If you go with what most people are saying about the NIV Life Application Study Bible you can’t really go wrong if you ever decide buying it. It’s without a doubt the most popular study Bible you can find on the market today. But one good translation you might consider that is also popular is the NLT (the New Living Translation). Those who have it, really love it. And it is not coming too far behind the NIV. You have also the KJ, the NKJ and the NASB. But the NIV and the NLT remain the most popular versions.

You can have the NIV Life Application Study Bible in different formats like hard copy and leather-bound, as well as in normal or larger print. The hard copy is published by Tyndale and the leather-bound mostly by Zondervan.

As for why this type of Bible is so popular I think that by taking a peek inside it is pretty obvious.

If you open the book on the Old Testament you will find – if you are familiar with the Bible – the first book called Genesis along with statistics about who wrote it, to whom it is addressed essentially, as well as where and in what time it was written. And you are also introduced to whom are the most important characters in that particular book and in what period of times they lived.

Introductions to each book is common to almost all study Bible. But what is unique to that Bible is the personality profiles it has on the major characters you will find with their strengths and their weaknesses. You have also a blueprint of the different stories with references to what chapters and verses you can find them in the book in question to make your research easier.

You have a map of the regions to where those events took place as well as notes along with it. Then you have the usual Bible text with cross references on the right margin and notes underneath.

That’s only an example of what you can find in this particular study Bible.

If you go almost to the back-end of it you will find the index to the notes in alphabetic order, as well as maps and charts.

One thing that I like is the harmony of the Gospels incorporated in this Bible. It really puts the life and story of the main and most important personality of the Bible – Jesus Christ – into better perspective.

So there you have it. Of course this is only a pale view of what you can find inside, but you have a small idea. The NIV Life Application Study Bible is found either in local Christian bookstores or with well-known online retailers like Amazon.com at a fair price.

According to daily news reports, earth is suffering from severe global warming problems. The oceans are going to rise about 26 inches over the next century, our coastal areas, including many large cities, will be flooded, and new beaches will form many miles inland from their current locations. Every new weather event is blamed on global warming. Recent hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions – you name it – they are the result of global warming. As a result, the US Supreme Court in 2007 [Justice Stevens, "Massachusetts v EPA," US Supreme Court, No. 05-1120, 2 Apr 2007, Opinion of the Court; and Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Scalia, "Massachusetts v EPA," US Supreme Court, No. 05-1120, 2 Apr 2007, Dissenting Opinions], declared carbon dioxide a pollutant gas that can be regulated by the EPA.

But also, this summer, we learned that the former Director of the University of East Anglia's Climate Research Unit (whose data started this whole global warming band wagon) admitted that there has been no "statistically significant" global warming over the last 15 years ( from 1995-2010) [Petre, Jonathan, UK Daily Mail: "Climategate U-turn as Scientist at Center of Row Admits: There has been No Global Warming Since 1995," 11 Aug 2010]. In light of this revelation, the corrective actions taken by our Supreme Court and all the dire calls for immediate action appear to be a wee bit premature.

This book represents the author's entry into the global warming debate. As a Christian, the author's first question was: What does the Bible have to say about global warming? His own initial inclination was to answer that it has nothing to say about the subject. But then, he embarked on a study to learn if and what the Bible says about it. Turns out, the Bible has quite a lot to say on the subject. In addition to the fact that the Bible says God created the heavens and the earth, the Bible teaches that God maintains the daily workings of the earth, "by Him all things consist," and finally, it says that God controls the wind and the rain . This final point directly impacts global warming issues. Control of the wind and the rain equates to control of all storm systems and sunny days, and more specifically, the weather and the climate! Three chapters in the book cover these three points.

The author devoted one chapter to consider process control systems, which are needed by those who are attempting to create climate change computer models. The earth's weather systems appear to be self-regulating . We don't need to understand the details of self-regulating systems for them to function properly. They do it all by themselves – hence the name. To model self-regulating systems in a computer, however, we need to know the precise details and the interactions between their various phenomena. We can't model weather or climate without understanding how all of the phenomena interact. Then, to make a valid computer model, we must accurately duplicate the interrelationships between all of the various phenomena that work naturally in the real world. Sunlight, cloud cover, temperatures, winds, water vapor and water sources, etc., must all be taken into account and the modelers must properly simulate how they all interact with each other. Process control engineers must set appropriate gain values ​​into their controllers for proper automatic system controls. There is no need to figure out any gains when a system is self-regulating. It simply, and automatically, takes care of and regulates itself. But modelers must properly assess all gains that control the interactions between the climate variables in their simulation models.

The author devotes another chapter to the consideration of computer models. As a computer modeler himself, the author knows the various pitfalls that can prevent the development of successful models. Computer models are simple representations of real phenomena. Sometimes, they are too simple. Sometimes the required mathematics are complex and large complex computer programs and long computing times define a model. Sometimes the required math is beyond the capabilities of the modelers so some desired phenomena cannot be included in the model. Sometimes, wrong assumptions are made when trying to understand and model complex phenomena. Sometimes important phenomena are missed in a computer model because the modelers didn't realize they were important. Etc. All sorts of pitfalls can hinder the success of computer models.

