Subscription Lists

The Apostle Paul makes a dramatic statement when he says that "all Israel will be saved" (Romans 11:25-29). How can this be?

Millions of Jews have perished since Paul and Jesus walked the earth. And there were millions more who died prior to that time. They died most of the time as the result of rebellion against God, and were finally taken captive for the last time, subsequently being scattered throughout the earth.

During the times of Jesus and Paul, some of the writings of some of the Apostles were addressed to "those of the dispersion", that is, the Israelites…  ( Click for more )

There is a great reward waiting for you! If you had been notified that you had won the lottery, would you be excited, overcome with joy and anticipation, and anxious to receive it? Of course. Anyone would be. If you belong to Jesus Christ, there is something laid up for you, and waiting for you that pales into complete insignificance anything you can imagine.

It is God's good pleasure to give it to you. This reward will be given to you not on the basis of your good deeds (although there are also rewards or "wages" you can receive also...), but will be given to you on…  ( Click for more )

Would you like to live forever?

Not as you are now...subject to troubles, struggles, worries, pains, and difficulties with other problems in living...sickness, getting older, feelings of failure? If you are now a real Christian, your life has already been arranged, predestined, ordered, directed, guided. You are cared for, guarded, and provided for. You are beginning to know Him. And, more important, He knows you (Matthew 7:22-23). But IF you are not a believer in Jesus Christ, your life will continue as is. As the proverb says, "the more things change, the more they will…  ( Click for more )

Is the law of God "done away"? Many believe so. The statement is true, and, it is not true. Confusing?

Lets consider (Romans 7) The Apostle stated that the law came in, and he died. The penalty for breaking the law of God is death. Always has been. Always will be. If this is so, then "the law" cannot have been "done away". There is a very simple way to harmonize what seems to be an obvious contradiction. Yes, the law, i.e. the letter (written) of the law, when it is enforced will kill you and me, since the penalty is death, because there is no…  ( Click for more )

In our world today many couples who wear the badge "married" seem to be only friends, albeit good friends, or simply acquaintances. not showing love, kindness, and a caring attitude is almost the norm.

The marriage, if it is at least civil, is simply friends living together. A couple may be following the letter of the minimum requirements to be considered by the world as "married". But the spirit of a real marriage of love is missing. There is very little of a sacrificial attitude. The marriage is in reality only a shell.

It is simply marital legalism.

This…  ( Click for more )

Choices Of Conscience Life is full of choices. We are pressed from every side it seems, by choices - choices about almost anything we can imagine.

The freedom enjoyed by many in the free world is labeled as freedom because freedom allows choices. Some of those freedoms are restricted by law; others are open ended. that is the freedom is only limited by the number of choices available. But there is one freedom that God gives us that is important for all Christians to understand - the freedom of conscience. Every human has been given by God a simple inner mechanism of a thing…  ( Click for more )

Is God calling you to a special service for Him? If God has called you to do something in service to His cause, more than likely whatever the calling may be, it has been given according to the analogy of Jesus concerning the gifting of a talent - the talent being a measure of money invested in activities to produce profits. Perhaps you have begun serving Him, but have become discouraged for some reason, and have given up or neglected it. Jesus uses an analogy that illustrates a Christian's call to special service for Him. The talent illustrates the natural ability that God gave…  ( Click for more )

There was

once a network show in which the MC ended the broadcast by singing "thanks for the memory...".is faculty of what is called memory is a marvelous thing. It is one of God's miiracles of our being. a mixed bag of memories. Some good, some bad. Some filled with joy and pleasantness. Some with deep sorrow and an aching heart. Memories of each of us are utterly unique. Some of us have similiar memories in one way or another, but none are the same. Memories prove the uniqeness of each human - and of every Christian. tiple billions of humans each completely…  ( Click for more )

"You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, Do not resist the evil man [who injures you]; but if anyone strikes you on the right jaw or cheek, turn to him the other one too". - Matthew 5:38-40 (AMP) We all know it is not easy to turn our other cheek. It is a natural impulse for most, to respond in kind, and also a powerful temptation for most Christians. It is a very easy thing to do because it is encased in human nature. Someone has said it is as natural as falling off a log. Most of the people in the world consider…  ( Click for more )

There is a limit to the time allotted for humanity to repent, believe and yield to the changing power and striving of the Holy Spirit; to believe, overcome, and receive eternal life. "My Spirit will NOT ALWAYS strive with man..." (Genesis 6:3) Truly, "time changes everything".as the song goes. As Solomon stated that "there is a time for everything under the sun...", there is a time for grace. But as there is a time for everything, there also must be an end of everything regarding humanity. There is a time for you and me. If you are reading these words,…  ( Click for more )

The Apostle Paul instructed those to whom he wrote that they should not "forsake the assembling" of themselves together. It is interesting and instructive that he did not use the word "church". By church I mean an organized and recognized congregation with a complete structure with Pastors, and all others who have specific responsibilities within the group called church. In what Paul instructed, did he mean that those to whom he wrote should find a preexisting group of believers, with all the structure ordinarily considered to be requirements for being designated…  ( Click for more )

There is an old gospel song entitled “My God I Real”. Is God “real” to you? If God does not seem real to you, perhaps the reason is that you are not real to Him. Sometimes we hear the catch phrase “get real”! Reality: it is becoming more and more elusive, and unrecognizable in our world. Reality is shielded by masks, pretense, and an endless variety of smoke and mirror techniques, etc. In essence, they are hypocrisy. There is curious reality regarding hypocrisy, which of course is deception. Those who are hypocritical and deceptive are the most…  ( Click for more )

Last week we discussed Jesus' command through John to be lights to the world. This light is the light of the Holy Spirit changing a Christian from the inside out. He begins to creat deep inside,, that creates a persona that becomes a witness without speaking. They are His witnesses through their demeanor, warmth, and inner peace, and love that eventually will be seen by those being called. This is love mostly unspoken, but materializes in the actions and responses which are illustrated in Paul in 1 Corinthians 13. It was mentioned last week that, if the internal light of…  ( Click for more )

How do other people respond when they are around you?

