1. There's something called "Gehenna."The word most often translated “hell” in the NT is Gehenna, the Greek equivalent for “the valley of Hinnom”. This valley is immediately southwest of Jerusalem, still visible from the Mt. of Olives. At one time it was there that human sacrifices were made to the pagan deity Moloch (2 Kings 23:10; 2 Chron. 28:3;

When and How Should an Elder Be Removed from Leadership?One of the most difficult actions that may have to be taken is the removal of an elder or pastor from leadership. Because of the influence this person usually has, this is something that can have lasting effect. An elder should be removed when there are issues that arise that are damaging to h

One of my clients, I’ll call Connie, illustrates the difference between knowing something and living it. After her husband suffered a stroke, Connie became the breadwinner. One Friday evening, her husband who usually prepared supper wanted to order takeout. Connie called the bank to make sure they could afford the splurge.The teller quoted an enorm

1. The Chronicles – God Is Faithful to His PromisesChronicles is often skipped over because it’s a long story. It communicates the nation of Israel’s entire history – its rulers, wars, religious events, economic cycles, and it starts with the beginning of mankind. Even the very beginning of Chronicles opens with a list of names, and the genealogies

Through a sad turn of circumstances, instigated by Hezekiah’s foolish choice, God poured out His indignation on Hezekiah’s kingdom. When the Babylonians heard about the king’s sickness, Marduk-Baladan, the son of the king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift by envoys to Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:12). Hezekiah had great wealth and honor from the Lord, an

The crowds may have anticipated that Jesus would lead a revolt against the leaders. But this was never Jesus’ intent or reason that the Father sent him. Jesus instead would die a humble, brutal death on a cross, paying the price for humanity. A debt that he bore so that we would be free from death and forgiven of our sins.Why Do the People Turn on

Show Jesus-Style Hospitality Jesus’ birth was notoriously humble—tucked away with the animals in a strangers’ home. We often fault the innkeepers for having a full house, and perhaps if Joseph had been wealthy, nicer accommodations would have become available to them.But the innkeepers were at peak season because many people were traveling to Bethl

2. Thomas Cranmer: "Lord of all power and might, which art the author and giver of all good things; graft in our hearts the love of thy name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of thy great mercy help us in the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord."3. Desiderius Erasmus: "The sun itself is not more common and open to all

Perfect, Heavenly Worship If we had to describe heaven in one word it would be worship. The four creatures (most likely seraphim, or angels) have one job, and they do it continuously. They do not cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.” The twenty-four elders (representing the redeemed o

Why Should We Do This?There are two reasons why we should do this.1. It demonstrates your love.“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love o

What Does the Bible Say about Prayer Walking? There are no passages in the Bible that specifically mention prayer walking. But many verses can be found about the impact that intercession has on the welfare of our community, and us."When the just prosper, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there is jubilation. Through the blessing of the upr

Prayer First In my walk with Christ, I have learned that prayer should always come before action. Christians too often come up with great ideas, but they are not what God is genuinely wanting from them. We get caught up in the doing of God’s work and forget to ask Him first what He would have us do. I am guilty of this and have learned that if I wa

Be prepared to make sacrifices for a cause. Too many great ideas die because people don’t invest time, money, and energy into following through on them. When God calls you to support a cause, he will provide what you need to do it – but not necessarily all that you want. Hamilton’s Yorktown experience exemplifies that. He and others in the Continen

Tamar dresses herself as a temple prostitute, wrapping her face in a veil, and intentionally puts herself in a place where she knows Judah will pass by. Years have passed, and Judah does not recognize her, so he accepts her offer of prostitution. She extracts a promise of payment of a young goat, and convinces Judah to leave his signet ring, his co

I ask Jesus to free me from my sin of...I shine my light before others at home or at work by...I dedicate my life to service and healing by...I consider my own mortality and its gift by…The latter is especially powerful.While death isn’t usually an easy subject to broach, it is a fact of life. Recognizing life’s gift allows us to value each day and

Why Should We Care about the Number Seven?Why should we care about seven and whether it’s six days of creation or seven? First, it’s important to note that some translations of the Old Testament were adamant about saying God created the world in six days instead of seven, in particular, “the Samaritan, the LXX, and the Syriac Peshitto.” Not everyon

If a woman commit adultery, her husband could kill her because she was his property. Women were not allowed to speak to men in public. If she did, it was assumed she was having a relationship with the man and grounds for divorce.A Rabbi did not speak even to his own wife or daughter in public.Rabbis woke each morning and said a little prayer: “Than

What Is the Context and Story of Jacob's Ladder?When Jacob had the dream, he was running away from home to save his life. Through an elaborate scheme and lies concocted with his mother Rebecca, he managed to cheat his brother Esau out of his birthright as the firstborn son with a Jewish claim to inheritance and blessing. Jacob also deceived his own

How Tall Was Goliath Really?Make no mistake. Goliath would have been an imposing figure. But there is some debate about the actual height of the Philistine giant, which is to be expected given various translations and interpretations on how to properly convert ancient units of measurement.Bible translations using the Masoretic Text list Goliath at

The heart’s devotion is not toward an exercise, but toward the Savior. Give time and attention to God and His Word because you love Him. And continue because you know He loves you.5. Don’t Get Too Rigid in Your PlanThis might be the biggest tip of all. Do not get stuck in a rut, quit, or give up because you cannot keep up with a plan you thought se