---------------News-------------

This weekend is Easter Sunday in which most (but not all) Christian churches celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Each day should remind us that Christ's returning from the grave is essential to our faith. Without the resurrection, we would have no hope at all. I remember fishing in my uncle's pond on an Easter Sunday when I was a young teenager. I don't care to eat fish (except for the cod that Captain D's and Long John Silver's serves batter dipped and deep fried) so I was just fishing to pass the time away and have some fun. I caught a couple of good sized large mouth bass within a hour and gave them away to my uncle's brother. At the time, I firmly believed I was going to catch some big fish simply because it was Easter Sunday and I had attended church services that morning. I was fishing fully expecting God would provide a nice catch for me. I realize now that I was acting on faith then. Those were the 2 biggest fish I have ever caught (I don't fish very much). Have a Happy Easter!

Anyone can walk into a bookstore and buy a bible (at least you can in democratic countries). But that has not always been the case. How did the bible come to us? The Story Of The Bible

Have you ever wanted to interview God? Now you can watch a beautiful web presentation of An Interview With God

I am learning to use forms with Site Build It and have included one in this newsletter which I hope you will answer the question. Form Build It is one of the many tools at your disposal with Site Build It!

---------Sir Arthur Conan Doyle--------

Most everyone remembers Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as the creator of the brilliant fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. What most people don't realize is that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was an occultist who regularly attended seances. Mr. Doyle became interested in spiritualism in the 1880's, but it was not until his son died of pneumonia during World War 1 and a supposed visitation by his son through a medium that Mr. Doyle became convinced that we could make contact with the world of the dead.

It's a shame that a man with such a brilliant mind failed to choose to use that intelligence in biblical research. By doing so, he would have known for a fact there is life after death. What does the Bible say about people who attend seances and use mediums to contact the dead?

Lev. 19:31 'Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God.

Lev. 20:6 'And the person who turns to mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from his people.

Why would God tell his chosen people not to have anything to do with mediums, seances, and familiar spirits? The main reason is that these practices are based on lies and deception. If a medium really does conjure up a spirit, you can rest assured that God did not send that spirit. The primary purpose of demonic spirits is to deceive, so if a medium uses parlor tricks to deceive his or her clients, then the spirit behind that is demonic.

The spiritualist movement that began in the 19th Century along with the rise of science, wanted proof of life after death. They wanted more than just faith in what the Bible tells us about the afterlife. They were looking for physical evidence. It is ironic that we have that evidence in Jesus Christ. The demonic spirit world shouted with glee as they were about to have some great fun.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was so easily duped by fake photographs, that he even came to believe in fairies based on photographic "evidence". Houdini befriended Mr. Doyle and argued with the creator of Sherlock Holmes for over 2 years that all mediums were frauds but Sir Arthur never accepted that argument. Houdini and Mr. Doyle had an odd friendship that ended when they had some kind of a misunderstanding that no one is sure about.

This brilliant writer firmly believed that we could contact the dead and set off to tell the world about it. Many people attended his lectures and slide shows. Then tragedy struck. The year was 1922. Doyle gave one of his lectures at Carnegie Hall in Manhattan. Three of the attendees were so excited and convinced of Conan's belief that we could communicate with the dead, they committed suicide. Why? So they could describe what heaven was like in a seance.

The sad truth is that mediums and clairvoyants never succeeded in contacting the spirits of the three suicide victims. Doyle himself died in 1930. What is especially sad about this story is that there is no evidence that any of these people had placed their trust in Christ to give them what they really wanted: eternal life. Doyle and the three suicide victims are probably in some hellish realm pointing accusing fingers at each other.

The three suicides are probably saying, "Doyle, you tricked us! We wouldn't be here if it weren't for you!" Doyle might answer with, "It's not my fault you were stupid enough to kill yourselves! Even Watson's not that stupid!"

------Bible Quiz-------

1. When news reached David of Saul's death, he promptly: A. Moved to take over the army B. Declared 30 days of rejoicing. C. Killed the messenger. D. Donned sackcloth and ashes

2. David brought the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem, leaping and dancing before it clad only in a linen vestment, while his wife, Michal, looked through a window: A. Adored him B. Despised him C. Cheered him D. Called out to him

3. David was nearly forced from his throne by the rebellion of his son: A. Ammon B. Absolom C. Solomon D. Abonijeh

4. When God appeared to Solomon in a dream and said, "Ask what shall I give thee," Solomon asked for: A. a long life B. Death to mine enemies C. Riches beyond compare D. An Understanding Heart.

5. The wicked king Ahab was utterly seduced into following the gods of his wife: A. Jezebel B. Ishtar C. Sapphira D. Salome I

6. Before the Hebrews launched their campaign against Jericho, God ordered Joshua to: A. Offer a burnt offering B. Circumcise his men C. Recruit trumpeters D. Prepare siege towers

7. The Hebrew tribes, except for Judah, had a hard time dislodging the inhabitants of Canaan because: A. They quarreled too much among themselves. B. The inhabitants had chariots of iron. C. They whored after the gods of the Moabites D. Joshua's death left them without a general.

8. Deborah, the prophetess, judged Israel from her place: A. By the Jordan B. By the walls of Shiloh C. Under a palm tree D. Before the tabernacle

9. Jotham was the only son of Gideon not to be murdered by his brother Abimelech, and Jotham prophesied against Abimelech with the parable of: A. The trees who wanted a king. B. The fox who ate sour grapes. C. The tortoise and the rabbit D. The boy who cried wolf.

10. Samson made a wager with the guests at his engagement feast over: A. Who was strongest B. Who had the longest hair C. A riddle D. A race

--------Answers To Previous Bible Quiz-------

1. When Saul delayed an attack on the Philistines and offered a burnt sacrifice himself instead of waiting for Saul to do it, Samuel reproved him, saying the Lord sought: C. a man after his own heart

2. David led a rebellion against Saul and even joined the Philistines in opposing him. When the news reached David that Saul and his heir Jonathan had been killed in battle, he exclaimed: C. How are the mighty fallen!

3. When Hezekiah, king of Judah, was dying, the prophet Isaiah came to him and said he should: A. set his house in order

4. Spies sent into Jericho by Joshua were discovered but escaped when they were hidden by: C. the harlot Rehab

5. The Canaanites sent their war captain Sisera to drive the Hebrews back. As his army was being defeated, he fled on foot, finally reaching the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber, who: C. lulled him to sleep, then drove a nail through his temple.

6. When Gideon tore down the altar of Baal, he was frightened by the ferocity of the Gentiles' anger against him, and to make sure he really was chosen by God for his mission he devised the test of: B. the fleece and the dew

7. Jephtahah, called to defeat the Ammonites, gave a vow to the Lord that if he won he would: A. Sacrifice whatever first came out of his house to geet him

8. An angel of the Lord appeared to Samson's mother and told her: A. Behold...thou shalt conceive and bear a son.

9. Naomi told Ruth to make her desire for Boaz known to him by: B. Lying at his feet while he slept.

10. Before David cam to the attention of the royal court he was known as a: A. harpist

Copyright 2003 by Gary Goodworth