A voice in the Wilderness

 Previously, in John’s gospel, we watched as Jesus chased the sellers out of the court of the Gentiles. I imagine that the word Gentiles is hard for many of you to understand, as you seem to refuse to apply a Jewish understanding to it. In scripture, you won’t find a reference to the court of the Gentiles, but you will find this: Revelation 11:2 NASB “Leave out the court which is outside the…

The last time we spoke, we covered verses in John 2:11-18. Having cleared the outer courts of money changers and merchants, the Jews then said to Him, John 2:18 NASB “The Jews then said to Him, ‘What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?” I could picture Jesus popping His hand against His chest, as He countered, “Destroy this temple,” Jesus answered, “and in three days…

 Previously, Jesus, in what seemed to be a push into the public eye, began His ministry by getting baptized by His cousin, John, the baptizer. The Holy Spirit publicly announced the Father’s acceptance of Jesus, His Son, by saying, Matthew 3:13-17 NASB “Then Jesus *arrived from Galilee at the Jordan, coming to John, to be baptized by him. 14) But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need…

Having covered the wedding at Cana, I do not want to go into all the details again, but John 2:10 offers an incredible opening statement. Why choose the words, an astounding opening statement? Jesus performed this, the first of His signs, at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.”John 2:11 BSB Just toying with ideas, but I could read this passage one of…

This, like so many things I write, began with a conversation. In this case, it turned out to be one-sided. It ended with the other person telling me that discussions about the rapture are filled with fallacies, and comparable to eating a cupcake, nutritionally pointless. So much for our morning get-together with some of the guys from church. Fast forward about 10 years, and I recently found…

 As I read my Bible, especially the gospels, I find that I am frequently lost as I try to put the narratives into a chronological order (it is not mandatory to have things in a tight, chronological order, but I am a visual learner, and it is easier if I can visualize what is going on in the narrative). Having watched the entirety of “The Chosen” season five, we see scenes and timelines that may…

 Another typical morning with the guys – (This took place several years ago.) The “leader” of the group (Just for fun, I will refer to him as “Bob.”) finally sits down and says, “I would like everyone to look at Revelation 22:3.” He continues to say, “I am having a problem with this.” So, with no further explanations, we all jump in. I will give you the passage from the ASV: (1) “Then I saw…

Today’s date is 9/17/2025 As of this date we are looking at five more days (if you know what I mean.) Hebrews 10:25 BSB “Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” The writer of this letter, to this group of Jewish believers, is telling them to encourage one another. Why do that? Because…

 I recently heard a group of pastors who were doing a video round-table and one of them, in the process of introducing himself, decided to push the religious envelope by saying, I am 100% going to declare the day. He went on to say that the motivation for his strong belief is based upon the preponderance of evidence, confirmations, and validations of a prophetic word. This pastor is convinced…

 I am convinced that Jesus is coming back for His church with the Feast of Trumpets. In case you were not aware of when that will take place, it happens in September when Israel is trying to get two people to be witnesses to the New Moon. We are to do no judgmental actions without at least two witnesses. Since I don’t grasp Jewish law I assume that this could be two random, but anxious Jewish…

 Daniel 9:24 NASB “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place.” I have come to understand that the lead-in to the 70th year includes: The catching away of the bride. The introduction…

 One of my family members brought up the wheat and tares that we see in Matthew 24, but she could not, or perhaps would not attempt to understand that all these events are conveying the final judgment; a judgment, by the way, that has nothing to do with the church, nor the catching away of the church. Since I was woefully unequipped to answer her challenges that afternoon, I am going to answer…

 Hosea 6:1 BSB  “Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us to pieces, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bind up our wounds.” To say, come let us return to the Lord, seems to demand a context. I believe that the context came at the end of chapter 5, and the intent is to provoke God’s people to earnestly seek Him. Hosea 5:15 NASB “I will go away and return to My place…

This controversy about what Jesus said about the sheep and goats will not go away; it keeps popping up its contorted little head. I first published this post about 10 years ago. It is now May of 2025, and I have, for the last several weeks, been looking at what I wrote and updating it, because the topic came up once again. Admittedly, much time has passed since this particular occurrence took…

If I am trying to compare the rapture and the crucifixion, then I have to point out that our focus is on one person, Jesus Christ, and why He went to the cross. Let’s start this one off with a post that my wife recently found on Facebook. Tracy Moss Philp posted this. No baptism, no communion, no confirmation, no speaking in tongues, no mission trip, no volunteering, no financial gifts, and no…