June 13, 2026

Perhaps you recognize the name of Thutmose III of Egypt, the pharaoh whom Yours Truly identifies as the pharaoh of the oppression and from whom Moses fled in Exodus 2:15. Well, this is not that story, but one even so that impacts biblical history, for in 1457 B.C. while Moses is enjoying quiet married life in Midian as a shepherd, ten years before he’ll be surprised by a burning bush in the wilderness that would lead to his returning to Egypt to lead the Israelites into freedom, Thutmose III is marching toward a fortress town in Canaan called Megiddo.

Thutmose wanted to expand his kingdom, but Megiddo stood in his way—literally. Located strategically at an important pass through the Mount Carmel range, if Megiddo fell, then the Egyptians could control the key highway that runs past Megiddo, known as the “Way of the Sea,” over which armies and caravans have traveled since the dawn of time between the continents of Europe and Asia and the continent of Africa.

Conquering Megiddo would lead to extraordinary wealth and power, so much so that when Thutmose III’s generals hesitated to issue the command for their soldiers to enter the narrow and dangerous route through this mountainous terrain, the biblical pharaoh famously charged them with these words, “The capture of Megiddo is like the capture of one thousand cities.” So they braved the march, they besieged the city, and the city fell, thus dramatically reducing any threat of serious resistance to their newly-acquired rule from any of the people living in the valley and the surrounding region.

From the heights of Megiddo the victors looked out in awe on the strikingly beautiful flatland to the northeast, known today as the Jezreel Valley. Shaped like an arrowhead this valley has arguably witnessed more battles than any other place on earth. Napoleon once quipped, “All the armies of the world could maneuver on this plain,” for whoever controlled this broad, strategically-located valley controlled one of the greatest and most powerful intersections in the world.

Today Megiddo is a tel, a small hill or mound that has built up over centuries and that when excavated will reveal layer upon layer of past civilizations at that location. In fact twenty-six layers of ancient civilization have been identified, dating from ancient times until shortly before the New Testament era when the site was surprisingly abandoned and never rebuilt. Different groups of Canaanites held Megiddo as far back as 3000 B.C., then the Egyptians, of course, followed by other famous names and peoples, including General Joshua (under whom the land was assigned to the tribe of Manasseh which would ultimately fail to hold it), David, Solomon, Ahab, Omri and the Assyrians. One of my favorite writers, archaeologist James Murphy-O’Connor, has called Megiddo “the royal box in one of the great theaters of history,” adding that “from time immemorial armies have surged from the surrounding valleys to play their parts on the flat stage of the Jezreel Valley.”

Perhaps you know Tel Megiddo by its other name, Har Megiddo, meaning “the hill of Megiddo,” which when translated into the Greek language, transforms into Armageddon. Anticipating the final battle to end all battles, Revelation 16:14, 16 states that “the kings of the earth and of the whole world [will] gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty … and they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.”

Megiddo’s history is ultimately a story about the future of the world. The word Megiddo has been variously translated as “the hill of troops” or “the place of slaughter,” a meaning that foreshadows a terrible time when the armies of the world will come against God’s people and be defeated. Even so, come, Lord Jesus, for we know you alone can bring peace to the world.

-Daniel McCabe

Trivia (Find the answer below)

Life in the Land:: Ten Fun Facts about Camels

1. Jesus mentioned camels—actually, twice! You probably remember this one. “I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Matt. 19:24). But did you remember this quote, describing the scribes and Pharisees? “Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!” (Matt. 23.24).

2. There is no evidence that riding camels hurts them. You as the rider might be a little sore the next day, but they are just fine.

3. A camel can walk up to 60 miles per day, 20 miles comfortably with a full load, can carry around 1300 pounds of cargo, can survive for ten days without water and can tolerate temperatures over one hundred degrees.

4. Camel milk and camel cheese are gaining popularity in Israel for their low-fat health benefits.

5. Camel meat is not considered kosher because camels do not have fully split hooves.

6. On your next visit to Israel, you can pay $5-10 for a five-minute camel ride, supervised by Bedouin handlers. Camels are often equipped with two-seat saddles so that you can ride with a friend.

7. Most domesticated camels in Israel are one-humped Dromedaries, not the two-humped Bactrian variety

8. I wouldn’t recommend feeding them by hand because they have a powerful bite. But they do love dates as a snack. Oh, and watch out, they sometimes spit when annoyed and you definitely won’t like the smell.

9. Camels aren’t typically wild or free-roaming in Israel, but you won’t travel very far down Highway 1 on your way from Jerusalem to Jericho before seeing Bedouin camps and camels.

10. Camels are surprisingly intelligent. They recognize their handlers, remember people, and can be trained for specific routes.

-Daniel McCabe

Scripture Study:: Three Bold Claims, part 2

Last time I shared three bold claims with the third being that much of the Old Testament hasn’t happened yet. Let me offer an example from Zechariah 8:1-8, one of many that I could give. Here God makes the following promises to the nation of Israel at a time when they had begun to return to their land from exile.

“And the word of the LORD of hosts came, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath. Thus says the LORD: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts, the holy mountain. Thus says the LORD of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of great age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. Thus says the LORD of hosts: If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my sight, declares the LORD of hosts? Thus says the LORD of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country, and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.’”

Now, as the people began returning to Israel from exile in Babylon and Persia, no doubt there would have been a lot of excitement. “God is at work! Something great is happening! He’s told us through the prophets that he would regather us!” No doubt they would have begun to think, “We’re being regathered!” And so they started to rebuild the temple and eventually the city. Of course, there was a lot of buzz, “Is this our promised Golden Age? Is this the blessed age of the kingdom to come?” For sure, their regathering from exile was the beginning of that promised time, and the years to follow would create the potential for those days to be fully realized if they had simply received Jesus as their king. A lot of what you read in these verses from Zechariah did actually happen. I’m quite sure that there were old men and women living there and boys and girls playing in the streets. But this passage and many other prophetic passages speak of a time when the norm would be peace and prosperity. Zechariah also said that they would live as God’s people in faithfulness and righteousness and that Jerusalem would even be called the faithful city, but there’s so much in Zechariah that has not happened yet, especially in light of the prophecy’s emphasis on “forever.” For example, Zechariah 8:20-23 reads, “Thus says the LORD of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities. The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD and to seek the LORD of hosts; I myself am going.’ Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD. Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”

This is just one example from the Old Testament in which the prophets speak of a Glorious Age for Jerusalem (Zion) when God is with His people, Israel, when they are living with Him as His people in faithfulness and righteousness and when the rest of the nations of the world are flocking to Jerusalem to seek the one true God. If we look back in history, we can see individual examples of this when people have gone to Jerusalem from other countries. Certainly too there have been faithful people in Jerusalem living for God in righteousness and faithfulness, but they are only individual cases on a limited basis, yet these verses speak more about a comprehensive national renewal of zeal for the Lord like no other time in history and in such a way that the glory of God will reach out to all the nations of the world.

If you look back in history, this hasn’t yet been the case. Therefore, when we see unfulfilled promises like this in the Old Testament, we must decide how to understand them. One option is that perhaps God has no intention of fulfilling them. Maybe He’s no longer interested in doing so. A lot of people think this way in light of Israel’s rejection of Jesus. In this view God is done with Israel as a nation. He’s no longer interested in fulfilling these prophecies. But I think we should reject this option, for it puts us in the awkward position of having to decide which promises God will fulfill and which ones He won’t.

A second option would be to read these prophecies with the mindset that if any one of these prophecies has not happened yet, then we should expect that one day it will. I think this is the correct option.

But there is a third option. Perhaps God plans to keep His promises, but in a different or unexpected way. Perhaps we are safe to spiritualize them, meaning that they simply teach us that God will treat us kindly if we honor Him.

Finally there is this. We can look back on all the prophecies that have thus far been fulfilled and say, “Wow, they’ve been fulfilled precisely as described by the prophets,” so why wouldn’t this be true of all the remaining prophecies too? This leads me to conclude that Zechariah 8 hasn’t happened yet and that we await its fulfillment in the future.

