Introduction Believe it or not, there seems to be a growing disrespect towards God in the religious world today. A lack of reverence when referring to God, The Father or when addressing Him. When one curses, using God’s name (or form of it), as part of that cursing, they are “taking the Lord’s name in vain.” However, there are other ways to do this and not use foul language. It is also taking the Lord’s name in vain or, simply, taking God for granted and not showing Him the respect He deserves.   Definitions Let’s start with the definition of some words so that you will have an idea of where I’m going with this thought process. These definitions are from the 1828 Webster’s Dictionary. Reverence —Fear mingled with respect and esteem. (Psalms 111:9) He hath sent redemption unto his people; He hath commanded his covenant for ever: Holy and reverend is his name. (ASV) Some translations use the word “awesome” but reverend is more apt. (CJM) Vain —Empty, w...

    Introduction When one reads the gospels and learns of Jesus’ ministry (which includes healing people), we sometimes assume that Jesus healed everyone. But that isn’t true. Here’s what gospel preacher, J.D. Tant had to say about this subject— It should be obvious to all that the main purpose of gifts was not to heal the sick in the world or give sight to all the blind, etc. If that was the purpose, then there was a great failure. Christ could have spoken one word, and every malady in the whole world would have been eliminated. Christ’s purpose in performing miracles was to establish his credentials and identity as the Messiah, the Son of God, not to heal all the ills in the world. J.D. Tant, Miracles, Signs, and Wonders Let’s look at some examples in scripture to know, for sure, if He did or did not heal everyone.   The Multitudes of Matthew 12:15 At the start of Matthew 12, we see the Pharisees challenging Jesus concerning His disciples and the “unlaw...

  Introduction As we enter the cooler months, the thought of the holidays is just around the corner. With it, comes celebrations of Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. Some see Christmas as an excuse to go to worship. Not having been there since Easter, they know it’s almost time to go again. Prior to that, churches are organizing activities to encourage more people to attend instead of waiting for Christmas. But are those activities found in scripture?   Fall Festivals? Although the temperatures in the Midwest and Eastern Coast are considerably cooler, here in the desert, the temperature dips to under 100 and we rejoice. It allows “churches” to, once again, drag their festival-like stalls out of mothballs to sell donuts, ciders, candies, and all things Autumn. There are usually carnival games, rides, and of course (for Halloween) Trunk-or-Treat events. All of this is done as people consider the “church” to be a safe haven compared to the “evils” ...

    Introduction After Jesus was resurrected, He revealed himself to His disciples, twice, and John the concludes chapter 20 with this statement, 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 the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.   (John 20:30-31) If the miracles, signs, and wonders that Jesus performed were so important, why didn’t John list the others? In this article, we look at the real purpose of the miracles.   To Confirm the Identity of The Christ It’s easy for someone, anyone, to claim that they are The Messiah. We see a lot of that here in the 21 st Century with zero proof to back it up. Even after the church was established there were some claiming to be The Christ. In Acts 5:34 and following; Gamaliel, a pharisee, speaks of two men; Theudas and a Judas of Galilee, both claiming to be some...

    Introduction There is a continuous misconception of what miracles are, what their purpose is, and whether or not there are miracles even today. In this article, we’ll address all three of these. In an upcoming series, I’m going to address miracles in scriptures that didn’t have faith around it.   What is a Miracle? The definition from the 1828 Webster’s Dictionary: 1. Literally a wonder, or wonderful thing. 2. In theology, an event or effect contrary to the constitution or establishment of things, or a deviation of the known laws of nature; a supernatural event. Miracles can only be brought by Almighty power, as when Christ healed lepers saying, “I will, be thou clean,” or calmed the tempest, “Peace, be still”   Examples of Miracles There are numerous miracles found in scripture and I’ll share just a few to give you an idea of those events. Not every miracle involved healing or resurrection. As listed above, Jesus calmed the tempest in Mark 4:39, ...