The story of Daniel in the Bible is certainly one of those fascinating examples of how God protects someone from death. In fact, this Jewish prophet is most popularly known as "Daniel in the Lion's Den." There is one important virtue of Daniel that is often overlooked: his faith before a pagan king. Daniel was taken into captivity by the Babylonians at a very young age. However, he did not lose heart or give up on life. Instead, even as a youth, he rubbed shoulders with the big wigs of Babylonia as a consultant of the king. In fact, Daniel and his friends were considered ten times better than the astrologers of the day (Daniel 1:19-20).
The tranquility as a royal consultant was shattered when the king of Babylon had a dream that troubled him (2:1). The king first questioned the astrologers and soothsayers to give him an answer for his dream. In "polite" kingly fashion he mandates, "The command from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you will be torn limb from limb and your houses will be made a rubbish heap" (5). Sound reasonable?
Realizing the difficulty of interpreting the king's dream, the soothsayers give a sixth century spiritual Babylonian response, "Moreover, the thing which the king demands is difficult, and there is no one else who could declare it to the king except gods, whose dwelling place is not with mortal flesh" (11). This "spiritual" response of these soothsayers did not satisfy the king who demanded that all of these "dream interpreters" be executed.
The pressure was on Daniel. Word came to him that the king of Babylon had ordered the death of all of the wise men in his kingdom. However, Daniel did not lose heart. Instead, he wisely asked the king for time to interpret the dream (16). The king knew Daniel as someone having "wisdom and understanding" but there is no clear evidence that he (nor Daniel) knew that God would give Daniel revelation regarding the dream (1:20).
Nevertheless, Daniel trusted God. He and his three comrades prayed that God would give them the interpretation of the dream. Eventually God replies and gives Daniel the needed revelation. Daniel quickly is escorted before the king and he boldly declares before this glorified pagan, "As for the mystery about which the king has inquired, neither wise men, conjurers, magicians nor diviners are able to declare it to the king." He then states, "However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will take place in the latter days...(2:27-28)."
I suppose the rest of the story is history (or His story as some say). Daniel tells the king the dream and he and his buddies get promoted in the Babylonian kingdom. However, this Scriptural examples was written for our edification (cf. Romans 15:4). Do you have enough faith in God that you would trust Him to deliver you from death? Would you trust Him even before the most popular people of your day? Do you have faith that "there is a God in heaven?"
If you don't have an answer, then pray and ask God to work one in you. It may take time, but God is faithful to complete in you the good work which He has begun (Phil. 1:6).
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- Web Cast on 9/22/08. On Monday I will be experimenting with a webcast via www.ustream.tv. I'll broadcast out of my office from 8-9 PM, Mountain Time. If you want to check it out, you can log in at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/carmorg. Also, I'll be taking calls at 208-466-1301. Now, this is a test to see how people like it, if it can be used to teach, and if enough people would want to view it to justify putting time and effort into it. I'd like to mention that the video webcast can be saved for download and viewing at a different time. So, please let me know if you're interested by emailing me at carmstuff@yahoo.com.
- Videos. Ryan and I are working on producing videos. It's slow going. We've shot some test videos and are now trying to figure out how to use final Cut Express 4 on the Macintosh in order to properly format, edit, and insert the intro, outro, name bars, etc. Another issue is compression. After we have the videos finished, we need to compress them. Once we have the "assembly line" going, we're going to be producing a lot of them quickly. I need someone here for a couple to three days to sit down with Ryan and I and show us how to do this stuff. It can be quite frustrating trying to teach yourself how to do it all. Oh well...we're plodding along.
- Busy as can be. Man oh man! I need 12 hour days. There just isn't enough time to do all that needs to be done. But, that's a good problem. This ministry is becoming more and more demanding. Praise God!
- My wife had a suggestion. We have over 23,000 people on this email list. She wondered about asking everyone to send $1 to CARM, PO BOX 995, Meridian, ID 83680. I thought it would be worth a try. The reason is because CARM is growing. We are getting busier and busier and even with Ryan here, we're buried. It's obvious that within a year or so we are going to be needing an office. Presently, we work out of an upstairs bedroom in our house. The room was rather large, 15 x 22' and we have three desks in here along with bookshelves, printers, a couch, cabinets, etc. However, it's just not enough room anymore. Next year a guy named Jacob, from Missouri, is supposed to move out with his new wife to work with CARM as our video guy. He is excellent at what he does. We're busting at this seems as it is and with him here, it will be even more crowded. So, I thought I would just offer this suggestion.
- PowerPoint. We will be producing some PowerPoint presentations in the next few weeks for free download and distribution. We have a guy who is working on them.
- Tracts. Ryan and I will be writing gospel tracts in numerous categories for free download. We will also be supplying them for purchase through the CARM website.
- Video Compression. Okay, who out there is an expert on video compression? I need to be able to get the best compression program out there at a decent price so we can upload them to CARM and put them on DVD's. Do you know your stuff and have some advice? If so, email me at carmstuff@yahoo.com. Thanks!
- If you'd like to see the CARM introduction (15 seconds long), then go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcNTryrHWmM. You can leave a comment there if you like.
- ....God bless....
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- I have been busy this week working on getting our CARM videos up to par. Apparently we have finally figured out the lighting issue and now our videos are starting to look professional...at least in the preliminary stages. Our video editing software, Final Cup Express 4, certainly can be a beast at times, but thanks to the help of some of you guys out there it has not been so bad. Matt and I already did some preliminary shooting with videos including an introduction the the CARM website, the Trinity, and the Deity of Christ. CARM should be producing a vast number of these theological and apologetics videos in the next few months.
