When Christ returns, every human ruler will be dethroned and every idol will be dismantled. We who have already accepted Christâs dominion look forward to that time. But do we really see our King clearly? The first commandment prohibits idolatry and reinforces Godâs primary rule over all things. But throughout the history of Godâs people putting God first has been a continuous struggle. In 1446 B.C. the Israelites, having come out of Egypt witnessing Godâs miracles, lost sight of Moses and … [Read more...] about Is Christ Your King?
God's Plan
The Kingdom of God
The world has been successively ruled by kingdoms. From a biblical perspective we see this clearly outlined by Daniel as he explains to the Babylonian king the contents of the kingâs dream. Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar, âFor the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and gloryâ (Daniel 2:37). There were to be three similar kingdoms to follow the Babylonian kingdom. The progress of the dreamâs revelation ends with a future fifth kingdom â the Kingdom of God. âAnd in the days of … [Read more...] about The Kingdom of God
The Memorial Trumpets
The Feast of Trumpets gets its name from the ordained blowing of trumpets which were blown as âa memorial of blowing of trumpetsâ (Leviticus 23:24). The Hebrew word for âmemorialâ is zikkÄrĂ´n. Which â according to the Dictionary of Biblical Languages (DBL) â means âto commemorateâ or âcall to remembrance.â The Feast of Trumpets symbolizes a future event. How can we memorialize something that has not happened yet? ZikkÄrĂ´n also means memorializing our right or claim to an inheritance based on … [Read more...] about The Memorial Trumpets
Our Job
We all have a job. At some stage in life, day after day, we work. Yet sometimes the daily repetition can turn into a blur of years in or outside the home. For 18 long years, I sat in the basement of a hospital, all alone, and programmed a computer to run the air conditioning. I wondered, how did my repetitious work fit into our calling? "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of … [Read more...] about Our Job
Being Tenderhearted
Having served in the army during the Vietnam era, each time I see that poignant image of Vietnamese children screaming in panic as they flee from a napalm attack, it transports me back to my own experience in a very visceral way. I feel their anguish and their pain. A few years ago, when I saw a photograph of a little boy named Aylan, killed trying to escape the mayhem that tore apart Syria and looking so similar to my own grandson of the same age, again, I felt that same sense of loss and … [Read more...] about Being Tenderhearted
The Impact of the Passover
We can know from careful Bible study the actual Passover is an annual event, not weekly. Itâs a much more serious occasion. It is the beginning of Godâs plan. Without it, we could go no further. For ancient Israel, the Passover made possible their release from bondage. Later, when God delivered the Ten Commandments at Mt. Sinai, after a tremendous audio-visual show, He reminded Israel that it was He who brought them out of Egypt (Exodus 19:17-19, 20:1-2). This event was just a physical … [Read more...] about The Impact of the Passover
God Values Small Things
It had been some years since Cyrus, King of Persia, granted right-of-return to the original Jewish refugees. Zerubbabel had laid the foundation and built the altar, but the work rebuilding the Holy Temple in Jerusalem had stalled. Finally, King Darius initiated new momentum. Zechariah was sent with a special message to inspire renewed efforts. And that message has special meaning for the Church: âMoreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying: âThe hands of Zerubbabel have laid the … [Read more...] about God Values Small Things