Something is wrong with my Christian forum. Everything seems to be working normally (i.e., the articles are there, and the links work), but for some reason, the forum's format has changed slightly, and I am currently unable to post anything new.

I'm really sorry for the inconvenience. Hopefully, the problem is only temporay and will be fixed soon.

DECEMBER 30-31

Gaining Control of "Bad Tongues"

In a letter to the 12 tribes of Israel (and to all Christians), the apostle James (who was also a brother of Jesus) wrote:

James 3:7: "For every kind of beasts [wild animals], and of birds, and of serpents [snakes, etc.], and of things in the sea [fish and other marine animals], is tamed, and hath [has] been tamed of [by] mankind [human beings--see note below for examples*]:"

James 3:8: "But the tongue can no man [person] tame [restrain]; it is an unruly evil [meaning it is almost impossible to control], full of deadly poison [capable of saying malicious, slanderous, hurtful things]."

James 3:9: Therewith [with our tongues] bless we God [we praise, thank, honor, and worship God], even the Father [in heaven]; and therewith [with our tongues] curse we [we wish evil upon] men [and women and children], which are made after the similitude [in the likeness or image] of God [i.e., mentally, morally, and socially--see note below**]."

James 3:10: "Out of the same mouth proceedeth [comes] blessing and cursing [of people and God]. My brethren [brothers, meaning fellow Jews and Christians], these things [i.e., 'cursing men' while 'blessing God'] ought not so to be [should not be so, should not be done, should not happen]."
We all need God's help to "tame" our tongues.

In his commentary on verse 10, Dr. Thomas Constable wrote:

"… To the person who speaks praise to God in the worship service and then abuses people verbally at home or at work, James commands, 'Purify your speech through the week.'

"With the person who says, 'Oh, I know I talk too much,' and laughs it off, James is not amused. He insists, 'Be quick to listen, slow to speak.'

"By the person who boasts, 'I always speak my mind, no matter who gets hurt,' James is not impressed. He commands, 'Discipline your speaking.'

"Of the person who says, 'I know I gossip too much, but I just can't help it,' James still requires, 'Control your tongue.'

"Of the person who is in the habit of speaking with insults, ridicule or sarcasm, James demands, 'Change your speech habits.'

"He [James] expects discipline to be happening in the life of a Christian. Any Christian can ask [through prayer] for the grace needed, for God gives good gifts (James 1:17) and gives them generously (James 1:5) …"

(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentary/james/3-10.html, "Dr. Constable's Expository Notes," with the paragraph broken up and with italics added for emphasis)

*Commenting on the apostle's statement in James 3:7, one Bible commentator said:

"It is interesting how that man has been able to tame all kinds of creatures. We can tame lions, we've seen the lion tamers and we've watched them in the circus. Birds can be trained to talk, and to say phrases. Even serpents can be trained and you see the... in India the guy with his flute and the Boa constrictor you know doing its thing. And of course you can go down to Sea World or over to Marineland and see how they have trained the fish. Man has learned how to train and to bring into control all these of these wild things in nature. One thing man hasn't been able to tame is his own tongue,"

(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentary/james/3-7.html, "Smith's Bible Commentary")

**How we can be made "after the similitude of God" is explained in the following article: "What does it mean that humanity is made in the image of God  (imago dei)?" If you want to read it, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/image-of-God.html.

DECEMBER 29

Christian Contentment, and Freedom From Fear

In a letter to Jewish Christians, the apostle Paul wrote:

Hebrews 13:5: "Let your conversation [conduct, way of life] be without covetousness [or greed, meaning a craving for money, power, and/or possessions, especially like those belonging to other people]; and be content [satisfied] with such things as ye [you] have: for he [God] hath [has] said [to people like Jacob, Joshua, and King Solomon in the Old Testament--see note below*], I will never leave thee [you], nor forsake [abandon, desert] thee."

Hebrews 13:6: "[We must try not to be covetous, to be content with the things that we have, and to trust in God's promises to never leave or forsake us] So that we may boldly [confidently] say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear [be afraid of] what man [other people, human beings] shall do unto me."
God's promise to never leave or forsake Christians who lived in Bible times also applies to Christians who are alive today.

*Some promises that God made to Jacob, Joshua, and King Solomon regarding his faithfulness and protection can be found in:

-- Genesis 28:15 [God's promise to Jacob]: "And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of."

-- Joshua 1:5 [God's promise to Joshua]: "There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee."

-- 1 Chronicles 28:20 [God's promise to Solomon]: "And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD."

DECEMBER 28

Most Bible commentators agree that this psalm was written by King David's son, Solomon:

Psalm 127:1: "Except [unless] the LORD build the house [e.g., an actual house, and the family inside] [or, for that matter, unless God helps people do anything--see note below*], they labour [work hard] in vain [without success] that build it [referring to those who try to 'build the house' themselves]: except the LORD keep the city [safe, by guarding and protecting it], the watchman waketh [awakens, wakes up, stays alert] but in vain [without success]."
*According to various Bible commentaries, the word house in the above verse can apply to the temple of the Lord, an ordinary house, or a family, but it can also be applied to everything that we do. With this meaning in mind, we are being told that our success and safety depend upon the presence and blessing of God.

In his commentary, Albert Barnes gives specific examples of why we are dependent upon God.

