Author: Dean Smith

¿Otra confirmación del éxodo de los judíos de Egipto?

Published by

English version: Yet another confirmation of the Jews exodus out of Egypt Cuando usted lee sobre la liberación de Israel de Egipto en el Libro del Éxodo, la Biblia registra el país sufriendo diez plagas significativas o juicios antes de que el faraón egipcio finalmente permitiera que los judíos se fueran. Las plagas fueron catastróficas y algunos han sugerido que algo de esta magnitud debería ser mencionado en los registros egipcios. Y de hecho hay. Primero tenemos el papiro Leiden I 344 en exhibición en el Museo Nacional Holandés de Antigüedades en Leiden, Holanda. Presenta las plagas del Éxodo desde una perspectiva egipcia. Se refiere a seis de las plagas incluyendo el agua que se convierte en sangre y una oscuridad masiva en la tierra. Sin embargo, todavía hay otro artefacto que apoya la cuenta de Éxodo. Las piedras rotas de la estela fueron descubiertas entre 1947 y 1951. Una estela es una losa vertical de roca utilizada para recordar o conmemorar acontecimientos significativos en la historia de una nación. En su artículo, Prueba para …

Credit: kairoinfo4u/Flickr/Creative Commons

Where did the Egyptians come from: Does the Bible get it right again?

Published by

It has always been a bit of a mystery as to the origin of the Egyptians. But based on history and DNA sampling of modern Egyptians most concluded that they came from Northern Africa. However, this contradicts the Bible that declared that Egyptians descended from Mizraim, one of the son’s of Ham. The term Mizraim is actually translated Egypt by some translations (Genesis 10:6): 6 The sons of Ham were Cush and Mizraim and Put and Canaan. (Genesis 10:6 NASV) 6 The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan. (Genesis 10:6 ESV) It was Ham’s eldest Cush and his descendants who went on to settle what today is modern Africa.  We see a possible reference to their darker skin in the Prophet Jeremiah’s rhetorical question: “Can the Ethiopian change his skin?” (Jeremiah 13:23).  The Hebrew word translated Ethiopian is “kusi,” a Cushite. But with the modern Egyptian DNA suggesting an African origin, it left the impression that the Bible was wrong. However, that recently changed when geneticists from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of …

Credit: Vincent Van den Storme/Flickr/Creative Commons

Turning up the heat

Published by

The recent heat waves being experienced in the America Southwest and England may have an odd connection to a passage in the book of Revelation: 8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun, and it was given to it to scorch men with fire. 9 Men were scorched with fierce heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory. (Revelation 16:8-9 NASV) This past week Arizona experienced some very hot weather, but it did not break the 122 degree heat record set in that US state on June 26, 1990. Nevertheless for three consecutive days (June 19-21), Phoenix, Arizona broke or equaled heat records for their city with temperatures of 118F, 119F and 116F respectively. The high temperatures that reached into areas of California resulted in the National Weather Service issuing a warning about “heat-related illnesses.” In the United Kingdom, they are experiencing some of the hottest weather in 40 years. Heathrow reached 34.5C (94F) this past …

What else could cause global warming? Credit: CipherN/Flickr/Creative Commons

The 20-year global warming pause?

Published by

A recent paper written by climate scientist Benjamin Santer has caused a stir among those entrenched in the man-made global warming camp and those who are not. In his paper published on Nature Geoscience, Santer, who believed in man-made global warming , stated that there has been no global warming for the past 18 years. This is nothing short of heresy among global warming activists. For several years skeptics have pointed out that satellite records reveal there has been no warming on earth for nearly two decades. If CO2 is the cause of global warming, this warming should not have stopped because the world continues to pour record amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere each year. This pause suggests other natural forces must be affecting climate temperature. Global warming activists were predictably outraged and those in skeptic camp shocked when Santer’s paper came out. One climate scientist Roger A Pielke Sr tweeted “Wow!” when he read the news. Santer, along with Carl Mears, manage the Remote Sensing satellite temperature data set. But in his paper …

The plume from the 2010 eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano. Credit: Gunnlaugur por Briem/Flickr/Creative Commons

