Question: "What does the Bible say about torture?"

Answer: Torture can be defined as “the infliction of intense pain to punish, to coerce, or to derive sadistic pleasure.” Of course, sadism is never appropriate or just, but what about punishment or coercion? Is there ever a time when inflicting pain is justified in order to punish wrongdoing or to obtain a confession? What does the Bible say?

The Bible acknowledges the fact of torture. In a parable, Jesus spoke of a servant who was “turned . . . over to the jailers to be tortured” (Matthew 18:34). Such an allusion seems to indicate that the use of torture was common in the prisons of the day.

The Bible also records the stories of many victims of torture: Jesus, Paul and Silas (Acts 16), the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 20:2; 38:6), and other, unnamed saints (Hebrews 11:35). In every case, we see that the godly are the victims of torture, never the perpetrators of torture.

As individuals, we are not to seek revenge. Vengeance belongs only to the Lord (Psalm 94:1; Romans 12:19). Also, as individuals we have no authority to punish society’s wrongdoers or to extract confessions from them. Therefore, as individuals, we can have no license to torture; inflicting intense pain on others is wrong.

God alone is able to mete out punishment with perfect justice, and it is His prerogative to make His punishment painful. Demons are aware of a future time of “torture” for themselves (Matthew 8:29). Hell is a place of “torment” and intense agony (Matthew 13:42; Luke 16:23-24). During the Tribulation, torment will be part of the plagues upon evildoers (Revelation 9:5; 11:10). In any of His judgments, God is holy and perfectly fair (Psalm 119:137).

Now we’ll consider the use of torture in relation to governmental policy. We know that God has appointed civil governments and charged them with maintaining justice in this world (Romans 13:1-5). “For [the ruler] is God's servant to do you good . . . an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer” (verse 4). Elsewhere, God calls judges and magistrates “gods”; that is, their authority to provide justice comes from God Himself (Psalm 82:1-4). If they fail in their duty, they will themselves be judged by the Lord, the Judge of all (verses 7-8).

So government bears the responsibility to protect the good and punish the evil. What methods may it employ in carrying out that responsibility? Beyond the endorsement of capital punishment (Romans 13:4; Genesis 9:6), the Bible does not say. The Bible neither condemns nor condones a government’s use of torture.

Many questions can and should be asked: What specific techniques should be considered “torture”? Where do we draw the line? Is the infliction of any kind of pain inherently wrong? What if there are no permanent physical effects? Is sleep deprivation torture? What about a forced change in diet? Should yelling at a prisoner be considered psychological torture?

May a government, in order to protect its law-abiding citizens, engage in “highly coercive interrogation” (the use of strongly persuasive techniques to obtain tactical information)? What if these techniques do not inflict physical pain?

What if the goal of torture is to prevent further tragedy? What if a prisoner were withholding information that could save the life of an innocent person? What if a hundred lives could be saved? A thousand lives? Should that prisoner be threatened with physical pain until he reveals the information? What, then, if his information is wrong?

And what about unlawful enemy combatants who are, legally, not prisoners of war and therefore do not fall under the rules of the Geneva Convention?

These are all questions not addressed in the Bible and that are beyond the scope of this article, but they highlight the need for us to pray “for kings and all those in authority” (1 Timothy 2:2). May our policy makers have the wisdom to distinguish good from evil and to provide true justice.

Recommended Resource: Perspectives on War in the Bible by John Wood

Colossians 1:16-17 "For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible whether thrones or dominions or rules or authorities--all things have been created by Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together."

Hope is a gift. When everything seems to be unraveling around us, hope is an invitation given to us by God to have faith in the unreasonable. Hope defies intellectual conviction and proves that to be human is to sometimes live beyond mere rationality. And hope arises in the most unlikely places. Two years ago I visited Auschwitz with a handful of high school students. During our three hour tour of that horrible place, I found myself walking along the train track that had, at one time, carried families from all across Europe to their unfathomable executions. Wildflowers and swaying grass now grow where steel wheels once gripped sleek tracks and carried over a million people into Auschwitz. Wildflowers and grass, famished bodies and severed families. The stark contrast of these images seem only likely to coexist on separate ends of our earth. And yet, only about sixty years separate the two realities. Auschwitz, once a hellish place for hungry death to satisfy its appetite is now a sobering memorial to life and a silent challenge to those who would treat it as anything less than a matchless gift.

We are forgetful people, and we, like sheep are skittish and lack the ability to breathe slowly and hopefully amid the contradictions to grace that seem poised to tear our lives apart. We forget that, despite what circumstances reveal to our naked eyes, our lives are held together by the One who holds all things together. Of course, this reality cannot keep us from entering dark seasons of the soul, but it can, when all hope seems fleeting, beckon us into the grip of Him who endured every darkness, every temptation to believe that nothing good remains, and find our lives held near to the Creator's heart.

Hope. That a death camp can become a place where daffodils dwell. Hope. That the night will soon give way to the dancing colors of dawn's pallet. Hope. That the illusion of utter chaos would reveal the security of our place near the Creator's heart. Hope.

What it is::
One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism...
One Prayer

This movement poses the question: What would you pray if God would answer One Prayer for the Church at large?

On OnePrayer.com, you will be able to unite with other believers from all over the world. Together, we will fast, pray, give, and serve. We will be the Church that God has called us to be. We will stand together like never before.

LifeChurch.tv is partnering with hundreds of churches globally to do a series simultaneously called One Prayer. The series will begin on the weekend of June 7-8 and run for a total of four weeks. The premise of the series is, "If God would answer 'one prayer' for the church at large, what would you pray?"

By the end of June 2008, four weeks of varied sermons on one prayer will have unified half a million Christians, around the globe, in thought and action. And now for the action: week three, each participating church takes a special offering. The combined money goes to four international organizations that work locally to build 500 new churches where building churches is particularly tough: Sudan, India, China, and Cambodia.

On week four, clusters of local churches will work together in community projects. The idea can go on a long time but the bulk of the idea will surge through four weekends in June.

How to get involved:
Tell your church about OnePrayer and unite with over 700,000 Christians over the next four weeks.

