If you have lived a while it is highly probable that the pain of death has pierced your heart in some way. Undoubtedly, you can recall the moment when you received the devastating news, ‘Your father/mother/brother/sister/wife/child has died,’ and the weight of those words hit you like a speeding train. Have you ever taken notice of the countless individuals who …
HOPE: A CHOICE TO TRUST IN GOD’S PROMISE
Throughout scripture God’s people have chosen hope as a strength building virtue. Hope is not optimism. It isn’t a wish. Nor is it a fantasy. Hope is a choice to see the future according to the faithfulness of God to fulfill His promises. Hope is confident trust that God will perform the promises in His word regardless of the present …
Our Hope in the Midst of Suffering
Jesus said that those who made the decision to follow him would experience suffering for having made that decision. The early church soon found out the truth of those words and Peter’s first epistle addresses that development head on. When he wrote it the pressure and suffering had already begun and he said it would get even worse. Of course, …
The Greatest Event In History
This month we celebrate the single event of human history which changed the course of the world… the death and resurrection Jesus of Nazareth. Beginning in Genesis chapter 3, God himself prophesied of Jesus and what he would accomplish for humanity. Yahweh God spoke directly to the serpent saying: Genesis 3:14,15 REV“Because you have done this, you are cursed above all …
The Birth of Christ
If any record has been masked or misunderstood by tradition, it seems to be the birth of Jesus Christ. It is amazing to me how many traditions mask the birth of Jesus Christ and what the Bible says about it. Meanwhile, God, through Scripture, has been trying to break through to us to teach us what really happened in the …
Why Are Some People Cross About THE CROSS?
Consider this classic exhortation to us as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ: Hebrews 12:1-3Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the …
“But what about John 1:1?”
[This is an excerpt from Chapter Nine of our book: One God & One Lord: Reconsidering the Cornerstone of the Christian Faith] John 1:1–3 (KJV) (1) In the beginning was the Word [logos], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) The same was in the beginning with God. (3) All things were made by [dia] him, …
Why Did Jesus Have To Suffer and Die?
Two primary qualities of God help us understand why Jesus Christ had to suffer and die in order to redeem mankind. First, God is righteous. Thus, His justice demands that a penalty for sin be paid. As Kenyon writes: God cannot ignore the fact of man’s hideous transgression. That transgression must be punished, and if man is restored to God, …
Was Jesus Born on December 25 or September 11?
FAQ: I have heard a number of people say that Jesus Christ was not born on December 25th, the date that Christians celebrate as his birthday. Is that true? If not, why do people celebrate on that date and when was he born? “Merry Christmas!” Centuries old, those cheery words are still being spoken each December by countless millions of …
The Sacrifice of Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ was the “Passover Lamb” who was sacrificed for our sins. In this article, I want to focus on the definition of a “sacrifice.” We will examine what it was that Jesus sacrificed, what were the benefits to him (and thereby to us) for his doing so, and what it will look like for us to follow in his …
