Merry Christmas to you. This week's episode focuses on American jurisprudence as it relates to Christmas displays on public property, Charlie Brown's "true meaning of Christmas", and two classic Nativity poems.

The spot highlighting South Florida Bible College can be heard at approximately the 27:00 minute mark. 

An article by Stephen Lind Associate Professor of Clinical Business Communication, University of Southern California serves as a basis for the section on Charlie Brown's "true meaning of Christmas."

Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). 

Legal challenges to Christmas and holiday displays have been going on for decades. In order to combat the anti-Christmas sentiment outside of the courtroom, a nonprofit religious liberty organization is encouraging shoppers to do so with their wallets. Liberty Counsel's Naughty and Nice List classifies retailers according to whether they censor or celebrate Christmas — an allusion, of course, to Santa's list of naughty and nice children from the Christmas standard "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town."Urging Americans "to give the gift of Christmas back to the companies who support it," the group says, "If retailers choose to profit from Christmas while pretending it does not exist, we encourage you to politely explain why and then patronize their competitors." 

The list forms part of Liberty Counsel's annual "Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign," which the organization launched in 2003 to counter a rising tide of opposition to the public celebration of Christmas."The war against Christmas is nothing new, and it is certainly evident today in the form of religious discrimination and hostility," says Liberty Counsel founder and Chairman Mat Staver. "Repressive forces have always had the same goal — to first secularize and then to eliminate Christmas and Christian symbols, celebrations and speech.

In America, the First Amendment is a guard against censorship and religious hostility. In the retail market, the consumer can decide to patronize stores that recognize Christmas and avoid those that profit from Christmas while pretending it does not exist."

The Atlantic is a monster in autumn. And her violent rages have claimed countless ships over the ages. But this crossing was especially bad. The Pilgrims spent the whole time cramped below deck. Trapped in a dark, cold, and wet cargo hold. Crouching because the ceilings were too low for them stand. Breathing in the stench of rancid puke, which slushed around their feet as the Mayflower was rocked by ocean swells. Sometimes, the storms were so severe that her crew had no choice but to lower the sails and let the Mayflower drift for days on end. The gales were so powerful they would have ripped off her masts and left them all stranded. One pilgrim who did venture on deck was swept overboard. Luckily for him, quick-witted sailors were able to throw him a line and pull him from the ocean before he drowned. But he learned his lesson. 

After 66 grueling days at sea, on the morning of November 9, 1620, Mayflower's crew espied Cape Cod. As the sun was rising behind them. They had finally reached the New World. And just in time for winter. 

004 The Mayflower has successfully made it across the Atlantic, though she sustained a lot of damage along the way and was almost wrecked. The pilgrims intended to land on the mouth of the Hudson River. However, traumatized and exhausted from crossing the Atlantic, with the Mayflower severely damaged, they dropped anchor in Cape Cod Bay. Another child was born a few days later. They named him Peregrine, from the Latin Peregrinus — which means "one who has travelled from distance lands". He was their first American. 

We are deep into the end times Not a time to dabble in sinBut instead we should be redeeming the timeA time to be called to holiness and righteousness This is a desperate hour We are living in the end timesWe are living in very important timesThough most of us are oblivious to this We want to encourage you: There are many reasons today to be afraid  It can be very difficult to fight against all of these thingsIt seems that so much is against us.

Harsh words all Around us.

As Christians there are so many things that want to take our peace and testimony.

I will not fear what flesh can do to me said David  in his psalm

We must settle it in our hearts.

The Bible starts and ends in Eden
The Bible is the revelation of the character and will of God telling us who he is and how we can have a relationship with God.

The Bible is God’s written relvelation to his people.

God reveals himself in many ways But over time the revelations of God became inscripturated.

Written down into the Bible66 books that we call the bible; Divinely inspired texts that document what god has done throughout history and interprets those events. 

