Cling to Jesus as a branch to a vine. Engrave God’s word on the tablet of your heart. We’ve been given a great treasure, the knowledge of God and His saving grace. And it is something that is worth holding on to and protecting. And God gives us His Spirit, to guard our knowledge by His wisdom so that we do not lose hold of what we’ve been given.
Lord, thank You for opening my eyes to the truth of Your grace. Please fill me with Your Spirit, so that Your wisdom may never depart from me. May Your truth grow deep roots within my heart, and may you open my eyes and mind to be always discerning and watchful for the temptations and lies that would try to steal Your truth away from me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye. Matthew 7:5
When we are quick to judge others, we often find that a moment of self-examination is in order. It’s not that we should remain silent when a loved one is caught in sin. But we must be sure that our own shortcomings do not prevent us from offering sincere and beneficial help. When we are blinded by our own sin, we risk inflicting more harm on those we wish to help.
Dear Father, thank You for Your deep well of forgiveness. Please search my heart and reveal any sins to confess even as I prepare to intervene in my loved one’s situation. Cleanse me by Your righteousness and fill me with Your grace so that I may see with wisdom and truth, and act with love and mercy toward others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Having faith in God is complicated: in happy, positive times, it is easy to forget that God carried you along the way, and in difficult times it is easy to blame Him. I have looked at my faith from a narcissistic lense too often, desiring a reward for being faithful to God. I forget that faith is the reward. Believing in the Lord is what gives me peace and joy, hope and power. In happy times or times of any trouble, we are comforted by God (2 Corinthians 1: 3-4). Let us rejoice in His holy name!
Holy, holy, holy Lord. God of power and might. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. The hope I feel for the future with you knows no bounds, my Lord, and I aim to please you with every moment of my life. Forgive me for my transgressions and doubts, but I pray to you with a resolve that I did not feel before. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
Today in the Word logo FULL ISSUE • RESOURCES • GIVE Fear of the Lord John’s Fear of the Lord Sunday, April 28 | Revelation 1:9–18 On the Go? Listen Now!
Fear of the Lord is an important part of worship in the book of Revelation: “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water” (14:7). “Who will not fear you, Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed” (15:4).
This truth is seen and the tone set at the very start of the book, in John’s vision of the risen Christ. When he saw Him, he “fell at his feet as though dead” (v. 17). A mere man like John should feel overwhelmed upon seeing a vision of the incarnate and glorified Christ. Awe, reverence, and a sense of God’s greatness literally knocked him out!
What did John see (vv. 12–16)? Christ appeared “like a son of man,” a Messianic allusion (Dan. 7:13) and Jesus’s favorite name for Himself in the synoptic Gospels. His robe with a golden sash indicates His role as both priest and judge as well as His kingly status. His white hair signifies wisdom, dignity, and eternality. His eyes of blazing fire represent penetrating insight and omniscience. His feet of glowing bronze symbolize victorious strength. The two-edged sword in His mouth is the Word of God (Heb. 4:12). His face shining like the sun suggests God’s glory.
Christ placed His hand on John and reassured him, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades” (vv. 17–18). How incredibly comforting! The eternal Lord of the universe has won the victory and is on our side.
Go Deeper John experienced his vision on the Lord’s Day, that is, Sunday (v. 10). In what ways have you experienced the fear of the Lord during your church’s Sunday worship services?
Pray with Us: Dear Jesus, You told John, “Do not be afraid” (Rev. 1:17). What comforting words! We praise You for Your victory over death, for bringing us freedom from sin, for taking away worldly fear, and giving us godly fear. Bless Your holy name!
🇮🇱🙏⛪🇮🇱🙏⛪🙏🇮🇱🙏⛪🇮🇱🙏 The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. Proverbs 3:19
How can we begin to measure the mind of God? Even as scientists learn, piece by piece, how the universe and the earth work, we realize the complexity and order of creation. We realize how little we know, despite how much we’ve learned. And none of it is an accident. Each process, each atom, each scientific principle, has been laid down by our Creator to display His glory and power.
God, my words cannot describe how awesome You are. As I look into the heavens, I marvel at Your vast power. And as I meditate on the makeup of the earth, and all of the plants, animals, chemicals, and processes that form our complex ecosystem, I appreciate Your infinite wisdom even more. You are wise, powerful, and magnificent indeed! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Jesus gave us the most important commandments that we are to live out in our lives as Christians. The first one: We are to love God with all of our hearts, souls, and minds. The second one being that we are to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. It should be no surprise that the greatest commandments of all have to do with love. Everything that is to do with God is all about love. God created us out of love and He redeemed us out of love. We are where we are, as His children, because of the love of God.
You cannot be a child of God if you do not have the love of God in your heart. But the love of God is not just about saying that you have it. It has to be evident in your thoughts, beliefs, and actions. You may not have it all figured out but you will learn as you go. This is why we have the Bible – it helps us grow in the knowledge of God and what His love really means. We express our love for God through communicating with Him regularly, studying His word, and obeying His commands.
We also express our love for God through loving people. There is no way you can claim to love God if you harbor resentment and hatred against people. It can be hard to let go of the hurtful things that people have done to us, but forgiveness sets us free. Forgiveness is a godly action because we are emulating what God did for us. God is more than capable of healing our brokenness and helping us find the strength to forgive those who have wronged us.
Part of being a Christian is humbling ourselves and realizing that without God, our lives truly mean nothing. We are to acknowledge that we have made a conscious choice to turn away from the bad deeds and sinful habits, and we have turned to the holy life God has presented before us. God had to forgive us of our sins first in order for us to be qualified to live this life. We are to never forget of this great forgiveness that God promised the children of Israel all those years ago. Repent from all evil ways, and choose to be transformed by the love of God and His Word.
Father, I humbly present myself as one who has chosen to turn away from their sinful ways. It is a choice I made when I chose to follow you and Lord, it is a choice I intend to abide in. Father, help me to walk in a way that is worthy of this calling. Thank you for your patience, O Lord, and for never going back on your promises. Were it not for your forgiveness, O Father, I don’t know where I would be. I humble myself before you, O Lord, and pray that I abide in you and nothing else. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
When is the last time you took a risk? How did it work out?
I walk out in support of Israel! Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. It is bordered by Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the east, the Red Sea to the south, Egypt to the southwest, the Mediterranean Sea to the west, and the Palestinian territories – the West Bank along the east and the Gaza Strip along the southwest. Tel Aviv is the financial, economic, and technological center of the country, while its seat of government is in its proclaimed capital of Jerusalem, although Israeli sovereignty over East Jerusalem is unrecognized internationally.
God’s word is a precious resource for us- but only if we use it. Scripture is a firm foundation for all areas of life- family, work, and community. When we try to build these things up without the wisdom of God’s word, we are vulnerable to the shifting sands and shaky ground of human thinking and feeling. Only God’s word provides a sure foundation for our lives.
Father, thank You for the gift of Your word. I pray that as I read and study, You would give me wisdom to not only understand Your word but to apply it. Show me how I can use Your instructions and insights in all areas of my life so that when storms arise around me, I may remain firm in Your truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Share Share Tweet Tweet Forward Forward Today With Allen Jackson Daily Devotional Authority In the Cross Romans 6:6 (NIV®) We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.
We are hardwired toward ungodliness. Have you noticed? We don’t need classes on how to be selfish, stubborn, or impatient. We’re just naturally good at those things! This verse, however, has great news: We have been given authority over our carnal nature. But many of us seem to be unaware of the authority that has been given to us. We think whatever authority we have is derived from the correctness of our doctrine, the group to which we belong, or the sign on the building where we gather. Our authority is much greater than any of those things because it is anchored in the redemptive work of Jesus of Nazareth. When you are faced with your carnal nature—and you will be—remind yourself that you are no longer a slave to sin because your old self was crucified with Jesus. That’s an amazing promise!
THINK ABOUT IT We are born with carnal, selfish minds. But God gave us a way to overcome our selfish nature through our faith in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and the power of His Holy Spirit.
PRAYER Heavenly Father, I rest in the authority You have given me through Your Son, Jesus of Nazareth, and His death and resurrection. I place my ungodliness at the foot of the cross and remind myself that I am no longer a slave to my carnal nature. Thank You for Your faithfulness to me. In Jesus’ name, amen.
What place in the world do you never want to visit? Why? Sometimes, we needlessly complicate our faith, and that can quickly put us on the wrong path. Fad teachings and new doctrines seem to emerge every day, but we already have God’s word and we already have the Lord’s Supper. We need not reinvent our faith with extraneous rituals, they only lead to polluted doctrine. Instead, let us hold to the simple gatherings and foundational truth that we have already been given.
Lord, thank You for revealing Yourself to me in Your word, and thank You for the simple communion that I share with my fellow believers. Please work in these things to build me up, so that I may be satisfied in You. Give me the wisdom to discern unsound doctrine, so that I may remain steadfast in Your truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The fall of Man was a terrible time. Not only had man disobeyed God, but they had lost the freedom, peace and comfort in having a relationship with God. Once they made the mistake and discovered they were naked, Adam and Eve ran to hide when God came to look for them. They hid because they were ashamed – they were ashamed of what they had done. Despite the fact that God was looking for them, Adam and Eve felt that they couldn’t face Him. Not after what they had done.
That is what sin does to us. It makes us feel as if we cannot commune with God. When we make mistakes, the devil tries to take advantage of them and make us feel like we are less than who we actually are. The devil is bent on causing a divide between us and God. He will go at any length to do so. When we slip up and disobey God, the devil jumps in, ready to condemn us and make us feel like we are unworthy. If we are not knowledgeable of God’s love and His everlasting mercy, we will end up falling for the enemy’s trickery. The moment the enemy manages to make us feel less, he will keep on beating us down until we believe it.
God doesn’t want us to see ourselves in that light. There is nothing we will gain from beating ourselves up. God doesn’t delight in seeing it. That is not what He desires for our lives. When we make mistakes, we need to realize that God has forgiven us. This does not mean we deliberately repeat the offense. No. It simply means that we should focus our eyes back on Christ, and keep on moving forward. Guilt is not from God and neither is condemnation.
It takes wisdom to understand the importance of keeping peace with everyone in your life. Only a fool will take delight in starting quarrels and stirring up dissension among people. There is nothing to benefit from strife; all it brings is pain, discomfort, and sorrow. Why would one want to live like that? When you have godly wisdom, you will know when to confront and when to draw back. Godly wisdom will also help you confront a person in a respectful, yet firm, manner. You do not need to insult a person in order to get your point across – that is foolishness. We often find it necessary to insult people we think are below us – call center assistants, customer service, waiters, employees, etc. Every heart matters and the words you speak will either break or build a heart. Wisdom will guide you in speaking effectively without causing strife with another person.
Dear God, it can become hard to think clearly when I am caught in tense situations. Father, I pray that if I am ever caught in a tough situation, may I think clearly, guided by your wisdom, and not by my emotions or my feelings. May I always have it in my heart to want to be at peace with everyone; and may you help me live this out. I cannot do it on my own power. I know that maintaining peace with my neighbors is attainable, through you, O Lord. May you guide me accordingly, with your wisdom at the front of my mind. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me. Psalm 142:7
Sin takes many forms. Pride, greed, lust, envy, and more. But all sin leads to bondage. All sin imprisons us. And even as Christians, our enemy continues to set traps of temptation for us, hoping to bind us once again. And every time, it is God who breaks us free, on our day of salvation, and each time we stumble. And when He rescues us, His glory is revealed when others see us living liberated lives.
Lord God, thank You for saving me and rescuing me from my bondage to sin. Sometimes, I stumble or wander back into those familiar chains. Please break me free once again and guard my heart and life. Surround me with Your righteous ones, so that I may be better defended against the enemy as I move forward proclaiming the goodness of Your name. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Growing up, the Bible was in my bedroom but seldom opened. I believed in Jesus and cannot remember a time I felt as if God didn’t exist. God just was. However, I did not follow Him as Lord and Savior growing up. In God’s lovingkindness and faithfulness to me, that changed over time. Far from being a God who “just was,” I discovered that he is “the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come” (Revelation 1:8).
As different opportunities arose, I heard more of God’s Word through circumstances, through other believers, through music, and for myself as I started to open up the Bible and engage with it more. What I found was a book that was the very word of God, which is “alive and active… sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).
Here are a selection of verses that have shaped my walk as a follower of Jesus. May they bless you as much as they have encouraged and sustained me.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Matthew 5:9
What does it take to be a peacemaker? It takes a child of God, one who reflects His image and character. For it is only through the unconditional love of God that we can know peace. And when we live in that love and pass it on to others, without judgment and condemnation, we invite others to experience His peace.
Father, thank You for the peace that You have given me by saving me and making me Your child. Lord, help me to see others as Your children, and to overflow with Your love, so that through me they may see Your peace at work in my life. Use me to draw others into Your love and into Your peace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Teaching American History
EXPAND TIMELINE “The Bible,” from Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gersham Machen December 31, 1923 EDITED AND INTRODUCED BY SARAH MORGAN SMITH, ELLEN DEITZ TUCKER, DAVID TUCKER
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Religion in American History and Political
STUDY QUESTIONS What does Machen mean by the inerrancy of the Bible? Why is it important to him? How does Machen’s view of inerrancy differ from Fosdick’s? Introduction J. Gresham Machen (1881–1937) was the last of a long line of Presbyterian theologians at Princeton who thought of themselves as upholding the traditional teachings of the denomination. In chapter four of Christianity and Liberalism (printed here almost in its entirety), Machen asserted that the Bible as both God’s revelation and as inerrant was essential to Christianity. He contrasted this view with the view of religious liberals (e.g. Harry Emerson Fosdick, see document 19), who he argued placed human experience at the center of religion. In noting that nature was part of God’s revelation, Machen echoes a traditional view, which we have encountered in detail in Palmer, “Baconianism and the Bible”(see document 11). Writing several decades after Palmer, however, in a world of increased secularism and scientific influence (see documents 14 and 16), Machen felt the need to argue for the authority of the Bible, an authority Palmer could take for granted. The writings of Machen, Fosdick, and Dixon included in this collection were part of the modernist-fundamentalist controversy of the first decades of the twentieth century. In large measure, that controversy still defines America’s religious world and influences our politics.
—Sarah Morgan Smith, Ellen Deitz Tucker, David Tucker Chapter 4: “The Bible” Modern liberalism, it has been observed so far, has lost sight of the two great presuppositions of the Christian message—the living God, and the fact of sin. The liberal doctrine of God and the liberal doctrine of man are both diametrically opposite to the Christian view. But the divergence concerns not only the presuppositions of the message, but also the message itself.
The Christian message has come to us through the Bible. What shall we think about this Book in which the message is contained?
According to the Christian view, the Bible contains an account of a revelation from God to man, which is found nowhere else. It is true, the Bible also contains a confirmation and a wonderful enrichment of the revelations which are given also by the things that God has made and by the conscience of man. “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handywork”1—these words are a confirmation of the revelation of God in nature; “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”2—these words are a confirmation of what is attested by the conscience. But in addition to such reaffirmations of what might conceivably be learned elsewhere—as a matter of fact, because of men’s blindness, even so much is learned elsewhere only in comparatively obscure fashion—the Bible also contains an account of a revelation which is absolutely new. That new revelation concerns the way by which sinful man can come into communion with the living God.
The way was opened, according to the Bible, by an act of God, when, almost nineteen hundred years ago, outside the walls of Jerusalem, the eternal Son was offered as a sacrifice for the sins of men. To that one great event the whole Old Testament looks forward, and in that one event the whole of the New Testament finds its center and core. Salvation then, according to the Bible, is not something that was discovered, but something that happened. Hence appears the uniqueness of the Bible. All the ideas of Christianity might be discovered in some other religion, yet there would be in that other religion no Christianity. For Christianity depends, not upon a complex of ideas, but upon the narration of an event. Without that event, the world, in the Christian view, is altogether dark, and humanity is lost under the guilt of sin. There can be no salvation by the discovery of eternal truth, for eternal truth brings naught but despair, because of sin. But a new face has been put upon life by the blessed thing that God did when He offered up His only begotten Son.
An objection is sometimes offered against this view of the contents of the Bible. Must we, it is said, depend upon what happened so long ago? Does salvation wait upon the examination of musty records? Is the trained student of Palestinian history the modern priest without whose gracious intervention no one can see God? Can we not find, instead, a salvation that is independent of history, a salvation that depends only on what is with us here and now?
The objection is not devoid of weight. But it ignores one of the primary evidences for the truth of the gospel record. That evidence is found in Christian experience. Salvation does depend upon what happened long ago, but the event of long ago has effects that continue until today. We are told in the New Testament that Jesus offered Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of those who should believe on Him. That is a record of a past event. But we can make trial of it today, and making trial of it we find it to be true. We are told in the New Testament that on a certain morning long ago Jesus rose from the dead. That again is a record of a past event. But again we can make trial of it, and making trial of it we discover that Jesus is truly a living Savior today.
But at this point a fatal error lies in wait. It is one of the root errors of modern liberalism. Christian experience, we have just said, is useful as confirming the gospel message. But because it is necessary, many men have jumped to the conclusion that it is all that is necessary. Having a present experience of Christ in the heart, may we not, it is said, hold that experience no matter what history may tell us as to the events of the first Easter morning? May we not make ourselves altogether independent of the results of Biblical criticism? No matter what sort of man history may tell us Jesus of Nazareth actually was, no matter what history may say about the real meaning of His death or about the story of His alleged resurrection, may we not continue to experience the presence of Christ in our souls?
The trouble is that the experience thus maintained is not Christian experience. Religious experience it may be, but Christian experience it certainly is not. For Christian experience depends absolutely upon an event. The Christian says to himself: “I have meditated upon the problem of becoming right with God, I have tried to produce a righteousness that will stand in His sight; but when I heard the gospel message I learned that what I had weakly striven to accomplish had been accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ when He died for me on the Cross and completed His redeeming work by the glorious resurrection. If the thing has not yet been done, if I merely have an idea of its accomplishment, then I am of all men most miserable, for I am still in my sins. My Christian life, then, depends altogether upon the truth of the New Testament record.”
Christian experience is rightly used when it confirms the documentary evidence. But it can never possibly provide a substitute for the documentary evidence. We know that the gospel story is true partly because of the early date of the documents in which it appears, the evidence as to their authorship, the internal evidence of their truth, the impossibility of explaining them as being based upon deception or upon myth. This evidence is gloriously confirmed by present experience, which adds to the documentary evidence that wonderful directness and immediacy of conviction which delivers us from fear. Christian experience is rightly used when it helps to convince us that the events narrated in the New Testament actually did occur; but it can never enable us to be Christians whether the events occurred or not. It is a fair flower, and should be prized as a gift of God. But cut it from its root in the blessed Book, and it soon withers away and dies.
Thus the revelation of which an account is contained in the Bible embraces not only a reaffirmation of eternal truths—itself necessary because the truths have been obscured by the blinding effect of sin—but also a revelation which sets forth the meaning of an act of God.
The contents of the Bible, then, are unique. But another fact about the Bible is also important. The Bible might contain an account of a true revelation from God, and yet the account be full of error. Before the full authority of the Bible can be established, therefore, it is necessary to add to the Christian doctrine of revelation the Christian doctrine of inspiration. The latter doctrine means that the Bible not only is an account of important things, but that the account itself is true, the writers having been so preserved from error, despite a full maintenance of their habits of thought and expression, that the resulting Book is the “infallible rule of faith and practice.”3
This doctrine of “plenary inspiration”4 has been made the subject of persistent misrepresentation.…
As a matter of fact, the doctrine of plenary inspiration does not deny the individuality of the Biblical writers; it does not ignore their use of ordinary means for acquiring information; it does not involve any lack of interest in the historical situations which gave rise to the Biblical books. What it does deny is the presence of error in the Bible. It supposes that the Holy Spirit so informed the minds of the Biblical writers that they were kept from falling into the errors that mar all other books. The Bible might contain an account of a genuine revelation of God, and yet not contain a true account. But according to the doctrine of inspiration, the account is as a matter of fact a true account; the Bible is an “infallible rule of faith and practice.”
Certainly that is a stupendous claim, and it is no wonder that it has been attacked. But the trouble is that the attack is not always fair. If the liberal preacher objected to the doctrine of plenary inspiration on the ground that as a matter of fact there are errors in the Bible, he might be right and he might be wrong, but at any rate the discussion would be conducted on the proper ground. But too often the preacher desires to avoid the delicate question of errors in the Bible—a question which might give offence to the rank and file—and prefers to speak merely against “mechanical” theories of inspiration, the theory of “dictation,” the “superstitious use of the Bible as a talisman,” or the like. It all sounds to the plain man as though it were very harmless. Does not the liberal preacher say that the Bible is “divine”—indeed that it is the more divine because it is the more human? What could be more edifying than that? But of course such appearances are deceptive. A Bible that is full of error is certainly divine in the modern pantheizing sense of “divine,” according to which God is just another name for the course of the world with all its imperfections and all its sin. But the God whom the Christian worships is a God of truth.
It must be admitted that there are many Christians who do not accept the doctrine of plenary inspiration. That doctrine is denied not only by liberal opponents of Christianity, but also by many true Christian men. There are many Christian men in the modern Church who find in the origin of Christianity no mere product of evolution but a real entrance of the creative power of God, who depend for their salvation, not at all upon their own efforts to lead the Christ life, but upon the atoning blood of Christ—there are many men in the modern Church who thus accept the central message of the Bible and yet believe that the message has come to us merely on the authority of trustworthy witnesses unaided in their literary work by any supernatural guidance of the Spirit of God. There are many who believe that the Bible is right at the central point, in its account of the redeeming work of Christ, and yet believe that it contains many errors. Such men are not really liberals, but Christians; because they have accepted as true the message upon which Christianity depends. A great gulf separates them from those who reject the supernatural act of God with which Christianity stands or falls.
It is another question, however, whether the mediating view of the Bible which is thus maintained is logically tenable, the trouble being that our Lord Himself seems to have held the high view of the Bible which is here being rejected. Certainly it is another question—and a question which the present writer would answer with an emphatic negative—whether the panic about the Bible,5 which gives rise to such concessions, is at all justified by the facts. If the Christian make full use of his Christian privileges, he finds the seat of authority in the whole Bible, which he regards as no mere word of man but as the very Word of God.
Very different is the view of modern liberalism. The modern liberal rejects not only the doctrine of plenary inspiration, but even such respect for the Bible as would be proper over against any ordinarily trustworthy book. But what is substituted for the Christian view of the Bible? What is the liberal view as to the seat of authority in religion?
The impression is sometimes produced that the modern liberal substitutes for the authority of the Bible the authority of Christ. He cannot accept, he says, what he regards as the perverse moral teaching of the Old Testament or the sophistical arguments of Paul. But he regards himself as being the true Christian because, rejecting the rest of the Bible, he depends upon Jesus alone.
This impression, however, is utterly false. The modern liberal does not really hold to the authority of Jesus. Even if he did so, indeed, he would still be impoverishing greatly his knowledge of God and of the way of salvation. The words of Jesus, spoken during His earthly ministry, could hardly contain all that we need to know about God and about the way of salvation; for the meaning of Jesus’ redeeming work could hardly be fully set forth before that work was done. It could be set forth indeed by way of prophecy, and as a matter of fact it was so set forth by Jesus even in the days of His flesh. But the full explanation could naturally be given only after the work was done. And such was actually the divine method. It is doing despite,6 not only to the Spirit of God, but also to Jesus Himself, to regard the teaching of the Holy Spirit, given through the apostles, as at all inferior in authority to the teaching of Jesus.
As a matter of fact, however, the modern liberal does not hold fast even to the authority of Jesus. Certainly he does not accept the words of Jesus as they are recorded in the Gospels. For among the recorded words of Jesus are to be found just those things which are most abhorrent to the modern liberal Church, and in His recorded words Jesus also points forward to the fuller revelation which was afterwards to be given through His apostles. Evidently, therefore, those words of Jesus which are to be regarded as authoritative by modern liberalism must first be selected from the mass of the recorded words by a critical process. The critical process is certainly very difficult, and the suspicion often arises that the critic is retaining as genuine words of the historical Jesus only those words which conform to his own preconceived ideas. But even after the sifting process has been completed, the liberal scholar is still unable to accept as authoritative all the sayings of Jesus; he must finally admit that even the “historical” Jesus as reconstructed by modern historians said some things that are untrue.
So much is usually admitted. But, it is maintained, although not everything that Jesus said is true, His central “life-purpose” is still to be regarded as regulative for the Church. But what then was the life-purpose of Jesus? According to the shortest, and if modern criticism be accepted the earliest of the Gospels, the Son of Man “came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Here the vicarious death is put as the “life-purpose” of Jesus. Such an utterance must of course be pushed aside by the modern liberal Church. The truth is that the life-purpose of Jesus discovered by modern liberalism is not the life purpose of the real Jesus, but merely represents those elements in the teaching of Jesus—isolated and misinterpreted—which happen to agree with the modern program. It is not Jesus, then, who is the real authority, but the modern principle by which the selection within Jesus’ recorded teaching has been made. Certain isolated ethical principles of the Sermon on the Mount are accepted, not at all because they are teachings of Jesus, but because they agree with modern ideas.
It is not true at all, then, that modern liberalism is based upon the authority of Jesus. It is obliged to reject a vast deal that is absolutely essential in Jesus’ example and teaching—notably His consciousness of being the heavenly Messiah. The real authority, for liberalism, can only be “the Christian consciousness” or “Christian experience.” But how shall the findings of the Christian consciousness be established? Surely not by a majority vote of the organized Church. Such a method would obviously do away with all liberty of conscience. The only authority, then, can be individual experience; truth can only be that which “helps” the individual man. Such an authority is obviously no authority at all; for individual experience is endlessly diverse, and when once truth is regarded only as that which works at any particular time, it ceases to be truth. The result is an abysmal skepticism.
The Christian man, on the other hand, finds in the Bible the very Word of God. Let it not be said that dependence upon a book is a dead or an artificial thing. The Reformation of the sixteenth century was founded upon the authority of the Bible, yet it set the world aflame. Dependence upon a word of man would be slavish, but dependence upon God’s word is life. Dark and gloomy would be the world, if we were left to our own devices and had no blessed Word of God. The Bible, to the Christian is not a burdensome law, but the very Magna Charta of Christian liberty.
It is no wonder, then, that liberalism is totally different from Christianity, for the foundation is different. Christianity is founded upon the Bible. It bases upon the Bible both its thinking and its life. Liberalism on the other hand is founded upon the shifting emotions of sinful men.
FOOTNOTES 1. Psalm 9:1 2. Romans 3:23 3. This is probably a reference to Machen’s predecessor at Princeton, A. A. Hodge (1823–1886). Chapter three of Hodge’s Outlines of Theology (1860) is “The Rule of Faith and Practice,” which argues that “the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, having been given by inspiration of god, are the all-sufficient and only rule of faith and practice, and judge of controversies.” Hodge spends much of the chapter criticizing the “Romish” or Roman Catholic approach to the Bible. 4. Machen defines this term in the next paragraph. 5. Machen referred here to what some saw as attacks on the authority of the Bible because of the claims of modern science and the results of the “higher criticism” that subjected the Bible to philological and historical analysis. 6. giving insult or treating contemptuously PRIOR The Bible
Sometimes growing in faith hurts. When we face difficulties and have to lean heavily on God, it feels like walking through fire. Yet God uses these fiery trials the way a refiner uses fire, to burn away the impurities. Through trials, God rids us of pride, greed, lust, and more. And when we emerge, we are purer and able to shine brighter for Him.
Father God, the trials of life weigh heavily on me. It hurts to endure the suffering, the persecution, and the waiting. Yet I know that You are with me, and I ask that You use this time to purify my heart. Burn away everything that is not of You, so that all that remains is what You would have me be. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
A new series for people who don’t want plastic in their water or bugs on their plate. From Nellie Bowles for The Free Press. (Photo illustration by T
Why is this necessary?
A few reasons.
First, because the mainstream press is losing credibility when it comes to health and science news. The legacy reporters tend to run their health coverage through government communications departments and have a mindset that puts your actual health last on the priority list, far below a thousand other very interesting niche environmental and social concerns, which leads to things like a Time magazine feature on “The White Supremacist Origins of Exercise.”
Second, there is a thriving, incredible world of smart new health and science writing and podcasting. But it’s hard to figure out who or what to trust when you’re beyond the gatekeepers. In this Wild West, you’ll find a lot of truth. Let’s be real though: you’ll also have to bushwhack through folks telling you the flu shot makes you glow in the dark. When I call up Peter Attia for advice on this newsletter, he reminds me: “The mainstream media has problems, but the freewheeling podcast landscape does too.”
Finally—and probably the biggest reason to start something sense-making in this space—is that the new world is very hard to navigate. People doing the most cutting-edge research are not always the greatest writers. Meanwhile, those who communicate clearly are often in little hideaways—obscure blogs and feeds.
We want to separate the signal from the noise to bring you the information that you need to know when it comes to your survival: insights from doctors and experts who have earned our trust, plus, of course, some takedowns of the best of the worst in mainstream health coverage. Our aim is to bring you healthy skepticism (not paranoia), exciting new developments (not snake oil), and honesty (not cynicism).
Your guide for now is me, Nellie Bowles, who you may know as the deranged narrator of TGIF.
I believe I am infallible, of course, but my colleagues here insist otherwise. And given that health and science are subjects of such importance, I’m not flying solo. We’re going to do our own version of peer review by bringing in a roster of health experts to weigh in on topics of the day.
Now, a note on politics. We’re here to learn about health. A lot of the most interesting thinkers on this are wacky. If I recommend an article about the benefits of goat meat, and the goat farmer also happens to believe that Jesus is going to come back as a turtle next Tuesday, that’s what I call: not my problem. Obviously, this is all within limits, and there’s a good-faith gray zone—I’m not getting Stalin’s sauna tips. But I’m not stressing out if my kombucha lady burned a cop car in Seattle or was at January 6 and honestly, knowing kombucha ladies, either one is entirely possible. Both, even.
Our view is that you don’t need your health news sugarcoated; you can look elsewhere for spiritual and political guidance. Because the truth is, health is not fair. It’s not equitable. And as anyone who has known a young person diagnosed with cancer knows, it’s certainly not just.
So who is this for? This is for people who’d rather not have hormones in their milk, plastic in their water, or bugs on their plate. This is for old-school environmentalists and new-school health nuts. It’s for people who know that worrying about seed oils and lifting weights isn’t “right-wing” and wanting clean air and water isn’t “left-wing.” This is for people who don’t want every health and science story prechewed by ideology before it gets to them.
One note on timing: FP Health will be piloted at random intervals for a few months. Send feedback to health@thefp.com. By the fall, we’ll be in a regular rhythm. Now, for a look at the health news from the last few weeks:
→ Microplastics tied to colon cancer and diseased arteries: There’s a new study out of Austrian universities that shows microplastics seem to accelerate colon cancer cell growth. And a study out of Chinese research hospitals finds these plastics in our arteries. If you’ve found your way to this newsletter, you probably have some idea that microplastics are bad for us, and we should generally avoid them. But we’re all figuring out the extent of it, day by day. How panicked should we actually be? (I write this as hot Thai curry sits in a melting plastic to-go container for me to eat tonight.) How much should we inconvenience ourselves? Which sources are the worst culprits? I imagine that plastic—its impact on us, what the hell to do about it—will be a theme of this newsletter. Because I read studies like that but still have no idea whether or not my dinner is going to kill me.
→ The CDC got the maternal death rate totally wrong: The CDC has been telling us a story of disaster and panic for pregnant women (birthing peoplx). The maternal death rate is a crisis, the CDC said. The maternal death rate has more than doubled over two decades, and it’s the worst among non-white women. America—with a reported 32.9 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2021—is a far more dangerous place to have a baby than in other rich countries. The media was very sure to trumpet the alarm.
Now, there is a quiet correction. A very subtle adjustment, if you will.
