Download College Student Apps

If you have a smartphone, install these apps immediately! First, check out DrinkOwl — quite possibly the best application on the planet.  DrinkOwl finds you drink specials and happy hours, while providing you with updated coupons at each locale.  This drinking application is free for both Android and iPhone, and is phenomenal for the broke, bored college student looking to plan a fun outing on a Friday night anywhere in any city.

Next, you’ll want to check out Scoutmob.  Scoutmob is an Atlanta-based startup company that provides location-aware coupons to your smartphone.  The app provides deals to local food and drink venues as well as shops.  Install the app, and the moment you enter any business that serves food, your GPS will buzz you to let you know if there’s a Scoutmob special of the week on the menu.

Finally, you need to get Amazon’s app for your next round of textbooks.  When shopping for books, simply take a photo of the bar code, and this handy app will immediately tell you how and where to find the book for cheap.  In addition, this app will help you sell back used textbooks for Amazon gift cards.  And if you’ve got an iPad, you can forgo the entire textbook buying process all together by searing Apple’s iBooks 2 store that includes digital versions of textbooks for super cheap.

Find a Ride

While you may be broke and possibly without much credit, you still need a car to get to class, go out on the weekends, get to work, take a road trip, etc.  Luckily, you can search online for cars, where you can possibly get an auto loan in as little as two minutes with an online application.  If your credit might’ve been hit during the recession, there are plenty of car companies that can offer auto loans for college students.  And if you begin financing your new car, you can help boost back your credit by making your payments on time.

Get a Job

Not to be confused with getting a “real job.”  But seriously, in order to have some extra money, you should work a little bit on the side.  But work can be defined in a number of ways.  There are many odd jobs that can fit with your class schedule to help score some cash with minimal effort.  Here are 7 quick ideas that, with a bit of research from Google, can help you get started:

• A research subject
• Surveys online
• Odd jobs for people on Craigslist
• Donate plasma
• Buy something and sell it for more
• Become a secret shopper
• Do a bit of street performing
• Thrift stores

Minimal effort too much?  If you’re more of the “no effort” kind of person, you can always flip over to CBS to catch the new reality show “The Job,” an upcoming cable TV show that features competition where unemployed workers fight it out for a mediocre position with a well-known company.  Some critics are accusing the show of using a recession to exploit people and good ratings, but overall it could be a great motivator and helper in giving you tips on how to get a good job.  Perhaps the show can teach you some tips on the ethics of working hard to get what you want?

It’s not only in England that there is great interest in Queen Elizabeth II.  At one time, the British Empire extended all over the world.  According to the online source Wikipedia, the Commonwealth of Nations (formerly known as the British Commonwealth) now consists of over 50 sovereign states.  Many of these were colonies in the British Empire.  As a result, today people all over the world want to know any news about the queen or her family.

Interest in the royal family definitely continues to be very great in one of these nations – Australia.  During the Queen’s most recent visit there in 2011, thousands turned out to greet her.  You can see a very brief video here:

(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/queen-elizabeth-II/8857106/Royal-tour-of-Australia-The-Queen-ends-visit-with-traditional-Aussie-barbie.html)

More recently, the news media sprang into action when it was learned that Kate, Duchess of Cambridge and wife of the queen’s grandson Prince William, had been hospitalized for acute morning sickness.  In Australia, a pair of radio announcers (Mr. Michael Christian and Ms. Mel Greig) thought they had found a way to entertain their listeners in connection with this.  They decided to call the London hospital where Kate was being treated.

The phone call went through and, by impersonating Queen Elizabeth II and her son Prince Charles, the two were able to get confidential information about Kate’s condition.   The first nurse with whom they spoke was a woman named Jacintha Saldanha.  She believed the callers were genuine and cooperated with them.  A short while later, the radio station revealed the prank and broadcast details about Kate’s condition.   The phone call took place on December 4, 2012.  A couple of days later, on December 7, Jacintha Saldanha was found dead in her apartment.  She had taken her own life.

After this incident, a great deal of anger was directed at the two announcers.  When it was revealed that the radio station’s management had to approve the decision to broadcast the recorded call, many people became angry with them too.  Of course, no one at the radio station could have foreseen the prank’s result.

God’s Laws Protect Us

Sadly, many people view God’s laws as restrictions on their freedom.  The fact is, the freedom they have in mind is actually harmful – either to themselves or others.  Only God knows whether or not a silly prank will result in tragedy.   However, by following God’s laws people can often guard against unexpected outcomes that might be harmful to themselves or others.

The Australian radio station’s prank illustrated their disregard for truth, and the Bible has a lot to say about truth.  In fact, we find that word over 200 times in the King James Bible.  Besides those verses, God has much more to say about this matter.  In Exodus 20:16, we read:

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.    

This is one of the Ten Commandments.  Even though it doesn’t have the word “truth,” it is obviously telling us that we need to be truthful.  God even warns us about the danger of pranks.  In Proverbs 26:18-19, we read:

As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,  So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?

Pranks involve deception, and this verse is concerned with the act of deceiving one’s neighbor “in sport.”  That’s exactly what happens in a prank.  Everyone is supposed to laugh when it’s over; but it doesn’t always work out that way.

