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"Don't assume that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For I assure you: Until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass from the law until all things are accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches people to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever practices and teaches these commandments will be called great in the kingdom of heaven." - Matthew 5:17-19 HCSB

There is a growing and very vital movement to…  ( Click for more )

…the boy Samuel grew in stature and in favor with the LORD and with men…Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let nothing he said prove false. All Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a confirmed prophet of the LORD. The LORD continued to appear in Shiloh, because there He revealed Himself to Samuel by His word. - 1 Samuel 2:26; 3:19-21 HCSB

As a young man, Samuel was a rare find. His mother dedicated him to the Lord and left him at the Temple immediately after he was weaned. His character was near perfection. “Holekh va’gadel”…  ( Click for more )

"Get up, go to Zarephath that belongs to Sidon, and stay there. Look, I have commanded a woman who is a widow to provide for you there." So Elijah got up and went to Zarephath. When he arrived at the city gate, there was a widow woman gathering wood. Elijah called to her and said, "Please bring me a little water in a cup and let me drink." As she went to get it, he called to her and said, "Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand." But she said, "As the LORD your God lives, I don't have anything baked--only a handful of flour in the jar and…  ( Click for more )

For you are called to freedom, brothers; only don't use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. For the entire law is fulfilled in one statement: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. - Galatians 5:13-14 HCSB

There are many today who try to foist a “Gospel of love” on believers. They emphasize God’s grace and mercy so much that they actually wink at sin! Galatians 5:13-14 is one of the favorite passages they like to quote. However, its historical context includes the fact that the Judaizers were trying to get the…  ( Click for more )

Alternate title: Ecotheology

The nations were angry, but Your wrath has come. The time has come for the dead to be judged, and to give the reward to Your servants the prophets, to the saints, and to those who fear Your name, both small and great, and the time has come to destroy those who destroy the earth. – Revelation 11:18 HCSB

Those who abuse their stewardship are not likely to make it to heaven.[1] We are Jesus’ slaves and He has put us in charge of the care of his possessions. One of the perks is that we get to eat the Master’s food. However, the Lord…  ( Click for more )

Alternate title: Ecotheology

The nations were angry, but Your wrath has come. The time has come for the dead to be judged, and to give the reward to Your servants the prophets, to the saints, and to those who fear Your name, both small and great, and the time has come to destroy those who destroy the earth. – Revelation 11:18 HCSB

Sin cursed the ground but did not change the command to care for the planet.[1] The ground was cursed for our sakes, and our job became much more difficult. However, God did not abrogate our call to care for the soil and the plants therein.…  ( Click for more )

Alternate title: Ecotheology

The nations were angry, but Your wrath has come. The time has come for the dead to be judged, and to give the reward to Your servants the prophets, to the saints, and to those who fear Your name, both small and great, and the time has come to destroy those who destroy the earth. – Revelation 11:18 HCSB

According to the Smithsonian Institute, half of Earth’s life forms live in rain forests, yet we are losing a net total of one acre of tropical forest every second. In the time it took to say that sentence, 12-15 acres of rain forest…  ( Click for more )

"When a foreigner lives with you in your land, you must not oppress him. You must regard the foreigner who lives with you as the native-born among you. You are to love him as yourself, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt; I am the LORD your God. - Leviticus 19:33-34 HCSB

In 1988, Amnesty International documented the torture and sexual molestation practiced by U.S. Border patrol agents.

On August 9,1997, Abner Louima, a legal Haitian immigrant, was brought to the 70th Precinct in Brooklyn, New York, after four (all white) police officers arrested and repeatedly…  ( Click for more )

“If you do nothing in a difficult time, your strength is limited. Rescue those being taken off to death, and save those stumbling toward slaughter. If you say, "But we didn't know about this," won't He who weighs hearts consider it? Won't He who protects your life know? Won't He repay a person according to his work?” - Proverbs 24:10-12 HCSB

In September of 1940, the America First Committee was created. While a war was brewing in Europe that would eventually result in 165 million deaths of mostly Africans, Asians, and Europeans, six million “Gold…  ( Click for more )

"If you are not careful to obey all the words of this law, which are written in this scroll, by fearing this glorious and awesome name--Yahweh, your God-- He will bring extraordinary plagues on you and your descendants, severe and lasting plagues, and terrible and chronic sicknesses. He will afflict you again with all the diseases of Egypt, which you dreaded, and they will cling to you. The LORD will also inflict you with every sickness and plague not recorded in the book of this law, until you are destroyed.” - Deuteronomy 28:58-61 HCSB

India was once one of the most…  ( Click for more )

"If you are not careful to obey all the words of this law, which are written in this scroll, by fearing this glorious and awesome name--Yahweh, your God-- He will bring extraordinary plagues on you and your descendants, severe and lasting plagues, and terrible and chronic sicknesses. He will afflict you again with all the diseases of Egypt, which you dreaded, and they will cling to you. The LORD will also inflict you with every sickness and plague not recorded in the book of this law, until you are destroyed.” - Deuteronomy 28:58-61 HCSB