Beware columns of smoke

Published by

Last week was a bit worrying for those living in and around Yellowstone Park. Last Thursday, the area experienced a 4.4 earthquake. Earthquakes of that size can be felt, but rarely cause damage. But it wasn’t the earthquake that caused concern, rather it was the 295 other earthquakes that took place in that region during that seven-day period — 60 on Friday alone (June 16, 2017). We know Biblically that a rise in earth quakes will mark the end times, something that even Jesus referred to (Luke 21:11). Though many are downplaying the danger associated with these earthquakes, others are not so sure. They are not so concerned about the earthquakes, as smaller earthquakes can be beneficial releasing pressure and helping prevent a larger quake. But what is concerning is that a flurry of earthquakes could be sign of a bigger problem if they are occurring around a known volcano. It could be a warning of a looming volcanic eruption. As magma builds beneath the surface, the resulting pressure can often cause smaller earthquakes. This puts …

St. George Monastery (Orthodox Church) was constructed at a cave thought to be the place where the Prophet Elijah hid after fleeing Jezebel. Credit: Catholic Church of England/Flickr/Creative Commons

Under the wing of a prophet — schools of the prophets

Published by

A few years back, a person who functions in the prophetic told me how he moved into that ministry. A prophet was speaking at the church he attended and gave a prophetic word to the man stating he was called to the ministry of a prophet. This senior prophet had also been invited to minister at another church in the same city, so he asked the young man to tag along. He didn’t throw the young man into prophetic with the old sink or swim attitude. As the prophet ministered, he told the young man to sit, listen and try to discern a word for the people being prophesied over. Later the prophet asked young man if he received words similar to what the prophet gave when he ministered to the people. The young man said yes. This was the Holy Spirit training him to have confidence in the ministry God had given him. I think the prophet Amos referred to this when he said: “The Lord God has spoken! Who can but prophesy?” (Amos …

¿Un antiguo papiro habla de las plagas del Éxodo desde una perspectiva egipcia?

Published by

English version: Does an ancient papyrus speak of the Exodus plagues from an Egyptian perspective? Hay un antiguo papiro egipcio que algunos creen dice de las plagas que Dios envió a Egipto durante la liberación de Israel de esa tierra bajo Moisés. Curiosamente, el antiguo documento no ha captado la atención de muchos cristianos simplemente porque no encaja en su calendario de quien fue el Faraón del Éxodo en realidad. La mayoría cree que el Éxodo ocurrió bajo Tutmosis III o Ramsés II, pero este documento lo pone mucho antes que estos faraones. Pero encaja perfectamente con mi teoría de cuándo tuvo lugar el Éxodo y creo que este papiro, escrito desde la perspectiva egipcia, describe los días caóticos y las plagas asociadas con la liberación de Israel. El documento oficialmente llamado Leiden I 344 está en exhibición en el Museo Nacional Holandés de Antigüedades en Leiden, Holanda. Fue descubierto en 1828, pero no fue traducido hasta 1909, cuando el profesor Alan Gardner descubrió que era un lamento hablando de un momento muy caótico en la …

Pop star Katy Perry reconciling with her Christian parents: Is God next?

Published by

Mega pop star Katy Perry, 33, made some interesting statements in her interview with Dr. Siri Singh, on Viceland’s program The Therapist that aired the weekend of June 10, 2017. According to the Christian Post (CP), in the interview Katy talked about the pressures involved with being the pop star Katy Perry instead of who she really was Katherine Hudson. She expressed a desire of being her “authentic self.” But what I also found interesting is Katy’s discussion about God and her parents. Katy’s parents, Maurice and Mary (née Perry) Hudson, are Pentecostal pastors. As a child Katy accepted Christ. She was even filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. As a teenager, she sang gospel music and initially tried to make a career singing gospel. But today as one of the world’s top pop stars, for the most part Katy has rejected her parent’s Christian faith. But I saw signs in the interview that there is potential for things to change. First Katy talked about having suicidal thoughts after breaking up with …

Hillary Clinton Credit: Aaron Webb/Flickr/Creative Commons

Is a prophecy about Hillary Clinton coming to pass?

