After Solomon’s Temple was destroyed and the Jews were hauled off in the Babylonian exile, they could no longer come together at the temple in Jerusalem to worship, so they began to develop these local meeting locations where they could come to gather throughout the Babylonian Empire for prayer, to read scripture, and to receive instructions in God’s ways. As we move forward in time, by the third and second century BC, synagogues had become widespread throughout Judea, Asia Minor, Egypt and … [Read more...] about The Pharisee in Us
Knowledge
Single-Mindedness, Key to Handling Tests & Trials
Some often feel that when a tragedy strikes that the people involved are the worse sinners on the planet. However, the bible teaches that time and chance can happen to us all: “There were present at that season some who told [Jesus] about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you … [Read more...] about Single-Mindedness, Key to Handling Tests & Trials
Is the Web a Source of Wisdom?
We hear very little about wisdom today. Instead, we hear more and more about the importance of information — about the virtues of information and the benefits of increased information. “Big data” and “data mining” are the buzz words of the day. These are quite literally seen by humanity as their savior. But it is important to recognize that information, knowledge, and wisdom are not the same things. I want to lay out the building blocks first from a humanistic … [Read more...] about Is the Web a Source of Wisdom?
Digital Distraction
If there has ever been a group of people that are called upon to use their minds, it is the people of God who have chosen to live His way of life. When I say, “use our minds”, I don’t mean human reasoning or logic; there is to be an emphasis on teaching, thinking, and understanding. Many religious systems are devised by men, who very often downplay teaching in favor of rituals. To them, rituals and traditions are what is most important. But true faith requires that we use our … [Read more...] about Digital Distraction
The Times of the Gentiles
The prophet Amos informed us that “God doesn’t do anything without first revealing His secrets to His servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7). Since God’s plan of salvation is central to messages of prophecy, it is important to look at the writings of the prophets within the context of any section of scripture. Doing so tells us why a particular thing was said. The knowledge imparted by prophecy is meant to be very motivational to those who are or who will be in a relationship … [Read more...] about The Times of the Gentiles
Ways to Measure Spiritual Growth
As followers of God, we have chosen to grow in the knowledge and grace of Jesus Christ. There are two main ways for us to measure our spiritual growth – motivation and action. Motivation is the internal desire to grow, to change, to accept God’s perspectives and motivations in all aspects of our lives. Action is a literal external behavioral change - the evidence of that motivation. It is a change that can be perceived and observed in our daily lives. All motivation and actions are … [Read more...] about Ways to Measure Spiritual Growth