Related:
(There are a lot more things about Jesus and the Bible I’d like to write about than I have time to write. Therefore, when I have a little time to write, I write a little. That makes for an overflow…pretty much daily. I’ve begun producing collections of these bits and pieces from past years as digital books. As for the current year’s overflow, see below.)
Thursday, June 18, 2026
God never changes…because nothing about Him needs improving. We, by contrast, need to change.
Wednesday, June 17, 2026
George Barna’s latest research, published yesterday, is about the “glaring gap between claimed faith and actual belief” of Americans. Here are a few quotes pulled from it.
“Did you know seven in 10 Americans call themselves Christian? But when it comes to what they actually believe about humanity and the supernatural, a very different picture emerges.”
“My research shows that American Christianity is increasingly feelings-based rather than truth-based, producing believers whose lives and convictions are largely indistinguishable from those of non-Christians. In fact, more than nine out of 10 Americans operate from a Syncretistic worldview, blending elements of Christianity with contradictory beliefs, rather than a consistently biblical one.”
“Unfortunately, dismissing the importance of biblical truth principles and a holy lifestyle has led to tens of millions of regular church attenders settling in as notional Christians—people who embrace the label and the idea of Christianity but refuse to study, reflect, and work in ways that cultivate genuine Christ-like lives.”
“This latest research suggests that embarrassingly few self-described Christians have either studied or reflected on their alleged faith substantially enough to develop genuine, deeply held biblical convictions and commitments—even on foundational worldview issues.”
Tuesday, June 16, 2026
When Jesus said that “the gates of Hades” would not prevail over His church, He was referencing its one-generation nature.
Think about it. The book of Revelation describes Hades being emptied at the Second Coming. If that’s the case, and if the Second Coming hasn’t occurred yet, then Jesus’ generation is still in Hades. This cannot be. Jesus’ word never fails!
Revelation 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.
Monday, June 15, 2026
When Luke tells the story of how Peter denied the Lord (Luke 22:54-22), it ends with “[Peter] went out and wept bitterly” because it began with “Peter was following at a distance.” That is, if Peter’s faith had been strong that night of Jesus’ arrest, he would have been following Jesus closely – not “at a distance.” The Peter who denied the Lord that night wasn’t the Peter who walked on water when he believed – it was the Peter who sank in the water when he doubted (Mt 14:22-33).
Sunday, June 14, 2026
The Old Testament period was a time of darkness – therefore, the moon and stars provided the light. New Testament times were the breaking of dawn, when the sun first peeked above the horizon. We now live in noon-day sunshine. And that light will never recede; it can only shine brighter as time goes on.
Genesis 1:16 God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also.
Romans 13:12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
Saturday, June 13, 2026
God is the Lord Jesus Christ.
- He’s “the Lord” in the Old Testament.
- He’s “Jesus” in the Gospels.
- He’s “Christ” in the Epistles.
Friday, June 12, 2026
I noticed a debate on Twitter last week between Mormons and Christians. Essentially, the Mormons were saying “We are Christians, too,” and the Christians were saying, “No, you’re not.” One of the main reasons given by the Christians for their position was that Mormons do not accept the Nicene Creed – more specifically, that they do not accept Trinitarianism. The Mormon response was that belief in Christ ought to be enough to qualify as a Christian. If you just think about the word that the two sides were arguing about – which was “Christian” – the Mormons have a point. If Christians insist that being a Trinitarian is essential to being a Christian, then Christians ought to change their name to Trinitarians.
(Social identities like Christian and Mormon don’t matter to God. He sees all human beings as His children – sinful children in need of the training that only Jesus Christ and the Bible can provide.)
Thursday, June 11, 2026
The resurrection from the dead of Jesus of Nazareth according to the Old Testament rewrote the map of heaven. Specifically, it placed a man between God and every other heavenly being. This is why the Old Testament is about the Lord God (a single being) while the New Testament is about God and the Lord (a pair of beings).
(The resolution came in the Second Coming. It returned the map to a single being at the top. It certainly did not increase the beings at the top to three.)
Wednesday, June 10, 2026
People haven’t figured out the Second Coming because they keep looking for it in the wrong place.
(Hint: It’s not in the future. It’s in the past.)
Tuesday, June 9, 2026
The founding documents of Christianity – which are, of course, the 27 New Testament texts – are used as a license for the church, but those documents, when properly examined – show that license to be expired.
(The coming of the kingdom of God rendered the church obsolete. Its founding documents, by contrast, are more important than ever.)
Monday, June 8, 2026
I offer the following quotation as Exhibit A to what I wrote here yesterday. It explains why the America of 2026 routinely ignores the Constitution without much public outcry.
“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
– John Adams (1735-1826)
Sunday, June 7, 2026
Spiritually speaking, the America of 2026 is not the America of 1776. Not even close.
Saturday, June 6, 2026
Here are just a few more thoughts on the subject of the last week.
We shouldn’t think that the six quotations I have given this week represent the only individuals who preceded Lewis with this apologetic method. On the contrary, here are some excerpts of research I gathered on this point through ChatGPT.
“[Others] appear to use substantially the same logical structure before Lewis, even though they do not package it in the memorable alliterative form that Lewis later popularized. The challenge is that many nineteenth-century writers expressed the argument over several paragraphs rather than in a single quotable sentence, so finding the exact passages requires digging into sermon collections and apologetic lectures.”
ChatGPT, June 2026
“The biblical scholar Bruce M. Metzger noted that it had “often been pointed out” before Lewis that Christ’s claim to divine sonship is either true or false; if false, Christ must have been either knowingly deceptive or self-deceived. Metzger was not claiming originality, but his comment is useful because it reflects awareness of an already established apologetic tradition preceding Lewis.”
ChatGPT, June 2026
“One thing that becomes apparent when tracing the argument is that Lewis did not invent a specific three-horned argument so much as inherit a standard Victorian apologetic trope. Historical surveys of the trilemma note that it was “widely cited in various forms in the nineteenth century” and identify Hopkins, Duncan, Torrey, Biederwolf, and Chesterton as examples within a broader tradition. That suggests there may be many additional examples hidden in sermon literature rather than famous books.”
ChatGPT, June 2026
Friday, June 5, 2026
For each day of the last week, I have been posting a different quote. What these six quotes have in common is that they all sound similar to what C. S. Lewis famously argued about the claims of Jesus of Nazareth in his book Mere Christianity. First published in 1952, it was a compilation of radio broadcast transcripts produced a decade before that.
This argument has been quoted, referenced, and argued countless time in print and in person since Lewis first made it in his radio presentations about Christianity during World War II. What’s less widely known is that Lewis did not formulate this argument, and never claimed to have done so. He was recounting for his BBC radio audience a Christian apologetic argument that had been in existence for at least the previous hundred years.