Another verse is also relevant when we consider God’s view of pranks.  In Leviticus 19:14, we read:

Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD.

Someone might think it’s funny to speak unkindly about a deaf person who is present in a group, or to cause someone to trip because he or she can’t see an object in the way.  In this verse, God warns against doing such things.  (Of course, we know that many verses teach on more than one level.  Leviticus 19:14 appears to be one of these and to also be concerned with the harm caused by bringing a false gospel.)

Truth is a Characteristic of God’s People

Only God can see someone’s heart and only He knows whether or not anyone is saved.  In some verses, He tells us about differences He sees between saved and unsaved people.  In Psalm 15:1-2, we read:

LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?  He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.

Here we learn that a person who “speaketh the truth in his heart” will be in the Lord’s tabernacle and “dwell in thy holy hill.”  About a thousand years after King David recorded that verse, God gave us another verse with a similar idea.  In Revelation 21:27, we read:

And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

In contrast to those who love truth are those who “defileth,” or “worketh abomination” or lie.   They will not be able to enter.  Earlier in chapter 21 of Revelation, God tells us about the place they won’t be able to enter.  It is the new Jerusalem, which represents all the elect and is in the new heavens and earth.

In Psalm 15:1-2, God mentions His tabernacle and His holy hill; in Revelation 21:27, He refers to the new Jerusalem in the new heavens and earth.  These are different ways of telling us the same thing: those committed to truth will be with the Lord after this earth and universe no longer exist.

This will happen on the last day, when all the unsaved people of this world are destroyed along with the remains of all the unsaved people who have died since the world began.  Revelation 21:8 tells us about the fate of these people:

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

God Tells Us About Truth

Usually when we read or hear about truth, we think of it as a dictionary defines it.   Something is true if it is in accordance with the facts or with reality.  On the other hand, a lie is not in accordance with all the facts or reality.  When God tells us not to bear false witness against our neighbor (Exodus 20:16), He is commanding us to be truthful in our dealings with everyone.

In 2 Thessalonians 2:10, we read that a love of the truth is needed in order for someone to be saved:

And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

The word translated in this verse as “truth” is Strong’s number G225 (aletheia).  It is helpful to see how this word is used in some other verses.  John 17:17 is one of them:

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

This verse is from a prayer by the Lord Jesus for His disciples on the last evening He spent with them.  Here, we see that truth is identified with the word of God, which is the Bible.  Since a love for truth is required in order for someone to be saved, it follows that a love for God’s word will be characteristic of anyone who is a child of God.

Another verse in which G225 appears is John 14:6:

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Notice that in this verse the Lord Jesus tells us that He is truth.  So we see that truth is identified with God Himself.  It is only possible to love truth if we love God.

Conclusion

People all over the world learned about the Australian radio station’s prank and its sad aftermath.   This is because it involved the media and the Queen’s family.  However, we may be certain that many pranks that never made news headlines resulted in much suffering and even tragedy.  It is sad to think that there is even a day every year – April Fool’s Day – when people believe it is permissible or even expected of them to participate in a prank.  This clearly shows that the world does not have a love for truth.

On the other hand, a love for truth is a characteristic of God’s people.  In fact, we may say they love truth in three different ways.  First, they love truth because they would not want to violate the commandment against bearing a false witness (Exodus 20:16).

Secondly, God’s people look to the Bible as their source of truth and help in many ways.  John 17:17 tells us “thy word is truth.”  God’s word, which is the Bible, is also referred to as God’s law in many verses.   One of those verses is Psalm 119:163:

I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love.

Therefore, God’s people love truth because they love God’s word, which is His law.  As God works in their lives, He draws them to His word.

Thirdly, God’s people love truth because they love God.  Romans 8:28 tells us:

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Recall that the Lord Jesus told His disciples “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).  If someone loves truth as God wants him or her to love it, that person loves God.

At a time when God no longer restrains evil in the world, we may expect to see an increase in every type of wickedness – including pranks.  God’s people, on the other hand, know that pranks are a violation of truth.  The Bible tells us what it means to love truth, and Romans 8:28 tells us that God works in the lives of those who love Him.  These are the elect for whom all things work together for their good.  We can be sure that this work involves drawing them to truth.

Popular wisdom states that “every dark cloud has a silver lining.”  It also warns that “those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.”

Now that the perpetrators of the Boston Marathon bombing have been tracked down by the capable efforts of the FBI, local police forces, and a vigilant citizenry, the residents of Boston and its surrounding area can breathe a sigh of relief.  Once again, in a city to which some refer as the “cradle of liberty,” American national security has been restored as it has “met the enemy and they are ours.”

Yet, as we bask in the warm sunshine of justice served and a return to business as usual, we must come to terms with the fact that our current enemy is unlike those whom we have met and defeated in the past.  Radial Islam, unlike Nazi Germany or Japan, knows no borders or nationalities.  It is populated by zealots who will continue to foment terror and perpetrate jihad until they subjugate the entire world or are exterminated from it.