Part of the author's teaching responsibilities, in addition to teaching process control courses, was to teach industrial fuels and combustion systems. His first job in industry was as a combustion engineer, and he has spent more than twenty years teaching engineering students and graduate process engineers how to control industrial fuels and burners, as well as how to perform all necessary calculations. For example, the author spent a lot of time teaching students how to calculate air and flue gas compositions, flame temperatures, and heat contents. The most important phenomenon from that subject that deals with climate issues is known as the "latent heat of vaporization" of liquid water as it vaporizes to form water vapor. The "latent heat" (for short) soaks up enormous amounts of heat in the process of vaporizing water. It is the biggest absorber of solar energy on the earth because the earth's surface is covered with an almost endless supply of liquid water. It takes much more heat to vaporize an endless supply of water than it does to heat the 0.04% of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The greenhouse gas that has the most effect on atmospheric air temperatures is water vapor. But we can do nothing about water vapor. Water is out there in abundant supply all over the earth and it vaporizes and condenses according to temperatures and available sunlight at the earth's surface and in the atmosphere. Sample calculations in the book show the magnitude of heat that can be absorbed by water, compared with the amount of heat that can be absorbed by the tiny percentage of carbon dioxide in the air.

Another chapter in the book considers some of the natural cycles that surround us –that we also take for granted. The most important of these is the oxygen / carbon dioxide cycle. Humans and animals inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. Plants use carbon dioxide during photosynthesis and give off oxygen as a byproduct. As the human population has grown to enormous numbers, the plant population has kept pace to maintain the natural balance. More carbon dioxide enhances the growth of plants. Less carbon dioxide hinders plant growth. According to evolutionary theories, the earth has been here for millions of years, and this balance has been maintained all this while. But now, the combustion of fossil fuels (which we believe came from compacted plant life in the first place) is supposedly ruining the planet. Plants are used by humans and animals as a food source, so when slightly higher levels of carbon dioxide and slightly warmer temperatures encourage the speed of growth of plants, that seems to be a good thing. Having conditions that enhance the growth of plants, including fruits, vegetables, and grains, means that we will continue to have adequate food supplies even while populations continue to grow. But when carbon dioxide is considered to be a pollutant gas and attempts are being made to sequester it from industrial waste gas streams (and change it from a form that can participate in this natural balance, to an inorganic form that cannot), the intelligentsia want to force us to make changes that will affect this natural cycle and potentially alter the success of our food supplies (by reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide.) Why? Because of a bogus problem that they cooked up – called global warming .

Another chapter discusses ramifications of the Copernican Principle, which was understood by the church to be a suggestion that the earth and mankind are not important – they do not reside at the center of the universe. Copernicus died before the church could come down on him for his suggestion that the sun, not the earth, lies at the center of our solar system. But Galileo, who observed with his telescopes the accuracy of Copernicus' statement, was declared a heretic by the church. Fast forward to today, and one realizes that everything is reversed. Political correctness agrees with the church's understanding of Copernicus' statement –but they like it. They understand it to say, "We're not special." [Gonzalez, Guillermo, and Richards, Jay W., The Privileged Planet , 2004, Regnery Publishing, Inc., Washington, DC, p.286.] With political correctness agreeing that we're not special, they can easily support the " science "of Darwinian evolution, render the creation story to be a fairy tale, and declare that mankind is not special – we all evolved from a glob of snot floating on the ocean – and that's not special.

Yet another chapter is devoted to discussing how Intelligent Design, ID, impacts this debate. Many who support ID are attempting to prove logically, and without any mention of God , that intelligence was required to create the worlds. In their book, Gonzalez and Richards concluded that earth was designed and placed here to facilitate mankind's exploration of the galaxy. But even they steer clear of any mention of God as the designer. In fact, they state that proof of ID and proof of the existence of God are two very distinctly different proofs. But the courts and the intelligentsia link ID and creationism. ID is a considered to be a form of creationism and as such, it is a theory and not fact nor science. Why does this matter?

It matters because to those who are trying to build climate change models that are supposed to predict phenomena a century or more from now, one must assume that all relevant phenomena then will behave as they do today, and as they did always behave – even eons ago. That requires belief in uniformitarianism which is very closely related to evolution . In both, everything developed slowly over eons of time. All things happened then exactly as they do now and as they always will. So uniformitarian assumptions are required to write computer models that will predict climate a century from now.

Another chapter asks the question (better late than never) "Is it even possible to predict climate 10, 50, 100 years from now?" Professor Cotton asked that very question recently. His conclusion: No, it is not possible! [Cotton, William R., "Is climate really predictable on 10-50 year time table?", Colorado State University, 20 Jul 2010, Powerpoint presentation.] Note the date on his presentation: July, 2010. Why wasn't this question asked by someone – ANYONE! –at the start of the global warming brouhaha? If it was, its answer was buried or ignored. But like I said, better late than never.