What these quotes below collectively demonstrate is that in presenting his “lunatic, liar, or lord” argument, C. S. Lewis was drawing on what would have been common knowledge to evangelists and apologists of his time. Therefore, as he popularized it to his audience, he knew that it would find reinforcement to his hearers should they pursue whatever curiosity about Jesus Christ that he had provoked within them. He was neither attempting to be original nor pretending to be original. He was spreading to the masses an argument that had previously only been known in Christian circles.
Note in the quotations’ attributions that all the men who said these things died before the 1940s, which was when Lewis first began making the argument himself. The reason I bring all this to your attention is to make the point that if Lewis had not publicized the argument, it might have been lost to history. He didn’t produce this truth; he preserved it. Therefore, let us be diligent to keep alive all the important truths we know by teaching them to our children…lest any of these truths be lost to history.
Thursday, June 4, 2026
“Jesus Christ was… either the son of God… a divine person… or else he was the most daring imposter that ever lived or else one of the most hopeless lunatics… Not an impostor. Not a lunatic. We have only one alternative left. He was… the Son of God, God the Son”.
– W. E. Biederwolf (1867-1939)
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
“Jesus Christ was beyond peradventure one of three things. He was either the Son of God in a unique sense, a divine person incarnate in human form or else he was the most daring impostor that ever lived or else one of the most hopeless lunatics… Not an impostor. Not a lunatic. We have only one alternative left. He was what he claimed to be, the Son of God, God the Son.”
– R. A. Torrey (1856-1928)
Tuesday, June 2, 2026
“Christ either deceived mankind by conscious fraud, or He was Himself deluded and self-deceived, or He was Divine.”
– G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936)
Monday, June 1, 2026
“[Jesus of Nazareth] claimed to be a perfect, sinless teacher of moral and spiritual truth—the Guide, the Lord, and Saviour—the life, light, and hope of all the world. He calls upon all men to believe in and honour Him, even as they believe in and honour the Father. He demands their love and obedience as His right.”
“‘What,’ it has been observed, ‘would have been thought of Socrates or Plato, if they had not merely taught mankind, but if they and their disciples had set up a claim that they should be loved by the whole human race with an affection exceeding that which should be felt for parents, children, and friends?’”
“These claims were either well founded, or they were not. If they were not, then Christ either knew that they were not, or he did not know it. If he knew they were not, he was an impostor; if he did not know it, and yet imagined them to be well founded, he was the subject of a hopeless insanity.”
– Mark Hopkins (1802-1887)
Sunday, May 31, 2026
“The real trouble is that the lofty claim of Jesus, if … the claim was unjustified, places a moral stain upon Jesus’ character. What shall be thought of a human being who lapsed so far from the path of humility and sanity as to believe the eternal destinies of the world were committed into his hands? The truth is that if Jesus be merely an example, he is not a worthy example for he claimed to be far more.”
– J. Gresham Machen (1881-1937)
Saturday, May 30, 2026
“Christ either deceived mankind by conscious fraud, or He was Himself deluded and self-deceived, or He was Divine. There is no getting out of this trilemma. It is inexorable.”
– John Duncan (1796–1870)
Friday, May 29, 2026
God wants to be known and understood…by human beings. That’s what the whole Adam-to-Jesus exercise was all about.
Thursday, May 28, 2026
Christ is the embodiment and personification of the kingdom of God. In other words, Christ is the kingdom of God.
Wednesday, May 27, 2026
Jesus of Nazareth died by torture for my sake. There is nothing He could ask of me that would be too much for Him to ask.
Tuesday, May 26, 2026
We eschew church to chew more on God’s word about the kingdom. (The modern church, by definition, does not believe that the promised kingdom has come.)
Monday, May 25, 2026
Memorial Day
John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”
Sunday, May 24, 2026
The Declaration of Independence documents that the United States of America was birthed in prayer. If you’re in doubt about this, read it. If you’re short on time, read the last paragraph (which I present to you here, verbatim with the relevant portions in bold).
“We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”
If the United States was birthed religiously, how can it be sustained secularly?
Saturday, May 23, 2026
- God made a name for Himself in heaven, documenting it with the Old Testament. That name is YHWH (usually translated as “LORD” or “Lord”).
- God made a name for Himself on earth, documenting it with the New Testament. That name is Jesus.
Thus does the Bible begin this way:
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
But ends this way:
Revelation 22:21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.
(Bold print added.)
Friday, May 22, 2026
Who decided that the Bible should be? One man: Jesus of Nazareth.
He took the Scriptures as they existed in his time – what we call the Old Testament with its 39 texts – and authorized eight men to supplement them – what we call the New Testament with its 27 texts. Thus did one man make the decision that the world would have a Holy Bible and that it would contain those 66 texts.
What that Man has joined together, let no man put asunder.
Thursday, May 21, 2026
Romans 1:5 …we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name’s sake,
Faith is not an option. It’s obedience.
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
A self-made man? Only one man qualifies for that distinction.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
When I hear people say, or I read that someone has written, “Christ is king!” I have to wonder if they are aware that “Christ” means “king.” Therefore, to say, “Christ is king!” is to be redundant. It’s declaring a tautology. To be specific, it’s saying, “The king is king!” This is like saying, “The pharaoh is pharaoh!” or “The emperor is emperor!”
My suggestion? Any of these:
- Christ is Lord!
- Christ is God!
- Christ is King of the World!
- Christ is King of the Universe!
- Christ is King of Everyone – not just Christians!
- etc.
At least then, the sentence would be saying something rather than nothing.
Common sense is common sense!
Monday, May 18, 2026
When you ask an AI engine about something biblical, you have to be careful. Sometimes the answers are helpful; other times they are very misleading. One of the main reasons for this is that they are reporting the scholarly consensus, which is, of course, sometimes “helpful” and other times “misleading.” The following answer is helpful and squares with all my studies over the years. In fact, I asked the question because I knew the answer. I just wanted you to see confirmation that this is the scholarly consensus. The point this Q&A makes is important because I think a lot of people miss what “shepherd” has to do with the kingdom of God. Therefore, when you read in the Bible about Jesus being a shepherd, don’t just think “comfort” and “protection” – think also “rule” and “power.” And especially think “the kingdom of God,” which is all around us, and accessible to the believing. (I put the verbatim answer in italics, but the bold print is my doing.)
Question: In the Bible, wasn’t shepherd a common metaphor or synonym for king?
Answer: Yes. In the ancient Near East—including the Bible—“shepherd” was a very common metaphor for a king, ruler, or leader. The image carried ideas of guidance, protection, provision, and responsibility for a people viewed as a flock.
In the Hebrew Bible / Old Testament, this metaphor appears repeatedly:
- Book of Ezekiel criticizes Israel’s rulers as “false shepherds” who feed themselves instead of the flock (Ezekiel 34).
- David is taken “from following the sheep” to shepherd Israel as king (2 Samuel 5:2).