In summary much of the Old Testament hasn’t happened yet, thus we must not think of the Old Testament as something from the past and the New Testament for the present. The Bible is one unified corpus, and as we look through its pages, both Old and New Testament, we can look forward to a time when ALL God’s promises will come true.

-Adam Keim

The Heel Bones of Yehohanan, part 1

Archaeology

Roman crucifixion is arguably one of the most brutal and painful forms of execution ever invented by men, yet, according to the accounts of first-century historians, Rome systematically sentenced thousands of men to death by crucifixion, including our Savior, Jesus. Loss of blood, muscle spasms, and exhaustion greatly contributed to the death of crucified men, but asphyxiation was the pivotal cause of death, for breathing became incredibly difficult as the hours passed, especially when those crucified could no longer muster the energy to pull up with their arms or push up with their legs in order to fill their lungs with air.

We know too from historians that the condemned were either tied or nailed to wooden crossbeams and uprights, but until 1968 no physical evidence had ever been found of Roman crucifixion. In that year construction workers uncovered an ancient tomb in a neighborhood in northeast Jerusalem, and inside they found an ossuary (a bone box) inscribed with the name Yehohanan, the son of Hagakol.

A young Greek archaeologist named Vassilios Tzaferis oversaw the excavation of the tomb, and in 1985 he wrote a detailed article about his findings. He determined that Yehohanan was in his mid to late twenties when he died and approximately 5’ 6” tall (an average height for people in that part of the world at that time) with a slender build and lean muscles. His bones showed no evidence of nutritional deficiency or disease and no serious injuries prior to his crucifixion, but outside of a noticeable cleft palate, which he might have successfully hidden by a beard, Yehohan had a pleasant face.

His short life and tragic ending, however, have provided enormous insight into the manner in which men were crucified during the time of Jesus. We’ll look at this in next week’s post.

-Daniel McCabe

Answer to the Trivia

B. 11

Sandwiched between Guernsey at #10 and the Isle of Man at #12.

The Cayman Islands came in at #1.

Week Twenty-Four, 2026

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” (John 15:5-8)

God told Joshua how the Israelites would take possession of the Promised Land. He included a vital instruction: to meditate on His Law day and night and to obey everything it said.

Living a Christ-centered life filled with peace and joy depends on our commitment to focus our mind and heart on Him regularly.

Our life flows from connection, not from effort.

John 15 focuses on Jesus as the “true vine,” urging disciples to “abide” in Him to bear spiritual fruit, emphasizing love, obedience, and warning of worldly hatred.

He is the Vine; we are the branches. The secret of life is connection.

Eliso Mejia, in his latest book, Online but Not Connected, emphasizes the need for spiritual connection.

Union (connection) with Christ is the Christian life. It is the foundational doctrine that believers are spiritually joined to Jesus, meaning His life, death, and resurrection become theirs.

Life flows from connection, not from effort. Ministry can give you the illusion of friendship, but Jesus truly loves you.

If the Word has not changed you, perhaps it hasn’t saved you. If we hear the Word and don’t do the Word, we are lost. The final test of salvation is fruit. The test of Sunday is how we talk on Monday.

The fruit of connection with Jesus is love. Stay connected with the source of life. He is the Vine of life.

Sometimes True Stories

God is always with those who believe, even though it may not seem that way at times. God sees the big picture, while we see the daily snapshots. As humans, we often cry out for help for short-term issues while God is sculpting the big picture. He often allows us to go through temporary difficulties because He is sculpting our long-term future. Trusting in the Lord is not always easy, and we may even feel abandoned at times, but that is simply not true. It is important to understand that even though God may not give us what we want, we can be assured that what God wants is what matters.

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There is only One—to believe and follow.

The One Who hung from the cross while soldiers threw dice gambling for His garments, as the last of His blood dripped to the ground below Him.

The One Who was the long-awaited Messiah—surely to take over control from the Roman government and make their lives easier.

But His mission and purpose were more eternally life-changing.

Only One—Who hung on the cross for each of us, creating the path for everyone then, today, and tomorrow to embrace Christ as their personal Savior, assuring their eternal spot in Heaven.

His purpose for coming to earth was beyond His personal self-interest and all about our best interest.

The One Matthew depicts in a rapid string of passages, some set out above, demonstrating Godly supernatural powers, coupled with a heart and sensitivity to hear, help, and heal those around Him—always pointing them to Hope.

There is only One. The Son of God.

Only One—Jesus Christ.

It was never about Him, but always all about others.

Finding people where they were and taking them where they should be. People like you and like me.

Calling them to believe, and then to follow Him and His example, and touch and bless life after life in the world around them—hearing, helping, encouraging, lifting each one to a better place.

Pointing them to the only One—Jesus Christ—to believe, embrace, and follow as their Savior and Lord.

The only Hope for their lives for here and eternity.

The Hope of the only One—Jesus Christ.

Then, with Him, lifting lives, one life at time to a better day.

By the example of the only One—Jesus Christ.

Only One to believe. Only One to follow. Jesus Christ. Scott Whitaker

Quotes You Can Use

The way to silence the whining of the flesh and the whispering of the enemy is to remind yourself of God’s great love.

The mission of God never changes, but the world in which we live is rapidly changing.

Listening is a big part of communication with people.

Our story makes sense only when presented within God’s story.

Plan your work and work your plan.

Seek the Lord and allow the Holy Spirit to direct.

Don’t be so organized that you out-organize the Holy Spirit.

Resources are not just about money.

No fruit can reproduce itself without being connected to the vine, which for us is Jesus.

We are not defined by the world, but by Scripture, the Holy Bible.

___________________

Address all items and comments to [email protected].

Historically the Jews have erected stone memorials at the site of key events. Jacob erected two stone pillars at Bethel after encountering the Lord (Genesis 28:18; 35:14). Joshua memorialized the crossing of the Jordan River with twelve stones (Joshua 4:8), and Samuel set up a stone between Mizpah and Shen in gratitude for the Lord’s help (1 Samuel 7:12). This ancient practice may then serve as the foundation for the modern Jewish practice of placing stones on gravestones.

Unlike flowers that wither away, stones provide a permanent sign that someone has visited the site in order to express his or her respect for the deceased. Stones provide an enduring symbol that the memory of the deceased has not been forgotten. Some Jews also leave lighted candles at the graveside to mark respect for their loved one and to symbolize hope in the ascension of the soul. In some cases you may even find a copy of Psalms that has been left inside a sliding compartment at the graveside which anyone visiting the site can use to recite prayers.

-Daniel McCabe

Trivia Quiz (Find the answer below)

History:The First Hymn

I grew up singing hymns in church. I particularly loved “Sound the Battle Cry,” number 178 in our burgundy pew hymnal, a hymn which I would imagine not more than a handful of you would even recognize. Still I can see my younger Me standing there in the second pew, piano-side, belting out the chorus, “Rouse, then, soldiers, rally round the banner. Ready, steady, pass the word along. Onward, forward, shout aloud Hosanna! Christ is Captain of the mighty throng.” I’m quite sure that I had no idea what Hosanna meant or even that the reference to Jesus as Captain comes from the KJV translation of Hebrews 2:10, but that didn’t stop me from raising my hand on those long ago Sunday nights each time Mr. Collins called on the congregation to request their favorites. The people of Pine Crest Bible Church weren’t exactly a “mighty throng” unless you were to add our voices to the billions that have sung their favorites in church over the last two thousand years.

Do you have a favorite of your own? What about “How Great Thou Art,” “The Old Rugged Cross” or “The Oxyrhynchus Hymn”? Haven’t heard of that last one, you say? Well, it shares its name with a city in Egypt where a papyrus manuscript of the song’s Greek lyrics and musical notation was first discovered in 1918, and it’s actually the earliest known Christian hymn, dating to the end of the third century A.D. The manuscript isn’t complete, only fragmentary, but the surviving lyrics invoke silence before the triune God and they praise his creation.

