Why did we allow our Nation to be ripped apart by the Civil War? How could anyone, particularly Christians ever countenance slavery? How was it possible that someone didn’t come forth as a voice of reason? How could sectional rivalry, money, power and political gain get so out of control, that we ended up with the bloodiest war in our history? Were the people of that time stupid or something?
No, they weren’t. They were just like we are today.
That’s where it hit me…HARD.
They are us, we are them. We are engaged in the same kinds of behaviors they were, the ones that led to war.
Spend a few days watching cable news. Watch it from the time you get up to the time you go to bed… several days. Immerse yourself in it.
Then pick up a good book on the causes of the Civil War. Read what the politicians and the newspapers were saying; hear the volume of the rhetoric and see the stubborn way each side held on to its position. Notice the vitriol, notice the petty rivalries and the complete lack of statesmanship.
Then it will hit you too. What are we- stupid?
You might even want to undertake an honest study of the Book of Revelation, and if you do, you will discover that we aren’t stupid, we are just acting like people do when they leave God’s path, and that this cycle will never end until Jesus returns.
Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, July 11, 2018
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
Antioch
There are two places where Antioch is mentioned in the Bible. Antioch in Pisidia (Acts 13:14-52; 14:21). Pisidia was a region in Asia Minor north of Lycia, Caria, Lydia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia.
Antioch in Syria is the place where the disciples were first called Christians (Acts 11:26). It was also the church that sent Paul and Barnabas on their missionary journey (Acts 13:1-4; 14:26-28).
Monday, July 9, 2018
How can I tell if the desires of my heart are from God?
How can I tell if the desires of my heart are from God?: How can I tell if the desires of my heart are from God? Should I follow my heart? How can I know if my heart desires what God desires?
Saturday, July 7, 2018
Thursday, July 5, 2018
Monday, July 2, 2018
Sunday, July 1, 2018
Catholic
In the Catholic Church, many extra-biblical practices have been added that create a different religion out of Christianity. While those who consider themselves Catholic can also be truly born again, one does not inherit eternal life by being a good Catholic (Titus 3:5–7). One can be a Christian in spite of being Catholic, just as one can be a Christian in spite of church attendance of any kind. However, Catholic teaching has gone far awry from strict adherence to the Bible, adding human ideas and “teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Mark 7:7). The Pharisees of Jesus’ day had done the same thing with God’s Law, and it appears that Catholic tradition follows more closely in the footsteps of the Pharisees than those of the apostles
Thursday, June 28, 2018
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Tuesday, June 26, 2018
Atheists
I think it is important to point out that not all atheists persecute Christians. In my life, I have had the opportunity to speak with a number of atheists who did not persecute me for my faith. They disagreed with what I believed, but they were still willing to be friendly toward me. This has created opportunities for me to live out 1 Peter 3:15, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear." Those atheists that do persecute Christians, however, often do so for a variety of reasons. Some have been hurt by people claiming to be Christians who have acted in a decidedly non-Christian manner. Because of this, they see all Christians as hypocrites and as a threat that must be countered. Before they can trust our faith, they must first be able to trust us as individuals. I had an experience like this once with a devout Muslim. Although he was not an "atheist," his faith and his experience had taught him not to trust anyone claiming to be a Christian. Ultimately, we had many long conversations about faith and religion, but before we could get to that point, he had to know that he could trust me as a person. He did not choose Christ during the time that I knew him, but I know that the seeds of faith were planted on receptive ground during our conversations. Another reason atheists persecute Christians is a misunderstanding of what Christianity really means. Since they do not believe in any god, they see all religion as mankind's made-up way of controlling each other. They do not wish to be controlled, so they rebel. Unlike other religions, though, Christianity is not about controlling mankind. I have seen this come out numerous times in debates between atheist and Christian scholars. Many times, the atheist's argument comes down to, "I want to do what I want to do, and no god can make me do anything differently." In Christianity, though, God does not "make" us do anything. We live in a fallen world where we are already slaves to the desires of the flesh and of the world. God saw fit, in his mercy and through his grace, to free us from that servitude through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. Those of us who choose that gift are then free to serve God, not because we are forced to and not because we fear punishment, as some atheists believe, but because we can. What they see as rules and control and restriction, we see as freedom.
Monday, June 25, 2018
.Freewill. Proverbs 28-29
28-Then will they call on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me; 29-Because they hated knowledge, And didn't choose the fear of Yahweh.
Saturday, June 23, 2018
Thursday, June 21, 2018
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
ZERUBBABEL AND JOSHUA
THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT KEY TO UNDERSTANDING ZECHARIAH Chapter 3 and 4. For behold the stone that I have laid before JOSHUA; upon one stone shall be seven eyes .... They shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of ZERUBBABEL with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole Earth Zechariah 3:9; 4:10.
The seven eyes refer to the seven Church eras. The mystery of t he seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the Seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven Churches: and the Seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven Churches of Revelation 1:20. The seven candlesticks or lamps are also the seven Church eras see Revelation 2 and 3.
And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and His seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof Zechariah 4:2. The word candlestick would be better-translated lampstand see Anchor Bible Commentary. The lampstand has SEVEN LAMPS, which again represent the seven Church eras of Revelation 2 and 3.
Lamps give light. Eyes are used to see. These seven Church eras are given a spiritual light and spiritual sight by God. They see and understand God's plain and world events because they are led by God's Holy Spirit Zechariah 4:6. No other group is given this understanding by God only God's very Elect.
