Walls are pretty much everywhere. You could probably go your whole life without adding any walls to the world’s collection and things would be OK. Windows are rarer. Creating a space in a wall for connecting with outsiders or communicating with strangers might leave the world in a poorer condition if it didn’t happen. Doors are most valuable of all. […]
Paul wrote to the believers in Rome (12:1,2) that their transformation should come through having their minds changed. That is a picture of repentance – “metanoeo” – changed knowledge. Every time you respond to opportunities to do things an old, unconverted-to-Jesus way, if you do it the new, “like Jesus” way, you have proven you have repented. We change our […]
Some words in the Bible speak of 3-part ideas. Baptize means to use a medium (fire, water, the Holy Spirit) as a means through which to take someone or something out of something into something else. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10 that Israel was baptized into Moses, for example. From here to there, through that. Sanctify means “set apart.” […]
Song of Solomon 5:2-8 Sometimes Jesus visits us when it is inconvenient. Focusing on ourselves instead of our Lord will cause us to miss the day of His visitation. Revelation 3:20 Jesus was speaking to the Church (3:14,22) not unbelievers. John saw a door opened in Heaven; the closed door is on our end of the ladder. Matthew 25:31-46 Jesus […]
There is a Hebrew word that was used for a condition that seems powerful to me. Mr. Jim Strong’s dictionary numbered it OT3559, transliterated it “kuwn” and pronounced it “koon.” I have seen it rendered “kun.” His definition is: properly, to be erect (i.e. stand perpendicular); hence (causatively) to set up, in a great variety of applications, whether literal (establish, […]
Yahweh is going to swallow death up forever. He is going to wipe away tears from every face! His people will receive their final rebuke in front of the rest of the earth one day. He says so. In that day, we will say, “Hey! Yahweh is our GOD! We have waited for Him, and He is saving us! This […]
Joshua encountered the Commander of the Armies of Yahweh (Joshua 5:13,14). He was standing with his sword drawn in front of Joshua one day near Jericho after Israel crossed the Jordan River into the land that had belonged to Canaan’s descendants. Joshua bravely approached the warrior and asked him if he was on Joshua’s side or his enemies’ side. He […]
The role of prophets changed during the Pentecost celebration recorded in Acts 2. Previously, they appeared about one per generation or so. They acted with greater authority. They got revelation that ended up being Scripture. Now, we could expect the numbers to have increased to a typical count being several per congregation. Most don’t know they are prophets, many because […]
Billy Graham gave evangelism a good name. He had wisdom to know that new believers need to be connected to some congregation quickly at the level of being a family member if they were going to continue to be related to the church. Still, only 4 – 5% of his converts lasted more than 4 years in a congregation without […]
In 1 Samuel 16:14-23 there is the story of a tormenting spirit that Yahweh sent to Saul after He removed His Spirit from him. Even the servants around the palace knew somehow that Yahweh had sent the demon to torture the boss. Tormenting Saul was not the point of sending the spirit, though. The point was giving David the throne. […]