Published by

Prior to America’s recent presidential election, several Christian prophets predicted that Donald Trump would become the next president of the United States. One of those was Kim Clement who hinted at Trump’s presidency in 2013. Trump would not officially seek the Republican nomination until June 2015 and most considered the chances of him even winning that nomination as very remote, much less the US presidency. Kim died on November 23, 2016, two weeks after Donald Trump won the presidential election. But Kim Clement, who had gained a reputation in Charismatic circles as  a prophetic worshiper, also had a prophecy for Hillary Clinton. He gave that prophecy back in 2006: “And some of you said, when the Spirit said, ‘Hillary Clinton,’ some of you shouted out, ‘yes!’God said, ‘I have already dealt with her heart, not to be president of this nation, but to be president in a Christian world. She will have a testimony second to none and will eventually come out with it and make declaration that Christ Jesus saved her marriage, saved her …

Credit: Richard Carter/Flickr/Creative Commons

A tale of two worlds

Published by

There are two worlds in Christianity. One where the Holy Spirit leads and guides believers through spiritual gifts and the other that has basically rejected the Holy Spirit playing such an active role in a person’s life. I recently read a story involving the wife of a Southern Baptist minister who had publicly rejected the ministry of Beth Moore. Beth Moore is a Charismatic teacher popular not only among women of a Pentecostal persuasion but apparently even Southern Baptist women who are less enamored with the Holy Spirit and His gifts today. In her testimony provided to Pulpit & Pen, Lauran, who leads a woman’s Bible study at her husband’s church, admitted that Beth Moore had been a favorite teacher for years. She used Beth’s materials for her Bible studies and even attended conferences where Beth was speaking. But that changed about five years ago, when Lauran became concerned that Beth believed God spoke to her — that the Holy Spirit was giving her direction. She cited one revelation that Beth received where she prophetically …

El misterio del guar egipcio

Published by

English Version: Mystery of the Egyptian Guard Hay muchas teorías sobre quién fue el Faraón del Éxodo. Mientras que algunos buscan a la arqueología para la respuesta, la Biblia proporciona pistas muy claras sobre su identidad. Para determinar quién era el Faraón, primero debemos descifrar un misterioso pasaje en Génesis: Cuando José fue llevado a Egipto, Potifar, un oficial Egipcio de Faraón, capitán de la guardia, lo compró a los Ismaelitas que lo habían llevado allá. 2 Pero el Señor estaba con José, que llegó a ser un hombre próspero, y vivía en la casa de su amo el Egipcio. 3 Vio su amo que el Señor estaba con él y que el Señor hacía prosperar en su mano todo lo que él hacía. 4 Así José halló gracia ante sus ojos y llegó a ser su siervo personal, lo hizo mayordomo sobre su casa y entregó en su mano todo lo que poseía. 5 Y sucedió que desde el tiempo que lo hizo mayordomo sobre su casa y sobre todo lo que poseía, el Señor bendijo la casa …

Credit: Thomas Hawk/Flickr/Creative Commons

Faith under pressure…

Published by

Considered a rising star in women’s soccer in America, Jaelene Hinkle, 24, recently announced she will not be playing for the US women’s national soccer team in two exhibition games scheduled for June. No explanation was given about why she pulled out and in its news release announcing her withdrawal, US Soccer stated Hinkle cited “personal reasons.” Hinkle has played in eight international games with the America’s national soccer team since 2015. However, Hinkle who plays defense is also a Christian and is very vocal about her faith on social media. She even posted her opinion of the Bible on Instagram stating: “It’s not a fictional book. It’s not pick and choose what you want to believe. You either believe it or you don’t.” Because of this, many wonder if she made the decision after US Soccer announced it would honor gay pride month in June by using rainbow numbered jerseys on both its men’s and women’s national uniforms. As soon as news surface she had withdrawn, gay activists tweeted their disappointment saying they were …

Cell phone gods?

Published by

According to a 2011 BBC documentary, popular electronic devices such as cell phones can potentially be a religious experience for some owners. In their documentary – Secrets of the Superbrands — Alex Riley and Adam Boome were struck by the intense brand loyalty of some users towards their Apple products. In London, England, the two witnessed massive line-ups outside Apple stores when its latest and greatest gadget was released. Some even lined up hours before opening to guarantee a spot at the front of the line. Riley and Boome were curious what caused such intense brand loyalty. They were surprised by what they found. In their documentary, they had neuroscientists use a MRI scan to study the brain of a devoted Apple user while using his Apple device. “The results suggested that Apple was actually stimulating the same part of the brain as religious imagery does in people of faith,” wrote Riley and Boome. In a nutshell, for some using an Apple product was akin to a religious experience. Idols in the heart? Throughout the …

