Philippians is a four-chapter letter written by Paul while he was in prison for preaching about Jesus Christ. Paul, also known as Saul, was born in Tarsus, from the tribe of Benjamin, and belonged to the Pharisees, a major group within Judaism at the time. That is until he quit persecuting Christians and joined them instead.
Continue reading “What is the Book of Philippians about in the Bible?”
The Jews who believed in Jesus at that time were scattered about Asia and were persecuted. They were hurt and confused and doubting in their faith because of the persecution they received. Peter wrote to comfort them and remind them of what they must do in times of suffering; that they must hold onto the hope in God and blessings of those who remain faithful under trial.
Continue reading “What is 1 Peter about in the Bible?”
When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like streams in the Negev. Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.
Psalm 126
Continue reading “The Lord Has Done Great Things – The Psalms Series”
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
Proverbs 1:7
What do you fear? The word “fear” can mean “scared” or “afraid”. Maybe you fear spiders or snakes, being attacked in the middle of the night; maybe you fear loneliness or isolation. There are many different things people are afraid of. I fear getting in a fight. I don’t want to get punched or hit. But when the Bible talks about “fearing the Lord”, is it referring to this same kind of fear?
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Moses – What does his name make you think of? Maybe movies such as, “The Ten Commandments” or “The Prince of Egypt” come to mind. Moses is definitely one of the most famous Biblical figures from the Old Testament. He grew up in Pharaoh’s palace, only to come back later and free God’s people. He penned the first five books of the Bible: Genesis through Deuteronomy. God chose him to give His Law and Commandments to the Israelites.
Continue reading “A Closer Look: Moses, the Promised Savior of the Israelites”
For a long time growing up, I had very little connection to the Bible. Since the only real Bible we had was a King James version, as a child my reading plan always fell apart by the time I got to the Tower of Babel. And a children’s picture book of Old Testament stories could only take me so far. My knowledge was…vague at best. I could maybe recite a few key points regarding events of the Old Testament– often confusing Jonah with Noah. Regarding Abraham, I knew he had a son named Isaac…or was it Jacob? Or was he the one with twelve sons?
Continue reading “A Closer Look: Abraham, the Father of Faith”
One of the hottest topics within Christianity is the second coming of Jesus.
Ideas and speculations of how Jesus’s return will take place have been circulating for thousands of years now. Everyone seems to have their own understanding and expectations of it.
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Heretic! Demon possessed! Liar!
A roar of countless voices hurls insults at Jesus. Hands grasping stones, prepared to throw. You’d maybe expect this kind of treatment for a cold-blooded criminal. But not for Jesus, the Son of God. Nevertheless, this is the kind of treatment he received when he went out to do the work of God. Most of us know that Jesus was not well-received during the time he was alive. But do you know who was to blame for Jesus’ treatment?
Continue reading “Why Are the Pharisees the Bad Guys in the New Testament?”
Why does God seem so angry in the Old Testament? And why does He always destroy the Israelites, the very people He created and chose? Why doesn’t He just forgive them? Isn’t He the God of love?
I’ve grown up hearing these questions my whole life when it comes to God. Things like this made me believe in the idea that there was the wrath of God versus the peace of Jesus. These ideas grew into assumptions that God was the one who was always full of anger and wrath, while Jesus was our friend, brought peace, and never acted out in anger…or at least not as intensely as God did.
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As a kid, I loved the holidays, especially Christmas and Thanksgiving. We always had friends over and all shared a big meal. There were so many kinds of foods: turkey, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, buttery dinner rolls, and cherry pie. I didn’t eat much during the day so that I’d be especially hungry at dinner time.
Then by the end, I felt so full…almost too full. You know that feeling when you eat too much? The food coma that starts creeping up? Or that gross, sick-to-your-stomach feeling of having stuffed too much down?
Continue reading “Spiritually Full or Spiritually Hungry – Which is Better?”