One final point which the author asked is this: If God controls the wind, rain, storms, weather, etc., how can computer models take His control into account? When a manager in a production plant is a loose cannon, changing the plant operation on a daily basis for no apparent reason, he or she must be considered an input variable in the equation used by those whose responsibility it is to control that facility. This author has known two such managers and they were totally unpredictable. Go home on a Friday afternoon and everything is working fairly smoothly in the plant. Arrive Monday morning to find that everything has changed. Change orders were issued Saturday or Sunday and all is different. How does one predict that, or even take such actions into account? Then – and this is the bigger question – if God is actually in charge of the weather as the Bible says He is, how does anyone account for His control in a computer model? After all, the Bible asks, "For who hath known the mind of the Lord?" [Rom 11:34] Mankind certainly does not know the Lord's mind! This seems to suggest that global climate change phenomena are unpredictable!

So if God created everything, and God controls and maintains everything, but in particular, God controls the wind and the rain, how can modelers account for His control? They CANNOT!

This book addresses the global climate change debate from the point of view of an engineering professor who happens to also be a Christian. The "political correctness" crowd doesn't allow arguments of faith (in general), and of Christianity (in particular), to cloud their issues, but in this case, if the Bible is correct, it will NOT be possible for man to predict what will happen to the climate a century from now.

It does NOT appear that the intelligentsia really cares about the oxygen / carbon dioxide balance, or even global warming. It appears they want to use this issue as a smoke screen to achieve other political goals. And that's bad!

Finally, and most astonishingly, this whole debate is based on the premise that we have been and are in the throes of catastrophic global warming. But the research station at the center of the global warming debate has said that we have NOT experienced any "statistically significant" global warming during the last 15 years. That means measured temperatures have been chattering up and down over that time period, but the average result is a horizontal line – indicating no temperature change at all! So the world is arguing about the consequences of a non-existent earth-shattering problem and our leaders are planning all sorts of desperate and menacing solutions to a non-existent problem! Go figure!

A lot more details of these and other interesting points are given and discussed in this book. Enjoy!

New raid content can be overwhelming at times. Many players find themselves lost when they walk into a new raid for the first time. While most players may struggle with new content, there are others that are defeating it as soon as it's released. How do they do it? They go out and research to find what has been done and what works the best. But, normal research can be very tedious and time-consuming. This is where the PVE Bible comes in.

A Brief PVE Bible Review

If you haven't heard yet T-Dub Sanders (creator of PvP Bible and Warcraft Millionaire) has released a new guide that teaches players how to dominate PVE.

This guide is loaded with details for every raid and dungeon encounter in the game since the release of WotLK. The PvE Bible covers everything you could imagine and then some. In the guide you will find that each instance includes quests, achievements, maps and detailed strategies for every boss.

For example, this guide is so in depth that the Sartharion strategy guide shows you every possible method for defeating the seminal boss! Believe me when I say that is just the tip of the iceberg. The amount of strategies in this guide are endless!

This amazing guide is loaded with unparalleled resources and strategies for blasting through raids. This alone makes it one of the most complete instance guide I've ever seen. If you are interested in PvE strategy and want to take your Toon and guild to the next level, this is the ultimate resource.

Why does our society seem to seek every way to overcome sickness and disease other than looking in the best Instruction Manual that’s been around for thousands of years? Why do we avoid the simplicity of the basics when it comes to our health? The “basics” I refer to are eating healthy foods, getting regular exercise and adequate sleep.

Of course, the best instruction manual I am referring to is the Bible and there must be hundreds of books out there educating us on the importance of adequate exercise and sleep. Yes, there are scads of books on what to eat, too, but if they tell you to eat something that seems to contradict what the Bible says is OK, you probably should do some serious research before incorporating it into a regular eating plan. 

There are actually some diet/eating plans being promoted that in the long run, may not be very healthy. What a shame if you lose weight, for example, and then have a heart attack because you were eating way too much meat or didn’t get adequate nutrition.

Do I even need to mention some things you should obviously avoid if you want to experience optimum health? Folks, as much as I hate to list anything, this is what I see around me in abundance: fried foods, sugar in just about everything it seems, artificial sweeteners, meals heavy in meats with few vegetables and fruits, almost all cooked, (very little raw foods), and diet drinks.   

The foods listed in this report are by no means all the “healthy” foods mentioned in the Bible. They should, however, provide you with some guidance in your food choices.

1. Apples. Song of Solomon. Apples are considered to be the “all around health food.” They are high in flavonoids, fiber and Vitamin C. Some of the apple’s healing powers include:

A.      They lower both bad cholesterol and high blood pressure

B.      The juices in apples are highly effective virus fighters

C.      They help stabilize blood sugar, an important factor in controlling diabetes

D.      They suppress the appetite without robbing the body of necessary nutrients

E.       Depending on the need, they prevent constipation or help treat diarrhea

One caution: conventionally grown apples may be highly sprayed with pesticides and coated with wax. Purchase organically grown apples when possible.

2. Barley. Deuteronomy 8:8, Ezekiel 4:9. Barley’s high fiber content can help keep us regular, relieve constipation and ward off a wide variety of digestive problems. It also may help block cancer. Barley is full of beta glucans, a type of fiber that can lower the risk of heart disease by reducing the levels of artery-clogging LDL.

