Where do you get cursing a fig tree?
Why in the world would Jesus curse the fig tree? What was He up to? This happened during the week before …
Tag Archives: Israel
Do we see Jesus and know He is our salvation?
When God makes a promise, He is true to His word. His Spirit gives power to the word and it …
What is courage?
Wandering around is not a sign you are lost. In your heart, you probably know where God wants you to …
“From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” ~Apostle Paul
God goes to the Jewish people first. He declares that the good news message be proclaimed to Jews first. Nothing …
“He’s a dangerous man, endangering the peace.” ~Religious elites about Jesus
Jesus is being tried. He has been arrested. When it was morning, the religious elites and the high priests and …
“Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.” ~Jesus
Paul tells the church that the spiritual blindness of Israel is a “mystery” that had not previously been revealed (Romans …
“You will have complete and free access to God’s kingdom, keys to open any and every door.” ~Jesus
The Apostle Peter rightly declares the Jesus is the Messiah, the anointed one from God. Anointed to be King in …
“For your husband is your Maker, whose name is the Master of hosts; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, who is called the God of all the earth.” ~Isaiah
Without faithfulness to God there can be no discipleship life. Following Jesus is based first on faith that God is, …
“All hail the power of Jesus’ name, let angels prostrate fall!” ~ Edward Perronet
I love this song. I think it is my all time favorite. I grew up hearing it in church and …
“Watch out for the religion scholars.” ~Jesus
Jesus is constantly challenging the religious elites and leaders of His time here on earth. He still does today. This …
Authority — Without it sin is Unrestrained
According to the Bible, human and governmental authority ought to be submitted to and respected. This is a hard teaching …
Motive — Is God’s glory my highest motive?
Because the human heart is very deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9), I can easily fool myself about my own motives. I can …
Prophet — Jesus is the Rejected Prophet of God
God had told Moses that someday He would send another prophet to Israel, “and I will put my words in …
“For we are slaves; yet in our bondage our God has not forsaken us, but has extended lovingkindness to us.” ~Ezra
I want the quality of compassion and generosity in my life. I need to learn how God loves the weak and poor. It is …
Denial of Jesus — The Jewish People Rejected Jesus
Denial is the making of a conscious, informed decision not to accept Jesus as the Messiah or his claims and …
“Jesus came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near.” ~Apostle Paul
Prophecies of peace are fulfilled in the coming of Jesus the Messiah. Peace is real. Jesus wants me to experience peace. …
“The fear of the Master is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” ~King Solomon
Proverbs 1:7 declares, “The fear of the Master is the beginning of knowledge.” Until I understand who God is and develop …
Obedience — Jesus the Messiah is Totally Obedient to His Father’s Will
I have a lot to learn about obedience. I have a great teacher in Jesus the Messiah. Jesus “learned obedience” …
Repentance — God Calls us to Radically Change our Thinking
Repentance (radically changing my thinking) is of central importance because missing God’s goal (sin) brings God’s judgment. Fellowship with God …
Mercifulness — God Shows it to us as He is Merciful
Mercifulness is an attitude of compassion and care, grounded in the nature of God himself, made manifest in the life …
Faithfulness — It is Seen to God as Marital Fidelity
Faithfulness is the proper response to God by his covenant people; seen in a steadfast commitment which reflects God’s own …
Joy — Deliverance sets it off
I want the joy of the Lord. I want to be more than happy. I want to celebrate God’s victory …
Peace — We Find it in the Teachings of Jesus the Messiah
The Apostle Paul alerts me that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, …
Meekness — God’s Promises to the Meek is Good News
God’s promises to the meek is good news! Humility is the name of the game. Jesus challenges me to be …
Goodness – Good Works are a Characteristic of God
Goodness and good works are acts designed specifically to benefit others, which are characteristic of God. I can be good …
Faithfulness — The Proper Response to God by His Covenant People
Faithfulness is the proper response to God by his covenant people. It is seen in a steadfast commitment which reflects …
“Blessed be God — He heard me praying.” ~King David
I need to see how much God cares. It is just who He is. I don’t need to look around. …
Hope — It Can be Placed in God in the Face of Difficulty or Trial
I need to find more hope. God is good and in a good mood. Justice, while lacking here some days, will be done. …
Self-control — It Affects the Whole Person Including Physical Self-control
Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. It is physical and emotional self-mastery, particularly in situations of intense provocation or temptation. It …
Kindness — God shows it to His people
I want the quality of compassion and generosity in my life. I need to learn how God loves the weak …
“What you believed could happen has happened.” ~Jesus
Jesus challenges me. Jesus wants me to believe. When I do, Jesus is loving, kind and faithful. Jesus wants to …
Peace — These Prophecies of Peace are Fulfilled in the Coming of Jesus the Messiah
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there …
Slave — Am I a Slave or a Servant? Does it Matter?