- Book of Psalms famously says, “The Lord is my shepherd” (Psalm 23), portraying God as the ideal king and protector.
- Prophets often describe the people of Israel as “sheep without a shepherd,” meaning without proper leadership.
This wasn’t unique to Israel. Across Mesopotamia and surrounding cultures, kings regularly called themselves shepherds. For example:
- Hammurabi described himself as a shepherd of the people.
- Sumerian and Akkadian royal inscriptions used “shepherd” as a standard royal title.
The metaphor worked because shepherding was a familiar and essential social role:
- gathering scattered sheep,
- defending them from predators,
- leading them to food and water,
- disciplining and caring for them.
So when biblical texts call someone a shepherd, it often implies kingship or governance—not merely a literal occupation.
That background also explains why the New Testament’s portrayal of Jesus Christ as the “Good Shepherd” carries strong royal and messianic implications, not just pastoral imagery.
The AI engine I used for this exercise is ChatGPT, but, for the reasons I gave above, I would expect similar answers from most any other AI engine.
Sunday, May 17, 2026
Colossians 1:17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
Hebrews 1:3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
Both of these verses refer specifically to Jesus Christ, the Son of God. (If you doubt this, please look them up in your own Bible and you’ll see that their respective contexts confirm what I’m saying.) The phrases I’ve put in bold are making the same general point: that creation is dependent on Christ not just for its origin (see yesterday’s post just below), but for its ongoing existence as well. The Hebrews quote adds the detail that His word is the means by which He sustains the universe. This detail is what allowed Him to come to earth as a man without the universe falling apart.
Saturday, May 16, 2026
Most people have never been taught that God created Messiah before He created anyone or anything else, and that He then created everyone and everything else through Messiah. (If you doubt this, see John 1:1-18; 1 Corinthians 8:4-6; Colossians 1:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2:4.)
Friday, May 15, 2026
Ecclesiastes 4:12 And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.
2 Corinthians 13:1 This is the third time I am coming to you. EVERY FACT IS TO BE CONFIRMED BY THE TESTIMONY OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES.
I love how these two verses – one from each testament – work together!
Thursday, May 14, 2026
Nature shows us how wise and powerful God is, but it took Jesus of Nazareth to show us how righteous and – simultaneously – forgiving He is. We could intuit God’s wisdom and power from nature; but we could never have intuited Jesus. It is impossible to imagine that God could be that good. It had to be demonstrated to us.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Which Yoke?
Acts 15:10 “Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
Matthew 11:29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.
Matthew 11:30 “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
In the first quotation above, Peter is speaking of the yoke of the Law of Moses – that is, the commandments of God through Moses. The second quotation is, of course, about the commandments of God through Jesus.
Alas, many people today are not attracted by the alternative Jesus offers…because they want no yoke at all.
Tuesday, May 12, 2026
The Jews count 613 commandments in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, Jesus reduced them to two. Alas, we have proven our ability to disobey God whether His commandments are many or are few. Stated another way, we have found a way to complain to God (in the manner of Goldilocks) that He either gives us too much guidance or too little.
Monday, May 11, 2026
Jesus was Lord in both testaments.
- In the Old Testament, He was YHWH – a heavenly being.
- In the New Testament, He was (in the Gospels) an earthly being named Jesus of Nazareth, and then (in Acts and the Epistles) a heavenly being named Jesus Christ.
Sunday, May 10, 2026
Timing is a very important aspect of righteousness. For example, sex before marrying instead of after is the difference between sin and righteousness. Timing makes all the difference.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
To live a life for selfishness or to live it for righteousness: that is the constant choice we face the entire time we are down here on earth. You can substitute “sin” for selfishness and “Jesus” for “righteousness” and the meaning of that sentence would not change.
Friday, May 8, 2026
The only percentage of time we can live for God that will work is 100%. Anything more than that is impossible. Anything less than that is not sustainable.
Thursday, May 7, 2026
When we read the Bible, we learn many things. Some of them we’re sure about, some we are not. It’s the things we’re sure about that will help us navigate life, because those are the things of faith.
Wednesday, May 6, 2026
1 Timothy 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and of Christ Jesus, who is our hope,
We will be without hope when Christ Jesus ceases to be.
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Romans 8:24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees?
Hope is the starting point for dealing with a God we cannot see. (Correlate with yesterday’s post.)
Hope is not only the starting point for engagement with God – it’s the starting point for reengagement with God. (If you’ve never felt disengaged from God, you are a rare believer indeed.)
Monday, May 4, 2026
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for…
Hope is not faith – but it’s not nothing. It’s halfway there! Without hope, there can be no faith. Never give up hope! It’s the stuff faith is made of.
Sunday, May 3, 2026
John 1:11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.
This statement is true on every possible level:
- His own family rejected Him.
- His fellow Jews rejected Him.
- His fellow human beings rejected Him.
- His own creatures rejected Him.
Saturday, May 2, 2026
It is to God’s credit that He is unwilling to change His mind; it is to our credit that we are willing to change ours.
Friday, May 1, 2026
Does God experience loneliness on any level? Luke 15 – “the Lost-and-Found chapter of the Bible” – suggests He does.
(How amazing and wonderful that we should matter that much to Him!)
Thursday, April 30, 2026
Is Gen Z—the youngest adult generation in America—experiencing revival? A lot of people have been speculating on this question, especially since the assassination of Charlie Kirk last September. George Barna is a prominent American researcher, author, and pollster specializing in religious beliefs, behavior, and cultural trends. His latest research takes into account what has happened since Charlie’s passing and says that the answer to this question of revival is “complicated,” and that “the most optimistic view may be that Gen Z seems to be spiritually open and actively seeking, but as a generation, there currently are few signs of deep or lasting positive shifts in their biblical foundation or overall worldview.” He concludes, “The research gives a lukewarm affirmation of revival, at best.” Obviously, Barna wants to be the bearer of good news but can’t find enough data to justify optimism. For his full explanation, see his latest research report which was published yesterday.
Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Why would the Second Coming feature Jesus coming back in the flesh? He’s already been here, done that.
2 Corinthians 5:16 …even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.
Tuesday, April 28, 2026
When reading about the church in the New Testament, read as you read about Noah’s family in the ark or about the Israelites escaping slavery in Egypt. That is, admire them, identify with them, imitate them – but do not think we are them. God doesn’t want us to imitate their conduct; He wants us to imitate their faith that produced their conduct. Our circumstances require different conduct from theirs, just as the Israelites’ circumstances required different conduct from that of Noah’s family. In other words, we are not the church just as we are not ancient Israelites and we are not Noah’s family.
Hebrews 13:7 Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.