In the years following 9/11, Americans have been lulled into a false sense of security by our “war on terror.”  Yet, what has this “war” really accomplished?  Iraq continues to struggle with its fledgling democracy.  The Taliban are regaining strength and will likely reascend to power when American forces leave Afghanistan.  And, most significantly, in the last four years jihadists have carried their fight to American soil – included among these the underwear bomber, the Times Square bomber, the Fort Hood shooter, and most recently, the Boston Marathon bombers.  Our enemies have and continue to use the freedom and openness of American society against us – embedding themselves within our culture and borders with the aim of plotting and carrying out acts of terror against American people and property.

This should be a wake-up call to our present Administration and all of those elected to public office at the local, state, and federal levels.  Pledging to uphold the Constitution and ensure the safety and security of our citizens, elected officials must reaffirm these commitments now.

Our federal government must identify our friends and enemies and treat them as such.  We should not be financing and supporting the Muslim Brotherhood, the force behind the Arab Spring in Egypt and other areas of the Middle East.  On the home front, we should secure our borders from those who would harm us using legal and illegal means to enter our country, among them students entering with visas, guest workers, and all other foreign visitors.

Ronald Reagan stated, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.  We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream.  It must be fought for, protected and handed to them to do the same or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States when men were free.”  To maintain our way of life, we must heed our former President’s sage advice and act now to defeat radical Islam and the other forces of evil, both internally and externally, who would rob us of our freedom and destroy the promise of America.

Now that the dust has settled on the events of Monday past, as we bury our dead and heal our wounded, this fact remains:  America is at war with Islamic terrorists that continue to chant “Death to America” and seek opportunities to kill innocent Americans and disrupt our way of life.

Evidently, this reality has failed to sink into the consciousness of most Americans, many in our government included.  Lighting candles, holding prayerful vigils, and memorializing the site with flowers and stuffed animals is sending the wrong message to the person or persons that perpetrated this heinous act.

In the Hollywood movie, The Searchers, at the desert funeral ceremony of his family massacred by Comanche Indians, John Wayne portraying Ethan Edwards states vehemently “Put an amen to it.  There’s no more time for praying.”  Contemptuous of the customs practiced by society, the Duke is more interested in vengeance than ritual.

This is the response needed to avenge and declare to our enemies that their nefarious deeds will not go unpunished.  We can no longer turn the other cheek when slapped in the face with reality.

Our government should retaliate with swift, decisive action against those who would harm Americans and jeopardize the freedoms that we hold so dear.  It doesn’t take a Sherlock Holmes to identify, in the use of an improvised explosive device (IED), the trademark of our enemies – radical Islam.  We have been slapped in the face at Benghazi and now in Boston, USA, and it’s time to slap back.

No doubt, this action will lead to calls for enhanced security at sporting events, parades, and other public events.  But, at what cost?  If the actions of our enemies force us to submit to invasions of our collective privacy, then we will have traded our freedoms for security and our  enemies will have won.

Rather than burden American citizens, we should place the onus on those who would enter our country.  Background checks should be mandated for any person or persons who wish to enter our country – regardless of his or her status.  Legal immigration should be limited to those who can make a significant contribution to our nation, and our borders should be closed to those seeking to enter illegally.  And, illegal aliens should be returned to their countries of origin; thereby, solving one of the national problems we have today.

For all American citizens, it’s time to rally round the flag in an effort to preserve our way of life.   With so much anti-American sentiment in the world today, it may be time to consider a new isolationism that will both protect our citizens from harm and restore American work to American workers.

It is time for America to heed the motto of Teddy Roosevelt when he stated “speak softly and carry a big stick.”  These are the facts, and they are not subject to dispute by any reasonable person.  Now, we as Americans must affirm our resolve to defend the “grand experiment” that is America, the “shining city on a hill.”

One of the most important aspects in starting your own business is capital; and although there are many ways in which you can secure it, let’s face it, not everyone is willing to invest in something that’s not really established yet.

But thanks to technology and social media, young entrepreneurs can build their own companies with minimal capital.  The Internet makes it easier and more cost-effective for budding businessmen to reach their target market no matter what industry you want to penetrate.  Since most social media platforms are free, your biggest challenge then is making sure that your product or service is publicized across the Web.

Here are some tips on how you can rise to the top of your niche using the Internet and social media.

Become an Expert in Your Niche

In the world of digital marketing, advertising represents a mere fraction of the ways in which you can promote your product or service and frankly, it’s not always the best way to entice people to click through to your website.  Unlike traditional media, on the Web, users value content so just a simple Tweet tip or Share on your Facebook page will garner tons of traffic (and who knows, your Tweet or Share might go viral); thus making you an expert in your chosen industry.

Cultivate Your Readers to Become Customers

“Super users” are customers who already love your brand and voluntarily spread the word about your company without expecting to get paid in return.  Cultivating these “super users” should be your mindset when writing or communicating with your readers or followers because every one of them is a possible client.

Users now control your brand’s image, and you must use this to your advantage.  Choosing online brand ambassadors is cheaper than hiring a celebrity to endorse your product or service.