The older we get, the faster it seems that time passes. That’s not a good thing, right? Because we know the destination of this runaway train. It’s hurtling faster and faster and faster towards what some view as the edge of the abyss. If only we could slow it down. But as believers in God’s Holy Word we know that this runaway train can be returned to the track of holiness and godliness where our destination is not over the edge into an abyss, but rather towards a glorious end…where we can become what God intended us to be…

Who owns the land of Israel? Are Jews modern-day colonizers of the land? 

At South Florida Bible College & Theological Seminary, Whether you're looking to lead in business, counsel with compassion, run a church, or enrich your spiritual life, our new programs are designed just for you. Introducing our Master’s in Business Administration, Master’s in Mental Health Counseling, and Doctor in Ministry. Aim high with a degree that sets you apart.

South Florida Bible College & Theological Seminary offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees. These degree programs are available online or on campus. As of August 2019, South Florida Bible College offered over 20 total programs, on campus and online. There are 10 graduate programs including 2 doctoral programs offered on campus.
Explore our diverse range of programs in ministry, theology, business, and counseling, from associate to doctoral levels. All are available both online and on-campus, embracing a multicultural and interdenominational community.As the top 10 most affordable Bible colleges in the U.S., we provide quality education at an affordable price. And with scholarship opportunities just a click away, nothing should stop you from pursuing your dreams. South Florida Bible College & Theological Seminary.

Fully accredited and ready to serve you.Visit us online at SFBC.EDU to learn more and apply today. 

HERE ARE 10 REASONS WHY CHRISTIANS SHOULD VOTE:

1. Voting publicly recognises that we submit to the authority of the political system in our nation as established by God. (Romans 13:1-7)
2. Voting recognises the equality of all people and their right to speak and be heard. (Deuteronomy 10:17-19)
3. It is one way that we can obey God's command to seek the good of those around us and our nation as a whole. (Jeremiah 29:5-6)
4.  It shows that we care deeply about who our leaders are as we are urged to offer prayer and intercession on their behalf. (1 Timothy 2:1,2)
5.  It is a simple yet significant way we can do something about politics in our nation. 'All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing', Edmund Burke. (Psalms 34:14)
6. It makes a difference the way a grain of salt makes a difference, and that is how we are to influence our society for good. (Matthew 5:13)
7. It is a privilege not to be taken for granted. Those of us who reap the benefits of living in a democracy should play a part in upholding democracy
8. Not voting is a form of voting, as it will influence the outcome. We need to take responsibility for our actions, as well as our lack of actions. (Luke 10:25-37)
9. Voting has biblical precedence for example Acts 14:23 describes that the early Christians elected elders by voting.
10. Voting is part of our stewardship to use all the resources we have been given in ways that honor God; to waste a vote is to squander a gift.

THE HISTORICAL ADAM Adam and Eve,

In Genesis two and three. Are they just symbolic?

Defending the existence of a founding human pair that lived only a few thousand years ago. population genetics.

Theological anthropology Both modern theologians and modern scientists are arguing that a historical Adam and Eve might have been real, not merely figurative, or metaphorical ancestors of the human race.  Modern science in the area of genomics and paleo archeology are fueling debates on the “historical” Adam and Eve and whether such an original human couple truly existed or whether the Adam and Eve we read of in Genesis are only figurative representations of how the human race originated.  modern genetics paleo archeology  are now coming to bear on the biblical narrative of Genesis.  

Was there a single, founding couple, or is the human race the result of evolutionary processes where humans evolved from prior hominid lifeforms? Did humanity originate with an original human pair, Adam and Eve, or did humans evolve from a progression of early hominins?  

Surprisingly, a vast majority of people of faith do not give much thought or concern into the inquiry of whether the human race began with a literal Adam and Eve. This is changing, however, as the issue has garnered increased attention from scientists and theologians alike as modern science is probing further and deeper to provide greater understanding of human population genetics from clues found in the modern human gene pool. Employing a sort of reverse engineering, paleo archeologists are studying the modern human gene pool to trace back to the origins of the human bloodline, even to an original human pair.