It turns out that the CDC was just poorly categorizing things. It was counting any maternal death (i.e., a pregnant woman in a car accident) along with women who die during childbirth. Thanks to researchers at Rutgers University, we learned that our real maternal mortality rate is “slightly more than 10 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births”—well in line with our international peers. Okay, so the entire panic that we’re so much worse than Europe was, basically, fake. Will there be any corrections or changes to the many, many headlines about this crisis? No, there will not be.
This reminds me of the old chestnut from when I went to college: that one in four college women was the victim of sexual assault, making campuses more dangerous than Afghanistan. That turned out to be true only by counting just about any unwanted advance as sexual assault, which we’ve known for decades, but the statistical lie is useful for political arguments, so it still gets trotted out.
→ The great sex decline, visualized: Just in a chart, don’t get too excited. I have no idea if it’s the phones or the porn, but the reality is we’re all a little neutered now.
→ The federal budget is just a diabetes slush fund: The new class of semaglutides (Ozempic, Wegovy) might save Americans a lot of money, per a new study showing that their use reduces kidney disease hugely. Diabetes care is a strain on the U.S. economy: nearly 1 percent of the federal budget is spent on diabetes and dialysis (a stat from Duke economist Ryan McDevitt, backed up by numbers from National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases). Anyway, yes, 1 percent. Just on dialysis, basically. There’s also a book out last year about the insanity and corruption of the dialysis industry, if you want to deep dive into Big Diabetes. A lot of people are skeptical of these drugs, which makes sense because there’s no such thing as a side effect–free miracle drug. But obesity is also dangerous—and really expensive.
→ Antidepressant use skyrocketing: Covid took the trend of growing antidepressant use and poured rocket fuel on it. The most dramatic increase was among adolescent girls, but the rise hit boys and adults too. Here from researchers out of University of Michigan and published in Pediatrics in February:
You’re considered anti-science if you question whether all these teens need antidepressants. Like, why would you want these teens to suffer? Also: these drugs are clearly useful, even if no one is quite sure why. I took Zoloft for a few years and loved it, the gentle muting of my panic, but I was and am in my 30s. We really have no idea how these drugs will broadly impact teenage life and development.
→ Donald McNeil on being lied to about Covid’s origins: Before he was forced out by The New York Times in one of the dumber scandals of 2020–2021, Donald McNeil was the paper’s top Covid reporter, a graybeard with the gravitas to say when something was an emergency and the experience to know when he was being manipulated. And yet in his new memoir, he reflects on how top scientists flatly lied to him about Covid’s origins, a truth we now know through their various Slack messages. Those messages show top scientists around the world coordinating both on the origins lie and specifically how to deceive McNeil about it. He writes about being a “victim of deception,” about being disappointed in himself, and about how hard it was to push back against their wall of faux certainty: “It’s one thing to be lied to by a politician and fail to check it out. But on viral evolution, to whom do you go for a second opinion? If Albert Einstein assured you that nuclear fission is harmless, whom would you trust to quote saying, ‘Einstein’s dead wrong?’ ”
We’re still due for the reckoning we deserve on this. The take from Experts is still why does it matter where Covid came from, and asking is racist. Call me crazy, but I do care if Covid was made in a U.S.-funded Chinese lab and would want to, like, figure out what went wrong there.
→ The myocarditis false start: A study came out of Oxford in March claiming that Covid vaccines actually reduce the risk of myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle, which has been a concern especially with young men getting boosters. The argument is basically that while the vaccine triggers some amount of inflammation that causes myocarditis, Covid itself triggers even more. I wanted this one to be true, but for all these topics I turn to Dr. Vinay Prasad, professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco. Unfortunately, he gives it a thorough debunking. The vaccinated are different in many ways from the unvaccinated, ways that have nothing to do with the shot. Prasad writes: “It is obvious that people who get vaccinated are different than those who don’t, and these patterns of covariates cannot be easily adjust[ed] for because they pertain to domains of life that are not readily captured in health records.”
→ You must stay on birth control forever: Hormonal birth control, because they’re hormones a woman takes every month, has real side effects—especially on mood and sex drive and of course, on weight. Seems fine to talk about? No. “Women are getting off birth control amid misinformation explosion,” The Washington Post alerts us. See, there’s a new movement to help women get off birth control and use either physical methods or cycle-timing—and to generally get more in sync with the body’s natural cycle. An example the Post goes after is the new company 28 Wellness that sells a product called Toxic Breakup, whose founder talks a lot about cycle-syncing and being in tune with your female body, natural vibes, moon rhythms, I don’t know, guys, things that used to be read as quite hippy-dippy. But did you know that’s actually right-wing now?
From The Washington Post: “Physicians and researchers say little data is available about the scale of this new phenomenon, but anecdotally, more patients are coming in with misconceptions about birth control fueled by influencers and conservative commentators.” And “an underlying conservative push” is behind all this, the paper claims.
Now, for sure there are conservative groups who have always been against birth control and generally sex outside of marriage (I’m thinking most major religions). But this new movement has more to do with personal health optimization and taking young women seriously when they talk about side effects than it does with traditional Catholic values. No matter. Nothing upsets Experts more than if people talk about getting off a medication, any medication. I could be taking canine flea medicine and there’d be some reporter alarmed that I’d consider quitting it. But I say: let the ladies do their moon cycle dances! Just for fun I looked up “Washington Post sponsored by Purdue Pharma,” since that was the first pharmaceutical brand I could think of. Well:
→ Concerns that psychedelics trials are biased: A large research review by the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review last week has found “substantial concerns” about the validity of research on psychedelics. Psychedelics, in the past few years, have been cast as something like a miracle drug, especially for PTSD, which is something everyone says they suffer from these days. From the review team, citing bias among the researchers: “We heard from multiple experts about the very strong prior beliefs of those involved in the trials (as investigators, therapists, and patients) about the benefits of MDMA-AP. Concerns have been raised by some that therapists encouraged favorable reports by patients and discouraged negative reports by patients including discouraging reports of substantial harms, potentially biasing the recording of benefits and harms.” There’s also the issue that it’s impossible to do blind randomized controlled testing—you definitely know if you’re in the test versus placebo group! I know a lot of people—stressed out moms, every single tech executive in America—who have benefited a lot from mushrooms and MDMA and other things I refuse to try. But every since I bought Dogecoin, I’m always skeptical when something is hyped too aggressively. And these drugs are covered glowingly, almost without exception.
→ All this autism is a blessing! Autism diagnoses are rising, and fast. Jill Escher, the mother of two autistic children, wrote a profound piece for The Free Press on the insanity of these takes. In my mind, it’s one of the most important pieces we’ve run. She’s now released a smart video through the National Council on Severe Autism, laying out the irrefutable evidence that yes, autism is actually increasing. Why did she need to put this out? Because you’ll find two arguments against worrying about autism: first, that autism is a superpower, making people simply different, not any worse off. Second, that it’s not increasing at all, we’re just noticing it more. Autism and the informed, nuanced work of people like Escher are topics we’ll follow closely here.
→ Google’s new artificial intelligence demands you eat bugs: When Bloomberg reporter Joe Weisenthal asked Google’s artificial intelligence software to write something to encourage eating meat as a good protein source, the engineers had coded it to deny the request. Here’s the prompt he wrote and Google’s response:
But then when you give it that same prompt, but to make a campaign for eating bugs? Well, it comes back with great tagline ideas:
• Skip the Steak, Try a Beetle. • Insects: They’re what’s for dinner (of the future). • Get Your Protein Buzz: Crickets are the New Kale. • Protein Revolution: Insects – Nutritious, Sustainable, Delicious.
People try to deny that there’s a concerted effort to convince people to replace burgers with bugs—a conspiracy, says NPR! and also somehow racist, says NPR! Right.
→ Alcohol-related deaths are surging: Remember how during Covid lockdown, in-person Alcoholics Anonymous meetings were banned and church was banned and sports were banned, but liquor stores were declared essential and bars were allowed to stay open? Well, it turns out that when you close all community activities but allow for the steady flow of booze into a society, people drink more! Now, alcohol-related deaths are up by 29 percent, and PBS is asking questions recently like:
What could have happened between now and five years ago? What might have changed? It’s a mystery, PBS, a forever mystery.
→ Don’t let a little science fraud ruin the party: Earlier this year, leading researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, including the CEO Laurie Glimcher, were found to have published research with what sure looks like fabricated data. The discovery came from the independent writer Sholto David, and it’s part of a broader movement: independent investigative journalists are diving into the research of celebrated, famous science figures—the sort who get profiled in all the best magazines—and discovering that a lot of their work is faked. (A young student at Stanford’s reporting led to the president of the university stepping down over his research, which appears to be fraudulent.) And here you see the difference between the mainstream press and the insurgent reporters, because in March, the leading science news source STAT named that Dana-Farber CEO to their STATUS List 2024 with a post: “As CEO of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Laurie Glimcher isn’t afraid to shake things up.” STAT didn’t find the fraud—a random guy with a random blog found it.
→ Sure, try Viagra for Alzeheimer’s: Viagra might be a good drug for Alzheimer’s, according to new research in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. And I say great. This was discovered in part by new artificial intelligence software that’s combing through vast tracts of data for interesting nuggets like this one. AI is also starting to spot tiny breast cancers in mammograms, cancers that clinicians had missed. For all the doomerism about AI, it’s astonishing what it’s already doing for our health. Stay tuned for more on this.
→ The EPA only just banned asbestos: In a good reminder that the American government is not going to prioritize your health, the Environmental Protection Agency only just successfully banned asbestos (the EU did that in 2005). Why’d it take so long? The EPA’s effort to ban it in 1989 was overturned by a federal court of appeals that weakened the agency’s authority. In other words: you’re on your own.
→ It’s really weird that no one knows what puberty blockers do to brain development: Puberty blockers have been very commonly used for gender-dysphoric children, the idea being that it gives children the ability to stave off puberty, and a little more time to decide whether to fully medically transition. But in March they were fully banned by England’s NHS, which has been prescribing them after basically cursory visits to the clinic by uncomfortable kids. The next question is: What have these blockers done to kids’ brains? Because the reality is, we have no idea! Adolescence brings huge brain changes—do those come later when the kid eventually takes cross-sex hormones? Are they the same as they would be unmedicated? There is the horrifying potential reality here that these children’s brains will never exactly develop into what we think of as adulthood. They might! But they might not. (Read this from Quillette on the possibility.) And a couple weeks ago, at a conference for clinicians to discuss these issues among themselves, protesters disrupted the event, blocked attendees, and threw smoke bombs.
The worst advice:
→ An example of what you will not find here: One reason we started thinking about health is because of articles like this one from The Washington Post’s official food columnist (I’m being hard on the Post; it’s too easy). This article is on how very bad saturated fat is: “Don’t believe the backlash. Saturated fat actually is bad for you.” Saturated fat is the type you find in meat, dairy, and eggs. The food trend of the last thirty years has been toward carbs and sugar instead of fat. Everything is supposed to be low-fat food, and we’re told Egg Beaters are healthier than eggs, vegetable oil is better than tallow, etc.
Our WaPo food columnist acknowledges that there are all these weird studies showing that people w
How have you adapted to the changes brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic?
I Trusted God! A Focus on Freedom Hebrews 2:14-15 (NIV®) He too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
Wouldn’t you like to have a friend who is powerful enough to free you from the Devil’s strongholds in your life? None of your earthly friends will ever be able to do that, but that is exactly why Jesus left Heaven and came to Earth. Sometimes, it’s easier to be focused on the things that can beset us rather than on the One who sets us free. It’s not helpful to live in fear or spend time wringing our hands over what might happen. Jesus came and died for us so that we don’t have to be afraid of illness, evil, or a shaky economy. I’m not saying we will never encounter sickness, hardships, and challenges—because we will. But Jesus invites us to trust Him for deliverance from anything that could hold us captive. He invites us to be spiritually whole and live in the light of His freedom.
THINK ABOUT IT Jesus paid the price for our redemption and freedom on the cross. His work is perfect and complete. All we need to do is humbly release ourselves from what diminishes us and receive and walk in His finished work.
PRAYER Heavenly Father, I yield to You without reservation. Through the cross of Jesus, I have experienced forgiveness, freedom, and deliverance. Set me free from anything that separates me from Your best. I turn away from ungodliness and embrace the truth. In His name, Amen.
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. John 16:7
Do you ever think that being a Christian would be easier if Jesus were living among us, the way He did with His disciples? Well, not according to Jesus. Why? Because after Jesus, came the sustaining and transforming power of the Holy Spirit. Just as Jesus walks as God with us, the Holy Spirit comes to us and God in us. Instead of just witnessing the power of God, we have the blessed joy of living in that power as He works through us.
Thank You, Lord, for the saving grace that You imparted on me through Jesus. And thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Help me to know more of Your power, so that the Spirit may do great things in my life for the glory of Your name and the sake of Your kingdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The way we love God is reflected in the way we love the people around us. The Christian life is not a life of selfishness or pickiness, where we choose to stick to ourselves or hang around select people of our liking. There is no room for excluding people when it comes to walking in the love of God. The same way God’s arms were wide open for us when we were sinners, is the same way we are to have our arms stretched out wide open to the people around us. The love of God knows no boundaries when it comes to reaching out to people.
The love of God isn’t for a certain group of people. It is for anyone and everyone and the only way God’s love can reach other people is through us. We are God’s representatives on earth and He expects us to do what He would have done.
When Jesus came to the earth He looked down upon no one. He entertained everyone and accommodated them as best as they can. Even though He had many disputes with the Pharisees over their self-righteousness, Jesus never closed them out. He was open to talk to Nicodemus (John 3:1-21), who was a Pharisee. Jesus still spoke to him, counselled him, and taught him about the Way.
The love of God should move us to overlook all offences in order to minister to other people. This is no easy feat but this is why God is with us. This is why the Holy Spirit – the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit teaches us how to love people past the offense they may have caused us.
Loving the people around us is not an option, dear brothers and sisters in the Lord. It is a commandment.
God is Love. You cannot claim to be of God if you refuse to love the people around you. The love of God overrides all prejudice and forms of exclusion.
God doesn’t expect us to stand on the outside, looking in. He expects us to go in, full speed ahead, loving on anyone we can so that they know that there is a God out here who cares about them deeply.
As children of God, it is our duty to exhibit God’s love through our words and actions. If we fail to do so, how do we expect to lead more people to Christ?
You cannot reach out to people without the love of God. It is the love of God that compels us to reach out to people to glorify Him, Who loves us.
Something major is going down at the Supreme Court right now. It’s moving lightning fast, and we face looming deadlines.
A federal appeals court overturned Biden’s massive expansion of the abortion pill. This drug kills more babies than any other method of abortion.
Biden and the abortion industry rushed to appeal, and the Supreme Court just heard oral argument last week. We filed several briefs in the case representing pro-life groups. Now we just filed a vital brief in another Supreme Court case – our third filing this term – where the abortion industry is trying to shut down pro-life centers. And we’re taking further legal action later this week.
The abortion giant is reeling. But as we battle the limitless taxpayer-funded resources of Biden and Planned Parenthood at the Supreme Court, we need you.
When the Roman Empire collapsed, Western Europe was cast into darkness. But in the midst of chaos, Christianity provided hope and became the foundation upon which civilization was rebuilt. Join Professor of History Kenneth Calvert in an exploration of how Christianity forever changed the world in our newest free course, “Ancient Christianity.”
Jesus saves calls us to love our neighbors. But we can’t be ambassadors of love if we think, speak, and act with hatred. Deceit, envy, and slander all cast us in opposition to others because they focus our minds on our own self-interests. We must seek the Spirit to overcome the attitudes that lead to judgment and resentment, so that we may exemplify God’s love to those around us.
Lord, thank You for the love that You poured out on me even though I don’t deserve it. Please fill me with Your love so that I may love my neighbors fully and freely, the way that You love me. Rid my heart and mind of all bitterness and jealousy, and give me new eyes to see others instead through Your love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
He Will Strengthen Us!
Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord. Psalms 31:24
When we look at the world around us, it can become very easy to become discouraged by what we see. The amount of hatred that runs deep in the hearts of many people, and the constant agony that we see across the world is enough to make a person question life. But as Christians, we don’t need to question life.
We know that all things relating to doom, death and destruction are of the enemy. We know that all things good come from God and he has commissioned us to go into the world and release this good to all mankind. The ultimate good being the gift of salvation.
Preaching the gospel will come with consequences. People will try to discourage us. We will be threatened. People will abandon us. There will be moments where it will feel as if the entire world is against us. But we have to choose to hold on to God and to praise him regardless of what is happening.
God is always good, no matter what we face on this earth. When we remind ourselves of his goodness, it helps us endure the trials and tribulations of life. In times of trouble, we need to turn our eyes to God and seek Him as our refuge. We can only receive comfort and strength from God.
Human beings will always let us down. We will also let people down. The only one who will never let us down is God. His faithfulness is always assured. No matter what. God’s word informs us of the many reasons we can trust God in peace. He has been faithful even before we realized the weight of his love.
Please enjoy this excerpt from our upcoming devotional by Mike Aquilina and Adam Lucas, Feasts 0f Our Fathers: Praying the Church Year with the Early Christians, due out in April 2024.
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Today Christ descends into hell, says this ancient preacher, bringing his victory over death to those already dead.
Reflect: Matthew 12:40, Acts 2:31, Ephesians 4:9, 1 Peter 4:6
Read: What is happening today? A great silence falls over the earth, a great silence and indeed a stillness, because the King sleeps. The earth was fearful and grew still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and raised up all who have slept since the beginning of the world. God has died in the flesh, and the underworld trembles with fear. Yes, he has gone in search of our first father, as a lost sheep. Yes, he wants to visit those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death. He goes to liberate from sorrow the captive Adam and his companion Eve; for he is both God and their son.
The Lord approached them carrying the cross, the weapon that had won his victory. When Adam, the firstborn, saw it, his heart was filled with remorse and cried out to everyone, saying: “My Lord be with you all!” And Christ answered, saying, “And with your spirit!”
He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying:
“Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light—I, your God and the son born to you. Now, to you and your offspring in bonds I say by my own authority ‘Come out!’ and to those in darkness ‘Be illumined!’ and to those who are sleeping ‘Arise!’ I say to you: ‘Awake, O sleeper!’ For I did not create you to remain a prisoner in the underworld. Arise from the dead, for I am life for the dead.
“Arise, my creature! Arise, my likeness, you who were created in my image and from whom I was born. Rise! Let us go away, for you are in me and I am in you. Together we form one person, indivisible, for your God is your son. For you, your God became your son. For you, the Lord took the form of a slave. For you the highest heavens came to earth—and under the earth. For you, for the sake of a human being, I became a helpless human being, free among the dead. For you who left the garden, I was delivered to the Jews in a garden and crucified in a garden.
“Behold the spit on my face, which I received to restore the life I once breathed into you. Behold on my jaws the blows I received to restore your deformity back into my image. Behold on my back the marks of the whip that I endured to lift the burden of sin from your back. Behold my hands, fixed in the tree for the sake of you, who maliciously stretched your hand toward the tree. Behold my feet, driven well into the tree, because your feet had maliciously run to the tree of disobedience, on the sixth day when your judgment was delivered.
“For your rebirth and the restoration of paradise I have labored to exhaustion. I slept on the cross, and a sword pierced my side: all for you who slumbered in paradise and delivered Eve from your side. My wounded side has healed the pain of yours. Let my sleep awaken you from yours in the underworld. The spear that wounded me has turned the spear from you. Arise, let us leave here. The enemy led you to leave the earthly paradise; yet I do not restore you to paradise but to be enthroned in heaven. I forbade you the tree that was the symbol of life; but, behold, now I am your life. I ordered the cherubim to guard you as slaves; now the cherubim must worship you as divine. You hid from God as if you were naked; but now here you are hidden within the naked God. The cherubic throne awaits you. Its bearers are at the ready. The bridal suite is ready, the banquet plates are set. The eternal dwellings and mansions are prepared. The treasuries of good things were opened. The kingdom of heaven has been prepared for you from everlasting
Remember: Christ descends into the netherworld today to rescue the souls of the righteous trapped by original sin.
Pray: Victorious God, you went down to the realm of the dead to rise again in glory. By the power of your resurrection, bring all our loved ones who have passed to new life with you. The Harrowing of Hell
We profess that Jesus “descended into hell” before rising from the dead. But how can God go to hell, which by definition is the state of separation from God? We in the modern era mean something different by “hell” than the common usage of the early Church. The Creed is saying that Christ went to the realm of the dead before his resurrection. Called Hades in Greek and Sheol in Hebrew, this realm of the dead was the collective afterlife for both the good and the bad. Jesus’ passion and resurrection unlocked the gates of heaven for the souls of the righteous, which previously had been closed to all people due to Adam’s sin. Jesus shows us in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus that there were differences in the fate of the good and the bad even before his resurrection, as the righteous Lazarus goes to the bosom of Abraham, whereas the unrighteous rich man is sent to a place of torment. But even this “bosom of Abraham” wasn’t heaven, and although there was some comfort there, it was not a place of true eternal rest.
Jesus went to this realm of the dead on Holy Saturday. True man, he experienced death and the afterlife like others. But unlike the other righteous, Jesus goes to Hades as a conqueror. He preaches the gospel to the dead, frees deserving souls from their prison, and brings them into the perfect and lasting happiness of heaven.
Tonight at sunset, the festive one-day holiday of Purim begins.
What is your favorite type of weather?
In the Bible, seasons are a reminder of God’s majesty and that the earth will continue to exist. The seasons can also be seen as an analogy for the characteristics of natural seasons in our lives and our relationship with God. For example, spring is a time of new life and growth, while summer is a time of persistent effort with the reward of seeing results.
Notice the repetition of “every” as well as “time”: “season” is a Hebrew word that is literally “appointed time”. Christian, as the world turns, turns, and turns with everything, know that not one detail or second of your life is without purpose.
Springtime: A celebration of new life and growth, also a time of release and fresh opportunities Summer: A time of persistent effort but with the reward of seeing results Ecclesiastes 3:1 reads, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven”. This means that the various circumstances we go through in life are not by incident, but orchestrated or allowed by God with great purpose and intentionality. Genesis 8:22 says, “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease”. In biblical prophecy, a “season” is often used as a metaphor for a period of time, and it can refer to a variety of lengths of time.
For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).
Part of God’s great design to this earth is seasons. We experience wet and dry seasons, the typical four seasons of winter, spring, summer, and fall, and there are planting seasons and harvesting seasons. We see creation moving through seasons each year, and we ourselves live through seasons, as well. In these seasons we learn to depend on and come to expect things. So, too, we find in the Bible that our lives go through seasons.
Seasons of sadness, loss, joy, newness, and growth. All of these life seasons are intentional and God’s influence in them should be acknowledged and counted on. We find this often quoted verse in the book of Ecclesiastes, which is believed to have been written by Solomon, the son of King David.
When Scripture declares that for everything there is a season, this means that the various circumstances we go through in life are not by incident, but orchestrated or allowed by God with great purpose and intentionality.
What Does The Bible Mean ‘For Everything There Is a Season’? Ecclesiastes :31 affirms two important reminders:
The things we go through in life are not in vain. Our situations will not last forever. If you are in a certain season of life, you can be confident the season will come to an end at some point. This verse serves as a reminder that our circumstances will change and that is something we can come to expect in life. Whatever God takes us through has purpose, perhaps to deepen our faith or to help us achieve breakthrough in an area of life.
We will get over our sorrows. We will get out of the valley. We will go through hardships. And whatever season of life we find ourselves in, it will have a beginning and it will have an end. We will enter new seasons, too. Ones that bring relief, hope, or a deeper sense of faith.
It’s helpful to also read other translations of this verse to get a better idea of its meaning:
“Everything that happens in this world happens at the time God chooses”. – Good News Translation “Everything has its own time, and there is a specific time for every activity under heaven” – God’s Word “There’s an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth” – The Message “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” – NIV
What Is the Context of This Verse and ‘For Everything There Is a Season’? As you read Ecclesiastes, you may get the impression that Solomon had somewhat of a grave outlook on life. The book begins with Solomon’s declaration that everything is meaningless (see verse 1:1). He had seen the ups and downs of life, yet could not quite make sense of life. Why was there so much suffering? Where was God in the midst of life? What is the meaning of the mundane days we live? In this book, Solomon reflected on his understanding of God and how that fits with what he knew and the life he was experiencing. Perhaps you have found yourself wondering or reflecting like Solomon did.
In the third chapter, we find perhaps some clarity around the mysteries of life. When nothing seems to make sense, if we find God’s presence in life, that’s when real meaning and satisfaction will emerge. Life without God is hopeless, but a life lived for God and in acknowledgement of his divine presence is one marked by fruitfulness and significance.
In this chapter, Solomon affirmed the seasons of joys and the seasons of hardships, the high and the low seasons, the valleys of despair and the peaks of honor. This is the ebb and flow of life that we can anticipate, and when we keep God at the center, purpose will emerge and refining of our hearts will take place.
Why Is There a Time for Bad Things? The reality is that life gets hard. As we know, bad things happen even to those who follow Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Sinful nature has left nothing untouched, and this is why we await the second coming of Jesus. But until then, we know that we will go through tough seasons just as much as we go through joyful seasons.
Even Jesus reminded us that we will always have troubles, but we can still have peace in him (see John 16:33). The hope found in this Ecclesiastical passage is that these seasons of suffering, hate, and death will end. God will bring us through to better days marked by comfort, love, and new life. Through it all, we can rest in the peace Jesus has given us. Regardless of what we face, God remains in control and is the author of our days.
How Does God Make Everything Beautiful in Its Time? God is our redeemer. To redeem something means to offset its negative traits. In a biblical sense, redemption means that Jesus’ work on the cross has covered our sin. His sacrificial love has offset and delivered us from sinfulness, death, and guilt. God’s redemptive work makes us beautiful and it makes all things beautiful.
This concept of redemption that we find in Scripture teaches us that God will redeem us from despair and work all things together for the good of those who love him (see Romans 8:28).
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
We find this promise written that God will make everything beautiful in its due season. God will judge right from wrong and bring about justice (see Ecclesiastes 3:16-17). God will make things right. We may not always know how he will make things beautiful or when he will do that, but we can count on it, pray for it to happen, and put our trust fully in God to redeem even the worst of our circumstances.
What Do We Learn from Ecclesiasties 3:1 about Change and Timing? Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes, goes to great lengths to preach that we must put our trust in God’s sovereignty which means he is in control of all things. God is with us in the hardest battles. He guides our steps from one season to the next. He sees what is coming ahead for us and will provide what we need to get through. No matter what seasons lay behind us or ahead of us, God is always present and always leading us through each – for the purpose of His glory.
The greatest hope we have in seasons of trouble or change is that God will never leave us nor forsake us (see: Hebrews 13:5). We may experience God’s timing as difficult, or late, or hard to understand, or different than what we’d expect or hope for. But truly, God’s timing is perfect and always comes to pass in a way that will bring us goodness rather than hopelessness.
How Can We Apply “For Everything There is a Season” to Everyday Lives? When we wake up, we can trust that whatever season we are in is not by accident, nor will God allow it to unfold without bringing out a grander purpose and drawing us closer to him. Every season is purposeful in leading us into a deeper relationship with God and creating unshakeable faith.
We can hope that the Lord will give us seasons of joy, and know that he wants us to enjoy life (see Ecclesiastes 3:12-13). We should savor the goodness of life and the ways God has gifted us with his favor. Apply this verse to your life by trusting that God knows the seasons in your life in which you will relish and endure, and he will be with you every step of the way. Therefore, we should lean into God regardless of the situation because he loves us and will journey with us each moment, each day, and each season. Like Solomon, we can pause to reflect on our lives and how we see God’s presence and direction.
God is the author of our time and the seasons we go through. Though life does not always make sense, or may even feel insignificant at times, rather than getting lost in despair, we can find comfort and hope in God. God brings us to new seasons, changes our circumstances, and adds fullness to our existence. God alone will make things beautiful in due season and cause our lives to be abundant in meaning.
KJV Dictionary Definition: season season SE’ASON. n. se’zn.Season literally signifies that which comes or arrives; and in this general sense, is synonymous with time. Hence,
1. A fit or suitable time; the convenient time; the usual or appointed time; as, the messenger arrived in season; in good season. This fruit is out of season.
2. Any time, as distinguished from others.
The season prime for sweetest scents and airs. Milton.
3. A time of some continuance, but not long.
Thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. Acts 13.
4. One of the four divisions of the year, spring, summer, autumn, winter. The season is mild; it is cold for the season.
We saw in six days’ traveling, the several seasons of the year n their beauty.
seasonable SE’ASONABLE, a. Opportune; that comes, happens or is done in good time, in due season or in proper time for the purpose; as a seasonable supply of rain.
Mercy is seasonable in the time of affliction. Ecclus.
seasonableness SE’ASONABLENESS, n. Opportuneness of time; that state of being in good time, or in time convenient for the prupose or sufficiently early.
seasonably SE’ASONABLY, adv. In due time; in time convenient; sufficiently early; as, to sow or plant seasonably.
seasoned SE’ASONED, pp. Mixed or sprinkled with something that gives a relish; tempered; moderated; qualified; matured; dried and hardened.
seasoner SE’ASONER, n. He that seasons; that which seasons, matures or gives a relish.
seasoning SE’ASONING, ppr. Giving a relish by something added; moderating; qualifying; maturing; drying and hardening; fitting by habit.
SE’ASONING, n.
1. That which is added to any species of food to give it a higher relish; usually, something pungent or aromatic; as salt, spices or other aromatic herbs, acids, sugar, or a mixture of several things.
2. Something added or mixed to enhance the pleasure of enjoyment; as, with or humor may serve as a seasoning to eloquence.
Political speculations are of so dry and asutere a nature, that they will not go down with the public without frequent seasoning. Addison.
Definitions from Webster’s American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828.
Tonight at sunset, the festive one-day holiday of Purim begins.
Purim spiel (Purim play): Part of the fun of Purim is the Purim spiel, a traditional Jewish play that often involves a comic dramatization of events and characters found in the Book of Esther.
On Purim, in synagogues around the world, the entire scroll of Esther, which is called the Megillah, is read twice—once on the night of Purim and once on the following day of Purim. (All Jewish holidays start in the evening at sunset.)
During the reading, the listeners participate by cheering whenever the hero Mordechai, guardian of Esther, is mentioned and by booing whenever Haman–the influential anti-Semite who had called for the annihilation of all the Jews of Persia–is mentioned.
The scroll of Esther
Although Purim is a Biblical festival that is overlooked by the Church, it’s an eye-opening read for all people devoted to the God of Israel and His people.
The Book of Esther is chock full of irony, mysteries, secrets, and intrigue that provide powerful life lessons.
Unlike the other Holy Days of the Lord, the command to celebrate this festival isn’t found in chapter 23 of Leviticus. What’s more, the command to celebrate this special holiday doesn’t come from God, but from Mordechai, the hero of Esther.
He commanded the celebration of the salvation of the Jewish People in ancient Persia from Haman’s plot to annihilate all the Jews in a single day.
“Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far, to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration.” (Esther 9:20-22)
Purim is characterized by feasting, celebrating, dancing, wearing costumes and great rejoicing.
It’s traditional for Jewish people to send gift baskets called Mishloach Manot (sending of portions) to one another and to the poor.
These special baskets contain ready to eat foods that are fit for use at the festive Purim meal. Among other foods, this might include special triangular cookies filled with poppy seeds or other fillings, called Hamentaschen (Yiddish) or Oznei Haman (Haman’s ears) in Hebrew.
Hamentaschen are traditionally eaten during Purim. While poppy seed filling is the most traditional filling, others include prune, nut, date, apricot, fruit preserves, cherry, chocolate, dulce de leche, caramel, and cheese. The shape is said to be like Haman’s hat or his ears.
This common practice is based on Mordechai’s command:
“He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor.” (Esther 9:22)
While many individuals do send food gifts to friends, neighbors, business associates and family, etc., the giving of gifts to the poor is often accomplished by donating money or food to charities which distribute food on Purim day.
The poor are not exempt from participating in this practice.
At Purim, baskets called Mishloach Manot are given to friends, family, neighbors, and the poor. Although they traditionally contain food that can be used for the Purim meal, they also often have a variety of special snacks and treats.
