Present Truth
April/May 2016

Dear Readers,
“Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 1:1). I pray that God’s grace and peace will be abundantly showered upon you as you contemplate His goodness. Thank you so much for your prayers for our trip to Dominican Republic. The Lord blessed!
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In This Issue:
Dominican Republic Trip Report
by Lynnford Beachy
Bible Study Bookmarks
by Pat Kroeger
Shelter in the Storm
by Lynnford Beachy
Sample Publications
Kids’ Korner
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Dominican Republic Trip Report
by Lynnford Beachy

On March 16 my son, Josiah, and I boarded an airplane to fly to the Dominican Republic for an evangelistic outreach, where we would be joined by Nader Mansour, Imad Awde, Alfred Irizarry, Ruben Marte, and Renny Escorcha. We united to conduct the Second International Conference in Santo Domingo, focusing on the love of God. The theme of the conference was based on my book, God’s Love on Trial, entitled in Spanish, El amor de Dios en tela de juicio. I brought 250 copies for distribution along with over 1,200 other materials.
We met Alfred at an airport in New York City and traveled with him the rest of the way. Our flights went well, and it was thrilling to visit with and share gospel tracts to those around us. We were greeted at the airport in the Dominican Republic by Miguel Cabrera and Julio Florimon, who brought us to Julio’s house where we would be staying for the next few days. To God be the glory for seeing that our 1,500+ booklets and tracts arrived safely. At the airport, I was asked what was in the three large boxes, and when I explained that they were books to be given away, the officials escorted us past the rest of the security checkpoints without opening the boxes, telling us we were free to go. Alfred said that was our God intervention VIP treatment. I believe God is happy to get this material into the country. Please pray that every piece will bring the most blessing possible.
Thursday, March 17
After a much needed night of rest, we went to visit Alfred’s grandmother, Lucia, who had an injury that prevented her from attending the meetings. After a three-hour bus ride, we reached their pleasant home in the country. It was a beautiful home with a large garden area on a river. Our hosts had a meal already prepared for us. Lucia is such a blessing to see. Every time I have seen her, she assures me that she prays for my family and me every day. That is very encouraging! I know from first-hand experience that God blesses through the interceding prayers of others (See 1 Timothy 2:1-6. For a Bible study on the power of prayer, read the August 2013 and January 2014 issues of Present Truth).
After a refreshing tour of their place, prayer, and visiting with several of the people there, we took a bus back to Julio’s house, sharing literature along the way.
Friday, March 18
On Friday we made some preparations for the upcoming meetings. In the evening we took a very exciting taxi ride to meet with the local group Julio and Miguel have been working with. The taxi driver did some fancy maneuvering; much more extreme than anything we have seen anywhere else. My son learned some of the things not to do in traffic unless, of course, you are in the Dominican Republic. It is probably high on the list of places you do not want to drive. It seems that stop signs and other road signs mean little to nothing to the drivers there. Yet, everyone seemed to move around peaceably without any indication of road rage. Horns were used very freely, but not in anger; rather to inform of their presence.
After about forty-five minutes of extreme driving, we safely arrived at the church, Movimiento Pregonero de la Verdad, where I shared a message about God’s pleasure in accepting us as sons and daughters. We saw how our status changes after being born again and we recognize God as our Father. (You can read a written version of this study in the August 2015 issue of Present Truth.)
In the midst of the meeting a drunken man from across the street very excitedly came in and set a few coins on the pulpit as an offering. He left as quickly as he entered, and later returned briefly. It was thrilling to see the Lord working on his heart.
The message was very well received, and I invited everyone to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. It was a pleasure to have my oldest son, Josiah, with me. He was glad to help in some of my illustrations, as well as just generally helping in the things that needed to be done. This was his first trip overseas, and it was a blessing to him.
After praying for them, we embraced and returned to our homes for the night, this time much more calmly, in the car of one of the brethren.
Sábado (Sabbath), March 19
In English, we can call the seventh-day of the week either Saturday or Sabbath, but in Spanish there is only one word for the seventh-day of the week, Sábado, which means Sabbath* [Footnote: For a study on the Sabbath, contact us and request the pamphlet, 100 Facts About the Sabbath Question, available in Spanish and English.] On this morning we met at the same church. Brother Miguel shared an insightful study on John 14 and 15, followed by some presentations by the children. I shared a message on the importance of allowing the Word of God to transform us so that we treat others with love. I cautioned against allowing minor differences to split us off from members of the body of Christ. This generated some lively participation from the audience. (You can read a written version of this study in the July 2015 issue of Present Truth.)
In the afternoon we returned to Julio’s house and studied with some brethren for many hours, covering several topics, mostly on prophecy.