- I will be filling in for Matt on the CARM radio show during Tuesday through Thursday next week. On Tuesday and Wednesday I plan on discussing the Canonicity of the Bible. Some of the questions that I will be pursuing are: How do we know that we have the right books in the Bible? And, are there other books that should be in the Bible? On Thursday, I will be interviewing a former astrologist, now a Christian, named Marcia Montenegro. She wrote a book called Spellbound: The Paranormal Seduction of Today's Kids. On the show, we will be discussing the issue of Wicca. If you have questions, please feel free to email the radio show at carmradio@ymail.com.
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| $5 monthly recurring setup We need your help. There is lots to do and we need supplies, an office, and more staff. Is $5 the right amount to ask for? |
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The DVD debates between Matt Slick and Roger Perkins (Oneness believer) are now available. If you are interested in them, then go to http://shop.carm.org/shop/?shop=1&cat=35&cart=2496360.
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Would you like to support CARM but also get the best Bible research program out there? If you're serious about studying the Bible and want what is, in my opinion, the best Bible program available, then get Logos Bible Software.
- You win because Logos will give you 25% off if you go through CARM. Just click here. http://www.logos.com/carm
- CARM wins, because Logos will donate a portion of every sale back to CARM.
- Logos wins, by spreading the Word, making more sales, and getting more people into better Bible study.
By the way, I've used various free software programs. They work, but none of them approach the quality and depth offered by Logos. |
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 What the Heck?
This feature is not so we can make fun of anyone. This is serious stuff. It is to show what kind of thinking is out there. We regularly get stuff like this. Pray for this ministry.
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You say Christianity is growing faster than before? If it's growing at all, it's growing with those who need the illusion of hope for coping with life's brutal realities. These adherents are usually little educated and poor wretched people especially in the 3rd world. Intellect / Logic / Reasoning / Free Thinking are making your people look like such utter fools, that many on-the-fence observers are completely turned off by you and your brethren. Your religion is toast god-boy. I'll see you on the international space station with the rest of the scientists. Can you handle it? Nope .. you get big-headed debating backstreet posers. And you know you will be torn apart. |
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How would you like to work in the ministry where the rewards are small, the challenges are huge, you get ridiculed, there's spiritual attack, sometimes you don't know if you are going to make it financially, you have to support yourself, and you have to research and write about false systems and compare them with Scripture?
If that sounds appealing, then maybe you might be interested in working with CARM.
You can be male or female. You have to agree to the CARM statement of faith, and I prefer (though it is not necessary) people who are educated and/or experienced in their field of expertise. But I must reiterate; this is not an easy ministry. It is time-consuming, often unrewarding, frustrating, etc. But, there are rewards. You get to know that what you produce will affect thousands of people for years to come. This ministry is a challenge and it is not for the fainthearted. Interested? If so, contact Matt or Ryan at carmstuff@yahoo.com. |
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Love and Hate Mail
- Hate Mail
- one of the most interestingmistakes enemies of christ make is ZEAL, i have no problems creating faith in my families after showing them the effort of our enemies your "take" on murray is empty and unreal, and in many cases refuted by the bible i do not support murray, but your zest to destroy him go beyond neccesity, i'll show this to my family, and show them your refute,,,
- You CLAIM to be a Christian Organization, yet make Quotes on your web site taken from Satanic Sources as being the Word of God and use those false sources to back up your statements. In other words, REMOVE the PLANK from your own eye first! ANY Time I visit a web site, read an article from a magazine, book or newspaper, from ANY publication for that matter, as soon as I see the source of their beliefs as being EVIL, I usually burn the article, I don't even shred it to use as mulch, I literally BURN it to ash in a fireplace. In the case of web sites, I can just add them to my black list to never return.... They would believe that Joseph was the Father of Christ! That Christ is NOT Diety, just another man! That Christ shed blood means nothing! The Jesus Christ and LUCIFER are ONE IN THE SAME person! THAT is WHAT the NIV TEACHES! And since YOU CHOSE to use that book as YOUR source of PROOF that You are Right and Others are Wrong, and DESIRE to promote PORNOGRAPHIC PUBLISHERS, it really removes all credence to why you claim to exist. Try cleaning up your act and fix up your half truths and you will have an excellent web site that folks might read!
- Love Mail
- I was so surprised when I was listening to the podcast last September 16. I was sure that the email Matt was reading is mine regarding Philippians. Praise God! Thank you and God will surely bless you more because of the hard work you really put in to share the gospel. God bless to you Pastor Matt and of course to all of your staffs in CARM!
- What a blessing CARM is. I recently met an extraordinary woman who is struggling with her Mormon faith. As a believer in the Word of God and Jesus Christ our Lord and savior, I've been witnessing to her about the irrefutable facts of the Bible in comparison with the BOM. The factual research conducted by CARM and your detailed breakdown of the Mormon belief is superb. I sent her the Mormon link and hope/pray she will know the truth when she reads it. May God continue to bless you and your ministry as you are a blessing to countless Christians and those seeking answers to their own faith.
- I printed out and gave your Theology test to my congregation this past Sunday. Man, do I have my work cut out for me! It's sad to see what people really know about God and the Bible. Hopefully, with God's help and CARM, I will teach them to be real disciples with a handle on sound doctrine and obedience to witness.
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Matt Slick
CARM President |