Here's what he says:

-- About the builders of the house: "… No matter what their skill, their strength, their industry may be - all will be in vain unless God shall assist them. They are dependent on Him for life, for health, for strength, for practical wisdom, for a disposition to continue their work, and for success in it. Their work might be destroyed by fire, by a tempest [a violent storm], by an earthquake, or by an irruption [a bursting in, meaning a sudden, violent, or forcible entry] of enemies; and for the result, therefore, they are entirely dependent on God."

-- About the watchman guarding the city: "… the idea is, that, whatever may be the diligence [persistent effort], the care, the fidelity [faithfulness] of one thus appointed to guard a city, its safe-keeping must depend on God alone. Fires may break out in spite of the watchmen; a tempest may sweep over it; bands of armed people may assail [attack] it; or the pestilence [contagious or infectious disease] may suddenly come into it, and spread desolation [emptiness or destruction] through its dwellings … It is universally true that, after all the care for their own preservation which people can employ, their safety depends wholly [entirely] on God."

(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/psalms-127.html, "Verse 1")

In his commentary on Psalm 127:1, James Burton Coffman wrote this condensed version of what Albert Barnes said above:

"'Labor' … is a reference to the most diligent and persistent toil [physical labor]. The simple point is, that no matter how hard a man may work, if God's blessing is not upon him, it will all go for nothing.

"'The watchman waketh but in vain' … This does not mean that a city does not need watchmen, or that such a vital service should be discontinued. It simply means that no amount of diligent concern can save a city without the blessing of God. This is just as true now as it was when written. Unless God shall bless our great American cities, the last one of them shall be destroyed."

(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentary/psalms/127-1.html, "Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible)

DECEMBER 26-27

Proverbs 26:11: "As a dog returneth to [goes back to and eats] his [or her] vomit, so [does] a fool returneth to [return(s) to, go(es) back to, repeat(s)] his [or her] folly [foolish or sinful behavior]."
Pastor Jim Delany of Salem Bible Church has an excellent commentary on this verse.

He starts by telling why wild wolves and other animals in the dog family eat their own vomit (i.e., to feed their young with food that they caught and ate during hunting, and to hide signs of their presence from predators) and goes on to illustrate the meaning of the verse by providing examples of the types of people who, for some reason, may quit their old habits for a short time and then go back to them. They include alcoholics, drug addicts, adulteresses, people with anger-control issues, thieves, and false teachers.

Nowadays, everyone seems to make excuses for bad behavior. Examples from paragraph 4 in the second section of the commentary include the following:

"a. The alcoholic can't help it. It was his environment. His father was a problem drinker.

"b. The adulteress shouldn't be judged. She had a bad upbringing. She grew up in a ghetto.

"c. The man with anger control isn't to be blamed. He experienced abuse as a child."

However, according to Pastor Delany: "Bad behavior is a choice… a sinful choice." It "is not to be traced to a bad environment."

If you want to read the commentary, here's the link: https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-26-index/proverbs-26_11/.

DECEMBER 25

Names of (or Descriptive Titles for) Jesus and Their Meanings

Following his vision of future events, the Old Testament prophet Isaiah wrote this about the birth of the Savior:

Isaiah 9:6: "For unto us [both the Jewish people and everyone else in the world] [for our benefit] a child [the Lord Jesus Christ (Son of God and Messiah)] is born [of (to) the virgin Mary], [and] unto us a son [Jesus--God the Son] is given [as a gift from God the Father, to become a sacrifice for the sins of the world (i.e., Jesus came to earth to die on the cross, pay for our sins, and save us from hell)]: and the government shall be upon his [Jesus'] shoulder [because he will eventually be crowned King]:

and his [Jesus'] name shall be called

Wonderful [because he will inspire wonder, amazement, and adoration due to the circumstances surrounding his birth, death, resurrection, and everything that he'll do throughout his life],

Counsellor [because he will have great wisdom and consequently will be highly qualified to guide and direct the entire human race],

The mighty God [because he will be both human and divine (fully God and fully man); in other words, he'll be 'God in the flesh'--see note below*],

The everlasting Father [because he will rule over his people forever],

The Prince of Peace [because he will be the true source of peace; i.e., peace with God, and peace with people]."
*For an explanation of why Isaiah said that Jesus would be called "The mighty God," read "Is Jesus God in the flesh?" You can find it here: https://www.gotquestions.org/God-in-the-flesh.html.

GotQuestions.org also has articles on the other names listed above. They are as follows:

-- "What does it mean that Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor (Isaiah 9:6)?"
    (https://www.gotquestions.org/Wonderful-Counselor.html)

-- "What is the meaning of "Everlasting Father" in Isaiah 9:6?"
    (https://www.gotquestions.org/Everlasting-Father.html)

-- "What does it mean that Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)?"
    (https://www.gotquestions.org/Prince-of-Peace.html)

DECEMBER 23-24

Joseph Discovers That His Fiancée (Mary) is Pregnant

Matthew 1:18: "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise [in this manner]: When as his [Jesus'] mother [the virgin] Mary was espoused [engaged to be married] to Joseph, before they came together [sexually, as husband and wife], she was found [to be] with child of the Holy Ghost [meaning she was found to be pregnant with baby Jesus, whom the Holy Spirit had created (formed) in her womb]."