Most recently two Christian artists, Chris Tomlin and Ben Fielding, have incorporated the lyrics and melody of this ancient hymn into a modern version of the song, and there’s also a recent documentary about it, entitled “The First Hymn.” How I would like to have known the author of the hymn and to have heard it sung in his church! Perhaps one day when a mighty throng of believing voices is gathered around the throne and Jesus calls out for favorites, someone will shout out, “Hymn number one, please!” and we’ll all sing it together.

“Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth!” (Psalm 96:1).

-Daniel McCabe

Scripture Study: Three Bold Claims, part 1

I want to throw together three loosely connected thoughts and see if they make sense to you.

First, one of the greatest keys to understanding the Bible is understanding the nature of biblical covenants. The Bible runs on biblical covenants, five that God has entered into with different parties at different times. There’s the Noahic covenant, the Abrahamic covenant, the Mosaic covenant, the Davidic covenant and the New covenant, which will replace the Mosaic.

Second, there is no such thing as the Old Testament. What?! Obviously the Old Testament and the New Testament make up the Bible. But what I mean is that there’s no such thing as an Old Testament that is some sort of “Old-gone-away-with” or “Done-away-with” Testament. In Bible times and in the early church there was no Old Testament or New Testament. There was only the book of Genesis, the writings of Isaiah, the gospel of Matthew, etc. The church had sixty-six inspired works, and they were simply known as the Scriptures, the unified corpus of the Bible. The terms Old Testament and New Testament are actually arbitrary designations.

We started to have chapter divisions in the twelfth century and then verse divisions in the sixteenth century. As the Scriptures were written, there wasn’t a chapter 1 or a chapter 2, verse five. It was just, “Here’s a letter from Paul to the Ephesians,” for example. Chapter and verse divisions came later and so did the designations of Old and New Testament. If you were to go back in time and say to the Apostle Paul, “Hey, I love the Old Testament,” he’d say, “What are you talking about? We only have the Scriptures.” Over time the church has developed a default assumption that the Old Testament is in the past and the New Testament is in the present with Revelation being future, and unfortunately a great deal of content from the Old Testament gets dismissed, “That’s just the past. It’s not really relevant to me.” But that’s not true. The entire Bible from cover to cover is as relevant for us today as in any time period.

Third, much of the Old Testament hasn’t happened yet. With regard to the New Testament one might think, “Yes, there are some things that still await the future, such as the Book of Revelation or those passages where Jesus says, ‘I’m coming again,’” and those are obviously future events, but there’s a lot from the Old Testament too that hasn’t happened yet. This is particularly true of promises from God in the Old Testament prophetic books, but since all God’s promises come true, we can know that these Old Testament promises will also come true.

-Adam Keim, October 29, 2022

History & Geography—Jonah of Gath-Hepher

“[Jeroboam II] restored the border of Israel from Lebo-hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the Lord, the God of Israel, which he spoke by his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was from Gath-hepher” (2 Kings 14:25).

When you read the book of Jonah, you are struck immediately by Jonah’s faithless move away from his appointed task (Jonah 1:1-3). Instead of heading toward Nineveh (to the northeast), he fled to catch a ship from Joppa toward Tarshish (to the west). Jonah ran quite literally in the opposite direction of his calling.

For all that could be said of Jonah, he was still a prophet of the Lord. His hometown of Gath-Hepher rested atop the Nazareth plateau in lower Galilee. The pictured map is oriented to the northeast where you can see Mount Hermon in the distance.

When Nicodemus attempted to defend Jesus, the Pharisees responded to him, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee” (John 7:52). Perhaps they forgot about Jonah or they were not considering him an actual prophet. The Pharisees likely would not have disrespected Jonah in such a way, so maybe they had the Sea of Galilee region in mind specifically, thinking of Jesus’ home at Capernaum. Ironically, Gath-Hepher is very close to Jesus’ boyhood home of Nazareth.

The only other biblical mention of Gath-Hepher is in Joshua 19:13, as part of Zebulun’s inheritance. The early church Father Jerome, in his commentary on Jonah, describes the place as “an inconsiderable village,” but he does mention that the prophet’s tomb is nearby.

Think again of Jonah’s story. I am always amazed at why he fled to Nineveh in the first place. He wanted the Assyrians to come under judgment, and if he went there then they might escape that fate, since he knew that God was “a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster” (Jonah 4:2). I am so grateful that He is!

-Adam Keim

Answer to the Trivia

A. To wish someone a good morning

Week Twenty-Three, 2026

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11).

We all have them, and they range from short to long ones. I am talking about plans. How do we plan? How do we respond when they don’t work out as we planned?

Plans are detailed, step-by-step methods or strategies used to achieve goals, ranging from personal intentions to organizational strategies like strategic, tactical, operational, or contingency plans. Effective planning involves setting concrete goals, identifying requirements, and scheduling, resulting in increased productivity and reduced stress. Or… as simple as deciding which movie to go see. They are often a detailed proposal for doing or achieving something.

They are a set of decisions about how to do something in the future: a company’s business plan, a negotiated peace plan, a read-through-the-Bible-daily plan, a five-year plan, vacation plans. But, no matter how hard we try, our plans don’t always work out for us. Then what?

I well remember taking a camping trip out west. One of the boys got sick and we had to seek medical treatment for him, slowing us down for a few days. Meanwhile, the camping park where we were headed had an earthquake and several campers perished. But for an unexpected delay, it could have been us.

Ultimately, God is the master planner in our lives. He gives us a hope and a future, no matter how difficult it may seem at the time.

With its references to God’s plans, prosperity, protection from harm, peace, and a future filled with hope, Jeremiah 29:11 is often offered as a spiritual “security blanket” to people who are struggling. The verse has inspired and comforted countless believers who interpret it to mean that if they endure their immediate circumstances, they will emerge victorious, triumphant, and celebrated in God’s ultimate plan of prosperity. They anticipate a moment when their suffering ends and their flourishing begins.

So, what do we take away from Jeremiah 29:11? First, if we put our trust in Christ, we can anticipate an ultimately glorious future—one spent in God’s presence for eternity. Second, God’s plans for His people in this world rarely involve helping us escape from our trials completely. He doesn’t make our suffering disappear. Instead, He helps us persevere through them. He helps us grow and mature in ways we wouldn’t otherwise grow and mature apart from tough times. He helps us find joy in the unlikeliest of circumstances. It’s the kind of joy that affects not just our lives, but the lives of others as well. He prospers us in ways that expand our understanding of prosperity.

Are you ready for God’s plan in your life?

Sometimes True Stories

Comments from Edgar Aponte: Each book of the Bible has an agenda. Our agenda is to find new life in Christ. Jesus meets us in our pain and disappointment. He is THE Way, THE Truth and The Life. We need to point to the One who gives us hope. He invites us to believe. Jesus knows what I have said and thought. He knows everything. Some love their sin more than they love their Bible. Jesus still had the scars and so do we. Jesus’ invitation demands a response—not to just see, but to believe. It is a personal response that He is your Savior. We also need to make it a personal commitment. Knowing about Jesus is not enough. It must be a personal commitment.

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“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” — Proverbs 1:7 (ESV)

What separates the wise from the foolish? The foolish man relies on himself while the wise man relies on God. A recent student of Scripture did a study of God’s promises and came up with 7,487, and to their amazement, God always fulfills His promises—not just some, but 100% of the time. A wise man understands that God is sovereign and cannot lie; a foolish man relies on himself. When we build our lives on the foundation of God, we can rest in peace that our foundation is solid and will stand the test of time. The foolish man builds his life on the shifting sands of man and watches as the sand crumbles with each passing day.

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on a solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against the house, the house won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand.” — Matthew 7:24-26

Quotes You Can Use

We were never promised a rose garden, just that God will never desert us.

It is not the length of our prayers that makes them effective—it’s the relationship we have with God that counts.