A Game of Chance
“For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the pur (that is, the lot) for their ruin and destruction. … Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur.” (Esther 9:24-26)
The word Purim, as Scripture tells us, means lots, as in the method of choosing or making a decision seemingly by ‘chance’.
In Persia, the pur (a lot) was used to seek guidance from pagan gods. The name of the holiday, therefore, is derived from Haman drawing lots to determine the date when to schedule the extermination of the Jews!
The lot fell to the 13th day of the month Adar.
Although the day that Haman cast the pur seems to be a matter of chance, even a glance at the Hebrew calendar reveals God at work.
On the 13th day of the month Nissan, which is the first month of the Hebrew calendar, the edict was issued that the Jews should be annihilated on 13th day of the 12th month (Esther 3:7, 12-13).
Why is this significant? Because that was the day before Passover!
A Jewish family sits together to enjoy the Passover meal and recount the story of deliverance from Egypt.
Imagine that every Jewish household in Persia was searching their houses for chametz (leaven) in preparation for the beginning of Passover the next day, when they would have a Passover seder (traditional meal and recounting of the story) to commemorate their deliverance from Egypt.
As they were preparing to retell the story of the Passover to themselves and to their children the greatness of God’s power in bringing them out of Egypt, they likely received the shocking news.
In exactly eleven months’ time, their enemies would attempt to murder each one of them in cold blood for one reason and one reason alone – they were Jews.
God had made sure that uppermost in His people’s minds and hearts was the remembrance of His supernatural, mighty, and delivering power.
Haman had sent out a message promising destruction, but God’s message to the Jewish people seems clear: “He who delivered you from Egypt’s pharaoh long ago is well able to deliver you from Haman today!”
The Purim story written in Hebrew on a scroll that is set in an olive wood case.
Events may occur in our lives that seem random, but the book of Esther reveals that God is in control, no matter how powerful our enemy or how bleak the situation.
Whatever our situation or circumstance, we can rest in the assurance that our times are truly in God’s hands (Psalm 31: 15).
The whole story of Esther seems to be one of happenstance, such as the following:
Queen Vashti ‘just happens’ to pick this time to refuse to come to the king’s royal feast. In response, the king decides to find a new queen.
Mordechai ‘just happens’ to be in the right place at the right moment to hear of a plot against the king’s life, and he takes action to thwart that plan (Esther 2:21).
The king ‘just happens’ to have a sleepless night and calls his courtiers to read his book of chronicles, which reminds him that Mordechai saved his life (Esther 6:1).
Mahane Yehuda Market, Jerusalem: Everyone can get in on the fun at Purim, including bakers, counter assistants, and cashiers.
Mysteries in the Book of Esther
“He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.” (Daniel 2:22)
Purim is a festival to dress up, wear a mask and have fun.
Little boys dress as Mordechai, the King, and even the bad guy, Haman. (Boo!)
Nowadays, however, the costumes have expanded to include every conceivable disguise, since the theme of concealed, hidden and mistaken identities runs throughout the Book of Esther and the festival of Purim.
Even God is hidden in the Purim story.
In a search of the entire scroll of Esther from beginning to end, the name of God isn’t mentioned once.
For that reason, the book of Esther almost didn’t make it into the canon of the Bible.
The closest reference to God is when Mordechai tells Esther that redemption for the Jews will come from “another place” (makom aher) if she doesn’t act.
This term seems connected to HaMakom (literally The Place), which in Judaism refers to God “The Omnipresent.”
Even when God seems hidden, He is still there, and He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us.
Even when we can’t see or understand what is going on in our lives, with tribulations before us, behind us, and surrounding us, God is still there.
He is faithfully working behind the scenes to work out all the details, divine appointments, and circumstances to secure our victory. He may even ask for our participation in the drama!
In the Book of Esther, the heroine of the story, Esther, had a secret identity.
In obedience to the instruction given to her by Mordechai, her cousin and guardian, Esther concealed her Jewish heritage from King Ahasuerus, who not only ruled over most of the known world, but was her husband (Esther 2:10).
She did not reveal her true identity as a Jewess until the exact right moment when it was necessary to defeat the plot of Haman.
The very name Esther (אסתר) comes from the root S-T-R which means hidden or concealed.
In an ironic twist of mistaken identity, when King Ahasuerus asked Haman what should be done for someone who the king wishes to honor, Haman, in his own sense of pride and self-importance, assumed that the king wanted to honor him.
“Now Haman thought to himself, ‘Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?’” (Esther 6:6)
He, therefore, advised an elaborate public demonstration of favor. The man the king sought to reward, however, was Mordechai, Haman’s arch enemy, and Haman was elected to carry out the reward.
“‘Go at once,’ the king commanded Haman. ‘Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended.’” (Esther 6:10)
In God’s Kingdom, things are backwards or upside down, from the ways of the world. After all, it’s a Kingdom where the first are last and the last are first, where tax collectors and prostitutes enter before Kings and Pharisees, where the weak are strong and the poor are rich.
At the beginning of Esther, we see a poor orphaned Jewish girl named Hadassah, living in exile in the Land of Persia. But God saw potential in her. He saw Esther, a courageous and Godly Persian queen.
God also sees our true identity and our potential. He knows who we truly are and has a destiny for our lives.
The question is whether or not we will have the courage, perseverance and determination to take hold of it. Do we have faith to believe what the Word of God says about who we are in Messiah Yeshua (Jesus)?
Royal Positions and Hidden Identities
“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)
The Word of God says that our very life is “hidden with the Messiah in God.” (Colossians 3:3)
In Messiah, our true identities are sons and daughters of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords – members of a royal priesthood.
Just like Esther was willing to lay aside her own plans and dreams to fulfill her destiny, to fulfill our destinies, we must lay our hopes and ambitions on the altar and say, “not My will but Yours be done.”
Like Esther had a secret identity, the Church may also have a hidden identity–not separate from the Jewish people–but fellow citizens and an integral part of the commonwealth of Israel.
“Remember that at that time you were separate from Messiah, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.” (Ephesians 2:12)
Just like Mordechai called upon Esther to approach the king to petition him for the lives of her people, so too the Ruach Hakodesh (Holy Spirit) is crying out to the Church to pray and intercede for the salvation of Israel and the Jewish People from the people and countries who threaten her survival.
Today, just like during the time of Haman, the current leaders of Iran (Persia) are pointing their missiles and developing nuclear weapons to destroy the Jewish people in Israel.
This is not a time to remain silent. You can be like Queen Esther.
Have you not come to this royal position for such a time as this?
Salvation Baptism When we repent and trust in Christ’s finished work on the cross, He saves us, and we are baptized into Him by the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body…
In this baptism, we are also given the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit to comfort (John 14:16), teach (John 14:26), guide (John 16:13) and seal (Ephesians 4:30) us.
This is the baptism of our salvation. Once again, this is not something we do, but something Christ does for us (John 1:33), and no water is involved.
Water Baptism Water baptism is a church sacrament (a church ceremony, or practice, that is considered holy and sacred because of its spiritual significance). Water baptism varies greatly among denominations in both practice and significance. There are two sacraments of baptism performed by Christians churches —(1) infant baptism or (2) youth and adult baptism (sometimes called believer’s baptism because the person makes a profession of faith). These baptisms can be performed by the sprinkling of water or by partial or full immersion in water.
Infant Baptism Many churches that practice infant baptism do so with the understanding that the baby is being baptized into the family of believers and dedicated to the Lord. It does not impart any forgiveness of sins, since only Jesus can forgive sins, and only His blood can wash us clean (Revelation 1:5).
In this type of dedication or infant baptism, both the parents and the congregation affirm their trust in Christ as Saviour and commit to raising the child in the Lord’s will and His ways. As the child grows and matures, the child still must repent and trust in Christ to receive forgiveness of sins and be saved by Him. The age, or level of maturity, at which a child can come to Christ will vary (Read more about the age of accountability), but with sound biblical teachings, even young children can understand the gospel, respond to it and be saved by Jesus.
When salvation is received, by someone baptized as an infant, they are called in Scripture to make a public profession. Churches that practice the sacrament of infant baptism also have the sacrament of confirmation. In confirmation, a believer confirms the vows made by their parents on their behalf and publicly professes their faith and trust in Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.
Baptism of Youth and Adults Other denominations wait until a child is old enough, or mature enough, to understand their sin and the gospel of saving grace (the age of accountability). Once someone has repented and trusted in Jesus, and been saved by Him, they then make a public profession of faith in baptism. This is often done by full immersion into water.
By outward appearances, full immersion baptism is similar to the baptism practice of John the Baptist. However, it is very different in meaning. John the Baptist used water to baptize unto repentance (Matthew 3:10). It was a baptism of purification based on the confession of sins (Matthew 3:6). It was not forgiveness of sins since John did not have the power to forgive sins. Only God can forgive sins and it is received by trusting in Jesus and being washed by His blood, not water.
Revelation 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.
The Bible is clear, water baptism is not necessary for salvation. However, there are some churches that would disagree. Search the Scriptures. It is only by Jesus that we are saved (Romans 5:9, Acts 4:12).
If Baptized as an Infant, and Later Confirmed, Do I Need to Be Re-baptized? NO. If water baptism is necessary for salvation, then the Lord erred when the thief on the cross trusted in Him and Jesus promised, “Assuredly [truly], I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise” Luke 23:43
We know that the Lord did not err. His words are true and His words to the thief were a promise of salvation– yet the thief on the cross was not baptized. The thief on the cross did the only thing that was necessary for salvation. He called out to Jesus in trusting faith, knowing that Jesus is the Lord and He has the power to bring people into His kingdom.
So if you were baptized as an infant, and later confirmed, you don’t NEED to be re-baptized. In confirmation, you made a public profession of your salvation. However, if you wish to be baptized again, or your church requires it for membership, you should certainly do so. Testifying publicly to what Jesus has done for you, and in you, is always a beautiful thing. It glorifies God and reminds everyone who witnesses your profession of the riches that God has already imparted to you when He saved you.
If Water Baptism Is Not Necessary for Salvation, Should It be Eliminated? Absolutely not! While water baptism has no saving power, it does have sanctifying benefits. Water baptism is a public profession of God’s mercy and grace, whether it’s by believing parents and congregants who vow to raise a child in the knowledge of the Lord, or as a personal profession by a redeemed sinner who has been saved by the grace of God.
I do not want to be misunderstood on this, so let me clarify. Although there may be no need to be water baptized, it is a beautiful sacrament and should be practiced. If one was baptized as an infant, they must understand that they should make a public profession when Jesus saves them. This can be done in confirmation or water baptism. If one was not water baptized as an infant, they should be baptized. However the sacrament is practiced, it is a beautiful testimony that proclaims the mercy and grace of God and His goodness in saving sinners.
Do Not Let This Be Divisive Various churches and denominations have different views on what water baptism signifies and how it should be practiced. I encourage you, DO NOT let this doctrine become divisive among believers. Search the Scriptures for your understanding. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit will reveal all truth.
The Bible is clear that we are to profess with our mouth that which we believe in our hearts (Romans 10:9-10), so be ready to do so. Share the saving grace of Jesus with others, by telling of what He has done for you and what He desires to do for all people.
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Addendum An email was received suggesting this is putting infant baptism “on par” with believer’s baptism. That is not the case.
Infant baptism could be considered similar to infant dedication. It has no saving power. Confirmation could be considered similar to believer’s baptism in that they are both are a profession of faith and that the person has been saved by Jesus by grace alone.
Remember, the question was whether water baptism is NEEDED. We cannot say that someone who was baptized as an infant, has been saved by Jesus, made a profession of faith, but was never immersed in water baptism, NEEDS to be baptized.
The point of this article is that the water of baptism does not save anyone. Only the baptism (washing) in Jesus’ blood (Rev 1:5) has saving power. But don’t hear me wrong. Believer’s baptism is a beautiful way to proclaim the gift of salvation and it is to be commended. Some churches require it, but others do not. And, we should not let this be divisive.
Jesus prayed for unity in the Church, not for uniformity. According to your church’s tradition, tell the world of what Jesus has done in saving you…and then never stop telling people. Especially tell those who do not know Jesus. Tell them that Jesus loves them and offers forgiveness for their sins and new life in Him. To Him be the glory!
Creation/Evolution controversy we focus on ourselves. What are human beings? Are we different from animals? Mark Twain said, “Man is the only animal that blushes – and the only animal that needs to!” Professor C.E.M. Joad noted that man is nothing but:
Fat enough for seven bars of soap; Iron enough for one medium-sized nail; Sugar enough for seven cups of tea; Lime enough to whitewash one chicken coop; Phosphorus enough to tip two thousand two hundred matches; Magnesium enough for one dose of salts; Potash enough to explode one toy crane; sulphur enough to rid one dog of fleas.
All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fish, another of birds (1 Corinthians 15:39).
Man is different from all other animals in a number of ways:
1. Analytical Thought
Man can think analytically. He can analyze problems and come up with creative solutions. He is able to reason and philosophize about life. The reasoning powers in animals are limited.
2. True Language
Only man possesses true language and conceptual thought. He can communicate by using abstract symbols. The Bible says one of the first responsibilities given Adam by God was to name the animals (Genesis 2:19-23). Animals have no such capacities.
3. Record History
Another difference is that man can record and determine history. From the beginning of time, man has recorded his deeds for the benefit of future generations. There is no example of any animal recording their deeds for posterity.
4. Economics
Man is an economic being, able to transact complicated business and to administer goods and services under his control. God instructed Adam and Eve to take control of the earth and “subdue” it (Genesis 1:28). Animals do not transact business between each other.
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Verse or Word(s) KJV Go! Help Quick Nav The Blue Letter Bible ← Back to Don Stewart FAQ List Don Stewart :: Is There a Difference Between Humans and Animals? Don Stewart As we close our section on the creation/evolution controversy we focus on ourselves. What are human beings? Are we different from animals? Mark Twain said, “Man is the only animal that blushes – and the only animal that needs to!” Professor C.E.M. Joad noted that man is nothing but:
Fat enough for seven bars of soap; Iron enough for one medium-sized nail; Sugar enough for seven cups of tea; Lime enough to whitewash one chicken coop; Phosphorus enough to tip two thousand two hundred matches; Magnesium enough for one dose of salts; Potash enough to explode one toy crane; sulphur enough to rid one dog of fleas.
The Bible makes a clear distinction between man and animals:
All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fish, another of birds (1 Corinthians 15:39).
Man is different from all other animals in a number of ways:
1. Analytical Thought
Man can think analytically. He can analyze problems and come up with creative solutions. He is able to reason and philosophize about life. The reasoning powers in animals are limited.
2. True Language
Only man possesses true language and conceptual thought. He can communicate by using abstract symbols. The Bible says one of the first responsibilities given Adam by God was to name the animals (Genesis 2:19-23). Animals have no such capacities.
3. Record History
Another difference is that man can record and determine history. From the beginning of time, man has recorded his deeds for the benefit of future generations. There is no example of any animal recording their deeds for posterity.
4. Economics
Man is an economic being, able to transact complicated business and to administer goods and services under his control. God instructed Adam and Eve to take control of the earth and “subdue” it (Genesis 1:28). Animals do not transact business between each other.
5. Art
Man is an aesthetic being, capable of perceiving and appreciating beauty and intangible values. When animals build things, the process and resulting object serve a functional purpose. Animals do not create objects for the purpose of appreciation.
6. Morality
Man is an ethical being. He can distinguish between right and wrong. He can and does make moral judgments. He has a conscience. Only to man could God speak of “good” and “evil.” Because of mans sense of justice and his ethical orientation, God could fairly punish him for his willful disobedience in the Garden of Eden.
7. Worship
Only man can experience faith. Man alone of all earthly creation can worship his Creator. He alone can put his trust in the guidance and leadership of God. The above list, though not exhaustive, points out that there are many things that separate man from animals. We could also add such things as: creativity, invention, imagination, abstract reasoning, love (at various levels), a will, and a conscience.
Human Life Is Different
It is important to note the significant difference between humans and other life forms. Not only are humans different from plants, but humans are also different from animals. Only humans, according to the Bible, are made in “Gods image.” Only humans possess the will and self-consciousness that distinguish us so sharply from even the most “advanced” and intelligent animals. Anatomist Kingsley Mortimer discusses that difference:
To the scientist, man is an animal, graciously self-designated as homo sapiens . . . If he is, at least, he is still the only one discussing what kind of animal he is. Few, however, would deny that man, animal or not has features without parallel in any other member of that kingdom. We are quite familiar with the physical evidence that marks out homo sapiens – the erect posture, the grasping thumb, the cerebral hemispheres. These are all acceptable criteria and have been with us for a long time. Few men take pride in them, but rather take them for granted . . . standard equipment. What puts man in the luxury class among all forms of life is his unique capacity for thought, and his possession of free will. He can do as he likes; he can go it alone. By his own choice, he can know the mystery of loneliness and solitary rebellion. Indeed, the very capacity to be rebellious or miserable is the property of man alone. For who ever hears of a miserable rose or a rebellious kangaroo? (Kings wellley Mortimer, “An Anatomists Testimony,” Why I Am Still a Christian, E. M. Blaiklock, editor, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, pp. 138,139).
From the Bible, as well as from observing both man and animals, it can be seen that there is a vast difference between the two. Francis Schaeffer comments:
Secular history can tell us much about our past as a human race, and therefore our own place in it. But no matter how much writing we turn up and translate, no matter how many excavations we make and how many artifacts we study, secular history has not unearthed a clue to help explain the final why of what we find.
All the way back to the dawn of our studies we find man still being man. Wherever we turn – to the caves in the Pyrenees, to the Sumerians, and further back to the Neanderthaler man burying his dead with flower petals – it makes no difference: Everywhere men show by their art and their acts that they observed themselves to be unique. And they are unique, unique as men in the midst of non-men (Francis Schaeffer, Genesis in Space and Time, Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1972, pp. 158,159).
Man – Made In Gods Image
The Bible says man has been made in the image and likeness of God. Man was the climax of Gods creation, having been created on the sixth day. Though last in order he is first in importance:
So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them (Genesis 1:27).
In the day that God created man. He made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created (Genesis 5:1,2).
What does it mean that man was created in Gods image? To say that man was made in the image of God means that God and man have many things in common. When God created man He gave him such things as personality, choice, emotions, morality, and creativity.
Personality
Both man and God have personality, that is to say, they can both think and communicate as rational beings. They each have personal identity that is separate from other rational beings and from non-living things. Man and God also have the ability to communicate to other rational beings:
And have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him (Colossians 3:10).
Choice
A second common trait between man and God is choice. Both God and man are beings who have the ability to choose, though God does not have the ability to choose evil. Neither God nor man is programmed or forced to make any choices. This freedom was given to man by God and man is responsible for the choices he makes.
Both man and God have emotions. For example, each can give love and receive love. God, as well as man, can be angry. Both man and God have the capacity to feel and express emotions.
Man and God both have a moral sense of right and wrong. Each knows and understands the difference between good and evil. The Bible says:
And that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:24).
Another attribute that God and man have in common is creativity. The Bible says God created the universe and everything within it. Man also is a creative being, having been given this ability by God.
Summary
Man is different from the animals. Both biblical and scientific evidence demonstrate this. Man alone has the capacity to know and worship God because he has been made in Gods image after Gods likeness.
The Bible makes a clear distinction between man and animals:
Which animal would you compare yourself to and why?
According to the Bible, God created humans in Genesis 1:26–28. The Book of Genesis tells the story of creation, including the creation of the sea, sky, birds, and animals. In Genesis 1:27, it says that God created humans male and female. Genesis 1-4 also states that God created humans from dust and breathed life into them. Genesis 2:7 says that humans are created in the image of God and find their origins in the earth’s soil and God’s breath. Genesis 2 also states that God created humanity through breath, while Genesis 1 states that God created the physical world by speaking. The Bible describes humans as having peculiar qualities that reflect the nature of God and set them apart from all other created beings. The Bible also claims that the role of humans is to rule alongside God. The Bible also says that God created animals before he created man, and placed them in the perfect serenity that was then earth. Animals share the sixth day of creation with humans (Gen 1:24–31). In Genesis 2:18–19, animals are not created as resources for Adam, but rather companions with Adam. The Bible also says that animals should be treated with respect and care, particularly those who work our lands. When it comes to the laws on the Sabbath, not only are humans commanded to rest and not engage in any form of work, but animals, too, are exempt from work as well.
The fact that the creation of man stands as a second act of creation within the sixth day also serves to set humanity apart. There is a command to create the land animals, then another to create humanity. This indicates that human beings are not simply another of the land animals.
Tim: Very clearly humans come from the earth, just like animals come from the earth. They are similar. But there’s also something different in that humans are designated as the divine image. Jon: The divine image, the image of God, the biblical claim the role of humans is to rule alongside God.
According to the Scriptures, humans are not an evolutionary accident but a special creation. Human beings were purposefully produced by God to fulfill a preordained role in His world. They have peculiar qualities that somehow reflect the nature of God Himself and set them apart and above all other created beings
Some people think that the main differences between humans other animal species is our ability of complex reasoning, our use of complex language, our ability to solve difficult problems, and introspection (this means describing your own thoughts and feelings).
The original explanation for the two stories was that the first one happened first, but the woman (made at the same time as the man), later named Lilith, got a bit above herself and thought she was as good as him. God couldn’t have that, of course, so he drove her out and started again in chapter two with Adam and Eve. This is a lie! Eve is the original woman made out of Adam’s rib.
How are the two creation stories different?
In Gen 1 , God creates plants, then animals, and then simultaneously creates man and woman. In Gen 2 , God creates a human, plants, then animals, and later he divides the human into female and male. Additionally, the two stories employ different names for the deity. This is clearly wrong as well! God made the planets, animals, and then man. Adam is clearly a man as a man.
What was the first thing God created? Genesis 1–2 tells the story of God’s creation of the world. On the first day, God created light in the darkness. On the second, He created the sky. Dry land and plants were created on the third day.
What is your middle name? Does it carry any special meaning/significance?
My middle name is Martha and my sister Helen’s middle name is Mary!
It’s ironic how my sister Helen and I have biblical middle names that match the sisters of Lazarus who was best friends with Jesus. This sister of Lazarus Mary is not Mary Magdalene. They are two very different people.
Martha (Hebrew: מָרְתָא) is a biblical figure described in the Gospels of Luke and John. Together with her siblings Lazarus and Mary of Bethany, she is described as living in the village of Bethany near Jerusalem. She was witness to Jesus resurrecting her brother, Lazarus.
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus visits the home of two sisters named Mary and Martha. The two sisters are contrasted: Martha was “encumbered about many things” while Jesus was their guest, while Mary had chosen “the better part”, that of listening to the master’s discourse. The name of their village is not recorded, nor (unlike in John 11:18) is there any mention of whether Jesus was near Jerusalem. Biblical commentator Heinrich Meyer notes that “Jesus cannot yet be in Bethany, where Martha and Mary dwelt [according to John’s Gospel]”. But the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges claims that it was “undoubtedly Bethany”.
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha”, the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. Ecclesiastics 10:13 Our speech reveals what is in our hearts and minds. Are we full of wisdom and grace, or are we on a course toward destruction? When we speak with love and truth, setting aside malice and deception, God’s grace is revealed in us. But when our words are careless, we not only harm others, but we reveal ourselves to be untrustworthy, bringing down judgment upon our own heads. Father God, You alone are the source of all wisdom. My mind is limited and my ways are faulty. Help me to seek You before I speak, so that I may discern truth from folly and speak only what is gracious and right. Guard my mouth against impetuous and unrestrained speech, so that I may not harm myself or others with my words. In Jesus’ name, amen.
The Word of the Lord praise be to God in Jesus name Amen
For other uses, see Martha (disambiguation). Martha (Hebrew: מָרְתָא) is a biblical figure described in the Gospels of Luke and John. Together with her siblings Lazarus and Mary of Bethany, she is described as living in the village of Bethany near Jerusalem. She was witness to Jesus resurrecting her brother, Lazarus.
Saint Martha of Bethany
St. Martha of Bethany on the left, Jesus at the house of Mary and Martha by Harold Copping Virgin Born probably Iudaea Province, Roman Empire Died traditionally Larnaca, Cyprus, Roman Empire or Tarascon, Gallia Narbonensis, Roman Empire Venerated in Catholic Church, Eastern Christianity, Anglican Communion, Lutheran Church Canonized Pre-congregation Feast
29 July (Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran), 4 June (Eastern Orthodox) Attributes broom; keys; Tarasque;[1] Patronage butlers; cooks; dietitians; domestic servants; homemakers; hotel-keepers; housemaids; housewives; innkeepers; laundry workers; maids; servants; servers; single laywomen; travellers; Tarascon; Villajoyosa, Spain; Pateros, Philippines; Malagasang Segundo, Imus, Cavite, Philippines Etymology of the name Biblical references edit In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus visits the home of two sisters named Mary and Martha. The two sisters are contrasted: Martha was “encumbered about many things” while Jesus was their guest, while Mary had chosen “the better part”, that of listening to the master’s discourse. The name of their village is not recorded, nor (unlike in John 11:18) is there any mention of whether Jesus was near Jerusalem. Biblical commentator Heinrich Meyer notes that “Jesus cannot yet be in Bethany,[4][5] where Martha and Mary dwelt [according to John’s Gospel]”.[6] But the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges claims that it was “undoubtedly Bethany”.[7]
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha”, the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”[8]
Christ in the house of Martha and Mary, by Henryk Siemiradzki, 1886 In the Gospel of John, Martha and Mary appear in connection with two incidents: the raising from the dead of their brother Lazarus (John 11) and the anointing of Jesus in Bethany (John 12:3).
In the account of the raising of Lazarus, Jesus meets with the sisters in turn: Martha followed by Mary. Martha goes immediately to meet Jesus as he arrives, while Mary waits until she is called. As one commentator notes, “Martha, the more aggressive sister, went to meet Jesus, while quiet and contemplative Mary stayed home. This portrayal of the sisters agrees with that found in Luke 10:38–42.”[9] In speaking with Jesus, both sisters lament that he did not arrive in time to prevent their brother’s death: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died”.[10] But where Jesus’ response to Mary is more emotional, his response to Martha is one of teaching, calling her to hope and faith:
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. “Lord”, Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
“Yes, Lord”, she told him, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”
As the narrative continues, Martha calls her sister Mary to see Jesus. Jesus has Mary bring him to Lazarus’ tomb where he commands the stone to be removed from its entrance. Martha here objects, “But, Lord, by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days”, to which Jesus replies, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”. They then take away the stone and Jesus prays and calls Lazarus forth alive from the tomb.
Martha appears again in John 12:1–8, where she serves at a meal held in Jesus’ honor at which her brother is also a guest. The narrator only mentions that the meal takes place in Bethany, while the apparently parallel accounts in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark specify that it takes place at the home of one Simon the Leper. As the Catholic Encyclopedia notes, “We are surely justified in arguing that, since Matthew and Mark place the scene in the house of Simon, St. John must be understood to say the same; it remains to be proven that Martha could not ‘serve’ in Simon’s house.”[2] It is at this meal that a woman (Martha’s sister Mary, according to John) anoints Jesus with expensive perfume.
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Is Mary Magdalene the sister of Martha? I have been asked this question many times, suggesting that it interests many people. It has often been a topic of discussion in the history of the Christian church. Let’s examine the biblical evidence.
UNCATEGORIZED JANUARY 29, 2009 This page is also available in: Español
Is Mary, the sister of Martha, the same as Mary Magdalene?
I have been asked this question many times, suggesting that it interests many people. It has often been a topic of discussion in the history of the Christian church. Let’s examine the biblical evidence.
1. Mary of Bethany:We know little about this Mary, unless she is identified with Mary Magdalene.
This is what we know: She was the sister of Martha and Lazarus and lived in Bethany, in the region of Judea (Luke 10:38, 39; John 11:1, 2). She used to sit at Jesus’ feet to learn from Him. Since this was the posture assumed by a disciple, we can conclude that she was a disciple of Jesus. She anointed Jesus shortly before His crucifixion, revealing her devotion and love for Him (John 11:2; 12:1-8). This act was her expression of gratitude for the forgiving love of the Savior she experienced (Luke 7:47, 48). Luke implies that she had been forgiven much. After the anointing, no other mention is made of Mary of Bethany.
2. Mary Magdalene: The full name of this woman has traditionally been taken to imply that she was from the city of Magdala, located on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. The first time she is mentioned in the Gospels she is specifically included among women who had been healed by Jesus from their sickness or from demonic possession; specifically that she had been freed from seven demons, most probably by Jesus (Luke 8:2). These women were Jesus’ disciples—they accompanied Him during His second Galilean tour—and they provided financial support for His ministry (verses 2, 3). In other words, Mary Magdalene was relatively wealthy.
3. Same Person? Based on the biblical evidence I can only say, “Perhaps” or “Probably so.” Most interpreters believe these are two different persons, because no historical evidence exists to support the position that they are the same person.
Besides, there is the problem of the place of origin. Bethany is in Judea, while Magdala is in Galilee. One could speculate that perhaps early in her life Mary left her home in Bethany, went to live in Magdala, and after she met Jesus she returned to Bethany. This does not contradict any of the biblical evidence, but simply goes beyond it.
Another detail to suggest we are dealing with the same person is that the anointing of Jesus recorded in Luke describes Mary as “a woman who had lived a sinful life” (7:37, NIV). In this case it would be difficult to deny that this refers to Mary of Bethany. Besides, they were both disciples of Jesus, and they appear to have had some financial resources that were placed at the service of the Lord. Based on the Bible I cannot provide a final answer to your question. Please, do not get frustrated; we don’t know everything.
4. What Really Matters: Perhaps what is significant for us in the discussion of the identity of Mary Magdalene and Mary of Bethany is that, whether or not they were the same person, Jesus trained women to proclaim the good news of salvation. He called men and women to the service of the gospel.
Mary Magdalene came to play a significant role in the gospel narrative. She almost became the disciple par excellence. She witnessed Jesus’ death on the cross (Matt. 27:55, 56; John 19:25) and accompanied His body to the tomb (Matt. 27:60, 61). On Sunday morning she was the first to get to Jesus’ tomb, and, seeing that it was empty, went and informed the disciples that someone had taken away Jesus’ body (John 20:1, 2). The other disciples came and found it to be true and went away, but Mary stayed behind and was the first to see the risen Lord (verse 15). He commissioned her to tell the disciples He had been resurrected (verse 17). In obedience, she and the other women went to the disciples and announced that the Lord had risen (John 20:18; Matt. 28:7; Luke 24:9).
If the resurrected Savior used women to proclaim to the male disciples that He was alive, we should also make full room for women in the proclamation of the eternal gospel.
What is one question you hate to be asked? Explain.
For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Acts 17:28
Sometimes, even as Christians we struggle to grasp how much we depend on God. After all, we don’t see Him and hear Him, so it is easy to perceive Him as distant. But we are reminded by Paul’s words that God not only created us, but He continuously sustains us. God didn’t just create us and then step aside. Rather, He actively maintains the universe, continuing to make a place for us to live and glorify Him.
Lord, thank You for creating me, in Your image and as Your offspring. Thank You for faithfully watching over Your creation and holding all things together. Thank You for making a place for me in Your creation, and as Your child. Please remain with me and sustain me, so that my life may bring You honor and glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Even as Solomon warned his son to refuse the enticements of the world, the flesh, and the Devil, so you also. Our Lord has warned us to do the same in this verse from Proverbs. We are your sons and your daughters, and you provide us with the instruction we need to follow you. Those who have cast off any purpose to obey your law and live in a continual, unrepentant practice of sin, sinners, love to cause others to fall. But however great the allurement or enticement may be, we cannot be forced to sin against our own wills. We must choose to yield ourselves to God instead of to sin (Romans 6:13).
Amen
The book of Isaiah follows the Jewish people during their exile from Babylon. Times were tough: the city of Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonian king, Nebuchadrezzar, and the Jewish people were enslaved for decades. In Isaiah 40, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The Jewish people are permitted to return to Jerusalem, ending their exile, but a long trek is ahead of them. With this context in mind, I believe Isaiah 40:11 begins to make a lot more sense.
