This is Easter week and soon we will be together to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord together through fellowship and communion. Every year during this season I tend to think of a very minute portion of the Easter story that is usually insignificant to most retelling’s of the resurrection day. However, it speaks volumes to the glorious fact that … Continue reading →
I’ve been thinking about the Great Commission as found in Matthew 28:19-20, which says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the … Continue reading →
This past Sunday when I mentioned wanting to leave you with a promise for our fellowship as we go into the future, I asked for someone to find and read Matthew 18:16. I wrote that verse on the flip chart, but of course my handwriting says I should have been a physician, so the verse that was read was Mark … Continue reading →
Recently I was doing some studying on a topic that led me to Psalm 37:1 which says, “Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.” When we read Psalm 37:2 we see the reason why it admonishes us to “fret not” and it is because “they shall soon be cut down like the … Continue reading →
How can Isaiah 7:14 be considered a prophecy about Christ’s virgin birth when the word translated there also means a young female? This is a popular objection for those looking for a reason to deny prophesy and the virgin birth of the Messiah but it is also an opportunity to consider proper interpretation of Scripture. So I am going to … Continue reading →
From time to time someone on social media gets all hyped up about wanting to educate people about Bible translations that appear to have eliminated verses, and this video below addresses that question.
Continue reading →I am beginning to wonder if Satan is hijacking our political outrage as a scheme to take our eyes off the Lord, the coming Kingdom of Heaven, and what Scripture warns us about end-time deceptions. Thanks to social media, I am seeing some of my minister friends getting obsessed with the current political situation in Washington and sounding almost exclusively … Continue reading →
I realize that many Bible prophecy teachers are quick to say that the United States of America isn’t in Revelation. Many of these preachers pinpoint other countries in prophecy but emphatically conclude that the United States is not even mentioned. While I hold a great deal of respect for the ministry of those who are doing all within their power … Continue reading →
There is a verse in Matthew 10:30 that says that “the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” The context of the verse is Jesus telling the disciples to have no fear for those who oppose them. Jesus says, and I paraphrase, don’t fear those that can kill you when your Father God cares for even the sparrows, and … Continue reading →
In Luke 16:19-31 we have a story that Jesus told about a rich man who went to hell and Lazarus, a poor man who went to heaven. At question is, using this account as a literal story or example of what happens after we die? I frequently hear ministers point to this story as evidence of what happens after we … Continue reading →
In Revelation 1:10 John makes mention to “the Lord’s Day” and the question is, Is John referring to the seventh-day Sabbath or the resurrection day? My answer is, I don’t know because the text doesn’t give us enough detail to know. However, there is a relevant societal issue that may be at the heart of John’s mention of “the Lord’s … Continue reading →
In Jesus’ discourse on the sign of the end times, He makes a statement that often raises a question about who is He talking about, that statement is Matthew 24:34. The verse says, “Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” Over the years of my ministry I have heard people ask, … Continue reading →
Revelation 3:10 is often cited as evidence for a pre-tribulation rapture the text says, “I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” The text does speak to Lord’s protection for the believer in face of tribulation, but beyond that one has to read … Continue reading →
It’s not an uncommon question to ask, Why Sin? So I want to point out that we have some resources available to you at www.crosshopechapel.org if this question arises in your conversations or within your own heart. It’s a good question, and I personally think it shows that some one is thinking on spiritual things so if you hear it, … Continue reading →
In my last post titled “Will the COVID-19 Vaccine be the Mark of the Beast?” I attempted to encourage those who harbor some fears of taking the mark of the beast by learning that the verse in Revelation says the mark is not a visible or tangible thing, but a belief that puts the Beast power above Christ’s power. Revelation … Continue reading →
This afternoon our Psalms Bible study at CrossHope Chapel became a Q&A study on the mark of the beast and the forthcoming COVID-19 vaccine. I want to share with all of you two important points when you hear others declaring the COVID-19 vaccine as being the mark of the beast. First, no one is going to accidentally take the mark … Continue reading →
