“And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them....And they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.” Amos 9:14-15

About 250 years ago, the King of Sweden had troubling doubts about whether the Bible was really true in every word. He asked Count von Zinzendorf, bishop of the Moravian Church, to give him proof that the Bible was truly inspired of God. The King had set aside 10 hours to hear what might be said. To his majesty's surprise, Zinzendorf informed him that the time allotted was far too much. He only needed to say one word. Astonished, the King asked what that could be. The Count replied, “Jews.”

Today we would add one more word, “Israel.” In Zinzendorf’s day, that tiny and beleaguered nation, born on May 14, 1948, did not exist except in the hearts of Zionists who had never given up awaiting the fulfillment of the “God of Israel’s” solemn promises. The continued existence of Israel today, surrounded by more than a billion Muslims who have sworn to exterminate her and who continually plot and repeatedly attack her in the attempt to do so, is one of the most astonishing miracles of modern times.

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has blessed the Jewish people with a brilliance that generally far exceeds the norm.

“And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them....And they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.” Amos 9:14-15

About 250 years ago, the King of Sweden had troubling doubts about whether the Bible was really true in every word. He asked Count von Zinzendorf, bishop of the Moravian Church, to give him proof that the Bible was truly inspired of God. The King had set aside 10 hours to hear what might be said. To his majesty's surprise, Zinzendorf informed him that the time allotted was far too much. He only needed to say one word. Astonished, the King asked what that could be. The Count replied, “Jews.”

Today we would add one more word, “Israel.” In Zinzendorf’s day, that tiny and beleaguered nation, born on May 14, 1948, did not exist except in the hearts of Zionists who had never given up awaiting the fulfillment of the “God of Israel’s” solemn promises. The continued existence of Israel today, surrounded by more than a billion Muslims who have sworn to exterminate her and who continually plot and repeatedly attack her in the attempt to do so, is one of the most astonishing miracles of modern times.

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has blessed the Jewish people with a brilliance that generally far exceeds the norm.

The objective of this series is twofold: 1) To assess what our children believe about the gospel, and, 2) To see if they can confidently give honest reasons for why they believe what they believe regarding the biblical faith they profess.

I’ve written these articles from the perspective of a grandfather who has the blessed opportunity of interacting with some of his grandchildren quite often. By God’s grace, all my children are walking with the Lord, so I’ve joined forces with my kids in helping them with the spiritual development of their own kids. I’m confident that my children can do quite well in bringing their kids up in “the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). Nevertheless, adding grandparents who love Jesus to the mix can and does speak volumes to grandchildren.

Considering the times in which my wife and I raised our five children in contrast to what’s taking place today, simply put: there is no comparison. In the nearly half-a-century since the birth of our firstborn, our country has become exponentially darkened, and overtly so. Tragically, Christendom has abandoned what flicker of light it had just a while ago, having willingly entered into the world in its ways and means.

This article is about having important biblical conversations with our children. I am the father of five children and the grandfather of five grandchildren. The conversations I desire to have with them include discerning whether or not my children and/or grandchildren fully understand the gospel of Jesus Christ, and discovering whether or not they are able to articulate what the Bible teaches that they must believe in order for them to be saved.

In addition to knowing what our children/grandchildren need to believe in order to be saved, these articles are designed to help them explain why they believe what they believe.
Certainly, knowing the “what” of their belief is first and foremost. Sadly, for some, even when their belief is biblically correct, what follows for many is spiritual disaster. They cannot give reasons (“a defense”—NKJV, 1 Peter 3:15) as to why they believe what they believe....

Originally published November 1, 2000

When our Lord Jesus Christ was on earth He repeatedly said to those who would listen to His Word, “Come, follow me” (Matthew 19:21; Luke 18:22, etc.). Large numbers of the Jews, because they or a relative or friend had been healed or fed by Christ, followed Him wherever He went: “And there followed him great multitudes of people…and he healed them all…” (Matthew 5:1; 8:1; 12:15; 13:2, etc.). So large and eager were the crowds that He and His twelve disciples “could not so much as eat bread. And…his friends…said, He is beside himself” (Mark 3:20-21).

Christ’s call to follow Him is extended to all mankind. No hint that Jesus was not sincere in saying, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink” (John 7:37). What He still offers to all is the same “living water [of] everlasting life” which He offered to the woman at the well (John 4:10-14).

And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist.... —1 John 4:3a

It is often taught that Antichrist is not a man but a spirit. Though the above verse refers to the "spirit of antichrist," John earlier makes it clear that Antichrist is a person: "...as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists..." (1 Jn 2:18). Many antichrists were already present, operating in the "spirit of antichrist." None of them, however, was the Antichrist who, John assures us, will eventually come.

Paul refers to Antichrist as "that man of sin...the son of perdition...that Wicked [one]...whom the Lord...shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders..." (2 Thes 2:3-10). If this is not the Antichrist, who would this supremely evil man be, who will sit "in the temple of God [to be rebuilt in Jerusalem in these last days], shewing himself that he is God" (v 4)? Who else but Antichrist, Satan's world ruler, would have such authority? "And all that dwell upon earth shall worship him..." (Rev 13:3-4,8).

The Word of God is the chief focus of this message.

This is also a survey regarding the way you and I think about the Word of God. It has to do with how seriously we take the Bible to be the actual Word of God.

I took the survey myself as I prepared this message, so I have a good idea of my own thoughts about the Word of God.

I did okay, although there's room for improvement.

Now it’s your turn.

This isn’t a test. Again, it’s a survey between you and the Lord.

I put the Lord in the mix so that I’d remember to be honest regarding my own thoughts in response to the survey. We can kid ourselves, but we can’t put anything over on Jesus.

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD…” Isaiah 1:18
This is an amazing verse! In it we see our infinite God desiring to reason with His finite, created beings. Not only are they incapable and insufficient (in their own ability as finite beings) to reason with their infinite Creator, but they are also in a condition of rebellion against Him. Their iniquity notwithstanding, pointing out that they are far beneath His “reasoning” class is undeniable. That is certainly reflected in Isaiah 55:8-9: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). Also, Romans 11:33: “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”

This phrase is contained in the so-called "Lord's prayer," which, in fact, is not the Lord's prayer (that is found in John 17) but the disciples' prayer. It would hardly have been appropriate for our Lord to pray, "Forgive us our sins...And lead us not into temptation" (Lk 11:4). Nor is it a prayer to be repeated over and over but a pattern for prayer for the disciples: "After this manner therefore pray ye" (Mat 6:9). When Jesus gave this pattern for prayer He told his disciples, "use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking" (v7). Yet the "Lord's prayer" is generally used exactly that way, repeated by rote with little thought to its deep meaning.

Contrary to some who preach the "prosperity gospel," we are not to request earthly blessings for ourselves, much less riches, but only sufficient provision for each day ("Give us this day our daily bread...."); and to be kept from sin in order to live to God's glory ("deliver us from evil...for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory"). Yet how seldom we think of His glory, while bombarding Him continually with endless requests to satisfy our own desires.

At a conference not too long ago, I was asked to give a review of The Chosen TV Series. I did so, but before I began my critique, I informed the audience that I hadn’t watched even one frame of the series, and my guess was that that revelation would make more than a few people upset with my criticisms. The immediate response by those enamored with the series about the life of Christ was to scorn everything I said, saying, “He’s like those who criticize books, even the Bible, without having read them!” I can relate to that. I’ve had many discussions with some who tell me what the Bible says without having read it themselves, so I can see why my initial review and its approach would put some people off.