Through out my life I’ve often found that I associate myself with the lowly characters Jesus chose as disciples and often think of Paul’s words when I find myself acting in a way that I wish I wouldn't act. And then I realize perhaps this is the very reason that Jesus chose these very men. The last few years I have found my self a prodigal son or if not a prodigal at least a person struggling to regain a foothold of truth, purity and faith. Maybe you're like me, a person who hasn't it all together and hastens to cling to what you've known because of your wounds.

My experience in being the prodigal son had covered a span of time in my life; finding that the beliefs I grew up in left little room for loving others and left me struggling to reconcile true faith. As my parents left the Church, as a young adult, I found myself dealing with the harder issues of life and forming a false sense of truth. My actions all to often not representing the beauty and truth of who; Jesus is.

Although I’d been burned up and burned out and found myself fighting my way back from the dead and although I was still in a place of the wounded, a soldier at war; the last few years have been a testament to my strength and Gods grace and provision. You see it was only a few years ago that I had lost everything I’d ever worked for, my savings, my house, a promising career, friends and a relationship.

At one point I found myself destitute, impoverished, hungry and alone. Much like Jesus, I found myself homeless without a place to lay my head. And although many people in my life had witnessed these occurrences, few knew the depth of my pain. This was a storm I would have to weather alone, a storm where Jesus would be my only friend. And like the aftermath of many storms of life I was left to wonder at just what had happened.
One night alone in my apartment I watched an interview on CNN with author Ishmael Beah about his book "A long way gone". He said in the interview that "it was never beyond anyone’s ability to lose their humanity" if they where to be led into the wrong places, meaning that we are all subject to doing things we would not usually do, becoming people we wouldn't normally become, that we we’re capable of being inhumane under some of life’s toughest circumstances.

And I wondered at the depth of his statement because I understood what he meant by this. I could see how life has the ability to change us all. That I had become a person I did not recognize. Looking back over the last few years and into my character today I find that I had been lacking. And even though I was still licking my tattered wounds and even though I could associate with Job and Jebez from the bible it was no excuse to be living in a way contrary to my beliefs. I think all too often we have a difficult time in bringing our burdens to the cross.
So many times we here that war changes a person, that soldiers become shell- shocked and can no longer cope within society. But we rarely take notice that we ourselves are at war. That the ghosts on the streets today walk through Jackson Square looking for rest. And much like the war torn, I too had been changed. Too often I found myself getting angry and frustrated, quicker to judge in efforts of protecting my self. That sadness has replaced joy and fear has replaced hope. My wounds, worn like my heart on my sleeves.
But lately God has been pulling at my heart and I have been taking notice of my deplorable state. How it saddens and makes other uncomfortable. Yet I scream, can't you see I am wounded? I see now that the world is full of the wounded, that I am not alone.

I once read that most of us believe in Gods grace - in theory. But somehow we can't seem to apply this to our daily lives. And we continue to see Him as a small-minded bookkeeper, tallying our successes and failures on a scorecard. And that God gives us his grace, willingly, no matter what we've done. When we come to him as ragamuffins - dirty, bedraggled, and beat up. And when we sit at His feet. He smiles upon us, the chosen object of

His furious love and welcomes us home.
And I wonder at the beauty of this and think, “this is good news!"

There are moments in my life where a song grabbed my soul and upon hearing just a few notes of the song, I am transported in my mind back to the place where I originally heard the song. One of those songs for me was called, “When It’s all been said and done”. I remember my friend Larry McIlwaine getting up to sing and as he sang each verse, I could feel the Holy Spirit move over my life in an incredible way. I immediately went out to buy the CD and as I listened to the words of the song over and over again, the Lord began to help me prioritize everything in my life. Every time I hear the song, I go back to those moments and once again thank the Lord for the Spirit being there that day.
Robin Mark was the author of that song. The Lord whispered into his mind the lyrics that helped to transform an area of my life, as well as many around the world. The Lord would also help Robin to write some of the most frequently sung worship songs in the world today. I recently spoke with Robin over the phone while he was at home in Ireland. He helped to give me perspective again, this time through a discussion, and he is our Men of God Spotlight.

His Life

Robin grew up in Ireland in the midst of one of the most tumultuous times any country has ever seen. He would accept Christ at the age of sixteen after a conversation that he had with a man at his workplace.

Q – Robin, can you tell me when you gave your life to Christ?

“I gave my life to Christ when I was sixteen, which was a few years ago now. I had just started working in what we would call a drawing office, that’s a technical office of a civil engineering company, a company that builds and designs roads. I was a young lad and we had some folks in the office who were Christians, particularly one chap called Paul Bryan, who later became the head of the Evangelical Ministries organization here in Belfast. Paul used to start conversations, arguments, discussions during lunch time and it was during one of the lunch time discussions on the nature and length of eternity that I, having been brought up in a Christian environment and generally a Christian home, gave my life to Christ. So it was in my workplace actually, at lunch time, which is interesting given today’s politically correct instructions from the governments that say you shouldn’t allow discussions of religious nature in a workplace.”

It would be the beginning of a life that would strive to please Christ in every way possible. He would grow in his faith and God would open doors to use the talent that He had blessed Robin with in a way that he could not have imagined that day during the lunch time conversation.

His Music
Robin would be known all over the United Kingdom and in Europe before his music found its’ way to the United States. It was his 1999 album Revival in Belfast that would introduce the United States, as well as many other countries, to the talent that God had given Robin and to the message that the Lord was attempting to convey through him. From that point, his songs have been sung all over the world, with one song in particular “Days of Elijah” being one of the most popular worship songs on this decade. I wanted to see what Robin had learned through it all and wanted to understand his experience.

Q – What inspires you when you are writing music?

“I get inspired by events, circumstances, and the Word. Whenever a song that I write comes into being, I always know if it’s got something a little more special than the ordinary. My inspiration can come from events that just happened as you go through the normal things of life, it can come from a sermon that I happen to listen to, or it often comes from just reading the Word. I’ll find a passage where the words jump out at you. There’s a response that you feel to what you’ve just read and that’s where I get my inspiration.”

Q – When you are leading worship and you look out over the crowd, what is it that you see?