What is the longest walk you have ever been on? How about the longest walk in the summer in the desert? Now imagine that you don’t know when you will arrive, what will be there when you arrive, and that each day brings you to a new place that you have possibly never been before. Imagine the fear you would feel, the insecurity you would be wracked with on a daily basis, and the anxiety you would feel towards the unknown you would encounter every single day. There is an answer, however, a guiding hope that will lead you when you are lost. It is the Lord our Shepherd. This imaginary exercise can only paint a very loose picture of what the exiles of Jerusalem were truly feeling. They were enslaved for decades, broken and tortured, split from their families and had their faith decimated. They continued to trust in God, and God never abandoned them.
The rejoicing tone of this verse can be easily felt. Wandering in the desert, tired and lost, the Jews are finally allowed to return home. Their faith wavered, their will was tested, but God fed his flock, gathered and carried them, and gently led those with children. A shepnherd can carry a baby lamb and will see the mother of the baby follow closely, the most intimate and gentle experience that a shepherd can perform.
What can we take for this verse that we can use in our lives? First trust in God. He will not abandon us and will always be there for us when we ask Him to be. He’s even there when we don’t ask Him to be.
Second think of others that we can act as a shepherd towards. Carry those that need to be carried when they need it, leading those who need to be led when they need us.
Lastly be wise enough to recognize not everyone is in control of our lives. God has a plan for the Hebrews in the Book of Isaiah and although it may be impossible for many of them to realize God’s plan for their lives at the time, He followed through with His plan like or not. I have had the same problems within my life thinking I am able to control everything there comes a time in everyone’s life when we need help and God is the only way no matter what!
Your plans Father God are so much better than any plan I have for myself. I ask You for help and You will help, but in your way! Thank You Father God for hearing our prayers in Jesus We come to you, Lord, honestly confessing that we are often tempted to go astray, that the world’s sinful enticements still have too much pull on our hearts. But being your children, the desire of our heart of hearts is to refuse to consent to temptations and to please you. Help us to be men and women of virtue, possessing the moral fortitude (inner strength) needed to overcome the world I pray this in Jesus name Amen.
Women at the Western (Wailing) Wall, the first two on the left are tourists from Africa and Asia. The rest of them are Israeli Jewish.
“The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward.” (Matthew 10:41)
Shalom Delana,
One of the least recognized yet significant roles women play is that of prophet.
Nevertheless, in the Bible, prophecy is a gender-neutral gift of the Spirit.
“Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.” (1 Corinthians 14:1)
God uses men and women to speak on His behalf.
Let’s look at three women prophets who embraced their destiny, spoke out, and saved Israel from destruction
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The Role of the Prophet
“Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.” (Acts 21:8-9)
What is a prophet?
In Hebrew, the word for prophet is navi. Some believe the word comes from the verb nava, which means to bubble up. But some modern linguists lean more toward the source being the Akkadian verb nabu, meaning to call.
Some scholars believe the word navi comes from the term niv sefatayim, meaning fruit of the lips, which emphasizes the prophet’s role as a speaker.
Regardless of the source of the word, the mission of the prophet throughout the Bible is clear — to speak on behalf of God.
The only way prophets have known what God wanted them to say is when He told them through His Spirit (Ruach in Hebrew), as He did with Ezekiel:
“Then the Ruach [Spirit] of the LORD came on me, and He told me to say: ‘This is what the LORD says: That is what you are saying, you leaders in Israel, but I know what is going through your mind.'” (Ezekiel 11:5)
A woman named Deborah was also empowered by Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) to be both a prophet and a judge during the time when Jabin, the king of Canaan, was oppressing Israel. As such, God placed Deborah as a key leader in Israel.
Judge Deborah the Prophet and Warrior Speaks Out
“Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time.” (Judges 4:4)
In Judaism, women are traditionally revered as “the mother of life” and as being endowed with a deeper sense of understanding than men.
We read in Judges 4:5 that Deborah was a judge.
She “used to sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel came up to her for judgment.”
The people of Israel in 12th century BC revered Deborah for her judgment and leadership abilities so much that she even directed men in battle as their Commander-in-Chief.
She was not only a prophet and a judge, she was a warrior.
During Deborah’s leadership, the people of Israel had been living for 20 years under the oppression of the king of Canaan.
They needed deliverance, so she called for a respected man of war named Barak and prophesied:
“The LORD, the God of Israel, commands you: ‘Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead them up to Mount Tabor. I will lead Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.'” (Judges 4:6-7)
The Song of Deborah, by Gustav Dore
Respecting her anointing by Ruach HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit) and placement by God in Israel for such a time as this, Barak told Deborah that he would not go into battle without her:
“Barak said to her, ‘If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.'” (Judges 4:8)
Barak perhaps made a common miscalculation.
While he seemed certain of Deborah’s anointing, he also seemed to doubt God’s ability to use him when distanced from her leadership.
It wasn’t enough to hear God’s destiny over his life — that God would give the enemy into his hands. Barak needed His spokesperson for the destiny to be there, too, and he perhaps idolized her as a “good luck charm” or a guarantor of success.
Because Barak had more faith in God’s spokesperson over God’s prophetic word, God modified Barak’s destiny:
“‘Certainly I will go with you,’ said Deborah. ‘But because of the course you are taking, the honor will not be yours, for the LORD will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman.'” (Judges 4:9)
“Yael went out to meet Sisera” (Judges 4:18) Image from page 315 of The Art Bible (1896)
God empowered another woman to take the glory that could have gone to Barak, if only he had enough faith to believe it would happen as God said.
After all, he gathered ten thousand troops and pursued the enemy as they fled.
He did the work, but it was a woman, not a soldier, who killed Jabin’s army commander, Sisera.
Completely defeated, Sisera fled from Barak and went to the tent of Yael the wife of Heber the Kenite, who was a metal smith.
It is possible he went there to have his weapons of battle fixed since the Kenites were at peace with the Canaanites.
While sleeping in Yael’s tent, she killed him by hammering a peg through his head, thus fulfilling Deborah’s prophecy that God would deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman. (Judges 4:21-22)
God is not a respecter of persons that He would only give wisdom, courage, and advance knowledge about civil matters or battle strategies to men alone.
He empowers women with such abilities, too.
A Jewish Israeli woman soldier holding her gun, protecting a Jerusalem street along with her male comrade.
If you could be someone else for a day, who would you be, and why?
David lived a victorious life for God, but he still wanted to achieve more. So God assured him that the good work He began with David would continue with his offspring. So too, is our work only set for a time, but God uses us within His larger kingdom plan to continue what has been started by others and to pass on our responsibilities to those who follow us.
I used to say that to myself until I grew closer to God and read the Purpose Driven Life! I learned God made me for His joy. I do have purpose here on earth because God said so. Also learned bad things do happen in life,. Knowing God promises to be there no matter all I have to do is ask Him to be with me. I learned there is only one of me and God wouldn’t have it any other way. Knowing You Father God, you’re able to have anything You want. I humblie thank You for Your unconditional love in Your, Son Jesus name Amen
God, thank You for all that You have done and continue to do through me. It is a joy to be able to serve Your kingdom. As I reflect on my work, I thank You for those who came before me, giving me a foundation to build on. Please grant me the grace to raise up others to continue in service to You beyond my years. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Trials and tribulations are an inevitable part of the Christian walk and (or) life. There are times where we will be mocked for what we believe and it will leave us weary and down. Christ tells about this in scriptures.
Isaiah too foresaw Jesus, God’s servant, being mocked (Isaiah 50:6). Jesus too predicted that people will mock him (Mark 10:34). It happened to him like that (Matthew 27:29 and 41). So let us remember that the sufferings of Jesus intensified because of mockery he faced.
Proverbs 17:5 ESV Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker; he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
Psalm 1:1 ESV / 140 helpful votes Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 Peter 3:3-7 ESV / 96 helpful votes Knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
Galatians 6:7 ESV Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.
Isaiah 57:4 ESV Whom are you mocking? Against whom do you open your mouth wide and stick out your tongue? Are you not children of transgression, the offspring of deceit,
Proverbs 15:12 ESV A scoffer does not like to be reproved; he will not go to the wise.
Proverbs 14:6-9 ESV A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain, but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding. Leave the presence of a fool, for there you do not meet words of knowledge. The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools is deceiving. Fools mock at the guilt offering, but the upright enjoy acceptance.
Ephesians 4:29 ESV Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Romans 12:2 ESV Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Ephesians 5:4 ESV
Have you wondered about how much the riches of God’s glory must be? It’s a common phrase that we come across, but we rarely stop to think about what it really signifies. Do the riches of God’s glory come with a limitation? The simple answer is no, they do not. The riches of God’s glory are endless and ever-abounding. When you view this verse from the point-of-view that God’s riches are endless, it totally blows your mind. The amount of strength that we are able to receive from God is boundless. There is no limitation to it.
We are always going to need to be strengthened as we go through this world. There are challenges that await us at every corner. When we think that we have got everything under control, the enemy springs up and tries to make us feel as if we are worthless. There are days where we can easily fend off his attacks, but there are also days where those attacks will take a large toll on us. In those moments, we are unable to pick ourselves up and it becomes very hard to push on.
It is in those moments, we need to call on God for his strength. The reality of the matter is this: our own human strength will never be able to sustain us. If it was, we would have no reason to depend on God. It is only through God, we are able to face the trials of life.
It is evidenced through both Old Testament and New Testament Scripture that God does have the power to heal our physical bodies. Miraculous healings still happen today! Use the following Bible verses to talk to God about your pain and fill your heart with hope.
Father, help me to keep my focus on you when the pain and hurt are overwhelming. Help me to be faithful and to see the good and blessings that surround me. Please strengthen my mind, heart, and body, and heal me today. May the Holy Spirit guide me in peace and comfort today. Amen.
Gracious God our Father, we come to You in Jesus name we thank You for sending Jesus to die for sinners, including myself among them.
🙏 God’s Promise 🙏
Isaiah 9:6 – in God’s promise to us was to send His Son: “His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Promise fulfilled!
Generative AI is experimental. Learn more The Bible has many passages that mention God as a defender, including: Deuteronomy 32:4 “The LORD is your mighty defender, perfect and just in all his ways; Your God is faithful and true; he does what is right and fair”. Psalm 62:6-8 “He only is my rock and my salvation: He is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: The rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God”. Psalm 62:5-7 “I depend on God alone; I put my hope in him. He alone protects and saves me; he is my defender, and I shall never be defeated. My salvation and honor depend on God; he is my strong protector; he is my shelter”. Exodus 15:2-3 “The LORD is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is his name”. Zechariah 1:18-2:13 “He will defend His chosen people and punish the wicked in His time!” . Psalm 18:1-6 “I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies”.
Hear us today as we praise you – the LORD God Almighty – above Whom nothing and no one is greater – our all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving God.
Praise God that He is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8), and that He is your solid Rock, your Fortress, your Rescuer, your Shield, your …
God, our loving Heavenly Father, wants us to find happiness and joy. He created a plan for us to grow, live by faith, and return to live with Him someday. His plan gives meaning and context to our life here on earth and answers the big questions: “Where did I come from?” “Why am I here?” and “What happens after I die?”
What does the Bible say about loyalty to your country? Righteousness exalts a nation.
Here are our sons and daughters, submit them to any test of comparison you will; regard for truth, veneration for age, reverence for God, love of man, loyalty to country, respect for law, refinement of manners, and lastly, … purity of mind and chastity of conduct.
What does God say in the Bible about us? You are children of God, heirs of God (1 John 3:2; Romans 8:16–17). You are no longer orphans. You belong to me (John 14:18; 1 Corinthians 6:19). And I love you as a perfect Father (1 John 3:1; Luke 15:20–24).Sep 24, 2015
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.” Acts 17:26 “From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.”
Who was the most loyal person in the Bible? Similar to the Hebrew Bible narrative, Islamic tradition mentions that Satan heard the angels of God speak of Job as being the most faithful man of his generation.
What did the Bible say about a good woman? She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”
True History or Consummate Fraud?
Hear the confident declaration of American statesman Daniel Webster (1782-1852):
The Gospel is either history, or it is a consummate fraud; it is a reality or an imposition. Christ was what He professed to be was an imposter. There is no other alternative. His spotless life in His earnest enforcement of the truth – His suffering in its defense, forbade us to suppose that He was suffering an illusion of a heated brain. Every act of His pure and holy life shows that He was the author of truth, the advocate of truth, the earnest defender of truth, and the uncompromising sufferer for truth. Now, considering the purity of His doctrines, the simplicity of His life, and the sublimity of His death, is it possible that He would have died for an illusion? In all His preaching the Savior made no popular appeals. His discourses were always directed to the individual. Christ and His apostles sought to impress upon every man the conversation that he must stand or fall alone – he must live for himself, and die for himself, and give up his account to the omniscient God as though he were the only dependent in the universe. The Gospel leaves the individual sinner alone with himself and God, Himself!
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6
Without God, our brokenness leaves us searching in the dark, unable to see His glory. But Jesus changed all of that, bringing the light of God not only to our world through His life, but into each of our hearts through our redemption. All of us who know Jesus not only have been given the blessing of seeing God’s glory, but He also continues to shine through us so that His light may expel darkness wherever we go.
Father God, thank You for sending Jesus, and for the light that You bring into my life through him, and for opening my eyes to see Your glory revealed in him. Please shine through me so that I may reflect Your glory and others may see You and know You as well. In Jesus’ name, amen.
The third Person, Holy Spirit is the best gift from God and His, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in my life!
There’s nothing more encouraging to tell ourselves at the beginning of a new day, whatever prospects may await, than “this is the day that the Lord has made” and “I will rejoice and be glad in it!”
That is what Psalm 118:24 says and that is the foundation for the lyrics of “Hava Nagila,” which goes like this:
Hava nagila, hava nagila Let us rejoice, let us rejoice
Hava nagila ve-nismecha Let us rejoice and be glad
Hava neranena, hava neranena Let us sing, let us sing
Hava neranena ve-nismecha Let us sing and be glad
Uru, uru achim Awake, awake brothers
Uru achim b’lev sameach Awake brothers with a joyful heart
century, the Hasidic communities in Eastern Europe and Russia were known for humming a nigun.
They did so as a way to maintain a level of joy and happiness in the face of oppressive regimes, pogroms, and ruthless anti-Semitism.
In the early 20th century, a group of Hasidic Jews from Sadigora, Ukraine brought their tunes with them to Israel.
One in particular caught the attention of a Jewish composer and musicologist, Abraham Zvi Idelsohn.
A passionate Zionist who immigrated to Israel in 1905, he wanted to unite the Jewish People (the early pilgrims to Israel) in song through the music they brought with them and the newly revived Hebrew language.
Idelsohn transcribed the tune into sheet music and is credited with adding the lyrics while serving as a bandmaster in the Ottoman Army during WWI.
In 1918, a choir sang his rendition for a celebration concert in Jerusalem after the British Army defeated the Turks.
It caught on and quickly became an all-occasion song.
From High Holy Day feasts to informal folk dances, Jewish weddings, and bar/bat mitzvah celebrations, Hava Nagila is a staple song.
Dancing the traditional circle dance known as the Hora at Kibbutz Dalia in 1945. (Israel National Photo Collection)
In the 1950s, the famous Jamaican-American singer Harry Belafonte helped to popularize it among the non-Jewish world by closing his performances with the joyful song.
Today, a version of it exists in most any music style, such as mambo, surf rock, and even heavy metal.
Bob Dylan, a famous American Jewish singer, named his rendition “Talkin’ Hava Nagila Blues,” saying it was “a foreign song I learned in Utah.”
That sums up how familiar this Eastern European Hasidic tune has become to Jew and Gentile around the world.
Why so much attention?
Because it really is a happy, joyful tune.
However, Idelsohn secularized Psalm 118 by removing references to the Lord, and few who sing it know how much God delights to hear us rejoice in song to honor Him!
Singing and Dancing David (painting in a Florence church)
You can help educate Jewish People worldwide today.
“Rejoice in hope… Rejoice with those who rejoice.” (Romans 12:12, 15)
Believers dance and rejoice at a Messianic synagogue. (YouTube capture)
Rejoicing in Our Salvation Leads to Victory
“Is rejoicing really that important?” you might ask.
When we consider that joy is one of our spiritual weapons, the answer is yes! Rejoicing is linked to praise, and praise is linked to victory!
When we rejoice, we put on the “garment of praise [tehilah] for a spirit of heaviness [dullness, depression].” (Isaiah 61:3)
The enemy would dearly like to destroy our joy; it’s one of his weapons to separate us from God. So, it’s critical that we remember to rejoice.
The Songs of Joy, by James Tissot
God Rejoices over Israel!
An end-time prophecy is being fulfilled right now.
Only one time in the whole Bible does God say He will do something with all of His heart and all of His soul.
It is the planting of His Chosen Jewish people back in the Land that He gave to them as an everlasting possession:
“I will rejoice in doing good to them, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all My heart and all My soul.” (Jeremiah 32:41)
Jerusalem, the City of the Great King, is “created to be a delight” (Isaiah 65:18); and again, God says that He Himself will “rejoice over Jerusalem” and “take delight” in His people (Isaiah 65:19).
Jerusalem
Yeshua wept over His city 2,000 years ago (Luke 19:41) because the people rejected Him.
Today, the people of Israel still reject Yeshua and His salvation, but He is coming soon!
And at that time, they will “rejoice greatly” as they sing and shout out what is prophesied in Psalm 118 and Matthew 23:
“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”
The Jewish people will then be singing songs to the Lamb and who knows, maybe also Hava Nagila!
What’s your favorite candy? I don’t know if I have any! Well yeah, I do! It is peeps!
Marshmallow Peeps are a marshmallow candy that come in the shape of chicks, bunnies, and other animals. They’ve been marketed in the United States and Canada since 1953, and are made by Just Born Quality Confections, which is based in Pennsylvania. Peeps are made from sugar, corn syrup, and gelatin, and the eyes are made from food-grade carnauba wax. They are coated in a layer of sugar crystals, which gives them a sweet texture. A Peeps chick contains 28 calories. You can buy Peeps in a variety of flavors and shapes, including holiday shapes.
Peeps are produced by Just Born,[1] a candy manufacturer founded in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, by an immigrant from Vinnitsa in the Russian Empire (now in Ukraine), Sam Born (1891–1959).
In 1953, Just Born acquired the Rodda Candy Company and its marshmallow chick line, and replaced the painstaking process of hand-forming the chicks with mass production.[2] When founder Sam Born displayed a sign for his freshly made candy, he titled it “Just Born”, playing off of his last name and the fact that he made his candy fresh daily.[3] According to Mary Bellis, the newly purchased company, Just Born, was soon the “largest marshmallow candy manufacturer in the world.”
Just Born began producing other shapes in the 1960s, following seasonal themes. Twenty years later, the Marshmallow Peeps Bunny was released as a popular year-round shape of the candy.[4] The yellow chicks were the original form of the candy — hence their name — but then the company introduced other colors and, eventually, the myriad of shapes in which they are now produced. Peeps were manufactured in different colors, such as lavender starting in 1995 and blue in 1998. Prior to that, they were only being produced in the traditional colors: yellow, pink and white. New flavors such as vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate were introduced between the years of 1999 and 2002.[4]
The Peeps Fun Bus In 2003, the Peeps Fun Bus conducted a tour across the country to promote the brand. The tour included giveaways and games and was decorated with a giant Peep on the top of the bus. [5]
In 2009, Just Born expanded the Peeps product line further by introducing Peeps Lip Balm in four flavors: grape, strawberry, vanilla, and cotton candy.[6] Just Born has come out with several other various accessories. Items such as nail polish, wrist bands, umbrellas, plush toys, golf gloves, earrings, and necklaces are produced and sold online and in retail stores. Other companies have produced items based on the popular Peeps candy. Peeps micro bead pillows were made by Kaboodle and conform to one’s shape. The company Kaboodle promises that “they’ll last a lot longer than their edible counterpart!” Ranging from infant sizes to adult sizes, Peeps Halloween costumes can also be found on the shelves of several costume stores. The first Peeps & Co. store opened in November 2009 in National Harbor, Maryland, Prince George’s County. Peeps & Company retail stores were later opened in Minnesota (as of 2019, shut down due to low profits) and Pennsylvania. In 2014, Peeps Minis were introduced, and were intended to be available year-round.
Why did Peeps take 27 hours to make? They Make Millions in Minutes
It used to take 27 hours to make a single Peep because each one was hand-squeezed from a pastry tube. That was in 1953. Now it takes six min. utes, thanks to owner Sam Born’s son, Bob, who mechanized the process in 1954 with a special machine still used today.
Did Peeps get banned?
After this upcoming Easter season, when Peeps will once again be ubiquitous in grocery stores, the treats will no longer contain red dye No. 3, which will be banned for use in food in California starting in 2027.Oct 13, 2023
What was the original name of Peeps? Peeps, as we know them today, are made by the Just Born company in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Sam Born, owner of Just Born, purchased the Rodda Candy Company in 1953. The Rodda Candy Company were makers of what were called back then the “Rodda Chick” – a handmade chicken confection that took 27 hours to make.
Do Peeps get moldy?
Peeps are a good substrate for fungal research because they contain sugar and corn syrup, which some fungi love. But they also contain potassium sorbate, a preservative that prolongs shelf life and prohibits the growth of many molds and yeasts.
Healthy or not … Are marshmallow peeps good for you? Peeps are a type of marshmallow candy that are popular during the Easter holiday season. While they can be enjoyed in moderation as a sweet treat, they are not particularly nutritious and are high in sugar and calories. One Peep contains about 28 calories and 6.5 grams of sugar.
Originally promoted primarily at Easter, Peeps have subsequently been marketed as “Always in Season”, and have expanded to Halloween, Christmas and Valentine’s Day. Since 2014 the confection has been available year-round with the introduction of Peeps Minis.
Peeps ingredients include sugar, corn syrup, gelatin, food dyes and salt.
Describe your most ideal day from beginning to end.
Everyday I begin thanking God for His gift life. He wakes and lays me down. My relationship with God is so much more important to me than anything else in my life.
Here are some Bible verses about putting God first: Proverbs 3:6 “In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success” Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” 2 Corinthians 5:21 “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God”
Other Bible verses about putting God first include: Matthew 10:38-39 Matthew 13:44-46 Matthew 22:37-40 Ephesians 1:22-23 Colossians 3:17 Exodus 20:3 Proverbs 3:5-6
🖥️ Write about your first computer. 🖥️ I was in school using these two PCs for school work. That was in the 80’s. I liked them.
Ten Republican senators in Oregon cannot run for reelection, the state’s top court ruled on Feb. 1.
The court found that the senators are banned from running for reelection under a constitutional amendment approved in 2022. The amendment, Ballot Measure 113, states that lawmakers who miss at least 10 legislative days without an excuse cannot seek reelection. The ruling upheld a decision from Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade, a Democrat.
Ms. Griffin-Valade said in 2023 that the senators, under the measure, could not try for another term after their current term. “My decision honors the voters’ intent by enforcing the measure the way it was commonly understood when Oregonian added it to our state constitution,” she said at the time. The decision sparked a lawsuit from some of the Republican senators, but the Oregon Supreme Court sided with the secretary of state.
“Because the text is capable of supporting the secretary’s interpretation, and considering the clear import of the ballot title and explanatory statement in this case, we agree with the secretary that voters would have understood the amendment to mean that a legislator with 10 or more unexcused absences during a legislative session would be disqualified from holding legislative office during the immediate next term, rather than the term after that,” the new ruling reads.
Justices said they used their typical methodology in construing the amendment “by determining how the voters who adopted the amendment most likely understood its text.” The method included considering the information presented to voters, which stated that voting yes would disqualify legislators with 10 unexcused absences for the term “following current term in office.” “Those other materials expressly and uniformly informed voters that the amendment would apply to a legislator’s immediate next terms of office, indicating that the voters so understood and intended that meaning,” the justices wrote.
The ruling applies to 10 Republican senators in the 30-seat body.
“I’ve said from the beginning my intention was to support the will of the voters,” Ms. Griffin-Valade said in a statement. “It was clear to me that voters intended for legislators with a certain number of absences in a legislative session to be immediately disqualified from seeking reelection. I’m thankful to the Oregon Supreme Court for providing clarity on how to implement Measure 113.”
Senate President Rob Wagner, a Democrat, said that the ruling “means that legislators and the public now know how Measure 113 will be applied, and that is good for our state.”
The senators in question, including state Senate Minority Leader Tim Knopp, missed more than 10 days in 2023 while protesting Democrat-sponsored bills on abortion and other issues. Their walkout of about six weeks delayed voting because it resulted in a lack of quorum, or the minimum number of senators needed to be present to hold a vote.
“We obviously disagree with the Supreme Court’s ruling. But more importantly, we are deeply disturbed by the chilling impact this decision will have to crush dissent,” Mr. Knopp said on Feb. 1.
Oregon voters approved Measure 113 by a wide margin following Republican walkouts in the Legislature in 2019, 2020, and 2021.
The measure says disqualification applies to “the term following the election after the member’s current term is completed.”
Mr. Knopp and others had challenged the interpretation of the measure.
Lawyers for the senators said they viewed the measure language as meaning that the lawmakers could run in 2024, since a senator’s term ends in January while elections are held the previous November. They argued the penalty doesn’t take effect immediately, but rather, after they’ve served another term.
All parties in the suit had sought clarity on the issue before the March 2024 filing deadline for candidates who want to run in this year’s election.
Mr. Knopp and three other Republican senators had already launched reelection bids before the case was considered, while two other senators have said that they’re retiring at the end of their terms. The remaining GOP senators were elected in 2022 for terms that end in early 2027, so they will be barred from running in 2026.
Justice Aruna Masih didn’t participate in the consideration of the case or the decision, the Oregon Supreme Court stated.
All justices on the Oregon Supreme Court were appointed by Democrat governors, either Gov. Kate Brown or Gov. Tina Kotek.
“I’m disappointed but can’t say I’m surprised that a court of judges appointed solely by Gov. Brown and Gov. Kotek would rule in favor of political rhetoric rather than their own precedent,” said state Sen. Suzanne Weber, another lawmaker affected by the ruling. “The only winners in this case are Democrat politicians and their union backers.”
Another challenge from Republicans, this one in federal court, is still pending. The court recently denied a preliminary request that would have let three of the Republicans run, a decision the Republicans have appealed.
The International Business Machines Corporation (using the trademark IBM), nicknamed Big Blue, is an American multinational technology corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York and is present in over 175 countries. IBM is the largest industrial research organization in the world, with 19 research facilities across a dozen countries, and held the record for most annual U.S. patents generated by a business for 29 consecutive years from 1993 to 2021.
IBM was founded in 1911 as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR), a holding company of manufacturers of record-keeping and measuring systems. It was renamed “International Business Machines” in 1924 and soon became the leading manufacturer of punch-card tabulating systems. During the 1960s and 1970s, the IBM mainframe, exemplified by the System/360, was the dominant computing platform, and the company produced 80 percent of computers in the U.S. and 70 percent of computers worldwide.
After entering the multipurpose microcomputer market in the 1980s with the IBM Personal Computer, which became the most popular standard for personal computers, IBM began losing its market dominance to emerging competitors. Beginning in the 1990s, the company began downsizing its operations and divesting from commodity production, most notably selling its personal computer division to the Lenovo Group in 2005. IBM has since concentrated on computer services, software, supercomputers, and scientific research. Since 2000, its supercomputers have consistently ranked among the most powerful in the world, and in 2001 it became the first company to generate more than 3,000 patents in one year, beating this record in 2008 with over 4,000 patents. As of 2022, the company held 150,000 patents.
As one of the world’s oldest and largest technology companies, IBM has been responsible for several technological innovations, including the automated teller machine (ATM), dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), the floppy disk, the hard disk drive, the magnetic stripe card, the relational database, the SQL programming language, and the UPC barcode. The company has made inroads in advanced computer chips, quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and data infrastructure.[citation needed] IBM employees and alumni have won various recognitions for their scientific research and inventions, including six Nobel Prizes and six Turing Awards.
IBM is a publicly traded company and one of 30 companies in the Dow Jones Industrial Average. It is among the world’s largest employers, with over 297,900 employees worldwide in 2022. Despite its relative decline within the technology sector, IBM remains the seventh largest technology company by revenue, and 49th largest overall, according to the 2022 Fortune 500. It is also consistently ranked among the world’s most recognizable, valuable, and admired brands.
What are your favorite sports to watch and play? I was a Michigan fan until three years ago because of what they said about Israel! Pro football I stopped watching because they are a contributor to human trafficking. They are also disrespectful to kneel while National Anthem. That’s an insult to those who fought for our freedoms and are still fighting for our freedoms. They have no right to disrespect our military and that is what they are doing. The football players who kneel the basketball players who disrespect our National Anthem should be held for treason.
Football players get millions of dollars and cry if they get hurt. Football is not football anymore it is a Sissy ball.
“God has granted me another child.” (Genesis 4:25)
Shalom Delana,
Seth is a popular name in the Western world, but few people know it’s the name of a significant man in the Bible that is packed with God’s hope and promises for our lives.
We read that “hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” (Proverbs 13:12)
Let’s see how God planted a seed of hope in the spiritual DNA of Seth — a hope that all humanity has longed for and which we find fulfilled in Messiah Yeshua.
Restoring Hope Through Seth, a Son Appointed by God
We often hear about Adam and Eve’s dreadful decision to disobey God in the Garden of Eden.
As a consequence to their sin of disobedience, which was now part of their human nature and that of humanity forevermore, the couple lost their second-born child when their first-born son Cain, murdered his brother Abel.
Cain’s sin of murder evolved into a legacy of descendants who created weapons of warfare (as Tubal-Cain did) and seemed to glorify murder without consequence (as Lamech appeared to do). (Genesis 4:22–24)
So, God began a new line of righteousness, revealing the fullness of His grace and mercy:
“Adam had relations with his wife again; and she gave birth to a son, and named him Seth [shayth – שֵׁ֑ת], for, she said, ‘God has appointed [shat – שָֽׁת] me another offspring in place of Abel, for Cain killed him.’” (Genesis 4:25)
Through Seth, God laid a new foundation.
Jewish men read from a Torah scroll wearing a tallit (prayer shawl) and tefillin (phylacteries).
Help introduce Jewish people to their Messiah Yeshua, click now
In fact, Jewish sages consider Seth’s name to mean foundation because they say that from him the world was founded. (Midrash Aggadah Genesis 4:25)
Though God did set Seth as a foundation for the promised seed of Messiah, this is not the literal Hebrew meaning of Seth’s name.
The name Seth in Hebrew is Shayth – שֵׁ֑ת. It is related to the verb sheeth (שִׁית), meaning to set, place, or appoint.
God appointed Seth in place of his brother Abel, who died without any descendants, to begin a new bloodline that would bring salvation to the human race.
Cain Leads Abel to Death, by James Tissot
Losing a child to murder must be the most tragic event in any parent’s life, and even worse when it is committed by another family member.
But God knows our despair. He truly is our Comforter and is always ready to turn our ashes into joy, by placing a new path of restoration before us.
Satan, however, is continuously trying to replace God’s plans of hope and salvation for the human race with his plans of deception, failure, and ultimately death and eternal condemnation.
We see this pattern of Satan’s disruption at the very beginning of creation when he deceived Adam and Eve.
Adam and Eve (1919 Bible Primer by Adolf Hult)
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So in Genesis 3:15, God stepped in and placed the hope in Eve that one day her seed would “bruise” Satan’s head.
The Jewish sages write that “Eve had respect to that seed which is coming from another place. And who is this? This is the King Messiah.” (Genesis Rabbah 23:5)
Satan also understood God’s plan to save humanity through Eve’s seed by sending us a Messiah, so he has been trying to wipe out humanity (physically and spiritually). One way he does this is by taking advantage of our emotional wounds.
God warned Cain to master the sin that was boiling up in his heart — his hatred, anger, and jealousy against Abel. (Genesis 4:7)
Cain did not heed God’s warning. He acted on his feelings by murdering Abel.