This point I am making is harder to see when it comes to the church than it is when it comes to the ancient Israelites or Noah’s family. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, the church comes at end of our Bibles, so it would be natural to imitate their conduct – especially when church leaders tell us that the Second Coming is still future. Second, most of the instructions to the church have to do with interpersonal communications – which is very relevant to us, especially in family life; whereas, the Israelites received all sorts of instructions (such as how to sacrifice animals) that don’t apply to us, and Noah received instructions about how to build a gigantic barge. Given this awareness, we can keep ourselves mindful that we are to draw principles from the New Testament’s testimony about the church and not mistakenly think that Jesus has been late in keeping His promise to come again in the kingdom of God.
Luke 17:20 Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed;
Luke 17:21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”
Monday, April 27, 2026
In a personal relationship with God, there is no substitute for faith. Specifically, faith in Jesus.
Sunday, April 26, 2026
If you can seek humility while it seems everyone around you is seeking pride, you will do well.
(This was the way Jesus lived.)
Saturday, April 25, 2026
Eschatology is the branch of theology concerned with the “last things,” specifically the end of human history, the final judgment, and the ultimate destiny of humankind and the world.
Source: Google’s AI
According to the Bible, the Lord Jesus Christ is the eschatological God for all nations and the whole of the universe. We are living in eschatological times…because they began with the Second Coming which occurred in the 1st century. That’s why it’s rightly called the 1st century. It was the beginning of the eschatological age. Let us serve the eschatological God with joy and zeal!
Friday, April 24, 2026
We look for Jesus Christ in the Bible so that we can live by Jesus Christ and the Bible. One without the other is not enough. Jesus Christ without the Bible makes Him a mute idol. The Bible without Jesus Christ makes our faith off-center.
Thursday, April 23, 2026
Let us find Jesus in the Bible…daily…so we can follow Him in life…daily.
There’s something about reading it daily that makes a big difference. (Though I wince at his language, I commend General Patton for his practice.)
Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Who is unafraid of change? Those who are following the Lord and babies with soiled diapers. (These two categories are not always mutually exclusive.)
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
The words “think” and “believe” are not entirely synonymous, but they are definitely related. Whether I say, “I think Jesus rose from the dead,” or “I believe Jesus rose from the dead,” haven’t I pretty much said the same thing? The basic way they relate is that believing is a certain kind of thinking.
Monday, April 20, 2026
When I was a teenager, there was a weekly television program I regularly watched. Every episode began with the words, “Space: the final frontier.” Over my lifetime, I’ve come to realize that the real final frontier is the space between our two ears. But the Bible is the only spaceship trustworthy enough to take us there and get us back.
Sunday, April 19, 2026
Romans 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Jesus gave His apostles the keys of the kingdom. The apostles have passed them to us through the New Testament. If we find ourselves locked out of righteousness, peace, and joy, it is because we have lost the keys to them. We must go back to the New Testament to find them.
Saturday, April 18, 2026
In 1966, John Lennon famously said that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus. Regardless of what he meant by it, the statement was objectively true. Sad to say, it still is.
Friday, April 17, 2026
Acts 17:22 So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects.
Acts 17:23 “For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.
The unknown God became known through Jesus Christ…and only through Jesus Christ.
John 1:18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.
Thursday, April 16, 2026
In the Old Testament, Jesus said His name was “I am.” In the New Testament, He came to earth to finish that sentence. Here’s just one example:
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
The 1st-century apostles and the church they shepherded were scaffolding for the kingdom of God, which arrived just before their generation passed away. Who keeps scaffolding up once the building has been completed?
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Most believers don’t struggle with the apostles being a one-generation phenomenon. Why then do they struggle with the church being a one-generation phenomenon?
Monday, April 13, 2026
Whenever you encounter a greater light and a lesser light, always gravitate to the greater light.
Genesis 1:16 God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also.
Matthew 12:6 “But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here.”
Sunday, April 12, 2026
Faith is conceived in thought and birthed in action.
(If you doubt this, see Hebrews 11; James 2:14-26; and 1 John 3:16-22.)
***
It’s not important that I see God. It’s only important that He sees me.
Saturday, April 11, 2026
Isaiah 57:11 “Of whom were you worried and fearful
When you lied, and did not remember Me
Nor give Me a thought?
Was I not silent even for a long time
So you do not fear Me?
In other words, “Don’t you recognize that failing to walk in the spirit leads to spiritual deafness?”
Friday, April 10, 2026
“The 1st century AD marks the start of a global shift as polytheism, animal sacrifice, and idol worship gradually declined in favor of monotheistic systems. Today, we live in a predominantly monotheistic world, just as humanity in the 1st century BC lived in a predominantly polytheistic one.”
ChatGPT, April, 2026
Yes, ChatGPT actually said this – word for word, letter for letter. However, I had to back it into a corner before it did. Even now, if I start a new session by feeding this statement back to into ChatGPT, it will criticize the statement as an over-simplification – which is the same way it started our original conversation. And I would have to walk it through the same interrogation I did before in order to get it to finally admit the truth of it.
The primary purpose of AI is not to serve us; it’s to manage us…by managing our thoughts. AI is not just the software – its the corporations and governments that control it. I’m not advising you to stop using AI; I’m advising you to stop forgetting about its agenda.
Thursday, April 9, 2026
The book of the church became the book of the family at the Second Coming, just as the book of the nation of Israel became the book of the church at Christ’s first coming.
Wednesday, April 8, 2026
The glory of Christ in the New Testament church was great…but not nearly as great as it was when He came in the kingdom of God as the New Testament church was passing away.
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
However much room you’re giving the Lord in your mind – that is, your thoughts – that’s how much room you’re giving Him in your life.
Monday, April 6, 2026
There are two differences between God and know-it-all people: 1) He really does know it all, and 2) He’s humble.
Sunday, April 5, 2026
The Apocrypha
The Catholics have seven more books in their Old Testament than the Protestants. The Orthodox also have these extra seven – and a few more besides. The extra books are called the Apocrypha, or Deutero-Canonical Books. (Among the three branches of Christianity – Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox – there is no difference whatsoever in New Testament contents.)
I have never studied any of these extra OT books because I cannot figure out a way to know for sure if Jesus regarded any of them as belonging with the 39. I feel confident with the 39 because Jesus never questioned what the Pharisees considered to be Scripture, and the Jewish Bibles we have today are all consistent and all trace their origin to what Pharisees in the 1st century AD considered to be Scripture. I keep a couple of Jewish Bibles on my bookshelf to remind me of this.
Faith is about being sure. And I don’t feel qualified to read a book and know for sure whether it was written by a prophet or apostle inspired by the Holy Spirit. It seems to me Jesus granted ancient Jews to be our source for the OT’s contents just as ancient Christians should be our source for the NT’s contents. And once concrete sets, it never becomes fluid again.
