Witches, warlocks, bards, ovates, and druids: you’re probably thinking that Halloween is over for this year, so why the strange list? Well, according to Reuters news service, pagans are celebrating Samhuin, the Celtic new year, and “a time for remembering dead ancestors before the darkness of winter” explained one pagan priestess. According to the article, […]
I fell away from God and suffered for it. So, in my pain and desperation I promised God that if he would bring me back I would keep my life as simple as possible. I promised to be a bank teller and I also promised him I would be single. So do you think that […]
Are we, as Christians, to judge other people? Did Jesus judge people in his ministry? As you know, there are many in the religious world today who claim that it is an outright sin to judge other people. They say these things especially at times when they, individually, are caught red handed within some particular […]
Studying the apocalyptic prophets can be challenging, but rewarding at the same time. While it is difficult to be dogmatic about what the various symbols mean, there is much to be gained from the study. There are some definite lessons as well that we can glean from the cryptic writings of these prophets. During my […]
It is clear from the scriptures that in order for one to be saved, one must be baptized (Mark 16:16). Since the word “baptize” is a transliteration from the Greek word “baptizo” the significance of the word is lost to us in the English language. So it is within the context of how the word […]
Please explain Hebrews 10:26-27 The book of Hebrews is primarily concerned with Jewish Christians who have decided that it is not worth living Christianity anymore and who have decided to go back to Judaism. The writer of the book of Hebrews is exhorting and encouraging these Christians NOT to go back to Judaism. The book […]
In ladies Bible class, we have been studying the epistle of First Peter. Peter writes in this epistle to those who have been scattered abroad by persecution, particularly, those who have been born again through the redemption of the blood of Christ and struggling to be faithful to the Christ. He encourages them to stand […]
A few weeks ago I received in my e-mail inbox an article on a psychological study regarding wisdom. My first reaction to the article was, “How can you study wisdom from a psychological perspective?” So I read. The article spoke concerning the “Wisdom Project,” conducted at the University of California Davis. In the study, the […]
Matthew 2:13-23 – Jesus in Egypt By Egypt to Galilee and Nazareth Vs. 13-15 – The wise men depart and now God sends a messenger to warn Joseph regarding Herod’s impending plans. This isn’t the first time that Joseph had been visited by God’s messenger in this way (see Matthew 1:20). The warning is to […]
What is the role and fate of Satan and the unrighteous in the last days? Thanks for your question. Right now, Satan’s is the tempter and deceiver (Mark 1:13; 2 Cor. 2:11; Rev. 12:9). According to Matthew 25:41 and Revelation 20:10-15 and 21:8, Satan and the unrighteous will all end up in the lake that […]
We were studying the expulsion of demons from Legion into the swine and they all ran into the Lake and were drowned. The question was “were these demons (devils) present for Jesus to expel to show his power for the others around, or have they always been and still are present?” A: The key verse […]
In the 17th chapter of Acts, were those Paul preached to in the synagogues in Thessalonica and Berea already believers or became believers after hearing Paul? This is a good and interesting question because it takes us back to the context in which a very familiar scripture is often used. Acts 17:11 says, “These were […]
Did the Israelites live under the bondage of the Egyptians for 430 years? This question arises due to the alleged contradiction between Exodus 12:40; Genesis 15:13-14; Acts 7:6-7; and Galatians 3:17. The two general views that are held are that 1) the Israelites were in bondage 430 years, and 2) the Israelites were in bondage […]
There are those in the religious world today who ridicule the idea of keeping commandments. They claim that keeping God’s commandments have nothing to do with our salvation today. If someone objects and says that we must keep God’s commandments to be saved, the charge of legalism is leveled against him. Is it true that […]
There they stood. Hand in hand; heart to heart. He was seventeen; she was sixteen. They had known each other since kindergarten, but had never really taken notice of one another. One day, however, she gave him a flirting glance that prompted him to return the flirt in kind. He asked her out and she, […]
Each year around this time it is popular for different social groups to host egg hunts. Someone takes the eggs and hides them in various “secret” places in a designated area and then children go out and look for the eggs. There are, among the children, various different kinds of hunters. There are those who […]
I do not understand all the teachings on divorce and remarriage. I would like to understand how it all works. I’ve had two husbands who were terrible men. I realize I am the one that twice filed for divorce. Am I to be punished for thinking of what is best for my child? Thanks for […]
Please open your Bibles to Job 2:7-13. Description of Job’s Disease Vs. 7-8 – Satan unleashes his second sortie against Job afflicted Job with a terrible disease. From the various descriptions of Job’s disease in the book (Job 2:8; 7:4-5; 13:14; 13:28; 16:16; 16:8; 17:1; 19:20; 19:26; 30:17; 30:30), it has been strongly suggested that […]
God, in His wisdom, saw fit from eternity to establish the church. Ephesians 3:10-11 reads, “To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This organization of […]
The Officials Declare – Jesus Is King Matthew’s purpose in this chapter is to explain how Jesus fulfilled the prophecies related to his locative origins and tell us how Jesus ended up coming from Nazareth. One criticism that was leveled against Jesus was that no prophet ever arose out of that area (John 7:52). Matthew […]