Charlie Leroy Vaughn

My grandfather, known as "Gramps" to us, died this morning from a heart attack. He was a godly man and was blessed with 94 years of life. Jesus saved Gramps when he was young and was truly his Lord and Savior. Gramps probably knew more hymns than anyone I knew. In fact, he was constantly picking a hymn for Jennifer to play that she had never heard of! Of course, he seemed to think that was funny, but I'm not sure about her...haha. Gramps was "old-school" in that he never questioned whether or not the Bible was God's Word..."of course, it's God's Word, that's what it says, isn't it?" He taught me at a very young age to enjoy sorghum syrup, cane syrup, cured hams, and all those other old country foods. And to this day...I still eat that stuff...He also taught me the importance of being faithful to God. And yes, I know Gramps was not perfect, but he took his relationship with the Lord seriously. He loved the Lord, his family, and his church. He also loved his wife, "Maw-Maw." They had been married 70 years and 8 months. Now I worry about her and how she will respond to this sudden change (she is 92). Well, I don't know if any of this makes sense, and I don't really feel like going back over it to proof read it, but I do know that Gramps loved God and his family. And we loved Gramps. I'm so happy to have all the memories I do of him...but I'm sad that he's gone. I'm going to miss him a lot, but I do know that one day I will see him again for Jesus Christ is my Savior too!

Also, check out my uncle's blog (Robert's Vaughn - Seeking The Old Paths) to see more about my grandfather.

[If you would like to know how to have Jesus as your Lord and Savior, check out this web page www.ebenezermbc.com. Click on the salvation tab and read the Scriptures and explanations listed.]

We Shall See Jesus

Ummm...

Well, last night's game was interesting. Miami played hard. The Refs called pretty good. But the A&M play-calling stunk! For example: Let's imagine we have a 293 lb. tailback that no defense in the nation (Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, etc.) has been able to stop. Let's also imagine that this tailback got 20 touchdowns last year (2nd in the nation). Let's also imagine that this tailback was the decisive factor in the win versus Fresno St. Let's also imagine this tailback did not get the ball until 38:00 minutes into the game last night. Let's also imagine this tailback only rushed the ball 2 times. Let's also imagine that this was possible the worst called (A&M play-calling that is) game I've seen in a long time...Oh wait! I'm not imagining...it was real! The offense was flat...the defense was flat...the special teams was flat (yours truly was also flat...flat on his back after exhausting himself of "informing" the coaches what to do through his television). Oh well, there was one bright moment. The second string quarterback looks like he may be the next superstar...of course, that is until the play-calling is bad again...

Cremation vs. Burial - Part 3

(more info from the below referenced website)

Is it Wrong for Christians to Choose Cremation?
Some factors which favor cremation:
It can be more economical, because a simple container can be used in place of an expensive casket.
There is no cost associated with the purchase and perpetual care of a grave site, or tombstone.
It allows scattering of the remains in a place of significance to the deceased.
Some people would rather have their body disposed of quickly by heat rather than allow it to decay in a grave.

Some factors which favor burial:
God selected burial at Moses' death (Deuteronomy 34:6).
Most of the reference to burning of a body in the Bible are instances of: punishment for criminal acts, punishment for improper behavior, killings by Pagans, or destruction of idols and evil material.
St. Paul appears to favor burial. In 1 Corinthians 15:35-44, he discusses how God will raise the decomposed body of a believer. The symbolism used is that of planting a seed and having new life rise from the decaying seed.
The Christian church has advocated burial since its inception. They reserved burning for Witches and other heretics. They exterminated hundreds of thousands of them, mainly during the 15th to 18th centuries.
Cremation can be an aid to murderers. Once a body has been cremated, it cannot be exhumed and analyzed for poisons.

Various Christian groups have taken a variety of positions on cremation:
The People's Gospel Hour condemns the practice.
The Roman Catholic Church used to condemn the practice. In fact, the only German Catholics excommunicated during World War II were not prison guards at extermination camps or other mass murderers; they were individuals who favored cremation.
RBC Ministries suggests a cautious approach.
Most Christian groups take a neutral stance.
"Cremation is completely banned by traditional Jews. Orthodox and Conservative practice would allow it only in a time of plague. Otherwise, interment in a Jewish cemetery is mandated." These beliefs are reinforced by recent memories of the millions of Jews who were cremated in the death camps of Nazi Germany. However, some rabbis in the Jewish Reform movement support cremation if it is the wish of the deceased.