Marijuana being illegally grown in North Cascades National Park in the US. Credit: Park Ranger/Flickr/Creative Commons

Medical journal condemns Canada’s plan to legalize Marijuana in 2018

Published by

As the Canadian government pushes ahead to legalize Marijuana, the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) published an editorial condemning the proposed legislation. The Liberal government plans to legalize Marijuana by June 2018, fulfilling a campaign promise. According to Global News that reported on the CMAJ editorial, the legislation in its current form would: Legalize the recreational use of the drug for anyone 18 years of age and older. Allow Marijuana to be grown at home for personal use, but would limit the number of plants to four and height to under one meter. Not control the potency of Marijuana. CMAJ is concerned because several studies show that Marijuana usage can have a profound impact on the developing brain of a young person. In its editorial, the publication stated since a person’s brain is not fully developed until 25, legalizing the drug before that age could potentially have a devastating impact. Recently, several studies have shown that regular marijuana usage can distort and shrink the developing brain of a teen. It can result in increased rates …

Temple of Baal in Palmra, Syria. Photo: oriana.italy/Flickr/Creative Commons

¿Está llegando un Templo de Baal a una ciudad cercana a ti?

Published by

English version: Is a Temple of Baal coming to a city near you? Según un artículo publicado en el New York Post, el Instituto de Arqueología Digital (IDA) presentará el mes próximo una réplica de tamaño completo del Templo de Baal en la ciudad de Nueva York y Londres, con planes para construir 1.000 más en otras ciudades. El IDA es un proyecto patrocinado por la Universidad de Oxford, la Universidad de Harvard y el Museo del Futuro de Dubai. Según el Post, el templo de Nueva York será instalado como parte de un evento del Patrimonio Mundial de la UNESCO en abril. De pie 48 ‘de altura, estos arcos Baal se están construyendo en China con impresoras 3-D. Los altares se establecerán en lugares prominentes – Times Square en Nueva York y Trafalgar Square en Londres. Se reproducirán los arcos de un Templo Baal de 2.000 años de antigüedad ubicado en Siria destruido por ISIS en agosto de 2015. Baal era un dios cananeo que Israel encontró varias veces después de que entraron en …

Sir Isaac Newton predicted world would end in 2060 AD. Painting by Pelagio Palagi Fillippo (1643-1727)

Sir Isaac Newton predijo que el mundo terminaría en 2060

Published by

Sir Isaac Newton predijo que el mundo terminaría en 2060. Pintura por Pelagio Palagi Fillippo (1643-1727) English version: Sir Isaac Newton predicted the world would end in 2060 La mayoría conoce a Sir Isaac Newton como el padre de la ciencia moderna. Newton, quien murió en 1727, es considerado uno de los científicos más influyentes del mundo. Él formuló la ley de la gravedad y la ley del movimiento explicando así el movimiento de los planetas, de lunas y de estrellas debido a la atracción gravitacional de cuerpos más grandes. Transformó radicalmente el acercamiento del hombre a la astronomía. Pero Newton también era un cristiano ardiente y tenía un tremendo interés por la teología de los últimos tiempos. Pasó horas investigando la Biblia en la segunda venida de Jesucristo. Este curioso lado de Newton fue desvelado en una exhibición de los escritos de Newton en la Universidad de Jerusalén titulada “Los Secretos de Newton”. Fue una extraña combinación: eruditos hebreos que analizaban la profecía cristiana. Un cargamento de cartas y escritos de Newton, ubicado en …

It took science 4,500 years to finally realize….

Published by

In 2014, while speaking at a legal conference in England, Professor Colin Blakemore told the attendees that he believed 120 was the maximum age people could live too. He described it as the “absolute limit to human lifespans.” A neurobiologist, Blackmore, who has also been knighted for his work in medical research, is the former head of England’s Medical Research Council. Blakemore was reacting to comments by some predicting that people’s life spans could triple. He said though medical research is extending how long people are living, there is a limit. And certainly, recent medical advancements are allowing people to live longer: In 2014, the Global Age Index stated if the trend continues in 2050 21% of earth’s population will be over 60, compared to 12% today and 4% will be over 80, compared the current 2%. Over the past decade, the number of people over the age of 100 in England has increased by 71%. There are 14,000 people over the age 0f 100 in England compared to only 2,500 in the early 1980s. …

