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"Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves. You'll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can't produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that doesn't produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So you'll recognize them by their fruit.” - Matthew 7:15-20 HCSB

If you're planning to vacation in Zambia, beware of the street-corner…  ( Click for more )

Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts. - Psalm 90:12 HCSB

An ethics professor at Princeton Seminary asked for volunteers for an extra assignment. Fifteen students showed up. He divided the group of fifteen into three groups of five each. He instructed the first group of five to proceed immediately across the campus to a certain spot; if they did not get there in fifteen minutes, their grade would be affected. A minute or two later he instructed the second group to also proceed across the campus to the same spot; but they were given…  ( Click for more )

Be imitators of me, as I also am of Christ. - 1 Corinthians 11:1 HCSB

We are told, ad infinitum ad nauseam, that we must accept many points of view – that there may be one Truth but many paths that lead to it. Somehow, we have come to the twisted idea that to be truly Christian we should tell people that Judaism and Islam are equally valid paths. This is not only heresy, but also a serious marketing error.

First of all, when we accept into our fellowship non-Christian cults and religions, we are telling our people that these have a degree of legitimacy. We…  ( Click for more )

Also, if anyone competes as an athlete, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. – 2 Timothy 2:5 HCSB

I walked into our living room and watched a couple of my children playing a game called Spy Hunter. It involves a James Bond-like car that chases evil cars around and generally causes mayhem while saving the world. What drew my attention was a warning whoop that kept sounding. When I walked in and saw what they were doing, I couldn’t help but laugh. They were actually going through the course backwards! They were ignoring all…  ( Click for more )

The one who rejects Me and doesn't accept My sayings has this as his judge: the word I have spoken will judge him on the last day. - John 12:48 HCSB

On July 1,2004, a thin, downcast elderly man, with bags under his eyes and a graying beard, stepped into a courtroom. That simple act came at the cost of thousands of lives and billions of dollars. The man’s name was Saddam Hussein and he was the former president of Iraq. He stood accused of killing religious figures; gassing Kurds in Halabja; killing members of the Kurdish Barzani clan; killing many political opponents…  ( Click for more )

Look, his ego is inflated; he is without integrity. But the righteous one will live by his faith. Moreover, wine betrays; an arrogant man is never at rest. He enlarges his appetite like Sheol, and like Death he is never satisfied. He gathers all the nations to himself; he collects all the peoples for himself. Won't all of these take up a taunt against him, with mockery and riddles about him? They will say: Woe to him who amasses what is not his--how much longer?--and loads himself with goods taken in pledge. – Habakkuk 2:4-6 HCSB

The Lord God spoke to Habakkuk one day…  ( Click for more )

The LORD replied to Moses: "Whoever has sinned against Me I will erase from My book. Now go, lead the people to the place I told you about; see, My angel will go before you. But on the day I settle accounts, I will hold them accountable for their sin." - Exodus 32:33-34 HCSB

[1]When a person rebels against God, the Lord may pronounce a curse upon them and write calamity into their particular chapter of the Book of Life.[2] Thus, false prophets or false teachers, who not only personally rebel but also lead others astray, will not be recorded in the register.[3] …  ( Click for more )

So Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Oh, this people has committed a great sin; they have made for themselves a god of gold. Now if You would only forgive their sin. But if not, please erase me from the book You have written." The LORD replied to Moses: "Whoever has sinned against Me I will erase from My book. Now go, lead the people to the place I told you about; see, My angel will go before you. But on the day I settle accounts, I will hold them accountable for their sin." - Exodus 32:31-34 HCSB

When Yahweh’s people encourage one another to…  ( Click for more )

So Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Oh, this people has committed a great sin; they have made for themselves a god of gold. Now if You would only forgive their sin. But if not, please erase me from the book You have written." The LORD replied to Moses: "Whoever has sinned against Me I will erase from My book. Now go, lead the people to the place I told you about; see, My angel will go before you. But on the day I settle accounts, I will hold them accountable for their sin." - Exodus 32:31-34 HCSB

The idea of the Book of Life (“Sefer ha ch’aim”…  ( Click for more )

In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings. - Romans 8:26 HCSB

Have you ever gone by a baby’s cradle and heard what the baby had to say? It sounds like just so much mumbling, babbling and general gibberish. If you were to gather all the most renowned linguistic scholars around that cradle and have them listen for an hour, they would not be able to make heads or tails of the baby’s mumblings.

However, let the child’s…  ( Click for more )

Bibliology – Communication

Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not give up. Instead, we have renounced shameful secret things, not walking in deceit or distorting God's message, but in God's sight we commend ourselves to every person's conscience by an open display of the truth. - 2 Corinthians 4:1-2 HCSB

The Messiah once taught, "You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are…  ( Click for more )

Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path. – Psalm 119:105 HCSB

Men are notorious for not reading instructions. They don’t want to read the map or ask directions. We laugh and many sitcoms have used this premise as the basis for a comic situation. “How foolish of him to be so arrogant as to think he can go it alone!” we think. What is it that makes us feel this way?

