Check out my new book on depression and the fatherly attributes of God: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1650062478 Link to my children's book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FP9NZNK Today, we start our journey in the book of 1 John. Having finished our study on Hebrews and looking at other topics like my depression book and territorial spirits, we turn our attention back to the Bible and begin our look at the powerful book of 1 John. As such, we must first set the stage for our study by looking at 1...

Check out my new book on depression and the fatherly attributes of God: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1650062478 Link to my children's book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FP9NZNK The conclusion to this topic and the reasons why there are territorial spirits and what we do with this information. So the question then is why deal with territorial spirits? That is such a small topic in a great big ocean of spiritual warfare topics. well, for one, I can tell you in all of my years of going to church,...

Check out my new book on depression and the fatherly attributes of God:https://www.amazon.com/dp/1650062478 Link to my children's book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FP9NZNK So the question then is why deal with territorial spirits? That is such a small topic in a great big ocean of spiritual warfare topics. well, for one, I can tell you in all of my years of going to church, Sunday school, adult Bible classes, reading books, sermons, and podcasts, I never heard of this until this class and i...

Check out my new book on depression and the fatherly attributes of God: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1650062478 Link to my children's book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FP9NZNK The argument is generally the same no matter who you ask. From atheists to those of different religions to even different sects within Christianity, all observe that the term Trinity (nor any directly related word) is not found in Scripture. Many scholars agree that a reasoned concept of the triune God was not explicit...

Check out my new book on depression and the fatherly attributes of God: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1650062478 Link to my children's book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FP9NZNK The argument is generally the same no matter who you ask. From atheists to those of different religions to even different sects within Christianity, all observe that the term Trinity (nor any directly related word) is not found in Scripture. Many scholars agree that a reasoned concept of the triune God was not explicit...

Check out my new book on depression and the fatherly attributes of God: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1650062478 Link to my children's book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FP9NZNK The argument is generally the same no matter who you ask. From atheists to those of different religions to even different sects within Christianity, all observe that the term Trinity (nor any directly related word) is not found in Scripture. Many scholars agree that a reasoned concept of the triune God was not explicit...

Check out my new book on depression and the fatherly attributes of God: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1650062478 Link to my children's book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FP9NZNK Countless books have been written about the Almighty God. One book simply cannot capture the Triune God and who He is: indescribable, eternal, and infinite. He has only given us a glimpse of Him and even so, we struggle to find the right words. To address this glimpse God has provided, it would fill volumes of books and...

Check out my new book on depression and the fatherly attributes of God: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1650062478 Link to my children's book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FP9NZNK God, Fatherhood, and Male Postpartum Depression encourages the dad struggling with male postpartum depression (and all struggling with depression) to recognize the symptoms, understand the spiritual warfare aspect, and find healing by focusing on and knowing the Perfect Father. In the end, I went through the dark valley...

Check out my new book on depression and the fatherly attributes of God: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1650062478 Link to my children's book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FP9NZNK We see this principle reflected in the conclusion of Hebrews. The writer reminded their readers of the urgency of caring for needy believers, strengthening the family, and following the faith of church leaders. The writer appealed for commitment, praise, and unselfish service. The author requested prayer and prayed for...

Check out my new book on depression and the fatherly attributes of God:https://www.amazon.com/dp/1650062478 Link to my children's book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FP9NZNK There is a story about a party where each person was to give a recitation. The partygoers were told before the party that each was going to give a brief recitation of something important. So they needed to memorize something to recite at the dinner party. A famous actor was at the party and he recited Psalm 23 with a...

Check out my children's book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FP9NZNK Religious directions follow the moral ones and this segment of the Epilogue extends through verse 17. The call, “Remember your leaders,” perhaps referred to former leaders who had passed away. The outcome of their way of life could be contemplated with good effect and the readers were to “imitate their faith.” The joy for us is that no matter what comes and goes in our life, Jesus Christ remains continuously the same....

Check out my children's book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FP9NZNK The Epilogue can be distinguished from the body of the epistle in that the latter contains only broad, general admonitions, while the Epilogue contains specific ones.[1] In some ways, these specific instructions suggest ways “to worship God acceptably” (cf. 12:28). The Epilogue also contains the writer’s personal comments and farewell to their readers. Hebrews concludes with directions for Christian living. Love other...

Check out my children's book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FP9NZNK Two spiritual truths are emphasized in this chapter. Those who faced discouragement from multiple trials and afflictions needed to “fix [their] eyes on Jesus.” We can find encouragement from Jesus’ refusal to compromise or turn away from God. Realize that God is permitting discipline in your life for a benevolent purpose so that you may share in His holiness. Those who were presumptuous and careless in their actions...

