Subscription Lists

If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, certainly now you would have sent me off empty-handed. But God has seen my affliction and my hard work, and He issued His verdict last night… The God of Abraham, and the gods of Nahor-the gods of their father -will judge between us." And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac. – Genesis 31:42,53

Years ago, as I was pulling into a mall parking lot I passed by two young men. I heard a loud bang, looked in my mirror and realized that as I went by, one of the two had kicked…  ( Click for more )

And they brought the donkey to Jesus and threw their robes on it, and He sat on it. Many people spread their robes on the road, and others spread leafy branches cut from the fields. Then those who went before and those who followed kept shouting: Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest heaven! – Mark 11:7-10[1] HCSB

When Jesus approached Jerusalem, the scene was intense because He had arrived at Passover time. A crowd of Jewish religious pilgrims had already flooded the city. And…  ( Click for more )

And they brought the donkey to Jesus and threw their robes on it, and He sat on it. Many people spread their robes on the road, and others spread leafy branches cut from the fields. Then those who went before and those who followed kept shouting: Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest heaven! – Mark 11:7-10 HCSB

What’s a “Carnival Christian?” A Carnival Christian is someone who only enjoys the fun. They get caught up in the excitement of cheering for Jesus, but…  ( Click for more )

Look, his ego is inflated; he is without integrity. But the righteous one will live by his faith. – Habakkuk 2:4 HCSB

Many Christians love to quote Paul’s famous verse, “God's righteousness is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith.[1]” It is the flagship verse of those who take grace to the point where they claim that works are totally unrelated to righteousness. But these misguided folk fail to recognize the history behind this verse. Paul is actually quoting Habakkuk who clearly taught that faith is not…  ( Click for more )

And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. – Luke 2:36-38

Albert Einstein once said, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle.…  ( Click for more )

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven…A time to keep and a time to throw away. - Ecclesiastes 3:1,6

Most people think of hippopotami as fat, lumbering, slow, inoffensive creatures. But they can actually be very fast and very dangerous. They can become a serious problem when humans and hippos try to share the same space.

Many years ago in the country of Chad, a hippo had been kicked out of its territory by other hippos. It decided to take up residence in an area of the river where the villagers swam, washed…  ( Click for more )

Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. - 1 Corinthians 10:31

We use reminders to help us constantly: calendars, alarm clocks, watches or PDAs. Why do those who are married wear wedding rings? It is not merely to identify our state to others, but also to remind ourselves of our vows!

Not all of us need to nail mezuzot to our doorposts. But all of us need to be looking for ways to include our Beloved into our daily lives. It is far more important to incorporate Christ into our day-to-day activities than it is to set aside time…  ( Click for more )

Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. - 1 Corinthians 10:31

There once was an elderly, righteous and holy man, who was determined to incorporate God into every aspect of his life. As he sat to eat, he breathed a prayer of gratitude. As he taught his children, he mentally begged for God’s guidance and for His blessing on the children. Even when he dressed in the morning, he tried to dress in such a way that God would be praised by his clothes.

Over time, the old man built ritual into every aspect of his days so that his…  ( Click for more )

The reason I left you in Crete was to set right what was left undone and, as I directed you, to appoint elders in every town: someone who is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of wildness or rebellion. For an overseer, as God’s manager, must be blameless, not arrogant, not quick tempered, not addicted to wine, not a bully, not greedy for money, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, righteous, holy self-controlled, holding to the faithful message as taught, so that he will be able both to encourage with sound teaching and to refute…  ( Click for more )

An overseer, therefore, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, sensible, respectable, hospitable, an able teacher, not addicted to wine, not a bully but gentle, not quarrelsome, not greedy – one who manages his own household competently, having his children under control with all dignity…Furthermore, he must have a good reputation among outsiders, so that he does not fall into disgrace and the Devil’s trap. – 1 Timothy 3:2-4,7 HCSB

The church is not a monarchy. The pastor is not the supreme ruler. The church is not a republic.…  ( Click for more )

"No! You will not die," the serpent said to the woman. "In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." Then the woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate [it]; – Genesis 3:4-6 (NASB)

There is a recurring theme throughout the course of history that finds its source in this initial act of rebellion. Our ancestress Eve longed for divinity and in reaching for that unattainable state,…  ( Click for more )

He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him. - John 14:21 (NASB)

A tzaddik was approached by a young construction worker seeking reassurance that he was on the right path. When the elder gently pointed out sins the young man was contentedly living with, he was answered, “Yeah, I know that those are probably sins, but I attend church, and I provide for my wife and I don’t steal. Surely in the end God will accept me.”

The tzaddik countered,…  ( Click for more )

They rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa; and when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust in the Lord your God and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed.” - 2 Chronicles 20:20 (NASB)

Here we see some old, formidable enemies that arose against Jehoshaphat. Who were these enemies? Interestingly, all three enemies were distant relatives. The Meuranites were Edomites who came from Esau, Jacob’s twin brother. The Moabites and Ammonites…  ( Click for more )

They rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa; and when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust in the Lord your God and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed.” - 2 Chronicles 20:20 (NASB)

We understand the need for trust between Marines, between police officers or between firemen. Yet we often forget the need for trust in d’vekut (the mystical relationship between God and man). But trust betrayed will founder any relationship.…  ( Click for more )

Then God spoke all these words, saying, I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing loving kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep…  ( Click for more )

Then God spoke all these words, saying, I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing loving kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep…  ( Click for more )

Then God spoke all these words, saying, I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing loving kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep…  ( Click for more )

The night is almost gone, and the day is near Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. - Romans 13:12 (NASB)

It was just another night[1] like millions of nights before it. Kings were issuing decrees, busily consolidating their power. Normal people were working their jobs, completely focused on making money, feeding their families, talking to their friends and waiting for their ship to come in. So common – so normal.

It’s interesting that Luke focuses on the night before Christ’s coming. I wonder if it’s related…  ( Click for more )

Then God spoke all these words, saying, I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing loving kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep…  ( Click for more )

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. – John 1:1-3 (NASB)

Imagine having whole worlds for your playground! John described the Son of God as the Word that God used to create all things. Can you picture Jesus, the first incarnate being in the universe, speaking and causing light to appear? Can you hear His voice ring out causing frighteningly, beautiful angels to roar into existence?

He…  ( Click for more )

And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read…And He said to them, "No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me, 'Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we heard was done at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.'" And He said, "Truly I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown.– Luke 4:16,23-24 (NASB)

When He had come back to Capernaum several days afterward, it was heard that He was at home. – Mark 2:1 (NASB)

Matthew says that leaving…  ( Click for more )

So all these curses … shall become a sign and a wonder on you and your descendants forever. Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and a glad heart, for the abundance of all things; – Deuteronomy 28:45-47

There once was a poor Christian named Abish who lived in grinding poverty. But he never complained. Instead, he remained satisfied with whatever little he had. He responded to everything – suffering included – by saying “Everything that God does is for good.” His face radiated joy at all times; he was happy, cheerful and exuded…  ( Click for more )

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. - Revelation 3:15-16

In the 18th century, smallpox was a killer. Those infected would become covered in horrible pustules and die a painful death. Those who were fortunate enough to recover were left with ugly scars called “poc marks” on their skin.

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu had seen people in Turkey deliberately infect themselves with a mild form of smallpox in order to develop immunity…  ( Click for more )

For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father – Colossians 1:9-12a (NASB)

I cannot tell you how many times I’ve…  ( Click for more )