Matthew 1:19: "Then Joseph [who was] her [Mary's] [future] husband, being a just [kind, tender, merciful] man, and [because he was] not willing to make her a publick example [i.e., he didn't want to embarrass Mary, humiliate her publicly, or cause her harm--see note below*], was minded [had decided] to put her away privily [or 'to separate himself from her privately'] [by breaking off their engagement]."

Matthew 1:20,21: "But while he [Joseph] thought on [about] these things, behold, the angel of the Lord [probably Gabriel] appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou [you] son [descendant] of [King] David, fear not [don't be afraid] to take unto thee [yourself] Mary [as] thy [your] wife: for that [baby] which is conceived in her is of [by] the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth [give birth to] a son, and thou shalt [you shall] call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins [which was Jesus' main reason for coming to earth]."

Matthew 1:22,23: "Now all this was done, [so] that it might be fulfilled [brought about] [that] which was spoken of the Lord [God] [and prophesied] by the prophet [Isaiah, in Isaiah 7:14], saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."

Matthew 1:24-25: "Then Joseph being raised from sleep [having been awakened] did as the angel of the Lord had bidden [instructed] him, and took unto him [Mary as] his wife: And knew her not [did not have sex with her] till [until after] she had brought forth [given birth to] her firstborn [oldest] son: and he [Joseph] called his [the baby's] name JESUS."
*Thankfully, we don't live in Bible days because, as Albert Barnes noted in his commentary on Matthew 1:19:

"… Adultery has always been considered a crime of a very heinous [evil or wicked] nature. In Egypt, it was punished by cutting off the nose of the adulteress [the woman who had committed adultery]; in Persia, the nose and ears were cut off; in Judea, the punishment was death by stoning … This punishment was also inflicted where the person was not married, but betrothed [engaged] … In this case, therefore, the regular punishment would have been death [for Mary] in this painful and ignominious [disgraceful, shameful] manner. Yet Joseph was a religious man - mild and tender; and he was not willing to complain of her to the magistrate [someone who administers the law, like a judge], and expose her to death, but sought to avoid the shame, and to put her away privately."

(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/matthew-1.html, "Verse 19")

DECEMBER 21-22

Exciting News for the Virgin Mary: She Was Chosen to Give Birth to God's Son

When Elisabeth was six months pregnant with John the Baptist, an angel was sent to the city of Nazareth to deliver an important message to Elisabeth's cousin Mary, a virgin who was betrothed to (engaged to marry) a man named Joseph.

Luke 1:30-31: "And the angel [Gabriel] said unto her [the virgin Mary], Fear not [don't be afraid], Mary: for thou hast [you have] found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt [you shall] conceive [a child] in thy [your] womb [uterus] [which meant that she would become pregnant], and bring forth [give birth to] a son [who is the promised Messiah of Israel and Savior of the world], and [you] shalt [shall] call his name JESUS [meaning 'Jehovah (the Lord) is Salvation']."

Luke 1:32,33: "He [Jesus] shall be great [in word and deed, power, wisdom, influence, etc.], and shall be called the Son of the Highest [or 'the Son of God']: and the Lord God shall give unto him [Jesus] the throne [kingdom] of his [earthly] father [referring to Jesus' ancestor, King] David [note: Mary and Joseph (Jesus' earthly mother and father) were both related to King David, which meant that Jesus would also be a descendant of King David and consequently could inherit his throne]: And he [Jesus] shall reign [rule] over the house [family] of Jacob [or 'the descendants of Jacob,' also known as the children of Israel,] for ever; and of his kingdom [both on earth and in heaven, which includes born-again Christians] there shall be no end."

Luke 1:34: "Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be [or 'how can I become pregnant and bear a child'], seeing [that] I know not [have not had sexual relations with] a man?"

Luke 1:35: "And the angel answered and said unto her [Mary], The Holy Ghost [the Holy Spirit] shall come upon thee [you], and the power of the Highest [the most high God] shall overshadow thee [which meant that Jesus would be created supernaturally, by the power of God--see note below*]: therefore also that holy thing [that holy child] which shall be born of thee [i.e., Jesus] shall be called the Son of God [in regard to his human nature]."
*Definition of overshadow, according to Strong's Concordance:

"… Used of the Holy Spirit exerting creative energy upon the womb of the virgin Mary and impregnating it (a use of the word which seems to have been drawn from the familiar OT [Old Testament] idea of a cloud as symbolising the immediate presence and power of God)"

(Source: http://www.godrules.net/library/kjvstrongs/kjvstrongsluk1.htm, "1:35")

Regarding the virgin birth, one Bible commentator wrote:

"… Mary's pregnancy would come about not through any sexual relations with Joseph, but through the direct creative power of the Spirit of God. The son born to her would be of Adam's race but free of any trace of Adam's sin. He would not be one whom God merely adopted as his son, but one who was actually God's Son …"

(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentary/luke/1-30.html, "Bridgeway Bible Commentary")

DECEMBER 19-20

Overwhelmed with guilt and deeply remorseful over (feeling sorry for) his wicked behavior, King David prayed to God:

Psalm 51:12-13: "Restore [bring back, return] unto me the joy of thy [your] salvation; and uphold me [hold me up, support me, keep me from falling--into temptation, sin, etc.] with thy free spirit [with a willing mind (i.e., willingly), and/or with the Holy Spirit's help]. Then [as an expression of gratitude to you (God) for your mercy and forgiveness despite the ungodly things that I (David) have done] will I teach transgressors [sinners--people who break your laws, either accidentally or on purpose] thy ways [including examples from my life of the consequences of sin]; and sinners shall be converted unto thee [you, implying that backsliding Christians (see note below*) would sincerely repent and turn back to God]."
 When this psalm was written, David had fallen into sin (by committing adultery with Bathsheba and causing the death of her husband, Uriah), and he wanted God to forgive him and restore the joy that he had when he first got saved. David also needed the Holy Spirit's help to resist temptation and avoid depression in the future. He promised that if and when God answered his prayer, he would tell others what they must do to have their sins forgiven, and, as a result, backslidden Christians would "get right with God."

