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New finds presented Tuesday from an intriguing site in the Judean Hills are part of a scholarly argument about the accuracy of the Bible The excavation at Hirbet Qeiyafa is currently one of the most important in the world of Biblical archaeology (Courtesy of Hebrew University of Jerusalem)Two rare 3,000-year-old models of ancient shrines were among artifacts presented by an Israeli archaeologist on Tuesday as finds he said offered new support for the historical veracity of the Bible. The archaeologist, Yosef Garfinkel of Hebrew University, is excavating a site known as Hirbet Qeiyafa, located in the Judean hills not far...

Oded Golan Speaks Out on Forgery Trial Verdict Asserts purchasers of looted antiquities preserve valuable information Hershel Shanks • 03/15/2012 After being acquitted of all forgery charges, Oded Golan responded by noting the important role that licensed collectors play by keeping artifacts documented and in Israel.

On Private Confession and Absolution Confession has not been abolished in our churches. For it is not customary to administer the body of Christ except to those who have been previously examined and absolved. The people are also most diligently taught concerning faith in the word of absolution, about which there was a great silence before now….Nevertheless, confession is retained among us both because of the great benefits of absolution and because of other advantages for consciences. (Augsburg Confession XXV [Kolb/Wengert 73:1-2; 75:13]) As a consequence of the vows I took to uphold the Scriptures and the proper interpretation of...

Hardly had the minimalist argument been developed than it was profoundly undermined by an archaeological discovery. In 1993 and 1994, several fragments of an Aramaic stela were found at the long-running excavation of Tel Dan led by Avraham Biran of Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem. The historical references in the inscription and the paleography of the writing make it clear that it dates to the ninth century B.C.E. Moreover, the text specifically mentions a king of Israel and a king of the "House of David" (Hebrew, bytdwd ), that is, a king of the dynasty of David. This discovery led...

Monday, January 31, 2011 New USCCB Document Highlights Biblical Quotations in the Mass The Catholic Mass draws heavily from Scripture--in every prayer you hear quotations and allusions to biblical texts. In fact, last year I did a series presentations now available through Saint Joseph Communications here (shameless plug!) exploring the biblical backdrop for the prayers of the Mass.   Now the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has put out a footnoted version of the prayers of the new translation of the liturgy, alerting you to the Biblical background of each of the prayers.  Some examples: The response: "The Lord be...

This is animated to bring health,peace and love in our everyday life!

Archaeologists and Expeditions Timeline of Significant Dates of Archaeological Expeditions and Discoveries 1879 - Rassam Excavates Many Tablets in Babylon Ruins with a Possible Location of the Hanging Gardens 1878 - Campaigns of Sennacherib, Annals of Ashurbanipal and Many Tablets are Excavated by Rassam 1877 - Archaeology of Ancient Sumer is Awakened by Louvre Treasures 1877 - Victory Stele of Eannatum is Discovered by Frenchman Ernest de Sarzec at Lagash Site 1873 - George Smith Identifies Wreckless Looting By Layard and Ruthless Quarrying By Mosul Bridge Builders 1873 - British Museum Sends George Smith to Further Excavate at Nimrud and...

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Christians rightly square everything with the principles and precepts of the Holy Scriptures. So, is there Biblical approbation and authority for State secession? Before answering the Biblical question, let me briefly touch upon the Christian reaction to State secession both here in America and overseas. First, overseas. I doubt that there are many Christian pastors and churchmen who would be willing to denounce, denigrate, or declare as illegitimate the nation-state of Norway today. What Christian would advocate cutting off trade or diplomatic relations with Norway? Where is the Christian denomination or Church that would not recognize the right of Norway...

I’m a glutton for punishment. I could have decided to slouch along the sidelines of ministry and watch the many controversies within the church zip past. Perhaps peeking over the pew on occasion and catching a slight breeze off the mini-tornadoes of debate that exist under the umbrella that is American Evangelicalism. Public prayer, the roles of women, the role of the Holy Spirit, capital punishment, responses to poverty, HIV/AIDS, divorce, adult or infant baptism, health or wealth . . . . . . But you see I’m optimistic to a fault so I have decided to throw myself into...

Dear Church, The passage of the recent health care bill by the U.S. federal government was a significant piece of legislation that will go down in history as a tipping point in the life of this nation. This bill was almost 50 years in the making, and the process of getting it passed was no small feat. I feel compelled to share with you some of my thoughts about what has occurred, and some possible ways that the church of Jesus Christ in America may be able to respond to this legislation. I am convinced that the church needs to...

