Research has shown that 11 million American adults cannot read. That means they cannot pick up the word of God and study it. They cannot pick up a tract and read to find out how to know Jesus Christ. This reminds us of a phrase found in Romans 10:14, which says, "how shall they hear without a preacher". Should these people go unreached because they are not able to read? I think not. Perhaps God's people need to be looking at training others to read. In the mean time, we ought to be thinking of ways to get good tracts, books and other items available in audio format. It wouldn't take much to take good tracts and produce audio files to distribute to those who cannot read. Maybe God will stir some hearts to reach these with the word of God.

Should we participate in the man made holiday of Lent?

An article in the August 19, 2006, edition of "World" magazine tells how the worship of serpents is "present in virtually every country of the ancient world." According to the Bible, there was a time when all people knew the true God, but they purposely turned away from Him and went after images and false gods (Romans 1:21-23). Certainly, Noah's family knew the story of the Fall of man in the Garden of Eden and passed along to their families. Here is just a sampling of the traditions of the snake in cultures around the world. Some of the stories consider the snake to be evil; others take him as the source of wisdom.

Probably the most effective means by which the new version promoters "deceive the hearts of the simple" (Rom. 16:18) is by describing the King James Bible as a book filled with archaic words that no one uses or understands anymore. This argument is designed to keep a naïve person from purchasing that Book.

For centuries, the Romans controlled the Western world. Their many advantages included their military, their commerce, their administration, and their transportation systems. The Roman legion was feared by many. However, most people do not know that one of the greatest advantages of the Roman army was what is known as the marching camp.

Recently, I was studying the terrible incident in the life of Simon Peter in which he denied his Saviour three times. On one of those occasions, someone accused him by saying, "Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee" (Matthew 26:73). I was reminded of that verse after reading a 14 December 2006 article on msn.com (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16187129/). The article was entitled "Men and women: Are we wired differently?" A couple of things are of interest in the article.

Recently we were mailed an advertisement for Christian romance novels. Included in the information were testimonials from women praising these works of fiction for blessing them and giving them hope. Also included was a survey in which, using a multiple choice format, women could mark their preferences as to their perfect home (i.e. house), automobile, and vacation destination. Of course all choices were very expensive. They could even choose the type of man they would prefer to go on a date with, presumably for guidance in later works of romantic fiction.

In fundamental circles it is popular to teach that an "apostate" is one who is lost with little hope of redemption. This definition makes "apostate" synonymous with "reprobate." Perhaps this definition keeps the continually-backsliding fundamentalists of our day from ever having the ugly word used to describe them, since they are saved. However the dictionary definition of an apostate is very applicable to the modern fundamentalist. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines an apostate as "one who has forsaken the...profession to which he before adhered."

Paul has already condemned the Gentiles for their wickedness in the first chapter of Romans. Here, he blasts the Jews because of their pride and false sense of righteousness. They are absolutely confident of their special position with God, but their confidence is in themselves and not in God.

The Lord promises that He will restore the scattered Israelites to the land of promise when they repent and return to Him. Continued possession of the land is based on obedience to the commandments of God. This day the Israelites have a choice to make between blessing and cursing; between life and death. God pleads with them to choose life.