It is difficult to ignore major events swirling around us on a daily basis. Their magnitude seeks our attention, particularly when they fit the general description of prophetic events. I find myself checking world news sources each morning with the anticipation of what else happened overnight. Since we are powerless to change the course of world events, it becomes important to know how to process the information. What did God mean when He told the angel who had the writer’s inkhorn at his … [Read more...] about Sigh and Cry
Bible
God’s Goyim
There are numerous words that we use in our daily vocabulary that have changed meaning over the years. Have we allowed ourselves to appropriate a meaning to the word “Gentile” that was not intended? In Galatians, the second chapter we see Paul giving the account of Peter’s example as a Jew when he separated himself from the Gentiles fearing what other Jews would think. The Jews regarded Gentiles as inferior. Easton’s Bible Dictionary states the definition of "Gentile" as (Hebrew, usually in … [Read more...] about God’s Goyim
Ishmael’s Sons
Well, the brothers are at it again! The two sons of Abraham were half-brothers, as they had different mothers. The way they were raised produced an animosity between them that exists to this day and may have a bearing on events shortly ahead of us. Abram, as he then was called, was told by God that he would be taken to a land where his descendants would be as numerous as the dust of the earth (Genesis 13:15-16). So, Abram anticipated having children — and a son — as the fulfillment of this … [Read more...] about Ishmael’s Sons
The Years Ahead
In the coming years, the members of God’s Church will face increasing pressure against maintaining a firm position on God’s truth. It will be a year of challenge and change. The change will be all around us and the challenge will be “holding fast.” We will have reason to be very mindful of the Apostle Paul’s admonition to “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13). We are not making predictions, but simply trying to watch. Watchfulness is a spiritual condition … [Read more...] about The Years Ahead
Conquering Doubt with Discernment
The internet is a strange place. Filled with all sorts of information, it's possible to get lost for days in the vast chasm of witty memes, Instagram food photos, and stark news articles proclaiming the fall of western civilization. In this chaotic landscape of data all is not what it seems, and we can easily grow dubious. “Is that really an epically muscular guy picking up a car?” “Did she actually cook a meal using nothing but a matchstick, a cotton swab, and a tin can?” We all know … [Read more...] about Conquering Doubt with Discernment
The Spiritual Olympics
Every four years we see the best athletes from around the world come together to compete against each other in what is known as the Olympic Games. Athletic prowess can be used to highlight our approach to spiritual development. The Apostle Paul certainly appeared to have been well acquainted with athletic achievement. The Olympic Games were established well before Paul’s time, so maybe due to his travels and familiarity with the area of Greece he was aware of the games being held in … [Read more...] about The Spiritual Olympics
A Positive Outlook
We can learn a lot from what God has designed in nature. Take the honeybee for instance. A close observation would reveal seemingly tireless workers. They routinely will carry dirty foreign matter out of the hive to keep their product clean and pure. Some of them faithfully take care of the one queen bee that is responsible for laying the eggs that will hatch and ensure the growth of the colony. Most of the bees spend their daylight hours flying as far as three miles in one direction to find … [Read more...] about A Positive Outlook