People in this world are in the blackest kind of night because they don't have God's lamp. They can't see how to solve their many frightening problems. They could know, but they reject the light that God has always tried to give them through His message.
The seven eyes are listed in the Joshua section Zechariah 3:9 and in the ZERUBBABEL section Zechariah 4:10. The seven lamps or seven eyes are also mentioned in Zechariah 4:2. GOD IS EMPHASIZING THE SUBJECT OF CHURCH ERAS be c a use Joshua and Zerubbabel both are in this end-time prophecy. That is just another indication that this is a prophecy for NOW. The seven eras start at Christ's first coming and end at His Second Coming. God wants us to think in terms of CHURCH ERAS. This is crucial to understanding Zechariah 3 and 4. Then the chapters are easy to grasp.
Upon one stone shall be seven eyes. That Stone is Jesus Christ, the Rock. There is a Stone that ruled every era of God's Church. But still, FIVE OUT OF THOSE SEVEN TURNED AWAY FROM GOD. Just read the history in Revelation 2 and 3. That is a frightening statistic! The ratio is overwhelming. Anyone who thinks we don't have the potential to make mistakes and to fall away needs to look at what has happened to God's people through the ages!
After Zerubbabel's death came the Joshua work, which turned away from the ZERUBBABEL work NV just as it happened in Revelation 3.
Zechariah 3 talks about a Joshua who had authority. A mobern Joshua rules an era too. A so when God talks about Joshua and Zerubbabel in the context of the Church eras, two eras and two leaders are discussed. Therefore, in modern times they must have each led a Church era. This evil Joshua is presented first in Zechariah 3; however, he was Zerubbabel's assistant Haggai 1:1. Zerubbabel was a leader before Joshua, so let's start with Zerubbabel.
THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT KEY TO UNDERSTANDING ZECHARIAH Chapter 3 and 4. For behold the stone that I have laid before JOSHUA; upon one stone shall be seven eyes .... They shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of ZERUBBABEL with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole Earth Zechariah 3:9; 4:10.
The seven eyes refer to the seven Church eras. The mystery of t he seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the Seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven Churches: and the Seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven Churches of Revelation 1:20. The seven candlesticks or lamps are also the seven Church eras see Revelation 2 and 3.
And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and His seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof Zechariah 4:2. The word candlestick would be better-translated lampstand see Anchor Bible Commentary. The lampstand has SEVEN LAMPS, which again represent the seven Church eras of Revelation 2 and 3.
Lamps give light. Eyes are used to see. These seven Church eras are given a spiritual light and spiritual sight by God. They see and understand God's plain and world events because they are led by God's Holy Spirit Zechariah 4:6. No other group is given this understanding by God only God's very Elect.
People in this world are in the blackest kind of night because they don't have God's lamp. They can't see how to solve their many frightening problems. They could know, but they reject the light that God has always tried to give them through His message.
The seven eyes are listed in the Joshua section Zechariah 3:9 and in the ZERUBBABEL section Zechariah 4:10. The seven lamps or seven eyes are also mentioned in Zechariah 4:2. GOD IS EMPHASIZING THE SUBJECT OF CHURCH ERAS be c a use Joshua and Zerubbabel both are in this end-time prophecy. That is just another indication that this is a prophecy for NOW. The seven eras start at Christ's first coming and end at His Second Coming. God wants us to think in terms of CHURCH ERAS. This is crucial to understanding Zechariah 3 and 4. Then the chapters are easy to grasp.
Upon one stone shall be seven eyes. That Stone is Jesus Christ, the Rock. There is a Stone that ruled every era of God's Church. But still, FIVE OUT OF THOSE SEVEN TURNED AWAY FROM GOD. Just read the history in Revelation 2 and 3. That is a frightening statistic! The ratio is overwhelming. Anyone who thinks we don't have the potential to make mistakes and to fall away needs to look at what has happened to God's people through the ages!
After Zerubbabel's death came the Joshua work, which turned away from the ZERUBBABEL work NV just as it happened in Revelation 3.
Zechariah 3 talks about a Joshua who had authority. A mobern Joshua rules an era too. A so when God talks about Joshua and Zerubbabel in the context of the Church eras, two eras and two leaders are discussed. Therefore, in modern times they must have each led a Church era. This evil Joshua is presented first in Zechariah 3; however, he was Zerubbabel's assistant Haggai 1:1. Zerubbabel was a leader before Joshua, so let's start with Zerubbabel.
Monday, June 18, 2018
Saturday, June 16, 2018
King David
besetting sin a fault to which someone is especially prone, a characteristic weakness. Beset means literally 'surround with hostile intent', so the image is of the forces of sin besieging a person. Despite his oft-besetting sins, David had a tender heart toward God and God’s people. Accordingly, David is commended as a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22; 1 Sam. 13:14; 1 Kings 3:14; 9:4; 11:4, 6, 33, 38, 14:8, 15:3).
Friday, June 15, 2018
Thursday, June 14, 2018
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
The Lord lives
My budget is flatlining and we are financially tanking and I don’t see hope for the future! But the Lord lives. The same Lord who owns everything and provides for ravens and sustains galaxies and calls us his children is real and alive and active in your life. You can’t provide for yourself but your budget is not too tight for God. The Lord lives
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