Romans 9:17 is a direct quote from Exodus 9:16. It paints a picture of God working through human choices—even stubborn, resistant ones—to reveal His power and character. When Paul quotes God’s words to Pharaoh, he’s showing that Pharaoh wasn’t a puppet; he was a [...]
The more we love someone, the more they have the ability to touch our hearts. The most difficult experiences we have in life are often centered around our most beloved children and grandchildren. There aren’t always quick answers to drawing our loved ones back [...]
The placing of blood on the right ear, right hand, and right toe was part of a ceremony established by God to dedicate, or consecrate, Israel’s priesthood. Blood placed on the right ear symbolized that the priest was to be attentive to God’s direction. Blood on [...]
God did not create humanity with the intention of having us die; His original purpose was for mankind to live eternally in a perfect relationship with Him on a perfected earth (Genesis 1:26–28; Psalm 115:16).When God finished His creation, He declared it "very good," [...]
Money is important to live, but just how important should it be? Some people say that being a good Christian means that God will automatically bless you with riches, but this is not true. Jesus and his apostles owned very few possessions, and they [...]
We recommend listening to an excellent episode from the Christian Questions Podcast on this topic:Episode #1356: “Are There Different Kinds of Evil Spirits?”The biblical difference between demonic possession and mental illnessMental illness and demonic possession are not the same thing, although they can sometimes [...]
Isaiah 49 is part of a prophecy about the restoration of Israel. When God, through Moses, gave Israel the opportunity to become His chosen people (Exodus 19:5-6), they agreed to follow God’s commandments (Exodus 19:8). Chief among these commandments was that they needed to [...]
The first time the name “Hebrew” is used in the Bible is in Genesis 14:13: "And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: [...]
The question of whether dancing belongs in a church service really comes down to two things: the motivation of the heart and the purpose of the gathering. Scripture gives us examples from both the Old and New Testaments, and they paint slightly different pictures. [...]
When Christians talk about having a certain posture toward Israel, it isn’t about politics or nationalism — it’s about recognizing how God has woven Israel into His plan from the very beginning. The starting point is the covenant God made with Abraham, where He [...]
The question of whether people with different religions can go to heaven is answered by distinguishing between God’s universal plan for salvation and the specific, limited call to a heavenly reward.The call to heaven is not a universal offer made to all of humanity [...]
The context of Isaiah 6:9 is within Isaiah’s profound commissioning vision, where the prophet is shown God’s overwhelming holiness and future glory as a way to strengthen him for a difficult message. Israel and Judah had repeatedly rejected God’s appeals, drifting again and again [...]
In the opening chapter of Ezekiel, God is seen seated on a throne above the sky and supported by four angels, described as living creatures. Each angel had four faces and four wheels. Each went forward, always acting according to God's direction (See Ezekiel [...]
The hot coal which touched Isaiah’s mouth was a symbolic gesture illustrating his renewed relationship with God. It prepared him to fulfill his God-directed mission.Isaiah 6:6: “Then one of the seraphim flew to me, with a burning coal in his hand which he had [...]
In the Garden of Eden after the fall, mankind was promised, “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return” [...]
Confessing sins to God is essential for all who have consecrated their lives to Him. Although the consecrated mind seeks to draw close to God and focus on His ways, the old mind, steeped in the old ways of sin, struggles against change (Romans [...]
This is a beautiful chapter to study, as it contains some of the most profound and concentrated teachings of Jesus.John Chapter 3 starts out with the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus and a lesson in discipleship. Nicodemus, a Pharisee and respected leader, comes to [...]
We often deal with people who see things differently than we do. Respecting our fellow believers — our spiritual family, the “household of the faith” — is absolutely vital for several key reasons.First and foremost, we respect fellow believers because God Himself called them. [...]
Revelation 12 is part of a broader context that extends to chapter 13. For a fuller explanation of the context, please read this article: War in HeavenFollowing is a brief verse-by-verse explanation of the first six verses of chapter 12:Revelation 12:1: And there appeared [...]
The belief that the second resurrection will occur at the end of the millennium is based on Revelation 20:5, “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.” However, the first portion of verse 5 has been questioned by [...]