3. Coriander (Cilantro). When the children of Israel wandered in the desert and received manna from the sky, they described it as looking like coriander seed. Since then coriander has been called “the healer from heaven.” Coriander is recommended for indigestion, flatulence (excessive gas) and diarrhea. Externally, it’s used to ease muscle and joint pain. Recently, scientists began looking at coriander as an anti-inflammatory treatment for arthritis. Other research has demonstrated that it reduces blood sugar levels, an indication that it may prove to be a useful sugar management tool for diabetics.

4. Fish. Luke 24:42-43. Fish is low in cholesterol and contains healthy polyunsaturated fats. Fish is a rich source of protein, potassium, vitamins and minerals with only a moderate amount of sodium. Eating fish:

* Thins the blood

* Protects arteries from damage

* Inhibits blood clots (anti-thrombotic)

* Reduces blood triglycerides

* Lowers LDL blood cholesterol

* Lowers blood pressure

* Reduces risk of heart attack and stroke

* Eases symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis

* Reduces risk of lupus

* Relieves migraine headaches

* Fights inflammation

* Helps regulate the immune system

* Inhibits cancer in animals and possibly humans

* Soothes bronchial asthma

* Combats early kidney disease

The key to the healing powers of fish lies in the omega-3 fatty acids. These are particularly concentrated in cold-water fish such as anchovies, bluefish, herring, lake trout, mackerel, sable fish, whitefish, flue fin tuna, salmon and sardines. Note: in deciding between “healthy” and “unhealthy” fish, you can get specific instruction from Lev. 11:9. Eat only fish which have both fins and scales.

5. Garlic. One of the world’s oldest healing foods. By the time of Moses, garlic was already being used as an anticoagulant, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor agent, as well as a relief for flatulence, a diuretic, a sedative, a poultice and as a cure for internal parasites. Research suggests that garlic may help protect against heart disease and stroke by lowering blood pressure. It contains allylic sulfides, which may neutralize carcinogens. In fact, garlic has been linked to lower rates of stomach cancer, too. It is heart-friendly, with scores of studies showing its astonishing ability to fight hypertension, prevent blood clots and lower cholesterol.

6. Fruits, Berries, Grapes. Numbers 13:23, II Samuel 16:1-2. Grapes were the first thing Noah planted after the flood. Grapes were eaten fresh, dried and eaten as raisins just as we do today, and pressed into cakes. However, most of the crop of the vineyards was made into juice, wine and vinegar. A cup of raw grapes contains only 58 calories, 0.3 grams of fat, zero cholesterol and vitamins A, B and C. Grapes also contain important minerals such as boron, calcium, potassium and zinc. 

Grapes may be helpful in preventing osteoporosis, fighting tooth decay, heading off cancer and fighting off viruses. Other health-giving fruits include figs, melons, and pomegranates.

7. Legumes. 2 Samuel 17:28-29, Genesis 25:34. As reported in the book of Samuel, beans were among the highly nutritious foods sent to feed King David’s hungry army and restore their strength for the hard times ahead. Beans have a lot of soluble fiber, which helps lower LDL and reduce blood pressure. The fiber also helps keep blood sugar levels stable, stave off hunger, and even reduce the insulin requirements of people suffering from diabetes.

Beans are a great source of protein as well as being packed full of vitamin C, iron and dietary fiber. Beans help lower blood pressure and reduce the “bad” cholesterol that today’s research has shown to be the cause of so much devastating heart trouble — a rarity centuries ago. Beans contain chemicals that inhibit the growth of cancer. They help prevent constipation, can stop hemorrhoids and other bowel-related problems from developing, and help cure them if they do.

8. Nuts, including almonds, pistachio nuts and walnuts. Song of Solomon 6:11, Gen. 43:11. Botanists today believe that Solomon’s “garden of nuts” referred to in Scripture was a rich grove of walnut trees. At the time, walnuts were prized for the oil they produced, which was regarded as only slightly inferior to olive oil. The fact that walnuts were a delicious treat and highly nutritious was an added bonus. Nuts contain the right mixtures of natural ingredients whose benefits include cancer prevention, a lower risk of heart disease and help for diabetics. The oil found in walnuts is considered helpful because it is one of the “good guy” polyunsaturated fats and tends to lower blood cholesterol levels. Note: it’s best to avoid roasted nuts since they have been found to carry carcinogens, which could lead to cancer growth, so buy your nuts raw.

9. Olives. The olive was one of the most valuable and versatile trees of biblical times. It is mentioned frequently throughout the Bible. Probably the most famous reference to olive oil and its healing powers is in the parable of the good Samaritan, in which the Samaritan cares for a beaten and robbed traveler, treating his wounds with oil and wine. Olive oil, mixed with wine, was even used to soften and soothe bruises and wounds. Known benefits of olive oil include:

* Lowers blood cholesterol            

* Reduces LDL (bad) cholesterol levels

* Retards cancer growth

* Reduces the wear and tear of aging on the tissues and organs of the body and brain

* Reduces gastric acidity

* Protects against ulcers and aids the passage of food through the intestines, helping to prevent constipation

* Reduces the risk of gallstones

* Aids normal bone growth

One CAUTION: olive oil has a slight laxative effect, so add it to your diet gradually. 

