Above and Beyond
As human beings, we often desire to rise above and beyond the limitations God has set before us. For example, with gravity. This force of attraction acts upon every earthly object. Gravity subjects all bodies of substance. to be conformed to its limits. It also determines the interaction and movement of the stars, planets, light, and galaxies. No human being can rise above nor go beyond what was ordained from the beginning of time (proverbs 8:22-29, NKJV). In this, we…
Pilgrim’s Home Beyond
Notionally, more people would associate themselves and their earthly journey with Bunyan’s 1678 allegorical work entitled, “The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That Which Is to Come,” than any sparse offering of the Bible. Why, might you ask? It could stem from Christians seeing themselves as “academics” more than understanding we are truly mere “wayfarers” in a barren land that holds no eternal pleasure (1 Peter 2:11, NKJV). It may also derive from the fact that some, yes in…
Brotherhood
Today’s political and social constructs certainly reaffirm the need for a form of cooperativeness. It almost seems unbelievable that after 2000 years many social issues have been somewhat resolved while others appear to have never budged at all. Just a thought, is it truly too much to ask for people to honor one another as the creation of God? All of us, not just some. It may sound redundant, but according to fifth of Romans, every human being is blood…
The Lord Shut Him In
One of the more profound phrases in the Bible states, “…and the Lord shut him in” (Genesis 7:16b, NKJV). This is a climatic portion of God’s judgment of the world in sin at the beginning of time (Genesis 6:5-7). God created man as the epitome of his glory (Psalm 40:5). We were never designed to fail Him, but we fell because we refused to heed His will (Romans 5:12). But many may ask the question, “How is this an example…
The Two of Them Went Together
I have always been fascinated with worship. Being raised in a denomination gives you insight into all the “possibilities” of offerings the mind can imagine. If not mindful, we will never ask if there is such a thing as True Worship. The Scriptures teach four forms of worship: will, false, true, and ignorant. For example, in Colossians 2:23 (NKJV), the apostle Paul speaks of worship which has “an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the…
The Family Circle
For some time now, we have been studying about the home and how God would have it to be. Fundamentally, most of us accept that we come from God; therefore, He understands what is best for us and not ourselves (Proverbs 30:5, NKJV). We are taught to trust Him, for He can direct our paths even if we temporarily lose course (Proverbs 3:5-6). Thus, when it comes to home (marriage, children, finances, time management, etc.), who is best to guide…
Origin
Less than 100 years ago, the Louisiana General Assembly became the location for an argument over First Amendment Rights, “creation science,” and the theory of evolution. Edwards v Aguillard (1986) argued for the “Balanced Treatment for Creation-Science and Evolution-Science in Public School Instruction Act.” In other words, what will be taught in public schools regarding government funding and curricula? The answer was simple: in a 7-2 decision, the court announced that “if either topic was to be addressed, evolution or…
Knowing with Certainty Those Things Instructed
We have been discussing the authority of Jesus as The Christ from four different perspectives, but according to only one Gospel. As previously stated, I willingly acknowledge the four separate accounts. The distinction I am making is the four accounts, albeit written by four different men, came from the inspired heart of the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NKJV). Thus, we cannot segregate the inspiration or authority given to everyone as the Gospel message’s recorders. It is for all. Luke…
Abundant Proof that Jesus was Divine
Bible scholars typically emphasize that the Book of John is different in its composition and insight into the earthly life of Jesus. It is not synoptic (see previous article on the Book of Luke) but highlights the deity and accentuates the last days of Jesus on earth. John states, “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is…
Proclaim it Freely and Spread the Matter
As previously stated in the article entitled “All the Generations, from Abraham to David,” I alluded to my position that only one Gospel can save a man’s soul from an eternal death separated from God (Luke 8:12, NJKV). Mark’s account of the Gospel record leaves little room for the structure familiar to the Jew but relies heavily upon a narrative more amenable to a Gentile audience. For example, Jesus heals a little girl, proving He was Christ and had equal…
All the Generations, from Abraham to David
There has been repeated debate on whether there are indeed “four gospels” or simply one. I often hold the tendency to account of Jesus Christ according to His Gospel. My argument has no further depth than for consistency’s sake. For example, the Apostle Paul utters that there were those who sought out a “different gospel,” which was useless when compared to the Gospel previously uttered to the whole world (Galatians 1:6-9, NKJV). I stand assured that there is but one…
X-Ray Vision
In 1895, the German scientist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, was credited for discovering the ability to see inside the human body. His electromagnetic radiation machine leered inside the physical body, allowing it to enhance the future of medical work further. The health industry has never been looked at the same. When we see the additional benefits, this device has had on our world, we stand in awe. Medications, techniques, and operating procedures have advanced far beyond our previous use of “bed…