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Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living. After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing. - Luke 15:13-14 HCSB

The apostle cautioned, “Do not be deceived, bad company corrupts good morals.”[1] I doubt the young prodigal went through his entire inheritance alone. The Greek for “foolish living” is “asotos zao”. “Asotos” means “dissolute, riotous or profligate”. It’s…  ( Click for more )

He also said: "A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.' So he distributed the assets to them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living." - Luke 15:11-13 HCSB

You need to understand that your adult children don’t necessarily want to be protected. Adults have a lot more freedom than children, but adults understand, often through bitter experience, that with freedom…  ( Click for more )

He also said: "A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.' So he distributed the assets to them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living. - Luke 15:11-13 HCSB

Given the wisdom and compassion that the righteous father demonstrated in the story of the prodigal son, (and given the fact that he represents Adonai), I’m certain the father had many discussions with the prodigal…  ( Click for more )

He also said: "A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.' So he distributed the assets to them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living. - Luke 15:11-13 HCSB

Try not to take the rejection of wayward children personally. You are collateral damage – a casualty of war. It’s usually more about them trying to make their own minds up concerning obeying God’s commands than…  ( Click for more )

He also said: "A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.' So he distributed the assets to them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living. - Luke 15:11-13 HCSB

It’s true that parents carry a great deal of responsibility in regards to their children’s upbringing. We should not provoke our children to anger through abusive, inconsistent or hypocritical behavior. Instead,…  ( Click for more )

Blessed are the merciful, because they will be shown mercy. - Matthew 5:7 HCSB

It’s easy to say “I want to be merciful” but exactly how does one develop this trait. In a world characterized by judgment and condemnation, and where even the most altruistic acts are accompanied by strings or selfish motivations, what can we do to show mercy from the heart?

We need to be humble. We need to recognize our personal need for mercy. We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the LORD has punished the Messiah for the iniquity of us all.[1]…  ( Click for more )

And the angel came to her and said, "Rejoice, favored woman! The Lord is with you." - Luke 1:28 HCSB

Of all the women of Judah, Mary was chosen by God to become the mother of the Messiah, the King and Redeemer of Israel. Gabriel said she was selected because she had “found favor with God”, but what was it about Mary that caught the Lord’s attention? What qualities did she possess which “found favor with God?”

She had faith. When the priest Zacharias was told that he and his wife, Elizabeth, would have a son in their old age, Zacharias…  ( Click for more )

Blessed are the merciful, because they will be shown mercy. - Matthew 5:7 HCSB

If we cannot find it within ourselves to forgive someone else, then we’d better plan on never sinning again, because if we go to Adonai for mercy and have not shown it to others ourselves…remember the Lord’s Prayer which says, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.”[1] Living mercilessly will lead to dying without mercy.[2] On the other hand, exemplifying mercy results in being treated with mercy.

But what exactly is mercy? It is important…  ( Click for more )

You may say to yourself, 'My power and my own ability have gained this wealth for me,' but remember that the LORD your God gives you the power to gain wealth, in order to confirm His covenant He swore to your fathers, as it is today. If you ever forget the LORD your God and go after other gods to worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will perish. Like the nations the LORD is about to destroy before you, you will perish if you do not obey the LORD your God. - Deuteronomy 8:17-20 HCSB

The classic movie “Shenandoah” with Jimmy Stewart…  ( Click for more )

As you are enriched in every way for all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us. - 2 Corinthians 9:11 HCSB

Adonai doesn’t give blessings so we can just selfishly consume them and wallow in self-indulgence. His many blessings are always given so that we can do for others what He has done for us. As He has gifted us, so we offer our gift to others. As He has empowered us by giving to us, so should we be generous to others.

The most dangerous cult in America is not Mormonism, Unitarianism, Spiritism or any other “ism”. The cult…  ( Click for more )

Through the proof of this service, they will glorify God for your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with others. - 2 Corinthians 9:13 HCSB

When we take God’s good gifts and distribute them, the ripple effect is amazing. Often (not always) those whose needs are met are thankful to the Lord. Sometimes, it gets reflected on the human distributor too! God gets the glory and we get blessed! What a great system!

God has marvelous ways of bringing our mitzvah’s back around so that everyone involved…  ( Click for more )

Abraham is to become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him so that he will command his children and his house after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just. This is how the LORD will fulfill to Abraham what He promised him." - Genesis 18:18-19 HCSB

Abraham was specifically chosen out of all the people of the Earth because Adonai knew Abraham would command his children after him to keep the Way.

