The following is a response to this video.
The notion there was a place separate from Heaven called Abraham's Bosom where the righteous dead went before Jesus' death and resurrection is unnecessary and, in my opinion, false. It's pretty clear from Scripture that Enoch, Moses and Elijah went to Heaven, and I think Hebrews 11 also makes this clear. These Old Testament saints gained entry into the Holy of Holies before the veil was torn because they looked forward to what Christ would do on the cross (and tearing the veil in two) for their salvation.
Luke 16 23, in many translations, says the rich man _lifted _up his eyes, meaning Abraham and Lazarus were in a place above him. Thus, the whole notion of Hades East and West or North and South is also a false, unnecessary notion because the righteous went to Heaven and the wicked went to Hell, just as they do today. The reason the word Hades is used is because the Greeks, Luke being a Greek, had no concept of a wonderful place called Heaven and a terrible place called Hell. There was only the underworld, with some nice places and a bad place, but mostly an undefined middle area where those who were neither exceptionally bad or very good people went.
As for 1 Peter 3 19 and the spirits in prison, that link should clear things up, but I'll explain it a little more simply. Peter is saying that, just as the spirit of God raised Christ from the dead after he had been unjustly executed, so also that same spirit was in Noah when he preached to the disobedient people of his day. The souls of those disobedient people are now imprisoned in Hell because they did not listen: Noah and his family being the only ones who were saved from the flood.
It would be like if I said, "In 1984 I worked on a fundraiser with John Smith who is in the nursing home." I am using the phrase "in the nursing home" to refer to John Smith as he currently is, not as he was in 1984.
Speaking of turns of phrase, the doctrine of soul sleep mainly comes from several verses in the Bible which refer to dying as falling asleep. However, fell asleep was simply a Hebrew idiom for died. It would be like if, a thousand years from now, someone came across a book from the twenty-first century that contained the phrase "pushing up daisies", then began stating as a fact, based on this phrase in that book, that all people in the twenty-first century were buried in fields of daisies.
Monday, August 12, 2019
Tuesday, August 6, 2019
TALKING BOOK LIBRARY MOVING TO RICHMOND HILL
I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
I will ponder all your work,
and meditate on your mighty deeds.
Psalm 77:11-12 (ESV)
In May 2017, we had to search for a new home, unsure whether our 30-year ministry could continue. We were fortunate that Springvale Church welcomed us in. We were unsure of where to find the additional funds needed to operate, and we reached out to you for help. And you responded with generosity. Today, we want to share another update with you. This summer we will be moving to Light on the Hill Community Church in Richmond Hill. With more room and a longer lease, this space at Yonge Street and Stouffville Road allows us to focus on building our ministry in the long term to the visually impaired and print disabled.
Why is this such an important step? We remind ourselves that those in the Body of Christ who are “least” in the Kingdom of God are the greatest (Luke 9:48)! Around the world, our brothers and sisters who have difficulty reading God’s words of life must not be neglected. We need your encouragement to carry us on this important journey!
As Abram obeyed God and journeyed from Ur to Haran to Canaan, he held on to the promise of the Promised Land and learned to be faithful even though he did not know where he was going (Hebrews 11:8). With such a great calling before us, we must remember God’s faithfulness to us in the past, and learn to trust that He has sovereign plans for us.
How can you help?
First, we ask that you join us in prayers. Please pray with thanksgiving for what God and Springvale had done for us in the past, that the move will be smooth, that we can settle in quickly so as not to hinder our ministry.
Second, we have financial needs for this relocation. The cost for the move is estimated to be around $35,000 and it includes moving costs, renovations, two new booths, and IT setup.
As we had reached out to the community to partner with us on our move two years ago, we are asking again for your support. As we look upon God’s faithfulness, we are confident that he will act again as before for His glory.
Humbly yours,
Peter Van Velzen
Chair, Board of Directors
Click here for TBL's website.
Cost Break-down:
move/re-installation $5,000
2 recording booths $20,000
space renovations $10,000
TOTAL $35,000RENOVATIONS
• build walls and entrance to create separate space
• install 2 new recording booths
• convert bathroom to server room with exhaust and electrical
• re-install and expand computer network
• redo floors, re-route plumbing and repaint walls
QUICK FACTS
• 800 sq ft.
• 2 rooms for office and recording
• move starts summer 2019
• re-opening fall 2019
P.O. Box 700, STN Main, Stouffville, ON L4A 7Z9905-640-8825
yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
I will ponder all your work,
and meditate on your mighty deeds.
Psalm 77:11-12 (ESV)
In May 2017, we had to search for a new home, unsure whether our 30-year ministry could continue. We were fortunate that Springvale Church welcomed us in. We were unsure of where to find the additional funds needed to operate, and we reached out to you for help. And you responded with generosity. Today, we want to share another update with you. This summer we will be moving to Light on the Hill Community Church in Richmond Hill. With more room and a longer lease, this space at Yonge Street and Stouffville Road allows us to focus on building our ministry in the long term to the visually impaired and print disabled.
Why is this such an important step? We remind ourselves that those in the Body of Christ who are “least” in the Kingdom of God are the greatest (Luke 9:48)! Around the world, our brothers and sisters who have difficulty reading God’s words of life must not be neglected. We need your encouragement to carry us on this important journey!
As Abram obeyed God and journeyed from Ur to Haran to Canaan, he held on to the promise of the Promised Land and learned to be faithful even though he did not know where he was going (Hebrews 11:8). With such a great calling before us, we must remember God’s faithfulness to us in the past, and learn to trust that He has sovereign plans for us.
How can you help?
First, we ask that you join us in prayers. Please pray with thanksgiving for what God and Springvale had done for us in the past, that the move will be smooth, that we can settle in quickly so as not to hinder our ministry.
Second, we have financial needs for this relocation. The cost for the move is estimated to be around $35,000 and it includes moving costs, renovations, two new booths, and IT setup.
As we had reached out to the community to partner with us on our move two years ago, we are asking again for your support. As we look upon God’s faithfulness, we are confident that he will act again as before for His glory.
Humbly yours,
Peter Van Velzen
Chair, Board of Directors
Click here for TBL's website.
Cost Break-down:
move/re-installation $5,000
2 recording booths $20,000
space renovations $10,000
TOTAL $35,000RENOVATIONS
• build walls and entrance to create separate space
• install 2 new recording booths
• convert bathroom to server room with exhaust and electrical
• re-install and expand computer network
• redo floors, re-route plumbing and repaint walls
QUICK FACTS
• 800 sq ft.
• 2 rooms for office and recording
• move starts summer 2019
• re-opening fall 2019
P.O. Box 700, STN Main, Stouffville, ON L4A 7Z9905-640-8825
Monday, August 5, 2019
IMPROVISED BATTERY TESTER
Last week I decided to sort through some nine volt batteries I had lying around to see if they were still good. However, I could not locate my battery tester. While at a loss as to what to do for a bit, I then remembered I had an old walkie-talkie I'd received as a Christmas present thirty years ago still kicking around. I got out the walkie-talkie and used that to test the batteries. I would insert the battery, and if the walkie-talkie worked, I knew the battery was good. Of course, if the walkie-talkie didn't work, I knew the battery was dead.
THE ULTIMATE CAUSE OF THE EL PASO AND DAYTON MASS SHOOTINGS
Not since Columbine, it seems, have I heard more varied speculation about the causes of the shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio this past Saturday.
When one boils it all down, however, this song explains the ultimate reason for this and many of the other things we see going on in the Western world these days.
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