Jesus says that Pergamos was surrounded by evil. It is “where Satan’s throne is.” The church held fast to their faith in Christ, but couldn’t let go of the teachings of the Nicolaitans and those who held to the doctrine of Balaam which included sacrificing to idols and sexual immorality as well as sorcery. You may say we don’t practice sorcery. But it is all around us. Horoscopes, tarot cards, Ouija boards, and we watch movies and shows that actually applaud immorality or sorcery. I think of shows like Practical Magic, Lucifer, and, yes, I said it, Harry Potter. The examples of immorality on TV and movies, politics and society in general are endless. Let’s take a look at what Jesus says about tolerating, condoning, or participating in such beliefs and practices.
Continue reading “Pergamos: Stay Away From False Teachers”Jesus Commends Smyrna
In the second letter to the 7 churches, Jesus commends the church in Smyrna and has nothing against them. This should be the church we would want to be a part of. But, as believers, there is still a cost. Those who follow Jesus are often looked down upon to say the least. Many are persecuted; believers in John’s day as well as many places today are imprisoned, beaten or killed for their faith. But most of the time the church that is persecuted is the strongest. People who are persecuted have the strongest faith and have the most boldness. It is through our struggles and suffering and that we grow as people and as believers. And whatever we go through in this life will not compare to the glory we will receive in the next.
Continue reading “Jesus Commends Smyrna”Letter to Ephesus: A warning for Today’s Church
When I first started this blog, I wrote some short posts about the Seven letters to the Churches from Jesus in Revelation. Today I thought I would go back to the letters and expound on it a bit. I believe that we are getting closer and closer to Jesus’ return, and it is more important than ever to pay attention to what Christ has to say here.
Continue reading “Letter to Ephesus: A warning for Today’s Church”In the Beginning, God…
Creation vs. Evolution. Young Earth vs. old Earth. Big Bang vs. Devine Design. As a scientist (I have degrees in geology, anthropology and environmental science), I have often struggled (and still do at times) with some of these conflicts, but science often teaches us about God. Many things we learn in science are corroborated in the Bible. Also, we need to be careful with accepting theories as fact, as they often teach in our schools. But to me, there is no doubt that God is real and that He created all things. I have seen things happen in my life that can only be attributed to God. I loved the quote from a study by Charlie Dates that I borrowed for the title. In the beginning, God. As he says, these first four words of the Bible are so important. Everything is about God, since He created all things, including you and me.
Continue reading “In the Beginning, God…”Bless the Lord!
This year has been a rough one for us and we are still feeling the effects from it. But through it all, we know that God is good and He is with us, even when we don’t feel Him. We know that God is working in us. We know because He keeps His promises and we have seen His blessings in our lives and others. So often, when times are hard, we don’t see the promises and blessings at the time, but later on in life we look back and are thankful for all the things He has done. Even when we are going through struggles, we need to be reminded of all His goodness and the blessings we already have. Therefore, let us bless the Lord, be thankful of Him, and praise His name as we see throughout the scriptures.
Continue reading “Bless the Lord!”
My Daily Scriptures 