Cremation vs. Burial - Part 2

(more info from the referenced website below)

What Does The Bible Say About Burial? (Continued):
The burial of many important Biblical figures is described in the Bible:
Genesis 25:8-10: Abraham
Genesis 23:1-4: Sarah
Genesis 35:19-20: Rachel
Genesis 35:29: Isaac
Genesis 49:33 and 50:1-13: Jacob
Genesis 50:26: Joseph (The Israelites went to great effort to bury his body in the Promised Land; they retained it for over 300 years in Egypt and after the Exodus during 40 years of wanderings before burying it.)
Deuteronomy 34:6: Moses (God selected a burial site at a secret location in Moab for Moses.)
Joshua 24:29-30: Joshua
Joshua 24:33: Eleazar
1 Samuel 25:1: Samuel
1 Kings 2:10: David
Matthew 14:10-12: John the Baptist
Acts 5:5-10: Ananias and Sapphira
Acts 8:2: Stephen

To be not given a proper burial was considered to be a great tragedy and dishonor.
1 Kings 13:22: A prophet disobeyed God by eating a meal in a forbidden location. God laid a curse on him: that his body would not be buried in the tomb of his fathers. Shortly after, the prophet was attacked by a lion and his remains left on a road.
Jeremiah 16:6: God laid a horrible curse on the Israelites: that many would die of diseases, will not be mourned and would be "like refuse lying on the ground" (NIV). Their bodies will be consumed by animals and birds.
Jeremiah 22:19: God laid a similar curse on Jehoiakim because of his pride and disobedience. Jeremiah said that he would be given the burial of a donkey: to be dragged away and thrown outside the city gates.
Crucifixion: Of the countless number of tombs in Palestine from the era of Roman occupation which have been excavated, only one skeleton has been found which bears the marks of a crucifixion. That is because after a Roman execution, the lifeless body would be typically discarded in an open pit where it would be devoured by wild dogs. To be forbidden a traditional burial added greatly to the horror of this method of execution.

Cremation vs. Burial - Part 1

This is a side issue for most people, but I have heard arguments concerning this issue from a "cremation is wrong" side to "burial and cremation...it doesn't matter" side. So I thought I would start digging into the research and see what I could find. Here is some information that is posted on www.religioustolerance.org. (Remember, just because I post a website, does not mean I necessarily recommend it.)

History of Cremation:
Most archaeologists believe that cremation was invented during the stone age, about 3000 BCE. It was most likely first used in Europe or the Near East. It became the most common method of disposing of bodies by 800 BCE in Greece, and 600 BCE in Rome. However, other societies had other methods: in ancient Israel, sepulchers (tombs or vaults) were used for burial; cremation was shunned. The body was exposed to the air of the tomb and simply decomposed. The early Christian church also rejected cremation, partly because of its association with Pagan societies of Greece and Rome. Christians buried their dead in graves or in catacombs (underground vaults). In ancient Egypt, bodies were embalmed. In ancient China, they were buried. When Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, and the followers of other religions were exiled or exterminated, burial became the only method of disposing of bodies throughout Europe. An Italian, Professor Brunetti, developed the first modern cremation chamber in the 1870's. This triggered a movement towards cremation in Europe and North America, which has continued to the present day. In 1886, the Roman Catholic Church officially banned cremations. Church members as recently as World War II were excommunicated for arranging them. The Eastern Orthodox ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople stated in 1961 that "There is no formal Orthodox rule against cremation, but there is a heavy weight of custom and sentiment in favor of Christian burial."

What Does The Bible Say About Cremation?
The Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) has a few references to the disposal by burning in fire. Some verses describe executions by Philistines or Babylonians. Burning of bodies and objects in ancient Israel were mostly reserved for idols, criminals or enemies:
Genesis 38:24: Judah initially ordered his pregnant daughter-in-law to be burned to death because she was guilty of prostitution. This action would have caused the death of the woman and her twin fetuses.
Exodus 32:20: Moses destroyed the golden calf by burning it.
Leviticus 20:14: If a man marries both a woman and her mother, then all three "must be burned in the fire" (NIV). The passage is ambiguous - it is not known whether they would be burned alive, or would be stoned to death first, and their bodies burned.
Leviticus 21:9: If the daughter of a priest becomes a prostitute, then she "must be burned in the fire." (NIV)
Numbers 16:35: God exterminated Korah and 250 Israelite men with fire because they opposed Moses.
Deuteronomy 7:25: God commanded that the idols of Pagan Gods be destroyed with fire.
Joshua 7:15-25: After Joshua and his army exterminated the men, women and innocent children of Jericho, a few soldiers disobeyed God's command and looted the city. As punishment for the theft, and to pay for Israel's disgrace, God ordered the thieves to be burned. They were stoned to death; their bodies were burned and buried in what was called the Valley of Achor.
Judges 15:6: The Philistines burned Samson's wife and father-in-law to death.
1 Samuel 31:11-13: Earlier in the chapter, Saul had been wounded and asked for assisted suicide from his armor-bearer. The latter refused, so Saul committed suicide himself. The Philistines impaled Saul's body and those of his sons and left them on public display. The people of Jabesh Gilead retrieved the bodies, burned them and later buried the remaining bones in Gilead. There have been a number theories raised to account for this unusual treatment to a hero: burning might have a local custom in Gilead. The people of Gilead may have been worried that the Philistines might dig up the bodies and further desecrate them. Burning might have been necessary because their bodies may have partly decomposed. The Hebrew word translated as "burnt" might actually mean "anointed"; thus, the bodies might not have been burned after all.
2 Kings 10:26: Jehu demolished a temple consecrated to the God Baal and burned its sacred stone.
Jeremiah 29:22: This verse contains a curse which refers to the time that the Babylonians burned Zedekiah and Ahab by fire.
Amos 2:1: God proclaimed a death curse on Moab because he had reduced the bones of the king of Edom to lime through burning.

