BIBLE WATCH

In the story of Balaam and Balak in Numbers chapter 22, God told Balaam he could go to Balak in verse 20, but when Balaam went, the Bible says in verse 22 that, “God’s anger was kindled because he went”. Why did God get angry when Balaam followed His directions? Let’s first read the verses: Numbers 22:20-22: And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them ; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do. And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab. And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him. The answer to this question can be found in the words of Apostle Peter in 2 Peter 2:15-16 which reads. 2 Peter 2:15-16 Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son o...

It was usual among Jews to call sinners dead men, because they are dead in trespasses and sins. Some bible references in support of this include: Ephesians 2:1 In the past you were dead because you sinned and fought against God.  Contemporary English Version. Colossians 2:13 You were dead, because you were sinful and were not God's people. But God let Christ make you alive, when he forgave all our sins.  Contemporary English Version. 1 Pet 4:6 The good news has even been preached to the dead, so that after they have been judged for what they have done in this life, their spirits will live with God.  Contemporary English Version. 1 Timothy 5:6 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. KJV. Despite how strange and odd such a phrase may sound in the ears of some, of one dead man's burying another, it was easily understood by a Jew; with whom it is common to say, " that a sinner is counted as dead , and that ungodly persons, e...

At first glance it indeed appears that in Matt 10:34, Jesus encourages violence and calls his disciples to practice it, presumably righteous violence. However, once this verse is read in its context, the meaning will change. The verse reads: Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth, but a sword. The context must be quoted in full to explain the meaning of "sword" in Matthew 10:34 (bold print): 32 "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven. 34 Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— 36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household [Micah 7:6] 37 Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; ...

Jesus said in Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”. What does this mean, "to be spiritually poor” and who are the people that have this attribute? To be poor in spirit means to have emptied yourself of all desire to exercise personal self-will and what is just as important to have renounced all preconceived opinions [prejudices] in the wholehearted search for God. It means to be willing to set aside your present habits of thought, your present views and prejudices, your present way of life, if necessary, to jettison in fact anything and everything that can stand in the way of your finding God. - Emmet Fox commentary. Thus, a person who is poor of spirit clearly sees and appreciates his dependence on God both physically and spiritually.  It is that person who recognize his spiritual poverty and his utter inability to do anything to justify himself to the Holy God. If you like our blog, kindly share your views, suggestions, a...

There is no contextual basis in the New Testament for claiming that between Good Friday and Easter, Christ was preaching to souls imprisoned in hell or Hades.  For many the question of whether Jesus went to hell may seem odd. Yet it is a question in desperate need of an answer. Not only because millions invoke the phrase “He descended into hell” as they recite the Apostles’ Creed, but because millions more have been caught up in the notion that their redemption was secured in an epic battle between Satan and the Savior in the cauldron of hell. In the words of popular preacher: "The Bible indicates that for three days, Jesus went into the very depths of hell. Right into the enemy’s own territory. And He did battle with Satan face to face. Can you imagine what a show down that was? It was good vs. evil. Right vs. wrong. Holiness vs. filth. Here the two most powerful forces in the universe have come together to do battle for the first time in history. But thank God. The B...

Your human spirit guides you by conviction , but the  Holy Spirit guides you by revelation and through  spiritual gifts to make you walk in God's perfect will for  your life. Conviction is about being strong in all things that is  within truth and that is right to do in all godliness that  you have known and that you have built into your life  through faith in God, through Scripture, and by good  parental upbringings. Convictions is what you know for  sure that makes your life solid in the world and  conviction gives you the energy and lifestyle that pulls  and keeps the kind of people and things to you that is  in your life now.  But the Holy Spirit guides you around  specifics and what you should be doing with your life  and guilds you around the steps that you should be  taking in life both per-time and in the long-run. The culture of your life style and conviction could  attract more tha...