“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave (dŏulŏs) above his master. It is enough for the disciple that he become …
“No one is going to eat fruit from you again—ever!” ~Jesus
Why in the world would Jesus curse the fig tree? What was He up to? This happened during the week …
Joy — The Holy Spirit gives Joy to Jesus the Messiah and to Those who were Anticipating His Birth
The Holy Spirit brings joy to believers, giving them an inner contentment and happiness which is not dependent upon external …
“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” ~Jesus
Did God abandon Jesus? It is a stunning question. From noon to three, the whole earth was dark. Around midafternoon …
Self-control — The mark of a wise person and aspect of a disciples character
Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. It is physical and emotional self-mastery, particularly in situations of intense provocation or temptation. …
“We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, generous inside and out, true from start to finish.” ~Apostle John
John saw it with his own eyes. Imagine that. John was there for the transfiguration. John saw the glory of …
God is good — God demonstrates His goodness in His actions!
God not only is good but more importantly, God does good. God acts on His goodness and demonstrates it to …
Meekness — Examples in the life of Jesus
Jesus is clear that I will be more than happy if I am meek and gentle. I will in fact …
“Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle.” ~King David
Who is the King of Glory? King David is a warrior King. He spent much of his life fighting to …
Hope — Does God command it?
Dante passes through the gate of Hell, which bears an inscription ending with the famous phrase “Lasciate ogne speranza, voi …
“Exploit or abuse your family, and end up with a fistful of air; common sense tells you it’s a stupid way to live.” ~~King Solomon
There is right and there is wrong. We all know the difference. I must remember to stand up for the …
“Happy are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.” ~Jesus
Jesus is a kind, loving King. Jesus is not angry with me. Jesus wants me to be kind and gentle. …
“At just the right time, when we were still powerless, the Messiah died for the ungodly. God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, the Messiah died for us” ~Apostle Paul
Good Friday, also known as “Holy Friday,” is the Friday immediately preceding Resurrection Sunday. It is celebrated traditionally as the day …
“Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” ~Greeks coming to Jerusalem for Passover
In the timeline of Passion week, it is a little unclear where to place the story of the Greeks seeking …
“Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” ~ God
What should followers of Jesus think about justice and the social justice movement? “If we take the Bible seriously then …
“I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!” ~Jesus to the religious leaders
Some of the religious leaders [Pharisees] in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” But Jesus answered, “I …
“Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial.” ~Jesus
Jesus came to Bethany the day before Palm Sunday. This actually starts our most holy week! In the Orthodox church, …
Miracles of Jesus – How they reveal and confirm his Messianic credentials and the coming of God’s Kingdom
There are so many stunning, amazing and supernatural acts of Jesus. They reveal and confirm his Messianic credentials. They announce …
What is peace, how do we make peacemaking real and what is the promise of Jesus?
Jesus says “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” The commendation of peacemakers – It …
God is Good – Would that explain why God is in a good mood and does good? God is good y’all!