One TIP: the more pure the olive oil, the better, so spend a little extra and get Virgin Olive Oil.

10. Onions. Numbers 11:5. Like its cousin, garlic, the onion is noted as a cure-all. And the folk healers hold it in high regard as far back as 6000 years or more. At least 3000 years before the birth of Christ, onions were treasured both as food and for their therapeutic value — particularly in the treatment of kidney and bladder problems. Some facts about onions:   

* Taken internally as a tonic to soothe intestinal gas pains

* Taken internally to alleviate the symptoms of hypertension, high blood sugar and elevated cholesterol

* Some people attribute their long life to a diet that includes high concentrations of onions and yogurt

* The juice of an onion and a syrup made from honey has been used to treat coughs, colds, and asthma attacks

* A tonic of onions soaked in gin has been prescribed for kidney stones and to eliminate excessive fluids

* Modern herbalists recommend onion syrup as an expectorant (it helps eliminate mucus from the respiratory tract)

* Onions can raise the good and lower the bad cholesterol

* Onions can slow blood clotting, regulate blood sugar, break up bronchial congestion and possibly prevent cancer

* Onions possess a strong antibiotic that kills a variety of bacteria

* Have been used externally as an antiseptic and a pain reliever

11. Wheat. Jeremiah 41:8, Ezekiel 4:9. Wheat was the “staff of life.” Biblical people ate their grain boiled and parched, soaked and roasted, and even ate it green from the stalk. It was pounded, dried or crushed to be baked into casseroles, porridges, soups, parched grain salads and desserts. Ezekiel’s bread was intended to be a survival food during the dark days of the Babylonion conquest because it contained wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet and spelt. Wheat bran is high in insoluble fiber. The fiber protects us against constipation. It helps prevent intestinal infections, hemorrhoids and varicose veins. It also improves bowel function and guards us against colon cancer.

12. Wine. I Timothy 5:23. John 4:46. Making wine from grapes is one of the most ancient arts and the beverage of choice in the Bible. According to Genesis, one of the first things Noah did after the flood was plant a vineyard so he could make wine. Researchers are now rediscovering what the physicians of the Bible knew centuries ago. In moderation, wine has a profound impact on our health and healing. Just a single glass of wine a day may be enough to raise the good cholesterol by 7% and help the body put up a barrier to a variety of cancers.

Wine appears to help stop heart disease and cancer. A study at the University of Ottawa in Canada concluded that there is a clear link between wine consumption and lower rates of heart disease. Countries where more than 90% of alcohol is consumed in the form of wine have the lowest rate of heart disease deaths.

A British study of 100 men and women discovered that a single glass of wine or sherry everyday increased the HDL or good cholesterol. When the group abstained from drinking wine, the HDL level decreased.

Red wine also seems to increase the body’s defenses against cancer. White wine may carry some of the same therapeutic benefits, but research so far seems to indicate that red wine is the most effective cancer blocker. Note: be sure to drink only in moderation. Ephesians 5:18.

As you can see, the Bible lists a lot of foods, foods that are actually available to us today, that we could be consuming to prevent illness, serious diseases and many trips to the doctor. Good health is not that difficult, but you do have to work at it a bit. It’s a balance of what you eat, exercise, sleep, avoiding stress, taking vitamin supplements. And strange as it may seem, the Bible is actually a complete instruction Manual for all of this.

In conclusion, the 12 healing foods listed here are only a partial list of healing foods found in the Bible. However, this report provides abundant evidence that God has placed on this earth, many health-giving foods for our consumption. A person who makes a serious effort to daily eat some of these health-giving foods, while avoiding health-destroying foods, certainly can expect to reap the benefits of a healthier body.

In the area of canonically intended recipients, McKenzie is quick to advise readers of a need to comprehend the Bible first by exegeting intent of biblical authors themselves and what sort of texts they thought themselves to be writing and how they might have been understood by those intended audiences.

Outside traditional auspices, ‘intended audiences’ is an interesting admission; indeed, if one considers the particular area and constituency, the implication would be to a limited, if any, modern import. This advice prompts us to ask: if not modernly intended, then, to whom was the Bible intended? Inadvertently, the author’s book title becomes non-significant, its import misleading, and modern audiences clearly out of sync with his book content.

McKenzie peers write glowing accolades praising this Professor of Hebrew Bible at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. A renowned scholar, according to furnished cover information and brief bibliography, the Professor garners many commendations as a true scholar. Or, Is his work a mere reflection of traditional rote with a smattering of denominational fervor?

Author McKenzie, considers it ludicrous that Jonah would resist his God and journey to Tarshish on the coast of Spain. Contrary to his geographic misapplication, Tarshish existed as a municipality both in West Mediterranean Spain and near the East Mediterranean Coast; obviously, the author wrongly assumes Jonah to embark toward Spain instead of the biblically stated destination beyond the Assyrian coast at Nineveh. But it is not to Assyrians but captive Israelites Jonah travels to investigate, to check on the disposition of non-covenanted captives, house of Israel tribesmen, lost to their God, but to be restored in the time of Messiah (their number indicative of captives, not the huge city population [much cattle]). Jonah is angry and resentful because the Israelites will be restored as prodigal sons, and as promised to receive the same reward he and his house of Judah semi-faithful have merited.