The Siege of Jerusalem by David Roberts (1764-1864) Source: Wikipedia

Evidence of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 AD discovered

Published by

Archaeologists working in Jerusalem have come across evidence of the Roman destruction of the city and the Jewish Temple in 70 AD. Israel Antiquities Authorities (IAA) made the announcement on Jerusalem Day held annually in Israel on May 23.  Also called Yom Yerushalayim, it is a national holiday celebrating the day that the Jews regained control of Jerusalem. This year marked the 50th anniversary of the event and IAA chose this auspicious occasion to make their announcement. The road itself is located 20 feet below the surface. So far they have uncovered a piece 100 meters (328 feet) long and 7.5 meters wide. It was part of the main street of Jerusalem that extended from the main gates to the Pool of Siloam, that some believe served as a ritual bath (John 9:6-11), to the Temple itself. The Romans constructed the road with large stone slabs. But evidence shows that it was not built during Herod’s day, the man who built the second Jewish Temple, but probably by Pontius Pilate who played a major role in …

Credit: Expectmohr/Flickr/Creative Commons

Discerning God’s voice from the brain chatter

Published by

When it comes to giving prophetic words the Holy Spirit uses the medium of our emotions and thoughts to communicate prophetic words that God wants people to deliver. This is also the same method God uses to guide and direct us individually. This of course is the same medium we use in our regular human communications. To the untrained, a prophetic word can seem like any other thought that pops into your mind over the course of the day. Now, I know that not every thought that pops in to my mind is from God. I sometimes have some very unholy thoughts, particularly of other drivers. So, the Holy Spirit will give a different tinge to the prophetic words that He puts in your mind to separate them from your own thoughts and concoctions. For each of us, it will be different. Your tinge will have a different tinge than mine. Discerning the difference takes training and practice. I remember praying for a woman in our church who had come forward at the end of …

Coptic Christians were traveling to Saint Samuel the Confessors monsatery (above), when they were attacked by Muslim extremists. Credit: Roland Unger/Wikipedia

As in the Days of Noah — ISIS slaughters 28 Egyptian Coptic Christians?

Published by

On Friday, May 26, 2017, a group of Egyptian Coptic Christians were traveling by bus to pray at a monastery when they were attacked by Muslim extremists. Their destination was the Monastery of Saint Samuel the Confessor located a hundred miles south of Cairo, Egypt. At least 28 were killed when the bus and an accompanying half ton truck were stopped by three SUVs containing upwards of ten ISIS militants. After storming the bus, the masked extremists demanded the people on board recite the Muslim profession of faith called the shahada: La ilaha illa Allah wa-Muhammad rasul Allah. English: There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the prophet of Allah. When they were unable to do this, the heavily armed militants opened fire killing. In addition to the deaths, they wounded at least 22. TV images of the attack showed the bus riddled with bullet holes and its seats covered in blood. Coptic Christians make up about 10% of Egypt’s population of 94 million and over the last several years have been under …

“Ojo por ojo” significa que amas a tu prójimo como a ti mismo

Published by

English version: “Eye for an eye” means you love your neighbour as yourself 24 ojo por ojo, diente por diente, mano por mano, pie por pie, Moisés (Éxodo 21:24 NBLH) “Amarás a tu prójimo como a ti mismo”, Jesús (Mateo 22:39 NBLH) A primera vista, la Biblia parece un libro de extremos. En el Antiguo Testamento áspero y caído, usted tiene la ley que exige la compensación del “ojo para ojo” si una persona fue dañada. Si arrancó el ojo de una persona, entonces su ojo fue arrancado. Entonces en el Nuevo Testamento usted tiene a Jesús que enseñó “ame a su vecino.” Cualquiera que lea estos pasajes sería muy confuso – “ojo por ojo” no parece muy cariñoso. Pero ¿alguna vez has notado que hay algo extrañamente ausente en el Antiguo Testamento? No hay una cuenta de una persona que tiene su mano cortada o sus ojos arrancados debido a un crimen que cometieron – a pesar de que la ley lo requirió. Jesús entra en la controversia Entonces para empeorar las cosas, Jesús pesa sobre …