For Christians today the issue may be as important as the debate regarding the theory of evolution was in the early twentieth century as several fundamental Christian doctrines are brought to bear from the doctrine of the mankind’s fall from grace in Eden to the doctrine of original sin where sin passed down to all men and women on account of Adam and Eve eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Modern evolutionary theory has long been a constant point of tension with biblical creationism and the question of whether there existed a literal original human pair is a natural extension of the creation-evolution debate.   

Miami-Dade school board votes against recognizing LGBTQ+ History Month for 3rd year in a rowFor the third year in a row, the Miami-Dade County school board voted against a proposal to recognize October as LGBTQ+ History Month.The 5-3 vote on Wednesday came hours after the school board heard a mix of passionate opinions about whether to approve item H-10.

VOTE NO ON AMNDMENT 4 

NO Definitions 

Unlike other Amendments, Amendment 4 does not define any of its key terms. 

For example, it does not define “viability,” “health care provider,” “patient’s health,” or how serious a health concern would need to be to allow exceptions for late-term abortions. These uncertainties create loopholes resulting in more abortions later in pregnancy than voters intend. 

Too EXTREME

Amendment 4 goes TOO FAR by allowing late-term abortions, far beyond when science says the baby is capable of feeling pain. 

Amendment 4 would overturn current laws requiring a parent’s consent BEFORE a minor can have an abortion, thereby making abortion the only medical procedure that can be performed on a minor without a parent’s permission. Amendment 4 pretends to “just bring things back to how they were with Roe vs. Wade” – but it actually goes much further – creating a constitutional right to abortion throughout all nine months with no protections for the unborn baby.

Should Christians be in politics?
Can politics save America?

For years, RLR has urged Christians to take seriously theirobligations as citizens, starting with exercising the right tovote. In the public square and at the ballot box, we must bemore engaged, not less. 

Q. But what happens in a race where Christians are facedwith two morally problematic choices?

Q. Should voters cast a ballot for the lesser of two evils?

When it comes to citizenship in our current political context, Christians are plagued by two opposite mistakes.  

The first is French theologian Jacques Ellul called “the political illusion,” or, assuming that everything rests on political outcomes. “If our guy is in office, all will be well. If their guy is in office, all will be lost.” The political illusion, to be clear, plagues both sides of the political and theological aisles.

To describe a particular candidate in messianic terms is to suffer from the political illusion. To describe him or her as the anti-Christ is also to suffer from the political illusion. No political candidate will “save Christianity.” No candidate can “irreparably harm” it either.

Other Christians are plagued by the political delusion, the idea that political engagement of any kind is pointlessly unnecessary or perhaps even implicates one in evil. Of course, there are cases throughout history where an election is a farce, or where political engagement aligns one with unmitigated evil. Neither is not the case for American Christians today. I will put it bluntly, for American Christians, voting is both a civic duty and a Christian responsibility.  

The late, great Chuck Colson once wrote: The next time you hear someone tell you that Christians ought to take a vacation from politics, tell them to go fly a kite.  Listen, it’s our duty as citizens of the kingdom of God to be the best citizens of the society we live in.

Brothers and sisters, Christianity and good citizenship go together.

Forgiving, But Not Forgetting The phrase “forgive and forget” is not found in the Bible. However, there are numerous verses commanding us to “forgive one another” (e.g., Matthew 6:14 and Ephesians 4:32). A Christian who is not willing to forgive others will find his fellowship with God hindered (Matthew 6:15) and can reap bitterness and the loss of reward (Hebrews 12:14–15; 2 John 1:8).

If by “forgive and forget” one means, “I choose to forgive the offender for the sake of Christ and move on with my life,” then this is a wise and godly course of action. As much as possible, we should forget what is behind and strive toward what is ahead (Philippians 3:13). We should forgive each other “just as in Christ God forgave” (Ephesians 4:32).

We must not allow a root of bitterness to spring up in our hearts (Hebrews 12:15).However, changing hearts is God’s business, and, until an offender has a true, supernatural heart change, it is only wise to limit the level of trust one places in that person.

Being cautious doesn’t mean we haven’t forgiven. It simply means we are not God and we cannot see that person’s heart. When we neglect or refuse to forgive the sins of others, we become like a collection agency. The debt of their sin weighs us down with an obligation to make them pay.

