biblical blog Archives - Page 3 of 4

The Gates of Hell or Hades? What’s the Difference?

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the…

When We Look Like Our Heavenly Father

Many of us resemble our parents, whether we take that as a compliment or not! Maybe you say certain phrases they do, or you do a routine chore in a specific and quirky way. Hopefully, we can take the good and learn from the rest when it comes to resembling our parents. But how about…

Happy Are the Unhappy

John Lennon, a founding member of the Beatles, once famously said: “Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.” Although Lennon never professed to be a Christ-follower, his statement reflects the kind of hope only a believer in Jesus could have—beyond sentiment. Honestly, doesn’t it feel like “it’s…

The Hidden Surprise in the Story of Mary and Martha

Luke 10:38-42 contains a famous narrative involving Jesus, Mary, and Martha. This story is often used to talk about priorities; usually saying something to the effect that we should not be distracted with tasks (like Martha) and miss out on being with Jesus (like Mary). While this is true, there is more to the story.…

The Power of Prepositions

When it comes to reading the Bible, we often pay attention to the key verbs and phrases, names and places, and often skip right over those tiny prepositions. But why do prepositions get overlooked? Is it because they tend to be fewer letters? Or is it that we do not fully see their power? Maybe…

The Small Shift that Can Make a Big Difference for Your Kids

It is an exciting thing to watch friends and family members become parents. Suddenly, there are limitless subjects of interest to bond about and discuss with the wild world of parenting. And while there are many “game-changers” for parents, there is one thing in particular that will make a big difference for dads (both parents…

The Secret Ingredient of Endurance

The dictionary definition of endurance is “the fact or power of enduring an unpleasant or difficult process or situation without giving way.” We all have had to ride out times of “unpleasant or difficult” situations. Have you ever sat down to ask yourself what gave you the strength? Hopefully as we grow in our faith, we…

Be All That You Can Be

“Be all that you can be.” For over 20 years, the US Army used this slogan to recruit young people to join its ranks. Posters, tv commercials, catchy jingles and inspiring images were part of a very successful ad campaign that increased not only the number but the quality of recruits. The reason why? Perhaps…

Have You Considered the Flowers?

“How are you doing today?” How do you typically answer this question? Many of us tend to default to superficial answers of “good” or “fine.” But maybe we’ll give a more honest answer like “stressed,” “worried,” or “anxious.” Daily anxiety is the norm for the average American and Christians are not exempt. Whether we like…

How You Are Free From Sin

Identity is everything. And how we perceive our identity is just as important. As Christians, our relationship to Jesus changes our identity in such a drastic manner that it would take years to truly unpack the riches of it! The book of Romans follows a long argument of Paul’s in how the righteousness of God…