McKenzie raises an important issue as it concerns understanding of the Jonah story. But he ignores the Ten Ages as fulfilling episodes in the Chosen Peoples’ march to oblivion, as illustrated in Daniel and Ezekiel. McKenzie and other volunteers of Bible exegesis expose the great interpretation difficulty incurred with casual reading, when attempting to penetrate the symbolic maze confusing Bible intent.

Like many would-be translator-writers, McKenzie misses the point of all biblical text and therefore context; he fills columns with little more than non sequitur traditional rhetoric and fails to recognize the Bible’s obscure purpose; indeed, only in recent research can we discover the bottom line in Jonah cabal and other coded references to theocratic infractions and ultimate disposal of unfaithful participants obligated in the Covenant-marriage episodes, often their status annulled and renewed by the God-husband head of His Chosen People wife. Recent writings expose the trickiness of cabal in this age-old dilemma lived out to its final Messianic conclusion: “For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage.” Should readers know when the final marriage vows were terminated for all time? Do any intercept solution to the Sadducee mystery at Matthew 22:24, as it relates to the enquiry into Seven Marriage vows and termination to the practice when all became dead entities?

This was the destiny of those observed from Jonah’s shade under the gourd vine in Nineveh, but overlooked in McKenzie’s analysis. Still, his book is a good read.

The Qur’an recognizes the Bible and Muslims “accept the Torah of Moses (peace be on him), the Psalms of David (peace be on him) and the Gospel (Injeel) of Jesus,” naming among others a dozen men from Bible history as prophets.

The Five Pillars of Islam are:

1. Confession of Faith that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His messenger.
2. Prayer five times a day to “Recite that which has been revealed to you of the Book.
3. Fasting during daylight in the month of Ramadan.
4. Tax on wealth for upkeep of the poor and those who have no earning capacity.
5. Pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca once during life if able to afford it

It seems strange that there is no code of law as we find in the Bible that governs our behavior. The founders of America recognized Moses as law-giver when they made him the central figure above the Supreme Court entrance.

How surprised a heathen spy might have been if, during Israel’s supremacy, he could have crept into the Most Holy Place of Solomon’s Temple to discover the secret of Israel’s greatness was not an idol studded with gems, but a law-the principles of which could enable wise choices for every situation in life!

Obedience to physical laws results in health and Moses wrote the first comprehensive health code that includes quarantine for infectious diseases. Whole villages were spared from Bubonic Plague and Smallpox when they practiced quarantine hundreds of years ago, but foolish political leaders thumb their noses at this with porous borders, inviting Ebola into the US.

Moses detailed the clean and unclean animals in Leviticus 11, but also said not to eat the fat nor the blood of animals (sources of heart disease and cancer for animals that are poorly inspected when a cow carcass can pass an inspector every 5-10 seconds and chickens go past more than 2 per second.)

Biblical teaching is that our bodies are God’s temple and we should not indulge appetites or passions to the detriment of His presence in us. This would save us from overwork-God wants us to have a Sabbath day of rest and refreshment with social opportunities, friendships, spiritual focus and study.

Just as obedience to health laws enhances life, obedience to the moral law results in happiness. Those who lie, steal or cheat on their spouse aren’t happy and in the end, we might wonder how happy Muslim women are under Sharia law.

Makers of cars or equipment offer an owner’s manual with guidelines, like God gave in the Bible, and in the heart of the 10 Commandments we find the seal of God that originally had His name (where you see LORD in all caps, God’s name was removed by translators and replaced by the generic title), and it gave His title, Creator, and dominion of heaven and earth, Exodus 20:8-11.

Islam has no corresponding Creator, Owner’s Manual or Code of Laws by which one would know right from wrong-this latter aspect was praised by Abraham Lincoln.

Beyond its instructions on our duty to God, the Bible offers help on how to live life, how to rear our children. It has a curriculum-biographies of great men to model after, business principles in the Proverbs, poetry to sooth the spirit in the Psalms, and prophecies full of insight for our time because the God of the Bible “declares the end from the beginning.”

As an example, we consider the book of Daniel with its explanation of four great kingdoms from Daniel’s time-Babylon, Medo-Persia, Grecia and Rome, in Daniel 2. In Daniel 7, we see greater detail as those kingdoms were represented by beasts of prey and the papacy is foreseen as a little horn that grew out of the 4th beast which was Rome. The Protestant Reformers believed that Daniel 7:21,24,25 described the Catholic Church nearly 1,000 years before its oppressive reign.

Muslims might be impressed to see the Bible’s prophecy that includes militant Islam! The angel, Gabriel, told Daniel that his vision of a ram and goat was “at the time of the end,” Daniel 8:17. But in the conflict, the ram has its horns broken and gets stomped. The horns represent the kings of Media and Persia, verse 20.