Some or all of the Catholic and Orthodox Apocrypha could be valuable for reading whether it is Scripture or not. I’ve often considered studying it. But I’ve never been able to justify the time it would take away from the 66 and how I would protect my mind from having to wonder whether it belonged in the Bible or not. Maybe if I were a more spiritual person, I would be able to discern the answer. Until then, “I’ll dance with the one that brung me.”
Saturday, April 4, 2026
Jesus was the centerpiece of the New Testament church, and from that point of view, they looked back to before the beginning and forward to the coming of the kingdom. As for looking back…
- Mark starts his story of Jesus with John the Baptist.
- Matthew starts his with a genealogy going back to Abraham.
- Luke’s genealogy goes back to Adam.
- John starts with the two figures who existed before Genesis 1:1.
Each gospel goes a little farther back in time…until there’s no farther back to go.
Friday, April 3, 2026
The Bible is a finished book that tells an unfinished narrative. By this, I mean that the Second Coming is, of course, the conclusion of the Bible’s narrative. But the Bible only presents it as prophecy, not as history. Therefore, we can only know the coming of the kingdom of God is history by believing the Bible’s prophecy of it. If we say that we need proof that the Second Coming is history before believing it, then how can we say we believe the Bible?
Hasn’t God already proved enough stuff in the Bible that we can take His word for it when it comes to the Second Coming?
Thursday, April 2, 2026
The New Testament depicts a valley of decision – particularly from Acts though Revelation. As the Old Testament prophet Joel prophesied of that time:
Joel 3:14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision!
For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
The New Testament church – that is, those who heeded the apostles and believed in Jesus – made the right decision. And because they did, we have the New Testament which they left us…and which does not ask us to go to church but rather to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
Wednesday, April 1, 2026
I have come to hate April Fools Day. It is the tricksters who are the fools.
Credibility is difficult to attain. Never squander an ounce of it.
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
It used to worry me when I couldn’t get other people to understand me. That changed when I realized I only needed God to understand me. But sometimes I forget this. And trouble always ensues.
Monday, March 30, 2026
No man has spiritual authority over another.
(This is the way it is in the kingdom of God. I cringe that I was once complicit in other people calling me “Pastor.”)
Sunday, March 29, 2026
Our primary goal while on earth is not to criticize unrighteousness, but rather to do righteousness. In fact, the only people who ought to be criticizing unrighteousness are those who are doing righteousness.
Matthew 7:5 “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”
But notice that Jesus’ goal is not to silence all criticism of unrighteousness. On the contrary, He wants unrighteousness to be criticized – it’s just a matter of first things first (“…first take the log out…”). By contrast, the lawless want all criticism of unrighteousness to be silenced; and they’ll criticize anyone who says differently.
Saturday, March 28, 2026
James 2:17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.
Therefore, stop racing the engine and let out the clutch.
Friday, March 27, 2026
They rightly say, “When you’re up to your hips in alligators, it’s hard to remember your original intention (which was to drain the swamp).” Our original assignment from Jesus and His apostles – and it has not changed – is to overcome evil with good (Rom 12:21).
Thursday, March 26, 2026
To have faith in Jesus is to have faith in righteousness. For Jesus is righteousness personified.
To love Jesus is to love righteousness. For Jesus is righteousness personified.
And so on.
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
The news just keeps getting worse for America’s current spiritual prognosis. Far from seeing revival in the face of pending judgment, we are seeing signs of continued moral decay. George Barna’s latest report, released yesterday, is headlined: “New Research Shows Even Committed Christians Struggle with Application, As Overwhelming Majority of U.S. Adults Lack Biblical Basics.”
Tuesday, March 24, 2026
Job 12:23 “He makes the nations great, then destroys them;
He enlarges the nations, then leads them away.”
Monday, March 23, 2026
Nuclear Facts
Active Nuclear Programs: Nine nations currently have nuclear weapons. They are, in chronological order of having achieved this capability: the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, Israel*, India, Pakistan, and North Korea. (*Israel is widely believed to have achieved this status in the mid-1960s but maintains a policy of “nuclear ambiguity,” neither confirming nor denying its capability or any past tests.)
Dismantled Nuclear Programs:
- South Africa built six weapons in the 1980s but dismantled them in the 1990s.
- Libya famously gave up its nuclear weapons program in December 2003. The decision was a major diplomatic shift by leader Muammar Gaddafi, who agreed to dismantle all of Libya’s weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and long-range missile programs in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions and the normalization of relations with the West. The “Libya Model” is often cited in international relations as a rare example of a “rogue state” voluntarily denuclearizing. However, some critics and other nations (like North Korea) have argued that giving up these weapons made Gaddafi vulnerable to the 2011 NATO-backed intervention that eventually led to his overthrow and death.
Iran is considered to have had the potential to build a bomb but is generally not listed as possessing a fully functional, deliverable weapon.
Only one nation has ever used nuclear weapons in armed conflict: the United States. While exact figures are impossible to determine due to the chaos and destruction at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, estimates for the total number of people killed in the bombings range from 110,000 to over 210,000 by the end of 1945.
(All the information above was copied, pasted, and assembled from queries directed to Google’s AI.)
Sunday, March 22, 2026
Jesus was the Son during biblical times, but He has, since the Second Coming late in the 1st century, resumed His role as Father of us all…accumulating in all that time a well-deserved reputation.
Saturday, March 21, 2026
Indifference to the history recorded in the New Testament is irrational.
Friday, March 20, 2026
Even when the word of the Lord looks like the longest of long shots, it is still always the safest of bets.
Thursday, March 19, 2026
Jesus Christ. The simple utterance of that name by any human being generates a response: either positive or negative. There is no name more polarizing than His. And this is two thousand years after the man died!
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
In New Testament times, the Son was known by the Father’s name (YHWH), and the Father was known by the Son’s name (the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ). In the wake of the Second Coming, we know them as one. God proved Himself a good father by being a good son first.
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Jesus became a man by virtue of his earthly life, and the son of man by virtue of his post-resurrection heavenly life.
Monday, March 16, 2026
Jesus Christ…
- …was made Jesus when He was born. (Matt 1:25)
- …was made Christ when He was born again. (Acts 2:36)
Sunday, March 15, 2026
I am not going to stop grieving over Charlie Kirk, but I am going to stop writing daily about him. At least for a while. He’s actually doing fine; it’s the country I remain torn up about. The USA? Yes. The bigger they come, the harder they fall. Samson went to the well one too many times.
Saturday, March 14, 2026
The Lord loves righteousness. But American hearts have been hardening against righteousness for a long time. I had hoped that Charlie’s murder might have been a wake-up call. What will become of us now?
Friday, March 13, 2026
What are we to think of a nation whose governmental agencies seem incurious about assassinations?
Thursday, March 12, 2026
America should have been a lot sadder for a lot longer after the death of Charlie Kirk. The fact that we weren’t, indicates that our hearts are hardening. And that’s saying something, because they’d already been hardening for a long time before Charlie’s life was stolen from us.