Sunday, March 20
On Sunday morning, we left early for an interview on a radio station about the upcoming meetings. I was prepared to share a short devotional. It turned out that they wanted a brief explanation of the seminar, followed by a one-hour Bible study. I was not expecting this, but it was an excellent opportunity for the Lord to work. He gave me an encouraging message about God’s love for us even when we fall. He sent His Son to die for us “while we were yet sinners” (Romans 5:8). After Adam and Eve sinned, they became afraid of God (Genesis 3:1-10), but God did not change; He still came to spend time with them. We saw that this type of fear of God has made it difficult for people to approach Him today. I shared my testimony of how God came to me while I was hosting a drug party to let me know that He loves me and wants me to live forever. This study will probably be printed in an upcoming issue of Present Truth. Aspects of it have been printed in the Feb-Mar 2015 and August 2010 issues.
I encouraged everyone listening to accept Jesus into their hearts, and to come to the meetings for more encouragement. Brother Alfred did an excellent job translating the message, and Brothers Miguel and Leonel used their powerful radio voices to give the details of the upcoming seminar.
That evening, the brethren requested that Alfred share a message during their vigil from 6:30pm until midnight. There is a custom in the Dominican Republic to have late-night vigils. Brother Alfred shared a study on how to be ready when the Lord returns for His people. Brother Miguel shared some interactive messages that everyone seemed to really appreciate. By the end of the evening we were tired, but many gave testimonies that they were glad to participate.
Monday, March 21
On Monday Josiah and I moved to a sister’s home on the other side of town, where I had stayed last year—in a small apartment built on the roof of her house. Our host, Sister Paula, was very kind. Her helpfulness reminded me of the thoughtful lady who arranged to have a room built on her roof for Elisha to use as he traveled (2 Kings 4:8-11). May God richly bless her for her kindness.
This was also the day that Brothers Imad and Nader arrived. They had a forty-hour trip from their homes in Australia; the longest they had experienced. I greatly appreciate their commitment to sharing the gospel. Brother Renny also arrived from his home in Mexico.
Tuesday, March 22
On Tuesday, we traveled around town making the final arrangements for the seminar. It was to be held Wednesday through Friday in the same hotel as last year. Brother Ruben arrived from his home in Florida, and stayed with us on the rooftop.
Wednesday, March 23
The nice thing about our morning showers was that we did not have to wait for the water heater to warm up again, as there was no water heater. Fortunately, the water was not that cold. We left at 7am for the first day of our seminar, which began at 8am. Traffic was especially congested, so we detoured through downtown, which introduced us to an especially poor part of the city we had not seen before. We also drove by the burial place of Christopher Columbus, a very large building that can be lit up at night to project a cross into the air.
Brother Ruben shared the first message of the day, about Christ as the center of our existence. Christ has the law of love in His heart, and when He lives in us, His law is in our hearts. Imad shared the next message, about the necessity of Christ living in us literally, not just words or theory. For an article about this read my booklet, Christ in You.
For lunch each day, the whole group ate at the buffet in the hotel. All of the food was very well prepared and included some local foods. One of them was mangu (not mango), which is a dish made from boiled, mashed plantain, mixed with sautéed onions, which I enjoyed very much. They also had some sweet beans, not like our baked beans, but rather sweetened and mashed as a desert. There is something in my mind that has a hard time eating sweet foods that I am used to eating savory, and vice versa. Despite this difficulty, the beans were pretty good, but not good enough for seconds.
In the afternoon I shared a study on the history of various conceptions of God in early Christianity. It was a sermon version of the last part of my book God’s Love on Trial (See the last article, Available Publications, for a description of this book). All of the meetings contained enthusiastic responses from the audience, and they really seemed to appreciate them.
Thursday, March 24
Brother Renny shared the first message focusing on God’s love in giving His Son. Renny is the most animated speaker I have seen. He is very expressive and interactive with the audience, who seemed to reflect his enthusiasm. Brother Imad shared the next message, comparing the Christ of the Bible with the false Christ of various religions. Brother Nader shared the next message, showing how the gods of Babylon have been worshipped through many cultures throughout history. Brother Ruben shared the last message of the evening, emphasizing the importance of not allowing someone, or something, to take Christ away from us.
That evening we had the pleasure of helping to make arrangements for a wedding that was to take place the following day during our seminar.
Friday, March 25
Our drive to the meeting place was very short, as the country was celebrating Good Friday, and the roads were nearly barren. The Lord gave me a message to share on the sufferings and death of Christ, which brought some tears of love and gratitude. It is absolutely amazing how much God loves us, as was demonstrated by Him giving His only begotten Son to endure extreme suffering and death for us. This theme should be meditated upon every day. (For a printed version of this study, read the October 2011 issue of Present Truth, also available as chapter 4 of my book, Understanding the Personality of God. See page 15 for a description of this book.)