An investigation into an 18th century man named Max Jukes who was a petty…  ( Click for more )

Enoch was 65 years old when he fathered Methuselah. And after the birth of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and fathered sons and daughters. So Enoch's life lasted 365 years. Enoch walked with God, and he was not there, because God took him. - Genesis 5:21-24 HCSB

Enoch’s grandson, Lamech, must have been really influenced by Enoch’s faith. Not only did Lamech name his son “Noah” which means “rest”, but he brought Noah up to be a righteous man in a totally corrupt age.[1] Noah followed Hashem’s instructions exactly,[2] preached…  ( Click for more )

The hand of the LORD was on me, and He brought me out by His Spirit and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. He led me all around them. There were a great many of them on the surface of the valley, and they were very dry. Then He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I replied, "Lord GOD, only You know." - Ezekiel 37:1-3 HCSB

Is your whole world caving in around you? Do you feel there is absolutely no hope? Do your troubles seem to mount up insurmountably?[1] Cheer up; I have good news. There is hope for the hopeless! …  ( Click for more )

When Rehoboam had established his sovereignty and royal power, he abandoned the law of the LORD--he and all Israel with him. - 2 Chronicles 12:1 HCSB

Our society really pushes success as a litmus test of greatness. I’m not so sure I want to be successful as the world measures it, because as often as not, it seems to cause humans to grow lackadaisical and apathetic toward God. Rehoboam established his sovereignty and royal power and promptly abandoned the Lord. David was totally dependent on the Lord as Saul pursued him. But as soon as he got his royal “sea…  ( Click for more )

He was praying in a certain place, and when He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples." - Luke 11:1 HCSB

Have you ever thought about your prayer life? Have you ever examined it and wished that you could be better at communicating with God? We should develop the Master’s mindset[1] as we address His Father in prayer.

The disciples had prayed before they asked Jesus to teach them, but as they watched Jesus that day, they realized that there was something different about…  ( Click for more )

God saw all that He had made, and it was very good. Evening came, and then morning: the sixth day. - Genesis 1:31 HCSB

Let’s examine some simple statistics that shed some light on the world’s population growth, shall we?

Population/Year Reached/ Interval

1 billion 1804

2 billion 1927 123 years

3 billion 1960 33 years

4 billion 1974 14 years

5 billion 1987 13 years

6 billion 1998 11 years

7 billion 2009 11 years

At present, we are adding the population of China to this planet every decade. On or about October 12,1999, the world…  ( Click for more )

So He came to a town of Samaria called Sychar near the property that Jacob had given his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, worn out from His journey, sat down at the well. It was about six in the evening. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. "Give Me a drink," Jesus said to her, - John 4:5-7 HCSB

We must make ourselves aware of witnessing opportunities as they arise. Many people say, “I would share more but I just don’t have the opportunity.” Yeshua didn’t wait for a special occasion. He didn’t really have to go through…  ( Click for more )

Sitting across from the temple treasury, He watched how the crowd dropped money into the treasury. Many rich people were putting in large sums. And a poor widow came and dropped in two tiny coins worth very little. Summoning His disciples, He said to them, "I assure you: This poor widow has put in more than all those giving to the temple treasury. For they all gave out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she possessed--all she had to live on." - Mark 12:41-44 HCSB

How would you like it if your pastor, at offering time, stood by the…  ( Click for more )

Just then an expert in the law stood up to test Him, saying, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "What is written in the law?" He asked him. "How do you read it?" He answered: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself. "You've answered correctly," He told him. "Do this and you will live." - Luke 10:25-28 HCSB

Even if it teaches true salvation, “Cultural Christianity”, unfortunately emphasizes the first…  ( Click for more )

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path…My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end. – Psalm 119:105 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…  ( Click for more )

Remember your leaders who have spoken God's word to you. As you carefully observe the outcome of their lives, imitate their faith. - Hebrews 13:7 HCSB

Amee Semple McPherson was the founder of the Foursquare Gospel denomination. She abandoned her second husband, had affairs, faked her own kidnapping in order to gain $500,000 and live with her lover and finally died of an overdose of Seconal.

Jim Bakker, an Assemblies of God minister and the co-host of the popular PTL club, ended his ministry with a sex scandal and divorce which resulted in revelations of accounting fraud…  ( Click for more )

For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if instead of showing love among yourselves you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another. Galatians 5:14-15 There were a pair of proverbial cats in Kilkenny, Ireland, who fought till only their tails were left. Most likely the story is a parable of a contest between Kilkenny and Irishtown, two municipalities which fought about their boundaries till little more than their tails were left creating this popular limerick: "There…  ( Click for more )

In the same way, every good (agathon) tree produces good (kalos) fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good (agathon) tree can't produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good (kalos) fruit. Every tree that doesn't produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. - Matthew 7:17-19 HCSB

In the verses above, I’ve noted two different Greek words that are both translated “good” into English. Now these two words can be used as synonyms for each other but, as in all languages, two different words may be equal but not equivalent. The different…  ( Click for more )