Non-Playable Players

November 9, 2018

by Jeff Reed

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Video games have been a part of my life since I was very young. I remember playing pong on a television when I was five then later playing computer games and consoles as they technologically advanced through the decades. One of my most memorable game experiences was playing the Legend of Zelda on the Nintendo NES. This was one of the first games where the player could explore an open world and interact with various characters. These non-playable characters (NPCs) would have very simple preprogrammed dialogue. If you interacted with one more than once they usually would repeat the same phrases over and over. There was one unusual character that kept repeating the phrase “I AM ERROR.”

Hearing God’s Voice

October 31, 2018
by Jeff Reed

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Do a search about hearing God’s voice and you will find a number of things. First, there are numerous articles that offer advice from Scripture and opinion on how to hear His voice. I skimmed a few of these articles and found that many of them would ultimately include advice about hearing an inner voice speaking to us. A search will also find numerous people of varying degrees of popularity that believe they hear daily revelations from God. They are usually eager to share those messages and want you to hear them.

The Added Law

October 24, 2018
By Jeff Reed

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In our weekly Bible Study in the Tyler church we have been discussing the Letter to the Galatians. Paul is pretty clear in this letter that we cannot earn our salvation from keeping God’s law. He explains that God’s promises were always a result of faith. It has never been God’s plan for man to receive justification from the law. He tells us “the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed.’ So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham” (Galatians 3:8-9).

The Distinction Between God’s Mercy and Grace

October 15, 2018
by Jeff Reed

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We usually think of mercy and grace as the same thing, but there is an important distinction. I’ll give you a personal example to illustrate this. Several years ago I was pulled over for speeding. I was on a four lane divided highway early in the morning driving a very reasonable speed of 55 mph. Unfortunately for me the legal speed was 30 mph. There is a terrible feeling that accompanies the flashing blue lights in your rear view mirror. That feeling for me embodies the terror of paying several hundred dollars for a speeding ticket and thousands of dollars in increased car insurance premiums. A mistake like this could be very costly. I was pretty afraid.

The Santa Meme

November 29, 2018
by Jeff Reed

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Memes are usually thought of as an image, usually of a celebrity or funny child, accompanied with a phrase of comedic or social value. They are spread via social media services, email, and texts generally for fun. Some of these memes become very popular and are known to spread virally. The term originates from a scientific theory Richard Dawkins proposed in his 1976 book The Selfish Gene. It was a way to describe the evolution of ideas in society. The Wikipedia describes it as “an idea, behavior, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture—often with the aim of conveying a particular phenomenon, theme, or meaning represented by the meme.”

Memes are essentially the units of societal evolution that shape our cultures. Useful or popular ideas survive. Others die off. This can apply to almost any part of a culture whether it be religion, science, or the arts. For example, someone originally had an idea to grow a toothbrush mustache in the 19th century. It was a style consisting of about two inches of roughly square facial hair above the lip. Some of their friends and acquaintances almost certainly liked the style and eventually imitated it. This is when it became a meme. Popular movie stars Oliver Hardy and Charlie Chaplin wore one. It became a popular fashion choice for men in the United States during the early 20th century and eventually made its way to Germany. Adolph Hitler liked it so much he wore one, and then the meme immediately died after World War II. No one wanted to look like Hitler.

Another, more successful, meme began around the same time. It was the modern Santa Claus myth. This meme was able to transform the holiday of Christmas from a religious celebration with roots in paganism into the most commercially successful season of the year. Most retailers believe that they cannot survive without the Christmas season, which accounts for between 30 to 40 percent of their annual sales. It is now an official holiday in over 160 countries and also celebrated widely by many people who do not identify as Christians.

The Santa Claus meme has its origins in the earlier traditions that involved Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, and the Dutch Sinterklaas. We don’t know exactly when, but the Dutch Christmas traditions influenced someone in New York to tell their children that Santa Claus would bring them gifts on Christmas Eve. This idea would spread quickly in the early 19th century. In 1823 the modern Santa Claus was canonized with the publication of the poem “An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas,” more commonly known as “The Night Before Christmas.” This poem would ascribe Santa all of his signature attributes including his sleigh, reindeer, jolly and chubby elf-like appearance, and magical chimney maneuvering. In the following decades Santa would be widely used in newspaper and retail marketing. His popularity would continue to grow. This meme was unstoppable. Major corporations like Sears, Roebuck, and Company and Coca Cola would eventually add their spin on the character in order to increase their sales. Santa was great for business!

