTH that our Lord Jesus Christ asks the simple question, ’ Are there not twelve hours in a day?’ A “Day” is a twenty-four-hour period of time.

Now, to NOTE Leofranc Holford-Stevens, author of the book The History of Time, as well as any good encyclopedia, shows us that it was always custom to end and begin days at sunset - until a few hundred years after Christ. It includes a period called “NIGHT”, and a period called “DAY” and Jesus said they contained TWELVE HOURS for each period – a total of 24 hours in this epoch.

Let’s closely see God’s living word’s account of events that occurred on these SIX DAYS. Here I will dwell on the animal and plant life mentioned in the account – carefully note the description of this New Creation.

“Then God [again, the great Elohim, the family of God] said, ‘Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth’; and it was so” – Genesis 1:11.

Well, in science – notice what William Darrah, who was an American professor of biology at Gettysburg College, specializing in paleobotany – amazingly admits back in 1960 –
“Suddenly – and suddenly is the proper word – a rapid diversification and radiation of the flowering plants occurred.

Seward called the upper Cretaceous “the dawn of a new era” and Lesquereux many years ago observed that “the flora of the globe has become modified as by a NEW CREATION.”

There has been no adequate explanation for this apparently SUDDEN modernization of the earth’s flora. The angiosperms appear in familiar form, not in small variety but in great numbers of existing families and genera. It is this perplexing paradox which has obscured the origin of the angiosperms.” 5
Friends, these grasses, herbs that yield seed, and the fruit trees that yields fruit described here for us in Genesis 1:11 (which are known as angiosperms) appear SUDDENLY on the geological record!

In verse 20 – the FIFTH DAY of creation we see the addition of “the waters abounding with an abundance of living creatures, and the atmosphere teeming with birds” – cf. Genesis 1:20-23.

Now, just about all geology books which I have read assert that fish, and even humpback whales (which is not a fish but a mammal), have been on this earth as long as man has existed. Now, if this is true, WHY DID GOD LIST FISH IN HIS CREATION ACCOUNT IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS!? Understand, that God’s listing of animals as well as plants is IN ASSOCIATION with the creation of mankind.

Notice this amazing bit of information from zoologist Tracy Storer in his 1972 book General Zoology
“Most modern families [of fish] and a few existing genera probably date from the Eocene epoch [Fig. 31-14].” 6
The very name Eocene comes from Ancient Greek, meaning “dawn” and refers to the “dawn” of modern (‘new’) fauna that appeared during the epoch.

In 1928, leading authorities at the time came out with a book entitled Creation By Evolution; a consensus of present-day knowledge as set forth by leading authorities in non-technical language that all may understand wrote –
“In the following Cretaceous seas, there were a few fishes that had the bony support of the tail as well formed as that of most existing bony fishes; indeed, the reign of the modern thin-scaled bony fishes, completely adapted for rapid movement in water, had begun, …” 7
So, according to this world’s expert in fossil fish, the fish of the prehistoric seas did not have THIN-SCALES of modern fish. The modern fish of today appeared SUDDENLY at the time of Adam, as God’s living word records for us – cf. Genesis 1:21.

Let us also notice this bit of fascinating information, again from Professor Dunbar –
“Modern types of birds, all toothless, appeared BEFORE the close of the Cretaceous, and in the Eocene, most of the present orders were represented.” 8
So, according to this world’s master in his field, modern true toothless birds were NOT present BEFORE the “close of the Cretaceous.” Again, facts of geology substantiate the teachings of Almighty God!

Beginning in verse 24 – the SIXTH DAY – God created the “’ cattle and creeping thing and the beast of the earth, each according to its kind’; and it was so.” Clearly, the modern classification of creatures such as cows, and other beasts in the classification of Mammalia. And as we have just read from Dr. Dunbar, this is when the “Age of Mammals” began.

Why Were the Dinosaurs Destroyed?

In a series of Personals, I began writing, I went over Some Prehistory Facts. And I began with the rebellion of the evil one – Satan the devil. Because of this rebellion, physical destruction occurred to the earth! Notice this – Genesis 1:2, “The earth [became] without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep.” The Hebrew words which our great patriarch and prophet Moses used are tohu and bohu – which truly means “chaotic and in confusion.”

Science fact surely tells us that this earth was created at an indefinite time – depending on which geologist you ask, the earth is some 4.54 Billion years old. Man – the true Homo sapiens – has ONLY been on this earth for about 6,000 years. And this can be proved by Biblical chronology and supported by various historical records of many nations around the world.

Hêlēl (in Hebrew #1966), Lucifer in Latin – meaning “shining one” – became known as Satan the Devil and rebelled, influencing a third of the holy angels to follow his rebellion and an attempted coup d'état of the Third Heaven – the very throne of the Master of the universe! He attempted to seize the very GOVERNMENT of the entire universe! – cf. Revelation 12:4; Jude 6.