“Do you know what I try to see? My brothers and sisters, actually. I remember when I was a young Christian, one of the books I read said, “If you can’t walk down the main street in your city and not find that your heart breaks for the faces that you see walking along the street towards you, you haven’t really understood God’s grace and God’s desire for the hearts of man.” Whenever I am up leading worship and looking out on a group of people, I really try to remember God’s heart for those people. He is seeking their worship. At that point, when you look out and sense that, God gives you a great compassion and a great love for the people. I do tend to see just brothers and sisters and a community, but yet one with that community and with the Lord.”

Q – Is there one worship experience, when you were leading worship, that really sticks out in your mind?

“It was in Israel actually. I got asked to come and do a convocation, which is the way the Israeli Christians, Israeli believers, have of saying a Christian conference because they can’t say the word conference because it (the word “conference”) has problems with the security over there. I was asked to come and be a part of a worship convocation that lasted over three days and was continuous worship for three days. This was about eight years ago and the song “Days of Elijah” had just started to come into common use and the Messianic Jews, the Christians, the believers in Israel had picked up on the song for a whole bunch of reasons. We were together in a hotel; there must have been three hundred or four hundred people, Christians from countries all over the world. I think there were eighty countries represented there and I started to sing Elijah at the end and people began to join in. When we got to the final chorus, there was just a sort of roar of applause and sound and voices that didn’t stop. It went on and on and on. I could smell something like an incense smell in the middle of the room and I was thinking, “Someone set something on fire.” I sort of looked about the place and there was nothing and I looked down to see if any of my instruments were smoking or whatever and it didn’t go away. At the end of the meeting, one of the other folks at the conference came up and said, “Did you smell that incense smell?” I said, “Yeah, I did actually. Did someone light some incense?” They, being a Messianic Jew said, “No, no, no. You get that sometimes when people are really taken in worship.” That blew me away.”

Q – What is the scope of Christianity in Ireland right now?

“It’s pretty good actually. There are two parts to Ireland still; The Northern Ireland part which is part of the United Kingdom and the Southern Ireland, which is part of an independent country now. Southern Ireland’s traditionally mainly a Catholic country and Northern Ireland is mainly a Protestant country. What has happened a little is that the role of the Catholic Church has diminished a little bit just because people have become less institutionally religious, if you know what I mean, whereas in Northern Ireland, you have a fairly steady level of Christian belief. Basically, in the midst of the troubles we’ve had for the last thirty to thirty-five years, when people are in troubled times, they tend to look to the church and they tend to sort of hold on, maybe for the wrong reasons or maybe just for traditions, but they tend to hold on to the beliefs that they were raised in when they were children. I think you discovered that in America after 9/11 when the Sunday after the terrorists attacks, the churches were filled with people who hadn’t been there in a long time. We’ve had year upon year of terrorists’ attacks and people did hold on to their religion. In actual fact, in Europe, we’re probably the highest percentage of evangelical Christians. We’re in a good place and part of that is due to the troubles themselves, would you believe, and part of it is due to the fact that in the midst of the troubles, the Christian church is where people find solace and comfort in troubled times.”

His Advice

Robin has traveled all over the world, leading people in worship in a wide variety of cultures. He has seen and experienced things that we all hope one day to be a part of and his advice is something that we can all take and apply to our lives.

Q – What gives you the most hope about modern Christianity?

“The more I see what the world and other religions want to present and the more I hear of what people’s hopes and dreams are all based around and what other religions are saying, the more I am entirely and utterly convinced that this message, the message of the cross, is the most important religious, if you want to use that phrase, message for our society. The more that society crumbles and starts to break down and the more problems that arise, the more it tends to reflect exactly what the Bible says will happen.”

Q – What troubles you the most about modern Christianity?

“That’s a good question. There are a number of things. I think I’m encouraged by modern Christianity more than I’m troubled about it, to be perfectly honest. There’s a general response amongst the nominal Christian churches and nominal Christian countries to give way to the attacks. I’m talking about intellectual attacks and attacks on our belief systems. We seem to be more inclined for the sake of not wishing to offend people to stand back and not make a declaration of what we believe in or else we don’t adequately understand the great depth of the faith that we do believe in. We’re not able to react and we’re not able to respond.”

I asked Robin what his advice would be to worship leaders all over the world and his response was, “Commit to the local church and let God do with your ministry what He wants to do with it.” He talked about committing to the local church, being committed to God in the small things first, and allowing God to work through the ministry from there. So often, in worship, those who are leading worship or want to serve in worship get caught up in the push to sell music and perform in conferences and concert venues all over the world. Robin commented, “I am totally convinced that God has a call for each of us and each worship leader’s primary call is in the place where He has put us…in the church.” After we show commitment there, then God can open more doors if that is His will for our lives.

Robin Mark has penned some of the great worship songs of our generation, from “Days of Elijah” to “All for Jesus”, and with each song his purpose and his intent has remained the same; to lead his brothers and sisters to the throne of God so that they may have a real experience with the Creator. As we enter into worship each Sunday, we should all heed the advice that Robin has blessed us with and pour ourselves into our local churches and allow God’s plan to unfold right before our eyes. Now is the time for us to make a stand and live lives of worship for we truly are in the Days of Elijah; “Behold, He comes!”

What it is ::Veritas Forums are university events that engage students and faculty in discussions about life’s hardest questions and the relevance of Jesus Christ to all of life.

The forums are created by local university students, professors, and ministers while shaped and guided by the headquarter Veritas team.

Check out the forum at Cal Berkely

Spring 2008 Forums
Boise State University
Cambridge University (U.K.)
Columbia University
Cal Poly
California State University, Fresno
Emory University
Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgetown University
Haverford College
Lille (France)
London School of Economics (U.K.)
Louisiana State
MIT
Northwestern University
NYU
Ohio State University
Oxford University (U.K.)
Pomona College
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Stanford University
Swarthmore College
Texas A&M
University of Massachusetts
University of Chicago
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Question: "What is the God particle?"

Answer: The “Standard Model” of particle physics is a system that attempts to describe the forces, components, and reactions of the basic particles that make up matter. It not only deals with atoms and their components, but the pieces that compose some subatomic particles. This model does have some major gaps, including gravity, and some experimental contradictions. The standard model is still a very good method of understanding particle physics, and it continues to improve. The model predicts that there are certain elementary particles even smaller than protons and neutrons. As of the date of this writing, the only particle predicted by the model which has not been experimentally verified is the “Higgs boson,” jokingly referred to as the “God particle.”