Make Sure that you are Visible Online

This is commonly taken for granted especially by those who do not know the ins and outs of digital marketing.  But, this is an important factor for digital marketers as well, so that local customers (those that reside within your area) can easily find you.  Go to listing sites like Yelp or make your own Google Places listing so that users will have a better idea of the physical location of your shop or office.  Just make sure that the information that you put in your listing is accurate and if possible, add your company logo or a photo to your listing.

With modern technology, a budding entrepreneur does not need to accumulate a lot of capital or rent an office space just to get a head start in building his company — all he needs are big ideas and knowing how to take advantage of available resources.

So to young entrepreneurs out there, good luck to you!

What’s a hired assassin to do?  Once, like the fictional James Bond, among government’s most secret and prized resources with a “license to kill,” it seems that government-employed killers are just the latest to succumb to automation technology.  As drone technology improves, trained professional killers will likely hit the unemployment lines en masse.

But, don’t rest easy simply because you’re not on a government kill list.  Drone technology is also a terrific means of spying.  This, of course, is a boon to dictators and repressive regimes around the world.  Even, in the good U.S.A., however, this should be a cause for concern.

Pictured above is a drone designed to look like a mosquito, complete with the ability to use its stinger to extract DNA, deliver a lethal dose of poison, capture images or video, or to place a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tracking device on your clothing or skin.

As technology advances, the once fictional world of “Big Brother” comes ever closer to reality.  And, as costs decline, this technology may be available to nosy neighbors, suspicious spouses, or virtually anyone with the desire to snoop on others or perhaps, perform a more nefarious act.

In the words of the title song from the James Bond motion picture The Spy Who Loved Me, “Nobody does it better.”  That still may be true.  But, move over James, you’re about to be replaced by a mosquito!

What makes the idea so simple is that you can calibrate each suggestions to save a little or a lot.  Here are easy ways to reduce the cash going out the door:

1. Free Reading

Even easier than going to the library, download e-books for free.  From classical tales to children stories, there is a broad range of e-read options available for everyone.  Found on LivingFrugalTips.com, there are at least 17 different websites to direct you to free e-books on just about any subject.

2. A Cheaper Way

Find cheaper ways to get the services you need.  Go to a beauty school to get your hair colored instead of paying big bucks at a fancy hair salon.  Paint your house on your own instead of hiring someone to do it for you.  Cut out every feature on your cable, Internet and cell phone service that you’re not using at least once a week.  Frugal living is a mindset.  If it’s something you can do yourself, do it.  If it’s something you can live without, cut it.

3. Buy Used

If you’re rebuilding your credit and need a more reliable car, consider a bad credit auto loan at DriveTime.  The network operates 95 dealerships across the U.S., and it’s known for helping people purchase cars, even with credit problems.  Filling out an application online takes only minutes and the pre-owned vehicle loan qualifying process is easier than applying for a new car loan.

4. Find Free Fun

Don’t forget to take advantage of all the free amusement venues right in your neighborhood — from libraries and museums to parks and free lectures at your local community college or university.  Your local bookstore may have free activities for kids, especially during the summer.  Likewise, some movie theaters located in malls show old movies suitable for kids at no charge on weekdays during the summer.

5. Sip Savings

Brew your own coffee.  Even at “cheap” fast-food restaurants, that cup of java will run you at least a dollar.  An everyday habit of having someone present your coffee to you ends up costing a minimum of $30 a month (and possibly four times that!) that could go toward groceries or bills if you brewed it yourself.

6. Cut Water Costs

By installing low-flow shower heads, faucet aerators and toilet displacement devices, families can save thousands of gallons of water each year, according to the EPA.  By easily cutting water usage, you’ll also cut water costs.  A simple low-flow shower head costs about $5.

7. Shop Consignment Stores

Instead of taking your teens school or birthday shopping at the mall, hit up the consignment stores around Jersey.  You’d be shocked by what people consign — unworn designer clothes with $1,000 price tags still attached and shoes that don’t look like they’ve ever been worn.  If nothing else, you’ll have fun just checking out what’s available.

8. Drop Unused Memberships

Forget the gym membership and go for a jog or brisk walk.  Gym memberships can be a waste of money if you don’t work out regularly or if your gym has extra services (such as a pool or specialized equipment) that you don’t use.

God can reveal truth to us in different ways as we read the Bible.  For example, He uses people, places, objects and even animals to represent ideas associated with His salvation plan.  We might find a certain truth in a statement God made to one of the prophets; but we may also find that truth spoken by someone inspired by the Holy Spirit.

You may find the same truth revealed in completely different parts of the Bible.  We can imagine why God has scattered truth around the Bible this way.  For one thing, it proves that it was actually God who wrote the Bible.  If you see the same truth in two different books of the Bible written hundreds of years apart – and this is often the case – then you know that only God could have written it.

Another reason for God to have written the Bible that way is to help us know we have learned a truth and to give us better understanding of it.  If you find the same idea more than once, you can be more confident that you have understood it correctly; and when you see it expressed in different ways, you get a better understanding of it.