In order for faith to be valid, it has to lead to action.

Knowing what to say and when to say it takes wisdom. I remember a quote which says it is better to be quiet than boisterous.

One day the flesh will be put away forever.

Beware of little expenses. A small leak will sink a great ship. — Benjamin Franklin

Whenever a life is yielded to God, He magnifies that person.

God uses trials to mature your faith, so rejoice in them and ask Him for wisdom to endure. Trust God’s purpose in your trials. Ask God for wisdom in your trials. — Edgar Aponte

Jesus is the bridge between God and man.

Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration. — Thomas Edison

One of the biggest lies of the devil is causing doubt. Doubt is about God’s gift of grace. The devil would have us believe we are a “victim” regardless of any personal decisions we may have made. Whatever is happening to us is the fault of someone else, or we are simply a victim of circumstances or some other factor of our upbringing or environment. — Tony Ferguson

Satan has deceived many people into trusting in emptiness.

God gave us the gift of thinking, reason, and logic; we must be a good steward of His gift.

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June 4, 2026

As we grow older, many of us discover regrets about things we have done or failed to do. Such memories can be gifts from God, prompting self-examination, repentance, and spiritual growth. Though believers are forgiven through Christ, they are still called to conform their character to His, making amends where possible and showing His love in their relationships.

One of my deepest regrets is that I did not consistently honor my father and mother. In my youth, pride led me to believe that I had surpassed my father in wisdom and understanding. Possessing only a little education and limited life experience, I judged him harshly while overlooking my own faults. Like the hypocrisy Christ condemned, I was quick to see flaws in others while ignoring my own. By the time I recognized my error, my father had passed away. I could no longer apologize or repair the hurt I may have caused. The opportunity was gone forever.

That realization opened my eyes to a broader truth. I had often failed not only my parents but also family members, friends, associates, and employees. Many of these failures were sins of omission—neglecting kindness, encouragement, or responsibilities that should have received my attention. Self-centeredness had influenced my thinking more than I realized. Scripture teaches that we benefit others not for personal gain, but because genuine love and service reflect God’s design for human relationships. Honoring others, especially our parents, is both right and beneficial.

The gospel provides hope for such failures. God promises forgiveness to those who confess their sins and turn to Him. His mercy is far greater than our understanding. Through Christ’s sacrifice, sinners are offered reconciliation with God and the opportunity to begin anew. John 3:16 and countless other passages reveal God’s love toward a fallen world and His desire that people come to faith in Him.

Reflecting on these truths led me to think about our children and grandchildren. It is a joy to watch children exceed their parents’ accomplishments, and faithfully raise their own families. Our four children, with their mates, have devoted themselves to training up their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. Rather than entrusting that responsibility to others, in loco parentis, they have invested tremendous time, effort, and resources in their children’s character development and educations. Their homes are filled with books, learning tools, practical projects, and opportunities to grow in knowledge and wisdom.

The children are encouraged to think critically, work diligently, care for one another, and understand the world through the lens of Scripture. They learn practical skills, pursue excellence in academics and technology, and develop habits of cooperation and responsibility. More importantly, they are nurtured in faith, prayer, and love. While no family is perfect, these efforts help prepare them to face life’s challenges with courage, integrity, and dependence upon God.

Parents bear many burdens and often make sacrifices that their children may not fully understand until much later. Before judging our parents, we should consider their struggles, responsibilities, and loving sacrifices on our behalves. Gratitude and respect are fitting responses to those who brought us into the world and labored to prepare us for life.

The central lesson is simple: “honor your father and mother.” We cannot undo our own past failures, but we can repent, seek God’s forgiveness, and choose a better path. By showing gratitude to our parents, extending grace to others, and persevering through life’s difficulties, we reflect the character of Christ. As Scripture teaches, “Honor thy father and mother,” a commandment accompanied by God’s promise of blessing.

Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth (Ephesians 6:2-3).

May 30, 23026

My brother was the giant in our family at 5’-10” tall. Me? I’m 5’-7” on a good day, so I’m certainly no expert on height. But I do know a little about the Bible, and I once spent four years under Dr. Hartman, Dr. Graff and Dr. Johnson learning physics, electromagnetics and chemistry, respectively, enough to turn my tassel at least, so let me wade into the shallow end of the “What happened to the giants?” debate for a moment.

It’s a sister topic to the “What happened to the dinosaurs?” question, for as you’ve probably noticed, there aren’t many giants or dinosaurs roaming the roads near where you live.

Even so, I do believe that giants did once walk this earth. In previous posts I’ve shared specific passages from the Bible that describe them, but since the Bible doesn’t take any time to explain what happened to them, we’ll need to speculate a bit.

Here’s where I’m thankful for my engineering training though one degree received decades ago doesn’t make me an expert on the science that swirls around this question. Even so, here’s what I know.

Right now, unless you’re reading this from inside an absolute vacuum, you are being pummeled by diatomic nitrogen and diatomic oxygen (you can throw in a dash of argon and a pinch of carbon dioxide too). You can’t feel these molecules striking you, nonetheless you’re surrounded by a bazillion air molecules composed of roughly 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen. It would be fair to say that these percentages have remained largely unchanged for millennia, but past or future factors could certainly alter these percentages, and even evolutionary scientists acknowledge that ancient oxygen-rich ecosystems were once a thing. It’s just that they don’t think they were ever a major thing. But what if they are wrong? After all, they don’t exactly have a perfect track record within science, and their evolutionary assumptions do often prevent them from even entertaining theories like the one I’m about to throw at you.

So what if oxygen levels were once much higher than they are at present? What if some global catastrophe caused a tremendous disruption of the earth’s biosphere, a major change in oceanic chemistry, or a massive decay of organic matter, which together contributed to a major drop in the partial pressure of oxygen. Of course, the Bible describes just such an event in Genesis 7-9 that could explain these or similar global changes. If oxygen levels once measured significantly higher than they do now, then that could certainly account for larger beings and longer lives than what we experience today. In fact, scientists have discovered ancient fossils that are several times larger than their modern counterparts. What if background radiation was also much lower in a pre-flood atmosphere, thus reducing the number of somatic and hereditary mutations, which would allow for more robust organic growth?

I don’t personally think it unreasonable to suggest that a global flood caused a dramatic transformation of our climate and that giants and dinosaurs could have been affected by reduced oxygen levels that impacted their subsequent size, their longevity and their quality of life.

Do I know this to be true from the science? Of course not. No one can know with absolute certainty. But is it reasonable? I say, “Yes.”

-Daniel McCabe

Trivia

Which one of the following iconic songs of yesteryear was NOT written by a Jew? Find the answer below)

A. Eli’s Coming (1968)

B. American Pie (1971)

C. Rock and Roll All Nite (1975)

D. Funkytown (1980)

On Location: The Montefiore Windmill

I want to tell you about something you may have seen if you’ve been to Jerusalem, but have probably wondered what it is. You may have noticed an old windmill that is the pride of the locals. It lies just southwest of the Old City, perched atop the western slope of the Hinnom Valley.

I am talking about the Montefiore Windmill. It has been around from the sunset of the Ottoman Empire to the birth of modern Israel. Built in 1857 by the British philanthropist Moses Montefiore, it was originally meant to help Jewish residents become self-sufficient by grinding their own flour. But by the late 1940s, this symbol of industry was about to become a casualty of war.

At the outbreak of the 1947–1948 Civil War, the windmill’s location became strategically important. Standing on a slope overlooking the Old City’s walls, it offered a perfect bird’s-eye view of the landscape. The Jewish Haganah fighters realized this immediately and transformed the top of the tower into an observation post to monitor the blockade of Jerusalem. Naturally, the British Mandate authorities weren’t thrilled about a fortified sniper and scouting nest in the middle of a conflict zone. So in 1948 the British high command finally had enough and ordered the windmill to be leveled. In a bit of military wit, they dubbed the mission, “Operation Don Quixote,” a nod to the fictional knight who famously tilted at windmills.