Brother Nader shared the next message on the outstanding benefits that Christ gained for us when He died on the cross. It was thrilling to get a glimpse of some of the blessings that are ours because of His time on earth.
In the afternoon, Brother Nader officiated in a humble wedding ceremony for a couple in the church. Please pray that God will richly bless their union so that His love will shine out from that home to be a window of God’s character to the world.
Brother Imad shared the next message, about the old and new covenants, demonstrating from many scripture passages, that circumcision and other aspects of the ceremonial law were not to be kept after Christ’s death. (For a printed study very similar to this sermon, read the September 2014 issue of Present Truth.)
Brother Alfred shared the last message of the public seminar, on Christ as our Mediator. Later that evening, he and Brother Renny went to interview baptismal candidates and to give a Bible study.
Sábado (Sabbath), March 26
The hotel where we were holding the meetings agreed to let us use their swimming pool, and five souls committed their lives to Christ through baptism. We shared in the joy of heaven (Luke 15:7) over these new disciples of Christ. Those who were baptized were not baptized into any denomination, but rather they were “baptized into Christ” (Galatians 3:27). (For a study explaining this, please read the July 2010 issue of Present Truth.)
After the baptism, Brother Nader shared about the new life that Christ introduced to humanity by His life, death and resurrection. It was refreshing to focus on how we are “saved by His life” (Romans 5:10).
In the afternoon, we had a question and answer session where people could ask any Bible question they wished. There were questions about the New Earth, the millennium, the divinity of Christ, Zachariah 14, Colossians 2, etc. I believe these sessions are very helpful to clear up any misunderstandings about what was presented at the meetings.
That evening Josiah and I accompanied Brother Renny, and Brother Miguel and his family, to visit a castle built by the brother of Christopher Columbus. It was an impressive structure with six-foot thick rock walls protected by canons. Josiah enjoyed climbing on things, one of his favorite pastimes. I look forward to seeing the New Jerusalem, thrusting upward hundreds of miles, which will far outshine this massive structure.
Sunday, March 27
On Sunday several of us went to the ocean. It was a pleasant, bright sunshiny day, interspersed with some light rain. The ocean is beautiful there. It is clear, with colors varying from turquoise to deep blue. The part of the beach where we went was a large cove only about four feet deep, with almost no waves, making it a very nice place to swim. It was refreshing to spend time with friends in this peaceful setting.
Brothers Ruben and Renny left for home on this day. It was a privilege to work with these dedicated men.
Monday, March 28
On Monday, Brothers Nader and Imad left very early in the morning for another forty-hour trip home. I  enjoyed working with these brothers to spread the gospel in the Dominican Republic. Josiah and I left with Brother Alfred in the afternoon.
We had an interesting experience in the airport as we were leaving: After going through security, there were many people filling out paperwork to allow them to go through customs. We found a place to sit and began writing out our information. Then we noticed a young man behind our seats looking for something. He had misplaced his passport, which he had last seen on the seats we were using. He was beginning to get stressed by the situation, knowing that without it he would be stuck in the Dominican Republic. We helped him look for the passport for a short time, and then I offered to pray for him. He was glad to accept. I prayed in my broken Spanish, asking the Lord to help him find his passport.
He thanked me and walked away. Later, as we were in line to go through customs, I noticed he was in line ahead of us. When he saw me, he excitedly came over, holding out his passport, and gave me a big hug. He was delighted to see the Lord work in his life. Please pray that this man will continue to see God’s love manifested every day.
Conclusion
Josiah and I safely arrived home where we were excited to be reunited with the rest of our family. Josiah returned home able to speak much more Spanish than when we began our trip, and more importantly with a deeper appreciation of God’s goodness. I am hoping he will be able to accompany me on future trips as well.
We appreciate your prayers for the spread of the gospel in the Dominican Republic, and for the people who are both spreading and receiving it. I look forward to seeing these brethren again. There are plans for meetings to be held there again next year, as well plans to visit some other countries in the near future. Thank you for all your support, whether through your prayers, sharing literature, or other resources. It is a wonderful thing to be “laborers together with God” (1 Corinthians 3:9).
God is preparing a people ready for the coming of the Lord. I pray that you will be actively involved in sharing the gospel in your area. You are a window for God’s love to shine out to your community. May that light shine brighter and brighter each day, especially as we see the day of the Lord approaching.
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Bible Study Bookmarks
by Pat Kroeger