*If you're unfamiliar with the term backslidden Christians, an excellent article to read is "What does it mean to backslide?" Here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/backslide.html.

DECEMBER 18

The Proper Way to Pray, According to Jesus

During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said to his disciples (followers):

Matthew 6:5: "And when thou prayest [when you pray] [to God], thou shalt [you shall] not be as the hypocrites [for example, the scribes and Pharisees] are: for they love to pray [while] standing in the synagogues [in this case, referring to public places, such as marketplaces and courts, where people in Bible times tended to gather, meet, or assemble,] and in the corners of the streets [on street corners], [so] that they may be seen of men [and women and children]. Verily [truly] I say unto you, They [the hypocrites] have their reward [in this life, in the form of praise from people]."

Matthew 6:6: "But thou [you], when thou prayest [when you pray], enter into thy [your] closet [secret room, or prayer closet, meaning you should go to a place where you can pray privately], and when thou hast [when you have] shut thy [your] [closet] door [i.e., when you are alone, to minimize distractions], pray to thy Father [in heaven, meaning God] which is in secret [who is hidden, invisible, unseen]; and thy Father [in heaven] which seeth [who sees what you are doing] in secret shall reward thee [shall answer your prayer and/or bless you in other ways] openly [publicly, in view of others, both on earth and in heaven]."
In other words, our reason for praying should be to communicate with God, not to impress other people.

According to Matthew Henry, a Bible commentator:

"… Public places are not proper for private solemn [serious] prayer. …"

(Source: https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/matthew/6.html, "Verses 5-8")

Albert Barnes added:

"… without giving rules, where the Saviour [the Lord Jesus Christ] has given none, we may suggest the following as times when secret prayer is proper:

"1. In the morning. Nothing can be more appropriate when we have been preserved through the night, and when we are about to enter upon the duties and dangers of another day, than to render to our great Preserver [God] thanks, and to commit ourselves to His fatherly care.

"2. In the evening. When the day has closed, what would be more natural than to offer thanksgiving for the mercies of the day, and to implore [beg, ask] forgiveness for what we have said or done amiss [wrong]? And when about to lie down again to sleep, not knowing but it may be our last sleep and that we may awake in eternity, what more proper than to commend ourselves to the care of Him 'who never slumbers nor sleeps?' [i.e., God]

"3. … in times of embarrassment and perplexity [confusion]. Such times occur in every man's [person's] life, and it is then a privilege and a duty to go to God and seek his direction …

"4. … when we are beset [plagued, attacked, threatened] with strong temptations …

"5. … when the [Holy] Spirit prompts us to pray …"

(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/matthew-6.html, "Verse 6")

DECEMBER 15-17

At the start of his public ministry, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River (Mark 1:9) and then spent forty days and nights in the wilderness, fasting and being tempted by Satan (Matthew 4:1-2). The story continues:

Mark 1:14-15: "Now after [the day] that John [the Baptist] was put in prison [by King Herod], Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel [good news] of the kingdom of God [referring to the Messiah's upcoming reign on earth], And saying [to the Jewish people], The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand [drawing near, approaching]: repent ye [in this case, meaning change your life, or behavior], and believe the gospel [of the kingdom, the meaning of which was understood by the Jews but not explained by Jesus--see note below*]."
*Like many people, you may have thought that verse 15 (Mark 1:15) is saying that we all need to repent in order to be saved. However, according to Pastor Jim Delany of Salem Bible Church, "This was NOT a message of individual salvation, but of national repentance."

Pastor Delany explains what he meant by that statement in his excellent article entitled "The Gospel of the Kingdom: What is the Gospel of the Kingdom?" (https://www.salembible.org/the-gospel-of-the-kingdom/). Here are some excerpts from that article:

"4.) While Peter & the other disciples preached a 'gospel', it is clear that the content of that message was NOT: that Jesus died for your sins and rose again. Nor was it even that Jesus was GOING to die for your sins!

"* At that point they did not expect Jesus to die. They expected that He would establish the Kingdom and reign forever!"
_____

"3.) This gospel was never explained to the disciples. They were simply told to go out and preach it. (Matt.10:1-7) The disciples announced this good news to the people without explanation."
_____

"B.) This Message Needed No Explanation

"1.) How did the Jews know what this 'good news' of the Kingdom meant? How were they to understand the CONTENT of the good news if it was not explained to them??? They didn't NEED any explanation. They had been waiting for this message to come for over 400 years!

"2.) Mal.4:5-6 - The last message of the Old Testament told the Jews to be expecting: an Elijah-like prophet to come to Israel and TURN hearts in a right direction!

"3.) They were expecting someone to come an tell them to: 'turn around'… change your mind… repent! That is exactly what John [the Baptist] & Jesus did.

