It is cosmic conflict between the forces of good and evil. The outcome has been determined, but eh ongoing conflict still includes a great number of victories and defeats. The soul and life of each person is the battleground.
Continue reading WHAT IS SPIRIT WAREFARE?
Surely they should follow God, but following God requires that we observe and follow leaders who are following God. Mature Christian mentors help our faith develop and our understanding of God’s will to grow.
Continue reading SHOULD CHRISTIANS FOLLOW OTHER PEOPLE, OR SHOULD THEY ONLY FOLLOW GOD?
Perhaps this was an early visit by Christ Himself or maybe an angelic companion God sent is protect the three faithful men. Whatever his identity, the fourth person’s appearance was different. The king described him as someone who “looks like a divine being,”
Continue reading WHO WAS THE FOURTH PERSON IN KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S FURNACE?
God always listens to prayers, That does not mean, however, that He is always going to answer them or necessarily be pleased that the person is praying. In Jeremiah 14, God had already made up His mind that He was going to punish Israel for their sins. He told Jeremiah not even to bother praying for the people. Furthermore, He told Jeremiah that He wasn’t going to listen to the cries of the people.
Continue reading DOES GOD BECOME SO ANGRY AS TO REFUSE TO LISTEN TO PRAYERS?
We may expect that the idea of one person owning another would be strongly censured in the Bible. What we find instead is a general acknowledgment of the existence of slavery, the use of slavery as a metaphor, and a theological trajectory that moved society in the direction of abolition without formally demanding it.
Continue reading EVERYDAY LIFE IN BIBLE TIMES (SLAVE “TO BECOME OR TO BE FREED” PT 1 OF 2)
THE OLD TESTAMENT PRESPECTIVE ON SIN: The OT has a rich vocabulary for sin. Some fifty terms provide the nuances of sin through the OT. Chata‘ means “to miss the mark,” as does the Greek hamartia. The word could be used to describe a person shooting a bow and arrow and
Continue reading DEFINITION OF THE DAY (SIN PT2)
The words astrologers, stargazers, and monthly prognosticators refers to people who studied the stars and the movement of the moon in order to foretell the future. This practice was especially popular among the ancient Babylonians.
Continue reading NO HELP FROM STARGAZERS
Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest of Israel made atonement for the sins of the entire nation. This ceremony included the offering of two goats as sacrifices to atone for the Israelites’ sins.
Continue reading BIBILE CUSTOMS & CURIOSITIES (THE SCAPEGOAT)
7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.
9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
Continue reading SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY (GALATIANS 5:7-10 “CHRISTIAN LIBERTY”)
During Bible times, the Holy Land was still occupied by lions. These majestic animals, then as now, do not typically prey on humans, though older or disabled lions sometimes see people as easy food to capture. Observable lion behavior lies behind the comparisons that we find in the Scriptures. Their roaring tends to provoke fear (Amos 3:8), so Peter can write, “Keep your mind clear, and be alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling