“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” (2 Timothy 3:12-13)
Evil happens too much in our world and, unfortunately, it will happen more too. This, we are promised in God’s word. These are all signs of a planet in rebellion to the will and love of God. For the time, God permits much because we must learn to understand the Continue reading
In this short blog, we will compare and contrast some statements from the Christian Holy Bible and the Islamic Qur’an on the subject of how to treat others who are outside “the faith” or who do not believe the faith. There are many other facts, such as History, development, broad-scope, etc, that might be compared, contrasted, or explained, but this post will not discuss all those items at length. What we want to know is this: “How do these two books teach people to regard and deal with those who are outside of the faith and who do not believe in the same way?” Direct quotes will be shared from both texts, on various points of the basic question at hand. Continue reading
“Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seems to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise” (1 Corinthians 3:18).
The Bible asserts that “the wisdom of the world is foolishness with God” (1 Corinthians 3:19). He knows their thoughts, “that they are vain” (v.20). The thinking and prized things of the world are quite different from God’s. Jesus even said “that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God,” simply because that which is so often prized by people of the world is completely the opposite from what God prizes, values, and promotes (See Luke 16:15). Continue reading
The 4th Chapter of James holds wonderful truths for God’s people! (As does the whole Bible, of course!). But, perhaps it’s been a while since many of us have read through this chapter. In reading this chapter recently I was struck by the message of God’s people being “separate” from sin and the world. At least that is, called to be separate, expected to be separate, and empowered to be separate, but in need of willingness and decision to be separate. God provides the tools, strength or power, and the direction needed – but as for the decision, that lies in our hands. James 4 makes that abundantly clear, as do so many other countless passages in the Bible! Let’s go through the chapter and pull out some points for edification. I’ll simply reference ideas and portions of text, but you’d be blessed to read the whole chapter (See James 4). Continue reading
“There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” -Proverbs 14:12
In the book of Judges, chapter 17, verses 1-13, there is a story of a man named Micah and his mother. He stole “eleven hundred shekels of silver” from his mother. Later upon hearing her curses he decided to confess and then give it back. She blessed him then and said, “I had wholly dedicated the silver from my hand to the Lord for my son, to make a carved image and a molded image; now therefore, I will return it to you (v.3). “..Then his mother took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to the silversmith, and he made it into a carved image and a molded image; and they were in the house of Micah. 5 The man Micah had a shrine, and made an ephod and household idols; and he consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest. 6 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”
Continue reading