Satan the Devil did not want to continue in the beautification of the earth – preparing it for the age of man. And as I have said before - we learn from God’s living word that angels were never meant to rule the earth or the universe – “the world to come” cf. Hebrews 2:5. He became filled with pride and jealousy – cf. Isaiah 14; Ezekiel 28.

A great battle for the control of the universe literally caused great physical destruction upon the earth – Genesis 1:2. Truly, between the first verse and the second verse of Genesis chapter 1, billions of years could have passed. The earth BECAME chaotic and void; and DARKNESS (of which Satan and his demons are) was on the face of the deep. The very word “deep” in Hebrew is tehôm, meaning “depths, with the associative meanings of darkness and secrecy, controlled or inhabited by mysterious powers.” Life was taken from the earth – including the dinosaurs as well as all other prehistoric creatures.

In verse 3, God began to RENEW THE FACE OF THE EARTH – see also Psalm 104:30. God rebuilt the surface of the earth and created man along with the innumerable creatures described in Genesis chapters 1 & 2. And “God blessed them [mankind], and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill [or rather replenish] the earth and subdue it; …” The earth had to be “replenished.”

The LORD our God’s living TRUTH becomes clear! The earth had been populated by various forms of plant and animal life BEFORE the creation of Adam. There have been many misconceptions about who created as well as why dinosaurs were created. A great many believe that Satan and his demons created them. No, Satan the Devil, and his demons cannot create life.

But, why did God create dinosaurs!?

From my youth, I’ve believed, from the study of God's living word as well as secular sources – and great advancement in scientific and geological research has helped solidify this  – the earth was once covered with a vast landmass known as Pangaea. And as an example: For a period of time from the Late Cretaceous to the early Paleocene, there was once a large inland sea called the Western Interior Seaway that split the continent (North America) in two. The Western Interior Seaway is known to have been a shallow sea and one that teemed with remarkable diversity and abundance of marine life. And thanks to these shallow seas, these extremely large dinosaurs could take advantage of these seas to support their huge bodies that otherwise would have been impossible. The very existence of such a huge, diverse, and enduring population of dinosaurs significantly contributed to EARTH’s present store of Biodeposits – such as limestone, marble, coal, oil, and natural gas.

Returning once again to Professor Dunbar’s book Historical Geology we see the very usefulness of the plants described for us in Genesis 1:11-12 –
“ … the angiosperms [our modern plants and trees] are the most specialized of all plants and the ones destined to dominate the Earth during their geologic time. … they supply nearly all the plant food for the mammals that now dominate all other life upon Earth. Angiosperms provide the nuts and fruits of the forest, the grasses of the prairies, the cereals which furnish fodder and grain for man and his domestic animals, and all the vegetables and fruits that man has cultivated, …” 9
My friends, these angiosperms DID NOT inhabit Lucifer’s world before man. The plants and animals man uses for food were not in existence in the pre-Adamic world! When God created man, He also created at the same time the necessary angiosperms (the plants, trees, and grasses) necessary to sustain mankind.

Also, the IMPORTANCE of mammals to man cannot be over-emphasized! Yet, the same CAN NOT be said of the creatures that existed along with the dinosaurs in Lucifer’s pre-Adamic world.

The dinosaurs as well as all other prehistoric creatures were destroyed in an INSTANT and buried in a vast fossil graveyard – and, with the development of this new and highly logical hypothesis of the Chicxulub asteroid impact – that could have been the very moment of their SUDDEN ‘time of the great dying’ – their SUDDEN COLLAPSE!?

But, as we know, mankind has rejected the LORD our God’s vast knowledge and wishes to substitute his own theories and hypothesis – who suppress the TRUTH in unrighteousness – Romans 1:18-22.

“The fear [reverent fear] of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction” – Proverbs 1:7.

ANYONE without God’s living word as their guide – without JESUS CHRIST and His mind, His Spirit, guiding you into all TRUTH – will always learn but will NEVER be able to come to the knowledge of the TRUTH! – cf. John 16:13; 2 Timothy 3:7. □



Bibliography:

1) Dunbar, C.O., Historical Geology, New York, J. Wiley, 1949, pgs. 345, 348.
2) Colbert, E.H., Dinosaurs: their discovery and their world, New York: Dutton, 1961, pg. 259.
3) Ibid, Dunbar, 426, 404.
4) How Did Dinosaurs Get So Big!? Science World, 18 August 2015 - https://www.scienceworld.ca/stories/how-did-dinosaurs-get-so-big/. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
5) Darrah, W.C., Principles of Paleobotany, New York, Ronald Press Co., 1960, pg. 219.
6) Storer, T.I., General Zoology, New York, McGraw-Hill, 1972, pg. 680.
7) Sir Arthur Smith Woodward, Creation By Evolution, The Progression of life on earth, New York, The Macmillan Company, 1928, pg. 131.
8) Ibid, Dunbar, 435.
9) Ibid, Dunbar, 336.

