The Condemnation of the Law

As the season of Lent draws us ever closer to the most holy of days, Good Friday, the curse of the Law becomes ever more predominant. Yet I wonder whether the purpose of the Law is understood by those walking the lenten path.

What exactly is the purpose of the Law?

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Rom 8:3-4)

People often speak of the Law’s purpose as showing us our sin. This is not really the purpose, but the side effect of this holy medicine from heaven. The real purpose of the Law given by God is as St. Paul states above. That purpose is to declare righteousness.

Yes! The purpose of the Law is to show us the image of God in which we were created. The purpose of the Law is to teach us what God has written on the hearts of all men, but from which our sin has blinded us.

The purpose of the Law is to teach unrighteous sinners to recognize that which is holy so that we may recognize the One who is holy.

Unfortunately, people misunderstand the purpose of the Law. People imagine that the Law was given to make us holy. But as St. Paul rightly reminds us, the Law has no power to effect this for us. It only has the power that God has given it, the power to show us where holiness resides. Holiness is found only in God’s image, that is, Christ.

But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2 Cor 4:3-4)

That is the truth. Christ is the image of God in which we were created. He is the one that the Law points to so that we might see what kind of people we are supposed to be.

But the Law cannot make us like Christ. It cannot give us the righteousness that abides in Him. All that the Law can do is show us His righteousness.

The effect is that we see the contrast. As soon as we see the righteousness of Christ, we also see that we do not have it. Thus we see our condemnation in our unrighteousness.

The Law does not actually curse us. It merely shows us that we are cursed. The Law does not actually condemn us, but shows us our condemnation. It shows us the One we are to be like. Then we see what by nature we are not and we see that we are without hope, standing under the curse of sin.

Thanks be to God that He has not left us under the Law. Christ, the righteous one, fulfilled all righteousness for us. In Him the curse of the Law is done away with. This is the blessed message of Good Friday. This is what gives meaning to Easter Sunday so that we truly have cause to sing and rejoice!

This righteousness God pours over us to cover us forever in the waters of Baptism. By the power of the name of salvation spoken with the water, God covers us with the robe of righteousness, that is, Christ Jesus. As St. Paul assures the Roman congregation,

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Rom 8:1)

Again the apostle writes that in the washing of Baptism we are renewed by the Holy Spirit in the image of Christ and His righteousness:

But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:4-7)

Now, therefore, as we walk onward in this lenten journey to the cross, we see our sin lifted up and pronounced condemned, once and for all. We see our unrighteousness cursed by God and punished. Yet the punishment that belongs to us, Christ took in our stead. He atoned for our sin by bearing God’s wrath for us. He was rejected so that we would be accepted.

This is what the lenten use of the Law is meant to show us. But it can only point us to the preaching of Christ crucified. It is in the preaching of Jesus Christ and Him crucified that we find the holiness that we seek. There we find God’s Law fulfilled so that in Christ we are raised to serve God in holiness forever. By the resurrection, as St. Peter declares, we see the righteousness given in Baptism as being real, so that we live free of the condemnation of the Law to approach God with a good conscience, the conscience of Christ. (1 Peter 3:21)

The Necessity of Good Works and the Athanasian Creed

The Christian Church has faced many trials and struggles. These have motivated the faithful, that is, those who truly rely upon Christ for their hope of salvation, to formulate statements of faith that speak to the matters of struggle. Three Creeds are counted as Ecumenical in nature: The Apostles’, the Nicene, and the Athanasian.

These creeds are counted as ecumenical because they were born of the struggles of the catholic Church. They are the statements of faith of the entire Christian Church. They are not merely compilations of thoughts by men. They are truly statements that declare the doctrine and faith by which the true Christian Church on Earth exists. They are truly ecumenical not so much because of the nature of the councils that adopted them and declared them to be true, but they are ecumenical because they truly do what they claim: they proclaim the true faith by which men receive the everlasting salvation of their souls.

In my contemplations for this past Sunday of Judica, and especially in connection with the text for the sermon, the declarations of the Athanasian Creed came to the fore.

In our daily walk of faith, the true definition of that faith and then also, the right understanding of the practice that flows from that faith, often seem complicated and confusing. They are not complicated or confusing, but we often perceive them as so.