There’s a third possible reason why God wrote the Bible that way.  Since the time it was completed near the end of the first century AD, the Bible has been translated into many different languages.  However, some translations took a very long time to complete.  In some countries, the first missionaries may have been able to complete just a small portion of the translation work.  Only many years later did some peoples have the complete Bible in their own language.  However, because of the way God has packed truth into scripture, it’s possible to understand a great deal of truth from only a small part of the Bible.

God Uses Irony

One of the methods God uses to teach truth is very strange: it is irony.  What exactly is irony?  It’s defined in a couple of different ways.  This definition is from the Oxford American dictionary:

• the expression of one’s meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect: “Don’t go overboard with the gratitude,” he rejoined with heavy irony.

• a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often amusing as a result: [with clause ] the irony is that I thought he could help me.

• (also dramatic or tragic irony) a literary technique, originally used in Greek tragedy, by which the full significance of a character’s words or actions are clear to the audience or reader although unknown to the character.

Sometimes, God develops ironic situations at length.  For example, in the book of Esther we read about a wicked prince named Haman and his plot to destroy a Jew named Mordecai.  When the king asks Haman how to honor a man with whom he is pleased, Haman suggests several ways – all the while thinking that this is for himself.  However, Haman soon learns that it is Mordecai whom the king wants to honor, and Haman is ordered to take charge of the proceedings to honor the very man he hates (Esther 6:10).  Even more ironic is Haman’s execution on the gallows he had built to have Mordecai hanged (Esther 5:14).

Another ironic situation is found in the book of Acts.  The apostle Peter had been put in prison (Acts 12:3-6), but the Lord released him (Acts 12:7-10).  As soon as Peter realizes what has happened, he goes to a house where the disciples are gathered together praying for him.  He starts knocking – and knocking – at the door.  So there is Peter, outside and unable to get into the prayer meeting where the disciples are praying for his release!  They did eventually open the door (Acts 12:16), but Peter didn’t go in.   Apparently, he thought all that knocking might have attracted attention so that it would no longer be safe for him to be there.

The irony in these situations involving Haman and Peter is developed over several verses; but sometimes God uses irony with only a few words.  Something a person says may reveal a truth about which he or she is apparently unaware.

Jesus As God

Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?  Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

John 8:57-58

The Bible reveals that Abraham lived more than 2,000 years before the Lord Jesus began His earthly ministry.  The religious leaders who argued with Jesus may not have known any of the correct dates for Abraham’s life as we now do; but they knew that no man who was their contemporary could have possibly seen Abraham.   That’s why they asked the Lord, “hast thou seen Abraham?”

There is great irony in their question, because the Bible reveals that the Lord Jesus really did see Abraham face to face.   In fact, He saw Abraham more than once.  We read about one of those times in Genesis 14, when Abraham met the priest Melchizedek.   The entire account is in Genesis 14:18-20:

And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.  And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:  And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

We see from these verses that Abraham, whose name was originally Abram, gave tithes to Melchizedek.  The book of Hebrews reveals that this was actually the Lord Jesus.  In Hebrews 7:3-4, we read about Melchizedek:

Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.  Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

Only God has neither beginning of days nor end of life.  Also, we know from the book of Hebrews that the Lord Jesus is our high priest.  Hebrews 4:14-15 reveals that truth:

Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Therefore, we find that the Bible reveals the Lord Jesus actually did see Abraham when He appeared as Melchizedek.

We find another example of God using irony in the fourth Gospel, and it’s related to the example we have just seen.  In John 4, there is an account of the Lord’s conversation with a woman of Samaria at a well.  In John 4:12, we read the woman’s question to Him:

Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

How much greater is God than any man who has ever lived?  There is no comparison, of course; so there is great irony in this woman’s question.

The Blood that Saved

There’s a very interesting incident recorded in Acts chapter 5.  This occurred sometime after Pentecost in 33 AD, when many new believers were being added to the church (Acts 5:14).  The apostles had been teaching and performing many miracles of healing (Acts 5:16).  This angered the high priest (Acts 5:17-18), who had them arrested and imprisoned.  However, God released them (Acts 5:19-20) and told them to go to the temple and teach the people.

When the apostles were discovered in the temple, the high priest had them brought before him.  He questioned them, as we read in Acts 5:28:

Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.

The high priest accused the apostles of intending “to bring this man’s blood upon us.”  The Bible has a number of verses providing some insight into what the high priest must have been thinking.  For instance, in Leviticus 20:9 we read:

For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.

Here, the idea is that someone who has committed a serious offense will suffer the penalty of having his own blood shed.  He will pay with his life, and his blood will be “upon him.”  We also find this idea in Joshua 2, where we read about Rahab hiding the men who went to spy out Jericho for Israel (Joshua 2:1).   They promised to save her and her family because she helped them.  In Joshua 2:19, we read:

And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.

The men tell Rahab that they will be guilty (“his blood shall be on our head”) if anyone in her family is killed when they are with in her house.  This is why the high priest said to the apostles “ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.”