But here is where the story turns into something straight out of a movie. The demolition crew sent to blow up the tower just happened to be from Ramsgate, England, and as they prepped the explosives, they noticed a plaque on the wall that recorded Montefiore’s name as well as his home in Ramsgate. Suddenly, this wasn’t just a military target; it was a piece of their own hometown history.

According to local legend, one of the soldiers, whose family had worked on Montefiore’s English estate, reminded his comrades of the family’s legendary kindness back in Britain. Moved by the connection, the unit decided to “reinterpret” their orders. Instead of leveling the entire 50-foot stone structure, they carefully rigged the explosives to destroy only the observation post at the very top.

Because of those sentimental soldiers, the tower survived the war. Today, standing tall as a museum, it’s been fully restored with its Kentish-style cap and sails by a Dutch organization called “Christians for Israel.” What a reminder that even in the middle of a civil war, sometimes a small connection to home is enough to save a landmark from the brink of destruction!

-Adam Keim, October 27, 2022

How Joseph Foreshadows Jesus, part 1

The similarities between Old Testament Joseph and Jesus are striking to me. In his classic work, “Gleanings in Genesis,” A. W. Pink lists 101 ways that Joseph’s life foreshadowed the life of Jesus, the Messiah. In this 3-part series I’ll share the first 60, broken into three groups of 20. If you’d like to read them all, you can find his work at www.archive.org. The following list is my careful summary of his work; some of the supporting verses are mine. Enjoy!

1. Joseph had two names—Joseph and Zaphnath-Paaneah (Gen. 41:45).

Jesus has two names—Jesus and Christ (Matt. 1:1).

2. Joseph was a shepherd (Gen. 37:2).

Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11).

3. Joseph spoke out against evil (Gen. 37:2).

Jesus spoke out against evil (John 7:7).

4. Joseph was loved by his father (Gen. 37:3-4).

Jesus is loved by his Father (Matt. 3:17; 17:5; John 10:17).

5. Joseph was the son of Jacob in his old age (Gen. 37:3).

Jesus is the Son of God who is eternal (1 John 5:13).

6. Joseph had a coat of many colors (Gen. 37:3).

Jesus wears a “colored coat” of various glories and infinite perfections (Heb. 1:3).

7. Joseph was hated by his brothers (Gen. 37:4).

Jesus was hated by his brethren (John 1:11; Luke 19:14).

8. Joseph was hated for his words (Gen. 37:8).

Jesus was hated for his words (John 3:32).

9. Joseph was promised a great future (Gen. 37:7-10, 23-24).

Jesus was promised a great future (Isaiah 9:6-7; Luke 1:31-33).

10. Joseph foretold of his future exaltation and reign (Gen. 37:7-10).

Jesus foretold of his future exaltation and reign (Matt. 26:64).

11. Joseph was envied by his brothers (Gen. 37:11).

Jesus was envied by his brethren (Matt. 27:17-18).

12. Joseph was sent by his father to his brothers (Gen. 37:13).

Jesus was sent by his Father to his brethren (John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38-40).

13. Joseph sought the welfare of his brothers (Gen. 37:14).

Jesus sought the salvation of his brethren (Matt.15:24; Rom. 15:8).

14. Joseph left his father’s home in Hebron (Gen. 37:14).

Jesus left his Father’s home in heaven (John 14:2).

15. Joseph arrived in Shechem to serve (Gen. 37:14).the Montefiore Windmill. It has been around from the sunset of the Ottoman Empire to the birth of modern Israel. Built in 1857 by the British philanthropist Moses Montefiore, it was originally meant to help Jewish residents become self-sufficient by grinding their own flour. But by the late 1940s, this symbol of industry was about to become a casualty of war.

At the outbreak of the 1947–1948 Civil War, the windmill’s location became strategically important. Standing on a slope overlooking the Old City’s walls, it offered a perfect bird’s-eye view of the landscape. The Jewish Haganah fighters realized this immediately and transformed the top of the tower into an observation post to monitor the blockade of Jerusalem. Naturally, the British Mandate authorities weren’t thrilled about a fortified sniper and scouting nest in the middle of a conflict zone. So in 1948 the British high command finally had enough and ordered the windmill to be leveled. In a bit of military wit, they dubbed the mission, “Operation Don Quixote,” a nod to the fictional knight who famously tilted at windmills.

Jesus arrived as the Son of Man to serve (Mark 10:45).

16. Joseph wandered in a field (Gen. 37:15).

Jesus wandered in a field (Matt. 13:38; Luke 9:58).

17. Joseph seeks until he finds his brothers (Gen. 37:14-17).

Jesus seeks until he finds his brethren (Luke 15:4-5).

18. Joseph was conspired against (Gen. 37:18).

Jesus was conspired against (Matt. 12:14).

19. Joseph’s brothers did not believe his dreams (Gen. 37:19-20).

Jesus’ brethren did not believe his words (Matt. 27:39-43; John 3:18, 36).

20. Joseph was insulted and stripped of his coat (Gen. 37:20, 23).

Jesus was insulted and stripped of his coat (Matt. 27:27-29; John 19:23).

-Daniel McCabe

Answer to the Trivia

B. American Pie (1971)

If you have any questions, are interested in learning more about our trips, would like to support us by check or schedule a seminar for your church, school, camp or group, then please contact us for more information at [email protected].

Giants in the Bible, Part 5:

What Happened to Them?

My brother was the giant in our family at 5’10” tall. Me? I’m 5’7” on a good day, so I’m certainly no expert on height. But I do know a little about the Bible, and I once spent four years under Dr. Hartman, Dr. Graff and Dr. Johnson learning physics, electromagnetics and chemistry, respectively, enough to turn my tassel at least, so let me wade into the shallow end of the “What happened to the giants?” debate for a moment. It’s a sister topic to the “What happened to the dinosaurs?” question, for as you’ve probably noticed, there aren’t many giants or dinosaurs roaming the roads near where you live.

Even so, I do believe that giants did once walk this earth. In previous posts I’ve shared specific passages from the Bible that describe them, but since the Bible doesn’t take any time to explain what happened to them, we’ll need to speculate a bit.

Here’s where I’m thankful for my engineering training though one degree received decades ago doesn’t make me an expert on the science that swirls around this question. Even so, here’s what I know.

Right now, unless you’re reading this from inside an absolute vacuum, you are being pummeled by diatomic nitrogen and diatomic oxygen (you can throw in a dash of argon and a pinch of carbon dioxide too). You can’t feel these molecules striking you, nonetheless you’re surrounded by a bazillion air molecules composed of roughly 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen. It would be fair to say that these percentages have remained largely unchanged for millennia, but past or future factors could certainly alter these percentages, and even evolutionary scientists acknowledge that ancient oxygen-rich ecosystems were once a thing. It’s just that they don’t think they were ever a major thing. But what if they are wrong? After all, they don’t exactly have a perfect track record within science, and their evolutionary assumptions do often prevent them from even entertaining theories like the one I’m about to throw at you.

So what if oxygen levels were once much higher than they are at present? What if some global catastrophe caused a tremendous disruption of the earth’s biosphere, a major change in oceanic chemistry, or a massive decay of organic matter, which together contributed to a major drop in the partial pressure of oxygen. Of course, the Bible describes just such an event in Genesis 7-9 that could explain these or similar global changes. If oxygen levels once measured significantly higher than they do now, then that could certainly account for larger beings and longer lives than what we experience today. In fact, scientists have discovered ancient fossils that are several times larger than their modern counterparts. What if background radiation was also much lower in a pre-flood atmosphere, thus reducing the number of somatic and hereditary mutations, which would allow for more robust organic growth?

I don’t personally think it unreasonable to suggest that a global flood caused a dramatic transformation of our climate and that giants and dinosaurs could have been affected by reduced oxygen levels that impacted their subsequent size, their longevity and their quality of life.

Do I know this to be true from the science? Of course not. No one can know with absolute certainty. But is it reasonable? I say, “Yes.”