Each of the subatomic particles contributes to the forces that cause all matter interactions. One of the most important, but least understood, aspects of matter is mass. Science is not entirely sure why some particles seem mass-less, like photons, and others are “massive.” The standard model predicts that there is an elementary particle, the Higgs boson, which would produce the effect of mass. Confirmation of the Higgs boson would be a major milestone in our understanding of physics.

The God particle nickname actually arose when the book The God Particle: If the Universe Is the Answer, What Is the Question? by Leon Lederman was published. Since then, it’s taken on a life of its own, in part because of the monumental questions about matter that the God particle might be able to answer. The man who first proposed the Higgs boson’s existence, Peter Higgs, isn’t all that amused by the nickname “God particle,” as he’s an avowed atheist. All the same, there isn’t really any religious intention behind the nickname.

Currently, efforts are under way to confirm the Higgs boson using the Large Hadron Collider, a particle accelerator in Switzerland, which should be able to confirm or refute the existence of the God particle. As with any scientific discovery, God’s amazing creation becomes more and more impressive as we learn more about it. Either result—that the Higgs boson exists, or does not exist—represents a step forward in human knowledge and another step forward in our appreciation of God’s awe-inspiring universe. Whether or not there is a “God particle,” we know this about Christ: “For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible . . . all things were created by him and for him” (Colossians 1:16).

Recommended Resource: The Wedge of Truth: Splitting the Foundations of Naturalism by Philip Johnson.

These are actually things I would have told, taught, or encouraged my own son to learn. So here goes.

1. The most important relationship you will ever develop is the one you will have with God. It is worth sacrificing everything to find and develop. Finding Him means you will never be alone. Never!
2. You have a choice now! The greatest gift you will ever possess is the POWER TO CHOOSE. Never give it away – to anyone.
3. Do everything you can to find out who you are and what special gifts you possess? What is your purpose and mission here on earth? Why are you here? What will you do with the gifts God has given you? Please know that People won’t make you happy. Money won’t make you happy. Only knowing who you are, where you came from, and being honest with yourself about yourself will make you happy! This will make you confident. So ask yourself - What will I do with my gifts?
4. Take personal responsibility for your actions. If you are having a problem in a relationship of any kind know that you are part of the problem and you can be part of the answer, if you choose to be. Don’t blame others for anything. Don’t blame your Mom, Your Dad, Your brother, God, other people. Remember you can choose to live your life any way your want. No one, including God will stop you. CHOOSE WISELY and consider the consequences of any decision before you make a decision. Although there are second chances for some things, you will never get a second chance in the same moment and opportunity.
5. Learn and understand the value of Time – every second that ticks is history, never to be recovered. It has an impact on success in every phase of your life whether it’s family, relationships, business, career, money, etc, etc, etc. Learn how to invest it wisely and it will serve you well. Misuse it and it will hold you prisoner for eternity.
6. ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING – Your attitude determines your level of achievement – and happiness and contentment. The more positive your attitude the greater your success, however you define it. It’s as easy as deciding to get and stay positive, and again, it is very worth it. Don’t take it from me; ask the most successful person you know.
7. You are what you think. It’s that simple. It is as Mike Dooley says “Thoughts become things.” Both good and bad. Which thoughts will you choose? Use your vision to live a life that you want. If you will use your mind to envision a life of joy and goodness that’s what you will live. It’s up to you. Totally!

8. Things to practice:
a. Loving God and yourself. Finding out how is the greatest journey of all.
b. Living in the present. It’s the only time that matters. (Read the Precious Present)
c. Using your imagination and FAITH to get beyond your current circumstances.
d. Smiling when there is absolutely nothing to smile about. Try it.
9. Please learn and learn soon that the happiest person in the world is one who knows himself and how to interact with other people. I mean relationships - a man is known by those with whom he associates. Choose your friends wisely. Learn how to say no to yourself and others.
10. Never, Never, Never quit! Learn how to be humble and giving. Never quit trying to be the best you can be, but remember that living this life, if done right, is not about you. It’s about using the gifts you were given to help someone else come to know the same God for whom you will one day search.

And maybe most of all – remember that you are loved, by God and by your mother and as a man who wants only good things to come to you, by me.

That is what I would tell my own son. I would tell him every day of his life. Even if he got mad at me. I would tell him because I loved him and because I think these things are critical to a life of character, significance, and meaning. Again, it would be worth it.

Read two very important scriptures: Deuteronomy 6:5 and Matthew 22:37

I have also adopted three quotes that mean a lot to me and help guide me through each day.

Zig Zigler once said, “The chief reason people fail or are unhappy is because they trade what they want most for what they want now!”

“You can give without loving but you cannot love without giving.” – Amy Carmichael

I know enough, I have enough, I am enough! – Naomi Judd

May the Lord Bless you and keep you forever in His Grace!
In Yeshua’s name!

Some people stay in the same places all of their life, never departing from that place they called home since their childhood. For others of us, we are placed in certain areas for just a time and then the Lord chooses to move us on to another place, wanting to use us to help others in a different location. We have to learn to deal with changes as we are moved around but we take comfort in the guiding hand of the Lord, understanding that He has opened the doors that we are now entering.

This issue’s Men of God Spotlight focuses on a man who has understood that the Lord is moving him for a reason and will look to see what the Lord’s plan is for him in this new environment. This issue’s spotlight shines on Jamey Carroll. I caught up with Jamey at Spring Training and we sat outside and talked for a few moments about baseball and about the Lord.

His Life

Jamey grew up in the state known for its’ love of basketball; the state of Indiana. He would grow into a baseball player and would be drafted by the Montreal Expos in the 14th round of the draft. It was during his time in the minor leagues that he would find the Lord and would surrender his life to something incredibly larger than he could have ever imagined.

Q – Can you tell me your testimony?

