The account of Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist is recorded in Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11 and Luke 3:21-22. The first chapter of John also mentions the context of when Jesus was baptized as told by John the Baptist (John 1:19-34).

It is important to understand the role of John the Baptist leading up to the baptism of Jesus.

A prophecy in Isaiah 40, verse 3, actually refers—in part—to John the Baptist: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness; ‘Prepare the way of the LORD; Make straight in the desert A Highway for our God.’”

The religious leadership from Jerusalem sent to John the Baptist wanting to know who he was. John’s response was to quote Isaiah 40:3, saying that he was fulfilling this prophecy. He also said, “‘You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, “I am not the Christ,” but, “I have been sent before Him”’” (John 3:28).

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What you are referring to is the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) which was held in Glasgow on 31 October – 12 November 2021.  This event is a global United Nations summit about so-called climate change and how countries are planning to tackle it.

On the BBC website is an article entitled “Climate change: What is it and why is everyone talking about it?” https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/45880633

This website states that “When we talk about climate change, we are talking about global changes in the Earth’s average temperature.  The Earth’s average temperature moves up and down naturally, but it has been increasing more rapidly than it usually does. This change is impacting on the planet’s environment – which is everything natural around us; rivers, trees, plants, animals… everything!

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Exodus 32:15 reads:

“And Moses turned and went down from the mountain, and the two tablets of the Testimony were in his hand. The tablets were written on both sides; on the one side and on the other they were written.”

The two tablets of the Testimony refer to the two tablets of stone, containing the Ten Commandments, which Moses carried in his two hands (cp. Exodus 32:19; Deuteronomy 9:15). But what is meant with the statement (only found in Exodus 32:15) that the two tablets were written on both sides?

Much confusion exists regarding this statement. This confusion is somewhat related to the confusion regarding the correct numbering of the Ten Commandments.

In chapter 3 of our free booklet, “The Ten Commandments,” we say the following about the different ways in which people have been numbering the Ten Commandments:

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We should first of all realize that there are many reports from people claiming to have seen Satan face to face, while supposedly appearing to them as a man. However, the Bible indicates that Satan cannot materialize himself to the human eye.

In our free booklet, “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World,” we say this:

“It appears from Scripture that demons cannot materialize themselves the way that angels can. Demons cannot appear as men. They can, however, create an illusion, or an apparition that might look very real to people. Examples of those illusions would include the appearance of ‘ghosts,’ or of a ‘lady,’ claiming to be ‘Mother Mary.’

“We read in Job 4:12–16 about Eliphaz’ encounter with a spirit: ‘Now a word was secretly brought to me, And my ear received a whisper of it. In disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night, When deep sleep falls on men. Fear came upon me, and trembling, Which made all my bones shake. Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair on my body stood up. It stood still, But I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; There was silence; then I heard a voice…’

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The Resurrection of the dead is one of the basic and fundamental doctrines (Hebrews 6:1-2). The Bible teaches that there is more than just one resurrection. For instance, Revelation 20:5 speaks of the “first” resurrection, necessitating at least a second resurrection. In fact, there will be three resurrections, and our free booklets, “The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation,” and, “Biblical Prophecy—From Now Until Forever,” explain this fact in much more detail.

The first resurrection will occur when Christ returns, and those who have died in Christ will be resurrected to eternal life. The second resurrection or the Great White Throne Judgment is a resurrection to physical life and includes those who have died without ever having been granted the opportunity to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. They will be given that opportunity then, and, at the end of their judgment period, they will be given eternal life if they have qualified. The third resurrection is to physical life as well, but it is composed of those who have committed the unpardonable sin before they died. They will be thrown into the lake of fire to be burned up and extinguished.

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In the first part of this two-part series, we reviewed the background from where Lot parted company with Abram, as we read in Genesis 13:11: “ Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other.”   We then saw that Sodom was destroyed as Lot, his wife and two daughters fled from the city.

Let us continue with the story, as we read Genesis 19:30-38

^“Then Lot went up out of Zoar and dwelt in the mountains, and his two daughters were with him; for he was afraid to dwell in Zoar. And he and his two daughters dwelt in a cave.  Now the firstborn said to the younger, ‘Our father is old, and there is no man on the earth to come in to us as is the custom of all the earth.  Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve the lineage of our father.’  So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose.  It happened on the next day that the firstborn said to the younger, ‘Indeed I lay with my father last night; let us make him drink wine tonight also, and you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve the lineage of our father.’  Then they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. Thus both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father.  The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day.  And the younger, she also bore a son and called his name Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the people of Ammon to this day.”

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Whenever and wherever it is necessary, we try to give the background to any question which can give reasons and explanations that might not otherwise be taken into account.

Let us look into the background of Lot. He was the son of Abraham’s brother, Haran, and his wife was Milcah (see Genesis 11:27-29).   We may have read these events many times before, but it is helpful to review them again with the thought in our mind that we are all, to one degree or another, a product of our environment.   Bearing that in mind may give more than a clue as to why some terrible sins could have been committed.

In Genesis 12:1-4 we read:

“Now the Lord had said to Abram: ‘Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you.  I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’   So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.”

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In the first part of this two-part series, we covered a number of areas where we have to be careful about the company we keep.   Let us move on to the question of friends.

Our good and true friends are those who will be with us in the bad times as well as in good times.   They will not be fair-weather friends. We have to be aware of the admonition in Proverbs 16:28: “A perverse man sows strife, And a whisperer separates the best of friends.”

Proverbs 17:17 states that “A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.” A friendship that is underpinned by God’s Holy Spirit and the love of God will be able to withstand the inevitable ups and downs that life throws at us.   The Free Dictionary states that “Human beings necessarily depend on one another, as you can’t manage all by yourself; no man is an island.  This expression is a quotation from John Donne’s Devotions (1624).”

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For someone who is called by God into His true Church, the company that he or she keeps is of paramount importance.   When someone responds to God’s calling, they will repent, be baptised and receive God’s Holy Spirit as they start on their onward journey towards the eternal Kingdom of God (compare Acts 2:38).   Anything that is a stumbling block or hindrance to their progress is to be resisted with all of their might, and with help from God, that can be achieved.

We can’t choose our family but we can choose our friends.   As one old saying goes, “friends are the family you choose.”

The American entrepreneur and motivational speaker Jim Rohn said that “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Bearing this in mind, we should think about the people with whom we spend time, particularly bearing in mind the great calling that God has given us.

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You may be referring to the phrase that was used in a sermon that “you have to be sold on the Way of Life” to be a true Christian.

When someone is called into the true Church of God, it is a unique calling from God, as we read in John 6:44 where Jesus said: “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.” In fact, Jesus repeated this in verse 65 of the same chapter, prefacing His comments with: “I have said to you…,” and then reiterating that a calling from the Father was necessary.

Unfortunately, today there are those who say that they have been seeking God and join a church of their choice, but that is not a calling from God. It is a priceless privilege to be called by God at this time, and He places in His church those whom He chooses.

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