Credit: Jyrki Salmi/Flickr/Creative Commons

Avoid man’s glory

Published by

Years ago, I remember pushing away from my desk, walking down the hallway to a co-worker’s office. Once there, I bluntly asked what he thought of the most recent issue of the publication I worked on. I saw the pained look on his face. It was obvious that I was fishing for a compliment. My coworker knew it, and he awkwardly answered it was great. Later, I hated myself for what I had just done. It also wasn’t the first time I did something like that. Insecure people crave feedback from others to affirm them in their gifting, ministry or job. But these pats on the back are like a drug. Once is never enough and you desire these constant affirmations from others to keep you going. As you begin to minister in spiritual gifts or areas of ministry, this is one area that must be nipped in the bud. Insecure people are constantly tempted to find out if the words they are giving have impacted the people receiving them or if the teaching was …

Pray for those in authority. Credit: thisisbossi/Flickr/Creative Commons

Breaking curses being cast on government leaders

Published by

Charisma News recently reported on a bizarre op-ed that appeared in the Los Angeles Times on May 23, 2017. The author, Diana Wagman, has written several articles for the paper. In her most recent, Wagman wrote about putting a “binding spell” on US President Donald Trump. What makes it even more strange is that Wagman claims not to be a devil worshiper, but decided to do her part joining thousands of like-minded people seeking to put a curse on  President Trump and his associates. Wagman wrote: “I cast a spell on the president. I was not alone. Thousands of witches, believers and people like me all over the world performed “A Spell to Bind Donald Trump and All Those Who Abet Him” under the waning crescent moon last month. It was not meant to physically hurt him, only to keep him from succeeding at his tasks. Now he’s complaining he’s the object of a “witch hunt.” Maybe the spell is working …” Wagman actually researched “binding spells” before doing it. As part of her ritual, …

Don't let fear dominate your life. Street art in Dublin, Ireland. Credit: Giuseppe Milo/Flickr/Creative Commons

Achieving your full potential — deal with the fear

Published by

There is an interesting parable in the Gospels that I believe Jesus purposefully told to prepare the disciples for Christ’s eventual departure. It would be a harbinger of what was to come. I am referring to the teaching on talents found several times in the Gospels. It appears in different forms and at different times, and it seems Jesus told this parable multiple times, because it was a message His disciples needed to hear. In the account recorded in Mathew 25:14-30, a ruler is going on a long journey and decides to leave his wealth or talents in the hands of his slaves to invest, until he returns. This parallels Jesus departure from earth, the bestowing of the Holy Spirit and His gifts (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8) and then Jesus second return. What are the talents? I  believe in God’s kingdom, they are the giftings (spiritual and natural) and callings that God has bestowed on every believer. The Lord has tasks for us to fulfill before He returns. Some of them are spiritual and some …

The Sea of Galilee where Peter "briefly" walked on water. Credit: Asf Antman/Flickr/Creative Commons

The incredible, delayed healing, of Delia Knox

Published by

It was Christmas Day, 1987, when a drunk driver slammed into the back of a car that Delia was a passenger in. She along with her sister and brother-in-law were driving home from a church service in Toronto, Canada. Their car ended upside down and though her sister and husband only had minor injuries, Delia, then 23, was paralyzed from the waist down. Delia was also a gospel singer and though she continued to sing from a wheel chair, she dreaded ministering in other churches, because invariably they wanted to pray for her healing. At first, she appreciated their efforts but after a while she began despising these services that invariably focused on her healing. She recounts people dragging her out of a wheel chair and then watching her collapse to the floor. In an interview with CBN, Delia said “I’ve been plopped, dropped and flopped, and flipped to the point where I was like, ‘I just can’t go through this anymore.’” Then she met Bishop Knox, a speaker at a conference, she attended. They …

Wouldn't it be nice if voice spoke from heaven telling us what our spiritual gift was? Credit: The Shiney One/Flickr/Creative Commons

The Holy Spirit wants to be your personal trainer

Published by

If you have been filled with the Holy Spirit, you have also received a spiritual gift (I Corinthians 12). Many of us are uncertain what it is. We expect the heavens to open up and a billboard descend stating the Holy Spirit has given you the gift of knowledge or gift of prophecy. It would be nice if it was that simple. But when you have been given a spiritual gift, one of the first things the Holy Spirit wants to do is display that gift personally to you. Like any loving parent, God wants you to unwrap your present and then He wants to train you in your gifting. My first prophetic revealing and training session oddly enough took place in 1986 as I watched a National Hockey League (NHL) game between the Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary flames. For those not fully familiar with the NHL, Calgary and Edmonton are both in the province of Alberta in Canada. Playing in the same division, there is a fierce rivalry between the two teams. Edmonton …

The Euphrates River in the Mesopotamia valley home to Melchizedek and Balaam. Credit: United States Navy

The Spirit of Balaam, social media and the end of the age?

