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IN HIM WAS LIFE

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God.  All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.  In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." (John 1:1-5).   I think that these verses in St. John are best illustrated by the first few verses of the Bible in Genesis.   Both of these passages start with the words, "In the beginning...," and refer to the world when it was fresh and new.   To me, they also give an allegorical description of the human condition.   "And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep." (Genesis 1:2a).   For whatever reason - and theologians and scientists will debate this until the end - the earth was empty and without form before God began His work of regeneration in Genesis.   Si...
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THAT THEY MIGHT BE SAVED

I can easily identify with the sentiment that the apostle Paul expresses in the tenth chapter of Romans.  He writes, “Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved .  For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.  For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God .” (Romans 10:1-3).   As a child, and into my early teens, I was made to attend a church that was void of any spiritual fervor.  The pastor, by his own confession, did not believe in much of the Bible, including the miracles of Jesus and the virgin birth.  The members came to church to show off their new cars and fine clothes, and leave feeling better about themselves because they made the “sacrifice” to come.  Some embraced unbiblical beliefs – such as reincarnation – and yet claimed to be Christians ...
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GOD WILL PROVIDE HIMSELF A LAMB

The Old Testament tells the story of Abraham who was the patriarch of the Jewish nation.   God made a covenant with Abraham telling him that He would multiply his descendants like the stars of heaven and as the sand of the seashore in number.   God said also that his descendants would become a mighty nation and that in him all the nations of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 22:17).     The most profound thing that scripture says about Abraham is that he believed God, and his faith was counted for righteousness (see Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3).  Consider how unique Abraham’s faith was for someone living where and when he did.  In Mesopotamia where he was born and raised, the people were polytheists.  They worshipped a variety of gods and goddesses who were represented by wooden, stone or metal idols.  They assigned power to each god or goddess over certain important aspects of their lives.  One governed fertility, love and beauty.  A...
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