The reason that this appears complicated in our understanding is because we drift from the salutary focus of the creeds to our own focus. Our focus drifts downward rather than upward. Our focus drifts to our works rather than God’s works.

The Athanasian Creed offers comforting words on this matter, yet people often find them to be even more troubling than their own thoughts. The words of the Athanasian Creed seem contradictory, when, as stated above, our focus drifts downward rather than remaining fixed on the things above. (Colossians 3:1-2)

The trouble often begins with the first two sentences of the creed.

Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith. Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.

These words are often twisted by minds that are busy focusing on trying to be good Christians. People begin to think of Jesus’ statement about not judging others and His promise to the thief on the cross. (Matthew 7:1; Luke 6:37; and Luke 23:43)

The reason for the confusion is that people hear what they want to hear rather than what is actually said. Jesus said that even He had not come to judge. Yet at the Last Day He declares that He shall return in final and absolute Judgment of the world. Moreover He declares that this judgment will be based entirely upon ONE factor: whether or not a person trusted in the salvific works that God accomplished for us in Christ Jesus.

This is the point of the Athanasian Creed. The creed declares that this true faith can be known and that it does indeed save. It also warns against the fallacy of the notion that faith is our work. The creed demonstrates that this faith is as St. Paul teaches in Ephesians 2:8-10:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Saving faith is not something that a person does. It is done on the person and in the person. Saving faith is what the Holy Spirit works in the heart, soul, and mind. It is poured out freely from heaven as a gift. This is what the creed rightly emphasizes by declaring that the catholic faith must be kept whole and undefiled or without doubt the person will perish everlastingly. The reason should be plain, though our deluded minds often still misunderstand. The reason that it must be kept whole and undefiled is that if it is corrupted or altered in anyway whatsoever, it is no longer the faith that God works and gives. If it is not His faith, then it is not true and it has no power to save.

This same confusion arises for people at the end of the creed. Again the confusion does not exist in the words of the creed, but in the minds that continue to seek the “things on the earth” rather than the “things which are above.”

The creed declares:

Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation that he also believe faithfully the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Then the creed follows the pattern of the previous two ecumenical creeds in their second articles, and proceeds to explain what the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ involves. Most people do not experience difficulty until the creed demonstrates that His incarnation continues to the very last day, and that His works did not end with His ascension into heaven. No, He continues to work His works in His body on earth, that is, in His true Church on Earth.

People have little trouble reciting the works of His incarnation that He accomplished prior to His ascension. Most people don’t have much trouble even confessing the work of His incarnation in returning at the Last Day to “judge the quick and the dead.” But when the creed goes on to explain His ongoing works of His incarnation in the present, in the lives of the saints who are members of His body, suddenly people seem to develop major problems.

This is because they refuse to hear that these are what the Scriptures declare them to be.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

When a person truly hears this, then the words of the creed carry the instruction that gives everlasting comfort and peace.

At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies, and shall give an account of their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil, into everlasting fire.

At the Last Day, whose works will the saints hold up? Whose works do the saints claim as their own works?

True saints do not count the works that they have done as anything but filth. True saints hear the declaration of righteousness by which they are justified. God declares the works of Jesus to be the works of those who are baptized into His death and raised with Him in the life that He purchased with His blood.

Jesus declared to those who asked what works we need to seek.

Then said they unto him, “What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said unto them, “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” (John 6:28-29)

By what works will all men be judged? Either they will be judged as having stubbornly continued in their own works, or they will be judged as having lived by faith so that their works were God’s works worked in them. Faith is a gift. Faith is the work of God. Faith is the means by which a person is declared to be righteous with the righteousness of God in Christ.

This is what the creed plainly declares. It truly is very simple.

This is the catholic faith; which except a man believe faithfully and firmly, he cannot be saved.

How truly comforting this is! God will judge us according to the faith that He gives and maintains in us. He judges us according to His own perfect and holy works. He has provided the means by which this faith is given and kept at work in our hearts, minds, and souls. He has given us His Church, the body of Christ, where these means of faith are readily available. He works all this for us and tenderly calls to us as our heavenly Father to come and enjoy the life that He has provided for us in Christ. Jesus does the work and turns to us and says, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of thy Lord.”

If you would like to read or hear the sermon from this Sunday of Judica, it is available by clicking here.

