Apparently, angles have the desire to understand God’s way. The meaning of the phrase “eagerly watching” implies observing with intensity and effort. Perhaps angels study God’s ways to marvel more fully at His grace and power. On this model, angles are like intelligent and gifted apprentices who eagerly seek to understand the mind of the Master.
Continue reading MEN OF THE BIBLE (DO ANGELS STUDY?)
Given that reality, the LORD addressed the plight of orphans in the laws given to the Israelites. God’s people were to set aside a tent of their field produce and animals born in their herds as a gift given at the sanctuary. Every third year, however, this tithe was to remain in storage at the local level so the disadvantaged of society, including orphans, would have access to it (Deut 14:22-29; 26:12-13). In addition, Israelites were to refrain from gathering a portion of their grain, olive, and grape harvest so that orphans and other disadvantaged people could gather food from land they did not own (Deut 24:19-21).
Continue reading EVERYDAY LIFE IN BIBILE TIMES (ORPHAN “FATHERLESS” PT2)
Solomon investigated hard work as a possible way of supplying meaning to life. He realized, however, that if he worked, at the end of his life he would have to leave all the fruit of his labors to people who had not worked. He concluded that this would be foolish and extremely unfair.
Continue reading WHY SHOULD WE WORK IF HARD WORK PROVIDES SO FEW REWARDS?
Birth is our universal means of arrival in life. We can’t begin to experience all that life has to offer until we have passed through the moment of birth. Life has a formative phase in the womb that the psalmist describes beautifully: Continue reading SINGS AND SYMBOLS (BIRTH)
No doctor operating on a patient has ever discovered an organ called the soul, yet we have no better term to describe what distinguishes human beings from every other part of God’s creation. Only people have the unique gift of self-consciousness, the ability to reflect on their own experience, to interpret it to others, and then to speak about it. A famous professor once said, “Dogs bark, but dogs never bark about barking.” Continue reading WHAT IS A SOUL “3 JOHN 2”
SONG OF SOLOMON 3:1- By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.
Continue reading SHOULD PEOPLE BE TALKING ABOUT THESE KINDS OF THINGS IN PUBLIC?
Gift, Giving- The act of bestowing a favor or an item on another person without expecting anything in return. The purpose of a gift may be to honor (2 Sam 8:2; Dan 2:48), celebrate (Rev 11:10), or simply to bestow favor or help (Esth 9:22). God is the giver of every good and perfect gift (Matt 7:11; James 1:5, 17), including eternal life (Rom 6:23), salvation (Eph 2:8), the necessities of life (Matt 6:11), ability to work (Ecc 3:13; 5:19; Deut 8:18), the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; 5:32), spiritual abilities (1 Cor 12:4), and above all His indescribable gift (2 Cor 9:15), His Son (John 3:16). Continue reading DEFINITIONS OF (GIFT, GIVING, HOMOSEXUALITY, KISH)
While we almost always think first of marriage when the subject of rings comes up, the Bible records no instances where a ring is used as a symbol of marriage or wedding vows. But surprisingly, the first time a ring is mentioned in Scripture involves an interesting account of surrogate courtship. When Abraham’s servant Eliezer arrive in Haran on a mission to find a wife for young Isaac, he met a young woman at the city well whose name was Rebekah (Gen. 24:1-67). Discovering that Rebekah’s parents were relations of