Creation science has been a long time personal study of mine. Many years ago I had a close encounter of a spiritual kind with a relative, after said relative turned from a dedicated Christian to bitter agnostic. I desperately tried to witness and pull this relative back into the light, but had to face a sad reality: bitter agnostics are entrenched in their bitterness, and, I was trying to push my way through life on “blind” faith. Let me explain.
Other than personal experience, something you can’t put your finger on and can’t really explain, everything I knew about the existence of God at that time was from the Bible. News flash: bitter agnostics don’t believe in the Bible, so they throw everything back in your face. I was really tested. After several weeks of discouragement, I reached out to the Lord in earnest prayer. I needed answers!
Amazingly, in the moment of my deepest plea, the Lord brought to mind a verse from Romans 1: “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.” (Rom 1:20) As I thought of the significance of this text I realized that the proof of God was in the created world. He said so!
Suddenly, I remembered a pamphlet I had tucked away in the closet. Was it still there? I had it for years, but never took it seriously and never really read it through. But I knew the title was on creation vs. evolution. The way I was raised, I had always believed in a Creator and a seven-day creation week, so it wasn’t pertinent to me, or so I thought. Little did I know the relevance of understanding not just that God created, but how He created. Immediately, I got up, went into my closet, and put my hands on the brightest ray of light I had seen in weeks. I was overwhelmed that the Lord answered so specifically and so immediately. All I had to do was ask.
Needless to say, I studied every word of that brochure, and the accompanying one. That began a quest that has spanned more than twenty years and has armed me with so much more than blind faith: bombardier beetles, the fossil record, the human eye, the reproductive system, the human mind, life… Do you know that granite, the foundation of the earth, is marked with polonium radio halos, and that Polonium-214 has a half-life 164 microseconds? Do you know that for these radio halos to be present, the granite would have to be in a molten state and turn solid instantaneously? (Even with the parent isotope, Polonium-218, with a half-life of 3 minutes, the most time lapse from molten to solid granite would be 30 minutes, max.) Do you realize that only the very act of creation can account for this? The thought still gives me chills.
I’ve learned a lot of things through my studies. What I’ve gained is confidence in knowing the existence of God is not just in my head. It’s written in nature itself: His signature is on every thing, if only we have “eyes to see.”
Make no mistake, if you don’t believe in Genesis 1-9 as it is written, if you try to squeeze evolution anywhere into God’s universe, the plan of salvation falls apart. Among other things, evolution puts death before sin, has God calling death “good”, and makes God out to be a bold-faced liar. It’s because of sin that death came, and it’s because of death that Christ came. The devil certainly left his mark on the world when he turned man into a monkey.
My relative is still a bitter agnostic, but it’s not because they haven’t heard the truth. As it says, “they are without excuse.”
(This bookmark is printed below. Contact us to receive your own color copies. Pat is in the process of preparing more bookmarks on various topics.                      Editor)
Text of Bookmark
THE EVOLUTION OF CHAOS
The current state of society is in global disorder and deteriorating at record pace. Our culture is riddled with crime and violence stemming from racial, religious, and gender tension, not to mention greed and the thirst for power. In its wake, more and more people, adults and children alike, are being medicated for depression, insomnia, and a host of other emotional disorders. And things are only getting worse. So what gives?
The chaos of today can be largely traced to the cause-and-effect of an atheist worldview and the belief that our lives are nothing more than an accident of colliding atoms, with no purpose or future. Having no other explanation for death and pain in the world leaves many to live by the motto of the urban jungle: “survival of the fittest.” So, who are we, how did we get here, and is there real purpose and meaning for our lives?
There are only two basic theories that attempt to explain these age old questions: evolution and creation. Today, evolution is promoted as “real science” while creation is shelved under “pseudo science.” This isn’t really valid since both are classed as theories, as neither can be observed in progress today nor repeated in lab tests: both are faith-based systems. Creationists and evolutionists work with the same data, but have different world-views on how to interpret that data. An unbiased look at the scientific evidence can help us decide which theory is more plausible and most probable. 
For evolution, Darwin’s theory of natural selection (NS) asserts that molecules will eventually become monkeys, mangoes, and men through slow, random genetic mutations (GMs) over millions of years, and negates the concept of a Creator God. This type of molecules-to-man evolution is called macro-evolution. If such were possible, the world should look like a set from Star Wars, with every living thing in various stages of transition. Instead, we see the opposite, we see stasis. That is, mangoes are still grown from mango seeds and men are still grown from babies. 
GMs are reproductive mistakes in the genes that result in loss or misplacement of genetic information and are rarely beneficial. They are responsible for such things as sickle cell anemia and cystic fibrosis and cannot produce atoms-to-Adam evolution because that would require an increase in genetic information.
Back
Creation, on the other hand, is the instant generation of all things ex nihilo (out of nothing) through the supernatural act of an intelligent, Supreme Being. Creationists accept the Biblical account for the origins of a perfect man and his world about 6000 years ago, man’s sin and the resulting introduction of death and degeneration, and the later judgment against the escalating depravity of man through the worldwide flood of Noah’s day (Genesis 1-7). While creationists reject macro-evolution, they recognize micro-evolution, low level GMs that produce variation within the species, but cannot alter the created kinds (genus). 
Scientific laws are laws because they’re observed as always working the same way under the same conditions every time. Evolution defies many major laws of science. Creation harmonizes with them because the Creator defined the laws of science:
The Law of Biogenesis: Life can only come from life; like always gives rise to like.
1st Law of Thermodynamics: All energy within the universe remains constant. Energy, or its mass equivalent, can change form, but not be created or destroyed by natural process. 
2nd Law of Thermodynamics: The energy available for useful work has always been decreasing.
Mendel’s laws of genetics: Genes are simply rearranged from generation to generation. Different combinations of genes are formed, not different kinds of genes. 
The fossil record also supports the Biblical view, as life appears suddenly and fully developed. The so-called transitional creatures always turn out to be an unknown variety of a known species. So if evolution is not true, why go to such lengths to force it on everyone? It comes down to this: being deliberately created for a divine purpose means we must eventually answer to the One who created us and whether we’ve fulfilled that purpose.
We don’t need medication; we need Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Creator and Redeemer. He conquered sin and death and offers His victory to us. Through His indwelling Spirit He will create us into His likeness once again, transforming our minds and filling our lives with hope and peace beyond explanation. Only in God and His Son can we have purpose and meaning for our lives now and a future in eternity (1Jo 4:9; 2Co 5:17; Joh 16:33: Phil 4:7). *[answersingenesis.org; restorationministry.com]
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Shelter in the Storm
by Lynnford Beachy

