February - Vol 1, Issue 10

In this issue...
-- "Proclaim the Word!" - Part II in a series
-- Hear Dr. Whitcomb speak this month
-- Plans being made for the Third Annual Day with Whitcomb Ministries
-- Dr. Henry Morris with the Lord at age 87

"Proclaim the Word!" - Part II in a series
By Dr. John C. Whitcomb

If anyone has ever experienced the struggle between faith and unbelief, it was surely the Apostle Peter. He was capable of profound faith, as when he asked the Lord Jesus to call him to walk on the Sea of Galilee during a storm one night. But then, for a moment, he took his eyes off the Lord – and began to sink! His only hope was to focus again on the Savior, saying: "Lord, save me!" The text goes on to say, "And immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" (Matthew 14:25-31).

Would not this loving rebuke of Jesus apply to all Christians? Our only appropriate response should be that of the desperate father who was told by the Lord: "All things are possible to him that believeth." The Bible says that, "Straightway the father of the (demon-possessed) child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief" (Mark 9:23, 24).

When our Lord told the apostles that He would be killed in Jerusalem, Peter exclaimed: "Be it far from Thee, Lord: this shall not be unto Thee" (Matthew 16:22). Jesus, again in love, rebuked him with these astounding words: "Get thee behind Me, Satan: thou art an offense unto Me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men" (v. 23).

Peter was a born-again man, but, like all Christian believers, was still possessed of a sin-nature, and was therefore accessible to Satan's manipulations. Perhaps he had this experience in mind when he later warned us: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). A true believer in Christ the Savior can never be possessed by Satan, for "your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you" (1 Corinthians 6:19), and the Spirit of God would never share a dwelling place with Satan.

Peter’s ultimate failure of faith, of course, was his open denial of his Lord in the courtyard of the high priest: "He began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak" (Mark 14:71). Then, in deep remorse, "He wept" (v. 72).

Amazingly, Christ did not totally reject Peter! After His resurrection, and after a heavy confrontation by the Sea of Galilee, the Lord commanded Peter three times: "Feed My lambs...Feed My sheep...Feed My sheep" (John 21:15-17). Thus, the key to the problem of his unbelief was obedience to God! To paraphrase: "Obey My commandment to proclaim My Word to My disciples, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you" (Matthew 28:20).

Surely, this is one of God's marvelous provisions for our lack of faith today!

To Be Continued...

Hear Dr. Whitcomb speak this month
From Sunday, Feb. 26, to Wednesday, March 1, Dr. Whitcomb will preach at the Berachah Bible Church of Jonesboro, Ga. For more information, call Dr. Howard Dial at 770-461-2466, or visit www.berachahbiblechurch.org.

From Friday, April 21, to Sunday, April 23, Dr. Whitcomb will speak at the Harvest Bible Church of Lancaster, Penn. For more information, call Pastor John Lutz at 717-397-4371, or visit www.harvestbiblechurch.org.

For additional details about these events, please visit our web pages at www.whitcombministries.org and www.sermonaudio.com/whitcomb.

Plans being made for the Third Annual Day with Whitcomb Ministries
Go to your 2006 calendar right now and save the date of Saturday, Nov. 11, for the Third Annual Day with Whitcomb Ministries. We are again planning this major fall Bible conference for the Greater Milwaukee Area.

Whitcomb Ministries is delighted to announce that we will be partnering in this event with Answers in Genesis again this year. Dr. Whitcomb will be joined by Carl Kerby of AiG in addressing the theme, "A Young Earth: The Christian's Absolute Beginning." Sherry Trainer will once again join us to provide vocal solos, and we hope that you will make plans now to set aside Veterans Day and be with us on Nov. 11.

More details on the Third Annual Day with Whitcomb Ministries will be announced as they become available. As always, for the very latest information, please check our web pages.

Dr. Henry Morris with the Lord at age 87
It is with a mixture of sadness and joy that we mourn the passing of Dr. Henry Morris on Saturday, Feb. 25. He is now in the presence of the One Whom he served so faithfully as Creator and God.

The friendship and partnership of Drs. Morris and Whitcomb is legendary, and words cannot express how grateful we all are to God for the fruit of their work, and for the life of Henry Morris.

How wonderful it is that Drs. Morris and Whitcomb were able to have the opportunity to sit down together and record their "Fireside Chats" video at the Institute for Creation Research in the winter of 2003. In it, they rehearse many of the details surrounding the labors that they undertook together to produce "The Genesis Flood," which was published in 1961 and, in essence, began the modern Biblical creation movement as we know it today.

May God bless Dr. Morris' family and the continuing ministry of the Institute for Creation Research.

For more information regarding the home going of Dr. Henry Morris, please visit http://www.answersingenesis.org/docs2006/0225morris.asp.