After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived unexpectedly in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” (Matthew 2:1-2 Holman Christian Standard Bible ®©) Israel was so unaware […]
Our future includes the hope that when our flesh dies, we will be done with the earth and transition to life in heaven. Generally, that picture resembles in our minds the same thing as when we look at a future that includes retiring from work and taking a break to enjoy our final days. If our work is dislocated from […]
When his son was in need of exorcism, a man brought him to the disciples of Jesus. They could not convince the demon to leave the boy. The man then took him to Jesus. “How long has this been happening to him?” Jesus asked his father. “From childhood,” he said. “And many times it has thrown him into fire or […]
Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent His One and Only Son into the world so that we […]
In chapter 12 of Paul’s letter to the believers in Rome, Paul gave much good advice on what it is like to live the life of a believer. In verse 12, he wrote, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (English Standard Version) Joy, patience, faith. Let your joy be fastened to what you are hoping […]
Is your mind more like a landfill, or a garden? Landfills are just dumping ground for whatever comes along. They are places where the things of yesterday may or may not break down. Things there rot and breed flies. A garden converts the waste from the past that is mixed in it into fertilizer, and uses it to produce fruit […]
Jesus is, by some mystery, present with us when we are where we should be. When His disciples asked Him for the sign of His coming and the end of the age, He gave them a long answer (Matthew 24&25). Included, in 25:31-46, is His prophetic description of His judgement of the nations. He will judge them with regard to […]
The “promises of God” include miracles, maturity both individually and of the whole church, revelation for leadership by the Spirit, freedom from the power of sin, and much more. The giants of cancer, church splits and fights, confusion and misguidance, addictions, (and more) that are currently squatting in and trying to occupy the place of Yahweh’s promises to us are […]
A stream passes through a forest. A couple are carrying a canoe through the forest with great difficulty until they find the stream. Then, they are liberated by the stream from the difficulties of the forest. If they become liberated from the banks of the stream, or the direction of the stream, they have lost their freedom from the forest. […]
Enthusiasm literally means being filled by or possessed by a god. (EN= in; THUS=theos) Enthusiastic new believers lead more people to commitment to Jesus than seasoned evangelists do. Enthusiastic salesmen sell more products than salesmen who know more about the product and the customers by better education in those areas. Puritans made the term enthusiastic an insult because they didn’t […]