Eternity is a Long Time

  Pentecost (Greek for 50 th day) is a celebration too many Christians overlook. For many, they are uncomfortable with the “speaking in tongues” aspect of it. For others, it is hard to appreciate what other day could be as important as Good Friday and Easter/Resurrection Day. Yet Pentecost, or better said, the celebration of “The Most Special Pentecost”, should be almost as high on our list as the Crucifixion and Resurrection. Before we begin, there are two things to keep in mind. First, redemption without revelation leads to regression back to condemnation and bondage. Secondly, what happened in the Old Testament is so often a foreshadowing of greater fulfillment depicted in the New Testament. Why do we keep going back to the Old Testament? Because Jesus is the fulfillment of scripture – ALL scripture. The only scripture at the time of His death and resurrection is what we now call the Old Testament. If you don’t understand or appreciate the connections, you lose out on the gre...

  If you want to talk about the depravity of man (and woman) we can go on for hours, days, weeks. "All have sinned and fallen short of God." “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way." It is amazing how terrible we can be to our fellow human beings. Just when you come across what you think is something unbelievably horrible, you learn of something even worse. If Jesus hadn't died on the cross and rose that third day, we would have no hope at all since humanity cannot save itself.

  What about women who have had abortions? How does God deal with them and how do we deal with them? Every mother who is self-aware knows that something very traumatic has just occurred when she has an abortion. The procedure is very invasive and, sometimes, very dangerous. Additionally, there is an emotional-biological connection between mother and baby which is profound. Some women try to minimize this, but the amount of post-partum depression clearly shows how deep the connection is. There is also the sha m e and remorse associated with mothers who have had abortions. Given the deep connection between mother and baby, you can see how this would affect many women tremendously. This is not to say that some mothers seem to be unaffected by their actions of ending their baby’s life. Perhaps a few are not. Most of these mothers, however, are putting a big mask over their emotions. The good news, the great news, is that Jesus loves every woman who has had an abortion just like He love...

  Today is the 19th anniversary of the day I finally gave up depending on me and listened to Jesus to follow Him. In the show #TheChosen , there is a beautiful scene depicting the encounter between Nicodemus and Jesus (Season 1, Episode 7) which is similar in some ways to how I was before this day almost two decades ago. I thought I knew things but I really didn’t. I believed I was a Christian (all you had to do was ask me), but I was a Christian only in my own mind based on very faulty reasoning. If July 22, 2002 had not occurred, I would be one of those Jesus will tell at His second coming ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:23) I had many opportunities prior to 2002 to give my heart to Jesus, but I did not listen. It took the woman who was to become my wife actually talking to me about our Lord (or “dripping Jesus” as Diane says) to get me heading in the right direction. She was not there when I finally made my commitment to God, but she was essential...

  I just “happened” to come across a couple of very enlightening passages in the Book of Job yesterday during my quiet time a while ago. The first is Job bemoaning his situation before a just God: Job 9:29-35 New King James Version (NKJV) 29 If I am condemned, Why then do I labor in vain? 30 If I wash myself with snow water, And cleanse my hands with soap, 31 Yet You will plunge me into the pit, And my own clothes will abhor me. 32 “For He is not a man, as I am, That I may answer Him, And that we should go to court together. 33 Nor is there any mediator between us, Who may lay his hand on us both. 34 Let Him take His rod away from me, And do not let dread of Him terrify me. 35 Then I would speak and not fear Him, But it is not so with me. He speaks for every single person (except Jesus, of course) who has or ever will live. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)! But even in this book of the Old Testament...