Jealousy, anger, and hatred are just three of the toxic emotions that the enemy of God encourages in us to lead us away from God’s love and protection. Sadly, Cain did not seek God’s help in these matters.
Within seven generations, Cain’s descendants became skilled in warfare and killing without repentance; they also became skilled musicians of the flute and harp. (Genesis 4:21–24)
Though they acquired many practical skills, they lacked understanding and knowledge of God and His standards of righteousness.
And then came Seth, the son appointed by God. (Genesis 4:25)
Throughout history, God has appointed people to be a light in the midst of great darkness.
Restoring Hope Through Messiah Yeshua
Even though God appointed Seth to begin a new line of righteousness, it seemed that for several generations, Satan would still prevail.
Initially, God’s plan appeared to be going well. At the ripe old age of 105, God blessed Seth with a son whom he named Enosh. (Genesis 5:6)
Only after the birth of Enosh “men began to call on the name of the LORD.” (Genesis 4:26)
But that wasn’t enough to turn the hearts of humanity away from their sin.
Seven generations after Enosh, God saw that the thoughts of humanity were continuously evil and the earth was full of violence and corruption. (Genesis 6)
God’s plans to restore righteousness prevailed when He sent the Great Flood, which wiped out all of Cain’s descendants.
God is always in control of His great plan for humanity!
Noah and His Ark (1819), by Charles Willson Peale
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Seth’s righteous seed would continue through Noah and his son Shem, continuing down the bloodline to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who were the fathers of a chosen people called the Israelites.
God made a promise and covenant with Abraham that through his seed would come a nation of priests.
God appointed this nation to spread His righteous ways throughout the world.
But many of them followed their own ways, and did evil in His sight, as happened in the days of Cain’s descendants before the Great Flood.
It seemed that Satan had the upper hand again! The “nation of priests” had turned away from God’s laws and incurred the penalty of their sin — death and separation from God forever.
Nevertheless, God never wavered in His promise to Eve that through her seed the Messiah would come.
The apostle Luke records for us that Yeshua (Jesus) descended from the seed of Seth. (Luke 3:38)
Even though Adam and Eve’s one act of disobedience in the Garden brought us all condemnation, God kept His promise to Eve. He sent us — and appointed for us — His only begotten Son, Yeshua, as our Messiah. (Acts 3:20)
“Messiah’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.” (Romans 5:18)
Yeshua in His perfect righteousness took our death sentence upon Himself by dying on the execution stake so that we could live free of eternal condemnation.
So, how do we apply His sacrifice (blood atonement) to our own sins?
By acknowledging our sins, repenting, and claiming His death in place of our eternal death.
Only then can we be restored to a right standing with God and enter into eternal life.
Being restored to God is like mending a broken ladder to heaven.
Believers Are Appointed to Be Like Seth
Just as God appointed Seth to begin a new line of righteousness in the bloodline of humanity, so too has God appointed us to begin a new line of righteousness in our own lives and future generations.
When we abide in Him and rely on His empowering Spirit in us, we sin less and repent quickly when we do, resulting in close fellowship with our Father who gives us joy, hope, and freedom.
Messiah Yeshua says, “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.” (John 15:16)
We are to persist in asking the Father for what we need to bear fruit for Him. (Romans 12:12)
The more we abide in Him and rely on His Spirit in us, the more we will be able to replace temptations to sin with God’s empowering Spirit.
Like Seth, we can set a new foundation for ourselves and the people around us.
“For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have appointed you to be a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'” (Acts 13:47)
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Orwellian is an adjective that describes a situation, idea, or societal condition that George Orwell identified as being destructive to the welfare of a free and open society. Orwellian can be used to describe a political system in which the government tries to control every part of people’s lives. It can also describe aspects of society reminiscent of Orwell’s critiques, such as mass surveillance and restrictions on free speech. Orwellian can also mean relating to or suggestive of George Orwell or his writings, especially relating to or suggestive of the dystopian reality depicted in the novel 1984. In 1984, social control is exercised through disinformation and surveillance. Synonyms of Orwellian include dystopian, nightmarish, terrifying, gloomy, hellish, despotic, tyrannical, oppressive, repressive, dictatorial, totalitarian, authoritarian, and autocratic.
What books do you want to read? The Bible is the only book I want to read! Bible, the sacred scriptures of Judaism and Christianity. The Christian Bible consists of the Old Testament and the New Testament, with the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox versions of the Old Testament being slightly larger because of their acceptance of certain books and parts of books considered apocryphal by Protestants. The Hebrew Bible includes only books known to Christians as the Old Testament. The arrangements of the Jewish and Christian canons differ considerably. The Protestant and Roman Catholic arrangements more nearly match one another. A brief treatment of the Bible follows. For full treatment, see biblical literature.
Bible, the sacred scriptures of Judaism and Christianity. The Christian Bible consists of the Old Testament and the New Testament, with the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox versions of the Old Testament being slightly larger because of their acceptance of certain books and parts of books considered apocryphal by Protestants. The Hebrew Bible includes only books known to Christians as the Old Testament. The arrangements of the Jewish and Christian canons differ considerably. The Protestant and Roman Catholic arrangements more nearly match one another.
I Am Who I Am Amen
Traditionally, the Jews have divided their scriptures into three parts: the Torah (the “Law,” or Pentateuch), the Neviʾim (“Prophets”), and the Ketuvim (“Writings,” or Hagiographa). The Pentateuch, together with the Book of Joshua (hence the name Hexateuch), can be seen as the account of how the Israelites became a nation and of how they possessed the Promised Land. The division designated as the “Prophets” continues the story of Israel in the Promised Land, describing the establishment and development of the monarchy and presenting the messages of the prophets to the people. The “Writings” include speculation on the place of evil and death in the scheme of things (Job and Ecclesiastes), the poetical works, and some additional historical books.
In the Apocrypha of the Old Testament, various types of literature are represented; the purpose of the Apocrypha seems to have been to fill in some of the gaps left by the indisputably canonical books and to carry the history of Israel to the 2nd century BCE.
The New Testament is by far the shorter portion of the Christian Bible, but, through its associations with the spread of Christianity, it has wielded an influence far out of proportion to its modest size. Like the Old Testament, the New Testament is a collection of books, including a variety of early Christian literature. The four Gospels deal with the life, the person, and the teachings of Jesus, as he was remembered by the Christian community. The Acts of the Apostles carries the story of Christianity from the Resurrection of Jesus to the end of the career of St. Paul. The various Letters, or Epistles, are correspondence by various leaders of the early Christian church, chief among them St. Paul, applying the message of the church to the sundry needs and problems of early Christian congregations. The Book of Revelation (the Apocalypse) is the only canonical representative of a large genre of apocalyptic literature that appeared in the early Christian movement.
S.E.K. Mqhayi (born Dec. 1, 1875, near Gqumahashe, Cape Colony [now in South Africa]—died July 29, 1945, Ntab’ozuko, S.Af.) Xhosa poet, historian, and translator who has been called the “father of Xhosa poetry.”
Mqhayi, who was born into a family of long Christian standing, spent several of his early years in rural Transkei, a circumstance that is reflected in his evident love of Xhosa history and his mastery of the praise poem. He taught school and helped to edit several Xhosa-language journals. In 1905 he was appointed to the Xhosa Bible Revision Board, and he later helped codify Xhosa grammar and standardize Xhosa orthography. After completing this work, Mqhayi devoted most of his time to writing.
His first published book, U-Samson, was a version of the biblical story of Samson. In 1914 his Ityala lamawele (“The Lawsuit of the Twins”) appeared. Inspired by another biblical story, Ityala lamawele is a defense of Xhosa law before European administration. In the 1920s Mqhayi wrote several biographies and Imihobe nemibongo (1927; “Songs of Joy and Lullabies”), the first published collection of Xhosa poems, many of which celebrate current events or important figures. A work of fiction, U-Don Jadu (1929), describes a utopian multiracial state that combines elements of Western society and Xhosa culture. Mqhayi’s autobiography, U-Mqhayi wase Ntab’ozuko (1939; “Mqhayi of the Mountain of Beauty”), gives a vivid picture of late 19th-century Xhosa life.
Mqhayi’s collected poems, Inzuzo (“Reward”), were published in 1942. A short autobiography and two works, “The Death of Hintsa” and “The Dismissal of Sir Benjamin D’Urban,” were published in Mqhayi in Translation (1976).
Methuselah, in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), patriarch whose life span as recorded in Genesis (5:27) was 969 years. Methuselah has survived in legend and tradition as the longest-lived human. His prodigious age has been taken as literally 969 solar years, as a possible mistranslation of 969 lunar months or tenths of years (with his age then ranging from about 78 years to almost 97 years), and as a myth intended to create an impression of a distant past between Adam and Noah, as well as any number of other interpretations.
Genesis tells nothing about Methuselah beyond sparse genealogical details: according to Genesis 5, he was the great-great-great-great-grandson of Seth, the child of Adam and Eve begotten more than a century after Cain. He was the father of Lamech and the grandfather of Noah. According to the biblical account, he came of hardy stock: all his forebears lived to an age between 895 and 962 years except his father, Enoch, who lived to be 365. (In the genealogy of Cain in Genesis 4, there is a Methushael who also fathers a Lamech. Given this and certain other similarities, some scholars have proposed that the genealogies of Seth and Cain were possibly one list that became two at some point.)
The enumeration of Methuselah in Genesis is his only appearance in the Hebrew Bible save for a mention in 1 Chronicles 1:3, where he is cited in the lineage of Saul. In the New Testament he is mentioned once in the Gospel of Luke. There, at 3:23–38, the lineage of Joseph, husband of Mary and earthly father of Jesus, is traced back 75 generations, through David and Saul, and Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to Methuselah and thence to Seth and Adam.
Charles Hodge (born Dec. 27, 1797, Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.—died June 19, 1878, Princeton, N.J.) conservative American biblical scholar and a leader of the “Princeton School” of Reformed, or Calvinist, theology.
Hodge graduated from Princeton University in 1815. He became professor of biblical literature at Princeton Theological Seminary in 1822 and professor of theology in 1840. From 1826 to 1828 he traveled in Europe, where he met the prominent theologians of the day, though he remained firmly resistant to newer trends of thought. Hodge continued to teach at the seminary until his retirement in 1877. In 1846 he served for one year as moderator of the “Old School” Presbyterian Church. This body, like the “Princeton School” of orthodox Calvinist theology, in which Hodge was a major figure, stressed the verbal infallibility of the Bible and asserted other generally conservative views.
Hodge constructed an influential Systematic Theology, 3 vol. (1871–73), and wrote numerous biblical commentaries. For 46 years he edited the Biblical Repertory and Princeton Review, a journal that he founded in 1825 and to which he contributed nearly 150 articles.
Abel, in the Old Testament, second son of Adam and Eve, who was slain by his older brother, Cain (Genesis 4:1–16). According to Genesis, Abel, a shepherd, offered the Lord the firstborn of his flock. The Lord respected Abel’s sacrifice but did not respect that offered by Cain. In a jealous rage, Cain murdered Abel. Cain then became a fugitive because his brother’s innocent blood put a curse on him.
Encyclopedia Britannica HomeGames & QuizzesHistory & SocietyScience & TechBiographiesAnimals & NatureGeography & TravelArts & CultureMoneyVideos Bible Home Philosophy & Religion Scriptures History & Society Bible sacred text Written and fact-checked by Last Updated: Dec 31, 2023 • Article History Top Questions Why is the Bible important? What language was the Bible originally written in? How is the Bible organized? When was the Bible written? What does the Bible say? Moses and the Israelites Moses and the Israelites Moses leading the children of Israel through the Red Sea, 15th century; illustration from a German Bible. Bible Bible The first printing (1663) of the Bible in the American colonies; it was translated by Christian missionary John Eliot into Massachuset (also known as Wampanoag), an Algonquian language. Philip II; Bible Philip II; Bible A Bible (1569)—written in Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, and Latin—that was subsidized by Philip II of Spain. Bible, the sacred scriptures of Judaism and Christianity. The Christian Bible consists of the Old Testament and the New Testament, with the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox versions of the Old Testament being slightly larger because of their acceptance of certain books and parts of books considered apocryphal by Protestants. The Hebrew Bible includes only books known to Christians as the Old Testament. The arrangements of the Jewish and Christian canons differ considerably. The Protestant and Roman Catholic arrangements more nearly match one another.
Category: History & Society On the Web: Christianity.com – “Bible” (Dec. 31, 2023) A brief treatment of the Bible follows. For full treatment, see biblical literature.
mosaic: Christianity More From Britannica Christianity: Biblical foundations Consider the Bible’s Old Testament as a literary masterpiece dramatized by paintings, music, and sculpture Consider the Bible’s Old Testament as a literary masterpiece dramatized by paintings, music, and sculpture The Bible As Literature, Part One: Saga and Story in the Old Testament. Treating the Bible as a collection of literary masterpieces, this film, produced in 1974 by Encyclopædia Britannica Educational Corporation, skillfully weaves together paintings, sculpture, music, and drama to renact the stories of the Bible. See all videos for this article Examine the Old Testament’s The Book of Proverbs and other books through a literary lens Examine the Old Testament’s The Book of Proverbs and other books through a literary lens The Bible As Literature, Part Two: History, Poetry, and Drama in the Old Testament. The second part of an examination of the Bible as literature, this film examines the books of Joshua, Samuel, and Kings as historical documents, the Book of Proverbs as lyric poetry, and the prophetical books as protest literature. It was produced in 1974 by Encyclopædia Britannica Educational Corporation. See all videos for this article Traditionally, the Jews have divided their scriptures into three parts: the Torah (the “Law,” or Pentateuch), the Neviʾim (“Prophets”), and the Ketuvim (“Writings,” or Hagiographa). The Pentateuch, together with the Book of Joshua (hence the name Hexateuch), can be seen as the account of how the Israelites became a nation and of how they possessed the Promised Land. The division designated as the “Prophets” continues the story of Israel in the Promised Land, describing the establishment and development of the monarchy and presenting the messages of the prophets to the people. The “Writings” include speculation on the place of evil and death in the scheme of things (Job and Ecclesiastes), the poetical works, and some additional historical books.
In the Apocrypha of the Old Testament, various types of literature are represented; the purpose of the Apocrypha seems to have been to fill in some of the gaps left by the indisputably canonical books and to carry the history of Israel to the 2nd century BCE.
Bible Bible St. Mark, illuminated manuscript page from the Gospel Book of the Court school of Charlemagne, c. 810; in the Stadtbibliothek, Trier, Germany. scripture scripture Le Miroir de humaine saluation (“The Mirror of Human Salvation”) by Ludolf of Saxony (supposed author), c. 1455; the French manuscript is an example of western European Christian scripture written in the vernacular. The New Testament is by far the shorter portion of the Christian Bible, but, through its associations with the spread of Christianity, it has wielded an influence far out of proportion to its modest size. Like the Old Testament, the New Testament is a collection of books, including a variety of early Christian literature. The four Gospels deal with the life, the person, and the teachings of Jesus, as he was remembered by the Christian community. The Acts of the Apostles carries the story of Christianity from the Resurrection of Jesus to the end of the career of St. Paul. The various Letters, or Epistles, are correspondence by various leaders of the early Christian church, chief among them St. Paul, applying the message of the church to the sundry needs and problems of early Christian congregations. The Book of Revelation (the Apocalypse) is the only canonical representative of a large genre of apocalyptic literature that appeared in the early Christian movement.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Michael Ray. S.E.K. Mqhayi Home Literature Novels & Short Stories Novelists L-Z Arts & Culture S.E.K. Mqhayi South African poet and novelist Also known as: Samuel Edward Krune Mqhayi Written and fact-checked by Last Updated: Article History S.E.K. Mqhayi (born Dec. 1, 1875, near Gqumahashe, Cape Colony [now in South Africa]—died July 29, 1945, Ntab’ozuko, S.Af.) Xhosa poet, historian, and translator who has been called the “father of Xhosa poetry.”
Category: Arts & Culture In full: Samuel Edward Krune Mqhayi Born: Dec. 1, 1875, near Gqumahashe, Cape Colony [now in South Africa] Died: July 29, 1945, Ntab’ozuko, S.Af. (aged 69) Notable Works: “Ityala lamawele” Subjects Of Study: Xhosa language grammar orthography syntax Mqhayi, who was born into a family of long Christian standing, spent several of his early years in rural Transkei, a circumstance that is reflected in his evident love of Xhosa history and his mastery of the praise poem. He taught school and helped to edit several Xhosa-language journals. In 1905 he was appointed to the Xhosa Bible Revision Board, and he later helped codify Xhosa grammar and standardize Xhosa orthography. After completing this work, Mqhayi devoted most of his time to writing.
Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) only confirmed photograph of Emily Dickinson. 1978 scan of a Daguerreotype. ca. 1847; in the Amherst College Archives. American poet. See Notes: Britannica Quiz Poetry: First Lines His first published book, U-Samson, was a version of the biblical story of Samson. In 1914 his Ityala lamawele (“The Lawsuit of the Twins”) appeared. Inspired by another biblical story, Ityala lamawele is a defense of Xhosa law before European administration. In the 1920s Mqhayi wrote several biographies and Imihobe nemibongo (1927; “Songs of Joy and Lullabies”), the first published collection of Xhosa poems, many of which celebrate current events or important figures. A work of fiction, U-Don Jadu (1929), describes a utopian multiracial state that combines elements of Western society and Xhosa culture. Mqhayi’s autobiography, U-Mqhayi wase Ntab’ozuko (1939; “Mqhayi of the Mountain of Beauty”), gives a vivid picture of late 19th-century Xhosa life.
Mqhayi’s collected poems, Inzuzo (“Reward”), were published in 1942. A short autobiography and two works, “The Death of Hintsa” and “The Dismissal of Sir Benjamin D’Urban,” were published in Mqhayi in Translation (1976).
Methuselah Home Philosophy & Religion Religious Personages & Scholars History & Society Methuselah biblical figure Also known as: Methushael Written and fact-checked by Last Updated: Article History Methuselah Methuselah Methuselah, stained-glass window by the Methuselah Master; in Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury, Kent, England. Methuselah, in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), patriarch whose life span as recorded in Genesis (5:27) was 969 years. Methuselah has survived in legend and tradition as the longest-lived human. His prodigious age has been taken as literally 969 solar years, as a possible mistranslation of 969 lunar months or tenths of years (with his age then ranging from about 78 years to almost 97 years), and as a myth intended to create an impression of a distant past between Adam and Noah, as well as any number of other interpretations.
Genesis tells nothing about Methuselah beyond sparse genealogical details: according to Genesis 5, he was the great-great-great-great-grandson of Seth, the child of Adam and Eve begotten more than a century after Cain. He was the father of Lamech and the grandfather of Noah. According to the biblical account, he came of hardy stock: all his forebears lived to an age between 895 and 962 years except his father, Enoch, who lived to be 365. (In the genealogy of Cain in Genesis 4, there is a Methushael who also fathers a Lamech. Given this and certain other similarities, some scholars have proposed that the genealogies of Seth and Cain were possibly one list that became two at some point.)
The enumeration of Methuselah in Genesis is his only appearance in the Hebrew Bible save for a mention in 1 Chronicles 1:3, where he is cited in the lineage of Saul. In the New Testament he is mentioned once in the Gospel of Luke. There, at 3:23–38, the lineage of Joseph, husband of Mary and earthly father of Jesus, is traced back 75 generations, through David and Saul, and Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to Methuselah and thence to Seth and Adam.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Mindy Johnston. Charles Hodge Home Philosophy & Religion Religious Personages & Scholars History & Society Charles Hodge American scholar Written and fact-checked by Last Updated: Dec 23, 2023 • Article History Charles Hodge (born Dec. 27, 1797, Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.—died June 19, 1878, Princeton, N.J.) conservative American biblical scholar and a leader of the “Princeton School” of Reformed, or Calvinist, theology.
Hodge, Charles Hodge, Charles See all media Category: History & Society Born: Dec. 27, 1797, Philadelphia, Pa., U.S. Died: June 19, 1878, Princeton, N.J. (aged 80) Subjects Of Study: Bible Calvinism Hodge graduated from Princeton University in 1815. He became professor of biblical literature at Princeton Theological Seminary in 1822 and professor of theology in 1840. From 1826 to 1828 he traveled in Europe, where he met the prominent theologians of the day, though he remained firmly resistant to newer trends of thought. Hodge continued to teach at the seminary until his retirement in 1877. In 1846 he served for one year as moderator of the “Old School” Presbyterian Church. This body, like the “Princeton School” of orthodox Calvinist theology, in which Hodge was a major figure, stressed the verbal infallibility of the Bible and asserted other generally conservative views.
Hodge constructed an influential Systematic Theology, 3 vol. (1871–73), and wrote numerous biblical commentaries. For 46 years he edited the Biblical Repertory and Princeton Review, a journal that he founded in 1825 and to which he contributed nearly 150 articles.
This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen. Abel Home Philosophy & Religion Religious Personages & Scholars History & Society Abel biblical figure Written and fact-checked by Last Updated: Article History Abel, in the Old Testament, second son of Adam and Eve, who was slain by his older brother, Cain (Genesis 4:1–16). According to Genesis, Abel, a shepherd, offered the Lord the firstborn of his flock. The Lord respected Abel’s sacrifice but did not respect that offered by Cain. In a jealous rage, Cain murdered Abel. Cain then became a fugitive because his brother’s innocent blood put a curse on him.
Eyck, Jan van: Cain killing Abel, detail from the Ghent Altarpiece Eyck, Jan van: Cain killing Abel, detail from the Ghent Altarpiece See all media Category: History & Society Notable Family Members: brother Cain The storyteller in Genesis assumes a world of conflicting values, and he makes the point that divine authority backs self-control and brotherhood but punishes jealousy and violence. Cain had not mastered sin (v. 7); he had let it master him. The narrator takes a somber look at the human condition, seeing a dangerous world of Cains and Abels. Nevertheless, God is on the side of the martyrs; he avenges their deaths in the ruin of the Cains. In the New Testament the blood of Abel is cited as an example of the vengeance of violated innocence (Matthew 23:35; Luke 11:51).
Deborah, prophet and heroine in the Old Testament (Judg. 4 and 5), who inspired the Israelites to a mighty victory over their Canaanite oppressors (the people who lived in the Promised Land, later Palestine, that Moses spoke of before its conquest by the Israelites); the “Song of Deborah” (Judg. 5), putatively composed by her, is perhaps the oldest section of the Bible and is of great importance for providing a contemporary glimpse of Israelite civilization in the 12th century BC. According to rabbinic tradition, she was a keeper of tabernacle lamps.
The two narratives of her exploit, the prose account in Judg. 4 (evidently written after Judg. 5) and the martial poem comprising Judg. 5 (a lyric outburst showing a high standard of poetic skill in ancient Israel), differ in some important details. The most obvious discrepancy is in the identity of the chief foe of the Israelites. Judg. 4 makes the chief enemy Jabin, king of Hazor (present Tell el-Qedah, about three miles southwest of H̱ula Basin), though a prominent part is played by his commander in chief, Sisera of Harosheth-ha-goiim (possibly Tell el-ʿAmr, approximately 12 miles [19 kilometres] northwest of Megiddo). In the poem Jabin does not appear, and Sisera is an independent king of Canaan. Other important contradictions include the action sites (Mount Tabor in Judg. 4 is not found in Judg. 5, for example); which Israelite tribes joined Deborah and her chief commander, the Naphtalite Barak (only Zebulun and Naphtali in Judg. 4, additional tribes in Judg. 5); and the manner of Sisera’s death (in Judg. 4 he is murdered in his sleep, in Judg. 5 he is struck down from behind while drinking a bowl of milk).
Assuming that the account preserved in Judg. 5 is the older (probably written in 1125 BC), the reader can reconstruct the actual history of the events. Israel holds the wilder parts of the country, the hills and the forests, but the Israelite settlements in the central range are cut off from those in the northern hills by a chain of Canaanite (or possibly Egyptian) fortresses down the Plain of Esdraelon (between Galilee and Samaria). At the instigation of Deborah, a charismatic counselor (or judge) and prophet (she predicts that the glory of war will fall to a woman, which it does—to Jael), Barak gathers the tribes of Ephraim, Benjamin, Machir (Manasseh), Zebulun, Issachar, and his own tribe of Naphtali. Asher, Dan, Gilead (Gad), and Reuben remain aloof. Judah and Simeon are not mentioned (attesting to the antiquity of the poem). The Israelite clans fall on the enemy at Taanach; a thunderstorm, in which Israel sees the coming of God from Mount Sinai, strikes terror into the Canaanites; their fabled 900 chariots of iron are useless on the sodden ground; and the Kishon River, swollen by torrential rains, sweeps away the fugitives. Sisera escapes on foot, pursued by Barak, taking refuge in the tent of Heber the Kenite (the Kenites, a nomadic tribe, were supposedly at peace with Canaan); he is offered protection by Heber’s wife, Jael; as he drinks a bowl of milk, she pierces his head with a tent peg and kills him (thus fulfilling Deborah’s prophecy).
What makes a good leader? God the beautiful Person
Who leads all of us to His Son Jesus Christ.
Matthew 4:1 “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.”
Psalms 143:10 Psalms 143:10 New American Standard Bible – NASB 1995 (NASB1995) Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
Romans 8:14-17 in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father”.
Romans 8:14 KJV – For as many as are led by the Spirit of For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God
Romans 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Romans 8:16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.
Romans 8:9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
John 16:7 “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.”
John 3:5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Luke 4:1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness.
Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Revelation 21:7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.
Romans 8:11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
Deuteronomy 29:4 But to this day the Lord has not given you a heart to understand or eyes to see or ears to hear.
Ephesians 3:16 That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being.
Ephesians 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.
Galatians 4:6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
Galatians 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
Galatians 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Galatians 5:23 Gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
1 Corinthians 12:3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.
1 John 3:9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.
Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.
1 John 3:24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
Romans 8:14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
John 16:13 “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.”
Romans 5:5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Direction & Authority Matthew 1:22-23 (NASB®) Now all this took place so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled: “Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and they shall name Him Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”
Matthew’s account of Jesus’ birth combines two principles. The first is that God gives direction to His people. The second is that Jesus’ birth fulfilled Old Testament prophecies, such as this one from Isaiah 7:14. If you don’t believe in divine direction or the authority of Scripture, Matthew’s writing will be nothing more than a work of fiction, too fantastic to believe. What about you? Do you believe that God gives direction to His people? Scripture says that He does, and I have seen it proven many times. Do you believe that Scripture is true and has authority? I admit I don’t understand every passage of the Bible, but I believe it and choose to give it authority over my life.
THINK ABOUT IT In this season of tinsel and cookies, let’s pause to consider if our lives truly reflect belief in God’s Word and dependence on the loving direction He gives His people.
PRAYER Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus into the earth. Awaken my ears to listen and my heart to obey. I choose to cooperate with Your Word, yield to Your direction, and submit my will to Yours. Give me strength to complete the course You have created me for. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Amen
Vayeishev
Genesis 37:1-40:23 This action-packed portion tells the story of Joseph’s sale and early years in Egypt, before his rise to fame and fortune. Joseph’s dreams and the attention he garners from his father prompt his brothers’ jealousy, and they set out to destroy him. Initially throwing him in a pit, they fish him out, sell him to traders heading towards Egypt, and trick their father into believing Joseph had been killed. Joseph rises to prominence in his master’s household until his spurned mistress gets him jailed. There, he interprets dreams for two other prisoners. Meanwhile, back in Canaan, we read of Judah’s marriage, and the efforts he makes to find a match for his children.
Virtual Classroom Discussion:
Joseph and his Brothers
If the Torah does not include superfluous details, why do you think the story of the stranger redirecting Joseph towards his brothers is included in the Torah?
The Sale of Joseph
With the many players mentioned in the text and the ambiguous pronouns, this question has troubled Jewish scholars for centuries: who sells Joseph to whom?
As the sun sets on this daymay we pray to rememberthe good that surrounds us,the good that can be. Help us to find our wayto a kinder world.May each of uscontemplate sameness. Our sameness. Our humanity.May leaders from all countriesall religions, all ethnicities,strive for gentle caring. May we look in the mirroreyes and hearts open,and […]
If you had to change your name, what would your new name be? God already has a name for us so, whatever He wants it to be!
Will God will find me godly, and answer my prayers? This is the prayer of the psalmist who finds himself surrounded by those who mock him. It probably has been the prayer of many of us who try and follow Jesus. It seems that people love those who champion a cause as long as they don’t interfere with their ability to do what they want. In the past few years in the United States, we have seen an increase in gun violence and much of it has been directed at young people. Now the young are banding together to urge those eligible to vote to register in the hopes that they will be able to make a change in the government that they feel has not done enough to limit the availability to those weapons that have caused the most damage. Those who in previous years had hoped that young people would get more involved are now concerned that their rights might be at stake. I’m sure that some of the good that David would do as king probably had many afraid that their corrupt ways and lack of fidelity to God would be affected. We can turn to the psalms and ask God to protect us. We can turn to this early prayer book for everything we need. We can turn to the psalms when we feel far from God and need forgiveness. In times of sorrow, the psalms give us hope. This psalm, said to be of David, expresses his trust that God will bless him and is a warning to those who sin. This is our prayer as well. The closing verse seems to say that when we search our hearts at night we can sleep peacefully when we remember God’s goodness to us.
New National Monument Protects Grand Canyon Region from Uranium Mining August 8, 2023
What happened: Nearly a million acres of land next to the Grand Canyon are now off limits from uranium mining and other industrial threats. Heeding calls from tribal leaders, President Biden designated the area as Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument on August 8.
Why it matters: Previously, this land was protected by a 20-year ban on new uranium mining claims that would have expired in 2032. Earthjustice defended that ban against legal attacks by the mining industry. We celebrate the adoption of permanent protections that will preserve multiple tribes’ ancestral homelands and prevent further damage to the imperiled Colorado River watershed.
Canyon’s majesty, some existing mines in the region will be permitted to continue operating. We urge the Biden administration to pursue every option possible to remove or mitigate these threats. Urge your members of Congress to safeguard our public lands and waters.
The Democrats had stopped oil the oil drilling. Now this Bull crap. Obama was the one who allowed the drilling while he was in office.
What’s the most money you’ve ever spent on a meal? Was it worth it? $100.00 Yes!
Many of us find ourselves saying, “I don’t have time,” especially when it comes to things like volunteering. However, it’s important to remember that God intended for us to serve in the church.
Perhaps: the most glorious word in the English language is “forgiveness.” Billy Graham
“The promise is not only for those people that live under the law of Moses. It is for anyone who lives with faith like Abraham.”
Romans 4:16 (ICB)
No matter who you are and no matter what you’ve done, God loves you and wants you to come home to him. He wants to shower his grace on you. He wants to throw a party for you when you return.
The Bible says in Romans 4:16, “The promise is not only for those people that live under the law of Moses. It is for anyone who lives with faith like Abraham” (ICB).
The apostle Paul is saying that, in the Old Testament, the Jewish people (the nation of Israel) lived under the Law of Moses. But Abraham, who became known as the father of faith, came into God’s grace by faith—continuing to hope against all hopelessness—and that same grace is available to anyone today when they place their faith in Jesus Christ.
That was amazing news then, and it is amazing news now! All of us can come to God through faith in his Son, Jesus Christ.
Does “everybody” include short and tall people? Yes. Does it mean rich people and poor people? Yes. Does it include politicians and blue-collar workers? Yes. Does it include people from every ethnic background? Yes. Does it mean people from every country in the world? Yes. Does it mean people who go to church every Sunday? Yes. Does it mean people who have never even seen a Bible? Yes.
God’s grace is available to you no matter what—despite your secret sins, your faults, and your weaknesses. When you accept Jesus into your life, God’s grace is at work when you’re walking closely with him, but also when you feel far from him.
When the Bible says that God’s grace is available to all, it gives no preconditions. The heart of Christianity—the heart of God’s grace—is this: When God sent his Son to die on a cross, he did it for everyone.