Our Daily Bread

Our Lord Jesus teaches us to pray for daily bread. “We need not worry about tomorrow,” He tells us, simply pray each day for the faith to trust that what God supplies is enough so that we receive our daily bread with thankfulness.



Well, Stephanie was very excited with her latest loaf of whole wheat bread. We stopped buying bread from the stores, since so many unhealthy additives are now used. So we (she mostly) grinds whole wheat and bakes bread. We have a bread machine, but she prefers the shape of the loaf pan baked bread.

We also have a wonderful recipe from a friend, whose bread always turns out perfect so that people from all around ask for her loaves. People even travel to their farm to purchase her bread. But that recipe requires added gluten, something that we prefer to avoid.

In the bread machine, Steph has found that adding even one tablespoon of bread flower greatly enhances the texture and cohesiveness of the loaf.

But in her latest prize loaf, she used three fourths whole wheat flour and one fourth bread flour. It is the finest textured and most cohesive loaf she’s baked yet, and she is quite pleased with today’s daily bread.


Perhaps it may not seem to be a BIG deal, but our daily bread is most certainly cause for joyous thanksgiving, including all the many little daily blessings that as God’s children we receive without hardly even a thought.

Your Personality

Your Personality



The question that is asked is: “How Rare Is Your Personality?”

A link to a web site with a series of questions is designed to diagnose a person’s personality and categorize the personality, defining it as matching a certain group. This is how it defined my personality:

Your Personality is Very Rare (ESTP)

Your personality type is dominant, driven, poised, and self-aware. Only about 5% of all people have your personality, including 3% of all women and 6% of all men You are Extroverted, Sensing, Thinking, and Perceiving.

How Rare Is Your Personality?

I have seen serveral other people’s personality diagnoses, and each one that I have observed thus far says: “Your Personality is Very Rare.”

This moved me to start thinking and wondering. I wondered whether any of the diagnoses said , “Your Personality is Very Common!”

Then I actually started using my brain. I realized how phony this entire personality analysis is. Oh, yes, many or even most of the characteristics of a person’s personality can be evaluated. Yet the notion that a personality can be categorized is not only inaccurate, but demeaning.

How rare is your personality? It is as rare as it can be. Why? Because God made only one of you and He gave you a personality that is entirely unique to you. How rare is your personality? Only God knows, for it is ONE out of however many people who shall ever exist on the earth. What was spoken to Jeremiah also applies to each of us:

Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee . . .” (Jer 1:4-5)

This uniqueness is amplified within the Church.

Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. (1 Cor 12:4-11)

Every person has a specific personality from the time that God brings two haploid cells to form a zygote, a fetus, a little one. When God causes a person to be regenerated in His Church, spiritual gifts are given to that person when and where the Holy Spirit deems beneficial so that each and every person contributes to the edification of the body of Christ into the oneness of doctrine and practice and love that bless all who are drawn together to worship in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

So, how rare is your personality? From the day of your conception you have been made to be an individual to whom God has entrusted a lifetime to be enjoyed in His love. When you were baptized, God restored to you the holiness for life that Adam stole away and gave to the devil. Restored to be in God’s holy communion of saints, you were given additional gifts to be enjoyed and utilized for the benefit of all. Not only are you special, but you have a special place in God’s kingdom and have been given a special role in His family. This truly is rare, for only God can work this for a person, and He has worked it for you!

DST Sunday

This Sunday, by the order of Congress, is the beginning of Daylight Saving Time. See information at Daylight Saving Time.

Yes, we lose an hour of sleep as the clocks are moved forward at 2:00 a.m. this Sunday, March 11, 2007. Don't forget or you'll show up for the divine service just in time to hear the benediction.

Faith & Works

Most people believe that faith is a matter of what one does.

Yet the Scriptures teach that the converse is true: what one does is a matter of faith.

Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.       (Habakkuk 2:4)

Another great reversal in human thought versus the doctrine of the Scriptures is that most people hold that by believing a person enters into a living relationship or a personal relationship with the Lord. Yet again it stands written that a person is incapable of believing until the person is regenerated in the relationship that the Holy Spirit works in the person.

Habakkuk states that pride causes a person to lift his soul above the working of the Holy Spirit so that he relies upon his own ability to find the truth and to believe it rather than hearing the calling of the Holy Spirit by which the regeneration of faith is worked in the soul. Thus, the person lives by his own works of unrighteousness even while calling out “Lord, Lord!” The person seeks to commit his life to Jesus and to make Christ the center of his life. The harder that the person focuses upon his attempts at being righteous through believing in Jesus, the more numb he becomes to the Holy Spirit’s calling.