Monday, June 20, 2022

Commentary: Bible Supports Capital Punishment

 

by Guy C LaMar


The Entire Word of God – the Holy Bible – Supports Capital Punishment


Romans 13:1-7 says to submit to the authority of civil government, reminding us that “if you do evil, be afraid; for he [the authority] does not bear the sword in vain.” In its ultimate use, the “sword” implies capital punishment – execution.

A sword in that time was like a guillotine by today’s standards. It was designed to exert an upmost of punishment. It was by one means that the authorities executed people who rebelled against the government rule.

Our Lord JESUS Himself said in Luke 22:36, “ … ‘he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.’

Even the thief on the cross next to Jesus Christ knew that he had committed a crime and was worthy of death.

Our Lord Jesus rejected how people misunderstood the Old Testament manner of how that people were taking revenge for a wrong done – cf. Matthew 5:38-41; Luke 9:52-56.

People were acting on emotions without clear thought.

He said, ’ Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; …’ – Matthew 7:1-5.

In the case of a woman caught in the act of adultery (a capital offense in that time period). Our Lord Jesus said to those who wanted to stone her to death, ’ He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.’ – John 8:7.

The apostle Paul also WARNED against taking revenge for a wrong done (Romans 12:17-21; 1st Thessalonians 5:15). Likewise, the apostle Peter WARNED us not to repay evil with evil (1st Peter 3:9).

Vengeance Is God’s To Repay.

WHERE IT IS NOT APPLIED BY GOD’S IMMUTABLE ESTABLISHED LAW

God had placed judges over people, just as we have today in the world. The soldiers in the time of Jesus were the police of today.

As it was in the time of our Lord Jesus Christ, it is also in today’s societies where it comes to people taking vengeance on their own. The apostle Peter tried to kill a soldier and ended up just chopping off the soldier's ear. Out of anger.

This is the type of vengeance God WARNS us against!

God established His Law to be enforced but under the direction of judges. A process was set in order.

Forgiveness is offered when the guilty are trying to condemn the guilty.

As was the case with the adulterous woman who was about to be stoned to death.

The ones who were going to stone her were most likely as guilty as she was.

Our Lord Jesus knew this and He called them out on it.

He said, ’ He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.’

He shows us that those who are guilty of the same crime CAN NOT condemn others for that same crime.

Most likely, these married men were fornicating with this woman at some point, cheating on their wives!?

Some Bible commentators claim that the men that wanted to stone this adulterous woman had most likely been fornicating with her at some point. She most likely had some dirt on the guys and they wanted to silence her out of fear that they would be exposed.

Or, it was a case of a man or a couple of the men, along with their male family members, backing them up to chase her down to be stoned. And when our Lord Jesus wrote on the ground, He likely was writing the names of the guys who'd slept with her. That shut them, leaders of the attack pack, really fast.

Because they knew they were as guilty as she was in such a sin.

That is when our Lord Jesus called them out and said, ’ let him throw a stone at her first.’

That ended all that.

The point is clearly made, a sinner guilty of a sin CAN NOT condemn another for that same type of sin.

She got her instructions from our Lord Jesus at that point, go and sin no more.

Those men ate a lot of humble pie and most likely NEVER approached stepping out on their wives again!

People that think they have gotten away with a crime will pay in the long run no matter what. God says that vengeance is His.

God makes it clear that an adulterous person and their lover will be punished. A person who commits adultery is an utter fool; whoever does so destroys themselves. Meaning that their very body might be destroyed. (Proverbs 6:32).

So, if someone goes off and MURDERS -knowingly acting to take another human life, another person - then that murderer should be put to death.

God says that he HATES the murder of the innocent - (Proverbs 6:17).

The death penalty has been in force since the Book of Leviticus showed us God's Law concerning it.

The reason the world is so screwed up today is that the world rejects God's Way in favor of their own take of how things should be which equals a bunch of garbage.

We are all guilty of sin. We all have God's mercy in so many ways.

The thing we must remember is that those who commit crimes knowingly are the ones who are truly guilty.

When people go out and seek to murder others then they would be far better off dead themselves. There will come a future time when God will heal that mindset of that person to find the correct way to be.