(This article is available as a tract, described in the next article, Available Publications.)

There is a storm about to break loose upon this world and we better be prepared to meet it. Judging by the events that took place on September 11, 2001, when our dreams of continual earthly peace and prosperity were shattered, we can see that this storm has already begun. Many people fear another major attack will take place, and many fear that anthrax, small pox, or some other deadly disease will come close to home and strike their family, loved ones, or even themselves. Many people are seeking for answers to how they can protect themselves.
For those of us who have been reading our Bibles, especially the portions dealing with end-time prophecy, an attack on American soil did not come as a surprise. We knew that it was inevitable that things on this earth would get much worse before Christ returns. God, in His love and mercy, has warned us about the events that would take place just prior to His second coming, and He has given us instructions on how to be prepared for this crisis.
If Satan has succeeded in deluding you into the false security that God will remove His people from this world in a secret rapture before things get really bad, I strongly encourage you to contact us and request the free tract entitled “The Millennium.” While they were running for their lives, I doubt that anyone could have convinced any Christian who died in the World Trade Center on September 11 that God would rapture them before things got bad.
Jesus warned us of the evil that would come upon this world when He said, “Ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences [diseases], and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come” (Matthew 24:6-14).
My friends, Jesus knew what was coming upon this world and His words are being fulfilled right before our eyes. We are still at the beginning of these things; like Jesus said, this is “the beginning of sorrows.” We are hearing of wars and rumors of wars. We are beginning to see nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There are famines, diseases and earthquakes which are rapidly increasing in number. Jesus commanded us to “be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” Very soon the remaining words of Jesus will be fulfilled to the letter. He said, “then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.”
The Hatred of the World
One thing that amazed me after September 11 was how rapidly the world’s hatred can be turned against one class of people. At first the hatred was against Muslims in general. Several mosques were vandalized, and some Muslims were beaten. Afterward the hatred has been directed more towards a smaller fanatical fringe of the Muslim religion. However, this will not be the last shift of the world’s hatred. Jesus warned us that His true followers “shall be hated of all nations.” Yet how can this be? Today it almost sounds absurd to say that the world will turn its hatred toward God’s faithful people, but that is exactly what Jesus said would happen.
Jesus warned us through His faithful prophet John that a world power would arise that will deceive “them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do… And he had power to… cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads” (Revelation 13:14-16). We have all heard about the mark of the beast and the antichrist, but many of us have been unwilling to think about this subject. We seem to want it to happen after our lifetime. Well, my friends, it is upon us. What are we going to do?
The Protection We Need
There was a Psalm written in the Bible especially for you and me at this time in earth’s history. It says, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation” (Psalms 91:1-16).
This is a Psalm which every Christian should know by memory to help us be victorious through the times ahead. I want you to notice specifically a few things in this Psalm. It says that we will be safe only if we dwell “in the secret place of the Most High,” if we make “his truth” our “shield and buckler,” if we trust in His protection, and if we set our love upon Him. This is the only way we will be safe in the coming crisis.
What does it mean to dwell in the secret place of the Most High? Are we to find some secluded secret cave and dwell there? No! We are to dwell in the secret place of a close, personal relationship with Him. We are also to set our love upon Him and fortify our minds with His truth. In order to have a close, personal relationship with the Most High, and have our love and affections set upon Him, we must first get to know Him in truth. We must know who the Most High is, and we must know what He is like. Does He love you? Is He interested in your well being? Before we can ever love God we must first see His love for us. “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).
The Love of God
The Most High God “so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). This is how God demonstrated His love for you. He gave up His most precious possession, His only begotten Son. He wants you to comprehend how much He loves you, so He gave you a very clear explanation of the valuable gift He gave for you.
If God so loved the world that He gave a goat, you and I would seriously question God’s love for us, because a goat would be an almost meaningless gift for God to give up. If God so loved the world that He gave a human, what would we think then? Well, that is a little better than a goat, but it is still a small gift. What if God so loved the world that He gave an angel? That is a better gift than a human, but it still falls far short of demonstrating how much God loves us. You see, our understanding of God’s love depends upon the value of the gift He gave up for us. The more valuable the gift He gave, the more we can see His love for us.