“For me, the big change was in 1999 when I was playing in AA in Harrisburg. I was going through the typical mess of life and I was walking out to the batting cage, which was on the other side of the parking lot. I saw a guy in the middle of the parking lot and I as I was walking by, he said, “Hey, how are you doing today?” I was like, “Just fine.” I was struggling with the game and struggling with the typical life stuff and I thought at the time that, when I looked him and said I was fine, I knew that I wasn’t. I was frustrated with a lot of things. I went and hit and then I came back in. Right when I came back in from hitting, he said to me, “We’re having our baseball chapel that we have every Sunday.” I said, “You know, I’ll go today and see if there is something that can just lighten my mood or get my mind away from baseball.” I walked to the dugout where we had it (chapel service) and sure enough, the guy that I had told that everything was fine, he was the chaplain there. I thought that was a pretty cool thing. I listened to his message that day and it was about being frustrated with life. I felt like it hit me in the forehead. It all came together at that time!”

The Game

Jamey would climb through the minor leagues and reached the big stage for the Montreal Expos. He would score the final run for the Montreal Expos before they relocated to Washington. In 2006, he moved to the Colorado Rockies, where he would be part of the team that made the World Series run in 2007. At the end of the season, he was moved to Cleveland, joining a team that stood one game away from the World Series the previous year.

Q – What are your expectations for this year?

“Obviously, coming over, this is my first season here, last year (Cleveland) winning 96 games, it’s to build on that. To be a contender and playing in October; I think that’s reasonable.”

Q – What is the highlight of your career thus far?

“I had a younger brother that was in the minor leagues when I was playing with the Expos and I was going into my first full season. He got called up to play in a Spring Training game and it was the first time that both of us had played on the field at the same time together in a game in our lives and that came in a Major League Spring Training game. We got to turn a double play together; he was playing second and I was playing short. We were getting beat nine or ten to nothing but for us, it was a special moment. To be at that level and to be able to do it together, in a sense, was a dream come true.”

Q – In your opinion, what is the most difficult part of being a Christian in Major League Baseball?

“I think it’s not getting caught up in the pressures and in the stresses of the game, worrying so much about doing good, worrying about what the media’s going to say or worrying about the person who is behind you fighting to take your job. I think you can get caught up in that and look at this game in the wrong way and stay for the wrong reasons. I think it’s difficult staying positive because this game is a game of failure and it’s challenging because it’s such a long season.”

Q – Will Major League Baseball get beyond the Clemens trial and Barry Bonds scandal?

“I think so. It’s a game that’s been through a lot. It’s a game that has been challenged but it’s been America’s pastime. We keep going out and we’ve made incredible improvement through what the union has done and what the owners have done and I think it’s really getting to where everybody knew that it should be. I know that even through the strike times, the fans have been frustrated but they seem to come back because it’s the game of baseball and they take pride in it. When anything bad happens, it takes awhile to bounce back. The players know that it is all about the fans.”

Q – How has faith influenced your career?

“I’m understanding the what the platform is of this game with the pressures, traveling, and being away from family and the stresses that go with that as well as playing. I think my faith has helped me with the mindset of how to tackle everyday like when you’re tired or you aren’t playing well, as well as when you are playing well. (It’s helped with) Being able to schedule and handle things; do they need to be important or do they not need to be important? It’s helped me to put that into perspective. To me, that can be influential because you can easily get away from one, what it is that you’re doing and two, what it is that’s important. It’s allowed me to breathe.”

Q – For a ballplayer, what is the hardest part of moving to a new team and a new city?

“I think it’s just dealing with change. You’re not sure how to go about it. I always feel like I always prepare for what situation lies ahead and when you go somewhere different, you don’t know how to prepare for it and you have to go and fit in. And now, not only is it a change for me, but it’s a change for my wife and family too; there are transitions for them. But yet, this is the second time it’s happened, and I’ve learned to go and be yourself. It’s been an easy transition (to Cleveland) because of the quality guys here and the quality people in this organization.”

His Insights

Jamey has come through in some clutch situations in his life and has stood in the midst of thousands of onlookers who have cheered for him to succeed on the field. I wanted to see his perspective.

Q – When was a time where you felt the closest to God?

“I’d probably say it was a little over two years ago when my mother passed suddenly. Obviously, in tragic time, you lean on God more than I think you usually do, which obviously you shouldn’t wait for something like that to happen. Going through a period of time, it was in the off-season, where I got to spend two quality months with my dad and we were just trying to figure out why and what we were supposed to get out of this. I think that was a time for not only me but my family that was very pivotal. My older brother gave his life to Christ shortly thereafter and my dad did the same. It was a time where I felt like it was a dark time but you get very uplifting time because without having that presence in our lives, I don’t think we would have gotten through it as well as we did. We got asked a lot about how we were doing and we all had the same feeling that we were doing better than we thought we would. I think that’s because, during that time, we talked about it, we broke it down, and we put it in a sense of God and really leaned on Him at that time.”

Q – Why God and not one of the other religions?

“Because He’s given me a pathway to heaven and I truly believe that. What He did for me allows me to get into heaven and allows me to know that I’ll be able to see my mom again. Having somebody to allow that to happen for me, to die on a cross, it’s so meaningful that I can’t imagine going anywhere else!”

Jamey and his wife welcomed a set of twins into their family only days after I talked with him. As he spoke of the upcoming births, you could see a spark in his eyes, understanding the gift that God was blessing him and his wife with. He has been moved to a new place where God is going to use him to leads others to holiness. Jamey sees this as an opportunity, an opening of a door that only God could have opened. With God in control of his life, he is no longer in bondage of the pressures that most others are; he is free.

Question: "What is the Majority Text?"

Answer: The Majority Text, also known as the Byzantine and Ecclesiastical Text, is a method of determining the original reading of a Scripture by discovering what reading occurs in a majority of the manuscripts. As the Greek New Testament was copied hundreds of times over 1500 years, the scribes, as careful as they were, occasionally made mistakes. The vast majority of these mistakes are in misspellings, or in whether “the” or a preposition occurs. It is important to remember, though, that no doctrine of the Christian faith is put into doubt by these textual questions. The testimony of the thousands of manuscripts over 1500 years is entirely consistent on all the key issues of the Christian faith.

It is vital, though, that our Bibles are as accurate as possible. The accuracy of the manuscripts plays a large role in determining the accuracy of the translation. While the presence of a “the” is not usually vital to the meaning of a verse, there are times when it can be. This is where the science of “textual criticism” comes in. The goal of textual criticism is to examine all of the available manuscripts, and by comparison and contrast, to determine what the original text truly was.

