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With the conclusion of this series from 2 Peter 1, we have seen in capsule form the whole purpose of God for our existence. Even with the pause in His plan beginning with the fall, He did not say in vain "let us make man in our image, after Our likeness..". His plan is steadily and intricately being built into a family of immortals. He expects His children to bare fruit unto perfection in Him (2 Peter 1:8), and if we do not we are shortsighted indeed (v. 9)! From these inspired writings of the Apostle Peter we can see that these things are required to make God's…  ( Click for more )

Now we have ascended and built to the ultimate height. We have reached the apex. All should be ready for the construction of the capstone of the grand pyramid of Godly character! The capstone is perhaps the most talked about, the most used, misused, abused , and misunderstood of all character traits! It is often portrayed and practiced in the most vulgar, demeaning and evil contexts. It is almost incomprehensible, that this highest of all qualities of God’s nature is co-mingled with such evil and degrading situations, and defined in such base emotions, human experience and conduct. …  ( Click for more )

If we have been growing and building, and if we have been doing so on the Rock-solid Foundation, our character edifice has risen higher and higher. And if this is so, there should be no worry or concern - what has been built is good, and more than this, it is necessary in order to support something even more grand. Although what we have built will stand, it must go higher. The character that we have built so far will only take us so far.- it is not yet complete. Many today leave off building at some point, thinking that what has been done in them is enough - are you ready to keep…  ( Click for more )

As we have seen thus far in the last three columns in this series, those who truly belong to Jesus Christ, who are surrendered to Him, are enabled through the true knowledge of Jesus (not the false "knowledge" of the deceivers), and have ALREADY had given to them the POWER via wonderful promises (forgiveness, favor, the Holy Spirit, acceptance "in the Beloved", etc.) to share in the "divine nature", which in its fulness, completes the formation of "Jesus Christ in us, the hope of glory...", the "mystery" which has been hidden from…  ( Click for more )

Let us continue with our examination of how God is building a "pyramid", a holy habitation for the Holy Spirit, a temple of Godly character! Last week we saw that true "knowledge" is reposed in Jesus Christ. He is the source and the Enabler of all truth and knowledge. We need to continue this week with a deeper look at knowledge, as it is used here.

It is important to note that there are different words translated as "knowledge" in verses 2,3, and 8, and verse 7 with which we ended our discussion. The same word is used in verses 2,3,8. However, another…  ( Click for more )

Today we will continue our examination of 2Peter, chapter 1. This section of God’s inspired word is perhaps one of the most profound, straightforward, and clear instruction about the purpose and meaning of the Christian life in the Bible. It reveals what Jesus Christ would have us be doing with whatever amount of time each one of us has to live, after we have surrendered to Him. What we DO with the time we have in this life is important beyond measure It will be to our peril if neglect this key to so great a salvation! (Matthew 24:48-51) By God’s grace that we have received,…  ( Click for more )

While pondering how to commence this column today, a refrain and a few words from an old hymn came to mind. I can still hear the melody and those few words, - "will the circle be unbroken...?" I wonder if perhaps the Apostle Peter could have asked the same question, had he had them, as he was writing 2Peter, chapter 1.

There are several reason why he wrote this chapter and the letter. He was very concerned about what was occurring in the church(s) to whom he was writing. He realized that his time was short, and he urgently desired to give his full weight of authority…  ( Click for more )

We hear so much about Paradise today - it seems that when other glorious descriptions of places to live or places to go are not descriptive enough, the word "Paradise" is just what is needed, to get us to go, or purchase. Many locations on the earth have been described as a paradise. They may be mountains, seashores, or deserts. Exotic seclusions and opulent facilities and attractions are summarily called "a paradise". And so it seems for some. I reside in a desert. It is often called a paradise - the aromas of the desert in bloom at certain times of the year…  ( Click for more )

How do you feel about little children? How do you feel about today’s little children? Are these redundant questions, or - is there a difference...?

Probably your answers would be varied, and largely determined by the age of the respondent. This is a natural thing. We live in a natural world. Things are determined by the nature of the things, as we perceive them at a given moment of our time and our life. Please pardon a personal reference here. After my daughter was born, my wife and I stood on our driveway about sundown enjoying the evening breeze and cuddling this precious…  ( Click for more )

Several years ago a motion picture was released entitled "The French Connection". And as it turned out there was indeed a "French Connection"! In the spiritual realm - is there ever a "connection" between SIN and events? If we would ask God that same question, He could give us His answer with the following:

"Prepare chains, because the land is full of bloodshed and the city is full of violence. I will bring the most wicked of the nations to take possession of their houses; I will put an end to the pride of the mighty, and their sanctuaries…  ( Click for more )

For many centuries Christians have pondered the "why?" of SIN. Why is there sin anyway? Where did it come from, and why does it continue? The FACT of sin is widely recognized, even in pop-religion today, and the result of sin has been catalogued and dissected and analyzed, observed and defined. And most are familiar with the Apostle John’s statement that sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4), although the idea of using this scripture as a concise definition of sin is questionable at best. A very short definition of sin is that sin is anything that…  ( Click for more )

How many times have we used the word “self” within the last twenty four hours? It is so pervasive that most cannot remember using it at all. And rather than proving that we have not used it, this only shows how all-pervasive it really is! Words that are used regularly, especially as regular as this one, become embedded so deeply into our psyche that they become automatic - we do not have to try to use them - they are just US. No other word perhaps, so small, speaks so much! This little word, along with all of its extensions and modifications (myself, yourself, its self,…  ( Click for more )

Not too many years ago the English language was graced with a brand new word. (No, the title above is not an expletive, profanity, or the taking of an aspect of God's nature in vain...). That word is "EMPATHY". As for its origination or linguistic beginnings, this seems to be hazy - but it was probably born from the womb of necessity. And, when we understand, it must have been God's doing, for it fills in a blank in comprehending more fully how incredibly awesome, and wonderful God is!