When we remember some of the verses dealing with the shed blood of the Lord Jesus, we can understand this statement in a completely different way.  For example, in 1 John 1:7 we read:

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

The blood of Jesus Christ washes away sin, and that’s what happens when God saves someone.  We also read about this in Revelation 1:5:

And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,  

Isn’t it ironic?  The apostles really did try to do exactly what the high priest accused them of trying to do.  He accused them of intending “to bring this man’s blood upon us.”  By preaching and telling everyone about the Lord Jesus, the apostles did want to bring His blood upon them – but not to harm them in any way.  It was in the hope that they may have been become saved.

Pruning the Branches

We find the words “branch” and “branches” in many different verses in the Bible.  In both Old and New Testaments, several different words from the original languages are translated into those words.  God uses those words in many different ways, so their meanings can change completely from one verse to another.  For example, in Zechariah 6:12 the word “branch” is used as a reference to the Lord:

And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD:

However, in many other verses it clearly refers to people God has saved.  For example, in Luke 13:18-19 we read:

Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it?  It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.

These branches represent people in the kingdom of God, and it’s the same idea we find in John 15:1-2:

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

A branch that does not bear fruit will be removed, just as someone who is a Christian in name only will not inherit eternal life.  He will be “taken away.”   On the other hand, the Lord tells us in this verse that He “purgeth” or prunes a branch that bears fruit.  What is this fruit?  We read about it in Galatians 5:22-23:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Only those whom God has saved can bear fruit like this.  They are no longer under the penalty of the law – which is death – because God has saved them.  However, the Lord prunes these “branches” so that they “may bring forth more fruit.”

This brings us to something the Lord Jesus said to Mary Magdalene.  Mary had gone to the tomb early Sunday morning after the Lord had been crucified on Friday.  She discovered that the tomb was empty and ran back to tell the others (John 20:2).  She then returned to the tomb.  As she was standing there weeping, she saw a man whom she believed to be the gardener, as we read in John 20:15:

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.    

It’s clear from this verse that Mary thought the man who spoke to her was the gardener responsible for taking care of the grounds around the tombs.  However, she soon realized that this was the risen Lord Jesus.  Yet there is irony here too.

When we check the word translated as “gardener,” we find that it is Strong’s number G2780: “kepouros.”  This word is used only once in the Bible; but it’s based on G2779, “kepos,” which is found five times in the Bible and always translated as “garden.”   So it appears safe to say that, based on John 20:15, Mary definitely thought she met a gardener.

Recall that in John 15:2, the Lord told us what the Father does: every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.  If we had only this verse, we might think this work in a believer’s life involves only the Father, but it isn’t so easy as that.  We have other verses telling us something amazing.  In John 14:9, the Lord Jesus said: “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father.”  And in John 10:30, the Lord Jesus told the Jews:

I and my Father are one.      

We also find the Lord Jesus identified as the “everlasting Father” in this wonderful verse, Isaiah 9:6:

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

With these verses in mind, we can see the irony in what we read about Mary Magdalene meeting the Lord Jesus that Sunday morning.  In John 20:15, we read that she supposed “him to be the gardener.”  Now we see that she really did meet a gardener.  In fact, she met THE Gardener!

Conclusion

We’ve seen how God uses irony in several situations in the Bible.  God’s use of the word “gardener” in John 20:15 appears to be one of them.  It conveys the idea that God works in His “garden” among the elect (see also Song of Solomon 6:2).

God compares His work in the lives of the elect to the process of pruning branches: He prunes a “branch” so that it may bring forth more fruit.  God also tells us about this work in other ways.  For example, in Hebrews 12:6 we read:

For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

The word translated as “chasteneth” is also found in Revelation 3:19:

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Here, God is telling us He chastens “As many as I love.”  In Proverbs 3:11-12, we also see the idea that chastening is associated with God’s love:

My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:  For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

Clearly, those He loves are those who have become saved.   Salvation comes at some time during a person’s life.  That’s why the Lord Jesus told Nicodemus that it was necessary to be “born again.”  We find that in John 3:3:

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  

Only after being “born again” can someone be counted among those whom God loves.  However, after God has saved an individual – that is, after that person has been born again – then he or she will eventually be chastened.  That is a sobering thought, because it means God will intentionally send difficulties to every true believer at some time in his or her life.  This chastening can be mild, but it can also be a horrible experience – as it was for Job.

We may wonder why Job had to suffer so terribly, but we know that there is purpose in everything God does.  When we read Job 32:1-2, we see that even Job’s suffering fits with the idea of chastening for a purpose:

So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.  Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.

Most of God’s children will never suffer so much chastening as Job did; but whenever it comes, they can know that God loves them and has provided instructions to help them through that time, as we read in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18:

Rejoice evermore.  Pray without ceasing.  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

There are several great motorcycle events coming up in New Jersey.  We’ve put together a list of the best spring events in the state, along with a list of maintenance tips to help you enjoy the open road without hassle.

Events You Don’t Want to Miss

Saturday, April 13 – the Elks Motorcycle Committee will host their Tenth Annual Rally for Brain Injured Children in Old Bridge at the Elks Lodge.  A $20 donation is requested, and the event will happen rain or shine.  Proceeds go to benefit children with medical needs.

