First Morning 

     Tychicus (pronounced Tik uh kuhs) comes before saints of the Ephesian church. Morning sun about to rise, he wants to know how well these men have lived out their teaching. Paul wants them to continue growing.

     He will give them Paul's letter, when he is certain of their faith. Little time remains before they must begin their workday. 

     It is A.D. 62. Ephesians generally know about Jews and their traditions. Word has it there is unrest in the Empire's region of Judah. 

     Meanwhile, these Christians. They have no scrolls. No army. No wealth. No city of their own. No goddess.  

     Ephesians, for all their architecture, are like most people ... prone to self-interest, immorality, worship of idols and other deeds of darkness. Who knows what happens in the Temple of Artemis? 

     Christians are a strange minority, eyed with suspicion. Unwelcome.

     While Paul in his Roman prison continues to write, Tychicus greets the "flock," most of whom he knows from before. 

     He informs them about Paul's circumstance, and summarizes journeys being taken by co-workers Mark, Silas, Barnabas, Luke and Timothy. 

     Questions and answers rapidly go back and forth. Tychicus will open the letter tomorrow morning. 

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The Supper Table 

     Tychicus places his bag and a satchel with shoulder strap in the guest room. He and his host reminisce over supper. 

Remember when you two came, and there were just 12 of us?

Yes, and Paul baptized you in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Miracles that followed put fear into both Jews and Gentiles. 

Remember when Demetrius started a riot against Paul?

And the amphitheater crowd went wild.

I contend Paul would have been slain had we not held him back.

Tychicus, is Paul living? He said we would never see him again.

Paul was arrested in Jerusalem. They would have killed him.

What did he do?

He appealed to Caesar. He is in Rome, "a prisoner of the Lord." 

     My friend, I'll tell you about his shipwreck and other hardships. But Paul would say, "We may be seated in heavenly places, but our faith may lead to trouble, prison, harm...even death. God gives us power to witness and power to endure." 

     I was in Rome attending to Paul's needs when he gave me his letter for you. Let's call the brothers together early tomorrow before they go to work. I have his letter in my satchel. 

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 In Story Form

The scene: 

One of Seven Wonders in the Ancient World

     After his long journey, he disembarked on the shore. Having left Rome, did he cross the Adriatic to Macedonia, then to Athens, and across the Aegean Sea, east to Asia? Or did he sail along the Mediterranean route, south of civilization?

     In any case, his journey was far more than 800 miles as a crow would fly. All in Roman territory. There must have been some importance for his grueling trip. 

     He steps onto Harbor Street. The empire's awesome workmanship awaits. 

     There is an amphitheater with some 25,000 seats, largest in the world. He imagines it filled with worshipers. 

     Then, the Temple of Artemis, with more than 100 marble pillars, each 56 feet high. The city is known as the "Servant of the Goddess."

     He passes through the gate of Augustus, and by the Library of Celsus, known to hold thousands of scrolls. Under one of the aqueducts, he continues. Nearby...a complex of baths. 

     Next, the synagogue where Paul spoke for three months, though his listeners were not inclined to believe. Finally, with night coming on, this traveler arrives at his destination.  

"Tychicus! My friend! What joy to see you."

"Greetings, my fellow worker. Are you well?"

"Yes. Yes. But you. You look exhausted. Please come in."

"I am weary, true. But seeing you restores my spirit." 

"Where have you been? And what draws you back to Ephesus? 

Maybe you wish to be a tourist this visit." 

"Ah. I have been a tourist today. 

But no. It is you and the brothers. I must see you all."

                >>>>>>>               

                                  Our special: E_ _ _ _ _s in Story Form

                             Monday-Saturday, Oct. 17-22 

                                                      ~ ~ ~ 

     Meanwhile, there are three major features in 2 Thessalonians:

     1. Paul's letter includes one of the New Testament's most complete passages about unrestrained lawlessness (is the USA paying attention?) and deception at the end of history. 2. God's judgment during Christ's second coming is described in terms similar to the book of Revelation (chapters 1 and 2). 3. Paul uses terms for the antichrist not found elsewhere in the Bible. 

     So our commentary says.

 $ Buying Victories $

     Today we're predicting which teams are likely to win championships in college football. But first, we applaud the success of free market capitalism.

     In the last 10-15 years head-coaches' salaries among teams in the "bowl subdivision" have exploded: from Nick Saban, $11.7 million per year, to Jim Harbaugh, $7 million. That's the top 12. Sadly, for Jim, his brother tops him at $9 million with the NFL Baltimore Colts.  

     The average for 131 coaches is a mere $1.75 million, far short of the NFL average, $6.6 million. But, if the head and his staff and recruits and fans and boosters and TV ratings go right, your team is in the top percent of incomes. There are 37 games (74 teams) on TV every Saturday, pulling in the sauce.

     A coach has a difficult job, marshalling all the components together like a fine-tuned vacuum cleaner. But, there's no guarantee. Three multi-millionaire coaches were fired in 2021, and three more this season already. Not that they were bad coaches.  

     Governors in 41 states have bowl-division teams. But they are elected public "servants." They have to find their riches elsewhere. 

     Root root root for your team. Their recruiters, boosters and TV revenue will make you happy most days.

Our Predictions for Conference Success

     The Ducks, Gophers, Tide, Volunteers, Deacons, Buckeyes and Aggies have no shot. Strongest teams will be the Wolverines, Tigers, Wildcats, Lions, Bears, Cougars and Panthers. We don't count out the Bulldogs and Huskies. 

        Jimmy 

     

 Dragonfly Gospel 

     Here's another one evolutionists can't explain.

     Dragonflies show up in spring and summer. But their lives are fleeting. 

     They begin life underwater as larvae, wingless, bug-like. Their diet is crustaceans, worms, snails, tadpoles and small fish. 

     After a year or two, a biological timer goes off. The "nymph" climbs out of the water and breathes air. 

     Then it attaches itself to a reed, splits its skin and unfolds a new thorax (chest) - twice the length of the old one. Next, the nymph pushes out a dragonfly head and dragonfly legs and two wings. 

     About 30 minutes later, it launches on its maiden flight. This entire process takes just three hours. 

     Unlike the butterfly, there is no pupal (inactive) stage. No extended, secret process. 

     How do evolutionists say this process evolved? What sequence of unintelligent, "beneficial" mutations can explain this? 

     Dragonflies mate and make more nymphs, which live underwater for years. Dragonflies live for weeks. Where's "survival of the fittest" in this picture? 

     Evolutionists have only long words to substitute for "we don't know." 

     But God knows. It is his handiwork.

     From article by Lynn Vincent, WORLD magazine

    

     

                        To God be the glory!