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We’re studying Matthew in my church adult class, and this little tidbit came to me during the study, which seems to give some insight into why Jesus began His ministry in Galilee rather than Jerusalem. Now when Jesus heard that John was delivered up to prison, He withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: The people who sat in darkness have seen a great Light, and upon those … Continue reading →

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (VW) Here’s a thought that can either be very uncomfortable or very comfortable, depending on the strength of my faith: When bad things replace good things in my life, I still have just as many reasons to give thanks to God. Faith is essential for this to be a comforting thought, because I must trust that God works all things to my good, including allowing the bad things to happen to me. Even if I violently lose my life for the sake of the gospel, I have a crown of life waiting for me, and an eternal weight of glory that … Continue reading →

I am in the final stages of publishing a new free book called How to Gain Victory Over Sin, which is based on something I had posted last year called Victory Over Sin. This book will be made available in e-book form from Amazon.com (for Kindle), Google Play, Smashwords (other formats), as well as here in PDF and other formats. Eventually a paperback edition will be available for a minimal cost. The book’s subject is understanding why we Christians have such a difficult time withstanding temptation, and why we need the Holy Spirit to do so. It’s a subject we can all benefit from… I know I have in studying this. The first and main part of the book can … Continue reading →

By human standards, the existence of the Jewish people today remains a mystery. No other ancient people has survived for thousands of years, retaining their national identity through much hostility. We have much evidence that Israel was a nation thousands of years ago. Archaeologists have made many discoveries from the time of the kings, and they are still doing so. The most prominent of those remains is the temple mount in Jerusalem, but other remains exist, and the historical records of other ancient nations mention the existence of national Israel/Judah. Israel’s existence as an ancient nation is not seriously disputed. The history of ancient Israel was generally not one of peace. There were internal conflicts, one of which led to … Continue reading →