Our Lighted Path

  We say Jesus is our well in the wilderness, but we don't do enough to make that plain and real to many of those whose countries prevent Him.       We say faith in Jesus is the answer to those of our hearts' desires that are faithful, but we don't do enough to make that plain and real to many of those whose countries prevent Him.         We say Jesus is our shelter, safety, refuge, and truth (the reason our nation has overcome past difficulties and has prospered), but we don't do enough to make that plain and real to many of our own citizens.      

  "If I say, 'I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,' there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot." Jeremiah 20:9 For a long time, the English were kept from knowing what the Bible said in their own words. For a long while, it was law, in England, that the Bible only be read by clergy who knew Latin. It was law that clergy be the only ones to read and give messages from the Bible. But thank God, that's not the way. Thank Heaven that members of Jesus' spiritual body, were each meant to read, to reason together, to pray, and to find discernment, through studying (even prayerfully questioning and honestly expecting answers about) Heaven's first ministry to mankind — the Bible word. I remember my first weeks and months of Bible discovery, my first heartfelt steps of drawing near to Heaven, closer to my salvation. I drew closer to the Lord through sincere, intuitive prayer f...

Why don't Christians eradicate evil? Why shouldn't there be Christian-led military offensives, to dig into Russia and eradicate evil, to dig into the "Islamic State" and eradicate evil, to dig into many nations and communities and eradicate evil? Well, for starters, it's God's nature to be longsuffering, to give men time to repent, at His expense. It's also God's nature to "bind" — not destroy — evil, during times of longsuffering. It's often not easy to understand why Heaven is that way, but the fact of the matter is, Jesus is longsuffering gives time to repent of inhumanity says vengeance isn't the purpose of His kind of discernment says His word is His "sword" says to endure says to wait for Him to bring justice says our salvation in Him — not hell — is our vindication says to be wiser than serpents but harmless as doves says to work matters out among brethren says He doesn't wish any would flat-out perish says mankin...

    The Lord is my shepherd. Psalm 23:1   Click the photo: If you're searching for a balm for wounds, this photo goes to a kind and comforting blog, from someone who knows a little about Heaven. An old movie used to air on TV at Eastertime, when many of us were young children, giving us a glimpse of what standing on Mount Sinai may have been like in the day Moses received the ten commandments from Heaven. A movie could only imagine that history; but the Bible helps us see more deeply. The Bible's history helps us know a people, and our Creator, who are more than Technicolor, and more than black and white. But tragically, we seem to be living at a time when more doubt than believe that history. Some mock and rebel against our loving, heavenly maker, who patiently considered millions of years but a "day," just to prepare for us. But more than once, God was sorrowful He made mankind, because mankind was apt to be foolish and even evil. In early years, men and women sacri...

  How much do we keep in heart about living with Jesus? These are only a few thoughts about keeping faith in the only "son of man" who was perfectly one with the God of Heaven. {Note: My personal Bible-study notes are here (in parentheses), and interpretations of some words translated in the Bible are here [in brackets].}   Q : Why does He call Himself "son of man," and "Son of God"? A : Jesus was the only person born in flesh (born of a woman, and of the heritage of King David, a man) who, while being that person of flesh, was also twain with Heaven, or absolutely tied to Heaven through the Holy Spirit. From an early age, he declared to his earthly parents, that he was doing his heavenly "Father's business." So his every step was with the Holy Spirit. Whereas, the prophets before Jesus were men of earth only: men who did hear from Heaven many times in life, but who were not born of Heaven. They were imperfect men, and they were earthy men. I...

  There is a battle for souls right now.   In some ways, the battle is blatant, in other ways hidden and subtle. But there is a battle on for souls. And, in this battle, hell itself is jockeying for position, and for control of all things. Hell even wants control of God's Bible word. One tiny Bible example hell uses to accuse and persecute believers, is in Pah-ulh's message to the church at Philippi. In his message to the Philippians, Paul is mostly concerned with how deacons and other overseerers are treating the church congregation. So, Paul tells them not to consider themselves better than other members of the congregation, but to consider themselves servants along with the congregation ; and that's how churches survive every attack of the enemy. Churches survive embattled times through being what Paul defined as "slaves of Christ," following Jesus's example and not this world's way of subjecting believers to all manner of hell. Why does Paul tell the ...

    Did you know Bible translators renamed some of the figures who appear in Bible history? T he translators didn't invent names for Bible figures, but they shortened some names and ga ve other names pronunciation s that English speakers could pronounce . That included truncating the names of important folk , like Matthew. But some figures from the Bible actually had Latin- and English -sounding names . B ecause the early church was under Roman occupation, some Hebrew people, at that time, assumed Greek and Roman names . But thank Heaven we have a Savior who made a plan to reach all of us, no matter anyone's language. That's one of the things that makes Easter so special.     Another year has passed .   W e're hopeful for release from pandemic, war, and myriad other problems. Yet,  Easter is almost here. A few short days, and Passover will be here again.   In more than one way, P assover is the gateway to Easter. Passover is a time of reme...