The Purge is a series of horror movies based on the premise that, for one 12-hour period each year, there are no laws, people are free to commit any crime, and there are no emergency services (e.g., police, fire fighters, and medical care). During this time, people go into hiding to survive, and the evilest … Read more
Paying attention to the following themes in Judges can be helpful in using it as a story to better understand your own heart, life, and culture. Covenant. God is faithful to His covenant people even when they are unfaithful to Him. God’s promise to Abraham, that He would raise up and provide for His people, … Read more
Judges is closely related to the book of Deuteronomy which prophesies the future events reported in Judges. A Bible commentary says: “…Deuteronomy most clearly expresses [God’s] covenant. Judges is then a sermon on Deuteronomy [with] lessons drawn from history illustrating Deuteronomic principles. This characteristic unites the parts of Judges into a whole. Deuteronomy 7:2 commands … Read more
Because of Abraham’s sin, we have a constant war between the descendants of Ishmael and the descendants of Isaac. We saw that with the recent invasion and terrorist attack by Hamas in Israel. The corresponding global rise in antisemitism is demonic. The terrorist attack took place on a Saturday morning, which is the Jewish Sabbath. … Read more
In high school, I was not a Christian. Some Christians in our large public school, however, wanted to change that. Year after year, we would have debate after debate. They would try to convert me, and I would try to disprove them. At some point in nearly every debate, they would tell me that I … Read more
1 Thessalonians 2:20 – For you are our glory and joy. Yesterday, we looked at the first of two important questions: Who is God? Today, we will answer the question “Who are You?” in the context of who God is and who He has created us to be. As brand-new believers in Jesus Christ, Paul … Read more
1 Thessalonians 4:15-16 – For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of … Read more
1 Thessalonians 4:17 – Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Paul says, “Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them … Read more
1 Thessalonians 4:13 – But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. On television, there are two ways to get the news. One is the daily updates of what is happening in real time. The daily … Read more
1 Thessalonians 2:10-12 – You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. … Read more
1 Thessalonians 2:5-6 – For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. The next time you hear negative gossip about a pastor, 1 Thessalonians … Read more
1 Thessalonians 2:2 – But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. In any battle, the ultimate goal is to eliminate the highest-ranking leader on the other side of the fight. In … Read more