Thy Kingdom Come! □

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Additional Commentaries and Articles:

Evil Mocks God's TruthWe must be careful with whom we share God's living truth. Evil will mock and insult YOU along with God's truth! [...]
Personal From ... Capital PunishmentThis subject comes to the forefront of my mind because a friend of my wife’s and mine brought this very subject up in a conversation and had stated most assuredly that “we cannot raise our children the way our parents raised us. Our parents raised us to be prejudiced and segregationists.” Now, there are different issues in his statement. Yet, he conjoined those issues into one. [...]
Some Food For ThoughtFor MANY years this idea has floated around but has been generally REJECTED by the churches of God. [...]

What If... the Dead Rise Not? Sermon


Leonard V Johnson







Greetings Everyone! Including our dear friends in the atoll of Funafuti (I think that's how it's pronounced); in Nebraska here in the States; in Des Moines, Iowa; and all around the world. Thank you. Thank you for being here with us for this weekly taping of the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries. I'm Leonard V. Johnson.
     Friends, all around this world people are deathly afraid of death and absolutely do not know what is going to happen after death. Many say, “Well, you’ve never experienced death, so how do you know!?” And they wonder – am I really going to go to heaven and get wings!? What am I going to do up there!? Will it truly be like in the movie Down to Earth featuring the vulgar American comedian/actor Chris Rock who is basically reincarnated into a white rich businessman freshly drowned in his tub by his wife!? “What’s next!?” many ask. “Am I just gonna exist – is my immortal soul going to continue!?” I can’t think of anything worse than being an eternal being living forever with nothing to do. How boring will that be!?
     Now, in TRUTH, we know that there is going to be a job for each of us – yet we don’t know what those jobs will entail But it’s not to just exist for the rest of eternity as a reward for being what my brother called ‘the best person you could be.’ And if most people would just sit and contemplate this, meditate, this very thing for a moment, it wouldn’t make any sense to them either. And maybe it would get them curious about just what God’s living word truly says concerning death and what happens after death.
     Now, in this sermon, I won’t get into any long discussion concerning just what happens after one dies – except for this one subject – the glorious resurrection. The apostle Paul had made a statement that so many of the churches of this world use to justify their doctrine that when one dies they go to heaven. And I’d like to begin here with this Scripture.
     Turn with me if you will in your Bible to the Book of Philippians, chapter 1 – to show you that that is not what he meant here at all.
     Again these worldly churches – including the Muslim religion – believe in an afterlife of things such as Great Pleasure, the 72 Virgins, and the like. And I imagine that’s better than just floating around on a cloud playing a musical harp and doing nothing else for all eternity.  But, this world’s churches – for the most part – teach that this so-called immortal soul, which we are supposed to have within us, just continues on. Yet these same churches – including Islamic mosques – teach that Jesus Christ is going to return to this earth.
     One of the largest denominations of so-called Christians in the world teaches that you don’t have to be baptized in order to be saved. However, the very words of Jesus Christ in His living word say, ’ He who believes and is baptized will be saved; …’ and that's in Mark chapter 16, verse 16. So, this is how truly illogical these religious denominations have become – with ever-greater worldly evangelists supposedly knowing what God’s word says! Yes indeed, Jesus Christ is returning to the earth – but no one is going to be in the upper heavenly realms – what is called the Third Heaven in Scripture – before He comes and returns with Him. We will be meeting Him in the atmosphere.
     Let's look here at verse 23 - “For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. 24) Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you.” – 
      So, what the apostle Paul is saying is – ‘I’ve got two separate desires: one is I want to be with Christ and the other is that I’m needed here on the earth still to help and edify the Church.’ So, he’s torn between the two. Well, these worldly churches will take this passage and say, ‘to depart and be with Christ means – “See, he said he was going to depart and be with Christ!”’ And, he is saying this – but not in the context which they believe and teach. Because he would not only be contradicting our LORD God Jesus Christ but himself.