"4.) Mal.3:1 -- They were expecting a: 'messenger' to come with a message! This messenger would tell the people to TURN to God… repent… and he would prepare the way for the Messiah/King. This is exactly what John [the Baptist] did."
_____

"i. The very last word of God in the Old Testament was a reminder to wait and watch and be ready for this Elijah-like prophet to come on the scene and TURN the people back to God… a message of national repentance to prepare the people for the coming King & the theocratic Kingdom -- God ruling on earth -- the Kingdom of heaven on earth -- thy kingdom come! (Mal.4:5-6)"
_____

"C.) John 1:19-23 -- The King's Forerunner: John [the Baptist] said that he was the voice of one crying in the wilderness, announcing the coming of the Messiah-King [Jesus], and was calling on the nation [of Israel] to prepare for the coming of the King and His Kingdom. The Jews understood that. This is what their most noteworthy prophet had told them to expect! (Cf. Isa.40:3)

"1. In his day, the Jews understood what he [John the Baptist] meant. In our day, the problem is one of reading NT [New Testament] truth back into the OT [Old Testament]. That is always dangerous.

"a. When John [the Baptist] & Jesus spoke of their message as a 'gospel', it did not have Christian meaning, but a Jewish meaning!

"b. It had nothing to do with the death, burial, & resurrection of Christ!

"c. The Christian church, the NT [New Testament] revelation was still a mystery. There was no possible way the people to whom they preached would have understood the term 'gospel' as we do, after the cross [referring to the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ].

"d. They understood what God had revealed up to that point. The Christian church and Christian doctrine [of salvation] were not yet revealed."
_____

"6. This message, calling the nation of Israel exclusively to repent and obey His [God's] commands is clearly NOT the same message as the gospel of God's grace, calling on individuals to believe that Jesus died and rose again and if they believe they will receive eternal life!"
_____

"IV. Relationship To Lordship salvation

"A. Lordship salvation views the teachings of Jesus to Israel as equal to God's plan of salvation for the world today.

"B. They [the people who believe in Lordship salvation] view the ministry of Christ (& even the OT [Old Testament] prophets!) as a gospel ministry virtually the same as a Christian missionary.

"1. Yes, Jesus did tell individual men how to be saved.

"2. BUT, His main ministry was to Israel to confirm the covenants [agreements] made with their fathers [ancestors]. (Rom.15:8)

"3. The Sermon on the Mount is NOT the plan of salvation! …

"4 When Jesus said, 'Follow me and I will make you fishers of men', that is not the plan of salvation! Men are not saved by 'following' but by 'believing.'
_____

"C. As a result of that kind of thinking: They [the people who believe in Lordship salvation] emphasize 'repentance' and a 'turning from sin' as a pre-requisite [requirement] for salvation

"Lordship people call upon men to 'stop sinning' before they can receive Christ. That is backwards. A man must BELIEVE and be saved before he is ever ABLE to stop sinning!

"Interesting note: the purpose of the gospel of John is to teach men what we must do in order to obtain eternal life. While the words 'faith' and 'believe' occur throughout that gospel, yet the term 'repent' does not appear even once!"

After reading the above excerpts from Pastor Delany's commentary, if you're confused about lordship salvation or want to know more about it, you may also want to read the article entitled "Introduction to Lordship Salvation: Is It Another Gospel?" Here's the link: https://www.salembible.org/lordship-salvation/.

DECEMBER 13-14

Proverbs 13:2: "A man [or woman or child] shall eat good by [shall benefit from] the fruit of his [or her] mouth [or 'from the good things that he (or she) says']: but the soul of the transgressors [i.e., people who stir up anger] shall eat violence [meaning they shall lose friends and/or cause division, fights, etc.] [because of what they say]."
According to Pastor Jim Delany of Salem Baptist Church: "Instead of saying you REAP what you sow, here the illustration is that you EAT what you grow."

Some benefits from good speech include peace, happiness, healthy relationships, and a trouble-free life. Pastor Delany explains why this is true, and he also gives additional examples of the results of good and bad speech, in his commentary on the above verse. If you want to read it, here's the link: https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-13-index/proverbs-132/.

DECEMBER 12

The apostle John said:

1 John 4:20: "If a man [or woman or child] say [says], I love God, and hateth [hates] his [or her] brother [or sister] [in Christ, meaning a fellow Christian--or, for that matter, if he (or she) hates any person], he [or she] is a liar: for he [or she] that loveth not [does not love or have compassion for (referring to brotherly love, not romantic or sexual love)] his [or her] brother [or other person] whom he [or she] hath [has] seen, how can he [or she] love God whom he [or she] hath not seen?"
According to the Bible, we can't see God (John 1:18), but we were created in his image (Genesis 1:27), so if we don't love people, we can't love God.

DECEMBER 11

Proverbs 11:17: "The merciful [kind] man [and woman and child] doeth [does] good to his [or her] own soul [i.e., to himself (or herself)]: but he [or she] that is cruel [mean] [to other people] troubleth [troubles] his [or her] own flesh [and blood, meaning himself (or herself) and/or his (or her) family members]."
In his commentary, Pastor Jim Delany of Salem Bible Church summarizes the above verse as follows: "Blessed and happy are the merciful. Miserable are the mean!"