God gave His only begotten Son for us. He has other sons, but He only has one begotten Son. Humans are “sons of God” by adoption (Romans 8:14), angels are “sons of God” by creation (Job 1:6; 2:1), but Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God. What sets Jesus Christ apart from everyone else in the universe, and by which we know God’s love for us, is the fact that He was begotten.
The Most High God knows, from first hand experience, the most valuable possession a person can have. He knows that nothing is more valuable to a person than a child whom they love. This is precisely where God tested Abraham’s loyalty, when He asked him to offer his beloved son, Isaac, for a sacrifice (Genesis 22). Abraham’s willingness to obey God’s command proved that he loved God with all his heart. It proved that he would give up every possession he had for God.
The same thing is true with God. When He gave up His only begotten Son it proved that He is willing to give up every possession, suffer any amount of pain, and endure any hardship in order to save those whom He loves. This is what Paul meant when he said, “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).
God truly loves us, yet this love can only be understood by understanding that God gave His only begotten Son. Therefore it is Satan’s determined goal to destroy, obliterate, and completely eliminate this truth from the minds of men. Satan knows that the only ones who will be able to overcome and endure unto the end through this upcoming crisis are those who believe that Jesus is the begotten Son of God. John wrote, “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:5).
Believing that Jesus is the begotten Son of God enables us to overcome the world by elevating our perception of God’s love and enabling us to love Him in return with all our hearts.
Begotten
What did Jesus mean when He said He was begotten? Jesus, speaking of Himself, said, “When there were no depths, I was brought forth [born*]; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth [born*]… Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him” (Proverbs 8:24, 25, 30). [Footnote: * This word in this form is only used two other places in the Bible Job 15:7 and Psalm 51:5. It means, “to be made to writhe, be made to bear, to be brought forth” (Brown-Driver-Brigg’s Hebrew Lexicon). It can mean nothing other than being begotten, or born.]
According to the Bible, Jesus Christ was begotten, which literally means born, before anything was created—long before God sent Him into the world (See Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:1-9; John 18:37; and 1 John 4:9.)
However, Satan is not pleased with us having this knowledge, therefore he has sought, and is seeking, to destroy it from this world. In 325 A.D., about 300 years after Christ died, Satan convinced a group of men to assemble in a town called Nicea to discuss whether Christ was begotten or not. The government forced the conclusion that Christ was not begotten before He came to this world, and the new idea that Christ is the same age as His Father arose upon the pages of Christian history. After the counsel, one man who attended wrote, “We have never heard, my Lord, of two beings unbegotten… but that there is one unbegot- ten, and another truly from Him” (Letter written by Eusebius of Nicomedia—A Historical View of the Council of Nice, by Isaac Boyle, page 41). For a more thorough study on this counsel please contact us and request the free booklet entitled “The Formulation of the Doctrine of the Trinity.”
Satan is so dedicated to eradicating the wonderful truth that God really gave up His only begotten Son that he has convinced the translators of most of the new translations, including the NIV, RSV, NASB, NLT, etc., to delete the word begotten in John 3:16. Check it out for yourselves!
My friends, God really means what He says. He says that He gave His only begotten Son, and that is exactly what He gave for us. Think about! If Jesus Christ was not the begotten Son of God before God sent Him into the world, then what did the Most High God give up? The conclusion of the counsel of Nicea, and which nearly all Christians believe today, is that Jesus Christ is an exactly equal, same-aged companion of the Father. If this were true, then all the Father gave up was a friend, a companion. If this were true, then the one who loves us the most is Christ, because He is the one who died for us.
But this is not true. God the Father suffered tremendously when His Son was suffering under the weight of the sins of this world. In Abraham’s story it was obviously the Father, Abraham, who suffered more when he gave up his beloved son. Jesus said, “the Father himself loveth you” (John 16:27). John wrote, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us” (1 John 3:1). We cannot behold the love of the Father if we do not know what He gave up for us. God the Father has an only begotten Son whom He willingly gave up so that you could be forgiven of your sins and live for eternity. Praise God for such wonderful love!
My friends, I pray that you will be ready to stand in the final crisis that will come upon this world. I pray that you will receive the seal of God instead of the mark of the beast. I pray that you will remain faithful to God and dwell in the secret place of the Most High. I pray that you will make “His truth” your “shield and buckler.” I pray that you will come to know “the breadth, and length, and depth, and height” of God’s love in giving up His only begotten Son (Ephesians 3:18). “Prepare to meet thy God” (Amos 4:12).
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Sample of Available Printed Publications
These are just a few of the many publications we have available. Pamphlets marked with * are available in Spanish.