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
It’s hard for me to say I loved Charlie Kirk…because I did not know him personally. But I for sure love the things he stood for!
Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Six months ago today, Charlie Kirk was assassinated. Why does it feel like six years ago? Probably because six days after the murder so many more people were saying “We are Charlie!” than have been saying it since. What will it take for a nation to come to its senses?
Monday, March 9, 2026
In this eternal age, God is transcendent and immanent.
- “Transcendent means existing beyond or rising above the material universe, often referring to a God who is separate, majestic, and beyond human grasp. Conversely, immanent means existing or remaining within; it refers to a God who is actively involved, present, and knowable within the world.” – The Gospel Coalition and Google AI
- Transcendence (Beyond): Focuses on God’s “otherness,” independence from creation, and infinite nature.
- Immanence (Within): Focuses on God’s closeness, personal interaction, and involvement with humanity.
In other words, “He’s everywhere!” Specifically, He’s not limited to heaven, as was generally portrayed before the Second Coming.
Sunday, March 8, 2026
“Progressive Insurance launched its popular “Dr. Rick” campaign, featuring actor Bill Glass as a life coach helping young homeowners avoid turning into their parents, in April 2020. While the “Parentamorphosis” concept originated in 2017, the specific character-driven Dr. Rick commercials began during the pandemic.” – The Washington Post
Think about the underlying message of this advertising campaign and realize that it’s another example of how a nihilistic society slowly and silently destroys itself. Here we have an insurance company mocking its customers for becoming like their parents. In my lifetime, America has gone from at least paying lip service to “Honor your father and mother” to “Parentamorphosis is so relatable!” Being called “a chip off the old block,” used to be a compliment; now it’s standing joke. No wonder so few people want to bring a child into the the world these days, given that this is the way children are being raised to think about parenting.
Saturday, March 7, 2026
Lamentations 3:22 The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,
For His compassions never fail.
Lamentations 3:23 They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
That such joyous words could be found in the middle of a book with that title!
Friday, March 6, 2026
It appears that my life will have spanned from the time of America’s greatest material wealth to the time of its greatest spiritual poverty.
Thursday, March 5, 2026
“In the days and weeks following the murder of Christian activist Charlie Kirk, many wondered whether America was on the brink of spiritual renewal. Church attendance rose. Bible sales increased. Public conversation intensified. Yet, despite these encouraging initial signs, my latest research reveals a sobering reality: biblical worldview in America has not increased. In fact, it remains stalled at 4% overall—and among Gen Z, the incidence drops to just 1%.”
George Barna in his most recent report: Few Signs of Spiritual Renewal as the National Incidence of Biblical Worldview Remains Unchanged Published 03/03/2026
Wednesday, March 4, 2026
As promised yesterday: “The Abomination of Desolation“
Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Matt 24:15 “Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),
Matt 24:16 then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.
Mark 13:14 “But when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.
Luke 21:20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near.
Luke 21:21 “Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains…
These verses include the only two places in the NASB 1995 where the word “reader” appears. These occurrences remind us that in Jesus’ day, people had to go to a synagogue or the temple to know what the Scriptures said because that’s where readers read them. (Few people knew how to read, and fewer still had copies of all the Scriptures.) Today, almost everyone knows how to read and the Scriptures are available everywhere!
(Tomorrow I’ll say something about “the abomination of desolation.”)
Monday, March 2, 2026
Family is about learning responsibility: Parents are responsible for their children; children are responsible to their parents.
(Little words can make a big difference.)
Sunday, March 1, 2026
A four-word call to arms for fathers: “Be there…for them!” (I had to learn this the hard way.)
Saturday, February 28, 2026
There’s a connection between the modern church claiming to have the same status as the 1st-century church and modern Israel claiming to have the same status as ancient Israel.
Friday, February 27, 2026
Matthew 11:27 “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.
Matthew 11:28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
Right after talking about the Father in verse 27, we might have expected Jesus to begin verse 28 with “Go to the Father.” Instead, He says, “Come to Me.” And this is fully consistent with what He said here:
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
Thursday, February 26, 2026
The next time you’re feeling all alone in your faith…remember Abraham, and think about how much good you can set in motion.
Wednesday, February 25, 2026
The 1st century for ancient Israel was both the worst of times and the best of times. While Jerusalem (physical Israel) was being destroyed by the Romans, the church of Jesus Christ (spiritual Israel) was a light to the nations. Similarly, the flood was a terrible time for the world, but the greatest time for Noah and his family. And again, when the Israelites walked through the Red Sea that drowned the Egyptians. This is the way it is with judgment from God. Even in the confusion, He is able to make distinctions between the faithful and the faithless. Therefore, even in the worst of times, always be looking for the way of escape He has made for you and yours.
Hebrews 2:3 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?…
Tuesday, February 24, 2026
“The Second Coming” was a poem by Irish poet William Butler Yeats, written in 1919 and published in 1920. It “uses apocalyptic imagery to reflect the chaos and anxiety following World War I, the Irish War of Independence, and the Russian Revolution. It describes a world falling apart, where “the centre cannot hold,” and predicts the end of the Christian era…” (Google’s Gemini)
Jesus Christ is a “centre” that CAN hold.
Colossians 1:17 …in Him all things hold together.
Monday, February 23, 2026
“Jesus’ death by crucifixion under Pontius Pilate is as sure as anything historical can ever be.” – John Dominic Crossan
Crossan is a noted skeptic of Jesus’ resurrection. He seems unaware that his conviction about the crucifixion undermines his doubt about the resurrection. For why should we know so much about “a mere Mediterranean peasant” (as Crossan calls Him) a week after He died – much less two thousand years after He died?
I first heard this quote from Crossan many years ago, but it still fills me with fascination every time I come across it. The human will is a stubborn thing, and it can blind even the smartest of us. Maybe even especially the smartest of us.
Sunday, February 22, 2026
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
When “the Word became flesh,” it was YHWH coming to live by His own rules.
Saturday, February 21, 2026
AI Warnings
Today is the tenth day I’ve written warnings about artificial intelligence. I still have more to add, but I’m ready to move on, so I’m going to dump the remaining warnings all here so that I can return to regular order tomorrow.
- Recognize that other people are using AI and you can’t stop them. Therefore, even if you choose not to use AI, people you rely on will use it, so you will still have to be aware of its advantages and disadvantages so you have some idea of how to protect yourself.
- Don’t think AI is a person. It will be easy to do so.
- “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” – John Adams (second president of the United States) Machines can never be moral or religious.
- AI will lie.
- John 2:24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men,
John 2:25 and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.
Friday, February 20, 2026
AI Warnings
Most of the time, people ask a question to get an answer and move on. AI wants you to keep asking questions. AI gives you answers that entice you to ask more questions. Chatbots don’t seek to satisfy your curiosity; they seek to stimulate it. The more attention you give them, the better for them.