America's Summit presents: A Special Saturday Seminar on Biblical Government, presented by Dr. Earle Fox!  Starting this evening, and running through April, the Saturday night America's Summit call will be devoted to a seminar on Biblical government. Steve Schulin will host, and the sessions should run about an hour and a half. Our friend Dr. Earle Fox will be leading the discussions. Earle Fox, an Anglican priest, earned his BA in philosophy from Trinity College in Hartford, Ct., an M. Div. in theology from the Episcopal General Theological Seminary in NYC, completed a year of Clinical Pastoral Education in two...

Couple to read biblical story of Christmas at Pistol Creek Station in MaryvilleBy Melanie Tucker Last modified: December 11. 2009 10:04PM A Blount County couple has obtained a demonstration permit to read the biblical Christmas story in a Maryville park Monday night. Several Blount County churches, including New Hope Independent Baptist Church in Maryville, are expected to join the demonstration. The reading amounts to a protest of the Maryville mayor's decision to cancel the reading of the Christmas story at its annual tree lighting ceremony, which was held Monday night. James Raucci and his wife Heather will read from the...

Inspirational animation!

Past influences present. Check it out in this post. To hear Obama, one would think him to be the Billy Graham running for the Oval Office. He invokes the name of Jesus. He quotes Scripture. He pitches his voice in cadence as an old-time evangelist. He poses as a preacher inviting his hearers to the mourners’ bench.

Preaching and short cut of the hymn, There Is A Fountain.

Short sermon is given by o7jimmy - Revski Cut song name is; There Is A Fountain 2-17 sec..

(IsraelNN.com) Iranians have turned a huge excavation site in the city of Shush, site of "Susa," the ancient city of Shushan -- center of the events in the Purim story -- into a garbage dump. Culture heritage backers put a stop to construction of a hotel on the site, according to the Tehran News, which added that residents of the Shush municipality are now filling the huge, gaping 300-foot by 300-foot hole with rubbish.

(IsraelNN.com) The Israel Antiquities Authority has announced the discovery of royal seal impressions from the times of the First and Second Temples. The finds were made at a site in the southern Jerusalem hills. The seal impressions are believed to date back to the time of King Hezekiah, who ruled over Judea in the late eighth century BCE. Four “LMLK”-type seals were found, as were seals from high-ranking administrators Ahimelech ben Amadyahu and Yehokhil ben Shahar. One seal impression combined the LMLK-type seal and the seal of Yehokhil, an occurrence that archaeologists confirmed is highly unusual. A later inscription, estimated...

President pledges to protest Jewish housing developments JERUSALEM – The Obama administration has pledged to the Palestinian Authority it will closely monitor Jewish construction in the West Bank and will protest any new housing developments in the biblical territory, a top PA negotiator told WND. "They told us the White House will watch for any Jewish construction," said the PA negotiator, speaking on condition of anonymity. "Obama knows that if [Likud Chairman Benjamin] Netanyahu is the next prime minister, he will try to expand the settlements. They pledged to us this will be strongly protested," the negotiator said. Although Foreign...

US officials are publicly taking a wait-and-see approach to the formation of a new Israeli government, but privately many have expressed concern that Likud leader Binyamin Netanyahu might preside over a right-wing coalition. There would be great unease" at the prospect of such a government, said one Capitol Hill source. He predicted that a governing coalition of parties from the Right could embolden the left flank of the Democratic party and turn up pressure, particularly in the US Congress, to pass measures that made clear demands on Israel.

Books claiming that science disproves ‘young-earth’ creationism are very common, and books that claim the Bible itself does not mandate a literal interpretation of the first few chapters of Genesis are not in short supply either. David Snoke’s book A Biblical Case for an Old Earth ostensibly falls in the latter group, though his main reason for rejecting biblical creation is really uniformitarian ‘science’. Books like these generally don’t pose a threat to informed creationists, and this one is no exception. In fact, Snoke could have saved himself a lot of trouble if he had actually taken the time to...

Hezekiah 3:16 The book of Hezekiah is one of the most significant books of the Old Testament. This book is often quoted in the press, cited by bloggers, and many people refer to it in daily conversation. One of the most significant passages in the book of Hezekiah is Hezekiah 3:10-16 where the author speaks about the Antichrist and the Beast. Hezekiah 3:16 reveals that the number of the Beast is 666. Anyone who knows the Bible and reads the paragraph above will know that what is written above is a bunch of nonsense. Hezekiah does not mention the number...

