"Kapparot, which is from the same Hebrew root as Yom Kippur and literally means "atonements", is a custom which aims to awaken the drive toward repentance while engaging in charity on the eve of Judaism's central day of prayer.

Both polls and anecdotal evidence point to the same result: Bible-believing churches are losing their teenagers to the world. Teenagers who grow up in churches are leaving church and going to the world as soon as they get a chance. One statistic states that only 4% of the teens in evangelical churches stay in church. If that is anywhere close, that is an astounding figure. Churches have drawn the teens with entertainment and fun, but this will not keep them. Probably, the greatest contributing factor is the home. If the home is not solidly Christian--to the point of serious separation from the world--then the teens will learn their values from the world. We must work harder to exhort parents to be godly parents and then teach them how to do it.

Today's "Knoxville News-Sentinel" has an article on how skulls have become a big fashion statement. What used to be reserved for the underground and Goth kids has become mainstream. Skulls are everywhere. The fashion designers use them because of their connection with poison, danger, pirates, and death. Although most popular with the young, they can give an edge to older fashionistas who want to look tough. Isaiah 65:4 tells us of those "Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine's flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels." The Maniac of Gadara who was delivered by Jesus Christ also had "his dwelling among the tombs" (Mark 5:3). We have a generation that is given to death. They dwell among the tombs and need to be delivered from the evil one.

Several hospitals are becoming a religious smorgasbord. Ranging from Shabbat elevators for Jewish people to bloodless surgery for Jehovah's Witnesses, hospitals are attempting to cater to various religious groups.

Only in these modern times when science is reaching the later stages of cognitive degeneration could this be news. Thirty years after the Viking 1 and Viking 2 landers failed to detect signs of life on Mars, scientists have decided that the tests were not accurate and it is possible that organic evidence might have been missed. Who cares? I'll tell you who cares. The atheistic scientists are desperate to find life somewhere besides earth in order to boost their evolutionary prejudices. If life developed on Mars, then perhaps this gives credence to the claim that it developed on earth. And, if it developed on its own, then there must be no God. And, if there is no God, then no one will ever have to answer to Him. This is why they pray so hard to a god they do not believe exists that somewhere, somehow, sometime, life might be found on another planet. Me? No sweat. There is nothing in the Bible that says God could not have had some unknown reason for putting some form of bacteria on Mars. If they find it, the scientists will cheer and high-five one another for their brilliance. Up in heaven, God may yawn. Ho-hum.

According to an article in today's "Knoxville New Sentinel," 73 percent of Americans believe in some form of paranormal experience. These beliefs include extrasensory perception (41%), haunted houses (37%), ghosts (32%), telepathy (31%), and clairvoyance (26%). The Gallop Poll that came up with these figures also found that Christians (75%) were more likely to believe in the paranormal than non-Christians (66%). Now, is this because many Christians take the evil spirits of the Bible literally and somehow transfer that to psychics? After all, if evil spirits are real then some of these psychics are probably connected to such spirits. Or, is it because part of the poll was taken on a Wednesday night when most the serious Christians were in church? Or, is it because Christians are just more gullible than non-Christians? I will leave it up to you do decide.

In Bridgeport, West Virginia, the High School recently settled a case that had been brought against it by the Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and the ACLU. The school agreed to take down a portrait called the "Head of Christ" that had been on the wall outside the principal's office for 37 years. In the same school, one classroom had a portrait of Buddha and another had a two-foot statue of Buddha. These were not opposed and will be allowed to remain. One reason the school officials decided to surrender their rights out of court was the fact that, if they had lost, they would have had to pay the legal costs of both sides. This is established by federal law and it is one of the reasons so many schools quickly give in when they are sued. A bill to change this law passed the House in September. However, it seems unlikely that the Senate will be passing the bill anytime in the near future.

Recently, I was studying the terrible incident in the life of Simon Peter in which he denied his Saviour three times. On one of those occasions, someone accused him by saying, "Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee" (Matthew 26:73). I was reminded of that verse after reading a 14 December 2006 article on msn.com (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16187129/). The article was entitled "Men and women: Are we wired differently?" A couple of things are of interest in the article.

According to a 17 December 2006 article in The Associated Press, a 48-year-old man in Cincinnati, Ohio was killed by his 13-foot boa constrictor in his own home. Apparently, he was found in the reptile's cage with the murderous creature wrapped around his neck. What a tragic story! His pet turned on him and killed him!

The Book of Numbers is a great book when looking for devotional material.In chapters 1-10 the people seem to be wholly following the commandments of the Lord. However,chapter 11 is the beginning of woes.The very first phrase is "And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord".In chapter 12, we find the murmuring moving up the poles into the leadership and infecting Miriam and Aaron as they murmur against Moses. In chapter 13, ten of the twelve spies come back with an evil report concerning the land of promise. In chapter 14, we find the people wanting to make a captain to return to Egypt and then wanting to stone Joshua and Caleb for their report of faith.This chapter includes the decision of the Israelites not to go into the land of promise and then their decision to go into the land of promise after the Lord told them they could no longer go in. The Israelites decide to go against the commandments of the Lord and try to take the land of Canaan on their own, only to be smitten by the Amalekites and Canaanites.