All God’s perfect qualities are made freely available to all for the benefit of the whole world. God is good. …
Hypocrisy – What it is, why it is evil and hated by Jesus
Hypocrisy is an outward pretense masking an inner reality. Jesus condemns hypocrisy, especially in matters of faith. Followers of Jesus …
Everything Jesus had to say about the homeless, wealth, prosperity, poverty, riches, the poor, the needy and giving
Jesus had a lot to say about the homeless, wealth, prosperity, poverty, riches, the poor, the needy and giving. Here …
“That clinches it—help’s coming, an answer’s on the way, everything’s going to work out.” ~King David
“That clinches it—help’s coming, an answer’s on the way, everything’s going to work out.” ~King David Source: Psalm 20:6 The Message (MSG) Hope …
“Today is my day to be a guest in your home.” ~Jesus
Jesus and God the Father are in a good mood. They want to be a guest in my house. They …
“Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?” ~Herod
Follow this. This is not what we envision on Christmas. Christmas has become all about “what did I get for …
“I tell you, whenever you did this for one of the least important of these followers of mine, you did it for me!” ~Jesus
Jesus is clear. There will be a day of judgement. We may prefer to believe it isn’t true but it …
“So here I am today, eighty-five years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out.” ~Caleb
As I get older, I want to be like Caleb. He was one of the 12 Moses selected to go …
Unveiling clock showing 8,411 days left for Israel, Iranians rage against Jewish state
Originally posted on The Culture Alternative:
Iran held major anti-Israel rallies across the country Friday, with protesters chanting “Death to Israel” and…
“Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand.” ~God
Who is in control of the outcome, the potter or the pottery? The potter of course. I admit that I …
“I’ve yet to come across this kind of simple trust anywhere in Israel.” ~Jesus
The Roman Centurian was very humble and knew that Jesus could give the command and his servant would be healed. …
“Give thanks to God—he is good and his love never quits.” ~Ezra
Jesus cares about us in a way we probably can’t understand. His love is the “gold standard” for how to …
“Build up his courage.” ~God to Moses
God wants us to build up courage in others. We all get discouraged and we hear our friends express it …
“When the job’s done, you’ll see it’s been well done.” ~Jeremiah
God doesn’t do things half way or half hearted. God is all in. God is all in all the time. …
“I am God, your God.” ~God
God is God. More importantly, God is my God. I serve the one and only, true living God. There is …
"You got to be careful if you don’t know where you’re going, because you might not get there." ~Yogi Berra
Israel wandered around in the desert, not entering the promised land, for 40 years. Is it they didn’t know where …
“God delights in his people!” ~King David
We have amazing news. This is not trivial. This is beyond good. This is great. God is in a good …
Gideon is God’s man even though he is hiding in a pit!
You have to love Gideon. Israel is in bad shape. They have abandoned God. Not just a little but completely. …
“I’ll give you a new heart. I’ll put a new spirit in you.” ~God
We have good news. God has made a promise to us and has entered into an agreement with us through …
Chag Sameach! “Select a lamb for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb.” ~Moses
Chag Sameach! May the God of Israel bless you! Exodus 12:21-23 The Message (MSG) Moses assembled all the elders of Israel. …
“There’s no longer room for doubt—God made him Master and Messiah.” ~Apostle Peter
It is clear. There is no room for doubt. We have to accept the facts. Jesus is Master. Jesus died, …
“God, God-of-Heaven, the great and awesome God, loyal to his agreement and faithful to those who love him and obey his commands.” ~Nehemiah
Nehemiah was an amazing man of God. He had a big yes going on in his life. He knew how …
“Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that’s in you, love him with all you’ve got!” ~Moses
Jesus understood what He was here to do. Jesus, the Messiah, reminded us of the new plan as He lived it …
“I am God, your God, who teaches you how to live right and well.” ~God through the prophet Isaiah
God is God. God is in control of everything. God sent his son Jesus to win the victory for us …
“Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen.” ~Moses
God is speaking. And He suggests that I be careful. I think I should pay attention to this. Israel didn’t, …
“Master, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now? Is this the time?” ~The Apostles to Jesus
You’ve been with Jesus for a while now. And, you have been through a lot with Him. His ministry. His …
“It was a perfect sacrifice by a perfect person to perfect some very imperfect people.” ~Author of Hebrews
This is in fact stunning. How can I characterize His sacrifice? It was perfect. There was nothing lacking in it …
“Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action.” ~Benjamin Disraeli
Sitting around doing nothing leads to depression. Getting up and doing something may not lead to happiness but it is …
“God doesn’t come and go. God lasts.” ~Isaiah
Some days I get home and I am really tired. My energy is gone. Not much left. I get tired. …
“You are awesome, O God.” ~King David
You give me power and might. O God, you are so amazing, so awesome. You are terribly beautiful. It just …
“Communism doesn’t work because people like to own stuff.” ~Frank Zappa
There is one thing about capitalism. It works. There is a lot about materialism that is problematic. That doesn’t mean, …
"God won’t starve an honest soul, but he frustrates the appetites of the wicked." ~King Solomon
God wants us to be honest in our core. He will give us wisdom. He will take care of us. …
“Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?” ~King Herod
Follow this. This is not what we envision on Christmas. The wise and the rich saw His star and were …
“With my own eyes I’ve seen your salvation.” ~Simeon
When God makes a promise, He is true to His word. His Spirit gives power to the word and it …
All who wander are not lost. Israel knew how to get to the promised land. They didn’t have the courage to go.
Wandering around is not a sign you are lost. In your heart, you probably know where God wants you to …
"Never talk defeat. Use words like hope, belief, faith, victory." ~~Norman Vincent Peale
Jesus won the victory. He has been raised, forever, from the dead. It pleased His father to do this. His …
Jesus enters Jerusalem like the King he is
Jesus was performing many signs and wonders. The raising of Lazarus from the dead capped it off. Six days before …