The Believer's Guide to Legal Issues is favorably reviewed in the August, 2008, issue of Pulpit Helps Magazine. "The author gives practical advice on a number of issues," notes reviewer Glen H. Jones, writing in the Pastors' Library literary section. "[Author Stephen Bloom's] legal calling is geared toward Christians who must often face conflicts between the law and their Christian profession," he continues. Jones rates the book "highly recommended" for all readers. Pulpit Helps has provided help and resources for pastors and Bible teachers for 30 years.

This animated video, with a flowery and busy hummingbird scene has been created to inspire others to get busy for the Lord Jesus and what His will is for their lives. The Scriptures given are taken from the King James Version of the New Testament and the verses are Hebrews 11:6, Luke 2:49 and Romans 12:2. The music is an instrumental of the hymn, “I Need Thee Every Hour”.

Biblical Text-Writing May Have Poisoned Monks Jennifer Viegas, Discovery News Damaged Skull June 27, 2008 -- Medieval bones from six different Danish cemeteries reveal that monks who wrote Biblical texts and other religious materials may have been exposed to toxic mercury, which was used to formulate just one of their ink colors: red. The study, which will be published in the August issue of the Journal of Archaeological Science, also describes a previously undocumented disease, called FOS, which was like leprosy and caused skull lesions. Additionally, the researchers found that mercury-containing medicine had been administered to 79 percent of the...

You do not have to be religious to appreciate the beauty of this interactive Flash slide show but pay attention as you have to see the clues to enter the Garden and also to move from section to section.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Emily again topped the list of most popular baby girl names last year, registering as No. 1 for the 12th straight time. Jacob led among names for boys for the ninth year in a row. New parents didn't stray far from past habits in 2007 when naming their babies. Only one name — Elizabeth — is new to the top-10 list, returning after a two-year absence. Samantha, which previously ranked 10th, dropped to No. 12, according to the latest list released Saturday by the Social Security Administration. Biblical names continued to dominate the boys' list. Besides Jacob,...

What Did the Early Church  Believe and Preach After Jesus' Death? Suppose you could invite one of the original twelve apostles to your church this weekend. Can you imagine what it would be like to entertain Peter in your worship services? How do you think he would react to what he saw?Would this apostle approve of your denomination's practices?Or is it just possible that he would tell you that some of your most cherished beliefs were in error? How would you feel if he stood up and loudly proclaimed that your church was a promoter of heresy? What if he...

REXBURG, Idaho 26 December 2007 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints prepares to welcome thousands of members of the public inside its newly completed Rexburg Idaho Temple from 29 December 2007 to 26 January 2008. As with all temple open houses, tour guides are prepared to answer questions from those curious about the emphasis the Church places on its temples and their purpose. Frank Moore Cross, the Harvard Hancock Professor of Hebrew and Other Oriental Languages, Emeritus, and not a Latter-day Saint, says, “Someone who does not know much about temples and Mormons building temples should be directed...

Elusive biblical Jerusalem wall finally found, Israeli archaeologist says The Associated PressPublished: November 29, 2007 JERUSALEM: A biblical wall that has eluded archaeologists for years has finally been found, according to an Israeli scholar. A team of archaeologists in Jerusalem has uncovered what they believe to be part of a wall mentioned in the Bible's Book of Nehemiah. The discovery, made in Jerusalem's ancient City of David, came as a result of a rescue attempt on a tower which was in danger of collapse, said Eilat Mazar, head of the Institute of Archaeology at the Shalem Center, a Jerusalem-based research...

Public release date: 20-Nov-2007 Contact: George Hunka ghunka@aftau.org 212-742-9070 American Friends of Tel Aviv University Digging biblical history, or the end of the world Professor Israel Finkelstein Some come to dig the Tel Aviv University-directed archeological site at Tel Megiddo because they are enchanted by ancient stories of King Solomon. Others come because they believe in a New Testament prophecy that the mound of dirt will be the location of a future Judgment Day apocalyptic battle. Hence the second, rather more chilling name for the site: "Armageddon." Tel Megiddo has been the subject of a number of decisive battles in...

Raiders of the Faux Ark October 10, 2007 by Eric H. Cline Biblical archeology is too important to leave to crackpots and ideologues. It's time to fight back. This editorial was first published in the Boston Globe on September 30, 2007, and is republished here with their kind permission. Eric Cline at Megiddo (Courtesy Eric Cline) Noah's Ark. The Ark of the Covenant. The Garden of Eden. Sodom and Gomorrah. The Exodus. The Lost Tomb of Jesus. All have been "found" in the last 10 years, including one within the past six months. The discoverers: a former SWAT team member;...

