Religion or Righteousness

and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”  Mark 1:15 NASB Repent – The Greek term for repent literally means “change your mind” (metanoéō)[1] but Yeshua wasn’t speaking Greek and in this case, knowing that the word he used was Hebrew makes a significant difference.  By…

Injuring God

The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. Genesis 6:6  NASB Was sorry – This verse is a problem for most theologians.  It’s not a problem because we can’t understand the words.  It’s a problem because theology doesn’t think of God in biblical terms.  Theology is the victim…

Too Good to be True

 I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:7  NASB Joy– Why does Yeshua make such an outrageous claim?  Think about it. Aren’t ninety-nine righteous people a great delight to God?  Aren’t they a blessing to others? …

But Things Have Changed

“And rend your heart and not your garments.” Now return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and relenting of evil.  Joel 2:13  NASB Return– How do you feel when it all comes back? What do you think of God’s grace and compassion when all the trials, struggles and discouragements return?   Why should you…

This Is No Joke

From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17 NASB Repent – April Fool’s Day. I wonder where that tradition began. Today I’m not playing a joke on you. Today I want to think seriously about something Harold Brown wrote. While Buddhism and Islam…

Breaking News

“Comfort, O comfort My people,” says your God. Isaiah 40:1 NASB Comfort – “They will lick the dust like a serpent, like reptiles of the earth. They will come trembling out of their fortresses; to the Lord our God they will come in dread and they will be afraid before You” (Micah 7:17). The God…

Double Whammy (rerun)

Repent, therefore, and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.  Acts 3:19 NASB Return – We know the word for repent.  It is a word that means to change your direction.  In Hebrew, it means distress that causes us to act…

Who to Blame?

“Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the Lord judge between you and me.” Genesis 16:5 NIV You are responsible – “It’s not my fault.” Oh, how we love…

Hebrew “Conversion”

“Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19 NASB (1963) Repent/return/wiped away – What do you think about Peter’s declaration? Is he asking his audience to become Christians by acknowledging Jesus as the Christ or is…

What Should I Do With You?

“You shall say to them, Thus says the LORD: When men fall, do they not rise again?  If one turns away, does he not return?”  Jeremiah 8:4  ESV Turns away/return – Doesn’t God’s broken heart ache for His children?  It’s difficult for us to imagine what that pain must be.  The perfect Father who wishes…