The Majority Text method within textual criticism could be called the “democratic” method. Essentially, each Greek manuscript has one vote, all the variants are voted on by all the manuscripts, and whichever variant has the most votes, wins. At first glance, the Majority Text method would seem to be the most likely to result in the correct original reading. The problem is that the Majority Text method does not take into account two very important factors: (1) The age of the manuscripts, and (2) the location of the manuscripts.

(1) The age of the manuscripts.
The more times a manuscript is copied, the more likely it is that errors will occur. A first generation copy——one that was copied directly from the original——is very likely to be closer to the original than a tenth generation copy (a copy that was copied, from a copy, from a copy, … from the original). Manuscripts from the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th centuries should be far closer to the originals that manuscripts from the 12th, 13th, and 14th centuries. The problem is that the majority of the manuscripts are from the 12th, 13th, and 14th centuries. To illustrate, let’s say there is a man named James Smith. Let’s say you are attempting to discover James Smith’s middle name. Who would be a better source, James Smith’s one thousand great-great-great-great-great-grandchildren, or James Smith’s son? Of course it would be James Smith’s son. Similarly, a 2nd or 3rd generation copy of the New Testament is far more likely to be correct than a 12th or 13th generation copy.

(2)
The location of the manuscripts. The vast majority of Christians through the centuries have lived in western and eastern Europe. For cultural, theological, and political reasons, the western and eastern churches split. The western church became the Roman Catholic Church while the eastern church become the Orthodox Church. A few centuries after the start of Christianity, the western church began using Latin as its primary language. The eastern church continued using Greek as its primary language for another thousand years (and in some places, even to today). Textual critics have discovered that the manuscripts discovered in one part of the world tend to be very similar to other manuscripts from that part of the world, likely due to originating from the same source. Since the eastern church continued using Greek as its primary language for 1000+ years longer than the western church, there are significantly more Greek manuscripts that were discovered in eastern Europe than in western Europe. And, these eastern Greek manuscripts (the Byzantine manuscripts) are all very similar to each other. When the Majority Text is applied, this results in the eastern manuscripts having far greater weight than the western manuscripts. However, if the thousands of Latin manuscripts from the western church were thrown into the Majority Text “equation,” the results of the voting would be far more balanced, and would actually tilt away from the eastern / Byzantine reading.

Perhaps another illustration will help. Let’s say that there are two copies of a document, document A and document B, with minor differences between them due to copying mistakes. Document A is copied 100 times, while Document B is copied three times. If you used the Majority Text method, the Document A copies would have 100 votes, while the Document B copies would only have 3 votes. The Document A copies would win every vote. However, since Document A and Document B are both first generation copies of another document, Document A and Document B, and their "descendants," should be given equal weight in determining the most likely original reading.

The principles of age and location, then, result in “the majority rules” not being the best method in textual criticism. What, then, is the best method? The best method would seem to be taking into account all factors: majority, age, location, difficulty of the reading, and which variant best explains the origin of the other variants. This method is known as the “Eclectic Text” or “critical text.” Other than the King James Version and New King James Version, all of the modern English translations are based on the eclectic text. Most assume that the King James Version and New King James Version are based on the Majority Text. This is not correct.

The King James Version and New King James Version are based on the Textus Receptus. The Textus Receptus is very similar to the Majority Text, but there are in fact hundreds of differences between the Majority Text and the Textus Receptus. The Textus Receptus was compiled and edited by Erasmus in the 16th century. Erasmus used several Greek manuscripts, which were eastern / Byzantine in nature. This explains why the Textus Receptus is very similar to the Majority Text. However, Erasmus by no means had access to all of the Greek manuscripts, so there was no way he could develop a true Majority Text. The Textus Receptus is based on a very limited number of manuscripts, all of them eastern, and all of them dating to around the 12th century. As a result, compared to the Electic Text and the Majority Text, the Textus Receptus is far less likely to have the most accurate reading.

To summarize, the Majority Text is a method within textual criticism that uses the “majority rules” to determine which variant is most likely to be original. While the Majority Text method does result in the most likely original reading in most instances, it should not be employed universally and exclusively. There are many other important factors in determining which variant is most likely to be original.

Recommended Resource: A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament by Bruce Metzger.
from Gotquestions.org

JesusPainter.com

What it is::
Mike Lewis has been painting at Christian events since mid 1998. He paints large portraits of Christ in under twenty minutes.

It began when his close friend, Christian songwriter Seth Haines, told him that he had written a song called "Intimate Portrait" and wanted Mike to paint a portrait of Christ on stage during the song. Although Mike was in art school, he had never really painted before. The request was actually rather unreasonable in terms of possibility. Seth wanted a portrait large enough for an entire audience to see and also a likeness to Christ painted in seven minutes. Artists will tell you that usually portraits are very time consuming and some spend years on a single piece. Intimidated by the request but challenged by God Mike decided to trust him and began planning for the painting. After several months of thought and preparation the night arrived. Mike did not have the available funds to do a practice painting so the first try was live on stage. After a short prayer with his friend Mark Herrera that whatever happened God would be glorified through the artwork he walked to the stage and began to paint. Mike says that immediately everything disappeared except the canvas. He has described it as his most peaceful personal time with Christ. He began to swirl colors from the entire spectrum into the face of Christ, then at the end of the painting when the face was recognizable he began to throw blood (red paint) right in Jesus' face. This can be painful to watch but we need to realize that we are responsible for the blood that he shed.

Many people were in the crowd who wanted Mike to come paint for a youth group or church service, the rest as they say "was history". Now there are eleven different compositions that Mike has developed, six of which are available to the public. He now paints and speaks on a regular basis. A new ministry is born.

Booking
If you would like to schedule Mike to paint at your event email Pat Avery: pat@jesuspainter.com or call at 386-212-3689.

Want to make your own Jesus Art? Mike lays down the bluprint for stretching your own huge canvas to work with.
Canvas Blueprint

We all have seen or know of people that look like they have it all together. They wear the nicest clothes. They have the biggest and best cars and homes. Their kids go to the best schools. On the outside they seem to have it all. If you look close enough, however, you can see that things aren’t as perfect as they seem. Behind the mask of “everything’s good”, they are suffering. They have tried to make their lives work but something has happened to shatter their dreams. Under the cover, they are broken. They seem to have given up hope and have accepted things the way they are. Fortunately, there is a way to put the pieces back together again.