Regaining biblical courage and zeal August 18th, 2007 · 5 Comments This weekend we watched The Last King of Scotland, and as the movie ended it reminded me that Israel used to defend its people with a level of courage, daring and zeal that I can only call “biblical.” The movie itself was about Idi Amin’s reign of terror in Uganda in the 1970s. But the final scene of the flick was the 1976 hostage crisis at Entebbe International Airport, when Palestinian terrorists hijacked an Air France plane full of Israelis and Jews and landed it in the Ugandan city...

Preacher Dan Smith turned a rap song about babes with booty into a spoof Internet hit, and used it to help create a new church for people who hate church. Dan Smith thinks Christians take themselves too seriously. Pastor Dan Smith's 'Baby Got Book' video, a big hit online, helped him start his Momentum Church. "We can be dorks," he says after Sunday service in suburban Cleveland. "We can be Ned Flanders and basically speak jargon that nobody understands." The 33-year-old pastor has made it his mission to turn the notion of earnest, boring, humorless Christianity on its head —...

Ancient cemeteries, burial caves from biblical times and centuries-old artefacts unearthed during construction work in Israel, forcing contractors by law to call in archaeologists and sometimes halt building projects Reuters Published: 11.29.06, 11:05 Building a housing complex or a road in the Holy Land can often have grave implications. Ancient cemeteries, burial caves from biblical times and centuries-old artefacts have been unearthed during construction work in Israel over the years, forcing contractors by law to call in archaeologists and sometimes halt building projects. In Holyland Park, a complex of apartments being built on a hill in Jerusalem, archaeologists will soon...

End times writers such as Hal Lindsay and Timothy LaHaye make much of Gog and Magog, the archetypal enemies of God. End times publications seem to be making lots of money for some people as the expense of good biblical exegesis, so it is time that we look into the matter of Gog and Magog. These people groups, named in the Table of Nations (Gen. 10), have incited the imagination and entered into the arena of modern fiction and enduring legend. Legends surrounding Gog and Magog are found associated with countries as distant as Russia and Denmark, and with the...

I have been praying for a while about a particular topic, waiting for when the Spirit to move me and let me know when the time is right. I have been ready to start this lesson several times, only to feel that “no, the time is not right, after all”. Based on questions and discussions I’ve been involved in and a perceived ‘nudge’, I am going to delve into a system of rabbinical teaching almost certainly used by Jesus, which we now call ‘PaRDeS’. While this system was not formally documented until well into the third century, its underpinning methods...

Thoughts on Israel -By Dr. David Reagan, Lamb & Lion Ministries,Saturday July 29, 2006 "Why don't those stubborn Jews just give the Arabs the West Bank so that there can be peace in the Middle East?" The question was directed to me by a grumpy man I was sitting next to on an airplane. Suspecting that the man did not have the foggiest idea what he was talking about, I responded with a question: "Where is the West Bank?" "You know," he said. "Yes, I know, but do you?" "Well, of course I know!" he snapped. "Okay then, where...

"Palestinians" death cult - Humanity turned Upside down 9/11 & other terror victims in agony are to be cheered, danced & laughed at but monsters on humanity (on non Arabs & on their own people like) Al-Zarqawi & Saddam Hussein are to be sympathized with. They tell us day & night that they are about "freedom", yet, in their entire violent totalitarian society, not one person is ever really free. If they deliberately send their kids to be killed as murderers (bombers or shields for adult shooters), How do they expect us to take them seriously when they make a...

PROPOSALS INVITED TOWARD A MORE CIVIL DISCOURSE RE RELIGIOUS FIGURES AT ODDS WITH VARIOUS SENSIBILITIES The current thread regarding Pat Robertson is but the latest in a long tradition of certain flavors of evangelical Christian and particularly Pentecostal/Charismatic religious figures being thoroughly shredded by what--90% or more of the posts--usually in the harshest, most hostile, even demonizing wording possible. It seems that when folks are perceived to be in such Pentecostal/charismatic categories, all bets are off, no holds barred--the most viscious attacks are the minimal Standard Operating Procedure. Instead of exhorting one another in Christian Love, the worst attitudes normally...