Think about this truth: As you go about your day today, you’ll never set eyes on someone who Jesus didn’t die for. And that includes the person you see in the mirror every day!
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >> Talk It Over
Why do many people have a hard time believing in God’s grace? How should God’s grace change how you treat others—even those you see as not deserving grace from you? How does grace affect the way you approach God? What is your choice about Jesus?
The Bible says you can only get to heaven by trusting in God through his Son, Jesus Christ. You cannot earn your way into heaven: “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV).
If you’re ready to commit your life to Jesus, start with this prayer: “Dear God, you have promised that if I believe in your Son, Jesus Christ, everything I’ve ever done wrong will be forgiven, I will learn the purpose of my life, and you will accept me into your eternal home in heaven one day.
“I confess I have sinned, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus died to take away my sins and that you raised him to life. I want to trust Jesus as my Savior and follow him as Lord from this day forward. Guide my life and help me to do your will. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”
If you just prayed to accept Jesus, please email me at
Create an emergency preparedness plan. Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.”
On this day in 1978, a hot air balloon landed in Miserey, France, about 137 hours after taking off from Presque Isle, Maine. The Double Eagle II was the first balloon to cross the Atlantic Ocean, piloted by Ben Abruzzo, Maxie Anderson and Larry Newman.
Did you know that prayer is how God often opens doors for sharing the gospel?
Serving with Navigators Nations Within, Alex and his wife, Mary, saw God create opportunities to share the gospel with their Seattle neighbors through the power of prayer.
They knew these neighbors previously from living overseas in Asia, but now had a greater opportunity to invite them to follow Jesus.
Be inspired by their story to “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him” Psalm 37:7 (NIV). Then watch for the opportunities and connections He creates.
Tenacious Faith
1 Peter 2:9 (NIV®) You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Our generation has witnessed a steep decline of Christian influence on the culture. I believe that is because we have been content to call ourselves Christians while we display a polite, compliant faith. Not long ago, we routinely prayed publicly in Jesus’ name. The Ten Commandments were displayed in public buildings. Honesty and purity were highly regarded and encouraged. We let those things go without much complaint, and now, our society has difficulty deciding who is a man or a woman! The spiritual complacency we have settled into is not sufficient to address the challenges we are facing. We need to realize what it means to be God’s chosen people. Like Peter, we need to be willing to publicly declare that His way is the best way. We need to come to terms with what it means to have a living and active faith that makes a real difference in our own lives and the lives of others.
THINK ABOUT IT Does your faith make a real difference in your life and the lives of others? Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with a new kind of faith—a tenacious faith that will empower you to be a more effective ambassador for God’s Kingdom.
PRAYER Heavenly Father, I am Your child, Jesus is my Lord, and the Holy Spirit is my Helper. You have designed me to make a difference for Your Kingdom. I choose Your path with my entire being. Grant me the determination to complete the course You have chosen. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Dear Delana,
Please join us in praying for the people in Maui who have lost so much in the recent fires, and for those who are doing their best to help them recover. Let’s pray for God’s supernatural comfort, courage, and strength, and for stories of His faithfulness to emerge from the tragic circumstances.
While we’re praying, let’s also ask for God’s mercy on our cities. They are in disarray far beyond what’s being reported, and we need His help!
Let’s pray:The corporate prayers of God’s people make a difference. When God’s people care enough to join together and invest their time, energy, and effort in prayer, it has a unique impact in Heaven.
What’s the most delicious thing you’ve ever eaten? God’s Holy Word!
Remember, with a movement as large and dedicated as ours, it’s not about the amount our supporters give, but the sheer number of grassroots patriots who step up when it matters most.
For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Revelations 7:17
Weeping may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning. (Psalm 30:5) God’s children may have sorrow and tribulation in this world for what, in the light of eternity, will be but a brief moment, but they will find everlasting joy. Heaven will be a place without tears.
O Comforter of our souls, you are he who will wipe away all tears from our eyes. We may weep here for lost loved ones, but we will meet them again if they died in Christ. We may weep now for pain and misery that come upon us, but it will all pass away. We may feel sorrow for a host of things on earth, but in Heaven, we will find only joy. O prepare us for that place and let our eternal hope make present troubles easier to bear. Amen.
How do you know when it’s time to unplug? What do you do to make it happen?
God does for me!
Attorney General Merrick Garland has appointed U.S. Attorney David Weiss as special counsel to investigate Biden family finances.
Garland folded, stopped ignoring DOJ regulations, and finally appointed a special counsel to investigate Hunter Biden and (indirectly) President Joe Biden for their corrupt family business dealings.
But appointing U.S. Attorney Weiss as special counsel, a man who tried to unethically slide Hunter’s corrupt plea deal past a federal judge, is a sick joke. In fact, Mr. Weiss should be under investigation for his dishonest statements to Congress and his compromised, sweetheart plea deal for Hunter Biden.
Given the powerful and unrefuted testimony before Congress by senior IRS investigators that the criminal investigation of Hunter was obstructed by the Justice Department (when Weiss was nominally running the investigation) in order to protect Joe Biden, Weiss is the last person who should be special counsel.
Congress should speed up and escalate its investigations of Biden corruption, as the Justice Department is ethically broken.
In the meantime, Judicial Watch will continue its leadership role in investigating and exposing the worsening Biden corruption crisis through numerous FOIA and other federal and state legal actions.
Hearing Set in Judicial Watch Lawsuit Seeking Videos and Emails from January 6 Protest at Capitol
A congressional coverup is ongoing about January 6, but our lawsuit to undo it is proceeding apace.
A federal court in Washington, DC, set a hearing in our lawsuit against the U.S. Capitol Police seeking videos and emails concerning the protest at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021
The hearing will be held before U.S District Court Judge Ana C. Reyes on August 15 at 1:00 pm ET.
We filed our lawsuit under the common law right of access to public records in February 2021 after the US Capitol Police refused to provide any records in response to a January 21, 2021, request seeking:
Email communications between the U.S. Capitol Police Executive Team and the Capitol Police Board concerning the security of the Capitol on January 6, 2021. The timeframe of this request is from January 1, 2021, through January 10, 2021.
Email communications of the Capitol Police Board with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security concerning the security of the Capitol on January 6, 2021. The timeframe of this request is from January 1, 2021through January 10, 2021.
All video footage from within the Capitol between 12 pm and 9 pm on January 6, 2021. Through its police department, Congress argues that the videos and emails are not public records, there is no public interest in their release, and that “sovereign immunity” prevents citizens from suing for their release.
Through its police department, Congress argues that the videos and emails are not public records, there is no public interest in their release, and that “sovereign immunity” prevents citizens from suing for their release.
In opposing the broad assertion of secrecy, we detail Supreme Court and other precedents that uphold the public’s right to know what “their government is up to:”
In ‘the courts of this country’ – including the federal courts – the common law bestows upon the public a right of access to public records and documents” … “the Supreme Court was unequivocal in stating that there is a federal common law right of access ‘to inspect and copy public records and documents.’” … “[T]he general rule is that all three branches of government, legislative, executive, and judicial, are subject to the common law right.” The right of access is “a precious common law right. . . that predates the Constitution itself.’
The Court of Appeals for this circuit has recognized that “openness in government has always been thought crucial to ensuring that the people remain in control of their government….
“Neither our elected nor our appointed representatives may abridge the free flow of information simply to protect their own activities from public scrutiny. An official policy of secrecy must be supported by some legitimate justification that serves the interest of the public office.”
The U.S. Capitol Police continues to hide these key January 6 videos and emails from the American people. It is particularly frustrating that the new House Republican leadership has allowed the Capitol Police to continue to defend this secrecy, which was first pushed under the Pelosi Congress in federal court.
Judicial Watch Sues National Archives for Records of Its Role in Trump Records Dispute
The National Archives is hiding, in absolute violation of federal FOIA law, the full truth about its selective, abusive targeting of President Trump.
We filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) suit against the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) for records of the Archives’ role in President Trump’s White House records controversy; whether it offered Trump a secure storage location other than the National Archives; and if the Archives consulted with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence regarding the classification or declassification procedures of any of the alleged classified documents found at Trump’s Florida residence (Judicial Watch v. National Archives and Records Administration (No. 1:23-cv-02267)).
We sued after the National Archives failed to substantively respond to a June 15, 2023, FOIA request for:
Policies, procedures, regulations, or other documents outlining NARA procedures assisting a U.S. President during transition from office. Records from January 1, 2009, to present.
Coordination with the Department of Defense to assist with inventory, packing or transport of any records from the White House, from November 1, 2020, to December 1, 2021.
Advice and assistance regarding “records” provided by NARA to former President Trump, his transition team, record custodians or representatives from May 1, 2020, to July 1, 2021.
NARA employees assisting former President Trump and/or his representatives inventorying, reviewing, packing, or moving boxes at the White House from November 1, 2020, to April 1, 2021.
Request for assistance from former President Trump or his representatives to assist with packing, inventorying, reviewing, or storing records from November 1, 2020, to February 1, 2022.
NARA offering or providing a secure storage location other than the National Archives for records potentially being retained by former President Trump or his representatives from November 1, 2020, to December 31, 2021.
NARA inserting placeholder pages in any of the 15 boxes obtained from former President Trump’s home in Mar-a-Lago, FL, from November 1, 2020, to December 1, 2022.
Consultations with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (“ODNI”) concerning classification or declassification procedures of any of the alleged classified documents found in the 15 boxes recovered from former President Trump’s home in Mar-a-Lago, FL, from January 21, 2021, to present.
In an April 2 letter to Michael Turner (R-OH), Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Trump attorney Timothy B. Parlatore said the Archives “unfortunately has become overtly political and declined to provide archival assistance to President Trump’s transition team.”
We are in the forefront of the court battles for transparency regarding Biden administration’s targeting of former President Trump.
In June 2023, we obtained DOJ records that showed top officials of the National Security Division discussing the political implications of Trump allowing CNN to use closed-circuit TV (CCTV) footage of the raid on his Mar-a-Lago home. The documents confirmed that the Justice Department had asked that Mar-a-Lago CCTV be turned off before the raid.
A separate Judicial Watch FOIA lawsuit against the National Archives and Records Administration resulted in the release of records about the unprecedented document dispute between Archives and President Trump. Click here or here to review the records.
In September 2022, we filed lawsuits against the DOJ for its records and the FBI’s records about the Mar-a-Lago raid search warrant application and approval, as well as communications about the warrant between the FBI, Executive Office of the President and the Secret Service.
In October 2022, we sued the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for all communications of the U.S. Secret Service internally and with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) regarding the raid on Trump’s home and for any video or audio recordings made during the raid.
In November 2022, we sued the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for all communications between the Secret Service and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) regarding the search warrant that precipitated the raid on former Trump’s Florida residence at Mar-a-Lago.
As you can see, Judicial Watch will not slow down one bit on exposing the unprecedented upending of the rule of law by the Biden administration in its targeting of Trump and other innocents.
Mexican Cartels Get Ammo, Guns, Money from U.S.
We often report on the invasive trafficking of people, drugs and guns into the United States from Mexico, but here’s a twist: Transnational criminal organizations smuggle firearms from the United States into Mexico. And our government does very little to thwart this reverse flow. Our Corruption Chronicles blog has the details.
While Mexican drug cartels seize unprecedented control of the southwest border, the frontline Homeland Security agency charged with safeguarding the U.S. fails to regularly conduct outbound inspections that could disrupt the Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCO). The checks for traffic departing the country at ports of entry (POE) would be detrimental to the illicit operations because they prevent illegal exportation of currency, firearms, explosives, ammunition, and narcotics. Nevertheless, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) does not consistently inspect outbound traffic, according to a federal audit that reveals there is no structural outbound inspection with oversight from the agency’s Office of Field Operations (OFO).
“TCOs require a steady supply of firearms and ammunition to assert control over the territory where they operate, eliminate rival criminal organizations, and resist government operations,” says the report, released this month by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General. “Further, bulk cash smuggling remains a favored means for TCOs to repatriate their illicit funds from or move funds into the United States to support their criminal operations. TCO networks on the Southwest border smuggle narcotics into the United States, while illegally exporting currency from drug proceeds and firearms into Mexico.” Operations are not limited to the Mexican border, the DHS watchdog writes, confirming that TCO networks also use the northern border to smuggle high-potency drugs and currency both into and out of the United States.
Federal law authorizes CBP to seize illegally transported firearms, ammunition, explosives, narcotics, and currency out of the United States. Statistics provided in the report show that it is an effective way to disrupt TCO operations. For instance, between 2018 and 2022, agents seized $58 million in illegal currency and 2,306 firearms. It demonstrates the value of outbound inspections to CBP’s mission, which is to protect the American people, safeguard our borders and enhance the nation’s economic prosperity. However, agency policies do not require outbound inspections though officers at some land border crossings perform them on personal vehicles and pedestrians departing the U.S. In most locations CBP officers are not conducting outbound inspections, the DHS watchdog found, determining that the agency is “missing opportunities to stop currency, firearm, explosives, ammunition, and narcotics from reaching TCOs that perpetrate cross-border violence.”
CBP is responsible for 167 land crossings along the U.S.-Mexico border, which stretches nearly 2,000 miles and Canada, the world’s longest international border with 5,525 miles. Investigators from the DHS IG’s office visited 108 of them during their probe. “We found the frequency of outbound inspections, inspection techniques, technology, and infrastructure in outbound inspection areas varied significantly between the two borders and among land border crossings,” they write in their report. “These inconsistencies occurred because there is no structured outbound inspection program with oversight from OFO headquarters.” Additionally, the agency does not have performance metrics to measure the impact of widespread outbound inspections or a comprehensive outbound inspection policy.
The report comes just weeks after congressional testimony from federal sources in counterterrorism, intelligence and drug enforcement exposed how the Biden administration’s reckless open border policies have greatly facilitated the business model of TCOs. Mexican drug cartels have seized unprecedented control of the nation’s southwest border, the congressional hearing determined. Days earlier at a separate and equally alarming congressional hearing, another group of law enforcement sources confirmed that Mexican TCOs are successfully smuggling mass quantities of deadly illicit fentanyl past Border Patrol agents and CBP officers into the U.S. Federal authorities can hardly afford to miss opportunities, such as conducting outbound inspections, that can disrupt cartel operations.
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: Colossians 3:13
To remove the curse of God for breaking his Law from us, Jesus took our guilt upon himself and suffered that curse in our place. God cannot demand “double payment” for sin, so that he cannot justly condemn those whose sins were paid for in full on the cross. That is why there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).
O Lamb of God, it is your blood that takes away the sin-debt of the world, even of every one who believes on your name. We could not bear the punishment of our sin, nor endure the day of God’s wrath against sin. We praise you for your work of love on the cross, where you redeemed us from the curse of the Law. Amen.
That’s not just our view, it’s how James Madison described it.
“I go on the principle that a Public Debt is a Public curse and in a Rep. Govt. a greater than in any other.”
That’s because, as Madison put it, debts are one of a trio of tools that people with power use to establish tyranny.
“Armies, and debts, and taxes are the known instruments for bringing the many under the domination of the few.”
Madison was far from alone.
Thomas Jefferson said he considered “public debt as the greatest of the dangers to be feared.”
In his Farewell Address, George Washington urged us to use debt sparingly – and, get this, actually pay it off as quickly as possible!
“As a very important source of strength and security, cherish public credit. One method of preserving it is to use it as sparingly as possible, avoiding occasions of expense by cultivating peace, but remembering also that timely disbursements to prepare for danger frequently prevent much greater disbursements to repel it”
In other words, running a perpetually growing debt is not just a bad economic choice, it’s also a threat to national security.
Benjamin Franklin warned that running into debt gives “to another Power over your Liberty.”
Thomas Jefferson put it this way:
“It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which, if acted on, would save one half the wars of the world”
That’s not just our view, it’s how James Madison described it.
“I go on the principle that a Public Debt is a Public curse and in a Rep. Govt. a greater than in any other.”
That’s because, as Madison put it, debts are one of a trio of tools that people with power use to establish tyranny.
“Armies, and debts, and taxes are the known instruments for bringing the many under the domination of the few.”
Madison was far from alone.
Thomas Jefferson said he considered “public debt as the greatest of the dangers to be feared.”
In his Farewell Address, George Washington urged us to use debt sparingly – and, get this, actually pay it off as quickly as possible!
“As a very important source of strength and security, cherish public credit. One method of preserving it is to use it as sparingly as possible, avoiding occasions of expense by cultivating peace, but remembering also that timely disbursements to prepare for danger frequently prevent much greater disbursements to repel it”
In other words, running a perpetually growing debt is not just a bad economic choice, it’s also a threat to national security.
Benjamin Franklin warned that running into debt gives “to another Power over your Liberty.”
Thomas Jefferson put it this way:
“It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which, if acted on, would save one half the wars of the world” For Pres. Washington, paying off the debt was “urgent.” That’s how he put it in his Fifth Annual Message to Congress:
“No pecuniary consideration is more urgent than the regular redemption and discharge of the public debt. On none can delay be more injurious or an economy of time more valuable.”
The Antifederalist writer Brutus agreed, and during the ratification debates, forcefully expressed his concern about the ability to borrow:
“I can scarcely contemplate a greater calamity that could befal this country, than to be loaded with a debt exceeding their ability ever to discharge. If this be a just remark, it is unwise and improvident to vest in the general government a power to borrow at discretion, without any limitation or restriction.”
For many in the founding generation, leaving massive debt to future generations was also morally unacceptable, and something that should be rejected. Washington referred to it as “ungenerously throwing upon posterity the burden which we ourselves ought to bear.”
Thomas Jefferson emphatically agreed, writing to John Taylor that “the principle of spending money to be paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large scale.”
There’s a basic, but extremely essential, lesson here.
If you want more liberty, if you want a strong national defense, if you want more peace and prosperity – you have to reduce debt. That means you have to make the government smaller.
With the amount of debt we’re facing these days, that might be the understatement of the century.
And an even bigger understatement is that relying on people in government to limit government spending is a totally failed strategy.
Lysander Spooner may have summed it up best. Writing in No Treason VI, he put it this way:
The lesson taught by all these facts is this: As long as mankind continue to pay “National Debts,” so-called,—that is, so long as they are such dupes and cowards as to pay for being cheated, plundered, enslaved, and murdered,—so long there will be enough to lend the money for those purposes; and with that money a plenty of tools, called soldiers, can be hired to keep them in subjection.
But when they refuse any longer to pay for being thus cheated, plundered, enslaved, and murdered, they will cease to have cheats, and usurpers, and robbers, and murderers and blood-money loan-mongers for masters.
Nothing helps us get this kind of message out to more people every day more than the financial faith and support of our members.
Many Americans today view the Constitution as a “living, breathing” document. As a result, we live under the largest government in history.
By living and breathing, they mean the Constitution was written as a “dynamic” document; flexible, so it can change with the times. Instead of maintaining a fixed meaning, judges, lawmakers and bureaucrats mold its various clauses and provisions to fit the needs of the day.
Woodrow Wilson was one of the first politicians to define and aggressively advocate this idea of a living, breathing document in his book Constitutional Government in the United States, and while stumping on the campaign trail in 1912.
“Society is a living organism and must obey the laws of life, not of mechanics; it must develop. All that progressives ask or desire is permission – in an era when ‘development,’ ‘evolution,’ is the scientific word – to interpret the Constitution according to the Darwinian principle; all they ask is recognition of the fact that a nation is a living thing and not a machine.”
But a living, breathing Constitution is really a dead Constitution.
America’s founding document essentially serves as a contract between the people of the states. Through the Constitution, they formed the Union, set up a general government to administer specific objects and delegated to it specific, enumerated powers.
You can’t have a living, breathing contract.
Think about it. Would you sign a living, breathing mortgage? Would you enter into a living, breathing employment contract? Would you sign a living, breathing agreement with a builder to put an addition on your house?
Of course not! Because you would have no idea what that contract really means.
Contractual provisions have a fixed meaning. When you sign on the dotted line, you expect them to remain constant over time. When disagreements come up, both parties argue their position based on how they understood the contract when they signed it. Nobody would accept a banker saying, “Well, I know the mortgage meant so-and-so, but now it means something different. It’s a living breathing mortgage.”
That’s absurd.
And a living breathing Constitution is no less absurd.
People can only live together and cooperate in a society with an agreed upon, consistently applied set of rules. We call this the “rule of law.” The principle roots itself in the idea that no individual or institution stands above the law, and that rules consistently apply equally to all people in any given situation. Rule of law creates a bulwark against arbitrary power, whether wielded by a totalitarian leader, promoted by mob rule, or exercised by duly elected legislators.
The rule of law requires consistency. Otherwise, government becomes arbitrary. When the limits on government power become subject to reinterpretation by the government itself, it becomes limitless in power and authority.
That’s exactly what we have today. The federal government makes up things as it goes along. The feds claim to power to do all kinds of things never authorized by the constitution, all based on this living, breathing lie.
But how do we know what those enumerated powers really mean? How do we determine the extent of powers delegated?
The only rational way to understand the Constitution lies in an interpretive process known as originalism. To read the Constitution through an originalist framework means we seek to understand how the people understood it at the time. In other words, what they believed they were agreeing to. Otherwise, meaning becomes a moving target, subject to the changes in language and societal assumptions over time.
James Madison asserted that we must view the Constitution in this way in a letter to Henry Lee.
“I entirely concur in the propriety of resorting to the sense in which the Constitution was accepted and ratified by the nation. In that sense alone it is the legitimate Constitution. And if that be not the guide in expounding it, there can be no security for a consistent and stable, more than for a faithful exercise of its powers. If the meaning of the text be sought in the changeable meaning of the words composing it, it is evident that the shape and attributes of the Government must partake of the changes to which the words and phrases of all living languages are constantly subject. What a metamorphosis would be produced in the code of law if all its ancient phraseology were to be taken in its modern sense!”
Learning the ratifiers’ understanding takes some research and digging. On the other hand, some mystical veil of historical fog doesn’t obscure their view of constitutional powers. We have records of the ratification debates and the ratifying instruments themselves.
We also have the Federalist Papers and other documents written by supporters used to “sell” the Constitution to ratifying convention delegates, and the population at large. These essays were akin to a window sticker on a used car, explaining exactly what the people were “buying.” We have the numerous letters and essays written by opponents of the Constitution, along with letters written by framers and ratifiers. All of these sources help guide our understanding. With a little work, you will find the original meaning of the Constitution easily determined and understandable. Thomas Jefferson himself advocated this process of constitutional interpretation.
“On every question of construction let us carry ourselves back to the time when the Constitution was adopted, recollect the spirit manifested in the debates, and instead of trying what meaning may be squeezed out of the text, or intended against it, conform to the probable one in which it was passed.”
It’s time to kill this idea of a living breathing Constitution before it completely kills the Constitution.17 YEARS DOWN. MANY MORE TO GO! In June, we celebrated our 17 year anniversary here at the TAC. What started as a blog with a goal of reaching a single person – or maybe a small handful of people – has grown into a movement for the Constitution and liberty.
We work hard every day to teach as many people as possible about the constitution and liberty – including essential foundational principles from the American Revolution. Plus – how to defend it all when government refuses to follow the rules given to it – which is 24/7/365.
Delana Forsyth c/o Attorney Andrew Phillips 108 N. Washington Ave 3rd floor Scranton Pennsylvania 18503
17 Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.
After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” …
And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, …
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.
The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?
Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? …
Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? …
You shall bring from your dwelling places two loaves of bread to be waved, made of two tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour, and they shall be baked with leaven, as firstfruits to the Lord.
And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. …
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. …
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.
And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?” He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’” And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover. When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” …
And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”
And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Judges 7:13 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful
When Gideon came, behold, a man was telling a dream to his comrade. And he said, “Behold, I dreamed a dream, and behold, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian and came to the tent and struck it so that it fell and turned it upside down, so that the tent lay flat.”
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What countries do you want to visit? Where ever God is! Jerusalem!
Jesus knew that the apostles would be persecuted for proclaiming the Kingdom of God and was warning them. It is also a warning for us. The apostles would proclaim the message risking death and were often persecuted, jailed, beaten and, except for the apostle John who died a natural death, were eventually killed. For two more centuries, the early Christians faced the same torture and death at the hands of the Romans. Most of us do not face the same dangers but the world is still not happy when we work to bring the Kingdom and its ideals to life today. I know that this is something we have talked about before and will talk about again, but Jesus wanted the apostles and disciples to be reminded more than once what the consequences were for those who believe, and we still need those reminders. Satan, Beelzebub, the devil, whatever we choose to call him is still active in the world. It can be so hard to recognize him! We face him in so many situations at work, at home, with our friends. Children and teenagers aren’t the only ones who are affected by peer pressure. Drugs, both legal and illegal are seen as the solution to pain. Drinking and driving is rampant. Road rage happens over something as simple as someone being cut off. Families are under stress, so violence becomes the solution. Workers can be encouraged to cheat their employers or their customers. “Everyone is doing it,” is a catch-phrase for giving in to temptation. To encourage doing the right thing is looked upon as not “being with it.” We can actually be punished or ostracized for living the Christian way of life. And so we still need to hear this message. Beware of those who can destroy the soul.
I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them. Hosea 11:4
Where the Lord leads us, He leads us with kindness. He does not burden us with the chains of slavery or the yoke of beasts. Instead, He binds us with love, cherishing us as His beloved creation, caring for our needs as we proceed through this life with Him. It may seem uncomfortable when He leads us away from the familiar, but we can be sure that where He leads us is good, and that He remains with us.
Lord, in my weakness I sometimes year for the things that I’ve left behind, and the life that You rescued me from. It is easy to forget how heavy the chains of bondage once were. Help me Lord, to take comfort in Your bonds of love, and to not forget that it is You who gives me comfort on our journey together. In Jesus’ name, amen.
If you are discouraged, today’s Bible reading is one you need to hear. We meet up with God’s prophet Elijah after the victory on Mt. Carmel. What an incredible day it was! God showed up in power, and the false prophets were defeated. Then why was Elijah so discouraged?Anyone would expect that after God’s power was so clearly displayed, the people of Israel would have thrown Ahab and Jezebel out of the palace. Instead, Jezebel issued orders for the prophet’s assassination forcing Elijah to flee for his life (v. 3).When Elijah thought he was far enough away from his nemesis, he sat under a tree and lamented his existence (v. 4). His response is understandable. Who hasn’t been there? When faced with impossible circumstances, we ask, “Lord, I did what You wanted and I thought it would work out well, but the opposite happened. Why?!”Elijah was so discouraged he asked God to take his life (v. 4). But in the face of the prophet’s doubt, we see the patience of the Lord. God fed Elijah, and gave him time to rest, before telling him to keep moving. Forty days later God met him at a cave on Mt. Sinai. After allowing Elijah to vent his frustrations, God confronted him with the truth: I have a plan that you do not know about.God would anoint a new king in Syria, which meant God was at work beyond the borders of Israel. It meant Elijah would anoint Jehu as the next king over Israel, and Ahab would be dethroned. Finally, it meant anointing Elisha as his replacement, which meant God would not abandon Israel! If Elijah wondered who would be around to see all this, God reminded him that at least 7,000 people had not compromised themselves with Baal worship!>> Faced with the impossible, Elijah felt hopeless. He could only see things from his perspective. How might you be doing the same thing in your life? Do you need God’s perspective? Spend time in God’s presence today.
Pray with Us
Evil and suffering are realities, but they’re not the whole story. You have promised Your servants eternal life with You. In the meantime, there are many who still need to hear the gospel. Strengthen us; we want Your plan for the world.
This post contains one of humanity’s greatest treasures. No one can deny that the Bible has profoundly affected civilization. It has true epic stories with life-changing power. That only comes from Lord God Almighty. The images have left their imprint on human history, especially in cultures touched by Judaism and Christianity. The American Constitution was writing from this belief.
This is an interesting story from the first Book of Kings, and will continue tomorrow. Ahab is the king of Israel and he wants a neighboring vineyard that the owner doesn’t want to sell. He goes home and tells his wife, Jezebel, that he is too sad and angry to even eat. She devises a plan to get Naboth killed, and this passage is the result. Do you ever wonder why passages such as these are included in Scripture? I know I do. Are they included as warnings, or are they there to let us know that history of Israel was not without its scandalous behavior? We are aware that Jezebel was a wicked woman. She plotted the death of Elijah – even though she didn’t succeed – but she was successful in getting Naboth killed. She got people to lie about him, claiming that he had cursed God and the king, and they stoned him to death as punishment for his crime. There were other kings and queens of Israel who sinned and led others to sin. And there were good kings and queens as well. But we need to remember that we can be seduced by leaders who make us believe that what we are doing is the right thing. This happened in Germany during the Holocaust; it has happened in Northern Ireland, in the Middle East, in South America. It can happen anywhere! We need to be watchful and not be led astray just because someone is in a position of authority.
Are you patriotic? What does being patriotic mean to you?
Yes! Being a Christian Patriotic woman, means being born free in the country in the world built on Judeo-Christian principles and not being killed for those principles.
Below the surface, living with lupus can mean days spent in bed, missed appointments, and alternate days when we seem “fine.” There’s so much more to lupus than meets the eye. We know that lupus comes with hundreds of possible combinations of symptoms, many of which appear invisible to outsiders. Most people don’t see the many symptoms we experience.
On MyLupusTeam.com, the social network and online support group for people living with lupus, members discuss the chronic nature of the disease and its hidden symptoms. We chose the image of an iceberg to represent lupus symptoms because the life-impacting implications of a lupus diagnosis aren’t obvious on the surface. Please share to spread lupus awareness!
From time to time I like to offer particular saints as sources of inspiration and models of virtue. And since this is the Feast of St. Scholastica, I just can’t pass up the opportunity to take a peek at her story today. After all, she’s St. Benedict’s beloved twin sister, and at Belmont Abbey College, she has a special place in our Benedictine hearts.
The founder of an order of nuns based a few miles from her brother’s monastery in Monte Casino, Scholastica spearheaded the women’s Benedictine movement alongside Benedict’s masculine order. In fact, my favorite story about St. Scholastica hinges on her proximity to Benedict, in more ways than one.
Once a year, the twins would meet to spend a day at a farmhouse between their communities, where they prayed, discussed spiritual matters and shared what amounted to an annual retreat. It was a blessing to which they always looked forward, a period of refreshment and fellowship.
On what would be their final meeting before her death, Scholastica asked Benedict to stay and continue their prayer and reflection through the night. But her brother refused, reminding her that this contravened the rule of his order, by which monks weren’t permitted to spend nights outside the monastery.
I like to imagine the scene that followed: Scholastica bowing her head and folding her hands quietly, as Benedict walks to the door and stops, stares out at the sudden storm, which is rapidly gathering in what had been, up to then, an immaculate sky. Turning back to his sister with consternation, he demands, “What have you done?” But she looks up and smiles, shrugging that “I asked for something and you refused, so I asked God and he granted it.”
I always enjoy the gutsy mixture of trust and love in that story – and the tenderness and sense of humor in her relationship, not only with Benedict – with whom she models the kind of Platonic friendship that embraces a shared journey toward the Good – but also with God. She asks without presuming, and the response she receives is a seamless expression of merciful love, through which she enjoys a few more hours of Benedict’s prayerful companionship before their earthly separation. St. Scholastica reminds me that God is playful and kind, and that when He seems to be thwarting my intentions – as Benedict may have felt, looking out at the storm – He’s actually offering a different gift.
St. Scholastica, pray for us!