The reverend doctor Martin Luther experienced this fully until the Holy Spirit moved him to understand Habakkuk rightly in Romans 1:17. When Luther’s focus was turned upside down by the Holy Spirit, Luther’s entire view of himself and his relationship to God was recreated. Luther began to breathe with the breath of life and he became one of the most animated leaders in the Church’s history.

St. Paul addresses this matter of misunderstanding regarding works and faith in his epistle to the Galatians:

I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.       (Galatians 1:6-7)

O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?       (Galatians 3:1-2)

Also to the Ephesians, he writes:

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.       (Ephesians 2:4-10)

Jesus explains this to Nicodemus in John chapter three. In the first chapter of John we hear:

He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.       (John 1:10-13)

Here the Holy Spirit speaks as plainly as is possible: Faith is not a choice that a person makes according to the will of the flesh, but is a miracle worked by the power of God, the miracle of rebirth into a living relationship with Him. Receiving Jesus is a passive action, just as being conceived in the womb is a passive action. In the womb, the father’s seed (spermatozoa) works mightily to enter through the cell wall of the mother’s seed (ovum), and the result is that a new person is formed. The new person grows and before long begins to respond to the life that he has received.

This is how the Scriptures declare that our life in Christ happens, too, entirely without our participation until we have been made alive. Then, once we are alive and aware of the new life that we have been given, we begin to respond to that new life in Christ. The Scriptures are replete with examples that explain this in just this way.

Salvation is by grace through faith. It is God’s work. Period. We, as His little children, receive His faith and salvation and grace and enjoy the life that He gives. What a wonderful plan! What a splendid mystery!

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.       (Matthew 11:28-30)

Lunar Eclipse

Today, March 3, 2007, is scheduled to include a total lunar eclipse. Today the earth’s moon will pass through the earth’s shadow and the sun’s rays will be blotted out from the surface of the earth’s moon. Yet the sun’s glow will still reach the moon so that it glows a deep red rather than the normal white glow to which we are accustomed. The rays of light from the sun are refracted by the earth’s atmosphere so that some of the light coming from the sun’s glow “bend” around the earth and still reach the moon. More information about this is available at Lunar Eclipse.


Something that you may have noticed in the above paragraph is my statement that this eclipse is scheduled for today. From the article at NASA’s web site the following is quoted:

According to expert Fred Espenak of NASA/GSFC, "during the five millennium period from 2000BC through 3000 AD, there are 7,718 eclipses of the Moon (including both partial and total). There are anywhere from 0 to 3 lunar eclipses (including partial and total) each year. The last time that three total lunar eclipses occurred in one calendar year was in 1982. Partial eclipses slightly outnumber total eclipses by 7 to 6."

The ability to forecast lunar views and eclipses is not new to our “space-age” technology. In fact, Moses recorded this in the beginning, i.e., Genesis:

And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.     (Gen 1:14-19)

Men have looked up to the firmament ever since for understanding of the seasons and activities of the planet. Men have lived their lives ever since the sixth day, observing the heavenly schedule that was established on the fourth day, planning the planting of their crops and forecasting the times by this heavenly schedule. One group of scholars traveled a very long distance based upon their observation of the firmament and the appearance of a very unusual star. They followed the star that appeared in the east to the home of the one they had been seeking, the one whom they believed to be the Master of the stars and the King of the Jews. Following this star led them to the very house where the star Master was abiding. Talk about accurate navigation calculations based upon the observations of the firmament!

A Georgia Representative, Ben Bridges, recently was in the news because of a memo that was circulated in his name. A legislator in the state of Texas received the memo and began circulating it further. The point of the matter was the issue of why a more recent theory of the universe’s functioning is taught as fact in opposition to the “theory” that has existed since before Moses wrote the first books of the Bible. The issue at hand is the fact that a heliocentric universe is taught in opposition to a geocentric universe, based purely upon speculative theory. What made this such an issue for the news media was that the heliocentric theory was exposed as having its basis in a religion. Thus all the claims of the heliocentric theory (and its complementary religious theory: Evolution) to be purely “scientific” are really deceptive claims meant to seduce society into accepting these two theories as factual.

