CARM Newsletter 02-05-04

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The Next CARM convention is planned for May 21-22, in Redlands California at The River Christian Reformed Church. We hope to arrange a debate for Friday night and then follow up on Saturday with a full day of speakers. For more information on the conference please see, CARM Conference 2004.

"The online school for CARM is doing well. If you want to see a demo go to www.CARM.org/demo/equip.htm. It will be tuition based. The goal is to both educate the body of Christ as well as help provide funding for CARM going full time.

"please remember to pray for me as I work on the new online school for CARM and also continue to research and right the new book designed to help young Christians keep their faith when they go to secular school.

"Finally, how many of you Christian parents would love to have some information that would help raise your children for the glory of God? Would you like to have printable Bible studies from CARM that you could use to lead your family in devotions, to help ensure, your children are raised in such a way that they will not abandon the faith? If so, then please pray for me as I consider making it the next project for CARM. Lord willing, I hope to release just such a section on CARM later this year (after the school and book are finished).

Resurrection: Resurrection means to be raised  from the dead (John 5:28,29). The word is used in different contexts  in the Bible. Lazarus was raised from the dead (John 11:43). This is  a resurrection, but it is not part of the resurrection that occurs  when we receive our new bodies when Christ returns (1 Thess.  4:13-18), on the last day (John 6:39-44) when the last trumpet is  blown (1 Cor. 15:51-55). Lazarus died again. The resurrection of  Jesus is promissory in that as we know He was raised, so we will be  raised also. In that context, Jesus is the only one who has received  a resurrected body. That is why He is called the first-fruit from  the dead (1 Cor. 15:20-23). We will receive our bodies either at the  rapture or when Jesus returns to earth.

"The resurrected body is not subject to death or sin. We know very  little about it except what was manifested by Jesus after His  resurrection; namely, that He was able to move about as He desired  -- in and out of rooms without the use of doors. Other than that,  the rest is conjecture. (See 1 Cor. 15).

"Search me, O God

"Psalm 139:23-24 says, "Search me, O  God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; 24 And  see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the  everlasting way."

"These are perhaps some of the most poignant words in  the entire Bible. In these two verses there is so much. We see the  Psalmist asking God to search him, to look to the deepest part of  what he is, his own heart. Why would the Psalmist ask this? And, why  would any of us ask it? The reason is simple. We can not know our  own hearts as well as God can. He indwells us, knows every thought,  is aware of every feeling, and He understands us better than we do.  If we ever needed anyone to reach down in the depths of our hearts  to find out what is unholy so that it can be removed, it is God.

"David is the psalmist. David is asking God to prove, to  test his loyalty because he is not like the wicked men spoken of  earlier in the Psalm. David desired God and God's holiness.

"When God asked Solomon what he wanted, Solomon asked  for wisdom, and because he did not ask for money, and power, ir  fame, God blessed him with all of them. Wisdom was a great thing to  have. Nevertheless, Solomon fell into idolatry in his letter years  and his wisdom did not help him in the end.

"By contrast, David said, "One thing I have asked  from the Lord, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of  the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord,  and to meditate in His temple," (Psalm 27:4). Even though David  committed adultery, murdered Bathsheba's husband, and used deception  to cover his great sins, God, who knew this would happen, said of  him through Samuel, "The Lord has sought out for Himself a man  after His own heart, and the Lord has appointed him as ruler over  His people..." (1 Sam. 13:14). There was a quality in David that  pleased God. What was that quality? It was David's  heartfelt desire for the Lord.

"You need to know this because it will help you to  understand the intimacy that David sought with God which ultimately  led him to ask God, "know my heart." David seeks God in the  most intimate place and asks Him to examine him there. David asks  God to see if there is any hurtful way in him -- in the deepest part  of his being. David was being vulnerable.

