Here’s what is happening in the last half of Matthew 2 in a nutshell: the political environment in Israel grows alarmingly dangerous, and because of the threat of death and violence, Joseph takes the Child and his mother, Mary, and flees from the hostile land of Israel to the relative safety of Egypt, where he … Continue reading How Should Christians Respond to the Syrian Refugee Crisis?
An Unexpected Journey
An Unexpected King
Why was Jesus born in Bethlehem? We know the miraculous reasons, and we can see the sovereignty of God clearly at work, but in a physical sense, what brought Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem? Mary and Joseph were from Nazareth, a city about 70 miles north of Jerusalem. Given this was their family home, it … Continue reading An Unexpected King
The Son of David
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham… And Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. – Matthew 1:1, 16 This week during our devotional time together, we will get to know a man given an … Continue reading The Son of David
An Unexpected Dream
There are times in life when we can see trials approaching like a storm in the distance. Other times, we are plunged without notice into the deepest, darkest oceans of pain and suffering. This is what Joseph experienced. The months of betrothal are when two strangers develop the deep bonds of love that will carry … Continue reading An Unexpected Dream
Contend for the Faith
We started our look at the one-chapter epistles of the New Testament by highlighting the importance of truth. A Christian would point to the Word of God as the bedrock foundation of truth. It is from the Bible that we learn and understand the essential elements of the Lord God that define our human understanding … Continue reading Contend for the Faith
Truth Walkers: Warning #2
Paul’s Thorn In the Flesh
There has been a lot of debate through the centuries regarding the Apostle Paul’s “thorn in the flesh.” He refers to it in 2 Corinthians 12:7: “Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of … Continue reading Paul’s Thorn In the Flesh
Truth Walkers: Warning #1
What Do Seventh-day Adventists Believe?
The painting above is "The Divine Counselor" by well-known Seventh-day Adventist painter Harry Anderson. Religion and American politics has always proven to be a complicated mix. Religious conservatives like to quote their heroes of the faith of the last 100 years. President’s like Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush seem to lead the pack. Yet, if … Continue reading What Do Seventh-day Adventists Believe?