Check out my children's book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FP9NZNK God is speaking to us today through His Word and His providential workings in the world. We had better tune our lives to Him and listen! If God shook things at Sinai and those who refused to hear were judged, how much more responsible are we today who have experienced the blessings of the New Covenant! There are things that shake us almost daily in our world. Earthquakes, riots, wildfires, tsunamis, terrorism, sickness,...

Check out my children's book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FP9NZNK The contrast here is between Mt. Sinai and Mt. Zion. Mt. Zion refers to Zion in the kingdom age (cf. Psa. 2:6; 48:1-2, 8; 102:12-22; 132:11-18; 146:10; Isa. 2:1-5). The heavenly Jerusalem is in existence now and will be related to the millennial earth and on the eternal earth (Gal. 4:24-31; Heb. 11:10, 16). After referring to the heavenly Jerusalem in verse 22, the writer describes its inhabitants in verses 22b to...

Check out my children's book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FP9NZNK As we run the Christian race, what is our goal? The writer explained the goal in Hebrews 12:14: Peace with all people, and holiness before the Lord. (Remember “the peaceable fruit of righteousness,” Heb. 12:11.) These two goals remind us of our Lord’s high priestly ministry—King of peace and King of righteousness (Heb. 7:1–2). It requires diligence to run the race successfully or else we “come short of the grace of God”...

Check out my children's book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FP9NZNK The writer of Hebrews combines the two themes of athletics and citizenship in this important twelfth chapter. The atmosphere is that of the footraces in the arena. We can see the runners laying aside their training weights and striving to run their races successfully. Some get weary and faint, while others endure to the end and win the prize. First, the writer pictures the race (Heb. 12:1–13) and then emphasizes...

Check out my children's book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FP9NZNK As you recall chapter 11 is the work of faith and now we will see that chapter 12 is a patience or the endurance of hope. Hope produces endurance as we’ve seen before. This section lays out ways we need to remove the obstacles and hindrances in our life so that we can run our race. Our focus should be on nothing else than Jesus, who showed us how to live by faith and endured the cross. He chose God’s will over His own...

Check out my children's book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FP9NZNK The fact that Christ is a superior Person (Heb. 1–6) and that He exercises a superior Priesthood (Heb. 7–10) ought to encourage us to put our trust in Him. The readers of Hebrews were being tempted to go back into Judaism and put their faith in Moses. Their confidence was in the visible things of this world, not the invisible realities of God. Instead of going on to maturity, they were going “back to destruction." In...

Check out my children's book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FP9NZNK Faith caused God’s people to win battles, endure persecution, and anticipate the life beyond. Joshua led his people to circle Jericho for seven days in what must have appeared to the pagan onlookers as something completely futile and ridiculous (Josh. 6). Faith strengthened the Israelites with the conviction that their God could do the impossible. The pagan prostitute Rahab had heard of the mighty feats of Israel’s God...

Check out my children's book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FP9NZNK Moses was fortunate to have believing parents. For them to hide their baby son from the authorities was certainly an act of faith. Exodus 2 describes the hiding of Moses by his parents. Hebrews 11 mentions two features of the parents’ actions (v. 23). First, they saw that Moses was no ordinary child, sensing something in him which destined him for future spiritual greatness. Second, although Pharaoh had commanded death...

Check out my children's book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FP9NZNK A new movement, the author’s exposition of the life of faith, begins here. In a multiplicity of varied experiences, faith remains the constant factor by which these experiences are met and understood. Faith constitutes a Christian’s true “world view” (cf. v. 3). The tests of faith become more difficult as we walk with God, yet the rewards are more wonderful! And we must not ignore the obedient faith of Isaac. In...

Check out my children's book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FP9NZNK The emphasis in this section is on the promise of God and His plans for the nation of Israel (Heb. 11:9, 11, 13, 17). The nation began with the call of Abraham. God promised Abraham and Sarah a son, but they had to wait twenty-five years for the fulfillment of the promise. For me, waiting is one of the most difficult disciplines of life. I cannot stand it and do not like it at all. Yet true faith is able to wait for the...

Check out my children's book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FP9NZNK In a sense chapter 11 is a continuation of the encouragement of Hebrews 10:32-39. In concluding the previous warning section, the writer touched on the theme of living by faith (cf. 10:37–39). What this really means the writer then expounded in terms the readers could fully appreciate, because it is faith that underlies the experience of the heroes of Old Testament history. Since these people experienced faith, so could...