We learn as children that to learn something, we must ask someone older, wiser than ourselves. Ideally, this lesson would stick with us as we mature, but sadly, many of us…  ( Click for more )

A Davidic psalm. Give the LORD--you heavenly beings--give the LORD glory and strength. Give the LORD the glory due His name; worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness. The voice of the LORD is above the waters. The God of glory thunders--the LORD, above vast waters, the voice of the LORD in power, the voice of the LORD in splendor. - Psalm 29:1-4 HCSB

There is an understandable emphasis in devotional theology on listening for the “soft whispering voice”[1] of the Lord as we meditate upon His word.

However, I am concerned that too much emphasis on one…  ( Click for more )

Don't all of us have one Father? Didn't one God create us? Why then do we act treacherously against one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers? – Malachi 2:10 HCSB

A righteous man had many children. He loved each for their unique approach to life. One child was quiet and reserved. The next was outgoing and brash. One floated through life blissfully unaware of nearly anything going on, while another was intellectually and emotionally involved in everything. Each was beautiful; each was wonderful.

The man and his wife taught the children to express their love.…  ( Click for more )

Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil. For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. - Ephesians 6:11-12 HCSB

Not only the Twelve, [1] but all of Jesus’ disciples were authorized to drive out unclean spirits.[2] At first, they were not universally successful because they didn’t realize how much prayer and fasting played a part in the matter.[3] Besides, they had not yet been…  ( Click for more )

For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, and no angel or spirit, but the Pharisees affirm them all. - Acts 23:8 HCSB

[1]I find it ironic that two thousand years later we are still debating this issue. Both the Scriptures and practical experience indicate that demonic influence has not waned. There is no indication in the Word that their activity ever declined during the beginning of the Church.

Jesus taught that people will attempt use their powers of exorcism as an argument for their salvation on the Day of Judgment[2], which would seem to indicate that demons…  ( Click for more )

To the weak I became weak, in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I may by all means save some. - 1 Corinthians 9:22 HCSB

Have you ever wanted to determine, once and for all to your intellectual satisfaction, that there actually is a God? Have you ever had to deal with someone who did not believe in the existence of a Supreme Being and placed your faith on the same order as Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy? Have you ever, in those late night hours when you were alone and looking on the shambles of your life, reached out with your heart…  ( Click for more )

In the case of abuse

But if the unbeliever leaves, let him leave. A brother or a sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you to peace. - 1 Corinthians 7:15 HCSB

To this point in our series on divorce, we have seen that if a believer leaves outside of the two allowable conditions of porneia or abandonment he/she must not remarry, but must continue to seek reconciliation.[1] Paul argued that in light of Christ's command, she/he may not marry again. Rather, the separated or divorced couple is to be reconciled. Clearly, the ideal is that marriage should not…  ( Click for more )

In the case of abandonment

But if the unbeliever leaves, let him leave. A brother or a sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you to peace. - 1 Corinthians 7:15 HCSB

The Pharisees, in questioning Jesus concerning divorce and remarriage, specifically mentioned the phrase “on any grounds.” As stated earlier in this series, at that time there was a sharp debate between two religious schools of thought. Shammai’s interpretation of Deuteronomy 24:1-4 held that “some indecency”[1] meant “immorality”, as in Matthew 19:9.…  ( Click for more )

In the case of porneia

But if the unbeliever leaves, let him leave. A brother or a sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you to peace. - 1 Corinthians 7:15 HCSB

The Lord made sure that divorce would not be easy and that accountability would exist. A certificate of divorce citing specific transgressions was required. Outside authorities and witnesses had to be involved to ensure that the divorce was not enacted frivolously.[1]

Jesus conditioned the law of Deuteronomy 24:1 in the Sermon on the Mount citing the higher law of creation.[2] We infer…  ( Click for more )

Old Covenant view

But if the unbeliever leaves, let him leave. A brother or a sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you to peace. - 1 Corinthians 7:15 HCSB

Elders (zaquenim) often have to address the issue of divorce and remarriage. An appropriate understanding of the biblical terms and the historical context in which they were written is therefore essential to successful derash (life application) in the often messy and emotionally charged situations involved in divorce and remarriage.

Mosaic Law addresses the issue of divorce. Being written within…  ( Click for more )

But even if I am poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. In the same way you also should rejoice and share your joy with me. - Philippians 2:17-18 HCSB

[1]Ransomed faith should be sacrificial by its very nature. After all, Christianity as we know it has its roots in the Old Testament - a book full of laws and commands that deal with sacrifices. In the New Testament, we see the fulfillment of those sacrifices, and many believe that to have been the end of sacrificial living. However, the coming of the…  ( Click for more )

Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. - Romans 12:1 HCSB

[1] In order to gain the joy of sacrificial living, we must first understand what type of sacrifice we ought to be giving. Asceticism - sacrificing something just for the sake of giving it up, or sacrificing something so others can see how holy we are - will not produce the joy which Paul speaks of in Philippians 2:17-18.

In the metaphor of a shepherd offering his sheep in sacrifice, we are not…  ( Click for more )

If you find honey, eat only what you need; otherwise, you'll get sick from it and vomit. Seldom set foot in your neighbor's house; otherwise, he'll get sick of you and hate you. - Proverbs 25:16-17 HCSB

Just about everyone loves honey, but it’s so sweet that a little bit goes a long way! Of course, being a proverb, this verse isn’t just about honey! It is about a fundamental principle of life that applies to just about any activity. It’s called “moderation.” A joke well told can make the day pass quickly or a difficult job less onerous. Someone…  ( Click for more )