That in all things God may be glorified,
In this section of Isaiah, the Israelites have returned from exile in Babylonia. The prophet is charged with raising up those who had been dispersed as well as those who had been allowed to return. But his mission was not to end there, he was to stand as a “light to the nations” to show God’s goodness and power. Jesus tells us in the gospel that we too must be lights to the nations. How is this to be done? It begins in our homes where we witness the love of God to our families. If our family members cannot see Christ’s love in us, who will see it? I am not talking about a piety that makes others uncomfortable, but a sincere faith that shines forth in good times and bad and reaches out to those in need. It doesn’t mean that we need to talk about our beliefs to everyone we meet either. St. Francis of Assisi is quoted as saying, “Preach always, and if necessary, use words.” Although he would probably be the first to question that he said it, he would certainly agree with it in principle. When asked why they became a Christian, most people answer that they wanted the qualities that they saw in other Christians. They have met Jesus in the words and actions of others. They see the difference in the way these Christians treat other people. They meet love in person and then they meet the God who inspires it. They see their “light.” Jesus tells us not to hide our light under a bushel, but to stand proud in our faith. Are we up to the challenge to let others see our light? Sometimes we make God’s word more difficult than it needs to be. God wants us to understand His Word, so He makes the most important things easy to reach. Forgiveness. Grace. Hope. Love. Righteousness. With every reading, He reminds us that these things are on our hearts, ready for us to use at all times and in all places. Thank you, Lord, for Your word. Thank you for revealing the truth of Your holiness. Help me to hold close to Your word just as You hold close to me, so that I may live in obedience. If I stray from Your path, use Your word to bring me near to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Heavenly Father, we come before You today as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to You, as these are our spiritual acts of worship. We give You our full attention, hearts, spirits, and minds, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
The day of Pentecost is 50 days after Easter. On this day, the Holy Spirit descended upon the 120 disciples in the upper room in Jerusalem. The sound of a strong wind came from heaven and individual tongues of fire rested upon the heads of everyone one of them, and they spoke in foreign languages or tongues.
Acts 2:5-13
5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under the sky. 6 When this sound was heard, the multitude came together and were bewildered, because everyone heard them speaking in his own language. 7 They were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Behold, aren’t all these who speak Galileans? 8 How do we hear, everyone in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabians: we hear them speaking in our languages the mighty works of God!” 12 They were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 Others, mocking, said, “They are filled with new wine.”
Acts 2:5-13
Commentary
Following the command of the Lord, 120 Jewish disciples from Jerusalem and all regions of the first-century world assembled in the upper room to awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit came, they were amazed, astonished, and shocked. The heard everyone speaking in other people’s languages. They could not understand what was happening. Onlookers and scoffers accused them to be drunk with wine.
Peter silenced the crowd saying that nobody was drunk as it was only 9 am in the morning. Peter quoted Joel 2:28. Joel had prophesied this day when the Holy Spirit will be poured out on the people so that young men will prophesy and old man will dream dreams.
Peter preached his first evangelistic sermon with and boldness and power, The Holy Spirit transformed Peter from a timid fisherman into a fearless evangelist and leader of the apostles.
The Jews who listened were convicted by Peter’s sermon. They asked Peter what must they do to be saved. Peter told them to repent of their sins, be baptised in the name of Jesus. and called on the name of the Lord for salvation.
As many as 3000 Jews believed in Jesus and were baptised on that day! They received the apostle’s teaching, fellowshipped, broke bread, and prayed.
This was how the first-century Christian church of Acts was born in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. The believers sold all their possessions and gave the proceeds to the apostles. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, the church grew rapidly.
It will happen afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions
Joel 3:28
Application
When the Holy Spirit descended on the believers, they spoke in tongues and prophesy. Speaking in tongue on Pentecost was speaking in known languages. Can you imagine a Chinese speaking in Arabic, a German speaking in French, or Japanese speaking in Dutch and so on? This was what happened. People were able to speak in foreign languages spontaneously and fluently.
Paul described speaking in tongues as one of the spiritual gifts in the book of 1 Corinthians 12 and 13. The tongues described by Paul in 1 Corinthians 12 and 13 may not be the same as in the tongues described in Acts 2.
At conversion, the Holy Spirit indwell a person and imparts spiritual gifts on him/her. Speaking in tongues and prophesy are two of the gifs of the Holy Spirit. There are seven spiritual gifts, wisdom, knowledge, healing, miracles, prophesy, speaking in tongues, and interpretation of tongues, 1 Corinthians 12:8-10.
8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues
1 Corinthians 12:8-10
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You once again for speaking to us Thank You for the day of Pentecost when You gave the Holy Spirit to the Jewish disciples in the upper room in Jerusalem. Thank You for this historic moment when the first Christian church of Acts was born, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
The U.S. Civil War, which was fought to abolish slavery, was not really that long ago. My father tells the story of visiting the Higginsville home for Civil War veterans near his childhood home in Missouri. The Missouri River was a dividing line between North and South, and so when the war was finally over, many families had veterans — and casualties — on both sides. My father remembers watching two old soldiers, one Union, one Confederate, each dressed up in the remnants of their uniforms, having an argument that ended up with one attacking the other with a pair of crutches. Hearing this as a little girl was the first time the Civil War seemed real to me. It is a vivid reminder of the close links that bind this country to its history of slavery, which still haunts our national conscience.
Higginsville Confederates Veterans Home, courtesy of Missouri State Parks
As I recently discovered, we maintain what can be only be called legalized slavery today — the utilization of prison labour for public and private profit. Many, if not most, of these inmates are themselves the descendants of slaves. And they are making fewer license plates and more defense electronics and oil spill cleanups. Today prison labor is a multibillion-dollar business in the U.S. We also have the highest prison population in the world. Are economic incentives at the heart of our sky-high incarceration rates?
History can offer us a guide to answer this question. In Britain, slavery was abolished in 1833, earlier than in the U.S. In spite of its economic lure, it was outlawed, at least in part, because of the persuasive voices of inspired political leaders and artists. The painting The Slave Ship, a J.M.W. Turner masterpiece, depicts the famous episode of the British ship the Zong in 1781. One hundred thirty-two African slaves headed for sale in the United States were deliberately thrown overboard and perished mid-sea, due to a lack of drinking water on board. In his new book, The Zong: A Massacre, the Law and the End of Slavery, Professor James Walvin concludes that this event, and the public outcry against it, was the turning point that resulted in the end of the slave trade in Britain. The U.S. was not so lucky, or perhaps, the entrenched interests were too deep, and so a much bloodier battle that ended 600,000 lives ensued, and it took an additional 30 years to abolish slavery.
It is worthwhile to study this history, and to hold its lessons close, because slavery remains in other forms, if not by name, in the 21st century. Mauritania still has a slave population that is some 18 percent of its population, about a half a million people — although it is technically illegal. The poverty and harshness of the Western Sahara and lack of economic alternatives make it a difficult practice to eradicate. We might expect this in the Third World, but we have versions of it in the U.S. Beyond the plight of the working poor, in the U.S. the practice of involuntary labor continues in our prisons, without much public scrutiny. This practice has evolved since the Civil War, particularly in the South, for historical reasons. Former slaves were incarcerated on minor or fabricated charges for extended periods of time so they could work as inmate labourers for the profit of the state and its contractors.
“In the nineteenth century, Texas leased its penitentiary (which survives today as the Huntsville “Walls” unit) to private contractors. For a few dollars per month per convict, the contractors were allowed to sublease their charges to farmers, tanners, and other businessmen. It was not long before the inmates began to appear in poor clothing and without shoes. Worked mercilessly, most convicts died within seven years of their incarceration. Escapes and escape attempts were frequent. Conditions were so horrid that some inmates were driven to suicide while other maimed themselves to get out of work or as a pathetic form of protest.” – John DiIulio, Jr.The Duty to Govern, 1990 Eventually, the prisoner-for-lease system became such a scandal that it was outlawed 100 years ago. But in the 1980s, conditions were ripe for reversion. The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that abolished slavery contains a loophole that allows the exploitation of prison labor:
Section 1: Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
Today, the U.S. prison system delivers profits to both government corporations and private enterprises in several ways: 1) Through the use of inmate labor to produce goods and services in federal and state prisons 2) Through the contracting of this labor to private companies at below-market wages and 3) By privatization of the prisons and detainment centers themselves. Given these perverse incentives to maintain a high inmate population, is it any wonder that the number of prisoners and the length of their sentences — Americans comprise 5 percent of the world’s total population but 25 percent of the world’s prison population — have skyrocketed since privatization began in 1984?
Number of inmates. 1920 to 2006.[1][2] (absolute numbers) General U.S. population grew only 2.8 times in the same period, but the number of inmates increased more than 20 times.
One might ask if this population surge could be due to a sudden increase in violent crime in America. A much smaller percentage of prisoners than one would imagine have histories of violence. Just 3 percent of those in Federal prisons, and a third of those in state prisons, have been convicted of violent crimes. A majority of those in city and county prisons are merely awaiting trial and cannot make bail. As any policeman will tell you, much criminality would be eliminated if drug laws were changed. Moreover, of the total prison population, it is estimated that 16 percent are suffering from mental illness, according to Vicky Pelaez in Global Research in Canada. And did I mention, the vast majority are black males?
What is the failure of our society that has led to the forced segregation from society of so many of our citizens, many of whom the descendants of slaves, on this scale? In 1860, the U.S. had 4 million slaves. Now, according to Adam Gopnik in the New Yorker (Jan. 30, 2012):
Mass incarceration on a scale almost unexampled in human history is a fundamental fact of our country today — perhaps the fundamental fact, as slavery was the fundamental fact of 1850. In truth, there are more black men in the grip of the criminal-justice system — in prison, on probation, or on parole — than were in slavery then. Over all, there are now more people under “correctional supervision” in America — more than six million — than were in the Gulag Archipelago under Stalin at its height.
America has now created its own Gulag and it makes much more than just license plates. Of the 2.3 million prisoners now being held, more than 100,000 work in federal and state prison industry programs. This doesn’t mean the usual cooking, cleaning and peeling potatoes, but work that produces products for sale — about $2.4 billion dollars annually and has its own trade shows. UNICOR, the trade name of the government-owned Federal Prison Industries, cites the following products on its website:
The government, particularly the Department of Defense, is the biggest customer for the federal prison labor. Most military clothing, furniture, and helmets are made by Federal inmates. It is very likely that they made the furniture at your local post office. Calling directory assistance? You might well be talking to a felon. Clearly, UNICOR has expanded beyond clothing and furniture. Look at just one category, electro-optical assemblies:
Our electro-optical and circuit board assemblies, and electrical connectors are used around the world and have broad applications in missile guidance, tactical combat and emergency communications, radar, and avionic and submarine control systems. UNICOR/FPI is highly proficient in electrical and fiber optic cable convergence technology, which is used in applications requiring faster transmission of signals over longer distance and with less weight. Our electro-optical cable assemblies are used in avionic and missile controls, submarine navigation, and tactical observation and targeting systems in fighter jets, helicopters, tanks and other armored vehicles.
Our expertise in manufacturing electro-optical assemblies is proven in numerous programs, such as the Bradley eye-safe laser rangefinder and the Patriot missile guidance system. We are talking guided missile components here! UNICOR had revenues of about $900 million in fiscal year 2011, of which 7 percent went to pay inmates. According to my estimates based on their annual report, this averages $3,000 per inmate, at least half of which must be used for fines, victim restitution and family support. Assuming a 40-hour work week, 52 weeks a year (there are no holidays in prison) that would amount to pay of about 75 cents per hour, which “may be spent in the prison commissaries,” according to the UNICOR annual report. This puts the federal prison worker on par with his Chinese counterpart. No wonder this labor group is attractive to industry: no unions, OHSA, health care or retirement funds to fret about. As UNICOR boasts on its website: “All the benefits of domestic outsourcing at offshore prices. It’s the best kept secret in outsourcing!” Actually, it is even better — although we will not accept imports from Chinese laogai, or prison factories, there is no U.S. law that prevents export of our prison labor products.
Federal prison workers, however, are the envy of state inmates, some of whom earn nothing for 60-plus-hour weeks. Texas and Georgia offer no compensation at all. (It is no surprise that these states have highly privatized prison industries as well.) In The Nation, Abe Louise Young writes about the use of Louisiana state prison labor to clean up the toxic waste that resulted from the BP oil spill:
Work release inmates are required to work for up to twelve hours a day, six days a week, sometimes averaging seventy-two hours per week. These are long hours for performing what may arguably be the most toxic job in America. Although the dangers of mixed oil and dispersant exposure are largely unknown, the chemicals in crude oil can damage every system in the body, as well as cell structures and DNA.
Inmates can’t pick and choose their work assignments and they face considerable repercussions for rejecting any job, including loss of earned “good time.” The warden of the Terrebonne Parish Work Release Center in Houma explains: “If they say no to a job, they get that time that was taken off their sentence put right back on, and get sent right back to the lockup they came out of.” This means that work release inmates who would rather protect their health than participate in the non-stop toxic cleanup run the risk of staying in prison longer. This kind of cooperation is enabled by PIE (Prison Industry Enhancement), a program run by the Department of Justice, which allows both UNICOR at the Federal level and state prisons to partner with private enterprise. It is not just the government prisons that have perverse incentives for maintaining high prison populations. It is the very business of warehousing human beings which was privatized in the mid-80s that is to me the most disturbing. Here is a map of private prisons in Texas created by the website Texas Prison Bid’ness:
It just seems to me that judicial punishment is one of those functions that is uniquely the business of the state, and that somehow it is immoral for anyone to profit from this. In fact, two big players, CCA and GEO, weren’t doing all that well until 9/11. Since that time, they have also been building immigration detention centers at a very fast pace. No secret that privatization has therefore had the greatest momentum in the border states, including Vermont. It is hard to forget the awful “Cash for Kids” debacle in which two judges (now themselves recently sentenced to prison) took kickbacks for sending children to for-profit juvenile detention centers. Dave Reutter in Prison Legal News quotes Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research: “Privatization just doesn’t work” he stated. “It’s a way for politicians to throw business to their friends. “
A compelling economic argument against prison labor is that it competes unfairly with free labor. Diane Cardwell writes in the New York Times that UNICOR is now getting into production of solar panels and other forms of alternative energy. “This is a threat to not just established industries; it’s a threat to emerging industries,” said Representative Bill Huizenga, a Michigan Republican who is the lead sponsor of the proposed overhaul legislation. “If China did this — having their prisoners work at subpar wages in prisons — we would be screaming bloody murder. “There is now pending legislation to create a wage floor for prison inmates, as well as require basic safety standards. The discussion is not just about protecting inmates. In an era of high unemployment, jobs matter. Congressman Walter Jones of North Carolina has said, “It is simply wrong for the U.S. government to administer a military procurement policy that favors giving jobs to felons over law-abiding Americans. That is especially true during these difficult economic times.” There is also concern about quality control for defense-related production. Reportedly, 42 percent of UNICOR’s orders overall were delivered late.
What are the benefits to society of prison labor? I have read articles that it helps and doesn’t help recidivism. That there are better ways to prepare inmates for life after jail, such as education, training, and addiction counseling. What is the overall impact on the economy? According to Jeffrey Kling and Alan Krueger of Princeton University and NBER, 100 percent utilization of prison inmate labor would result in a rather small economic benefit — 0.2 percent of GDP at most. Because this is mostly unskilled labor it could, in fact, reduce the wages of high school dropouts in the private workforce by 5 percent — which would increase the overall rate of poverty. (Note, however, that some estimates suggest that people with wages under $13,000 spend 9 percent of their income on buying lottery tickets.)
Kling and Krueger conclude:
In concert with privatization, we suggest that inmate workers be covered by all relevant labor legislation that applies to private sector firms: including the right to form a union, fair labor standards, and workplace safety regulations.
That is the very minimum that must be done. We need to do some national soul-searching about all of the reasons we have so many people in jail. But it is an election year — and felons don’t vote — so the probability is high that nothing will be done. But let’s begin the discussion. As I finish this article, by weird coincidence, police cars are flashing their lights outside my house. A young man, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, crashed into the gate of our driveway as he was pursued by an unmarked car for speeding. I saw him as he was led away in handcuffs, in tears. I hope his parents have a very good lawyer.
As Adam Gopkin reminds us, “mass incarceration on a scale almost unexampled in human history is a fundamental fact of our country today—perhaps the fundamental fact, as slavery was the fundamental fact of 1850.” The racialization of this process, popularized by author Michelle Alexander as The New Jim Crow, has meant that African Americans in the U.S. now have more than triple the incarceration rate of Blacks in South Africa at the peak of apartheid. In the haste to impart some rationality to all this, many activists and analysts have been quick to point to corporations as the sole culprits behind the prison-industrial- complex (PIC). An important component of this perspective is the notion of prisons as “slave labor camps”. In this scenario a sea of multinational corporations super-exploit hundreds of thousands of contract prison laborers to heartlessly augment their bottom lines. Late last year researchers Steven Fraser and Joshua Freeman took up this point in a study which they presented in a CounterPunch article, arguing that “penitentiaries have become a niche market for such work. The privatization of prisons in recent years has meant the creation of a small army of workers too coerced and right-less to complain.”
Their perspective has resonated with a number of news services, anti-mass incarceration blogsters and activists. For example, a recent report from Russian news service RT claimed that prisons are “becoming America’s own Chinese style manufacturing line”. Huffington Post picked up the story, quoting Fraser and Freeman:
“All told, nearly a million prisoners are now making office furniture, working in call centers, fabricating body armor, taking hotel reservations, working in slaughterhouses, or manufacturing textiles, shoes, and clothing, while getting paid somewhere between 93 cents and $4.73 per day.” The HuffPost went on to name Chevron, Bank of America, AT&T, Starbucks and Walmart as major participants in what they called a “competitive spiral” to capture prison labor at the lowest possible wage levels. Vicky Pelaez, writing for Global Research earlier this year called prison industry a “new form of slavery” identifying more than twenty corporations involved in contract arrangements. Her list included IBM, Pierre Cardin, Target and Hewlett Packard. She concluded that, “thanks to prison labor, the United States is once again an attractive location for investment in work that was designed for Third World labor markets.” As appealing as these scenarios are to our sense of moral outrage and the role of multinational corporations as the villains of our era, such assertions about prison labor are off the mark. I spent six and a half years in Federal and state prisons at high, medium and low security levels. In all these institutions, very few people, if any, were under contract to private corporations. My memories of prison yards feature hundreds and hundreds of men trying to pump some meaning into their life with exercise routines, academic study, compulsive sports betting, religious devotion, and a number of creative and entrepreneurial “hustles.” But being under the thumb of Bill Gates or entering a Nike sweatshop was just about the farthest thing from our warehoused reality.
Statistics bear my memories out. Virtually all private sector prison labor is regulated under the Prison Industries Enhancement Certification Program (PIECP). Any prison wanting to publicly markets goods worth more than $10,000 must register with PIECP. The PIECP statistical report for the first quarter of 2012 showed 4,675 incarcerated people employed in prison or jail PIECP programs, a miniscule portion of the nation’s more than two million behind bars. Likely the largest single user of contract prison labor is Federal Prison Industries, which handles such arrangements for the Bureau of Prisons (BOP). Of the nearly 220,000 people housed in BOP facilities, just 13,369, representing approximately 8% of the work eligible “inmates” were employed as of September 30, 2012. However, the overwhelming majority of this production was for government departments like Defense and Homeland Security, rather than private corporations. There is an economic rationality to why prison labor is so infrequently used. While incarcerated people may constitute a captive workforce, in the era of mass incarceration security trumps all other institutional needs, including production deadlines. A fight on the yard, a surprise cell search, even a missing tool can occasion a lockdown where all activities, including work assignments come to a halt for hour, days, or, in some cases even weeks or months. Multinational corporations accustomed to just in time production systems and flexible working hours don’t respond well to this type of rigidity. Portraying our prisons as slave labor camps satisfies a certain emotional appeal, but hunting down multinationals that are extracting superprofits from the incarcerated diverts us from the crucial labor issues at the heart of mass incarceration. Those behind bars constitute a displaced and discarded labor force, marginalized from mainstream employment on the streets by deindustrialization in their communities and the gutting of urban education in poor communities of color. More than half of all Black men without a high-school diploma will go to prison at some time in their lives. The school to prison pipeline is far more of a reality than slave labor camps. Plus, the shift of the prison system’s emphasis from rehabilitation to punishment in the last three decades has blocked opportunities for people to upgrade skills and education while incarcerated. As the nuns used to tell me in grade school: “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop and idle hands are the devil’s tools.” The brains behind our prison system clearly had the devil’s welfare in mind when they reoriented our institutions away from rehabilitation into warehousing millions of people while stripping away their opportunities for personal and collective development. As a result purposelessness and excruciating boredom, not overwork, are the dominant features of most prison yards. For those trying to put an end to mass incarceration, framing the labor issues of the prison industrial complex in this way takes us down a very different road than upgrading the conditions of the minute numbers behind bars who are under corporate contracts (or as some unions are want to do-portraying prison laborers as scabs who undermine hard won working class gains). The chief labor concerns about mass incarceration are linked to broader inequalities in the economy as a whole, particularly the lack of employment for poor youth of color and the proliferation of low wage jobs with no benefits. Employment creation and the restoration of much needed state provided social services like substance abuse or mental health treatment are the measures that will keep people on the streets. Forget about minimum wages for the mythical millions working for Microsoft in Leavenworth and Attica. But the labor aspect of mass incarceration doesn’t end there. People with a felony conviction carry a stigma, a brand often accompanied by exclusion from the labor market. Michelle Alexander calls “felon” the new “N” word. Indeed in the job world, those of us with felony convictions face a number of unique barriers. The most well-known is “the box”-that question on employment applications which asks about criminal background. Eleven states and more than 40 cities and counties have outlawed the box on employment applications. Supporters of “ban the box” argue that questions about previous convictions amount to a form of racial discrimination since such a disproportionate number of those with felony convictions are African-American and Latino. Advancing these Ban the Box campaigns will have a far more important impact on incarcerated people as workers than pressing for higher wages for those under contract to big companies inside. However, even without the box, the rights of the formerly incarcerated in the labor market remain heavily restricted. Many professions, trades and service occupations which require certification, bar or limit the accreditation of people with felony convictions. For example, a study by the Mayor of Chicago’s office found that of 98 Illinois state statutes regarding professional licensing, 57 contained restrictions for applicants with a criminal history, impacting over 65 professions and occupations. In some instances, even people applying for licenses to become barbers or cosmetologists face legal impediments. Those with felony convictions face further hurdles when trying to access state assistance to tide them over during times of unemployment. In most states, those with drug convictions are banned from access to SNAP (food stamps) for life. Many local public housing authorities bar people with felony convictions even if their parents or partners already reside there. Lastly, the very conditions of parole often create obstacles to employment. Many states require that an employer of a person on parole agree that the workplace premises can be searched at any time without prior warning-hardly an attractive proposition for any business. In addition, tens of thousands of people on parole are subject to house arrest with electronic monitors. All movement outside the house must be pre-approved by their parole agent. This makes changes in work schedule or jobs that involve travel an enormous challenge. Some basic changes to the conditions of parole could constitute an important step to easing the labor market conditions for people coming home from prison trying to secure and keep a job. All of this is not to deny that many corporations have made huge amounts of money from mass incarceration. Firms like Arizona’s Kitchell Construction, which has built more than 40 state prisons and 30 adult jails have made millions. The Tennessee-based Bob Barker Enterprises is a “household” name among the incarcerated. With a corporate vision of “transforming criminal justice by honoring God in all we do,“ Barker has reaped massive profits from producing the poorest quality consumer goods, including two inch toothbrushes, for people behind bars. Then, of course, we have private prison operators like CCA and the GEO Group. Although the privates control only 8% of prison beds nationally these two firms managed to bring in over 3 billion in revenue last year. While such profiteering continues, the prison-industrial complex remains driven by an agenda that is more about politics than profits. State-owned prisons and political agendas continue to lie at the center of mass incarceration. The combined revenue of CCA and the GEO Group for 2012 was less than half of the California state corrections budget. Politicians, with important influence from pro-corporate organizations like the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), have made the PIC possible by passing harsh sentencing laws, funding the War on Drugs, tightening immigration legislation, and creating isolation units like Pelican Bay, Corcoran, Tamms and Angola. They have built a base of popular support for the “colorblind” approach of “lock ‘em up and throw away the key.” So while we need to curb the opportunities for corporate profit from putting people in cages, the main target of any campaign against the PIC must be to counter the racist ideology of “punitive populism” and reverse the political processes which perpetuate mass incarceration and the criminalization of the poor.
James Kilgore is a research scholar at the Center for African Studies at the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign). He writes on issues of mass incarceration with a focus on electronic monitoring and labor. He is also the author of three novels, all of which he drafted during his six and a half years in prison, 2002-09. He can be contacted at waazn1@gmail.com
Investigators filed simple assault and harassment charges against a Lackawanna County prison guard accused of spraying an inmate’s genitals with pepper spray.
Sgt. Scott Blume, 46, of Dunmore, was arraigned Wednesday in connection with an altercation with Damian Kellogg on Sept. 24. The incident did not come to light until Oct. 18, after Mr. Kellogg wrote to Judge Vito Geroulo to complain, according to members of the inmate’s family. Sgt. Blume is on paid administrative leave from the prison.
According to an arrest affidavit, the sergeant escorted Mr. Kellogg, who appeared to be intoxicated, to the restricted housing unit after he issued him a misconduct for having “hooch,” an alcoholic liquid made from fruit, inside the cell he shared with another inmate.
The incident, which was captured by a prison camera, began after Mr. Kellogg was placed in a holding cage and ordered to disrobe and change into a different prison uniform designated for restricted housing unit inmates. The affidavit says Mr. Kellogg began arguing with Sgt. Blume, which prompted the sergeant to enter the cage and grab Mr. Kellogg’s throat and pull his hair.
Sgt. Blume then left the cage. Mr. Kellogg refused to put on the new uniform and continued to argue with Sgt. Blume. That led Sgt. Blume to twice spray Mr. Kellogg through the “wicket,” a slot in the cell door used to pass food and other items to inmates, to get him to comply. Mr. Kellogg was then handcuffed and escorted to the restricted unit without further incident.
The affidavit does not identify the part of Mr. Kellogg’s body that was sprayed. In his letter to Judge Geroulo, a copy of which was obtained by The Times-Tribune, Mr. Kellogg said he was sprayed in the groin area while naked, causing him extreme pain.
Lackawanna County District Attorney Shane Scanlon said the prison contacted his office and requested an investigation. The incident was initially investigated under the prison rape elimination act based on Mr. Kellogg’s statement that he felt he had been “sexually violated.” After reviewing all evidence, detectives did not believe it rose to the level of a sex crime, Mr. Scanlon said.
“It appears as though the force used wasn’t necessary based on what we were able to review,” Mr. Scanlon said. “We felt, based on the evidence before us, it rose to the level of simple assault and harassment.”
Sgt. Blume, who has been employed at the prison since 2002, faces a disciplinary hearing that will determine whether he will remain on paid leave or be fired, said Donald Frederickson, general counsel for the county.
“It depends on what happens at the disciplinary hearing. If they feel they have enough evidence, they can dismiss him,” he said.
The World—Everything Is Different, but Nothing Has Changed
And the times are changing quickly. No one has any idea what the world will look like in ten years, let alone twenty or thirty. The rapid development of technology is more than we can take in. Those of us over the age of forty were born before the digital revolution really started. We’ve learned to use laptops, cameras, the Internet, and our personal electronic products, but it’s like learning a foreign language. But those under the age of forty have grown up with the digital revolution, and to them it’s their mother tongue. This has created the biggest generational gap since rock and roll.
Even greater is the moral generational gap. Those over forty in the western world grew up in a culture that still retained a semblance of its historic Judeo-Christian heritage. Our worldview contained some remaining vestiges of biblical truth. But our children are growing in an increasingly secular society.
But don’t despair. The things that matter most haven’t changed one iota. The little Book in my suit pocket is as unchanging as Him who is from everlasting to everlasting. That strengthens us whatever change may come.
Many at Galatia had been influenced by the “Judaizers, ” Jewish Christians, or at least Christians in name, who sought to be justified through keeping the Law of Moses. But Paul tells them that the true function of the Law was not to save but to be a “schoolmaster” or “teacher” to bring them to Christ. Once they saw the impossibility of keeping the Law and the great culpability of breaking it, they would see their need to be saved by faith alone.
Lord, that schoolmaster (your Law) that revealed our need of a Savior is still revealing to us our shortcomings. As love is the fulfilling of the Law, and to love God and neighbor is the sum of it, we see the Law is a helpful guide for Christian conduct. Use it to test us and show us our flaws, then turn us by grace to the keeping of it through love. Amen.
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
To remove the curse of God for breaking his Law from us, Jesus took our guilt upon himself and suffered that curse in our place. God cannot demand “double payment” for sin, so that he cannot justly condemn those whose sins were paid for in full on the cross. That is why there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).
O Lamb of God, it is your blood that takes away the sin-debt of the world, even of every one who believes on your name. We could not bear the punishment of our sin, nor endure the day of God’s wrath against sin. We praise you for your work of love on the cross, where you redeemed us from the curse of the Law. Amen.
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
It is in God’s design of things that children should grow up and leave the home. It is normal that they should go out and begin their own home. For our families to be strong and healthy, unlike the “fractured” if not broken families the world is so full of, husband and wife must remain in close, intimate union. And this union is a picture of the union between Christ and His Church.
God, help us to work at our relationships with others so that they will be all you intend them to be. Let my relationship with you be the foundation for a good relationship with spouse, children, parents, all family and friends, and every acquaintance. Amen.
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved; )
Perhaps the two sweetest words in the whole Bible are found here, “But God. ” In the verse just preceding, it is stated that believers were “children of wrath even as others” before their conversion. But God had a great love for them, which led him to “quicken, ” that is “raise to life, ” those who were dead spiritually. Paul then adds emphatically, “by grace you are saved. “
May we say with conviction, O Lord, that old Christian saying, “There, but for the grace of God, go I. ” May we recognize that it was your saving love that made the difference with us. We were dead to God, unable to respond properly to him. But your love laid hold on us, Lord, and you imparted to us life. And we know that yours is a love that “will not let us go.” Amen.
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
The Holy Spirit is here called the Spirit of Wisdom, using a grammatical construction that in the Greek indicates the Spirit is the “source of” or “giver of” wisdom. In 2 Timothy 3:15, we learn that the Scriptures are “able to make you wise unto salvation. ” When God opens our understanding to see the truth of the Gospel, he enlightens us and imparts to us wisdom to know and act on the truth. He then gives us hope of future glory and assures us of that hope by “the working of his mighty power” in us. That is the very power that raised up Jesus from the dead.
Open our minds more and more, we pray, to understand your truths. Let the “resurrection power” of God that raised Jesus Christ’s body from the grave raise up our spirits to live more and more a “resurrection life” of obedience to you. Amen.
And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
Faith is a gift from God, but it is also a thing that we are called to diligently work at and improve. In fact, these verses on diligence are further informed by verse 10 of the same chapter where our diligence is said to be the means of making “our calling and election sure. ” That is, when faith, virtue (moral fortitude), knowledge (gained through experience), self-control, patient endurance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love abound in our lives, it is fruit of righteousness that helps assure our hearts that indeed we are God’s children and will enter his everlasting kingdom (verse 11).
Lord, we take seriously your command to strive diligently after godliness and all Christian virtues in our daily walk. We know that you do not desire our faith to remain “alone, ” but that it should be accompanied by all Christian graces. We are encouraged to know that you will help us and guide us as we grow in all of these areas, step by step. Amen.
But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.
There will be days when you are tempted and days when you need protection, but you are a child of God. God will never leave you or forsake you – you will never have to walk through these challenging times alone. He is always faithful. He offers his protection and will help you stay away from evil. He has given you his Holy Spirit as a guide. Trust the Spirit to alert you when you have stumbled into trouble and call on him for protection.