Resurrection from the dead – A MOST IMPORTANT TRUTH

Let's now turn in our Bibles to the Book of Acts chapter 17. The resurrection of the dead is discussed here. Now, the resurrection was a very contentious topic at that time – and it still is even today. If you were to speak to one of these worldly ministers – and I actually have spoken of this topic with many – and ask, “Well, what about the resurrection!? We are going to die and then will be resurrected.” They tend to believe this – to an extent. But not the way Jesus Christ teaches it in His living word – the Holy Bible. But if you tell them that they’re NOT going to go to heaven, instead they will be resurrected – they, for the most part, shut you down. Or, some say what my own wife has said to me, “You don’t know that!” Or, rather, they’ll say exactly what they’ve been taught – “When you die you go to heaven, and then Christ is going to bring you back down to earth for the rapture …”
     Rapture!? Now, why do people go to heaven before being ‘raptured’!? Can they explain it!? No – for the most part – they can’t. Remember what our Lord and Savior said when the Pharisees sought a sign from heaven, asking Him for a sign – ‘prove to us that you are the Son of God.’ He responded, ’ Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation’
     He says, ‘You are an evil and adulterous generation’ – a generation which fornicates with false gods! And this generation today continues this fornication with false gods! And, He goes on to say, there won’t be any sign given “’ except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth’” – Matthew 12:39-40 NKJV. So, they would just have to wait and see – and if they chose not to believe that He was resurrected then that’s alright too – paraphrasing Jesus Christ. He knew as the Lord and Savior – as the very Creator – He would be responsible for everyone on this earth who will be resurrected – knowing that they would be resurrected in their own order – cf. 1 Corinthians 15:23.
     Friends, eventually, everyone on this planet, and everyone who has ever lived is going to be resurrected. And Jesus Christ, of course, knew that!
     When I had attended my wife’s grandmother’s funeral in Venice, Florida back in 2011 which had a Baptist background – not only did the attending minister announce that she is looking down at us from heaven while we were at her funeral but also said that when Christ resurrected Lazarus, he actually didn’t want to come back down here – “he was already gone to the feet of the Lord” – but Christ forced him back down to the earth! I sat there and thought of how illogical that statement really was. Why would Jesus Christ – if He knew and believed that everyone goes to heaven – use Lazarus as an example of dragging someone back to this earth as evidence to ‘prove’ who He was!? Well, Jesus knew that His friend Lazarus was going to die – and I don’t want to go into this here – but go and read this amazing story.
     Now, Minister Michael C. Garrett's free no-obligation online PDF booklet, "The Confusion About Death!" is available to read and study. And in the online booklet, he talks about Lazarus. I'll be sure to leave a link for you down in the information section of this sermon. Be sure to go and read this very in-depth and God-inspired online booklet today. We here at the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries and our affiliated churches - like the apostle Paul, don't want you to be ignorant of those who fall asleep.
     So, the TRUTH about the resurrection is so very IMPORTANT! It’s important to us in the Church of God because it’s where our hope lies. And the very fact that Jesus Christ is who He said He is – and that He is going to resurrect and change us, either if we’re dead or still alive, into wholly Spirit beings.
     So, here in the Book of Acts chapter 17, let's begin here in verse 1 - “Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.” –
     The apostle Paul taught in synagogues – which was the public forum. And it wasn’t just for the Jewish people, many Gentiles would come into the synagogues and sit and listen. This is how they spread the Word of God, the Truth of God, and the Plan of God – the gospel. And I'm certain that if the apostle Paul had a computer and the internet, he would be utilizing that door that our Lord Jesus has opened for us.
     Friends, they NEVER went door-to-door. Like our friends the Jehovah's Witnesses. After the service was over many would come up to him and say – ‘I really like what you had to say and I would like to hear more. Will you come to my home, have dinner and stay the night.’ That’s what the apostles were doing at that time. Jesus said to them – ‘Don’t have any worries. You go out and tell them what I say and they will take care of you. Because those that are being called will hear it and will want to hear more and will want to take care of you.’
     And on that note: Again my dear friends, if anyone is watching that lives in the West Coast of Florida - Tampa Bay Area - and would like to gather together for the holy Sabbaths and the LORD our God's feasts, please drop us a line here at pastorleonard1@yahoo.com. I would love to gather together will like-minded brethren. Or, if you're in the area visiting and you'd like to get together for Sabbath services, also drop us a line here at pastorleonard1@yahoo.com.
