Newsletter #89

 

On Newsletters

 

One of the pleasant surprises I discovered long years ago was the fact that many Christians keep in track of their friends by sending out periodic newsletters. I am a person who likes to know how my fellow Christian friends are doing, and how best to pray for them; I like to receive newsletters, though I can't reply to all of them.

 

Early on in my Christian experience I decided I would write "teaching newsletters" and hopefully give friends something helpful from the Bible rather than just sending them a news report on my life.

 

I never lack things to write about. Perhaps my biggest obstacle in sending out a newsletter is keeping it short and to the point. This month I thought I'd turn out a short newsletter sharing some of my recent insights into what the Bile reveals about our future in heaven with Jesus.

 

I have at least half a dozen books in my library on the subject of heaven, but most all of them are disappointingly poor. The authors, it seems, begin their analysis of the subject of heaven by looking only at the last few chapters of Revelation, right at the very end of the Bible.

 

I quickly discovered that the proper place to begin to study the subject of heaven is in Genesis 1:1:

 

"In the beginning God created (bara) the heavens (plural) and the earth (eretz)…"

 

Taking this approach to investigating what the Bible says about the spiritual realm of our universe I started writing what was supposed to be a short newsletter.

 

Soon it was evident that I needed to sit down and write a whole book. I am amazed that so much great information on heaven tucked away in the Bible has apparently till now been overlooked. Stay tuned!

 

Other News:

 

Health: Last June's hospital stay after a pulmonary embolism got me thinking about my own mortality and what it means to grow old. I realized I also did not know a lot about what we Christians will REALLY experience in heaven. That is, heart knowledge is not the same as head knowledge on important subjects such as "what happens when we die." Another reason for writing a book on the subject. Your prayer support on this project will, I know, help a lot.

 

My health is reasonably good at the present time though my doctor is still tracking down the underlying reasons for last June's unexpected pulmonary embolism. (Right  now, it looks like I could have a hole in my heart, a congenital defect, which some adults have and don't even know it). I have a lot less energy than I would like each day, but I am staying current on email and always glad when friends drop over.

 

Finances: I realize the whole world economy looks like it is ready to undergo big changes very soon as our Lord orchestrates yet another facet of world events long-ago predicted to take place at the end of our age.

 

When I retired from a 30-year career in physics in 1989 I never imagined that God would give me so many new friends and so much more to do. But I am one man and not part of an organization with a staff or an office—or an endowment. Friends who want to help out with my expenses may send contributions directly to me by means of the PayPal link on my web site, http://ldolphin.org. (My PayPal user name is lambert@ldolphin.org).

 

For those who would like to contribute towards my support for your own tax purposes, checks may be sent to Peninsula Bible Church, 3505 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, CA 94306. (Please include a note designating your gift to my support account). I do not receive a list of those who send in contributions to my church so I can't send thank you notes. God knows who you are, and may He bless you all richly. More than ever I much appreciate the prayers of my friends.

 

Previous newsletters are on my web site: http://ldolphin.org/news/. To be added or deleted from this mailing list, just drop me an email. My main web site library is http://ldolphin.org/asstbib.shtml, with newer articles posted at the top. Links to mp3 files of my Bible classes are there as well. I belong to a great but small team of men and women who work with me in answering a daily flood of email from several different web sites. (All of the Christian web sites I have helped develop since 1995 provide their library resources free of charge).

 

Our email support group is the Paraclete Forum. We're standing by to help answer questions, to encourage and to pray for you. Email us: inquiry@paracleteforum.org.

 

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it." (I Thessalonians 5:16-24)

 

 

Lambert Dolphin

9/23/08