According to Pastor Delany, it's a good thing to help others because it also gives us joy, plus blessings and mercy from God. However, we must be careful to do it for the right reasons. In paragraph 3 of his commentary on the merciful part of the above verse, the pastor says:

"a. We ARE to show mercy to others.

"b. And the giver gets a bigger blessing than the receiver.

"c. BUT-we are not to give IN ORDER to get!

"d. In other words, we are not to give to others SO THAT God will give to us 7 fold!

"e. I [Pastor Delany was referring to himself] have heard charismatic preachers tell their listeners to give generously to their ministry SO THAT God would bless them 7 fold!
"• The idea was, if you give me $100.00, God will send in $700.00 to you!
"• He [the preacher] was encouraging people to give in order to get more back!
"• The motivation in that kind of giving was not mercy. It was pure greed! Covetousness! Selfishness!
"• The charismatic preacher called it 'faith giving.' I call it a religious scam!
"• While I [Pastor Delany] do not know any individual's heart--it is hard for me to believe that those men do not know exactly what they are doing--twisting scripture for their own advantage!
"• Jude would say [in Jude 1:11], 'Woe unto them! For they have gone in the way of Cain and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward!'
"• And not only are THEY greedy, but they are promoting greed.
"• Nothing could be further from the kind of mercy… selfless giving… the Scriptures describe!"

In the cruelty part of the commentary, we find some examples of people who are mean-spirited:

-- Bullies at school, at work, and in the government
-- People who express prejudice and bigotry
-- Those who harm the innocent and helpless, as in abortion
-- People who spread gossip and rumors
-- Scam artists who take advantage of the elderly

People who are mean to others will usually:

-- Be tormented by guilt, or have guilty consciences.
-- Incur the wrath of God and man (i.e., punishment by God, revenge by other people).
-- Bring trouble upon themselves and their families.

If you want to read more of the pastor's commentary, here's the link: https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-11-index/proverbs-11_17/.

Another Bible commentator summarized today's verse like this:

"'You do yourself a favor when you are kind. If you are cruel, you only hurt yourself.'"

(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentary/proverbs/11-17.html, "Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible")

DECEMBER 10

Before sending his apostles out to preach the gospel, heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast out devils (Matthew 10:7-8), Jesus told them to expect opposition and said:

Matthew 10:28: "And fear not [don't be afraid of] them [those people] which kill the body [i.e., the mortal part, which has a limited life span], but are not able to kill the soul [i.e., the immortal part, which lives forever]: but rather fear him [God] which is able to destroy [torment and punish] both soul and body in hell."
Although the above verse applied specifically to the apostles in Bible times, its truth is also a comfort to born-again Christians and a warning to all unsaved people.

DECEMBER 9

James 2:19: "Thou believest [you believe] that there is one God; thou doest [you do] well: the devils [evil spirits, demons] also believe [that there is one true God], and [they] tremble [shake involuntarily, in fear of his wrath (extreme anger) and of being tormented forever in the lake of fire]."
The apostle James said that devils believe in God, but we know that they're not saved, so simply believing in God is not enough to get us to heaven. According to what Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:3, we must be born again.

How does one become born again?

Basically, if you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and Messiah, that he died on the cross to pay for your sins, and that he was buried and rose again, all you need to do is sincerely ask him (through prayer, either silently or out loud) to come into your heart and save you so you can go to heaven when you die. Why not do it now?

Note: Detailed instructions on the plan of salvation can be found in the "Printable Gospel Tracts" section of my website. Here's a direct link to that page: https://www.mansioninheaven.com/PrintableGospelTracts.html.

DECEMBER 8

The writer of this psalm, probably King David, said to God:

Psalm 119:89: "For ever, O LORD, thy [your] word [as recorded in the Bible] is settled [fixed, established] in heaven."
In other words, the Bible (containing God's laws, counsel/advice, promises, etc.) is complete and will never change.

Commenting on the above verse, Albert Barnes said:

"… The meaning here is, that the word - the law - the promise - of God was made firm, established, stable [not easily moved, altered, or destroyed], in heaven; and would be so forever and ever. What God had ordained [decreed] as law would always remain law; what he had affirmed [stated as fact] would always remain true; what he had promised would be sure forever."

(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/psalms-119.html, "Verse 89")

And Pastor Chuck Smith, another Bible commentator, wrote:

"You have nothing more permanent than the Word of God …

"… God's commandments and laws don't change because the mores [morals--acceptable customs, norms, and behaviors] of our society are so changed. The truth of God is absolute [fixed]. The law of God is absolute. It is not relative to a situation. It is not relative to a society. It is not relative to the mores of a society. God has established the absolute law. His Word is forever settled in heaven. If you find yourself arguing with the Word [of God], you're wrong. God's Word is a settled issue."

(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentary/psalms/119-89.html, "Smith's Bible Commentary")

DECEMBER 6-7

In Bible times, the nation of Israel frequently rebelled against God and committed idolatry and other wicked sins. To them, and to all sinners today, God said:

Isaiah 1:18: "Come now, and let us reason together, saith [says] the LORD [God]: though your sins be as scarlet [a bright red color, which is impossible to remove from fabric when used as a dye, just as it is impossible for people (without God's help) to remove the sins that have stained their souls] [and though they're scarlet now--before salvation], they [your sins] shall be as white as snow [after you get saved; that's because, when a person gets saved, or born again, his or her sins are pardoned by God, and his or her soul is cleansed and made pure]; though they [your sins] be red like crimson [a deep purplish red] [now], they shall be as [white as undyed] wool [when you are saved]."
What God said (through Isaiah) in the above verse is what born-again Christians mean when they sing, "What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus."

