We move on to the third of the seven letters in Revelation. This time the letter to the compromising church in Pergamum - also called Pergamos in some translations. Jesus has good things to say about the church in Pergamum. And some things that aren't good. Given the warnings though, it seems like more bad news than good. We'll see if that's the case. Just how bad is the compromising?
We move on to the second of the seven letters in Revelation. This time the letter to the persecuted church in Smyrna. Jesus has good things to say about the church in Smyrna. It’s a bit harder to determine whether there’s any bad news in here – at least the kind of bad news that the church in Ephesus received. There were certainly warnings.
And so it begins. The first of the seven letters to the seven churches in Revelation. The Letter to the church in Ephesus. Jesus had some good things to say to them. And some bad things. But then another positive statement. The Ephesian church certainly wasn’t in the worst condition of the seven. But then, it wasn’t the best either. So there’s plenty to look at. Both for the church in Ephesus at the time and for us today.
Complain about God to God? Is that a good thing? How many of us are afraid to complain to God about Himself? Or think that’s a bad thing to do? Maybe even a sin? On the other hand, how many of us are so angry about our issues with God, valid or not, that we don’t hesitate to make a list of our complaints and then “let Him have it”?
Seriously? Praise the Lord when things are bad? No problem, when things are going well. When we get what we want. But how many of us feel like praising God when things, for lack of a better word, suck? If I had a motto for my life, years ago it would have been: life sucks... Continue Reading →
Psalm 8Open in Logos Bible Software (if available) is known by most Christians. Maybe not by name, but for one verse, where David, in more modern language says. I can’t believe God cares about me. Actually, about people in general. But since we tend to be more me-centric, I chose the word me.
The Bible tells us that God says “vengeance is mine”. But even Christians are people. And people tend to want to get our own revenge. So it leaves us with a bit of a problem. Sometimes a huge problem. If we don’t trust God to get the revenge He claims as His own, then do we even trust God to save us? And if not God, then who will save us?
Do not be afraid. Do not even be afraid of cancer. Instead, focus on treasures in Heaven. I went to my oncologist yesterday. It’s time to begin radiation treatment. Now, today, I’m going to write from the point of view of the man in the image below. Climbing stairs into the clouds. Judgment time. Will he be told he will enter Heaven? Or will he be sent to the other place?
Does Christian gossip make you want to avoid church? Do Christians gossip? Yes. Even in church? Yes. We are people, so the answer’s got to be yes. No, we aren’t supposed to. But just stopping at yes we do and no we shouldn’t – well, that’s just not good enough. Let’s face it, Christians who gossip do make people want to avoid church.
Did David really write a Psalm asking: Is there a relationship between sin and illness? No. And yet, it's a question that comes up from Psalm 6. Too often, we behave like Job's friends, even though God told them Job was right and they were wrong. So what's happening here?
God and me - this life and the next 