Ritirarsi con il Re (Marco 3:7)
Chiunque legga i Vangeli sa che Gesù ha vissuto una vita molto difficile. Nacque in una famiglia povera e queste umili origini lo portarono ad essere un comune lavoratore in una città irrilevante. All’inizio del suo ministero, tuttavia, le sofferenze si intensificarono. La maggior parte degli studiosi della Bibbia concorda sul fatto che il primo […]
You Don’t Have to Be a Hero (Rom 12:11-13)
We all love a hero. I have been associated with the military for a long time and have heard many, many stories about heroes. Some of the most popular movies and TV shows for children revolve around superheroes. There is a reason for that. Stories about heroes are inspiring. Even fictional stories are entertaining. The […]
Good News on the Spanish-Speaking Front
GES recently conducted two regional conferences aimed at Spanish-speaking people. One was held in the Dominican Republic (DR). The other was in Tallahassee, FL. The theme of the conference in the DR was the book of Hebrews. The theme in Florida was the book of Romans. Each explained how the focus book teaches Free Grace […]
Israel, 1948, and the Fig Tree (Mark 13:28)
When I was a younger, I remember hearing how important 1948 was. That was the year Israel returned to the land and became a nation. I was told that this event was a fulfillment of prophecy. Jesus spoke about this event in the Olivet Discourse. The Lord said that when the fig tree has tender […]
Our Understanding Lord (Luke 7:18-28)
John the Baptist was a rising star on the religious scene. He proclaimed to the nation of Israel that its long-awaited King was about to come. He was fearless. The nation recognized him as a prophet, and crowds of people came to the wilderness to hear him. His message was that they needed to turn […]
Snaga Milosti
Nisam siguran jesam li ga ikada upoznao, ali profesor koji je predavao na seminaru koji sam ja pohađao me je jako fascinirao. Zvao se Jack Deere. Predavao je na temelju Starog zavjeta. Znam da je to stereotip, ali u mojoj glavi, znanstvenici Starog zavjeta su najstoičkiji učitelji od svih učitelja Biblije. Uvijek su mi se […]
What Will “Heaven” Be Like? (Isaiah 65:17-25)
Today, most churchgoers have a pathetic idea of what eternity will be like. They think it will take place in a faraway heaven, above the clouds. Those in that place will sit on a cloud playing the harp or singing in a choir forever. Few people look forward to such an eternity. In Isaiah 65, […]
Puterea Harului
Nu cred că am avut ocazia să-l cunosc personal, dar un profesor de la seminarul unde am studiat m-a impresionat profund. Se numea Jack Deere și preda Vechiul Testament. Poate e doar o imagine din mintea mea, dar întotdeauna am avut impresia că erudiții Vechiului Testament sunt cei mai stoici dintre toți învățătorii biblici – […]
恩典的力量
我不确定我是否见过他，但我就读的神学院的这位教授让我着迷。他叫杰克·迪尔。他在《旧约》系任教。我知道这是一种刻板印象，但在我看来，《旧约》学者是所有《圣经》教师中最坚韧克己的人。在我看来，他们总是比其他人更学术化，更不容易感情用事。他们让我想起很久以前一个节目中的警探，他有一句著名的台词： “只说事实，先生。” 当我得知迪尔要离开神学院是因为他开始相信 “神迹奇事 ”时，我感到非常惊讶。据我所知，他加入的这场运动异常情绪化。这场运动采用了灵恩派运动的许多过激行为。相信赶鬼、说方言、接受预言和神奇的医治。几乎所有人都在这场运动中宣扬行为的福音。信徒必须行善，才能保住他们永恒的救恩。我怎么也想不通，达拉斯神学院一位性格坚韧、勤奋好学的《旧约》系教授会是这样一个团体的成员。达拉斯神学院拒绝接受所有这些东西。他显然是掉进了错误教导的巢穴。 我没有关注迪尔在离开神学院之后的职业生涯。我偶尔会听到他以前的学生谈起他的所作所为。我听说他已经陷入了他所信奉的运动中的一些极端和非正统的教义之中。他相信一些事情，比如上帝正用可以听见的声音对不同的人说话。每次听到这样的报道，我都只是摇摇头就走开了，我无法理解迪尔是如何走到这一步的。 最近，我读到了迪尔为宣传他的新书而进行的一次采访。这本书描述了他的一生。在书中，他谈到了他所经历的困难。这些困难是我所不知道的。他讲述了多年前他父亲自杀给他带来的痛苦和创伤。这对他的影响从幼年就开始了。 但他的生活中还发生过其他毁灭性事件。他的妻子酗酒数十年。妻子的疾病对他们的家庭造成了严重破坏，几乎要了她的命。他有一个儿子是个瘾君子，吸毒后结束了自己的生命。迪尔对自己的挣扎非常坦诚。 在谈到他的父亲时，迪尔曾写道，他期待着在国里见到他的父亲。很显然，在他父亲去世几十年后，他仍然想念父亲。在采访中，他说有人写信给他告诉他，他的父亲不会在天国里。迪尔不会在那里见到他，因为任何自杀的人都会被关进火湖。这意味着他的儿子也会在火湖当中。 这样的评论并不让我感到惊讶。绝大多数参与“神迹奇事”运动的人都持这种观点。他们认为，救恩是可以失去的，自杀的人犯了很大的罪，无法悔改。 迪尔对这些评论的回应让我感到惊喜。虽然他已经花了数年时间参与那场运动，甚至还写了书来支持该运动。但他说他父亲是个信徒。我不知道他的父亲相信什么，但迪尔说，每个信徒都有永远不会失去的永生。他父亲自杀的事实并不能改变这一点。迪尔说，主的恩典确保他确实会在天国里见到他的父亲。 我不得不说：”哇！” 我不知道迪尔怎么能持有这样一个《圣经》信仰，同时又在一个否认这一信仰的运动中担任领导者。这也让我看到了基督的恩典。尽管迪尔接受了这么多奇怪的信仰内容和做法，但他知道自己拥有永生。 他让我着迷。我不理解他。但是，即使我们拒绝了合理的教导，但如果我们相信耶稣会赐予我们永生，那么这份礼物就是我们的。没有什么能改变这一点。这就是主对我们的恩典（《提摩太后书》 2：13）。
They Won’t Be Remembered (Isaiah 65:17)
The book of Isaiah begins on a bleak note. In Isaiah 1–6, the prophet speaks of Jerusalem as a bloody city with corrupt leaders. The poor and defenseless are oppressed. Isaiah is commissioned to go and tell them to repent of their sins. But Isaiah is told that even though he will appeal to them […]