I want to make some general statements regarding the Law of Moses, in hopes that I can shed some biblical light on the place of the law in our Christian walk. When the Bible makes mention of “the law” it sometimes speaks to a specific order of laws or general application as in when the Apostle John speaks of “commands” … Continue reading →
There is a promise for every situation and circumstance of life. The Bible is one big promise of God’s response to the great conflict between Christ and Satan. Every word from Genesis to Revelation can be understood in the light of Calvary’s promise. Here, I want to share with you 50 life-issues with a related Bible promise that is appropriate … Continue reading →
You are familiar with the story of David and Goliath and today I want to point out the little known similarity to that account and our current coronovirus pandemic. It begins in 1 Samuel 17:11 where the Scriptures records that “Saul and all Israel…were dismayed, and greatly afraid.” The army of Israel and their King, Saul, were in fear over … Continue reading →
The Apostle Paul wrote these words to a fearful Timothy, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). I say fearful because Timothy was a young pastor who was dealing with some lack of confidence issues, criticism because his father was a Gentile, plus … Continue reading →
The Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:6 admonishes us to not be fearful about anything but to pray about everything. That includes the coronavirus. We ought to be praying that it will cease spreading, that it won’t befall us or our families, that we’ll all be spared if it continues to spread, and even that summer comes quickly to help end … Continue reading →
The Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:6 admonishes us to not be fearful about anything but to pray about everything. That includes the coronavirus. We ought to be praying that it will cease spreading, that it won’t befall us or our families, that we’ll all be spared if it continues to spread, and even that summer comes quickly to help end … Continue reading →
The Word of God is the foundation upon which the church operates and is the basis for which the church is governed, and here is a listing of what the Bible is… Breathed out by God – 2 Timothy 3:16 Given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit – Acts 1:16; Hebrews 3:7; 2 Peter 1:21 Christ sanctioned – Matthew … Continue reading →
I want to share with you three verses on the topic of facing trials, along with some brief pastoral commentary… 1 Peter 4:12-13 “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also … Continue reading →
The marque sign outside of the United Methodist Church in Tuscaloosa, Alabama read: The End is Near!! Just Kidding We Don’t Know. That signed humored me because in my understanding of Christianity, the only way a church would not know that the end is near is if it does not open, read, or teach the Bible. The theme of the … Continue reading →
Here are some things to consider on unclean foods… The Christian life is one of living by faith, and sometimes being obedient by faith is harder than being obedient by works (or law) because we feel accomplished by a behavior but uneasy by faith because it “is the substance of things unseen” (Hebrews 11:1). In Romans 14:2-3 we are counseled to refrain from … Continue reading →
When I was baptized in 1981 as a new Protestant follower of Jesus Christ, the pastor who baptized me suggested that I pick a “life verse” and he would read it to the church as we stood in the baptistery. He explained that a life verse would serve my go-to Bible promise through different trials and circumstances as I journeyed … Continue reading →
Americans tend to think of themselves as independent, being free thinkers who choose to exercise their own political decisions. When we side with one political view over the other we generally find ourselves accused of not being independent and not thinking for ourselves. It’s an argument that is not easily confronted because political views are often emotionally held. Unless, one … Continue reading →
Are the Sons of God spoken of in Genesis 6:1-4 really fallen angels who had sexual relations with human beings? The passage in question says, “when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them … Continue reading →
Let’s look at the verse in question, “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment” (2 Peter 2:4). The word used here for “hell” is “tartaroo” which is a unique word and the only times it’s used in the Bible. I know that some … Continue reading →
In Romans 11:26, Paul says “And so all Israel shall be saved” but doesn’t he mean spiritual Israel and not literal Israel? This is a key verse for those who believe all Jews will be saved by virtue of their being born into a Jewish family or literal Israel, because they also further believe that the Jews will be saved … Continue reading →
The question is about Luke 23:43 and the thief going to Heaven that day, but we know that Jesus didn’t ascend into Heaven until 40 days later, so how do we understand this contradiction? Well, let’s begin with the actual verse of Luke 23:43 says, “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with … Continue reading →