Published by

If the Book of Revelation is a vision of the end times, then the Apostle John’s message to the seven churches of Asia in the first three chapters is a prophetic snapshot of what the end-times church will face. In his letter to the church at Pergamum, John warns about the spirit of Balaam, suggesting it will be a rising force just before Christ’s return: 14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. (Revelation 2:14 NASV) Balaam was a prophet mentioned in the Book of Numbers and, using the vernacular from the 1960s, he was one “strange” cat. Balaam was from Petheor, in Amah near the Euphrates River, a country actually mentioned in Egyptian records. This puts Balaam in Mesopotamia where Abraham originated (Deuteronomy 23:3-6). But his unfamiliarity with Israel tells us he was a gentile. He may have been associated with …

Captured by sin. Photo: Chris Karr/Flickr

La diferencia entre la iniquidad y el pecado

Published by

English version: The Difference between iniquity and sin Hace varios años, una niña de 10 años fue brutalmente asesinada en la ciudad de Toronto. El asesino cortó su cuerpo y lo depositó en bolsas en el cercano lago Ontario. Ella fue secuestrada mientras caminaba las pocas cuadras desde el lugar de su amiga hasta su casa. El hombre de 37 años acusado en este brutal asesinato no tenía antecedentes. Pero se convirtió en un sospechoso cuando la policía – al entrevistar a gente en el barrio – se dio cuenta de que había pintado recientemente su casa e instaló una alfombra nueva. Para el ojo entrenado, esto era un indicador sutil de un individuo que intentaba encubrir un asesinato brutal. Cuando la policía pasó por su casa, encontraron más de 10.000 imágenes pornográficas almacenadas en su computadora, incluyendo algunas con niños. Aunque no había cometido crímenes previos, la repetida visualización de estas imágenes aparentemente construyó un bastión tan potente en su vida que finalmente se manifestó en el brutal asesinato sexual de una niña. Durante …

Proportional Russian nesting dolls Credit: Elentari86/Flickr/Creative Commons

Prophesying Proportionally

Published by

Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy according to the proportion of his faith. (Rom 12:6 NASV) In this verse, Paul gives insight into how we are to function not only in prophecy, but all the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He says we should prophesy in proportion to our faith. The word proportion “analogia” used in this verse is a rare word in the New Testament and only used this once. It is a mathematical term and means ratio or proportion. Technically, the term refers to the comparison of one number with another — for example 1:2 is as 2:4. The word is also translated in the secular literature of that day to mean fused indicating an unbreakable connection. In this sense, the ability to prophecy is fused to faith. At first glance, it seems pretty straight forward. We prophesy in direct proportion to our faith in God. But here is the problem. If this is true, then …

Credit: gaberojas/Flickr/Creative Commons

Grand Canyon censored, for Christians?

Published by

Dr. Andrew Snelling has a Ph.D in geology from the University of Sydney, a world-renowned institution. He has written a number of articles and reports published in peer-reviewed science journals and has years of experience in geological research. Yet, in 2013 when he wanted to take a few fist-sized geological samples from the Grand Canyon for research and scientific study, he was refused. For decades officials with the Grand Canyon National Park have allowed scientists to take material from the Park for study. The Park had even given Snelling permission to gather samples in the past. So, why did Park officials refuse Snelling this time? The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a non-profit, legal organization dedicated to defending religious liberties, alleges Park officials denied permission because Snelling is a Christian. Snelling also works for Answers in Genesis, a Christian organization providing scientific evidence of creation. He does not accept the narrative that the Grand Canyon was created over 450 million years ago. According to ADF, Dr Snelling was seeking “to gather samples at folds inside the …

Curiously temples in Mexico are patterned off the same design as the Tower of Babel. Credit: Brian Hoffsis/Flcikr/Creative Commons

Does an ancient tablet mention the Tower of Babel?

