All About Jesus

I am sure many people have family members or acquaintances who are gay and/or involved with the LGBTQ community. There are events that have happened all over the country; they are even happening in small towns. The pride flags have been seen by many and are even in schools-even to kids in kindergarten!   However, as Christians, we ought to call out sin and oppose it in our lives and the lives of others. This is completely different than affirming sinful lifestyles and tolerating them. Not only is this tolerated nowadays, but it is also applauded and celebrated.  Paul wrote, "Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth" (1 Corinthians 13:4-6). Love... - is patient - is kind - does not envy - is not boastful - is not rude - is not self-seeking - is not irritable - does not keep recor...

We are coming up on a time of year where people have seasonal depression. The weather is cold and at times dreary and the sun sets earlier and earlier. We go to work and by the time we get home, it is dark outside. This time of year can cause people to have draining thoughts that bring them down and discourage them. Therefore, I thought it would be ideal to give encouragement to those who are down this time of year.  The author of Hebrews wrote, "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:14-16) . We have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens-Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Therefore, ...

"He went away from there and came to His hometown, and His disciples followed Him" (Mark 6:1 ESV). Jesus went to His hometown Nazareth and His disciples followed Him. "And on the Sabbath He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were astonished, saying, 'Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to Him? How are such mighty works done by His hands?'" (Mark 6:2). Jesus taught in the synagogue on the Sabbath. Many who heard Him were astonished and questioned where He got these things, what's the wisdom given to Him, and how such mighty works were done by His hands. Then, they said He was a carpenter and mentioned His family members. "'Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?' And they took offense at Him" (Mark 6:3). They talked about Him being the carpenter, the son of Mary. A carpenter ( τέκτων)  was a builder...

Judgement of Great Prostitute   One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls went to John. He showed him the judgement of the great prostitute. Prostitute in the Greek is πόρνη which in this case indicates the designation of a government that is hostile to God and His people.  This prostitute is seated on many waters where the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality.  Sexual immorality (πορνεύω) in this case involves the engagement in polytheistic cults and the practice of idolatry. It is with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk. This wine is an imagery of punishments that God has inflicted on the wicked. John in Wilderness Saw Woman The angel carried John away in the Spirit into the wilderness (ἔρημος-uninhabited region). He saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast (θηρίον-animal-like being of transcendent kind). Characteristics of this woman include the following: - full of blasphemous names, - had seven heads and ten...

Zechariah Israelite Priest + Elizabeth Conceived John Division of Priests in Temple  There are actually a few clues as to when Jesus was born. One of them has to do with Zechariah, Elizabeth, and the birth of John the Baptist. In Luke's Gospel, he writes, "In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth" (Luke 1:5 ESV).  Zechariah was an Israelite priest of the division of Abijah. He was of this class of priests who performed daily duties for a fixed period in the temple at Jerusalem. It explains the divisions of the sons of Aaron in 1 Chronicles where King David organized according to the appointed duties in their service. "The divisions of the sons of Aaron were these. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. But Nadab and Abihu died before their father and had no children, so Eleazar and Ithamar became the priests. With the h...

Jesus, the Heir of All Things According to the author of Hebrews, long ago, at many times & in many ways, God spoke to the fathers by the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to Christians by His Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world. An heir is one who receives something as a possession & so Jesus Christ received possession of all things. Jesus, the Radiance of God's Glory & Exact Imprint Jesus is the radiance of the glory of God & the exact imprint of His nature, meaning He is the brightness of God's glory & an exact representation of God's real being. Christ also upholds (sustains) the universe by the word of His power.  After Making Purification for Sins After making purification for sins (which means cleansing from inward pollution), He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name He has inherited (acquired) is more excellent than the...