"Is there any hurtful way in your heart? Would you  be able to ask God to search your heart down to the deepest levels  and reveal to you the secrets that not even you know is there? Would  you trust God enough to ask Him to expose and root out of you that  which is displeasing to Him? Do you have the courage to bow your  knees, to lower your head, to lay prostrate before God, and to  become as vulnerable as you can to Him as you ask him to look into  your heart, to see if there's anything bad in there, and to deal  with it accordingly? Such a request grows out of humility as well as  increases humility. It is the ultimate trust in God. It can be  scary. But it is definitely good.

"David did not simply ask God to see if there's  any hurtful way in him and leave it at that. He asked to be led by  God in the everlasting way. This means to be corrected and  sanctified by God's loving hands.

"David did not know the Messiah since Jesus was  far distant in the future. But David knew the Messiah would  come. You, on the other hand, know the everlasting way -- if  you know Christ as your savior. Jesus, who is God in flesh,  who died in the cross and rose from the dead bodily, is the  everlasting way. Therefore, for you to be led by God in the  everlasting way is to be led to Christ.

May the desire of your heart be that you would seek Jesus,  that you would dwell in His house forever, and that you would behold  His beauty. God desires that you desires this because He loves you.

Memorization Verse

Psalm 139:23-24,

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious  thoughts; 24 And see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me  in the everlasting way," (NASB).

--------------------------------------------------------------

SUPPORT

If you think CARM is a worthwhile ministry, please seriously consider  supporting it financially and prayerfully. CARM is a ministry to the  Internet that affects thousands of people in the real world.  if you want to be a part of supporting this missionary work that  please prayerfully consider donations. All donations are tax deductible.  (If the buttons below did not work, please go to http://www.CARM.org/goods/donations.htm).

--------------------------------------------------------------

In Him,

Matt Slick, your missionary to the  Internet.

Equipping the church to defend the faith in a secular world.

----------------

To view past newsletters, please go to  http://www.carmhim.org/more-stuff/newsletters.

There are 23,840 people on this newsletter list as of 12/02/03

The Next CARM convention is planned for May 21-22, in Redlands California at The River Christian Reformed Church.� We hope to arrange a debate for Friday night and then follow up on Saturday with a full day of speakers.� For more information on the conference please see, CARM Conference 2004.

"The online school for CARM is doing well. If you want to see a demo go to www.CARM.org/demo/equip.htm.� It will be tuition based.� The goal is to both educate the body of Christ as well as help provide funding for CARM going full time.

"please remember to pray for me as I work on the new online school for CARM and also continue to research and right the new book designed to help young Christians keep their faith when they go to secular school.

"Finally, how many of you Christian parents would love to have some information that would help raise your children for the glory of God?� Would you like to have printable Bible studies from CARM that you could use to lead your family in devotions, to help ensure, your children are raised in such a way that they will not abandon the faith?� If so, then please pray for me as I consider making it the next project for CARM.� Lord willing, I hope to release just such a section on CARM later this year (after the school and book are finished).�� ��

Resurrection:�� Resurrection means to be raised  from the dead (John 5:28,29). The word is used in different contexts  in the Bible. Lazarus was raised from the dead (John 11:43). This is  a resurrection, but it is not part of the resurrection that occurs  when we receive our new bodies when Christ returns (1 Thess.  4:13-18), on the last day (John 6:39-44) when the last trumpet is  blown (1 Cor. 15:51-55). Lazarus died again. The resurrection of  Jesus is promissory in that as we know He was raised, so we will be  raised also. In that context, Jesus is the only one who has received  a resurrected body. That is why He is called the first-fruit from  the dead (1 Cor. 15:20-23). We will receive our bodies either at the  rapture or when Jesus returns to earth.

"The resurrected body is not subject to death or sin. We know very  little about it except what was manifested by Jesus after His  resurrection; namely, that He was able to move about as He desired  -- in and out of rooms without the use of doors. Other than that,  the rest is conjecture. (See 1 Cor. 15).