Today’s prophetic passage…  ( Click for more )

My people, remember…what happened from Acacia Grove to Gilgal, so that you may acknowledge the LORD's righteous acts. What should I bring before the LORD when I come to bow before God on high? Should I come before Him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves? Would the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousand streams of oil? Should I give my firstborn for my transgression, the child of my body for my own sin? He has told you men what is good and what it is the LORD requires of you: Only to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your…  ( Click for more )

So if you consider me a partner, accept him as you would me. And if he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it--not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self. Yes, brother, may I have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. Since I am confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. - Philemon 1:17-21 HCSB

A king once had a wise steward who he placed in charge of the royal treasury. It was such an important position…  ( Click for more )

"Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?" Now, the LORD of Hosts says this: "Think carefully about your ways: You have planted much but harvested little. You eat but never have enough to be satisfied. You drink but never have enough to become drunk. You put on clothes but never have enough to get warm. The wage earner puts his wages into a bag with a hole in it." The LORD of Hosts says this: "Think carefully about your ways. Go up into the hills, bring down lumber, and build the house. Then I will be…  ( Click for more )

I will stretch out My hand against Judah and against all the residents of Jerusalem. I will cut off from this place every vestige of Baal, the names of the pagan priests along with the priests; those who bow in worship on the rooftops to the heavenly host; those who bow and pledge loyalty to the LORD but also pledge loyalty to Milcom; and those who turn back from following the LORD, who do not seek the LORD or inquire of Him. Be silent in the presence of the Lord GOD, for the Day of the LORD is near. Indeed, the LORD has prepared a sacrifice; He has consecrated His guests. On the…  ( Click for more )

Then he sent out young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed bulls as fellowship offerings to the LORD. Moses took half the blood and set it in basins; the other half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. He then took the covenant scroll and read it aloud to the people. They responded, "We will do and obey everything that the LORD has commanded." - Exodus 24:5-7 HCSB

An elderly man who was hard of hearing went to get a medical checkup. After the usual tests, the doctor carefully explained his recommendations to the aged man, who nodded his…  ( Click for more )

How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path of sinners, or join a group of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the LORD's instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. - Psalm 1:1-2 HCSB

It is good to have righteous friends because it is nearly impossible to not be influenced by those who are around us. We humans are such social creatures that we will take on the characteristics of the crowd within short order.

Go to a construction site and look at all the workers. Though they don’t wear uniforms, their dress is nearly uniform…  ( Click for more )

"Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. A good man produces good things from his storeroom of good, and an evil man produces evil things from his storeroom of evil. - Matthew 12:33-35 HCSB

One man was griping to another about how he hated to go home after a late card game. “I have to go through all this rigmarole just to get to bed without an argument. I turn off the engine…  ( Click for more )

What should we say then? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may multiply? Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in a new way of life. For if we have been joined with Him in the likeness of His death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of His resurrection. For we know that our old self was…  ( Click for more )

For as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so our comfort overflows through Christ. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is experienced in the endurance of the same sufferings that we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that as you share in the sufferings, so you will share in the comfort. - 2 Corinthians 1:5-7 HCSB

A wise old elder was practicing the mitzvah of hospitality when one of his guests accidentally spilled wine on the tablecloth. Noticing his guest's embarrassment,…  ( Click for more )

Then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon when he was alive, asking, "How do you advise me to respond to these people?" They replied, "Today if you will be a servant to these people and serve them, and if you respond to them by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever." - 1 Kings 12:6-7 HCSB

Studying the Scriptures late one night, a wise elder overheard the conversation of two paupers who were lodging in a side room. One asked the other, “Please accompany me to the well. I’m thirsty…  ( Click for more )

Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts, and above all that you may prophesy. For the person who speaks in another language is not speaking to men but to God, since no one understands him; however, he speaks mysteries in the Spirit. But the person who prophesies speaks to people for edification, encouragement, and consolation. The person who speaks in another language builds himself up, but he who prophesies builds up the church. I wish all of you spoke in other languages, but even more that you prophesied. The person who prophesies is greater than the person who speaks in languages,…  ( Click for more )

For now we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, as I am fully known. Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. - 1 Corinthians 13:12-13 HCSB

Many Christians will make bold statements about what God would or would not do on any given occasion. They confidently state that a certain hurricane was God’s judgment on a sinful city, or that certain towers fell because of our nation’s sin.

Others muse, “I think a God of love would not condemn anyone to…  ( Click for more )

By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. – Hebrews 11:8

There once was an old tzaddik who was often entranced by his love for the Lord. One summer evening, he was delving deeply into a scriptural text and while pacing about the room, he didn’t notice that his pacing had caused him to step outside. He continued down the street, meditating on the Word, and actually ended up in a nearby town, about two or three miles away.

In that town, another…  ( Click for more )