-Daniel McCabe

Trivia

Which one of the following iconic songs of yesteryear was NOT written by a Jew? Find the answer below)

A. Eli’s Coming (1968)

B. American Pie (1971)

C. Rock and Roll All Nite (1975)

D. Funkytown (1980)

On Location: The Montefiore Windmill

I want to tell you about something you may have seen if you’ve been to Jerusalem, but have probably wondered what it is. You may have noticed an old windmill that is the pride of the locals. It lies just southwest of the Old City, perched atop the western slope of the Hinnom Valley.

I am talking about the Montefiore Windmill. It has been around from the sunset of the Ottoman Empire to the birth of modern Israel. Built in 1857 by the British philanthropist Moses Montefiore, it was originally meant to help Jewish residents become self-sufficient by grinding their own flour. But by the late 1940s, this symbol of industry was about to become a casualty of war.

At the outbreak of the 1947–1948 Civil War, the windmill’s location became strategically important. Standing on a slope overlooking the Old City’s walls, it offered a perfect bird’s-eye view of the landscape. The Jewish Haganah fighters realized this immediately and transformed the top of the tower into an observation post to monitor the blockade of Jerusalem. Naturally, the British Mandate authorities weren’t thrilled about a fortified sniper and scouting nest in the middle of a conflict zone. So in 1948 the British high command finally had enough and ordered the windmill to be leveled. In a bit of military wit, they dubbed the mission, “Operation Don Quixote,” a nod to the fictional knight who famously tilted at windmills.

But here is where the story turns into something straight out of a movie. The demolition crew sent to blow up the tower just happened to be from Ramsgate, England, and as they prepped the explosives, they noticed a plaque on the wall that recorded Montefiore’s name as well as his home in Ramsgate. Suddenly, this wasn’t just a military target; it was a piece of their own hometown history.

According to local legend, one of the soldiers, whose family had worked on Montefiore’s English estate, reminded his comrades of the family’s legendary kindness back in Britain. Moved by the connection, the unit decided to “reinterpret” their orders. Instead of leveling the entire 50-foot stone structure, they carefully rigged the explosives to destroy only the observation post at the very top.

Because of those sentimental soldiers, the tower survived the war. Today, standing tall as a museum, it’s been fully restored with its Kentish-style cap and sails by a Dutch organization called “Christians for Israel.” What a reminder that even in the middle of a civil war, sometimes a small connection to home is enough to save a landmark from the brink of destruction!

-Adam Keim, October 27, 2022

How Joseph Foreshadows Jesus, part 1

The similarities between Old Testament Joseph and Jesus are striking to me. In his classic work, “Gleanings in Genesis,” A. W. Pink lists 101 ways that Joseph’s life foreshadowed the life of Jesus, the Messiah. In this 3-part series I’ll share the first 60, broken into three groups of 20. If you’d like to read them all, you can find his work at www.archive.org. The following list is my careful summary of his work; some of the supporting verses are mine. Enjoy!

1. Joseph had two names—Joseph and Zaphnath-Paaneah (Gen. 41:45).

Jesus has two names—Jesus and Christ (Matt. 1:1).

2. Joseph was a shepherd (Gen. 37:2).

Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11).

3. Joseph spoke out against evil (Gen. 37:2).

Jesus spoke out against evil (John 7:7).

4. Joseph was loved by his father (Gen. 37:3-4).

Jesus is loved by his Father (Matt. 3:17; 17:5; John 10:17).

5. Joseph was the son of Jacob in his old age (Gen. 37:3).

Jesus is the Son of God who is eternal (1 John 5:13).

6. Joseph had a coat of many colors (Gen. 37:3).

Jesus wears a “colored coat” of various glories and infinite perfections (Heb. 1:3).

7. Joseph was hated by his brothers (Gen. 37:4).

Jesus was hated by his brethren (John 1:11; Luke 19:14).

8. Joseph was hated for his words (Gen. 37:8).

Jesus was hated for his words (John 3:32).

9. Joseph was promised a great future (Gen. 37:7-10, 23-24).

Jesus was promised a great future (Isaiah 9:6-7; Luke 1:31-33).

10. Joseph foretold of his future exaltation and reign (Gen. 37:7-10).

Jesus foretold of his future exaltation and reign (Matt. 26:64).

11. Joseph was envied by his brothers (Gen. 37:11).

Jesus was envied by his brethren (Matt. 27:17-18).

12. Joseph was sent by his father to his brothers (Gen. 37:13).

Jesus was sent by his Father to his brethren (John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38-40).

13. Joseph sought the welfare of his brothers (Gen. 37:14).

Jesus sought the salvation of his brethren (Matt.15:24; Rom. 15:8).

14. Joseph left his father’s home in Hebron (Gen. 37:14).

Jesus left his Father’s home in heaven (John 14:2).

15. Joseph arrived in Shechem to serve (Gen. 37:14).

Jesus arrived as the Son of Man to serve (Mark 10:45).

16. Joseph wandered in a field (Gen. 37:15).

Jesus wandered in a field (Matt. 13:38; Luke 9:58).

17. Joseph seeks until he finds his brothers (Gen. 37:14-17).

Jesus seeks until he finds his brethren (Luke 15:4-5).

18. Joseph was conspired against (Gen. 37:18).

Jesus was conspired against (Matt. 12:14).

19. Joseph’s brothers did not believe his dreams (Gen. 37:19-20).

Jesus’ brethren did not believe his words (Matt. 27:39-43; John 3:18, 36).

20. Joseph was insulted and stripped of his coat (Gen. 37:20, 23).

Jesus was insulted and stripped of his coat (Matt. 27:27-29; John 19:23).

-Daniel McCabe

Answer to the Trivia

B. American Pie (1971)

If you have any questions, are interested in learning more about our trips, would like to support us by check or schedule a seminar for your church, school, camp or group, then please contact us for more information at [email protected].

Week Twenty-Two, 2026

“And to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:19).

It was an old farm which I grew up on, and everything got saved in the old barn. I loved poking around there to see what I could find. One day I found a roll of wire and asked my Dad what the wire was for, and he said that it was hay baling wire. He explained that hay by itself uncontrolled will fly away with the wind unless it is bound together with the wire.

I have heard that if you just have duct tape, wire or rope and WD-40 you can manage and run anything.

In the Bible, a rope (or cord) often symbolizes strength, unity, and connection, notably in the “cord of three strands” representing, for instance, God, a person, and others. It frequently represents a “lifeline” of hope, faith, and God’s promises, as well as a symbol of bondage or security.

I love that old hymn that rings out: “Blessed be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love; the fellowship of kindred minds is like that above.” The song was written by a twelve-year-old orphan.

That’s the secret. What binds us together tighter than baling wire is Christian love. Jesus defines love as a self-sacrificial, action-oriented commitment, exemplified by laying down one’s life for others. His command is to love God wholeheartedly, love neighbors as oneself, and crucially, to love enemies. This love is unconditional, kind, forgiving, and serves the marginalized, setting a new standard to “love one another as I have loved you.”

Jesus said “I Love You” with His life by showing up for all of us and giving us hope for our messy lives. He left His throne to come to earth and save us from our miserable selves. It’s through His life and presence in our hearts that we can learn to love ourselves and others.

Sadness runs deep in our world today especially for those who don’t know what real love is. Through the life of Jesus, we learn to see that love is more than just words. Love is taking action. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

Sadness runs deep in our world today, especially for those who don’t know what real love is. Through the life of Jesus, we learn to see that love is more than just words. Love is taking action. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

This kind of love doesn’t just happen. It’s the kind of love that we must act upon. Love is not just a feeling; it is a choice. Jesus wasn’t forced to love us. He chose to love us with open arms nailed to the cross. Jesus is love.

Love is the wire that binds us together.