What do you think is their first impression of you? Is there something about you that draws them to you? When they are near you, do they feel at ease, comfortable, and accepted by you? When they see you, do they "light up" with anticipation of being around you? Whatever you feel is the answer to these questions, about what they are seeing and feeling, and what you are silently emanating, is "light". It is your light until or unless the light of Jesus Christ is the source of what they see and feel when they…  ( Click for more )

Do you sometimes struggle to comprehend God - why He allows certain things? Why he allows unimaginable suffering, and catastrophic events? A radio and TV commercial from years ago concludes: "inquiring minds want to know" - a true observation indeed. Sometimes it is tempting to ask "where was God" in this? Why does it seem that some people live a charmed life - healthy, prosperous, unperturbed and undistrubed. As the melody goes, everything is "going my way" - for them. that is...Is there an answer for what sometimes seems to be the unanswerable. If…  ( Click for more )

Would you like to get even with your enemies? Or perhaps a little more than even. Maybe give them twice what he they have dished out to you? Your can. And you can do it with Christ's approval. The very worst thing you can do to you enemy, regardless of what they have done to you, is to pray for them! Someone has said, do good to your enemies; it will drive them crazy! Maybe. Maybe not. But praying for them makes it easier to love them - in exact proportion. It is important how you do good to them who are your enemies, and especially how you pray for them. Make sure that you…  ( Click for more )

Sometime in eternity past, God desired to expand His love to someone in addition to millions of angels who already loved Him, as He loved them.

He had angelic companionship, which was enjoyable and satisfying as His messengers and servants. However, being God, He desired something and someone like Himself - someone to love and from whom He could receive love and fellowship. He desired children.

Children as we know, are very much like their parents. Together they constitute what we call "family". God originated the original concept of family. But many eons ago, before…  ( Click for more )

The world in which we live has never been before. At least, like it is today. One can almost sense the increased pressures of invisible threats, It seems a day does not go by without a shocking event occurring somewhere. Whether it occurs on the other side of the world, or next door. The world as we have known it, shocks us almost daily. It seems our world is somehow unraveling. We can sense it. We can feel it. As foreboding and upsetting as it is, we should not really be surprised. God's word said it would always be this way. Only worse as the times go by. God has set up events,…  ( Click for more )

The Hard Way "There is a way that seems right..." (Proverbs 16:25) How many times have we heard this truth referred to, spoken about, and preached on. And the second phrase of the quote includes the consequences of the first phrase, "...but the end thereof (result) is death". To many, the way that seems right is the way that seems to be the easier way. When events and expectations seem to just fall into place, we are inclined to assume that it must be the right way. We take the easier way as prima fascia proof that it must be the best way. We seldom cast…  ( Click for more )

The entire life of a prominent person in the New Testament was devoted to establish this element in that society in which he lived.

No, it wasn't Jesus...it was John the Baptist. Without his ministry, Jesus' preaching would not have born much, if any, fruit. John the Baptist preached the requirement that would make Jesus' ministry successful and fulfilled. That message can be spoken in one word: repentance. Without repentance, belief in Jesus is vain and fruitless in the lives of those who heard and listened to Him. This is one reason Jesus said that "many are called,…  ( Click for more )

Typically, when we think of what the book of Job teaches of us, we usually think about the seeming conflict of suffering and righteousness. The answer to this is effectively answered by the New Testament.

There is an additional and more important message God is teaching us from this amazing book.

God makes it clear in the first chapter that Job's condition is His doing, and at the same time affirms that he was "righteous". And God affirms that there was no one as righteous as Job.

"There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was…  ( Click for more )

Casting Your Cares

"Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully." - 1 Peter 5:7 (AMP)

Are you "casting" your cares, worries, concerns, problems, circumstances, upon Christ? This is perhaps one of the most encouraging and inspiring verses in the Bible. It is certainly one to cling to when it seems that no one is caring for us. Many times when it seems that Christ is not caring for us - when our lives and circumstances…  ( Click for more )

Several weeks ago I wrote an article for this column entitled "A Legacy of Eden" (see the Archives), in which there was a discussion of Adam and Eve, and the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil". It addressed some of the consequences this had for men and women down through history until now, with the main focal point on marriage, together with being single, and men and women in general.

This week we will look at the scope of the consequences for humanity and our world today, as it has and IS impacting all of us - every moment.

We are looking at the…  ( Click for more )

"Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child. Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever." (Psalm 131 KJV)

What a beautiful and wonderful submission - and ADMISSION!

Psalm 131 is called "a song of ascents". It may have been sung by the people of Israel as they approached Jerusalem for the annual holy days. The trek was an incline UP…  ( Click for more )