Sunday, April 14 – Jersey Iron is hosting the “Jimmy Jam” at the Hedger House.  The event takes place in Chatsworth and runs from 1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.  Funds will be used to benefit Big Jim, who is fighting bone cancer.

Thursday, April 18 – Williams Harley-Davidson in Lebanon is hosting a Harley boot camp for guys and gals who want to learn more about the brand and the bikes and motorcycle accessories offered.  The event begins at 6:30 p.m. and ends at 9:00 p.m.

Saturday, April 20 – Riders of the Apocalypse CMA Chapter 919 is hosting their Biker Blessing and Breakfast from 9:00 a.m. to noon.  The event takes place in Scotch Plains, and will feature self-guided rides and other attractions.  The event will benefit the victims of Hurricane Sandy, and will happen rain or shine.

photo Ian Griffiths

Saturday, April 27 – St. George’s Episcopal Church will host a Blessing of the Bikes in Helmetta.  Proceeds will benefit the church’s food pantry.  Everyone is invited to attend.  Bike blessing is at 11:30 a.m., followed by a bike run and then back to the event for food, music and vendors.

Sunday, April 28 – the Fifth Annual Joann Miller Memorial Run will happen in Augusta.  Bikers will take part in a 60-mile bike run with police escorts.  All proceeds from the event will benefit homeless dogs who are patiently waiting for loving homes.  Check-in and breakfast happen from 8:30 a.m. until 10:00 a.m.  A Blessing of the Bikes will take place at 10:30, with kickstands up for the ride at 10:45. An optional after-party will be hosted from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Get Your Ride Ready

Before you hit the highway, it’s important to make sure you have the right motorcycle accessories and that your bike is ready for the road.  While some hardier bikers ride year-round, many put their bikes in the garage during the coldest part of the winter.  When you bring your bike out in the spring, there are several things you should do to ensure it’s road-ready.  Check the tires for leaks and bald spots and replace if necessary.  Change your oil and top off all fluids.  Inspect the chain or belt for wear or breaks, and oil the chain well.  Inspect your brakes for proper stopping power, and make sure all of your lights and turn signals are in working order.  Also check the clutch and throttle connections to ensure everything is working properly.  If you are well-versed in bike maintenance, you can do this yourself, but it’s always good to have a professional check things over so you don’t have to worry.

In John 8, we read about an incident that occurred during the ministry of the Lord Jesus.  The Lord had been teaching in the temple, and a group of scribes and Pharisees came to Him.  They brought a woman they had arrested for adultery, and asked the Lord what He had to say about it.  In John 8:5 we read their question:

Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 

These men didn’t want the Lord’s help in making a decision.  Instead, they wanted Him to say something they could use against Him.

The Lord didn’t answer their question.  Instead, He did something curious.  John 8:6 states:

This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.

We don’t know how long this continued.  In any event, we learn that the men kept asking their question.   John 8:7-8 tells us:

So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

The Lord finally gave them an answer when He said, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.”  Of course, that wasn’t the kind of answer the men were hoping to hear.  However, notice what the Lord did before and after He spoke to them: He wrote on the ground.  What did He write?  The Bible doesn’t tell us, but it is possible to give an answer to this question.

Walking on the Sea

In several places in the Old Testament, God tells us something about Himself.  Some of these verses deal with ways in which He demonstrates His great power.  For example, in Job 9:8 we read this about the Lord:

Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.

Recall that in the very first verse of the Bible, Genesis 1:1, God tells us that He created heaven and earth:

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.  

The first part of Job 9:8 certainly seems to be a reference to the creation as revealed in Genesis 1:1.  Now notice the second part of Job 9:8: “treadeth upon the waves of the sea.”  The word translated “treadeth” (Strong’s number H1869) is translated in several different ways; but it mostly has the idea of someone walking over something and pushing down on it so that it is bending under the person’s weight.

Next, consider the word translated “sea.”   That is Strong’s number H3220, and it’s used 396 times.  Most of the time, it’s translated as “sea.”  Finally, consider the word translated “waves.”  That word is only translated as “waves” in this one verse.  It’s Strong’s number H1116 (“bamah”), and it’s translated as “high places”100 times out of its 102 uses.  From many Old Testament verses, we know that high places were associated with idol worship; so we should be alert for spiritual meaning in any verse with the word “bamah.”  However, based on the context of Job 9:8 we certainly see a picture of God walking on the waves of the sea.

Interestingly, that’s what the Lord Jesus did one stormy night.  In Matthew 14:23-25, we read:

And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.  But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.  And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

The disciples saw the Lord walking in the “midst of the sea” as their ship was “tossed” with waves!  The account goes on to tell us they were so terrified at this sight that they cried out in fear.  Even though it was a very disturbing experience, these men were privileged to see the Lord Jesus demonstrate to them in a unique way that He is God.

Through the Midst of Them

In Luke 4, we read about an occasion when the Lord Jesus taught in a synagogue in Nazareth.  The Lord had already begun His ministry by that time (Luke 4:14-16), and people throughout the area knew about Him.  The Lord Jesus had been brought up in Nazareth, so one might think the people there would have been happy to hear the Lord teach in their synagogue.  However, God’s message is not something unsaved people can accept.