At first, we may relish the prospect of extracting restitution from the person who wronged us. Over time, though, the task of debt collection grows burdensome. When the offender does not meet our expectations, our hearts harden toward them.

If we continue the relationship, resentment may seep in.

I was in a discussion the other day about forgiveness and somebody said forgiving isn't forgetting it's just remembering without anger they also suggested forgiveness can't be extended unless repentance is first expressed?Some suggest that we can only forgive when someone truly repents or that we can somehow forgive but not forget.In Luke chapter 23 Jesus prayed for the soldiers who were crucifying him and he said “father forgive them for they don't know what they're doing” and his prayer asking forgiveness isn't based on any repentance on the part of the soldiers In Matthew 18 when Peter asked how many times he's to forgive someone who sinned against him Jesus doesn't condition forgiveness on the requirement for repentance on the part of the offending party. Peter was willing to forgive 7 times but Jesus said no it needs to be 70 * 7 which I think is a hypothetical grand number. A number suggesting you need to extend forgiveness an infinite number of times.

still another verse is ephesians 4:26 where we are told that when we get angry we are not to sin and we're told to be sure not to let the sun go down on our wrath now, when it comes to the concept or argument or proposition that forgiving isn't forgetting, that I still struggle to match that up with Scripture.

in Hebrews 8:12 God said I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. I am concerned that when someone says “I'll forgive but I won't forget” I'm not sure they've truly forgivenI think that's the point being stressed there in the Hebrews 8:12 passage where, you know, God can't ever forIget something since he's omniscient, but the verse is suggesting that true forgiveness, from a divine and a human perspective, is as if we've forgotten that the offense took place

Without pushing the divine human analogy too far, I think that is what Hb 8:12 is referring to so I believe when we forgive, even when someone hasn't asked to be forgiven, we're mirroring what Jesus did on the cross and it allows us to guard against harboring resentment which can produce a root of bitterness which Hebrews 12:15 says we're not supposed to have.

One mark of true forgiveness on our part is that the memory of the offense will fade over time so that we don't dwell on itForgiveness means giving up our claim against the person who sinned against us.

Depending on the nature of the offense, a pardon may also include the restoration of a broken relationship. When restoration is reasonable and safe, trust must be earned.While reunification may not be possible or prudent in every instance, God always wants us to forgive.

South Florida Bible College & Theological Seminary, Whether you're looking to lead in business, counsel with compassion, run a church, or enrich your spiritual life, our new programs are designed just for you. Introducing our Master’s in Business Administration, Master’s in Mental Health Counseling, and Doctor in Ministry. Aim high with a degree that sets you apart.


South Florida Bible College & Theological Seminary offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees. These degree programs are available online or on campus. As of August 2019, South Florida Bible College offered over 20 total programs, on campus and online. There are 10 graduate programs including 2 doctoral programs offered on campus.
Explore our diverse range of programs in ministry, theology, business, and counseling, from associate to doctoral levels. All are available both online and on-campus, embracing a multicultural and interdenominational community.As the top 10 most affordable Bible colleges in the U.S., we provide quality education at an affordable price. And with scholarship opportunities just a click away, nothing should stop you from pursuing your dreams. South Florida Bible College & Theological Seminary. Fully accredited and ready to serve you.Visit us online at SFBC.EDU/ to learn more and apply today. Join us and transform your future.

There has been more data produced in the last two years than in the whole of human history. This information ocean is getting more turbulent every single day," he continued. "The only tools we have to navigate through this maelstrom are the critical thinking skills that we are trying to develop in people as scientists." 

Karl Marx infamously said that if you want to take over a generation you erase their history, their legacy. That's what you do, and that's exactly what the enemy is doing, trying to erase that identity from that child.  

The U.S. Supreme Court voted 9-0 to uphold the preliminary injunctions that block the three provisions of the Biden administration’s new Title IX Final Rule. These provisions include the new definition of sex discrimination to include discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, sex-segregated spaces, and hostile environment harassment. 

"Please vote accordingly."