Jesus’ First Miracle
It has already been noted that of the nine miracles John records that Jesus did, only three by recorded in the synoptic gospels. The miracle of Jesus turning water to wine is recorded only by John in 2:1-11, and was done in a village called Cana where other teaching was done and miracles were performed. […]
Older People and the Lord’s Work
It is reported that Henry W. Longfellow was once asked by an admirer how he continued to maintain the vigor to write so beautifully in the waning years of his life. He turned to an apple tree nearby and said, “That apple tree is very old. I never saw prettier blossoms upon it than it […]
Soul Winning for Jesus
When Paul returned to Ephesus after he had left Aquilla and Priscila there a few months earlier, he found certain disciples that he felt compelled to question. Paul met them and asked, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They responded, “Nay, we did so much as hear whether the Holy Spirit was […]
What Are the Scriptures?
In the New Testament the words “scripture” or “scriptures” are most often translated from the Greek, graphe; a word which denoted “a drawing, painting; then a writing” (Expository Dictionary Of New Testament Words, W. E. Vine). In the New Testament, the word “scripture” is used only to refer to sacred writings — writings which came […]
Knowing God
In Psalm 123, the author expresses the importance of one’s attitude towards God: “Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes […]
John’s Witness of Jesus
The birth of John the Baptist is recorded in extensive detail in Luke 1-2. Like Samuel of old, John’s birth came to a formerly barren woman whose womb was opened in response to fervent prayer (1 Sam. 1:10-11; Lk. 1:13). Both were destined to have tremendous influence among their people. John the Baptist witnessed of himself, […]
And the Word
“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). To this point in his record of Jesus, John has identified Jesus as God, Creator, Life, and the giver of life and light. Now the […]
Do Demons Exist Today?
There are a number of Old Testament terms for demons or demonic figures. The Hebrew of the Old Testament did not have a single, comprehensive term for demonic figures as did the Greeks. The variety of terms suggests that no consistent consideration of demons can be found in the Old Testament. Although there is no […]
All Roads Lead to Heaven?
When traveling to a destination, depending on our mood, we will take different routes to get there. Some of us want the fastest possible route and to get there as fast as possible while others enjoy a more leisurely route, enjoying the scenery and not really caring how long it takes. The point is there […]
Deifying the “Prophet”
In May 2015, two heavily armed men, who intended to storm a building where a “Draw the Prophet” Muhammad contest was taking place, killing both before they could make their way inside. The contest was hosted by the New York-based American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI) that would award $10,000 for the best cartoon depicting Muhammad. […]