Historians tell us that prophecy was fulfilled when Alexander the Great conquered them in 331 BC. But “at the time of the end,” we should understand those areas are now Iraq and Iran. This suggests that the God of the Bible truly sees the end from the beginning and it also reveals that Daniel has a double application-what proved true in history is assurance to us that it will work out as foretold for the end-times as well.

Islam teaches that Allah is all powerful, but the Bible reveals a Creator who not only spoke the universe into existence, but He knows the end of everything from the beginning. And more than that, the Bible reveals a God of love who, when man rebelled against God and chose his own way, found a way to win us back by paying the ultimate price.

This is also seen in a story Muslims know. It’s about Abraham whom God asked to take his son and sacrifice him. When the son asked, Where is the sacrifice, Abraham replied, God will provide Himself a lamb,” Genesis 22:8. Yes, God paid the ultimate price in sacrificing His own Son as the lamb foretold in Isaiah 53–“All we have gone astray, and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” verses 6,7.

The Savior painted a picture of a loving Father who rejoices over the salvation of each person who is reconciled to Him by love, not by force, whippings or beheadings-this is something that false religions don’t seem to understand.

If there are still questions about which is the true holy book, note that Islam teaches it was Ishmael who Abraham was going to offer as a sacrifice. The Bible says it was Isaac. Can we know? The Bible says a ram was sacrificed to spare Isaac.

We get further insight from Daniel 8 where, “at the time of the end,” a [militant] ram gets stomped and its horns are broken by a goat that flies from the west. When ISIS and militant Islam are broken, and Isaac (Israel) spared, may Muslims and everyone see the God of the Bible as the only one who is capable of being all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving-and truly worthy of our worship.

Muslims celebrate the sacrifice of the ram. It’s called Al Adha. But few have seen it explained in the Injeel. Muslims may appreciate further information:

It would be of interest to most readers to see the role of the Catholic Church in mentoring young Muhammed by Khadija. A former Jesuit priest who spent years in the Vatican offers revealing insights to history.

Acai and the Bible? No way! Don’t get all religious on me! We have heard all that Bible stuff before. Wait! Hold it! This is not a preaching session. This is an experience lesson useful for all humans today. Besides what exactly is wrong with examining the Bible anyway? OK. Ok. Here is the situation. Remember when centuries ago in Bible history the Israelites were plundered and taken captive by the world power of that era?

(Side note background: Their God Jehovah allowed them to be taken into captivity due to their selfishness, immorality, unfaithfulness and wayward course into false religions flourishing in the surrounding pagan lands in the area. This was their punishment for deviating from exclusive devotion to their God to whom they promised to worship only, and follow and obey his laws at that time.)

The Bible account we are referring to deals with Daniel and his three faithful companions while in captivity. Daniel and his companions were found to be highly intelligent and worthy of training and education into the foreign culture.

They were therefore invoked into the royal family and were treated as royal even eating along with the royal household of the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar.

The provisions of the Babylonian king, however, presented a challenge to the four Hebrew youths. Dietary restrictions undoubtedly were not of high concern to the royal household of the Babylonian king. So they requested a diet of vegetables and water, and it was granted to them. (Daniel 1:9-14)

In the end of the ten day trial of vegetables and water Daniel and his three companions looked healthier and better than all the other persons who were eating the Kings delicacies at his Royal table.

Well what does that tell us today? Fruits and vegetables are better for our health.

There are many reasons for the epidemic overweight condition throughout our world today. Here are the most evident causes.

1. Just think only a few short years ago beef cattle, farm pigs, chickens and livestock in general were fed off the land. Today we have become accustomed to livestock pumped up with hormones, antibiotics, and fed a variety of food additives. This has harmed our overall health.

2. In addition we have the fast food availability all over the world. Juicy hamburgers, French fries, chicken wings etc. etc ready to go. Eat in; drive in, food on the go. Are fast foods good for you? NO! Are fast foods delicious? YES! Are fast foods good for you? NO!

3. Just think of all the processed foods (junk foods) available at your local food store. All of these modern food conveniences are packing on the pounds today.

Those above realities do not alarm us anymore. We push the dangers to the back of our mind. However the results are showing up in more and more overweight, obese, and morbidly obese individuals on the rise. Look at our young school goers. At young and tender years children are moving into the ranks of obese.

The Bible shows the benefits of vegetables as primary food with meats as secondary. Follow this system and you will not need to fight off excess weight. (Excess fat) Remember you are not overweight – you are over fat. The Acai berry is a fruit naturally grown in the rain forests. The Acai berry has been extremely helpful in correcting the metabolism function of the human body. Acai has many additional wonderful attributes for healthful living.

Yes our modern world offers many advantages but also many disadvantages. What will you eat today?

To your weight loss success, health and happiness, John Schmidt – Weight Loss Nutritionist

Here are a few Bible Trivia questions and answers that you can use to use to stimulate conversation in your next Bible Study Class. Trivia can be a great way to learn the teachings of the Bible.

Bible Trivia Question #1:

What covered the land when Aaron waved his hand over the water?

Answer: from the King James Bible, Exodus 8:5-8

Frogs.

Question & Answer #2:

What did God do to the rod in the hand of Moses?

Answer: From the KJV, Exodus 4:1-5

God turned the rod into a serpent.