  	God’s Love on Trial
This 44-page book reveals how God’s love has been under attack by the invention of false theories about God that misrepresent His character. Here you will see why it is so important to know God.*	  	Finding Your Identity
This tract was the lead article in the June 2015 issue of Present Truth. It focuses on our need to find our identity in Jesus Christ instead of other people, our possessions, or talents. We have had many positive responses from this article, along with a request to turn it into a pamphlet.	
 	Christ in You
This 10-page booklet emphasizes the need to truly have Christ living in you. It focuses on Christ as our Comforter and gives a biblical perspective on the Holy Spirit of God.*	   	The Incredible Love of God
This tract was the lead article in the January 2015 issue of Present Truth. It focuses on how deeply God loves us. We have had many positive responses from this article, so we decided to turn it into a pamphlet. It is one of the easiest tracts to share.	
 	Understanding the Personality of God
This 54-page book is a thorough Bible study on the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit of God, demonstrating that Jesus Christ truly is the Son of God who really died for our sins.		Study to Show Thyself Approved
A tract advertising the free monthly newsletter Present Truth. It challenges people to study the Bible for themselves rather than accepting whatever men tell them about the Bible.	
	Answering Objections
This 54-page book is a companion to Understand-ing the Personality of God. It is an in-depth Bible study on all of the verses used to discredit the facts found in that book. ►	   	Shelter in the Storm
A study showing the Bible's instruction for us to be ready to withstand the coming crisis by having a strong relationship with God, by knowing His love for us in giving His only begotten Son to die for us.*	