Where are the pieces?

We must first admit that there are some pieces. So many people live in a state of denial, living as if nothing ever happened. Something did happen. Either it happened from something we did or someone else was involved. Maybe it was someone who is hurting from abused themselves. Maybe it was someone who was helpless in their own situation. Maybe it was someone who is hellish and they intentionally did something to you. Or maybe it was you, just being careless or just plain stupid. Whatever happened and whoever did it, it happened. By recognizing the circumstances you can move toward picking up the pieces.
“You don’t drown by falling in the water, you drown by staying there”.

You have the power to begin again

Even in the midst of broken pieces, God has given us the power and ability to start over. When we humble ourselves and depend on God for strength, we will begin on a path to greatness. Humility and true repentance are necessary to pick up the pieces. If you never turn away from the broken moment you will, more than likely, repeat it again. You have the power to begin again. If you are committed to God’s plan, you will succeed.

You have the authority to succeed

God’s purpose in creating you was for you to dominate. Of course, everyone makes mistakes. We all have done something that we have regretted. Even after all of our mistakes and failures, God still wants us to win. A conqueror is someone who wins by force of arms. We were designed to be more than a conqueror. We were made to be on the winning side. Victory is our God-given nature. That’s why is doesn’t feel good to lose. God has placed this authority in your hands.

Ultimately, the only way for us to lose is if we quit. Stay in the race and pick up the pieces.

It is an ordained moment; a place and a time where we were meant to be and could not have been arranged by anyone other than the Almighty God. The atmosphere is perfect, the setting impeccable for a miracle to unfold. These occurrences happen to many people who never understand fully the magnitude of the moment or the fact that it was God who had placed them there in that moment. Others understand that it was the Lord and they begin to grasp fully the concept of God being in control of everything. Such a moment was experienced by this issue’s men of God spotlight and continues to have an impact on him today.

So often, we feel like we must be within the Christian realm in order to make an impact; however there are times where we are able to make an impact in the secular realm, which is exactly what Billy Mason is doing. His ordained moment came at a Russ Taft concert and God would begin using Billy more by the day. He is the drummer for Tim McGraw, but more importantly, he is being using by God, striving to glorify God with his life, as well as his profession. I spoke with him on a few occasions recently and found a man who wants to reach a lost world with the message of Jesus; a message that has changed his life.

His Life

He was born in Cleveland, Ohio and would go through a few near-death experiences along the journey of his life to where he is now. One incident happened as he was cut and missed a major artery by only a hair at the age of five. He would find another near death experience that he could not have seen coming. He was supposed to play a gig one night with a group that he was in, but he decided not to, choosing to spend time with a girl, who would one day become his wife, rather than going to the gig. One the trip home, the lead singer and the drummer were in a car accident and killed. Had Billy gone to the gig, he would not be here now to tell his story.
Billy was married with children when he would answer the call of the Lord in his life. His talents had been given to him early in life and he had honed his talents, but had not found the peace that he needed.

Q – Can I get your testimony?

“I gave my life to Christ about twenty to twenty five years ago. I was worried at the time and had kids and we were struggling. I and my wife at the time, both gave our lives to Christ. We just knew that it was time to get things right. We were in Dayton, Ohio and gave our lives over to Christ.”

He told me another story about Russ Taft and how he went to a Russ Taft concert one night, in the midst of an argument with his wife. At the concert that night, Russ said that there was someone on the upper deck that needed prayer and he wanted that person to stand up. Billy hesitated, waiting to see if there was someone else who would stand up, knowing the whole time that Russ was talking about him. He finally stood and Russ told him to come down after the concert. They would spend an hour together that night and Russ prayed for Billy. It was the place that Billy was called to be that night and God used Russ to reach out to Billy at a time when Billy needed the Lord the most.

His Career

Billy would move to Nashville, Tennessee, in the hopes of securing a job with a Christian band. God had a little different plan for Billy, though He did open the door for Billy to play with a few Southern Gospel groups along the way to his big break. He had loved the drums since he was a child and knew that it was his life’s calling.

Q – When did you start playing drums?

“I’ve been playing drums since I was about five years old. I started drumming for a living at the age of 18. I’ve been playing pretty much six nights a week in a band since I’ve been out of high school. I played in bands while I was in high school, but for a living, this is pretty much all I’ve done. Music was always my main desire.”

His move to Nashville would open the door for him to find his true desire in God and a door that was opened for him to honor God with his talents. When times were tough, he would work odd jobs to secure enough money to make it by, sometimes driving a school bus and even working in the sewage for the city. There was nothing that would stand in the way of following his dream.

Q – So, how did you get connected with Tim McGraw?

“I was playing in clubs around town and I met Tim’s guitar player at the time. We went and worked at a job together and played for someone a couple of weeks. He said, “Hey, I’m playing for a new guy, Tim McGraw, and the drummer may be leaving.” He said that Tim was the next big thing, but you hear that about every artist. I wasn’t sure about it but he called me a couple of weeks later and said he had talked to Tim after the other drummer left and that Tim said he could hire me if he thought I was good enough. I’ve been with Tim for fifteen years now. Talk about a blessing!”

Q – How did your faith help you through the tough times before you got connected with Tim McGraw?

“That (faith) is what got me through those dark times. From the time that I was baptized and gave my life to Christ, I knew that I always wanted to live the Christian lifestyle no matter where I was at. I’ve always had a good walk with Christ. As long as I live right and put Him first, He’s always going to take care of me. Even when we were struggling, eating macaroni and cheese and frozen fish sticks all the time, I just knew that if I kept doing the right thing, then He would always take care of me. It’s hard anywhere, but it’s really hard in the music business as you wonder where your next gig is going to come from.”

Billy talked in depth about the struggles that he has encountered in his career. His marriage failed and there is an honest sense of remorse in his voice as he talks about that portion of his life. He said that it was the career that led to the ending of his marriage, as he was on the road for extended periods of time. He also told me that, if he could go back to being an eighteen year old again, he would choose something in the medical field for a career.

“Your priorities have to be God, your family, and then your career. What I did wrong was that I put my career first. Not intentionally, but you think you’re doing the right thing by working all the time because you have to take care of your family but in the long run, you actually lose your family.”

