After the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC, the Greek Empire stretching 3,000 miles from Macedonia to the Punjab, was divided into 4 unstable powers under 4 warring, ambitious marshals. Asia Minor and Macedonia were under Lysimachus, Egypt and southern Syria under Ptolemy, and Greece under Cassander, and Asia and northern Syria under Seleucus. Hence, in Daniel 11, the description of Ptolemy as the king of the South and Seleucus as the king of the North. Seleucus established a dynasty of … [Read more...] about Laodicea â A Warning
Pride
A Form of Godliness
The Apostle Paul wrote to the young pastor Timothy to help and encourage him at a time when the Church was experiencing internal pressure from false teachers. He encourages Timothy to, âHold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Jesus Christâ (2 Timothy 1:13). Paul identified certain conditions that he saw as being challenges that the Church would have to deal with in the days preceding Christâs return. Whatever the time frame for this … [Read more...] about A Form of Godliness
Three Choices: Good, Evil, or Life
Man has an ability that separates him from all other physical creatures. If he chooses, he can stand outside of his feelings, emotions and even his own thoughts and examine them. However, instead of examining them, he often reacts to life and allows instinct or past conditioning to override the moment of opportunity he has between an experience and a response. Deference is the key to conquering this moment. Author Steven Covey states what distinguishes us as humans is the ability to examine … [Read more...] about Three Choices: Good, Evil, or Life
Handling Conflict
We all deal with conflict daily, in many forms. Even the church has conflict, internal and external, from time to time. With the Bible as our guide, which biblical examples can teach us about a specific quality that foils conflict? Where does this quality come from? What does it lead to? Letâs consider Gideonâs example to identify this quality. Chosen by God as a judge of Israel he was assigned to defeat a threat from neighboring Midian (Judges 6:1-8:21). He assembled an army of 32,000, but … [Read more...] about Handling Conflict
The Search for Significance
Today, the entire world finds itself in a time of vast, uneasy change, where economic, social, political, and religious turmoil are the rule of the day not the exception. And now, we hear about the advent of AI. Our minds can only imagine how much thatâs going to accelerate or increase what is already uneasy change. Already, the constant bombardment produces a toxic environment of unresolved stress. Unresolved stress leads to disconnected lives. Disconnected lives lead to helplessness. … [Read more...] about The Search for Significance
Conditioning the Human Heart
The human heart is something we frequently discuss because there is so much we need to learn and to overcome about ourselves. The heart in this context is a term that simply means what is at the center of a person, who we are, what motivates us and what drives the conditions of our relationships with one another. The spirit in man was given to humans by God enabling them to think and reason and therefore have dominion over the rest of creation (Job 32:8). It also enables a human mind to hurt, … [Read more...] about Conditioning the Human Heart
The True Nature of Leadership
I think we can say factually that we are in a crisis of leadership in this country and the world. It is not just political government. Leadership is also suffering in education, business, city governments, families and in the Churches. Today I want to take a practical look at this issue of leadership. Itâs not so much a discussion of leadership principles but more about the whole concept of leadership, the nature of leadership. First, I want to look at leadership from a worldly … [Read more...] about The True Nature of Leadership