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Kids’ Korner
by Josiah, Rebekah, and Zachariah Beachy

To complete much of the items in Kids’ Korner, please download the PDF version of this newsletter.
“Let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.”_(1 Thess. 5:6)
Helpful Quotes
Sometimes when you’re in a dark place you think you’ve been buried, but actually you’ve been planted.

What matters most is how you see yourself.

Sometimes you need to look at life from a different perspective.

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (Psalms 23:4).

In the Beginning God Created
On the 1st day God created Day and Night.

On the 2nd day God created the _______________.

On the 3rd day God divided the _______________ from the _______________ and filled the land with _______________.

On the 4th day God created the _______________ for the day, and the _______________ and _______________ for the night.

On the 5th day God created _______________ for the oceans, lakes and rivers, and _______________ for the air.

On the 6th day God created ____________. Then God created ____________.

On the 7th day God rested.

Unscramble the Old Testament Books of the Bible (part 2)
LMOSGOFOOSNON _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _
HIIAAS _  _  _  _  _  _
MAEIHREJ _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _
OTNEATILANSM _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _
ZLEEEKI _  _  _  _  _  _  _
LDIANE _  _  _  _  _  _
ESAOH _  _  _  _  _
EOJL _  _  _  _
MASO _  _  _  _
IADABHO _  _  _  _  _  _  _
HANJO _  _  _  _  _
CAMIH _  _  _  _  _
HMANU _  _  _  _  _
KUAHKBKA _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _
HEPIHANAZ _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _
AGGIAH _  _  _  _  _  _
RAIHCEAZH _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _  _
HALCAMI _  _  _  _  _  _  _

Bible Study Crossword – Grace by Zachariah Beachy
(The King James Version is required.)

To complete this crossword, please download the PDF version of this newsletter.
› “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the ____ of God, and of Jesus our Lord.” 2 Peter 1:2—2 Down
› “But Noah found ____ in the eyes of the LORD.” Genesis 6:8—8 Across
› “My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy ____, and chains about thy neck.” Proverbs 1:8—13 Down
› “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with ____: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5—11 Across
› “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with ____: and the grace of God was upon him.” Luke 2:40—5 Across
› “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only ____ of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:14—3 Across
› “For the grace of God that bringeth ____ hath appeared to all men.” Titus 2:11—15 Across
› “For by grace are ye ____ through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8— 12_Down
› “But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the ____ of Christ.” Ephesians 4:7—14 Down
› “Being justified freely by his grace through the ____ that is in Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:24—7 Down
› “…where ____ abounded, grace did much more abound.” Romans 5:20—10 Down
› “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my ____ is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9—12 Across
› “Let your ____ be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” Colossians 4:6—6 Down
› “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any ____ of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.” Hebrews 12:15—9 Down
› “But ____ in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18—4 Down
› “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be ____ you all. Amen.” Revelation 22:21—1 Down.

Note: If you or your children would like to participate in preparing Crossword Bible studies, send us a Bible study in the format above, with one word missing and replaced with a blank ____. Put the missing word at the beginning of the paragraph followed by a colon: (Make sure that you do not use the same word twice). Make sure each verse is relevant to the study and provide approximately 20 verses). If you send this to us we may be able to include it in an upcoming issue of Present Truth.

Bonus 
How many times can you find the word “meeting(s)” in the first article? ______
Extra Credit: How many times can you find “gospel”? ______
Answers for the Last Issue: Earth 41; Heaven 16
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Present Truth is published monthly by Present Truth Ministries. It is sent free upon request. Duplication of these papers is not only permitted but strongly encouraged, as long as our contact information is retained and the content is unchanged. Present Truth is available online at www.presenttruth.info, and you may also request to receive it by e-mail.
Note: If you move, please send us your new address. If you inadvertently get deleted from our mailing list, without your request, please write us and verify your valid address.
Editor: Lynnford Beachy, PO Box 315, Kansas, OK 74347, phone: (304) 633-5411. Jim Raymond, phone: (407) 421-6025, e-mail: newsletter@presenttruth.info.