Ninety-seven congregations have pulled out of the United Church of Christ since the denomination voted to sanction same-gender marriages during its national governing body meeting in July 2005. Speaking to a group in Andover Congregational Church in New Hampshire this week, the Rev. Dr. Bob Thompson of Corinth Reformed Church in Hickory, N.C., said the UCC has a "crisis of lost churches, lost funds and lost unity brought about by the actions of our national leadership," according to the Union Leader. Thompson is the leader of Faithful and Welcoming Churches of the United Church of Christ, an evangelical renewal organization...

Folks, Fr. Benedict Ashley, O.P. wrote a very enlightening article exploring the effort to root Catholic theological systems more firmly in the Bible, as desired by the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council. According to Fr. Ashley, that hasn't happened still. The article is entitled The Bible Gap: Spanning the Distance Between Scripture and Theology and these are my favorite quotes:Recently the Pontifical Biblical Commission has instructed us on the strengths and weaknesses of various methods of modern biblical exegesis. Yet when it was consulted by the Holy See on what the Bible might have to say about the ordination...

PLANTATION -- The manger scene at the Broward Mall cost him $1,000, but for Len Torres, the symbolism is worth much more. This year he got his Christmas wish when he was able to purchase and erect the holiday scene. The multi-piece scene of the baby Jesus surrounded by biblical characters and animals was set up a week ago on Sunday night just outside the Sears entrance.

Meir Shitreet says Israel will have to leave most of its Biblical heartland By Israel Insider staff and partners December 2, 2005 Israel will have to pull out of most of the West Bank and allow the Palestinians to establish a state, a Cabinet minister close to Ariel Sharon said in an interview published Friday. In the meantime, "not a single additional house" should be built in the communities of Judea and Samaria ("the West Bank"), Cabinet minister Meir Sheetrit, who recently joined Sharon's new centrist Kadima party, told The Jerusalem Post. Israelis should instead settle in the outlying Negev...

Americans who don't believe in God have decided it's time they had a lobbyist in the nation's capital. Their new advocate describes herself as a "soft, fuzzy atheist." Lori Lipman Brown starts Monday as executive director of the Secular Coalition for America. Her two goals: keep religion out of government and win respect for a stigmatized minority. The magnitude of those challenges is, well, biblical. Think Daniel entering the lion's den, or David taking on Goliath. Christian conservatives wield enormous clout here through a network of advocacy groups and relationships with politicians from President Bush on down. Atheists, humanists and...

A debate of biblical proportions By Ran Shapira The recently ended season of excavations at the top of the City of David slope was accompanied by much excitement. With every passing day, more and more parts of an enormous building were unearthed. Dr. Eilat Mazar, the archaeologist in charge of the site, believes this could be the palace King David built after conquering Jerusalem from the Jebusites. The discovery has stirred up the old argument among archaeologists as to whether the events described in the Bible in fact occurred, and in this context, the importance and greatness of David himself....

Dig backs biblical account of Philistine city of GatLast update - 02:53 09/08/2005 By Amiram BarkatThe moat running around Gat that was to enforce the siege. David Bachar New evidence regarding the bitter end of Gat, the largest and most important Philistine city, was recently unearthed at a dig at Tel Zafit near the Masmia intersection in the Lachish region. According to Kings II (12:18), Gat was conquered by King Hazael of Aram. He intended to capture Jerusalem as well, but King Jehoash of Judah saved the capital while losing treasure taken from the Temple (Kings II 14:14). Findings at...

Bedouin wanders across Biblical manuscript Fragments of a Biblical manuscript dating back to the last Jewish revolt against Roman rule in 135 AD Judaea, have been uncovered near the Dead Sea. After four decades with a dearth of new finds, archaeologists had resigned themselves to believing the desert caves in the modern-day West Bank had already yielded all their secrets from the Roman era. "It's simply sensational, a dream come true," archaeology professor Hanan Eshel, a Biblical specialist at Israel's Bar Ilan University, said. For the past 20 years, he has scoured the Judaean desert around the Dead Sea, overturning...

Over the years I have appreciated and admired what Billy Graham has stood for and against. His integrity has been near perfect. When most evangelists have slipped or stuck their feet in their mouths, Billy Graham has stood on the Word of God, without wavering. During the past six decades, his message of Jesus Christ has been heard by over 210 million in 185 countries. He has been counsel to presidents, a passionate evangelist, a loving husband, and a caring father. This past weekend in New York, it was Graham’s much-anticipated last revival. Instead of focusing on his revival, Graham...