Some of my friends have described traditional sacred music as ‘funeral music,’ and the Lord has shown me that they are correct in one sense, and in one sense only.

Good Christian music is supposed to help us mortify the flesh, to put it to death, so in that sense it should be ‘funeral music” as opposed to party music that appeals to the flesh.” This testimony rings true. One problem with contemporary Christian music is that it does not bring spiritual conviction. It ministers good feelings more than holiness. It is dance music, not dying-to-self music. But if “funeral music” means “boring music,” it is only boring to those who have spoiled their appetite by the world’s pop music or boring when it is sung in a lifeless manner in a dead church. (Friday Church News Notes, February 19, 2010, www.wayoflife.org)

Scientists have discovered the earliest known Hebrew writing–an inscription dating from the 10th century B.C., during the period of King David’s reign. The breakthrough could mean that portions of the Bible were written centuries earlier than previously thought….

The publisher of the New International Version [NIV], Zondervan Corporation, recently “announced their intention” jointly with the NIV translation’s overseer the Committee on Bible Translation [CBT] and the NIV copyright owner Biblica (formerly the International Bible Society), to revise the NIV and release an update in 2011.

Since its original publication in 1978, the NIV has been revised several times, including an NIrV [New International Reader’s Version] and the Today’s New International Version [TNIV] in 2002. According to the news release, the NIV will drop its 3,000 “gender-neutral language” uses that appeared in the 2002 TNIV edition and will cease printing of the TNIV when the updated NIV is published.

The Temple Institute in Jerusalem has spent $27 million preparing for the coming of the Messiah. They have manufactured utensils including silver trumpets, golden candlesticks, harps, and garments for the High Priest woven from golden thread. When asked when the Messiah will come, Temple Institute director Yehuda Glick replies, “All that we know is that we are now living in the age of miracles and all of those miracles are predicted in the Book as happening on the eve of the end of days. It could well be tomorrow, but it might be another 100 years, or even 400 years” (“Jews Raise Millions to Be Ready for Coming of the Messiah,” Sydney Morning Herald, Nov. 14, 2009).

Speaking at a press conference following his election as the first president of the European Union, Herman Van Rompuy called 2009 “the first year of global governance.” He said this was true for two reasons, first, because of the establishment of the G20 due to the financial crisis, second, because of the climate conference in Copenhagen. He called the latter “another step toward global management of our planet” (“EU Presidency,” BBC News, Nov. 21, 2009).

(The following warning is edited from a sermon by Pastor Terry Coomer, founder and director of For Love of the Family ministries (P.O. Box 535, Elwood, IN 46036, 765-552-1973, tlcoomer@juno.com, http://www.churchpages.org/fortheloveofthefamily).

“Quite frankly, I am just amazed when I talk to Christian leaders and pastors. I recently conversed with a man who talked about a Christian college where he is the leader. He told me about wanting to turn things around. He talked about right music, right dress, and right stand on the Bible, which are very admirable things. Yet the leaders and teachers in this school do all the things that he privately admitted to be wrong.