The Lord Jesus reminded the people in the synagogue that there had been severe need in Israel hundreds of years earlier during the great famine of Elijah’s day (1 Kings 17), but Elijah wasn’t sent to help any of them.  Rather, he was sent to a poor widow in the city of Sidon (Luke 4:25-26).  Also, there had been many lepers in Israel at that time, but God sent Elijah to heal only Naaman – who was a Syrian (Luke 4:27).  For us, the lesson from these examples is that God chooses when and where to save people.  Salvation isn’t a matter of descent or birthright, and it isn’t up to man to decide that he wants to be saved.

When the people heard what the Lord had said, they were so enraged that a group of them grabbed Him and brought Him up to a high location outside the city to throw Him down – as we read in Luke 4:28-31:

And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.  But he passing through the midst of them went his way, And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.

It wasn’t in His plans to die that day, so the Lord Jesus simply passed “through the midst of them and went his way.”   There is no reason to think that the Lord struggled to get free or talked His way out of the situation.  Instead, He just used His power to transform Himself.  That’s how He was able to pass “through the midst of them.”  With this incident in mind, read Job 9:11:

Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.

This verse is telling us about something God can do (see also Deuteronomy 23:14).  When we read this verse from Job and remember what the Lord Jesus did on that hill outside Nazareth, we see it was another way in which He demonstrated He is God.

He Maketh the Storm a Calm

Much of Psalm 107 deals with God’s control over nature.  Some of its verses (see Psalm 107:23-25) show us a picture of men in a ship at sea when a storm arises.  Notice verses 28-30:

Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.   He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.   Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.  

It is the Lord who “maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.”  Do these verses remind you of anything?  In Mark 4:37-39, we read about an occasion when the Lord Jesus was with His disciples on a ship:

And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.  And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?  And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

The disciples who witnessed this event were amazed at what happened.  Did they know about those verses from Psalm 107, or realize that their Master had just done something only God can do?  Probably not, for in Mark 4:41, we read:

And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? 

Unlike those disciples, we have the whole Bible and are able to search out these things.  Some of what we discover is that the Lord Jesus proved by His miracles that He is God.

The Finger of God

Do any of these miracles help us know what the Lord Jesus wrote on the ground when the scribes and Pharisees came to Him that day?  They do, but only if you know about something else in the Bible.

In Exodus 20:1-17, we find the Ten Commandments the Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:20, 23).  These were written on two tables or tablets of stone.  The Bible reveals there were actually two sets of these tablets. Moses broke the first set in anger when he came down from the mountain and saw the golden calf that his brother Aaron had made (Exodus 32:17-19).

The Lord then had Moses carve out another set of tablets (Exodus 34:1) and again ascend Mount Sinai (Exodus 34:2-4).  Moses was up there with the Lord 40 days and nights.  When he came down, he brought the second set of tablets.  They were kept in the ark and survived for centuries (2 Chronicles 5:10).

The Bible indicates that God Himself wrote on both sets of tablets.  However, in verses applying to the first set we learn something that helps us to understand what the Lord Jesus did that day when He wrote on the ground.  In Exodus 32:15-16, we read:

And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.  And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.

Now notice what we read in Exodus 31:18:

And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

Here, we learn how God wrote the “testimony” or law on stone: He did it with His finger!  By keeping this in mind and remembering that the Lord Jesus demonstrated by many miracles that He is God, we can now understand something about John 8:6:

This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.

It was no miracle for the Lord to stoop down to the ground and write.  Almost anyone could do that.  However, when the Lord Jesus did it, He showed the scribes and Pharisees that it was He who had given Moses the Ten Commandments.  Just as the miracles demonstrated that the Lord Jesus is God, so did this simple act of stooping down to write on the ground.

Some Overlooked Words

Although the Bible doesn’t tell us so, it is very reasonable to conclude that the Lord Jesus was writing out the Ten Commandments that day.  It was a way to show the scribes and Pharisees that He was the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; and that it was He who brought the children of Israel out of Egypt.  The story of the Exodus is very relevant for Christians today, because it shows us a picture of God’s people (represented by Israel) being rescued from spiritual darkness (represented by Egypt under the pharaoh who ruled at that time).

The Ten Commandments are also very relevant today.  Even many people who are neither Christians nor Jews have read these commandments.  They are even displayed in public at some places.  However, often when we see them in print or in public we find that they begin with Exodus 20:3:

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

This verse is listed as the first commandment.  The Lord Jesus may have had enough time to write out those words while He stooped down to the ground.  However, in all likelihood He didn’t start His writing with that verse.  It is actually the preceding verse that has the first words the Lord spoke to Moses when giving him the Ten Commandments.  These words are often omitted when we read the list, and are found in Exodus 20:2:

I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

Did the Lord Jesus write those words on the ground?  We can’t say with certainty, but it appears very likely He did.  His writing that day would have been consistent with everything He did and taught during His ministry of about three and a half years.  In many ways, He revealed that He was the God of ancient Israel.  That was the real message on the ground.