     Verse 2 – “Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3) explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, ‘This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.’” 
     And you’ll notice here, that there’s a repeated theme about the resurrection. Because that’s the most important thing in which he needed to teach, no one had ever heard that – for the most part.
     Let’s go on down to verse 15 – So those who conducted Paul brought him to Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him with all speed, they departed.”
     Now, there were a lot of Jews who hated the apostle Paul and wanted to get rid of him because of what he was doing – spreading the word concerning Jesus Christ whom they had already hated. Mainly because He had taken much of the people’s attention away from them and saying such things as – ‘they had made the Law of God burdensome, made the Sabbath burdensome for you.’ They didn’t like hearing that – because it took money out of their pockets.
     Verse 18 – “Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, ‘What does this babbler want to say?’ Others said, ‘He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,’ because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection.” – he preached to them ‘Jesus and the resurrection’!
     Verse 19 – “And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, ‘May we know of which this new doctrine is of which you speak?’” – this new doctrine of the resurrection – ‘we’ve never heard this!’
     Verse 22 – “Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, ‘Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; 23) for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.’”
     See, they believed that there was SOMETHING - they had an innumerable amount of false gods and goddesses that they worshiped – which also made all the gods which they worshiped. Whether it was Zeus or his father Cronus – or even another. Because, logically, they couldn’t figure out who came before Aether, or Uranus and Gaia – their great primordial deities – if you want to go up that far. So, here in Athens, they had an altar to a deity they didn’t know anything about – in which he says to them –
     “ … Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: 24) God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25) Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26) And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27) so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.” –
     So you see, he’s laying them A FOUNDATION. ‘This is a God who is alive and real and He is all around us. He created everything. And, He doesn’t live in those stone temples, and He is not represented by those stone statues.’
     Verse 28 – “For in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’” – as he was quoting Greek poets who were writing praises to Zeus – applying it here to the very Creator of all things.
     Verse 29 – “’ Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising. 30) Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.’”
     So, Almighty God and Jesus Christ have tolerated all this ignorance for quite some time, but it had gotten to the time where everybody needs to realize that God has had enough – and as the apostle, Paul says quoting Isaiah, “’ Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light’” – Ephesians 5:14 NKJV.
     Verse 31 – “’ because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man [Jesus Christ] whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.’”
     Verse 32 – “And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked while others said, ‘We will hear you again on this matter.’” – maybe they’re the ones which were being called!? The ones who were interested. They heard this testimony and it was sweeter – to them – than honey – cf. Psalm 19:10. The others scoffed, ‘You idiot! You speak of a God who can bring a man back from the dead!?’
     If you would, let's turn to chapter 23 of the Book of Acts
     Here is another dispute between the apostle Paul and the Jews.
     Beginning in verse 1 - “Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council [the Jewish Sanhedrin], said, ‘Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.’ 2) And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. 3) Then Paul said to him, ‘God will strike you, you white-washed wall! For you sit to judge me according to the law, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the law?’”
     Verse 4 – “And those who stood by said, ‘Do you revile God’s high priest?’ 5) Then Paul said, ‘I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”
     Verse 6 – “But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, ‘Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!’” – the Pharisees believed in the resurrection and the Sadducees did not. And Paul knew how to use this advantageously.
     Verse 7 – “And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the assembly was divided.
      Now, turn with me to Acts, chapter 24, beginning in verse 9. Again, Paul is being accused of heresies.