The Christian Scriptures (New Testament) contain few references to burning of bodies or objects:
Acts 19:19: Sorcerers who were converted to Christianity brought their scrolls out to be burned.
Revelation 20:15: The fate of those whose names were not written in the Book of Life is to be thrown into the lake of fire.

Special Missionary Prayer Service

Tonight, EBC had a special service for the missionaries that we support. We reported on the works, explained the needs the works had, and, most importantly, prayed for each missionary. While it may seem boring to some people, the members of EBC left tonight with a compassionate, loving heart for the missionaries that we are privileged to help support.

Theologian Quiz

Click here to take a quiz and see what theologian you are most like!

Okay, this quiz is not original with me (actually, I'm stealing the idea from my uncle's blog - Seeking The Old Paths), but I thought some of you might like to take it. Anyway, have fun!

Here are my results:

You scored as Karl Barth, The daddy of 20th Century theology. You perceive liberal theology to be a disaster and so you insist that the revelation of Christ, not human experience, should be the starting point for all theology. Karl Barth 93% Jonathan Edwards 67% Anselm 67% John Calvin 67% Charles Finney 53% Martin Luther 53% Augustine 33% Paul Tillich 27% Friedrich Schleiermacher 27% Jürgen Moltmann 7%

Now This Is Interesting

While doing some research, I ran across a church that has these articles posted on their homepage:

"What a horrifying reality, to think you will enter God's presence on the day of your death, but then, come to find out on that day, you were actually deceived, and you find yourself in hell. Such is, and will be, the terror of most who call themselves Christians today (Matthew 7:13-14; Luke 13:24; 2 Peter 2:2). They will find themselves weeping and gnashing their teeth (e.g. Matthew 8:12; 22:1-14; 25;14-30; Luke 13:28).
If you are involved with the kind of Christianity that views the "church of Christ", or Billy Graham, or Rick Warren, or Joel Osteen, or James Dobson, or Pat Robertson, or John MacArthur, or Tony Evans, or Greg Laurie, or Charles Stanley, or Chuck Smith, or Fred Price, or J. Vernon McGee, or Charles Blake, or Chuck Swindoll, or Gene Scott, or Harold Camping (Family Radio), or John Piper, or T. D. Jakes, or David Jeremiah, or Charles Spurgeon, or Dave Hunt, or David W. Cloud, or Perry F Rockwood, or Neil Anderson, or Robert Schuller, or Jack Hayford, or Benny Hinn, or Miles McPherson, or Ray Comfort, or Jim Cobrae, or Chuck Colson, or C. S. Lewis, or Pope John Paul, or Hank Hanegraaff, or Paul Chappell, or any of the like (or any of the likes on "Christian" TV or radio) as godly men, you are not saved. Why? Because, you are on the broad way (Matthew 7:13; 2 Peter 2:2; 2 Timothy 4:3). You have not the characteristic of Christ's sheep (John 10:5). And, men such as these are wells without water (2 Peter 2:17)."

"Most churches are led by false teachers (2 Peter 2:1-3). Some of the more well known "heap" (2 Tim. 4:3) of false teachers are James Dobson, John MacArthur, Greg Laurie,, Billy Graham, Pat Robertson, Rick Warren, Dave Hunt, Charles Stanley, Fredrick K. C. Price, Neil Anderson, Chuck Swindoll, Chuck Smith, Miles McPherson, T.D. Jakes, Benny Hinn, Jack Hayford, Martin & Deidre Bobgan, Paul Chappell, Also erroneous are the "Early Church Fathers" (Catholic lies), TBN, Charles Spurgeon (ecumenical), Promise Keepers, "KJV Onlyism", Alcoholics Anonymous, "Christian" Psychology, "Biblical" Counseling, and certain holidays (e.g. Christmas, Easter Halloween, and Valentine's Day)"

[These articles were taken from the website of A True Church at http://www.atruechurch.info/home.html]

I have spent some time reading the different pages on this website and will reserve my comments for now. But I would like for you mature Christians to check this site out and comment here on what you think.

