MY CLOSEST FRIEND You may presuppose that I shall refer to the Lord being closer than a brother or Jesus always being with us. Yes, they are very close, but there is someone closer. It is the One that got...
March 2008 Archives
DISCIPLE'S CROSS Jesus made this crucial statement regarding discipleship: “And whosoever does not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple” (Lk.14: 27). The Greek is more emphatic and personal. “Anyone that cannot carry his cross and...
HEALING AND PRAYER An eleven-year-old girl died because the parents believed prayer would heal their child. Recently, I had eye surgery, eleven years ago I had cancer and at the age of twenty-one I was severely burned that required numerous...
BEYOND EASTER Years ago, I remember reading that Christ was let loose in the world and last Sunday we sang, “I serve a Risen Savior, He is in the world today.” Yes, we do have a Risen Savior, but He...
WOLVES AMONG SHEEP Jesus once cautioned, “Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves” (Mt.7: 15). The Prophet Jeremiah depicted the wolf as a destroyer (5: 6) and Zephaniah equated judges...
CROWDS During the Holy Season much is being said about the crowds that followed Jesus. According to John, Jesus' follower shrunk to the twelve (Jn.6: 66). There was a burst when Lazarus was raised (Jn.11: 45). After that the leaders...
PSEUDONYMITY Pseudonymity is an ancient literary technique to camouflage the message without endangering the messenger. Jesus used the term, “Son of man” rather than the, “Son of God” until His mission was completed. This was also the case for the...
FOOTNOTE Footnote “c” for John 03: 3 and 03: 7 explains the Greek word “anothen.” It means “from above.” Why then have translators rendered the word as “born again” or “anew?” Nicodemus, a recognized teacher, did not understand it. How...
MANIPULATIOIN As a child, I was being manipulated by fear. My mother never punished us but her words did. Her favored words were, “ Wait till father comes home.” Father had a very loose hand. As I grew older, manipulation...
JETHRO Jethro was Moses' father-in-law, priest to the Most High God, propounded monotheism before Moses did and was an expert in governing and managing people (Ex.18). He has a heart-searching lesson for us. It is: “God does not appoint...
MOLOCH Moloch was an Ammonite deity that demanded infant sacrifices (II Ki.23: 10; Jer.32: 35). What has this evil concept to do with us? It has been reincarnated or reborn in legalized abortion. It too is a sacrifice to...
A BASE FOR ANTICHRIST Jesus used a fig tree as a sign that the end was near (Mt.24: 32-35). The tree is about to shed its fruit and usher in the age of the world leader, Mr. Antichrist. What...
REGULATING COOKIES Yes, a lady on the News demands that government regulate cookies because her girl is getting too fat. A mother wants the government to shut down a bakery because she cannot control her child's eating habits. Where...
Staying Married A couple in our church celebrated their sixty-fifth anniversary. My parents were separated by death after sixty-eight years. My wife and I are approaching forty-eight years of married life. Now were these marriages ideally matched and...
BIBLE ILLITERACY A religious broadcaster for World Impact announced that only 9 % of Christians are versed in the Bible. That means that the other 91 % are illiterate about their Bible. How can this be and still be...
WHY I BELIEVE IN GOD It would be far more than suffice to point to the heavens, the stars and a planet that sustains life to support my faith (Ps.19: 1). But what is even far more overwhelming is...