Bible Trivia Question #3:

After his resurrection, what did Jesus eat to prove he was not a spirit?

Answer: From the King James Bible, Luke 24

He ate Fish.

Question & Answer #4:

Who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair?

Answer: From the KJV, John 11:1-2

Mary of Bethany.

Bible Trivia Question #5:

How did Jesus heal a deaf mute?

Answer: From the King James Bible, Mark 7:32-35

Jesus put his fingers in the man’s ears and touched his tongue.

Question & Answer #6:

What weather phenomenon comes from the breath of God?

Answer: From the KJV, Job 37:10

Frost.

Trivia Question #7:

What kind of bread is commonly eaten during Passover?

Answer: from the King James Bible, Exodus 12:15

Unleavened bread; when the Pharaoh freed the Hebrews they left in such a hurry, the bread did not have time to rise. Un-risen bread is now a symbol of Passover.

Question & Answer #8:

What did God use to create Adam?

Answer: From the KJV, Genesis 2:7

Dust.

Question #9:

What did Jesus save his people from?

Answer: From the King James Bible, Matthew 1:21

Jesus saved the people from their sins.

Question & Answer #10:

What terrible plague was mixed with fire?

Answer: From the KJV, Exodus 9:24

Hail.

Question #11:

What kind of bread did the Lord give the children to eat?

Answer: From the KJV, Exodus 16:15

Manna.

Faithfully reading God's Word can be difficult when you have a demanding schedule. Audio bibles offer some great advantages over traditional reading. I first started listening to the Word about 25 years ago back in the good old days of Walkman cassette players. I spent many hours with the Bible streaming through my head as I bopped across campus between classes. Absorbing the Word through my ears significantly shaped me. I discovered that listening offered lots of advantageous.

1) MULTI-TASKING

The great thing about audio is you can listen to it while you do mundane chores. It's a nice way to multi-task or squeeze in extra exposure beyond your normal reading time. I listen on my laptop while doing dishes, working out, folding laundry, etc. Put an audio bible on your mp3 player and you can listen while you exercise, walk or commute.

2) IDEAL FOR AUDIO LEARNERS

If you are an audio learner, listening will actually be the most advantageous encounter of the Word for you. Our culture has become visually dominated. We often forget that much of the Bible was likely passed along orally before being put in print. Even the Epistles (letters) were read aloud in communities. Many early Christians would have never seen a written Word, but they would have heard it repeatedly.

3) ELIMINATES AWKWARD GIBBERISH

Listening is really great for passages like those in Leviticus or Numbers that are loaded with names and places that "read" as gibberish. Many people have shared the discomfort, if not discouragement, they feel when trying to plod through lengthy genealogies. May be those are times when you might want to consider listening rather reading. You won't feel the same frustration and may even learn how to pronounce some of those names of places and people if you listen to them on an audio Bible.

4) GREAT WAY TO REVIEW AND GET IN REPETITION

One of the keys to remembering biblical stories and gaining greater depth of understanding is repeated exposure to the text. Many mp3 players have a setting were you can select to have a track loop and play over and over again. You would be amazed at how much you will pick up from a text simply by having it playing in a loop in the background while you work or attend to other tasks. You may not even be actively listening, but periodically picking up pieces over time really pumps up your understanding of the text.

AUDIO BIBLE OPTIONS

ONLINE- -You can access a variety of audio bibles online for free. One of my favorite links is http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/browse/ . You simply select the passage you want to listen to and click the "listen" button near the top of the page. The listen link is just right of the chapter title. I mention it because it isn't necessarily real obvious. This is a great choice if cost is an issue for you. The disadvantage is that you can only access it while online.

CD's- -most bookstores carry a variety of options on CD. The selection of audio bibles on CD range from a single narrator just reading the text to dramatic readings by multiple professional actors with sound effects and a music sound track. With a little research you are likely to be able to find your favorite translation as well. Which audio bible is best for you is mostly a matter of personal preference and what is affordable.

I would encourage you to start by listening online first and see if it is something that works for you. Try it for two or three weeks and see if it doesn't increase you memory and understanding of the text.

If God wrote the Bible or inspired the Bible, could God be responsible for making any mistakes that need to be corrected inside of the Bible? If I was the most intelligent entity ever (God) and had the ability to create something out of nothing like our planet, I should be able to write a flawless instruction manual like the Bible.

Here’s to Bible verses that I would like you to take a look at, but read them with an open mind. If these weren’t Bible verses and just sentences in another book, could these actually be considered literal contradictions?

Genesis 32:30 (King James Version) And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

John 1:18 (King James Version) No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

The first statement says that Jacob seen God face-to-face, while the second Bible verse says that no man has seen God. It just doesn’t stop there. The second Bible verse says that no man has seen God at any time.

Let’s just say that God put these Bible verses in there too irritate people like myself, atheists, agnostics and even some doubting Christians. What’s the meaning behind it and why would the Christian God deliberately try to confuse any Christians who are trying to understand the true meaning of Christianity.

I would love to hear some of your comments about these Bible verses and why or why not you would think that they were or weren’t a contradiction.