     “And the Jews also assented, maintaining that these things were so. 10) Then Paul, after the governor [Marcus Antonius Felix – the Roman procurator of Judea A.D. 52-60] had nodded to him to speak, answered: ‘Inasmuch as I know that you have been for many years a judge of this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself, 11) because you may ascertain that it is no more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12) And they neither found me in the temple disputing with anyone nor inciting the crowd, either in the synagogues or in the city. 13) Nor can they prove the things of which they now accuse me.’” – they were accusing him of being a trouble maker stirring the people up against the Roman government. Often times this is how Satan the devil operates – he gets people to lie about you so that people will hate you. And that’s what they’re doing here with the apostle Paul.
     Verse 14 – “’ But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect [or heresy or cult], so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets.’” – so, he’s saying, ‘What I’m telling you is in the Law and the Prophets.’ There were a lot of people who didn’t know that – because they didn’t have a physical Bible in their hands. The only way they heard the Law and the Prophets was to go into the synagogue and have it read to them. Very similar to what a former Catholic nun had to say, “We never read the Bible together outside what we had to do for morning prayers when reciting the Psalms, but even that wasn't in the Bible. The Psalms were in a book by itself. We did a lot of praying to the saints when we didn't have our time in the basement. We would often make, Oh, what's it called? - Novenas and kneel by the statute when doing so.”
     Now, how easy is it for someone to deceive you if the only written word is in the hands of one person or a group of people!? And if they want to add something or delete something that is not in the original manuscript – it’s fairly easy, isn’t it!? How are you going to know if they speak the truth!? Indeed, if you’ve heard the truth and then have had it read incorrectly – you can say, “Wait a moment! That’s not the way I heard it before!” – cf. 2 Corinthians 11:4Galatians 1:8-92 John 1:10. Even today a lot of people are deceived this way. This reminds me of a book that my dear sister sent me that I've read, SHOCKED BY THE BIBLE by Author Joe Kovacs. In a section entitled "When Does A Day Begin?" The author contends that a day begins at sunrise – not from sunset to sunset.
     Yet, the truth be told, the BIBLE DEFINITION of the expression, “THE THIRD DAY” – as in our Lord Jesus Christ had been ‘three days and three nights in the heart of the earth’ is: “God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening (darkness) and the morning (light) were THE FIRST DAY ... And so on and so on. Any good encyclopedia shows us that it was always custom to end and begin days at sunset - until a few hundred years after Christ. In his book he wrote, “"While it may not be a crucial matter for a person's individual salvation, …" it is! Jesus said, “’ You believe in God, believe also in Me’” – which also means BELIEVE WHAT HE SAYS! 
     ’ except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth’
     72 hours! AGAIN, BELIEVE WHAT HE SAYS!!
     Now, when I had gone to school – from the years 1974 to 1985 – I was taught American History. I was taught about the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights. I was also taught about the American Civil War – from the perspective of both the South and the North. Today, and I know this for a fact – our children in America are being taught Islamic History. Not long ago I was searching through the television channels and came across a program that piqued my interest - it's called 20th Century Timeline.
     The programs take you through the 1900s. The more I watched the more I began to hear a prejudice within the programs against the government of the United States of America! So, Satan the devil will often use a one-sided view of history, and condescending attitudes to fuel hate! So, how easy is it to be deceived by what God’s living word says if you’ve never comprehensively and thoroughly studied His words – and you just take the word of someone!? Satan will remove people from the truth first and then he begins his deception.
     Let's move on to verse 15 here. We're still in the Book of Acts chapter 24.
     “I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.’” – two resurrections are what he’s referring to. The ‘just’ within the first, and the ‘unjust’ in the second to be judged in the ‘Great White Throne Judgment” – cf. Revelation 20:11-13.
     Let's move on down to verse 21.
     ’ unless it is for this one statement which I cried out, standing among them, ‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you this day.’” – so all of this trouble concerning the apostle Paul here is because of the resurrection. He probably could have stood up there and read from the Law and the Prophets all day long and they wouldn’t have had a problem with it – but when He started throwing in this Jesus Christ person raising everyone from the dead, they wouldn’t stand for that. And, the churches of this world – today – will feel the same way! They can’t handle it, and they will not accept it! Isn’t that odd!? They agree on ‘thou shalt not murder,’ and they even acknowledge the fourth commandment – ‘remember the Sabbath day’ applying it to Sunday or even another day. So, they agree that there is a Sabbath day, but if you speak about Jesus Christ returning and raising everyone from the dead for judgment – they will refuse to accept that! “No,” they adamantly state, “It’s heaven! Don’t you know that!?”