Sometimes True Stories

“One man pretends to be rich yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.” – Proverbs 13:7

A recent survey indicates that only 28% of our population trust the news media. Most of those surveyed consider their content to be fake news with an agenda. In today’s vernacular, “pretending to be rich” can be called “fake wealth.” Unfortunately, our society often encourages people to pretend to be someone they are not. This pretense may be born out of a desire for acceptance or validation of self-worth. These people may fool some, but eventually they will be disgraced when their charade is exposed. The other person in this Proverb remains humble, even though they may have material wealth. God resists the proud and exalts the humble. When we are rich in our faith, we don’t need to worry about what the world thinks.

– 0 –

Whether tomorrow brings my last breath or another sunrise, my hope is the same: I am the Lord’s. If I die, I go to the One who saved me. If I live, I do not walk into the day alone. Christ goes with me still. That is why my heart can rest. As Scripture says, “whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord” – Romans 14:8 (NIV).

There is such comfort in knowing my life is not held together by luck, strength, or certainty about the future. It is held by God. He has stood beside me in days of joy and in seasons I thought would break me. He has been faithful through answered prayers and silent nights, through abundance and need, through peace and pain. Even when I felt weak, He remained strong. Even when I felt unsteady, His hand did not let me go.

The Lord has never asked me to face life alone. He promises, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” – Hebrews 13:5 (NIV). And because of that promise, I do not have to fear tomorrow. If this earthly life continues, His presence will go before me. If He calls me home, I will be with Him in fullness of joy.

What grace is this, that I could belong to Jesus so completely? I can never thank Him enough for carrying me through every trial, forgiving me again and again, and staying near through thick and thin. My soul answers with gratitude: Lord, my future is safe with You, because I am safe in You. Today and tomorrow, in life and in death, I am Yours.

Quotes You Can Use

Are you flawed? Of course, we all are. But He can and will use you for His purpose as well. Someone needs to hear the Truth of the Gospel. Be the speaker. Someone needs to get a hand up to a better life. Be the giver. Someone needs a supernatural answer to their need. Be a prayer. Let God use you. — Rich Jensen

Let us praise even the slightest improvement. That inspires the other person to keep on improving. — Dale Carnegie

Do we really fear that artificial intelligence can defeat honest faith in Jesus Christ?

God doesn’t require us to use what we don’t have, but He does expect us to use what we do have for His glory.

Jesus has all we will ever need to do His tasks for us. Don’t ever give up on Jesus as we are a part of the body of Christ.

When you come to Jesus, your search is over, for you have then discovered God.

Sin is pleasurable for a moment, but it is a short-lived moment. One moment’s pleasure can cause a person years of grief, sorrow, and heaviness.

We have to be careful where we focus our attention.

You won’t find the solution to your problems by looking at other people or at yourself.

Peace comes when we turn those overwhelming issues over to God and cease trying to dictate the outcome.

If the Word has not changed you, perhaps it hasn’t saved you. If we hear the Word and don’t do the Word, we are lost. The final test of salvation is fruit. The test of Sunday is how we talk on Monday. — Edgar Aponte

Saving faith is a transforming faith that produces fruitful obedience and gracious compassion.

***

Your feedback is welcome and if you want to contribute your ideas and thoughts, address all items and comments to [email protected].

©Thoughts on Life Copyright 2026

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Most everyone knows the name, Goliath, who faced off against David and lost his head. According to 1 Samuel 17:4 the arrogant Philistine from Gath stood “six cubits and a span” before receiving his mortal blow from David’s slingstone. Translated from cubits into feet and using the conventional measurement of eighteen inches for a cubit, Goliath towered 9 feet, 9 inches tall.

Then there’s King Og of Bashan in Deuteronomy 3:11 who is presented as the last surviving descendant of the Rephaim, a race of giants as suggested by the purposeful mention of the length of Og’s iron bed frame, thirteen feet long. Other giants mentioned in the Bible include a slain Egyptian over seven feet tall (1 Chronicles 11:23) and a second man from Gath “of great stature … born to the giant,” described as having twelve fingers and twelve toes (2 Sam. 21:20; 1 Chron. 20:6).

Given that the average height of men living in the second millennium B.C. has been estimated at around 5 feet, 4 inches, then the aforementioned men were enormous by comparison. The existence of very tall men today demonstrates that it is not biologically impossible for there to have been ancient races of unusually tall men who can be reasonably labeled as giants, and adding in the possibility of changing climatic conditions over the last several millennia, it hardly seems fair or even scientific to dismiss outright the Bible’s description of giant men.

-Daniel McCabe

Trivia

Life in the Land: Home Front Command App

My good friend Dani lives with his family in Tzur Hadassa just west of Bethlehem, and thankfully no Iranian or Hezbollah rockets have landed near his home, but that didn’t stop the alarms from coming. I know that for a fact because at the start of the war I downloaded an app to my phone, created by Israel’s Home Front Command, which notifies Israeli citizens of any incoming threats, and I set my “Area of Interest” to Dani’s hometown. The alerts started immediately and came by the dozens. I have the luxury of turning off the jarring audio alarms so that I won’t be awakened from sleep, but Dani doesn’t safely have that option.

My first alarm message read, “In the next few minutes, alerts are expected in your area. You need to find a better location that will provide the best protection in your area, Tzur Hadassa. If an alert is received, enter the protected space and stay there until further notice.” The Home Front Command can’t possibly know initially if the incoming rocket will be intercepted or exactly where it will land, so they routinely err on the side of caution, sending out the alert to wide areas. However, here’s one that I received which made my heart jump a bit more, “Rocket and missile fire, Tzur Hadassa. Time of arrival to the protected room – one and a half minutes. Enter the Protected Space.”

Every home constructed in Israel since 1992 is required to have a “Protected Space,” called a mamad, which offers some protection from the danger, of course, but which can’t safely survive a direct hit as we sadly learned on the first day of March when an Iranian ballistic missile struck a public shelter in Beth Shemesh, approximately six miles from Dani’s home, killing at least two people inside. Seven others, who didn’t make it to their shelter were killed from the blast.

Even after an incoming threat has been neutralized by Israel’s Iron Dome, residents are required to stay inside their protected spaces for at least another ten minutes over concerns of falling debris. Finally, when the immediate danger has passed, they will receive a message like this one, “The event has ended, Tzur Hadassa. You can leave the protected space. It is required to adhere to the Home Front Command guidelines.”

Can you imagine living under such a threat. What if you had small children? What if you were taking care of a sick or elderly family member with limited mobility and you had just 90 seconds to get from your older home (with no mamad) to the public shelter a block away? For the Israelis it has become a normal part of life, but never an easy one!

-Daniel McCabe

Christology—the Offices of Jesus, part 7

Jesus fulfilled some very important, well-known offices or roles throughout biblical time. For example, Jesus is the Messiah of Israel, the Anointed One, who did the special work of securing our salvation. He’s the great Son of God and Prophet of God, the source of all prophecy in some way. We see this in John 1:1 and Hebrews 1:1-2. He knows and reveals God to mankind and was anointed with the Holy Spirit to prophesy. He fulfilled the role of Messiah, having revealed God the Father to all of us. He also fulfills the role of priest, the great High Priest, offering sacrifice to God and representing all those who believe in Him. He even prays and intercedes for believers continually. We see this in Romans 8:34 and 1 Timothy 2:5. What a wonderful comfort that Jesus intercedes for us and blesses us! So, He’s Messiah. He’s a prophet, and He’s a priest.

Some priests in the Old Testament were prophets. Nobody was a prophet, priest, and king. Some kings were prophets. No kings were priests. Jesus alone was prophet, priest and king. It’s amazing! He’s the King of the Jews, according to Matthew 2, Acts 17 and a billion other Bible verses to which we can refer. He offered His Kingdom to Israel when He came in His humiliated state as the Messiah. It was a genuine offer of the Kingdom. Of course, now we understand that in God’s plan it was not going to be accepted, but it wasn’t a pretend or fake offer either. It was a genuine offer, but it was rejected. Being the King of Israel, He’s also King over the entire world. We know that Israel will one day receive their promised glorious Kingdom, but as God, He is also King over the entire world. He sits on the throne of God right now, reigning over the entire universe, but one day He will return to sit on the throne of David, inaugurating His earthly Kingdom in Jerusalem.