I Can't Take It!!!

It's getting to be too much. I watched A&M beat Fresno St. in 3 OT yesterday and almost lost my voice! Now, I'm watching my Fantasy Football team go down the drain (literally!). I don't know how much more of the season I can take!!!

Grandparents

Today at the school where my children attend, they are celebrating Grandparents Day. Savannah and Levi are so excited about their Nana & Papa and Maw-Maw & Paw-Paw coming to eat lunch with them. In fact, I'm excited about it too. I am so thankful that my children have grandparents, especially grandparents that care for them. [Savannah and Levi still have 6 of their 8 great-grandparents living...and up until this past December, the number was 7!] In fact, I can see now, more than ever, the wonderful role grandparents (and the rest of the extended family) play in a child's life. I was fortunate to have aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, etc. who cared for me and loved me. It gave me a sense of what a true family is. Of course, I'm so thankful for my parents (who are now the grandparents!) who reared me.

Now I know this post is "mushy," etc., but if God blessed you with a wonderful family, take a moment and thank Him! Thank Him for the parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, step-dads, step-moms, etc. that love(d) you. Thank God for the children He has given you. Thank God even if your family is not what it should have been...in other words, thank Him for the opportunity He has given you to do the right thing. And of course, thank God for your spouse or significant other, for you never know when "death may part you."

Oh, by the way, my grandmother's cooking is better than your grandmother's cooking!

Are Christian Holidays Pagan In Origin?

I was immersed in a conversation along these lines the other day, and I thought it might be interesting to see what others thought. Below is an article I found at www.comereason.org, so forgive me for not being creative, but I thought there were some good thoughts in this article.

The "Pagan Roots" Of Holidays:
Easter is specifically a Christian holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead (see my article "The Resurrection as History" at http://www.comereason.org/newsletters/mar01.htm ). While there are many different types of springtime rituals and celebrations (much of this stemming from the importance of agriculture in the survival), the fact that they occur somewhere around Easter is purely coincidental.
The time of Christ's resurrection is clearly shown in the New Testament to be the Sunday following the Jewish Passover. Jesus was arrested after having celebrated the Passover with His disciples. He was crucified and rose three days later. The fact that in subsequent centuries symbols of some other spring rites such as bunnies and eggs have made their way into the Easter celebration in no way makes the holiday pagan. Many of those symbols are expressions of new life - which certainly fits in with the theme of Easter.
As for some of the other holidays, such as Christmas, Christians didn't allow the pagans to keep their celebrations, but rather provided an alternative to the more popular secular festivals. During the Christmas season, for example, many Christians were uncomfortable with the worship of a pagan god, Mithra (for more on Mithra and Christianity, see Did Christianity Steal From Mithraism?). So the church decided to counter the pagan festival with one of their own, one that celebrates the birth of the true savior. Since no one knows on just which day Jesus was actually born, December 25 worked as well as any other. We see many churches do similar things today in their Harvest festivals; they choose October 31 to create an alternative celebration to Halloween.
Hank Hanegraaff correctly summed up this issue when he wrote, "The real question that must be addressed is, 'What was the church's intent in choosing December 25 for the celebration of Christmas in the first place?' The answer may surprise you! The early church chose this date to point to the triumph that Christ's birth represented over the pagan traditions of the Roman Empire. In other words, the church was not endorsing a pagan ceremony but establishing a rival celebration. Today the world has all but forgotten the pagan gods of Rome. But at least a billion people on planet Earth celebrate the Christ of Christmas."(1)

The Biblical Understanding of Festivals:
Ultimately, though it is important to understand what God's word says about how we should approach holidays. Paul shows in Romans 14 that things we would normally consider pagan are not in and of themselves evil. It is really the conscience and motivation of the person that has the real significance. Paul writes "One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind." (Rom 14:5)
Since most people are not trying to celebrate pagan gods in their celebration of holidays such as Christmas or Easter, but the Lord Jesus, the holidays are not corrupted. Other holidays such as Valentine's day are really cultural celebrations that use established and well-understood symbols like cupid to convey an abstract concept like love. It is only when the holiday celebrates ideas that are counter to the Christian message that they become dangerous.

Author:
Lenny

References:
1 - Hanegraaff, Hank "Is Christmas Christian?" The Christian Research Newsletter, Volume 6: Number 5, (c)1993 Christian Research Institute http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/cri-nwsl/crn0056a.txt

[The full article can be found at http://www.comereason.org/soc_culture/soc030.asp]