If you want to become a born-again Christian and have your sins washed away, please follow the instructions in one of the tracts listed in the "Printable Gospel Tracts" section of my website. Here's a direct link to that page: https://www.mansioninheaven.com/PrintableGospelTracts.html.

Commenting on the colors used in Isaiah 1:18, one Bible commentator (quoted in "The Biblical Illustrator") wrote:

"Scarlet and crimson sins

"Sins are here likened [compared] to scarlet and crimson [red] dye, and with good reason, indeed. For, first of all, scarlet and crimson are the most glaring and flaunting of colours [i.e., they attract attention]; and sin is the most audacious [shocking] as well as self-delusive [misleading, deceptive] appearance, under which man affronts [offends] the majesty of God in the sight of heaven and earth. Scarlet and crimson, also, are the blush of shame. And what so shameful as sin, or rather what can be shameful but sin! Scarlet and crimson are also the colour of blood; and blood is on the head of every sinner, as St: Paul [the apostle], told the unbelieving Jews when they refused to be converted from their sins: [']Your blood be upon your own heads' And scarlet and crimson were (whatever they may be now) colours which it was beyond all men's power and skill to discharge [remove] from the cloth which had been ones dyed with them. And is it not equally beyond all man's power to cleanse his own soul from the dye [stain] of sin? …"

(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/tbi/isaiah-1.html, "Verse 18")

DECEMBER 5

After Moses died, God told Joshua (a great military leader and Moses' successor--see note below*), perhaps in a dream or vision:

Joshua 1:8: "This book of the law [of God, as recorded in the Bible--in this case, referring specifically to the part that had been written by Moses] shall not depart out of thy [your] mouth [this was to insure that all of Joshua's commands to the children of Israel would be based upon God's word]; but thou shalt [you shall] meditate therein [think about what is written in it (the Bible)] [during the] day and night, [so] that thou mayest [you may] observe to do according to all that is written therein [i.e., in the Bible] [this was another way of saying that God wanted his people to obey his commands]: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."
Like Joshua, we should study, memorize, and obey God's word (the Bible) if we want to be successful in life.

*For background information on Joshua, read "Who was Joshua in the Bible?" Here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/life-Joshua.html.

DECEMBER 3-4

Regarding our Christian journey through life, the prophet Isaiah wrote:

Isaiah 40:31: "But they that wait upon the LORD [for help and guidance] shall renew their strength [become strong in faith]; they shall mount up with wings as eagles [do, which means that they will fly heavenward spiritually (get closer to God), and fly strongly, quickly, and high, out of the reach of danger]; they shall run [through this life], and not be weary [tired, worn out]; and they shall walk [with God through life], and not faint [from fatigue or exhaustion]."
One of the best things that a Christian can do is learn to depend upon God.

Here are some interesting facts about eagles, from "The Biblical Illustrator":

"God's eagles

"I. The eagle is built for FLIGHT.

"1. His structure marvellously combines strength, lightness, and muscular power. The anatomy of the bird shows feathers, bones, muscles, and sinews [tendons or ligaments] to be designed by the Creator [God] for the purpose of flying; and a master specimen of perfect adaptation e.g., the cylindrical [curved] structure of bones and feathers makes each virtually a balloon, so that when the wings are spread for flight, the tendency is upward instead of downward, and no effort is needed to support the body upon the air, which rather buoys it up [keeps it afloat].

"2. Built for high flights, capable of mounting [going up, climbing, ascending] above all other birds, no other being capable of rising to such elevations [heights], or being so at home in the upper atmosphere. In fact, as the air becomes more ratified [rarefied? (meaning it contains less oxygen)], the bird seems to soar [fly high in the air] with greater ease and rapidity [speed], and finds it the more natural to ascend [climb, go higher].

"3. Built for sustained and tireless flights, maintaining himself without exhaustion for any length of time, and resting on the wing. Those who have watched the eagle's flight have observed that there is no apparent effort; he rather finds in it rest and recreation than a struggle to maintain himself.

"4. Built for fearless flight. The eagle soars above the abyss [a deep or seemingly bottomless chasm] without even a trace of timidity, a stranger to all fear. What to us is danger, is to him delight, challenging and provoking his flight.

"II. The eagle is built for REPOSE. No bird can be so still and motionless when he rests. When the eagle perches [alights (descends and settles), rests] on the crag [a steep, rugged rock or cliff], and grasps it [tightly] with his talons [claws], the more he settles down, the firmer and more immovable his clutch [grasp]. The anatomy of his legs exhibits the adaptation of his whole structure to the purposes of perching. The weight of the body, resting upon the lower portion of the legs, increases the tenacity [tightness] of the hold upon whatever is chosen as a resting-place. His sleep, therefore, is secure, for h,.'s [his?] grasp can only relax as he rises upon his feet and so releases all the sinews by which his talons grip the rock. He goes to sleep, therefore, without a doubt that he will find himself there in the morning.