"Search me, O God

"Psalm 139:23-24 says, "Search me, O  God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; 24 And  see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the  everlasting way."

"These are perhaps some of the most poignant words in  the entire Bible. In these two verses there is so much. We see the  Psalmist asking God to search him, to look to the deepest part of  what he is, his own heart. Why would the Psalmist ask this? And, why  would any of us ask it? The reason is simple. We can not know our  own hearts as well as God can. He indwells us, knows every thought,  is aware of every feeling, and He understands us better than we do.�  If we ever needed anyone to reach down in the depths of our hearts  to find out what is unholy so that it can be removed, it is God.

"David is the psalmist. David is asking God to prove, to  test his loyalty because he is not like the wicked men spoken of  earlier in the Psalm. David desired God and God's holiness.

"When God asked Solomon what he wanted, Solomon asked  for wisdom, and because he did not ask for money, and power, ir  fame, God blessed him with all of them. Wisdom was a great thing to  have. Nevertheless, Solomon fell into idolatry in his letter years  and his wisdom did not help him in the end.

"By contrast, David said, "One thing I have asked  from the Lord, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of  the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord,  and to meditate in His temple," (Psalm 27:4). Even though David  committed adultery, murdered Bathsheba's husband, and used deception  to cover his great sins, God, who knew this would happen, said of  him through Samuel, "The Lord has sought out for Himself a man  after His own heart, and the Lord has appointed him as ruler over  His people..." (1 Sam. 13:14). There was a quality in David that  pleased God.� What was that quality?� It was David's  heartfelt desire for the Lord.

"You need to know this because it will help you to  understand the intimacy that David sought with God which ultimately  led him to ask God, "know my heart." David seeks God in the  most intimate place and asks Him to examine him there. David asks  God to see if there is any hurtful way in him -- in the deepest part  of his being. David was being vulnerable.

"Is there any hurtful way in your heart? Would you  be able to ask God to search your heart down to the deepest levels  and reveal to you the secrets that not even you know is there? Would  you trust God enough to ask Him to expose and root out of you that  which is displeasing to Him? Do you have the courage to bow your  knees, to lower your head, to lay prostrate before God, and to  become as vulnerable as you can to Him as you ask him to look into  your heart, to see if there's anything bad in there, and to deal  with it accordingly? Such a request grows out of humility as well as  increases humility. It is the ultimate trust in God.� It can be  scary.� But it is definitely good.

"David did not simply ask God to see if there's  any hurtful way in him and leave it at that. He asked to be led by  God in the everlasting way.� This means to be corrected and  sanctified by God's loving hands.

"David did not know the Messiah since Jesus was  far distant in the future.� But David knew the Messiah would  come.� You, on the other hand, know the everlasting way -- if  you know Christ as your savior.� Jesus, who is God in flesh,  who died in the cross and rose from the dead bodily, is the  everlasting way. Therefore, for you to be led by God in the  everlasting way is to be led to Christ.

May the desire of your heart be that you would seek Jesus,  that you would dwell in His house forever, and that you would behold  His beauty. God desires that you desires this because He loves you.

Memorization Verse

Psalm 139:23-24,

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious  thoughts; 24 And see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me  in the everlasting way," (NASB).

--------------------------------------------------------------

SUPPORT

If you think CARM is a worthwhile ministry, please seriously consider  supporting it financially and prayerfully.� CARM is a ministry to the  Internet that affects thousands of people in the real world.�  if you want to be a part of supporting this missionary work that  please prayerfully consider donations. All donations are tax deductible.�  (If the buttons below did not work, please go to http://www.CARM.org/goods/donations.htm).

--------------------------------------------------------------

In Him,

Matt Slick, your missionary to the  Internet.

Equipping the church to defend the faith in a secular world.

----------------

To view past newsletters, please go to  http://www.carmhim.org/more-stuff/newsletters.

There are 23,840 people on this newsletter list as of 12/02/03

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