Dear God, when I am fearful and need courage, I know you will strengthen me. You are always faithful and you will never leave me – thank you! Help me to trust you to guide me through difficult situations and protect me from any evil the evil one tries to use against me. O Lord, make my faith stronger so that I do not have a spirit of fear. Thank you for rescuing me time and time again. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Isaiah was dirty and full of sin. He was unworthy to see God’s holiness. Then the heavenly being took a hot coal from God’s alter. He put it on Isaiah lips and his sins were taken away and cleansed. Similarly, Jesus cleanses us who have faith in Him. He cleanses us and He makes us pure. Jesus Christ is our only hope of salvation from our wickedness. He is the only way to the Father and to heaven. Do you have faith in Jesus to remove your sins? If you cannot confidently answer, think and pray about it. It is always better to be sure. It is okay to not be sure; there is no shame in that. Get on your knees and ask God to reveal Himself to You. Proclaim your faith in Him and give Him your life. This is the way to salvation from your wickedness, sin, and the punishment you deserve – that we all deserve, but Jesus bore. Moses had brought the Israelites out of Egypt and now they were wondering if they were any better off! They had reached the Red Sea, and couldn’t see any way around this barrier that had been placed before them. But God knew what he was doing and Moses followed his instructions and the sea parted so that the Israelites could pass through on dry ground. A question sometimes asked at a job interview is, “What do you do when you face an obstacle?” How would you answer? Would you try to go around it, through it, or perhaps over it? Moses could not go around his obstacle and knew that without help, he could never bring all the people, animals and supplies through it. So, he asked God for help. Was that the first thing you thought of? There is a saying, “If God brings you to it, he will bring you through it.” The key here is to ask God to bring us through it. We often face challenges in our lives, especially when we are trying to live as Jesus wants us to live. Have you ever been asked why you believe? If not you probably will be. It can be hard to find the right words at times, but God will give us the words if we ask. Just as he promised Samuel, Isaiah and the other prophets, he will not leave us on our own and will give us the words we need when we need them. The next time you meet an obstacle, let God lead you over, under, around or through it. He will guide us in the right way to go. Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, He was prophesied about. That He would restore and bring life not break and ruin. That he would bring forth judgment on the Earth, and people everywhere across the oceans would listen to what He had to say. Now thousands of years later, people all over the Earth still listen to what Jesus has to say. Jesus is glorified through all history. People on every continent and in every country listen for His voice and read His Word. Jesus, thank You for bearing the burden and punishment of my sins and wrongdoings. You are the only way to come to the Father and to everlasting life. I place my faith in You and You only. I believe that You, Jesus, are the Son of God. I believe in the Father and Holy Spirit also. I believe in the trinity and that the Trinity is one. I put no one else before You in my priorities. If You are not at my center, remove idols from my life. I place my life, faith, and trust in You. I repent from my wrongdoing, and I come before You in faith. My life is in Your hands. I come to You because You are gracious and let me call on Your name. Amen. The first thing Andrew did when He found out Jesus was the Christ was to go tell his brother. Andrew went and got Peter and brought him to Jesus. Andrew could have been scoffed at or rejected by Peter if Peter did not believe Jesus was the Christ; yet, Andrew took him to Jesus anyways, and I’m sure he was glad he did. You have Jesus, and you love Him. Have you tried to bring your family to Him? Knowing Jesus is the only way to eternal life, wouldn’t you want to try your best to introduce Him to your grandparents, mother, father, brothers, sisters, and cousins? Heavenly Father, give me strength and courage to introduce You to my family. They need You. I want to speak to them about You. Help me to tell them about You well. Help me to answer questions they have and to try to find them the answers I don’t know. Soften their hearts. Only You can bring them to You, so please do so. In Jesus’ name. Amen. And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. Sometimes we grow weary as believers. Walking the road of faith gets hard. Other times it gets mundane. Sometimes doubt creeps in. We may even allow sin to fester in our lives and lead us to complacency and ceasing to listen to the Holy Spirit. But as believers, we can encourage our brothers and sisters to continue in the faith. Sometimes all someone needs is a reminder, encouragement, and support. Heavenly Father, help my brothers and sisters. Give them strength and endurance to continue in the faith You called them to. Place people in their lives to encourage them. Bring them to a deeper love for You. Make them to feel Your presence this week. Let them remember why they first loved You. You are our great love. You are the worthiest of our love. You are worthy of more than we can give. In Jesus’ name. Amen. Father God, You sent Your son to the world to save us. He was with you in the beginning. People everywhere listen to His words. Jesus is amazing and true. Thank You for Your goodness, and that You build up and care for the weak. Help Your Church that is scattered all over the Earth. Unite us, Your Bride. Help us to glorify you and to proclaim Your gospel to the nations. In Jesus’ name. Amen. When we reach a point of contentment, we are not moved by what another person does or does not have. Contentment prevents us from defining ourselves according to the world’s values. We become content through God, in whom we know we have everything we need. Eternal life, being the most important of it all. Dear God, I thank you that I can be totally content in you. You have filled all the gaps and voids in my life. I know that I will never find contentment in this world; only in you and you alone. I pray that more and more of your children will come to realize this too, Lord. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Sometimes people tend to take God’s love and everlasting mercy as a way for them to continue living irresponsibly. When they are confronted about their actions, their response is “God loves me for who I am. ” Yes, he does, but our love for Him should compel us to be convicted of our sins and confess them to him. God won’t hold our sins against us; he is quick to forgive and swift to restore. Dear God, once again I would like to thank you for your endless love and everlasting mercy. Father, I am sorry for any time I have taken you or your love for granted. If there has ever been a time where I tried to use the grace you have given so freely as an excuse to live irresponsibly, I humbly confess where I have erred, and I receive your forgiveness. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Dear God, I pray for those who have chosen to turn from you. Lord, I pray that something in their hearts will make them change their minds about you. May they experience your love, Lord, in all its fullness and may they be compelled by this to know you more. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Someone once said that there are no u-hauls behind hearses. The implication is that you can’t take it with you when you die. There’s a story of a man who tried. When the doctors told him he had a short time to live, he converts some of this cash into gold bricks, puts them in a suitcase and instructs that this suitcase should be buried with him. When he approaches the pearly gates carrying the suitcase, St. Peter stops him and asks to look inside the suitcase. The angel Gabriel asks, “What’s in the suitcase?” “Pavement,” replies St. Peter. The story illustrates that in heaven what we consider to be wealth on this earth is really nothing. Heaven’s streets are paved with gold. That would be the equivalent of us finding some kind of value in asphalt or concrete chunks here on earth. We spent a lot of time trying to get things on this earth. We spend a lot of time working to get more and more and more stuff that we just don’t need. If you don’t believe it, take a look at what happens when a person dies without an heir. A lawyer has to come in, open up the house, and sell off all the belongs to settle the estate. Thousands and thousands of dollars worth of stuff–sometimes still in boxes–is sold for pennies on the dollar. An entire lifetime of obtaining things and the only thing that happens is that strangers come in to pick over the possessions a giant yard sale. This passage tells us that we are to be content with what we have. We should be content with food and clothing. As long as our needs are met on a daily basis, that’s really all we should ask for. Everything else is just bonus stuff and if we are spending time away from our families, if we’re spending time focusing on getting rather than focusing on living, then we’re being very foolish because we can’t take it with us. When the end comes, all the stuff that we bought stay right here our closets or our garages. While we’re on this earth we need to make the right choices and be sure that we are able to be content with what we have. Then we may end up with few things that we went. Childbirth can be a painful experience. Even with the best pain killers available, the stress and trauma of childbirth cannot be lessened greatly. A mother giving birth may travail in labor for hours. Her contractions may be painful and the birth process may be grueling. In that period of labor, she suffers greatly. But as soon as she sees the face of that newborn child, all of that passes away. The suffering, the pain, disappears and is replaced by joy. Here Paul gives us a similar situation. Paul explains here that the Gospel has great power to sustain us in times of trouble. He was not talking only about the trials that Christians in his time had to endure, but the sickness, pain, and trouble that all Christians, throughout time would have to endure. He says that no matter how difficult the suffering in this world is, it does not even compare to the glory that awaits us in heaven. The glory that will be revealed to us is so great in comparison to the suffering that preceded it. We will forget our former trials when we get a glimpse of that glory. We are children of God. Think about that for a minute. The God of the universe sent his son to be born of a woman on earth living under the law – a woman like us. He sent his son so that we might be free from this law – the law of sin and death. We are free because of his sacrifice, and we have been made sons and daughters of God through him. How amazing! Paul cries out here in anguish over indwelling sin that remained in him. He longs for the day when he will be free fully from the power of sin. While we live, a conflict is in us between the old and the new natures. It is a daily battle. It does not end until we leave this world, but God can help us subdue the flesh and live increasingly out of the new nature. Father, I thank You for being with me in my trials. I know that I will have to suffer some in this world and I know I will have to go through trials. I also know, however, that what will be revealed to me when I finally see You face to face will make it all worthwhile. My suffering will fade to nothing as I see the glory of Your face. Amen. If we hate that which is evil, we will love that which is good. The two go together hand in hand. You cannot love God and love Satan; you cannot love God’s Law and also love the paths of unrighteousness. At least, your heart of hearts and your new nature from the new birth will seek what is truly good; the old nature will seek sin, but the Christian must subdue and overcome it. The age old question of who’s right! There’s a commercial for an automobile company that uses the slogan of “either/or, or both/and” that I kind of like. Not that I’m supporting the company, but because I believe we sometimes think in an either/or way when it’s really important to be a both/and kind of person. In today’s gospel, Martha is busy about hospitality and Mary extends hospitality in a quieter manner. We need both, and we need to be both. There are times when we need to be about doing what Jesus tells us to do, but if all we do is “do” and we don’t take the time to listen, we just might get it wrong. Mary sits and listens to Jesus while Martha feels overwhelmed with her tasks. When Martha complains, Jesus tells her not to be anxious and worried, and I think that here is the key. When we take the time to sit and listen to Jesus and then move on to follow the will of God, we don’t have to be anxious and worried; we can relax in the knowledge that we are doing our best, and that is what is required of us. Jesus doesn’t say that what Martha is doing is unimportant; he just seems to imply that she shouldn’t be so focused on her work, that she neglects her need for being present and listening. We, too, can be so busy doing that we forget to take the time to pray, to reflect on Scripture, to sit and listen to Jesus. During the sometimes lazy days of summer, let us take advantage of the laziness and just sit in God’s presence and reflect on who we are and who we are called to be, so that when the time comes to be busy again, we’ll be ready. Micah is a prophet at around the same time as Isaiah and has come to prophesy punishment to those who are behaving in an unjust manner. Just because a person has the power or authority to act unjustly, doesn’t mean that he should. One might think that harassment or schemes to defraud people of their property or their inheritance, are something new, but Micah lets us know that these things have been going on since antiquity. God isn’t any happier today about these practices than he was then. Micah made known God’s displeasure to the kings and leaders of the day. He warns that their unjust practices need to stop and that the people need to repent or else they are leaving themselves open to attack by armies greater than theirs. As we know, Assyria and Babylon both decimated Judah and Israel. Think about the Roman Empire, they too had fallen into such a moral decay that they were open to being overcome by Constantine. What about today? We have become lax in our time as well. Corporate takeovers that have little respect for the rights of the workers have become common. Even companies that have not been taken over have been known to change their policies and limit the benefits that their employees enjoy. Communities can take property away from individuals for schools, highways, shopping centers, by eminent domain and those who live on the properties are forced to move. Although owners are reimbursed, renters need to fend for themselves. Looking out for number one, whether personally, communally or nationally can lead to ignoring the essentials and there is nothing to stop others from overcoming us. As Micah says, we need to work for justice if we want peace. And so still today, the Jewish people celebrate Passover and one of the traditions is for someone to ask why we celebrate this feast, and the youngest child answers with the story of the Passover. Jesus was celebrating Passover with his friends on the night before he died. I know this reading comes up during the summer, so it’s not the time for Passover, or the Passion of Jesus, but I have a question. What are our traditions surrounding the passion and death and resurrection of Jesus? Do we celebrate the end of Lent on Holy Thursday? Do we spend time with Jesus on Good Friday remembering his sacrifice? Is Easter all about candy and the Easter bunny? Today, many of our churches are practically empty on Easter Sunday and the children think more about an Easter egg hunt than God. Would the youngest member of the family be able to tell the story of why we celebrate? God brought the Israelites from slavery to freedom at the original Passover, but Jesus brought us from the slavery of sin and the freedom to celebrate eternity with him in heaven. One was temporary, the other is permanent. Why is it that we take this celebration so lightly? Even though it’s summer, let’s take a moment to think about how the story of our faith is being passed on to our youth. God’s name as it is written in Scripture is either Jehovah or Yahweh, or just YHWH. All are translations of He is Who He is. Because the Jewish people did not call God by the name he gave Moses. It is for this reason that the Jewish people were so angry when Jesus said that before Abraham came to be I AM. To say God’s name was to blaspheme. For the people of Moses’ time, names had power. They felt that to use the name of God was to say that they had power over God, and so the name was sacred. I can remember an uncle of mine who would often take not just the Lord’s name in vain when he was angry, but would also use it to curse whoever he was angry with. I’m sure you know many people who do the same without even blinking an eye. Good Christians, all, who would be horrified if they were called on it. We are offended when people use foul language, why are we not offended when the Lord’s name is taken in vain? A friend of mine used to work in the office of a major manufacturing company and the man who sat behind her was continually cursing the company and its managers. One day she had had enough and turned to him and said, “No wonder the company is going to pot, you keep asking God to damn it.” He had never considered that he was both swearing and cursing, but he stopped. What about us? Do we need to clean up our speech, or ask other to do so? How do I praise God? God doesn’t want an animal sacrifice he wants a sacrifice of the heart. He wants a joyous heart, a heart that bursts into song because it can’t help itself. A heart so full of gratitude that song is the only way a body can express it. I love music; I love to sing the songs of praise in church. I might not have the best voice but it’s the one God gave me so he must think it’s good enough. There is something about music that lifts the soul. It’s no wonder that the psalms are music. In fact, this psalm even tells us which piece of music to sing it to – “Lilies!” When we think about it, some of the most glorious music was written for religious reasons: Handel’s Messiah is but one example. When we listen to the anthems of many nations, we see how they give thanks and praise to God. Whether we raise our voices in song or not, what is important is that we raise our voices in thanks and praise to God. Our prayers acknowledge that we know who is in charge, to whom we owe everything and who deserves our praise. Lord, I pray for the older people who do not know You. I pray they will find Your love and joy. Let them lean on You for strength and understanding. Help them to smile and live out the remainder of their days for You. Get them the word if they don’t have access to it. Bring Christians into their lives to speak life into them. You are the God who cares for the young and old, weak and strong, rich and poor. Bless our elderly and help us honor them. In Jesus’ name. Amen. The writer of this Psalm desperately wanted God to show His strength through him, an old man. He wanted everyone to know God’s power. As we grow old, we can still show God’s strength. As we become weaker, we can proclaim how strong He is. Do not lose heart as you grow old. The retired missionary now goes door to door to preach even though he’s walking slowly. The woman who started doing jail ministry long ago is often decades later faithfully visiting the jail. Whatever God is calling you to, God is greater than your age. Lord, as I grow old, let me still serve You faithfully. When I’m weak, help me to show others Your strength. Through wrinkles, let others see the joy on my face that comes only from You. Even if I’m moving slowly, let me still move for You. I will gladly do Your will until my last breath. If I’m on this earth, You have me here for a reason. I will continue to live for You. In Jesus’ name. Amen. We were all introduced to our savior, Jesus Christ, through someone else. When we truly understand salvation, it is not enough for us to simply receive it. In our excitement, we will gladly go tell others about this miraculous savior. The prophet describes how when a city came to know the Lord, they rushed to pray and seek God so that they could go to another city to share this good news. The Word tells us we are commissioned to tell others the good news – let us go quickly!
Prayer is greatly needed in the Church, the body of Christ today, and in the human society as a whole, is a genuine, God-sent revival. It is either revival or revolution, if it is a revolution, it will plunge human society and civilization into chaos and utter confusion. We are living in a time of widespread apostasy. This may be the last apostasy from which we will be saved by the return of our Lord Jesus to this earth to take the reins of government into His own thoroughly competent hands. That would, of course, be the greatest and most glorious of all revivals, and it would be a revival that would never end. However, we do not know that this is the final apostasy. There have been more complate and appalling apostasies in the past than this one is at the past hour. The apostasy in England in the time od the Wesleys, and in Amereica at the time of Jonathan Edwards, was far more complete than the present apostasy is. The postasy in this country at the opening of the 19th century was far more appalling, at least as regarding university life, than the apostasy of today. It was the revival under the Wesleys and their associates that saved the church and saved civilization in their day. Even as thorough a rationalist as the historian WIlliam Lecky admits that it was the revival under Wesleys that saved civilization in England. It was the Great Awakening under the leadership of Jonathan Edwards and others that savwed the church in America. Our greatest need today isa deep, thorough, Spirit-wrought, God-sent revival. Such revivals, as far as our human role is concerned, always come in one way – by prayer. It was Jonathan Edwards’ CALL to PRAYER that brought the Great Awakening. It was the city missionary Jeremiah Lanphier stirring the Christians of New York to prayer that brought the wonderous revival of 1857. It was the prayer of four humble Christians from Kells, Ireland, and the prayers of others. that brought the marvelous Ulster revival of 1859-1860. I have been praying to write a book about prayer. I had to read other peoples book about prayer, because even though I have been praying my whole life I needed to go back to the heart of prayer. The heart of prayer, to me is a personal relationship with Jesus. And to address going to Jesus’, Mother Mary to help me and of course the Holy Spirit. TO keep God the center of my life.
There is much in prayer, and yet it is as simple as James 4:2 – “You do not have because you ask not.” Then we ask ourselves, “Why don’t we have anything?” Again God replies, “It is because of our neglect of prayer. When we read the only inspired church history that was ever written, the history of the church in the days of apostles as it is recorded by Luke (under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) in the Acts of the Apotles, what do we find? We find a story of constant victory and perpetual progress. We read, for example, such statements as Acts 2:47 – The Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. We read this statement from Acts 4:4 – Many of those
Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
When we try to rush ahead of God’s timing and His guidance, we will end up making a lot of mistakes. We need to humble ourselves under God’s guidance, realizing that He truly knows best. When we do so, we will reach the right points in our life at the right time. It’s all about trusting Him.
Doubt is normal. It was there in Paul’s time and it exists today. Maybe it is more prevalent today than it was in Paul’s time because there are so many people trying to discourage people from belief in God. The pagans of Paul’s time believed in gods, they just didn’t all know God. Today many claim that there is no God. They believe that scientists will soon be able to explain everything about how the world was created and answer any other question we might have. See, no need for God! And if there is no God then no heaven and no resurrection. If this is true then why bother depriving ourselves of all the pleasures we can get just because Christianity says love of God and of others should come first. But, there were too many people who witnessed Jesus after his resurrection. Too many people who were willing to die for the sake of Jesus and his teaching. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t die for a lie. And I doubt that they would either. So, as Paul says, since Jesus rose from the dead, we need to pay attention to what he said and to the promise that one day we too would rise if only we remain faithful. Doubt? Okay, but in the end, trust and belief.
According to Lionel Swain, of St. Edmund’s College, Ware, St. Paul believed intercession to be one of the most important aspects of faith and praying life, as praying for others is a recurring theme in his works. Prayer acts as a way for St. Paul to acknowledge God’s power. Intercessory prayer also acts as a way for the Apostle to “share in … the Father’s redemptive love”. Paul believed that prayer transformed the person doing the praying, as much as the one being prayed for, which creates a stronger bond between him and God.
Prof. Dr Johannes van Oort, Professor Extraordinarius in the Department of Church History and Church Polity of the Faculty of Theology at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, adds that, in addition to praying for wisdom, the early church was very much involved with different charismas, one of which being healing. Praying for other people’s illnesses was another way that intercessory prayer was important in the early church, as healing was a sign of “the power of God’s Kingdom”. This gift of healing is specifically mentioned, among the other charismata, as a sign of being a true Christian by Irenaeus of Lyons in his text, Against Heresies.
In addition to praying for each other in life, early Christians would pray for those who had died. There is no unequivocal evidence that Christians began to pray for the dead before the third century AD. G. F. Hamilton argues that the earliest example of Church prayer on behalf of dead Christians are found in the Sacramentary of Serapion of Thmuis (350 AD). Rather than pray for the departed in regular church services on Sunday, these early Christians would hold special commemorative occasions during the week. There was a sharp distinction drawn between remembering and praying on behalf of the dead, and those who were the “‘faithfully’ departed”, where Christians would only pray for those who had died as believers. The First Epistle of Clement (95 AD) contains a prayer which, while mainly for protection for the living, also includes the dead. Even quite early, a distinction was drawn between those who had died as Christians, and those who had died as unbelievers. In the Martyrdom of Polycarp (155 AD), Polycarp is killed and his bones are taken by fellow Christians and a shrine is set up to him, where they may remember his martyrdom. In contrast, the “Apology of Aristides” shows how those who were not Christians were grieved for, while the dead faithful were rejoiced over.
Theological perspective: In an article in Theological Studies, Catholic theologian Patricia A. Sullivan warns that saints should not be built up in a way that brings down God. Saint Augustine had famously said that we pray not to instruct God but to get our will in line with God’s. Sullivan warns away from the dictionary meanings of “intercession” as “intervention, mediation, arbitration, negotiation”, all of which sound like we are dealing with a hostile or unfriendly God, whom we need to manipulate to get what we need. Such is not the meaning of the hapax legomenon in the New Testament of the word for intercession. Sullivan goes on:
When we ask a saint to intercede for us, what is happening at a deeper level is that we are taking refuge in the all-enfolding community of the redeemed, approaching God thru saintly symbols of Christ’s victory and of our hope. Saints want always what God wants, what is best for us whether we pray for it or not. They are in a perpetual attitude of praise for God’s love and care, to which we join ourselves, praying, more precisely, with them rather than to them. The value of our petitions is that they turn us in confidence toward the God who loves us, allowing God’s work to be more effective in us, and thru us in others.
It would be anathema to ask God to try any harder to do good. By invocation of a saint “we take refuge in faith in the all-enfolding community of all the redeemed,” where “each is responsible for all”. They are “creative models of holiness”.
Although the idea of intercession or mediation (Arabic: s̲h̲afāʿa) has historically played a very prominent role in Islamic thought, it is not universally accepted by all Muslims in the present day.
The Quran says that the pre-Islamic Arab pagan gods will not be able to intercede with God on behalf of humankind, and that “the guilty” (al-mujrimīn,) will not benefit from any intercession on the Day of Judgment. Other passages that deny the efficacy intercession include. Still others say that God is the only intercessor.
However, “intercession is mentioned in the Qurʾān with respect to angels praying for the believers and the Prophet praying for erring but repentant Muslims.” Furthermore, it became an orthodox Islamic doctrine or “cardinal belief” that “Muḥammad will intercede for all Muslims on the Day of Resurrection.” While this particular tenet practically remained unchallenged throughout Islamic history, the widespread Sunni and Shia practice of asking deceased prophets and saints for intercession by praying at their tombs have become contentious issues in the modern Islamic world, with all these different types of intercession often being labelled by Salafi/Wahhabi Muslims as a type of polytheism, in a manner akin to the attitude of many Protestants towards the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox practice of saint-intercession. In prophetic sayings there is intercession of martyrs for “seventy relatives” in the Hereafter.
Some religions claim that praying for somebody who is sick can have positive effects on the health of the person being prayed for.
Meta-studies of the literature in the field have been performed showing evidence only for no effect or a potentially small effect. For instance, a 2006 meta analysis on 14 studies concluded that there is “no discernible effect” while a 2007 systemic review of intercessory prayer reported inconclusive results, noting that 7 of 17 studies had “small, but significant, effect sizes” but the review noted that the most methodologically rigorous studies failed to produce significant findings.
Does Jesus really want us to believe that our enemies are our parents, children, family or friends? Somehow, I don’t think so! It is really about priorities. Have you ever chosen to watch a sports program when your child wanted to talk to you? What about not sitting at the table for meals because a special game is on? We are called on to make choices all the time. We can choose God, or we can choose other. Is that late night party worth missing church? We can talk all we want about being too busy, but the truth is that we find the time for what we want to do. I love to read, knit, spend time with my friends and I hate doing the laundry, dishes, vacuuming, but it all needs to be done. I would rather pick up a good book than exercise. I can say that I am “too busy” to do the things I don’t enjoy doing, but the truth is, I choose to spend my time in other ways. The same is true about putting God first. A friend that is always put last doesn’t remain a friend for long. When it comes to God, we know he will never desert us, but what about our turning our backs on him? We know what we must do – put God first and then everything else falls into place. Even carrying the crosses each of us must bear in life is easier because we know we don’t have to do it alone. Sometimes we may have to disappoint a child or friend because we choose to do the right thing, but that is the price of being a disciple of Jesus.
No, Catholics only worship the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It would, in fact, be sinful to worship Mary. Theologians call divine worship latria, or the adoration due only to God. However, in English the word worship is equivocal. In Britain it is often used of high personages, with the meaning of revering or honoring them due to the dignity of their office. David gave such honor to Saul, for example, because God had placed him as king over Israel. Such “worship” is derivative, sourced in the Father, as St. Paul taught (Eph. 3:14-15), analogous to that which the Decalogue commanded for parents (Ex. 12:20; Dt. 5:16). Unfortunately, the English word “worship” doesn’t convey the subtlety of the Latin used by the Church, and in the United States is reserved for God. The Church’s theological term is dulia, from the Latin word for service. It is the reverence and respect owed to all the faithful servants of God (Mt. 24:21-23), the angels and saints whom God Himself honors with crowns of glory (Prov. 16:31; 1 Tim. 4:8; 1 Pet 5:4; Rev 4:4). We honor them and, in turn, join with them in honoring God, the source of all holiness (Rev. 4:9-11). Yet, Mary is not just any other saint. She is the Theotokos, the God-bearer, or Mother of God (Luke 1:43; Council of Ephesus, “Against Nestorius”). She is the true Ark of the Covenant who carried the Word Himself, the Bread of Heaven, and the Good Shepherd (Heb. 9:3-5; Rev. 11:19-12:1). The Archangel told her that she was “full of grace” (Luke 1:28), and Elizabeth, moved by the Holy Spirit, called her “blessed among women” (Luke 1:42). For all these reasons and more, the Church renders to Mary an honor that is greater than is given to all the saints and angels, termed hyperdulia, or the greatest honor. Yet, it is not still that adoration, latria, which we give to God alone, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
It is amazing how selfish we can be sometimes. A line of traffic on a busy street. We’ve been waiting for what seems like forever at a traffic light. Out of the corner of our eye, we see a car trying to pull out of a parking lot, the driver desperately looking for an opening. We avert our eyes and grip the steering wheel, determined not to give an inch. Someone else can make that sacrifice. Selfish, our selfish nature makes it very difficult to understand the great sacrifice Christ made for us. When we were useless sinners, when we were absolutely powerless, He chose to die for us. Sinners….who hated God, who delighted in the very things God hates. He died for us. It’s hard to get our selfish brains wrapped around that notion. We were on the verge of perishing and He gave Himself away to save us. Who does that? What a great friend Christ is to us! That He would lay down His life to save such selfish, sinful beings.That is what is most amazing about His sacrifice. If we had all been good, righteous people–then perhaps it is understandable that He would be willing to die for us. But we were ungodly. And He STILL died for us. The depth of His love was such that, even in our sin, He loved us and died for us. He took our sin upon Himself. He knew about everything we ever did or ever would do. It didn’t matter. He did it anyway. His unwavering love for us sent him to the cross.
In this scripture, Jesus explains to His disciples (including us), that He chose us. Traditionally, in Jewish culture, a person would choose his own Teacher. In this case, Jesus makes it clear that these disciples were chosen by the Teacher, instead. This applies to us today as well. Christ has chosen us; we didn’t choose Him first. Not only has He chosen us, He has ordained us to be fruitful, meaning that we are to be productive and successful in spreading the Gospel. We were set apart for this purpose by Christ. Christ expects this fruit to “remain” or be permanent. Whatever good work we do for the Kingdom should be lasting and eternal. When we bear good fruit in this way, the consequences are that our prayers will be answered by God. Christ tells us that whatever we ask in His name will be done. This is an encouraging promise, that both gives us validation and shows us our purpose in this life.
Lord, I thank You for choosing me and ordaining me. Help me to spread the Gospel far and wide in such a way that it makes an eternal impact on people’s lives. I thank You that You will hear and answer my prayers as I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
God’s miraculous deliverance of Daniel from the lions in the lions’ den where he had been cast for worshipping the true God opened Nebuchadnezzar’s eyes to whose God was God. And he even issued a decree that all men in his vast kingdom give homage to the God of Daniel. Daniel’s faith and refusal to cease his regular daily devotions had resulted in the knowledge of God being spread throughout the land.
This verse tells us that “all things work together for the good of those who love God.” If we love God, then we live in obedience. The “all things” refers to the providence of God and all the things that relate to Him: His Holy Spirit, His love and mercy, His truths, etc. All of these things come together for our good if we love God and show that we do by our behavior. But it’s not only required that we love God, but that we are called according to His purpose. This refers to the purpose that God has set before us. He calls us to a specific purpose in this life. As long as we are obedient to this purpose, to His call, then all of His resources come together for our good. This is a very encouraging scripture to let us know that, if we follow the will of God, everything will be okay with us. More than okay, actually. They will be “good,” because God is on our side.
Jesus tells us that the golden rule sums up the law and the prophets. Jesus is also telling us that we shouldn’t try to take the easy way out. From the time a two or three year old figures out that disobeying mom or dad brings punishment, he also figures out ways of trying to get away with it. The child will lie or hide or blame a sibling or the family pet! Unless this behavior is caught and the children learn that they can’t get away with it, they will continue this pattern. It can be very tempting to take the easy way out. This is not what we are called to do. We are called to take the narrow path, doing the right thing. We all get upset when we hear about hit and run accidents, but it’s hard to own up to something if you think you won’t be caught, especially when it could be expensive We choose the easy or the narrow path just about every day. Some decisions are easy, some are not. Do you waste time on the phone or on a computer searching websites or playing games when you should be working? See, what I mean? Students today are told they need computers for research that will enhance their learning, but some take advantage and their research trying to find papers that they can claim as their own. Jesus knew us well, and has given us fair warning. We should listen.
We need to be on the lookout for those who would lead people away from God by pretending that they are leading them to God. We have seen this happen several times in very public and tragic ways, but it can happen in less public ways as well. The world was horrified when they learned of the mass murder/suicide of over 900 people, one third of them minors in Guyana in 1978, and again of the destruction of the compound in Waco, Texas where over 70 people died. Both of these tragedies occurred because the leaders of the cult claimed to either be a god or be God’s messenger or Messiah. There have been many other cults operating with less destructive results. Preying on loners or immigrants, the leaders promise security here and eternal life if only you follow them. They don’t say that you are following God, but you are following them because they are the only ones who know the way! By their fruits you will know them. These people ask blind obedience, work to separate people from their families and friends, and often demand a certain percentage of income. This doesn’t sound like Jesus to me. Paul never demanded obedience to himself, in fact, he said just the opposite to the Corinthians. John the Baptist said that he wasn’t the one and pointed to Jesus. We have been warned by Jesus to look at those who claim to be prophets carefully and judge by their fruits. If they are more interested in leading us to themselves instead of to Jesus, we must beware.
Again we have a prophet spreading God’s message of love, begging the people to admit their wrongdoing, and sincerely repent and turn back to him. When you read the Old Testament, you start to wonder if they will ever learn. I wonder what historians one hundred years from now will say about us and our behavior. Will they read the New Testament and find remnants of Christian groups and compare their behavior with the Bible, and find us worthy of the name? I’m not so sure. Not only is there a lot of what I consider very un-Christian behavior by individuals but also by Christian groups towards one another. Perhaps we should reread Joel and the messages given by some of the other prophets and take these messages to heart. God wants us to turn to him. He wants us to take responsibility for our actions, and ask forgiveness so that he can forgive and renew us. God isn’t looking for grandiose exhibitions of repentance, but a sincerity of heart. It’s how much we are willing to change our behavior. It’s how welcoming we will be to the stranger, how much we are willing to help others to grow in their faith as well as how willing we are to grow in our own.
Let us not, O Lord, underestimate what you can do in us and through us. We do not know all of your purposes for us, but we know that nothing is too hard for you to do. We pray for the steadfastness of soul to continue to pursue knowing you even in the face of resistance and the faith to believe that your Word planted deep in us can strengthen us for even the most difficult tasks. Amen.
Human Trafficking Survivor; God and Country, Without God There is No Country/ Judeo-Christian / America Belongs to God 