Billy is engaged now and watching closely to ensure that his career does not overtake his family again. It is a lesson that we can all learn as we often exhaust ourselves with our work and have very little left when we get home.

Q – What is the toughest part of the touring life for you?

“I was married for twenty-three and a half years and lost my family because of my career, so I have a really hard time being out on the road and being away from my kids and my grandkids.”

Q – What is the best part of touring for you?

“I enjoy the shows, playing in huge stadiums, and I love traveling and seeing the world. When I play at night, I say a prayer before I go to the drums. I tell God, “I’m playing for you. I’m going to glorify you.”

Billy also talked about the way that God is using him in this career. He said that he always looks for the people in the crowd who may seem troubled or those with special needs so that he can go over and speak to them, hoping that they will see the light and the love of Christ in him. On one occasion, he saw a young man with a physical problem and he felt led by God to go over to the man and give him a cymbal and talk to him. That man and Billy are friends to this day as that one act of kindness really helped the man to feel special. Billy seeks no glory except to give God the glory and each night, when others are shuffling towards the exits, God sends Billy on a mission to spread His love to someone who needs it the most.

His Advice

Within the realm of the celebrity world, there are some that you talk to who get it and others who do not. I have met many great men, due to the doors that God has opened to me. For the most part, they have all understood what life is really about, but there have been others I have met that didn’t really understand that all of this is about God. Billy is one of those guys who get it, who gives you a smile and pours out himself into everyone he meets. He doesn’t even see himself as a celebrity. In fact, he told me, “Success is not money; it’s about being where God wants you to be. For me, I am not successful if God is not the center of my life.”

Q – What is your advice to young musicians?

“Priorities. God has to come first in your life then your family and your career’s got to come last. I believe that, if you’re in God’s will, God’s got a plan for your life and He’ll show you what He wants you to do. When you put your career first, it always ends up bad. I don’t care how much money you have in the bank or how big your house is, if you’re not walking in the will of God and your family is not a priority, it’s going to be lonely.”

Billy talked about the great relationship that he has with Tim. He said that Tim looks his way quite a bit on stage and that he always tries to smile, hoping that it will encourage Tim. He also said, “Each time we play, I’m not just Tim’s drummer. I want to help change someone else’s life.”

Q – What keeps you grounded now?

“What keeps me grounded, honestly, is that all I listen to is Christian music. I listen to Casting Crowns, Steven Curtis Chapman, MercyMe, and pretty much anything that is Contemporary Christian. I read every day. I keep godly things on my mind and in my mind every day.”

Q – What have you noticed that has changed the most about you since you started saturating your life with the things of God?“I think I’ve grown up spiritually. It’s making me more aware of what I need to do with my life for Christ. I have a lot better outlook on life now. If Christ is always on your mind, it makes you a better witness and makes you a better example. I’m growing spiritually everyday because I am working on it.”

His life has seen many twists and turns, but through it all, he has had the hand of God upon his shoulders. Billy Mason seeks to help anyone who has a need and hopes to show them that there is a Savior who can change their life just as the Savior changed his life. He understands the concept of being friends and never seeks to just speak to someone and walk away; he wants to know you and to be able to call you a friend. His heart burns for Christ and he seeks new ways each day to let others hear that his life song is about Jesus Christ.

Not For Sale

What it is ::Around the world people have taken notice: the breath of freedom is uniting people. No longer can we stand by as 27 million people are enslaved.

It is no longer enough to think about change.
It is no longer enough to talk about change.
It is time to shift gears; marrying movement with intelligent action.

Our collective challenge is simple, stand with those who are enslaved, work together to free them, and empower them in their freedom to break the cycle of vulnerability.

What we are combating is wide-ranging, deeply embedded, and largely invisible (how else could it exist in our own backyards?). A holistic, all-encompassing response is in order. Igniting and aiding this comprehensive response is the Not For Sale Campaign’s purpose.

The Not For Sale Campaign bridges knowledge to action.

With your help, we are working to raise awareness and collective understanding about human trafficking. But we live in a time and place where people are restless “to do something”. In recognition of this desire to act we will be completing and distributing handbooks for action. What can your athletics team do? What can your university do? What can your community of faith do? What can your business do? What can you do as a musician?

In 2008 and beyond we will be providing new ideas and proven constructs for action.

Without a doubt, the wall standing against slavery today consists of backyard abolitionists, people like yourself, who are willing to build the bridge to freedom.

How did this thing start? -From Founder David Batstone:
I read in a local paper that one of my favorite Indian restaurants in the Bay Area had been trafficking women from India to wash dishes, cook meals and other tasks. The story came out when a young woman, Chianti Pratipatta died of a gas leak in an unventilated apartment owned by the proprietor of the restaurant, who forced Chianti and others into slavery under threat of reporting their illegal presence to the authorities.

This was happening in my country at a restaurant I frequented. My shock turned into a consuming passion that took me around the world to learn more about how slavery flourishes in the shadows.

I also learned about the solutions. I met heroes. Modern-day abolitionists fighting trafficking and slavery on the front lines. And I knew I had to do something. The Not for Sale Campaign combines technology, intellectual capital, abolitionist groups and a growing network of individuals like yourself – joined together to end slavery in our lifetime.

Earn $3 for our anti-slavery operations simply for voting on good music. It costs you nothing and you won’t get spammed. Three bucks, that’s the price of a trafficked child on the border of Thailand and Laos. Read More

Enlighten your congressional representatives. Not for Sale works in coalition with nine of the world’s leading abolitionist organizations. The Action Group’s aim is to shape government policy and laws by giving voice to service providers who work daily with trafficking survivors. Visit The Action Group website to see what Congress is working on to combat global slavery and see what you can do to make your voice heard.

Run a Freedom Store for one hour a week at your faith community, your school, your workplace. We supply you with products made by emancipated slaves or communities vulnerable to trafficking. Shopping can give dignity or it can deliver misery. We supply the inventory, you ring up the cash register.

To open a Freedom Store, email us here

Take part in an immersion trip to Thailand, Cambodia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua or Peru in 2008. Our journeys are designed to equip you to be a global abolitionist.

If you’d like to go as an individual, or organize a group trip, email us here