Delightsome Land

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever (John 14:16). The hope of the Old Testament was Emmanuel—“God with us.” In Exodus 33:15, Moses said to the Lord, “...If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.” Every prophet of the Old Testament understood that God had to be with them. It was very important, and then the message came about the birth of Jesus. That was the hope of the Old Testament; the hope of Israel. But He came among them and many of them failed to recognize Him; yet, that was Emmanuel!  Thanks be unto God that He’ll come again, and He’ll live among them for one thousand years during His millennial reign! But Christianity, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, isn’t “Emmanuel.” As read in our theme verse, Jesus said, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter (the Holy Spirit), that he may abide with you for ever” (John 14:16). The Holy Spirit brings the presence of God.  The 1...

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another (John 13:35). Every so often, I read about Jesus in the Word and I’m greatly inspired. I see no greater example, no greater model. I’m inspired by His thoughts, by His deeds, His passion, His love, His excellence. His words went forth with power. Men heard Him and were transformed forever. Demons heard His voice and scampered in terror. Circumstances responded to His words. How could He be so powerful and yet so loving, forgiving and gracious?  Jesus inspires me so much that all I ever want is to be like Him. But He sent us the Holy Spirit to help us act like Him, think like Him, be powerful, loving and passionate like Him. When you’re filled with the Spirit, you’re filled with Jesus. That’s the Spirit that made Him everything that He was in the earth. Today, in His love, He gave us the same Spirit in full measure. Hallelujah!  No wonder He said, “…as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you”...

Christmas is a beautiful time of the year—it’s a time to celebrate the birth of Christ! And just like every holiday season, there’s a very good chance you’ll be spending time with friends and family members…sharing meals, shopping, giving and receiving gifts, attending special Christmas programs…and the list goes on.   But even when your days are filled to overflowing with all kinds of activities that can drain you of your physical energy and leave your mind reeling from the sheer volume, you can still have a “peace that transcends understanding” (see Philippians 4:7 AMP).  Advent gives us a chance to focus on the God-given peace that came in the form of a baby. Jesus came so that we could experience the peace of God, and He even taught us how to do that by the life He lived. Jesus is the Prince of Peace; He left His peace for us to enjoy, and He wants to help us live and maintain a peaceful life. The way to do that is to pursue peace and go after it. First Peter 3:10-11 ...

What Is the History of Halloween? It’s important that Christians understand the traditions they participate in, know what the Bible has to say, and approach every holiday and cultural practice with prayer and discernment. Knowing a bit of the history of Halloween can be an important step in that process. Jack-o-lantern and candles Halloween is one of the most popular holidays in the United States and certainly one of the most profitable. An article published in USA Today estimated that Americans spent over nine billion dollars on Halloween decorations, parties, and events in 2018. Now that number dipped significantly in 2020 in the heart of the Covid-19 pandemic, however, one statistics website forecasts that Americans will again spend close to 10 billion dollars in 2021 on Halloween. Needless to say, October 31 has become synonymous with many popular traditions. Pumpkin carving, costumes, trick-or-treating, bonfires, carnival games, mazes, haunted houses, decorations, and candy are so...

"Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools" (Psalm 84:5-6, NIV). As we continue through the autumn season, I'd like to turn your attention to the "autumn rains" mentioned in the psalm above. There are several references to autumn rains in the Bible. Depending on the Bible translation, sometimes you see autumn rain referred to as "early rain" or "former rain." The reason the Bible specifically mentions the rain of the autumn season is that such precipitation was very significant when the Bible was written. You see, at that time, farmers in Israel would plant their crops in the autumn and then harvest them in the spring. Such practice revolved around the rain patterns of their climate. In the summer, there was very little to no rain. However, a rainy season would begin in autumn and then conti...

Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand; To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people (Psalm 149:6-7).  The bad decisions and choices of many world leaders have brought about the destruction and decimation of economies, and other untold hardships experienced around the world today. In the Scriptures, you’d observe these things were foretold a long time ago, and they are today being hatched by satanic powers.  The plans for a one-world government, one-world economy, and one-world religion were all foretold in the Bible. The Bible declares: “So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter. Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice. He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him,...

In today’s world, people are all over the place! Nice people are being mean; mean people are being nice. Some people are trying to make things better; others are trying to make things worse. Then, there are those who are trying to hold on to what they have, and others are trying to get things they’ve never had. Everybody’s snatching and grabbing, pulling and tugging, because the world is in chaos.  We are being bombarded with negative imagery and all kinds of news. During such times, people ask, “Where is God?” as if He no longer exists. To the contrary, this is God’s best time! God works best in chaos. God created the earth in chaos. God brings order to chaos. He separates and regulates, He orchestrates and manages, because He works best in chaos! What this world needs right now is for God to bring order to our chaos. We need God to put things in order, but we will never see God move if we do not pray, seek His face, or call on His name. We will never see God move until we underst...