The Santa meme has now become so ingrained in our culture that many parents continue to lie to their children about his magical powers and gift giving. It is considered taboo for children who know the truth to tell their friends that Santa does not exist. People are very touchy about this. Santa Claus and Christmas have become synonymous. Nostalgia for the holiday is very much connected to this association. The commercial and social aspects of Christmas are now stronger and more popular than ever.

For many reasons I, as a Christian, have decided not to participate in this holiday. The strongest is that there is no connection to the Jesus of the Bible. Yes, it was adapted from the Saturnalia to commemorate His birth. But celebrating His birth is not biblical. Celebrating it takes attention away from God’s Holy Days that actually have a strong connection to our Savior Jesus Christ. The Christmas that is celebrated today has a long cultural evolution incorporating many memes from paganism and other sources. The Bible is clear what we should do in these situations.

“When the Lord your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it” (Deuteronomy 12:29-32).

God’s Holy Days are different than worldly holidays. They are not influenced by culture or memes. They do not evolve. They are timeless and wonderful. If you have not heard of them I encourage you to begin studying and learning more about the true Holy Days in the Bible.

 

False Witness

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October 9, 2018
by Jeff Reed

When we think of the Ninth Commandment, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor,” we usually put it in the context of not lying. Most of us agree that lying is an awful trait and that it usually leads to negative consequences in our life. I can attest from personal experience this is a fact. As could most of you reading this article. It is a universal value that we find in every culture and religion around the world. So what makes God’s commandment to “not bear false witness” unique? Is it just restating the obvious?

This commandment was actually revolutionary when God revealed it to Israel. Up until this time it would be common for the leaders of tribes, city states, and nations to execute or imprison individuals based on the word of only one witness. This type of ancient legal system would give more credibility based on the accuser’s socioeconomic status. The richer and more influential one would be in society, the easier it would be for them to inflict punishment on others. It is easy to see how this could be abused. And it was. Many of the leaders would use this type of biased legal system to expand their power. They could execute or imprison their political enemies based on false testimony. We can still see evidence of this practice in some countries today.

But God’s commandment to “not bear false witness” was unique. It would provide the framework for the true justice that mankind’s legal systems lacked. There were a couple additional laws that expand on this commandment that make its purpose clear.

Deuteronomy 17:6 states, “Whoever is deserving of death shall be put to death on the testimony of two or three witnesses; he shall not be put to death on the testimony of one witness.” This is important because it completely removes punishment from only the testimony of a single witness. In Israel, no longer could a rich person punish a poor person based solely on their word. This is very important if we understand some basics of human nature. One is that humans will often lie to advance their own power and agenda. Secondarily, it has been proven scientifically that eye witnesses often remember things differently and sometimes incorrectly. This inconsistency in memory increases over time from when the event was initially witnessed. Requiring multiple witnesses to establish facts ensures that there will be equal justice applied for everyone.

Another important expansion of the law is found a few chapters later. “One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established. If a false witness rises against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing, then both men in the controversy shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who serve in those days. And the judges shall make careful inquiry, and indeed, if the witness is a false witness, who has testified falsely against his brother, then you shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother; so you shall put away the evil from among you” (Deuteronomy 19:15-19).

Punishing a false witness with the same punishment they intend for the one they accuse is a very advanced principle of justice. It serves as a major deterrent to making false accusations. How likely would it be for someone to make false accusations of murder if they faced the death penalty when their testimony is proven false? Would you do it? I know I wouldn’t. The current laws in the United States do not follow this principle. If they did, we would have less innocent people in prison. At least one in twenty people convicted of murder in the U.S. are later found to be innocent. That is too many. This is a very important part of the commandment that most people are unaware.

The Ninth Commandment is revolutionary. It was given to promote justice and protect everyone. It was designed to remove socioeconomic bias and protect the accused. It is now unfortunately only partially applied in our current legal systems. One day that will change. I personally look forward to that day when Jesus returns and “He will not fail nor be discouraged, Till He has established justice in the earth” (Isaiah 42:4).

The Calling of God

 

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By: Lanora

Do you remember when you were called into God’s Truth and His way of life? Remember how excited you felt and how you wanted to share it with everyone. It is still just as vivid in my mind today as it was twenty-eight years ago. That was when I responded to God’s calling. When I look back on my life I could actually see that God was working with me long before I even recognized it.

Train up a Child

 

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Are we teaching our children today how to show respect to one another and to love God with all our heart? Moses writes in Deuteronomy 6:7 that it is our daily job to teach our children. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.

I know as a parent just as our Father in Heaven is our parent, that you love, care and try to do what is best for your children. And it is out of love that we correct them when they have made the wrong decision or have chosen the wrong path in life.