At his web site fixedearth.com, Marshall Hall sets forth a number of very interesting questions and facts. He claims that the Biblical understanding of a non-moving earth with set limits to its atmosphere with the universe moving around the earth is the truly factual and scientific explanation. It is interesting to note that there exists a very important difference between an explanation and a theory. An explanation is based upon facts while a theory is based upon an interpretation and upon hypothesis of observable facts (or at least what is perceived to be facts).

A Polish astronomer, Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543), proposed and advanced the theory that the universe was not moving around the stationary Earth as had always been understood previously, but that the Earth and other planets revolve around the sun. In time, this came to be the accepted theory which has been taught as FACT, even though there have been and remain serious factual challenges to this theory. Moreover, it is taught as FACT, even though it cannot be proven except by measurements taken from outside the universe.

The blessed Dr. Martin Luther had this to say of Copernicus, as is recorded in the table talk of Luther’s Works , volume 54:

No. 4638: Luther Rejects the Copernican Cosmology
June 4, 1539

There was mention of a certain new astrologer who wanted to prove that the earth moves and not the sky, the sun, and the moon. This would be as if somebody were riding on a cart or in a ship and imagined that he was standing still while the earth and the trees were moving. [Luther remarked,] “So it goes now. Whoever wants to be clever must agree with nothing that others esteem. He must do something of his own. This is what that fellow does who wishes to turn the whole of astronomy upside down. Even in these things that are thrown into disorder I believe the Holy Scriptures, for Joshua commanded the sun to stand still and not the earth [Josh. 10:12].”

This is typical of Luther and those who with him hold to the belief that human reason must always be subjected to the Word of God and the Scriptures and never the other way around. Nevertheless, I confess that for most of my life I have permitted a compromise regarding this principal of faith. Since the Copernican theory has always been taught to me as factual, even though I have often encountered reasons to challenge it, both Biblical and scientific reasons, I have always reasoned that it was possible that the Scriptural statements were meant to be from the human point of perspective and not as divinely ordained revelation of universal truth.

Marshall Hall sets forth some very powerful facts on his website fixedearth.com. In reading his statements I have found that he does very well in presenting the facts. However, a few of his applications of those facts fall short on occasion. Nevertheless, even with those few misapplications where he does not quite follow through properly with the logic of the argument, he does make the case quite convincingly.

As I mentioned above, I myself have encountered some serious challenges to the heliocentric theory in the facts that I have observed. First is the fact that whatever observed facts that are stated as proofs of a rotating earth can be applied with equal ease to a non-rotating earth. In conjunction with this is the FACT that all these observations are relative to the person’s location/position in the universe, which observations are limited (not from outside the universe).

Another observation that I have noticed is that the movement of the earth’s air flow, especially the jet streams, is better explained by a non-moving earth. The explanation for this takes more space than I plan to allot to this blog, but I may post something further at a later time on the web site.

For the space allotted here, I will draw your attention to the earth’s surface. This is a bit easier to comprehend in a short explanation. Consider the fact that 3/4 of the Earth’s surface is comprised of water. Now this is just the surface, extending only a few miles. Seventy-five percent of the earth’s surface is water, with only twenty-five percent remaining for continental land masses. Then take into account that these continental land masses have gaps between them and do not reach from pole to pole unbroken.

With this picture in mind, a picture that is not theory but is validated by photographs from beyond the earth’s surface (from space), if the globe were spinning at the surface at the proposed rate of 1024 miles per hour, what would the water be doing? If you have trouble grasping this you can put a drop of water on a top and spin it. Or even more easily you can observe what happens to the water during the spin cycle of your washing machine.

Assuming that the water of the earth would not fly off from the surface as it does in your washing machine or your spinning top, it nevertheless would resist the direction of the spinning surface. It would pile up, so to speak, against the eastern shores of the continents so that the sea level would measure higher on the eastern shores than on the western shores of the continents. Moreover, that water would flow around the continents at quite a rapid rate. What happens to a mass of land when water flows around it at any rate, particularly a rapid rate? Can you imagine the erosion of the continents if the earth were spinning at 1024 miles per hour at the earth’s surface? How long would it take to erode and completely demolish the continental land masses? If the earth were anywhere near the age of 15 billion years that the heliocentricists and evolutionists claim, we all would be living in houseboats because no land mass could have survived the erosive effects of a spinning earth.