"III. The eagle is built for the STORM. He perceives [senses, recognizes, becomes aware of] it afar off and is not afraid. This king of birds detects the approach of the storm-cloud, not only with eyes and ears, but with mysterious senses to which we are strangers; and, when as yet there is no appearance of the coming tempest [violent storm] above the horizon [the line at which the earth's surface and sky seem to meet], he scents [smells] its approach, lifts up his majestic head, looks toward the coming storm, and prepares himself for a gigantic grapple [fight, struggle] with the forces of nature. He welcomes tempests before which wild beasts flee to their dens in terror. He preens [straightens and cleans] his feathers, shakes himself as tornado and tempest approach, actually takes the very front and leads the storm, outflying it [flying faster than the storm] at its most rapid pace, rejoicing [feeling joyful] in its violence, and, when he will, rising far above it into the clear heights of cloudless day, whence [from where] he looks down upon it.

"IV. The eagle LIVES A SOLITARY LIFE. There is no bird so alone. Other birds go in flocks [large groups]; the eagle, never; if two [eagles] are seen together, they are mates [a pair--male and female]. Its majesty consists partly in its solitariness [solitude, being alone]. It lives apart because other birds cannot live where and as it lives, and follow where it leads.

"V. The eagle is TRAINED BY DISCIPLINE. The parent bird trains the young [birds] to fly; and, if need be, the mother pushes the young bird off the edge of the cliff, and lets it fall over into the abyss, and tumble screaming and screeching [squealing], apparently doomed to be dashed in pieces; but the mother bird watching, drops like a plummet, with incredible rapidity [meaning she drops down rapidly], beneath the young bird, and receives it on her broad maternal [motherly] wings and bears [carries?] it up to the heights only to let it drop again; until, by and by, the fledgling [a young bird that has grown feathers] is prepared [to fly], as the mother bird swoops down to arrest [stop] its fall, to take the wing and follow the parent on her majestic flight.

"VI. The healthy eagle IMPARTS STRENGTH. A sick eagle, whose vitality [energy] had been reduced by long confinement, was set loose and placed on the heather [uncultivated countryside], but only drooped and seemed ready to die. Then another eagle, that from the heights [from high in the sky] saw the feeble [weak] bird, swept down and touched and fanned it with his great wings. This was repeated until the sick bird, gradually feeling the inspiration of the other's vitality, preened itself [with its beak], expanded its wings, and ultimately followed [the other eagle] in the upward flight. We seldom get an upward look, aspiration, or ascent, unless someone from the heights sweeps down add [and?] touches us.

"VII. The eagle, thus built for the heights, is NOT CONTENT TO DWELL ON EARTH …"

(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/tbi/isaiah-40.html, "Verse 31")

DECEMBER 2

Jeremiah 17:11: "As the partridge [a  short-tailed game bird that is similar to, but larger than, a quail] sitteth [sits] on eggs [that it probably stole from other birds], and hatcheth [hatches] them not [is unable to hatch them because they are broken, rotten, stolen by other birds, etc.]; so he [or she] that getteth [gets, obtains] riches, and not by right [not lawfully; i.e., dishonestly--through theft, lies, etc.], shall leave them in the midst [middle] of his [or her] days [life], and at his [or her] end [of life] shall be a fool."
Like birds that attempt, without success, to hatch other birds' eggs, covetous (greedy) people suffer disappointment and eventually are parted from money that is not rightfully theirs. This may happen, for example, when they die (from natural causes, accidents, murder, etc.) or end up in jail.

DECEMBER 1

Psalm 100:1-2: "{A Psalm of praise.} Make a joyful noise unto the LORD [God], all ye [you] lands [or 'all of you nations, or people, on earth']. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence [both publicly and privately, in person and through prayer] with singing."
As I've mentioned before, singing (which is one way to 'make a joyful noise') is a great way to praise and worship God. In fact, if we pay attention to the words of Christian hymns (for example, the kind used in Baptist churches--see Hymnary link below) while singing, it will not only give us joy but also help to strengthen our faith.

Click here for a list of "Most Popular Hymns" plus "the 250 hymns published the most frequently in modern hymnals indexed by Hymnary.org": https://hymnary.org/browse/popular.

Regarding serving the Lord with gladness, one Bible commentator wrote:

"… Now if you can't serve the Lord with gladness, it's better that you not serve Him. It is a shame and a disgrace that people gripe [complain] about what they've done for the Lord or their service for God. But that's usually the result of people being pushed into something that God hasn't led them into. And the church, unfortunately, has been very guilty of pushing people into jobs or into things that the people's heart really isn't in it. People are oftentimes pushed to support a new building program or pushed to support a new budget or something for the church. And everytime the month comes around and you get your little notice that your pledge is due, you get upset, you know, and you write out your pledge and mail it in, but you're angry about it. You've been pressured into it. They caught you at a weak moment.

"'Serve the Lord with gladness.' If you can't give joyfully to the Lord, you're much better off not to give, because if you give grudgingly [in a reluctant or resentful manner], that's going to go against you. That's not going to count. That will count against you. So you're much better off not to give at all. If you can be happy about not giving at all, you're much better off doing that rather than giving grudgingly to God. And that's giving of your time and serving the Lord or giving of your finances or whatever. If you can't give unto the Lord with a joyful heart, if you cannot serve the Lord with gladness, then it's best you not serve Him at all. God doesn't want any kind of grudging in your gifts to Him. God doesn't want your giving ever to be out of pressure, out of constraint, out of someone pushing you. …"

(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentary/psalms/100-1.html, "Smith's Bible Commentary")