September 4, 2015. Daily Reading: Daniel 1-6. Background: The book of Daniel is set in the time period just after the fall of Jerusalem to Babylon and continues on through the Medo-persian era. It makes mention of Kings Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar of Babylon and Kings Darius and Cyrus of the Median/Persian reign. The book is divided into two different…
Tag: persecution
Jeremiah 22-26: The people against the prophet
May 1, 2015. Daily Reading: Jeremiah 22-26. Background: Jeremiah 17-21. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 22 1. Judah given a choice: The Lord sends Jeremiah on a mission to go speak to the king of Judah and give him a choice, an opportunity to turn things around that the Lord might relent from His wrath that He…
Jeremiah 17-21: Prophecy and persecution.
April 24, 2015. Daily Reading: Jeremiah 17-21. Background: Jeremiah 12-16. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 17 1. The deceptive heart: This chapter begins with an oracle against Judah for their sin, implying that their seen had left a permanent mark on their heart, etched with diamond, so that they would not consider repenting. The main reason for…
II Corinthians 4-6: The glory of the gospel.
April 19, 2015. Daily Reading: II Corinthians 4-6. Background: II Corinthians 1-3. Concepts and Connections. Chapter 4 1. The light of the gospel: In the beginning, when all of the universe as we know it was nothing and there was no light, there was God, and God said “Let their be light,”- and light shined out…
Is your Christianity easy?
December 4, 2014. The alarm goes off at 6 AM Monday morning, and he drags himself out of bed to get ready for work. It would have probably been easier for him to get up had he not decided to watch half of the third season of House on Netflix last night after coming home…
Multiplication through oppression.
October 27, 2014. Sometimes I hear phrases along the lines of “if the world continues down the path its going, the church will be dead in a generation or two.” I must admit that I myself have been tempted to say similar phrases in the past without really thinking too much about it. It is…
How should we react to persecution?
October 15, 2014. There has been a recent conflict in Houston between evangelists and the city that is beginning to go viral amongst Christians who are outraged at the implications that it draws. If you have not heard about it yet, the conflict has arisen over a subpoena that was issued to about 400 pastors demanding that…
Not of this world.
October 2, 2014. “For the Lord spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your…
Don’t give up.
October 1, 2014. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18) Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up. No matter how bad things seem, no matter how lost you feel. Don’t give up. There will be times of…
A fire in our bones.
April 13, 2014. O Lord, you have deceived me, and I was deceived; you are stronger than I, and you have prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all the day; everyone mocks me. For whenever I speak, I cry out, I shout, “Violence and destruction!” For the word of the Lord…
Twenty Eight Eighteen 