The Promise of the Resurrection

Let’s move on to chapter 26 of the Book of Acts.
     The apostle Paul had been given an opportunity to plead his case at Caesarea. Yes, that's how it's pronounced, Caesarea Maritima before King Herod Agrippa II and his sister Bernice.
     Notice verse 1 - “Then Agrippa said to Paul, ‘You are permitted to speak for yourself.’Isn't that nice!?  “I think my self happy, King Agripps, because today I shall answer for myself before you concerning all things of which I am accused by the Jews, especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which have to do with the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.
     Verse 4 - “My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, a;; the Jews know. [they know of who I am] They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lives a Pharisee. [He lived as a Pharisee].
      ‘And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers. 7) To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. 8) Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?’”
     Indeed, as our Lord and Savior says ’ Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth – those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation [‘to judgment’] – two separate resurrections. ‘those who have done good’ – the first. And, ‘those who have done evil’ – the second.
     And I recall that my sister and I just recently spoke of this over the phone. Sister, there are only two resurrections spoken of in God's living word - NOT THREE!
     So, after telling the king the story of how he was directly called by Jesus Christ, he said - let's go over here to verse 19 -
     verse 19 – “’ Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20) but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. 21) For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22) Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come – 23) that the Christ would suffer, …’”
     “ …’ that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light [the New Covenant] to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.’”
     So, the whole of the accusations against the apostle Paul was concerning the TRUTH – and he adamantly stated, ‘I haven’t taught anything that’s not written in the Law and the Prophets.’
     Let’s turn over to the Old Testament – to the Book of Daniel, chapter 12. Let’s go over some of these passages which speak of the resurrection and this promise.
     Beginning in Verse 1 -
     “’ At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered [the physical people of the house of Israel], Everyone who is found written in the Book [the Book of Life]. 2) And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
     Now, we’ve all heard the stories – that if you say that people are “sleeping” when they’re dead, they will answer, “you’re just talking about soul sleeping.” Well, one needs to properly understand what a soul is. In this sermon, I won’t go into great depth concerning the soul – except to say – that man “became a living soul,” according to the original Genesis 2:7 KJV. Notice the passage doesn’t say that man has a soul – but rather he is a soul. The original Hebrew word for "soul" is nepeš – meaning, “living breathing creature.” And this includes both animal and human beings – cf. Genesis 1:20-21, 24; 2:19; 9:10, 12, 15 KJV.
     King Solomon – the wisest person of his day – wrote, “For the living know that they will die; But the dead know nothing, And they have no more reward, For the memory of them is forgotten” – Ecclesiastes 9:5 NKJV. The son of King David knew this. He knew that man returns to the ‘dust of the ground.’ To the very elements of the soil upon death – “’ What profit is there in my blood, When I go down to the pit [ Hebrew - šaḥat, meaning grave]? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth?’” – Psalm 30:9 NKJV.
     So, God’s living eternal Word shows that when a human dies – they are no longer conscious. They have no thoughts, no memory, no awareness of the passage of time; no pain, no worry.
     The prophet Job wrote – through the inspiration of God’s Spirit – “But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding” – Job 32:8 NKJV.
     And here is a truism that truly makes ABORTION MURDER! And I realize that this still is a controversial subject - which it shouldn't be. The Lord our God commands, NO MURDER - then we are to commit no murder of any kind - physically or spiritually - including murdering an innocent potential child of God within the womb. But, here is a truism -
     This human spirit enters the human embryo at conception. The spirit is like the “hard drive on a computer” – it stores information. The spirit essence is NOT an immortal soul or an eternal spirit. The spirit in man is NOT the man. It is something in the man. It has no life of itself, for the life of man is in the air he breathes, and in the blood that circulates through his body (Genesis 2:7Leviticus 17:11). It does not of itself see or hear. And at death, it has no consciousness of itself, for it sleeps (1 Corinthians 11:301 Corinthians 15:511 Thessalonians 4:14). Like a tape recorder, it forms a permanent record of the qualities of mind and character built by a man during his lifetime. And much like a used tape is stored lifelessly on a shelf till activated in a recorder, so also does the spirit of man “return to God who gave it” after death, until the resurrection when life is again given to a person (Ecclesiastes 12:7).
     Anyway – let’s move on.
     What did the apostle Paul mean when he wrote, in the Book of Philippians chapter 1I am hard-pressed between the two’? One is to die and ‘depart and be with Christ,’ and the other is to stay and ‘remain in the flesh’ and serve and help the churches.
     Turn over now to the Book of 2nd Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 1 –
     “For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2) For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, 3) if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. 4) For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life [eternal life].
     So, this ‘tent’ or ‘tabernacle’ which we want to put on is from heaven – not in heaven. And, what is from heaven!? God’s Holy Spirit. God the Father and Jesus Christ reside in the upper heavenly realms – the Third Heaven – and They are the Holy Spirit. Have you ever heard that before!? The Holy Spirit is NOT A TRINITY!
     Some churches actually teach that the Father and the Son are the SAME being. God’s living word doesn’t teach this! – THEY ARE THE HOLY SPIRIT. And man was created to have a relationship with God. Again, I don’t want to go into depth here in this sermon – but there is a HUGE divide between an animal brain and a human mind. And one thing that evolution cannot explain is the total difference between the animal brain equipped with instinct, and the human mind with creative reasoning and powers of intellect – devoid of what is believed in the strictest sense far beyond the medulla oblongata – which has shown to perform a primary role in the processing of memory, decision-making and emotional responses (including fear, anxiety, and aggression). There are some animals with brains larger than man’s brain – with similar cerebral cortex complexity – but with none of the powers of intellect, reasoning, and creativity. Human beings ARE UNIQUE TO ANIMALS. 
     What are some of these unique characteristics!?
     Humor – there is no other creature that is able to appreciate, create, and express humor.
     The appreciation of beauty. 
     Self-consciousness – being aware of oneself. Beyond a simple recognition (as in the Mirror Test).
     Also, the Awareness of death. 
     Understanding time. 
     The Complexity of language. 
     Even asking - the MEANING of life. 
     The lack of harmony with nature. Here's another one. Mankind has been disrupting the natural balance of nature – such as deforestation, the changing of rivers, over mining for resources, such as overfishing our seas.
     Free Moral Agency
     Capacity for wisdom. 
     A Desire to worship. There are no animals with a desire to worship.
     And it’s ‘the spirit within man’ that allows these unique characteristics which also allows us to have a relationship with God and to understand just who God the Father and Jesus Christ are. Because we couldn’t understand without it. It’s His Holy Spirit which is what He is giving us from heaven.
     I’d like to end here with the very words of Jesus Christ in the Book of Revelation, chapter 22, and verse 12
     ’ And behold, I AM coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to EVERY ONE according to his work.’
     Friends, He’s coming soon – God willing - and it certainly appears that it shouldn’t be much longer, because if this world continues going the way that it is – the absolute insanity we are witnessing in our societies and governments; things which are happening which defies any logic– it can’t be that much longer. So brethren hang tough – you’ll make it.
     God bless you all. And we love you here at the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries and our affiliated churches. We pray for you all and hope that you continue to pray for us here. So, until next week, this is Leonard V. Johnson saying, "Goodbye for now."