Published by

Shortly after the flood, the Bible says the people gathered in the Mesopotamia valley and started building a large tower to heaven. 4 They said, “Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” (Genesis 11:4 NASV) Called the Tower of Babel, the Bible relates how God stopped its construction by creating different languages among this group forcing them apart and eventually causing them to scatter around the world:  7 Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city.  (Genesis 11: 7-8 NASV). Though many have called this account a myth, Dr. Andrew George, a professor at the University of London who specializes in Babylonian history, recently translated an ancient stone tablet held by a private Norwegian …

Credit: Simon Webster/Flickr/Creative Commons

Shod your feet with VICTORY

Published by

In his description of a believer’s spiritual armor, the Apostle Paul oddly refers to shoes. “and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;” (Ephesians 6:15 NASV) Compared to the breast-plate or shield, shoes are certainly not the most prominent piece of armor, but don’t let their insignificance fool you, they are key to a believer’s victory. The Roman soldier was equipped with sandal-like boots covered with brass that extended up to cover part of the shin. The sandals had nails protruding from the bottom giving the soldier extra grip. Though a wound to the foot or lower leg was not necessarily life threatening it was very incapacitating. My son was practicing soccer in our backyard gearing up for a series of big games. He kicked the soccer ball near a, until then unknown, hornet’s nest. He received a single, barely visible bite on his ankle and was off his feet for days. The smallest wound on the foot can hobble a soldier for extended periods of time making him completely …

Credit: Ruby Babson/Flickr/Creative Commons

Forgive for your heart’s sake

Published by

When Jesus spoke on forgiveness He was very clear on one thing: if we don’t forgive those who offend us, God would not forgive us. 14 For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. (Matthew 6:14-15 NASV) I sometimes wonder if we struggle to forgive ourselves for things that we have done in the past, that it is a sign of spiritual blockages caused by our unwillingness to forgive. These blockages hinder us from fully experiencing God’s forgiveness. But an article on John Hopkins Medicine, Forgiveness: Your Health depends on It, provides one more reason to forgive. We need to do it for the sake of our physical health. Like many of God’s commandments, such as circumcision that improves a man’s health, the need to forgive is another section in God’s user’s manual on proper operation of the human body. According to the John Hopkins’ article, studies show that people who hold grudges and …

King David moving the Ark of the Covenant from Gibeon to the Tabernacle of David in Jerusalem. Painter unknown

¿Por qué el rey David estableció el Tabernáculo de David?

Published by

English version: Why Did King David set up the Tabernacle of David? Quizás uno de los artículos más polémicos que he escrito es “el profundo y oscuro secreto del Rey David”. He tenido más comentarios sobre ese artículo que cualquier otro que he escrito y fácilmente he tenido más gente en desacuerdo conmigo. En el artículo sostengo que el rey David era ilegítimo. Cuando dijo en los Salmos que fue concebido en el pecado – lo quiso decir literalmente. Su madre lo concibió en un acto de pecado. He aquí, he sido criado en iniquidad, Y en pecado mi madre me concibió. (Salmos 51: 5 NASV) Esto explica lo que sucedió cuando Dios le dijo a Samuel que fuera a Belén a ungir a uno de los hijos de Isaí como el siguiente rey de Israel, reemplazando a Saúl (1 Samuel 16: 1-13). La Biblia nos dice que los ancianos estaban temblando cuando el profeta apareció (v 4). Samuel aterrorizó a los ancianos, así que cuando el profeta de Dios pidió a todos los hijos, …

Stunning video of baby revived in Jesus’ name

Published by

Dramatic video has surfaced of men pulling a man and his two children out of a black truck that had flipped upside down in raging waters near Myrtle Texas on Saturday, April 30, 2017. People came across the vehicle caught up in a storm that hit that part of Texas over the weekend. Several men waded into the rushing water and struggled to open the vehicle doors against the raging current. Finally, they were able to drag a baby and toddler out of the truck. In the video, a man carries a lifeless baby to the shore. In an interview with WFAA-TV in Dallas, Tom Mitchell, who videoed the rescue said, “The infant is white, blueish grey, no color at all and the eyes were not focused when I looked down on her.” Mitchel knew immediately that if they didn’t do something, this baby was going to die. On video you hear him say, “This baby is going to die if we don’t start CPR fast” and then the video goes dark as he sticks …