This does make one wonder about the science that we have had rammed down our throats and pounded into our brains, does it not?

This especially should cause Christians to ponder. Which is to be believed explicitly: the science of Man or the science of the Scriptures? Which should be counted worthy of belief and of questioning? Keeping in mind that “science” means knowledge, which science is to be trusted? Which science has ultimate authority?

Something to think about as we look up to see the long ago scheduled lunar eclipse this day of March 3, 2007.

For Headaches and Others

Here are a few more notes on health matters and natural relief measures.


A headache can make anyone feel miserable and irritable. One simple remedy is to take 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric, the yellow spice used in mustard. It is inexpensive and works quite quickly to help reduce the pain of a headache.

Turmeric also works very quickly to relieve heartburn. We have found that it works almost instantly.

The easiest way to take the turmeric is simply to place it on the tongue, press it against the roof of the mouth until it becomes moistened, and then to swallow. But since not everyone can swallow powders so easily, like Stephanie, a method she has found helpful is to take a small piece of banana, mash it up with the turmeric, form a small ball, and swallow that. Since I can swallow almost anything except bad theology, I just plop the turmeric on my tongue and swallow.

In the Other category, hemorrhoids, can be a terrible source of discomfort. I recently had a bleeding hemorrhoid. That certainly got my attention in a hurry! I told Stephanie and she ran to her handy copy of Let’s Get Well by Adelle Davis. According to Davis hemorrhoids develop due to a deficiency in Vitamin B6. Since stress causes a body to utilize the B vitamins more rapidly, anyone can develop a deficiency. She suggests taking 10 mg of B6 after each meal. She reports that in every case that she has observed this cured the bleeding hemorrhoids in those who followed this procedure. I did this, and additionally took turmeric twice a day, and applied cold-pressed coconut oil to the area of the hemorrhoid. Within two days the bleeding had stopped completely and the itching and burning had subsided. I actually used a higher amount of B6, but with the B vitamins this is not dangerous unless abused. The point is that the combination worked. The coconut oil gave instant relief from the itching and burning symptoms and maintained the relief throughout the day.

Organic Virgin Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil can be purchased in many health food stores and has many uses. We purchase ours on-line through Tropical Traditions. We also use coconut oil in our cooking, as a treatment for burns (after icing it soothes the burn quickly and reduces healing time), for treatment of dry skin as a moisturizer that quickly absorbs, even as a hair conditioner (in very small amounts).

For upset stomach, cultured yogurt is very helpful. Cultured buttermilk also works very well. We make our own of both, which saves considerably on the pocketbook.

Extra virgin olive oil also has many healthful uses in addition to being very tasty in cooking.

And don’t forget the benefits of stretching and massaging for relief of many aches, tension, headaches, even depression.

For what it is worth, these are some things that we have found to be very helpful in maintaining our health and comfort. Perhaps you can benefit from some of them as well.

Vision Improvement Site

Many of us spend far too much time staring at a computer screen or some other close work such as reading. This creates a situation of intense eye strain, which weakens our eyes and eventually leads to weakened vision. We all can relate to this as we feel the fatigue and strain on our eyes, even developing headaches at times. Blurry vision is often encountered after getting up from our desks. This condition can sometimes last much longer than we are comfortable experiencing. We especially bemoan when corrective lenses become necessary.

There are some things that we can do to help strengthen our eyes. Some of these are so simple and easy that they seem almost ridiculous. Nevertheless, they do help.

As an example, one of my aunts has worn glasses for many years. She has always been a big proponent of healthy eating, including vitamins and minerals. She also has been a proponent and faithful practitioner of eye exercises. She is now beyond being able to drive, as she has suffered a stroke, but the last time that she tested for her drivers licence, she failed the eye exam. Then she took off her glasses and passed the exam. Her eyesight had actually improved to the extent that her glasses were blurring her vision.

Now this is not proof of eye exercises improving vision. Nevertheless, I find it to be helpful in my daily studies. Taking a brief break and performing even a couple of minutes of exercises relieves the eye strain and allows my focus to be reestablished.

If you would like to try these for yourself, you can find three very simple and effective exercises at Vision Improvement Site. The first page gives three easy exercises that work. Much more information is included at the site, but even these three provide marvelous relief.

Check it out and see for yourself!