The English Dictoinary has: "...the intellectual identification with or vicarious…  ( Click for more )

Two or three years ago I installed a painted picture as wallpaper on this computer. When I first saw it, it seemed so striking and beautiful, with a somewhat mysterious aura about it. A dirt road broad at the base and narrowing as it bent gently to the left and disappeared into a beautiful forest of vegetation. Indented into the road as it wound around are a set of single wagon tracks that finally disappeared along with the road into the forest - only one set of tracks, in this lonely but beautiful setting, going only one way, with no return set of tracks. The lighting, the colors,…  ( Click for more )

There is a section of God's Word that takes up so little space that it gives the impression of almost being an afterthought. Of course, there is no such thing as an "afterthought" in words that are God breathed. EVERY word is inspired - even the smallest Hebrew or Greek character is so, and Jesus Himself affirms it (Matthew 5:18; Luke 21:33}! But so it seems, with these few words:

"And crying again with a loud voice, Jesus released His spirit. And, behold! The veil of the temple was torn into two from above as far as below. And the earth quaked,…  ( Click for more )

What is your immediate reaction or feeling when you read or hear this five-letter word? For most, depending upon one's empirical life experiences, this can range from an uneasy neutral to a reaction of fear and dread. Some of the real and imagined perils of being alone were dramatized in the movie "Home Alone" which was a box office hit a few years ago. In support of the theme, Solomon did say that it is a frightening thing to be alone (Ecclesiastes 4:8-10). Forcing someone into total isolation has been used as a form of punishment or torture and has caused some…  ( Click for more )

Many years ago there was some what of a public debate concerning family life in America what involved child psychologists, parent groups, and eventually included Christian leaders and laity. It took on different forms and shapes, but essentially the discussion centered around one subject: undue familiarity between children and parents and between children and children within the home. This can be in relatively small things, to the most shocking occurrences of disrespect and abuse.

Specifics are unnecessary, but it has become abundantly evident that the undue intimacy proponents…  ( Click for more )

"And Ben-hadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together: and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it. And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and said unto him, Thus saith Ben-hadad, Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest, are mine. And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king, according to thy saying, I am thine and all that I have" (1 Kings 20:1-4 KJV) .

Here we see an incident in the…  ( Click for more )

Last week we discussed the enormity and the peril of the sin of unbelief - the greatest sin, the very first sin. In conclusion I implored the reader to BELIEVE. If you have not, I continue to pray that you will. If you have - now all things are possible (Mark 9:23)...

Believing has now empowered you! The very first thing that believing has done for you is to enable you to REPENT. There is an initial repentance or change of direction in your believing. But now repentance takes on a far greater and deeper profoundness and meaning. If you have truly believed, the Holy Spirit will…  ( Click for more )

Is it appropriate - or is it even possible - to define a "greatest sin"? After all, the Apostle James said that if we break even one of the commandments we have broken them all (James 2:10). However Jesus was asked which was the "greatest" commandment in the law, and then He proceeded to point out the greatest and the next to the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:35-39). So perhaps we will not go too far afield if we can discover a "greatest sin".

From the times of old many have attempted to categorize "sins". This seems so tempting, and…  ( Click for more )

Last week we looked at an amazing truth. All things – everything – past, present, and future, was, is and will be for your sake. This grand truth the world in general cannot believe it seems, even if everything it can view on earth and in the heavens screams out the glory of it all (Psalm 19:1-6). God chose us to become His children before the foundations of the world was laid. This fact strongly implies that the forming of the world was the consequence of God choosing to have sons and daughters, not the other way around. He created the earth, and many other things …  ( Click for more )

Have you realized that everything - EVERYTHING - in all creation, whatever has been created, or ever will be created, is for your sake? There is so much truth in that statement that an author wrote as a title to a book, “Your God Is Too Small”. To say that it just cannot be true that ALL things are for your sake (and mine), seems extreme in the least, even absurd. But if we do not believe it, then perhaps our God is too small. Notice a statement by the Apostle to both Jews and Gentiles: “For all [these] things are [taking place] for your sake, so that the…  ( Click for more )

Divisions often come from the unwarranted emphasis on a revealed truth from God’s Word.. This truth can become a catalyst for the formation of a group, members of which are deeply convinced that certain truth requires a greater emphasis than others. From this eventually comes divisiveness, cleavage, and finally separation from those not as convinced of the same need for the same emphasis on that truth. Cliques, fragmentation, disagreements, and finally a more or less complete separation, forming another group emphasizing a different order of importance for various truths,…  ( Click for more )

Fear and love are incompatible. One cannot exist permanently in the presence of the other

Many things and issues can cause the presence of fear. Memories of the past can preoccupy - if they are bad memories - and cause a kind of subconscious fear. This can be ruling our lives, and keeping love out without our awareness of its effect. Memories can be our master. Or memories can be our servant. As our master, we cannot love as God would have us to, whether it is love for Him, or love for others. Fear resists the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Love. Therefore, fear resists the Spirit…  ( Click for more )