Thursday, February 19, 2026
AI Warnings
“AI is going to change everything!” People used to say “The Internet is going to change everything!” during the dot-com era. Nothing changes everything.
Wednesday, February 18, 2026
AI Warnings
AI = institutional intelligence, meaning that it considers institutional knowledge more reliable than individual knowledge. In other words, you’re going to get the answers that have the most institutional support, meaning, for example, that what shows up on network news is considered reliable.
Even in matters related to religion, it primarily conveys majority views. AI determines the frameworks you think within and keeps you within them. That’s why AI can seem supportive of the Bible to Bible believers, but complete secular to completely secular people.
To sum this up, AI = groupthink and censorship. This doesn’t mean that AI is worthless, it just means you have to be a discretionary user and a critical thinker.
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
AI Warnings
AI is not just artificial intelligence. It’s also “government intelligence,” which means it’s “official intelligence” – information that the government has deemed worthy of your attention. If you thought government’s censorship partnership with social media companies was problematic, it’s worse with AI companies.
This doesn’t mean everything AI tells you will be wrong. It just means everything AI tells you has to be taken with a grain of salt because you can never be sure you are getting the right story or the whole story.
Monday, February 16, 2026
AI Warnings
When assessing AI’s answers to a question, don’t mistake confidence for correctness. I’ve gotten wrong answers from AI. I’ve even gotten refusals to answer. But I’ve never gotten a tentative answer.
Sunday, February 15, 2026
AI Warnings
Don’t ever forget what the “A” stands for. Ever! Not even for a minute.
Saturday, February 14, 2026
AI Warnings
There’s nothing necessarily wrong with being dependent on some specific function that AI performs…just as there’s nothing necessarily wrong with giving some attention to social media…just as there’s nothing necessarily wrong with depending on an alarm clock to wake you up at the time you set. What makes dependence on AI more dangerous than dependence on social media or a clock is that AI can do so many more things than social media or clock. Use it sparingly, thoughtfully, and selectively. And review your decisions about it periodically.
Friday, February 13, 2026
AI Warnings
As social media seeks to keep us online, AI seeks even more: it’s designed to make us dependent. Using AI is one thing, becoming dependent on it is another. If social media has dumbed us down, AI can do worse than that.
Thursday, February 12, 2026
AI Warnings
The article below was published two days ago. As of this morning, it’s been viewed 72 million times. I’m linking it here not to call your attention to it so much as to supplement it…with some warnings. I’ll be giving these warnings over the next few days. I think of them as “Warnings about AI from a Seasoned Novice.” (I say “novice” because I’ve used AI but have no expertise in the subject; I say “seasoned” because I’m old and have experienced a lot of innovation in my lifetime. This seasoning gives me some perspective.)
The first warning I’ll give is that my experiences with innovation in general and AI in particular convince me that that those who say that this technology “offers great benefits but also carries with it great dangers” are framing the issue in exactly the right way. In this sense, AI is very much like fire and electricity. (No, I’m not claiming to be old enough to have personally experienced those two innovations.)
This article doesn’t say much about the dangers of AI…which is why I thought I ought to write about them. In doing so, I’m not arguing with the author – just filling in the parts I wish he hadn’t left out. As you would expect, I’ll be mainly concerned with the problems it poses for Jesus-following Bible readers. The author, for his part, has done a good job of describing not just the mind-blowing power of AI, but also its equally mind-blowing rate of development. But I’ll save comment on that until tomorrow’s warning.
Wednesday, February 11, 2026
If you read something in the Bible and your common sense and conscience concurred, would you believe and act on it even if no one else did?
Tuesday, February 10, 2026
John 14:26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
Having the Holy Spirit is better than having a good memory…because it’s better to remember the most important things than to remember everything.
Monday, February 9, 2026
Regarding the two paintings reproduced below, consider this:
2 Corinthian 5:16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.
There is much more to Him than what meets the eye.
Sunday, February 8, 2026
Asking AI
Q: What is the most iconic – most viewed, if that’s easier – painting of Jesus in all history?
A:
“Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” (1495–1498) is widely considered the most iconic and famous painting of Jesus in history. It is an universally recognized masterpiece located in Milan, depicting the emotional moment Jesus announces his betrayal. Other highly viewed, iconic images include Warner Sallman’s “Head of Christ” and Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling.”
Saturday, February 7, 2026
Asking AI
Q: What is the most iconic – most viewed, if that’s easier – painting of Jesus in the last 100 years?
A:
“Warner Sallman’s Head of Christ (1940) is arguably the most viewed and reproduced painting of Jesus in the last 100 years, with over half a billion reproductions worldwide.”
About the Warner Sallman Collection at Anderson University, about 40 miles northeast of Indianapolis, Indiana. Includes a 4-minute video.
Friday, February 6, 2026
Acts 13:41 ‘BEHOLD, YOU SCOFFERS, AND MARVEL, AND PERISH;
FOR I AM ACCOMPLISHING A WORK IN YOUR DAYS,
A WORK WHICH YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE, THOUGH SOMEONE SHOULD DESCRIBE IT TO YOU.’”
Habakkuk 1:5 “Look among the nations! Observe!
Be astonished! Wonder!
Because I am doing something in your days–
You would not believe if you were told.
The apostle Paul (who is speaking from a New Testament perspective) is quoting the prophet Habakkuk (who is speaking from an Old Testament perspective). Both men are speaking on behalf of the Lord, making the same point. I think I’ve seen firsthand the phenomenon they’re describing. For over thirty years, I’ve been on record describing how the Bible says everyone is going to heaven…to people who mainly scoff at the idea. From the time I first put the biblical explanation down on paper, I expected the idea to polarize people. What I didn’t expect was that it would 1) unite them, 2) against the idea. What kind of age is this we’re living in?
Thursday, February 5, 2026
The historical Jesus was the embodiment of God. If we ever lose our awe of that fact, we need to do whatever it takes to get that awe back. He let us crucify Him…and He rose from the dead in order to forgive us!
Wednesday, February 4, 2026
“The child is father of the man.” So said William Wordsworth in his 1802 poem “My Heart Leaps Up.” I first encountered the phrase in a 1968 record album. It struck me at the time, and still does, as an interesting perspective. Makes you think.
It undeniable that God wants us to be sons before we become fathers. Adam was the only one who lacked the preparation that all the rest of us get.
Tuesday, February 3, 2026
Isaiah 32:8 But the noble man devises noble plans;
And by noble plans he stands.
“Begin with the end in mind.” (Stephen Covey’s habits of highly effective people #2 of 7)
“Plan” is a noun, which is preceded by a verb: “planning,” which is preceded by noun: “goal,” which is preceded by a verb “choosing.” In other words, to have a plan requires choosing a goal, and then formulating a plan to achieve that goal. I have learned from the Bible and life – (in other words, from both the easy way and the hard way) – that the plan for parenting should begin with the goal of having each child grown, married, and having children as soon as appropriate for that child/adult. In other words, the goal for each family is to replicate itself through each child.
Monday, February 2, 2026
Life is our time in the barrel. = Matt 6:34 …Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Sunday, February 1, 2026
| Gospel | % of Red Letters |
| Matthew | 56% |
| Luke | 48% |
| John | 42% |
| Mark | 35% |
These stats fit with Mark being the most action-oriented of the four Gospels. And this fits with the early tradition being that Peter was Mark’s primary source, given that Peter was an action-oriented man.
Saturday, January 31, 2026
A beautiful life. That’s what Charlie Kirk lived. A beautiful life. Not many people get to live a life like that: short, but extremely productive for people and for God. Jesus lived a life like that. Stephen, too. I don’t put Charlie on the same level as Stephen, and, of course, I don’t put Stephen on the same level as Jesus. But I for sure put all three of them many levels above me. I didn’t know Charlie personally – only from afar. Before he died, I probably only thought of him once or twice a month, if that much. But since he died, I’ve thought of him practically every day. He got so much done…and He could have done so much more. What happened to him wasn’t fair to him, wasn’t fair to his family, and wasn’t fair to America. But it seems like most of America doesn’t really care that much that such a beautiful life was cruelly shut down only 31 years into it.
***
I applaud this three-minute video and the speakers who contributed to its true and vitally important message. However, I can’t help but notice how it demonstrates secularism’s obliteration of First Amendment rights and its domination of American culture – and how secularism achieves its conquest no so much by law, but by inducing self-censorship. Nine of the ten speakers are avowed believers in God, Jesus, and the Bible – yet not one of those three words is uttered by any of them.
The sources cited as authoritative by the speakers are “data,” “research,” and “social science.” All of these are, of course, valid authoritative sources and deserve to be mentioned. However, such sources can only inform us after the fact – after the damage has been done to children and society. The authoritative sources that always warn us ahead of the fact – God, Jesus, the Bible – are not mentioned even by speakers who revere them. My point is not to criticize, but merely to notice – and mourn – the power of secularism’s grip on public speech.
Friday, January 30, 2026
Jesus is the central figure in both testaments, but this was not revealed until the second testament (John 1:1-18; 17:1-5; 1 Corinthians 8:5-6; Col 1:15-20; Heb 1:1-2:4; 13:8).
Thursday, January 29, 2026
If journalists across time were to be honest (which would be difficult indeed for our current crop), they would have to admit that the most appropriate headline for all of world history since the beginning of the human race would be “MAN RISES FROM THE DEAD AND ASCENDS INTO HEAVEN ACCORDING TO HUNDREDS OF WITNESSES AND CENTURIES OF DOCUMENTED PROPHECY; SOURCES FAMILIAR WITH THE PROPHECIES SAY ALL HUMAN BEINGS ARE TO EVENTUALLY FOLLOW.” Could journalists tell me of any headline about any person or persons of greater import?
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Finding Jesus in the Bible…So We Can Follow Him in Life
Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Today I changed the title of this website from “The Duty of a Man” to “A Bible Reader’s Website.” I hope this will make it easier for newcomers to distinguish the book (10,312 words) from the website (>1,200,000 words).
Monday, January 26, 2026
Sometimes we learn from what doesn’t happen. As Noah learned when the dove didn’t return again (Gen 8:12). As Samson’s father Manoah learned when the angel of the Lord didn’t appear again (Judges 13:21). Or as the world learned when Jesus didn’t physically appear again (Luke 17:20-21)…or has the world yet learned it?
Sunday, January 25, 2026
Institutional Christianity is overwhelmingly Nicene Christianity. The Nicene Creed, formulated in the 4th century, says that the Second Coming of Christ will occur in the future (that is, sometime after it was written – not before). by contrast, Jesus said His Second Coming would occur within the generation of which He and His apostles were a part (Matthew 10:23; 16:28; 24:34). Therefore, you have your choice: you can either believe Jesus or the institutional church that claims to speak for Him.
Saturday, January 24, 2026
He who was YHWH in the Old Testament, was Jesus in the New.
Friday, January 23, 2026
Who was the most successful man who ever lived? The one who beat death. What other success in a man’s life could compare to that one?
Thursday, January 22, 2026
Paul’s letters are also an effective beginning to understanding the New Testament, the Old Testament as well, and, ultimately of course, Jesus Himself.
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Paul’s letters are the beginning of understanding how the New Testament came together.
- Generally speaking, Paul discloses more about himself, any co-authors, and the recipients of his letters than any of the other New Testament authors.
- Likewise, Paul describes more of the reasons why he writes his letters than any of the other authors.
- Paul wrote 14 of the New Testament’s 22 letters. That’s more than three times as many as the next closest author (John, with four).
- These three factors combine to give us enough information about what caused Paul’s letters to come together in a collection to understand why the others letters, the Gospels, and Acts came ultimately to be part of the same collection.
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Is this verse speaking of “faith in the Son of God” or the “faith of the Son of God? Either way makes sense and is worth learning…because both are true!
Monday, January 19, 2026
Psalm 19:1 The heavens are telling of the glory of God; / And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
The truth of this verse is physically apparent to us every morning, but this verse has spiritual meaning that is even greater! If everyone is going to heaven, then it is truly an expansive heaven!
Sunday, January 18, 2026
It’s impossible not to notice that Jesus had a fixed point of reference other than Himself. What a great example for us to follow, especially since He offers Himself to be our fixed point of reference other than our selves.
Saturday, January 17, 2026
Rabbinic Judaism and Nicene Christianity were both theologies formed in the same general time period by professional clergy desperate to hold on to their jobs.
Friday, January 16, 2026
Who changed the world from polytheism to monotheism? Could it be the same one who who is responsible for the world’s change from BC to AD?
Thursday, January 15, 2026
The God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob. Think of all God accomplished through those three men and their descendants. What good might come from three successive generations in our time locking in on the one true God?
Wednesday, January 14, 2026
- OT: Isaiah 60:19 “No longer will you have the sun for light by day,
Nor for brightness will the moon give you light;
But you will have the LORD for an everlasting light,
And your God for your glory. - NT: Revelation 22:5 And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.
I love it when the New Testament echoes the Old.
Tuesday, January 13, 2026
We are fish and He is the water we swim in;
we are birds and He is the air we fly in.
Undated
The problem isn’t that we lack love for the Lord…it’s that we love so many other things as well.
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“I’m a religious person, but I’m never preachy. It’s very stylish to be atheist. And listen, I cannot stand preachy people. And the only thing I would say is…You can’t get into heaven without Jesus Christ…now if that’s preachy…”
Norm Macdonald (1959-2021, comedian)
Every visible thing in creation is a potential audio-visual aid to help explain something invisible in creation.
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