There’s something fascinating to me about this! Let me briefly walk you through it. In Jeremiah 22:28-30, there’s a prophecy against King Jeconiah, given not long before Babylon comes to take the Kingdom of Judah from him. Jeconiah was not a good king, nevertheless, he is in the line of good King David—in fact, Jeconiah is the last in the line of David before the Babylonian captivity—and one would naturally expect any future kings to descend directly from that line through Jeconiah. But Jeremiah 22 tells us that God cursed Jeconiah, stating unequivocally that none of his descendants would ever sit on the throne. This is rather interesting, for who is prophesied to come from that line? Jesus, of course, who will come one day to inaugurate His Kingdom on earth, ruling and reigning from Jerusalem, yet Jeconiah and his descendants were cursed, so how can this be?

Well, have you ever wondered why there are two different genealogies of Jesus, one in Matthew 1 and one in Luke 3? The first traces Jesus through Solomon, the son of David, and the second traces Jesus through Nathan, another son of David. That’s interesting! The genealogy in Matthew 1 traces Jesus through Joseph, Mary’s husband, and Luke 3 traces Jesus’ lineage through Mary, His physical mother. Both Joseph and Mary descended from David. Both were from the tribe of Judah, but even this was necessary in God’s plan. I’ve written before that it was necessary for Jesus to be both God and man, but His dual lineage was also necessary for His kingship. Let me explain.

Jesus received His legal kingship through Joseph from Solomon, David’s son, who was the continuation of the Davidic Covenant, which promised that David would always have a son on the throne, even ultimately into the Kingdom forever and ever. David’s son, Jesus, will sit on that throne. So Jesus received His legal right of kingship through the Solomonic line that ran through His dad, Joseph, His legal earthly father. Jesus also received His physical, genetic descendancy from David through Mary, which avoids the curse of Jeconiah altogether and gives Jesus the ability to rule and reign sufficiently, for Jesus did not descend physically from Jeconiah. He descended physically from David through Mary. But He did descend through Jeconiah in the legal line of kingship through Joseph.

It stands to reason then that Jesus would have found an occasion during His earthly ministry to present this fact, particularly during His interactions with those who questioned Him. The Gospels can only record so much of what Jesus said, but it certainly seems reasonable to think that when His opponents would sling mud at Him that Jesus found just the right moment to say, “I am the rightful King. I have the legal right to rule and reign as King through Jeconiah, and since I didn’t descend physically from him, I have avoided the curse. Yet I’m still physically descended from David through my mother Mary.”

God sees to every detail when making all of His plans, which emphasizes how thorough and just He is. He works everything together so wonderfully!

-Adam Keim

Archaeology—the John Rylands p52 Papyrus

Similar to thick paper, papyrus is an ancient writing material made from the pith of the papyrus plant. For thousands of years separate pieces of papyrus were sewn together side by side and rolled into a scroll, or sometimes the pieces of papyrus were bound together to form the pages of a codex, similar to our modern books. No bigger in size than a credit card, Papyrus p52 is a small fragment of a page from a very old codex, and evidently it is the only surviving piece of the entire codex.

Papyrus p52 is unique to say the least, for it is the oldest surviving copy of any portion of the New Testament. First discovered on the Egyptian market by a well-known Egyptologist in 1920, it measures only 2½ by 3½ inches at its widest, and it contains seven lines of Greek writing on both its sides from the Gospel of John 18:31-33 and vs. 37-38, respectively. By studying the size of the letters as well as their spacing and assuming that this papyrus was once part of a complete copy of the Gospel of John, it can be determined that the book would have been approximately 8 inches tall, 8 inches wide, and 130 pages in length.

But how old is it? The very first scholar to examine the writing style of p52 proposed a date of 100-150 A.D. There are a few scholars who propose a date of 90 A.D. or even earlier, and others propose a date to the late second century or early third century, but consensus seems to have settled on 125-150 A.D. In any event this papyrus is exceedingly old, and given that the Apostle John is thought to have written his gospel as late as 90-95 A.D., then researchers have a copy of the New Testament in their possession that dates to within as little as five years from the time of its writing. Take that in for a moment! That’s stunning, and the papyrus shows remarkable agreement with later copies of the book of John, proving yet again how God has preserved the writing of his Word.

-Daniel McCabe

Answer to the Trivia

C. They are removed semi-annually and buried on the Mount of Olives

Week Twenty, 2026

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lᴏʀᴅ our God.” – Psalm 20:7

As we walked down the wharf in a foreign port, we spied the largest yacht we had ever seen. Suddenly a side door opened, and a couple departed the gangway onto the wharf. Reaching the bottom, they turned to face the ship and stared with a look of admiration at the craft they appeared to almost worship.

Money always reveals the heart. How we use it shows whether we trust God, treasure God, and walk in His wisdom. In fact, in only 31 chapters in Proverbs, there are more than 130 references to things financial: money, riches, wealth, prosperity, poverty, and fulfillment beyond the material. Of the more than 130 individual Proverbs that are related to personal finance, roughly 40% of them fall into two categories: right actions that are pledged to lead to prosperity and wrong actions that lead to poverty.

Seek God, not money. I know of two country brothers whose ranchland value grew into the millions, who were bitter enemies; without that value, they probably would be out fishing with a cane pole.

We must remember that God owns it all and we are mere stewards. As such, we must steward God’s money wisely and share God’s money generously. It is better to seek God rather than gold.

A good name is better than gold. Money is a terrible master. God owns everything. We are just stewards. But money reveals our idols. We must be good stewards of what is entrusted to us by Him. Generosity is not optional. It’s not about how much we have, but who has us. We have nothing, but Jesus has everything.

As the Psalmist said thousands of years ago, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lᴏʀᴅ our God.”

Where is your trust… in God or in money?

Sometimes True Stories

Moses passed the baton to Joshua to lead the Israelites into the promised land. With that baton came both the promise and the authority to act and provide as Moses did. Moses added the admonition to cast fear aside and be strong in carrying out his mandate. He would lead the people and conquer.

In the same manner Jesus has passed the baton to us believers. Of course, we tend to come up with excuses. I can’t lead my family in Godliness. Yes, you can. Be strong. I can’t lead someone to Christ. Yes, you can. Be strong. I can’t lead a Christ-like life. Yes, you can. Be strong.

The baton Jesus has given us includes sharing the promise of eternal life in heaven with others by the authority of His Word. Let’s conquer a sinful world for Jesus. He promised to be with us. The baton is yours. Fear Not. – Rich Jensen

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C.S. Lewis said that Jesus was either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord. Imagine someone submitting to a gruesome death, while predicting that He would come back to life in three days. A liar would not voluntarily submit to death for the sins of others, and a lunatic would run away. But Jesus submitted to death for the salvation of mankind. Jesus atoned for our sins, that’s love!

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“Do to others as you would like them to do to you.” (Luke 6:31 NLT) This verse is often known as the Golden Rule. So, what keeps most of us from treating our fellow man as the verse states? The answer is simpler than most people imagine; it is called pride. Scripture specifically warns us against prideful behavior; in fact, pride is often tied to most disagreements. This is where Godly Wisdom comes in. God’s wisdom will give us the power to rise above the petty things in life. Write down the last 5 things that upset you in the last week, last month, and finally last year. Most of us can’t remember or even compile a list, but if you have a list, how many of those are important today? How many are still upsetting? If you are like me and your list is short, all those upsetting things were petty after all. This is nothing more than Christian ethics because forgiveness is free to the giver. Put God first, the rest is life. – Tony Ferguson

Quotes You Can Use

God doesn’t require that I do the very best, only my very best.

When God takes the trash out of your life, don’t go dumpster diving.

The basic laws of the universe are simple, but because our senses are limited, we can’t grasp them. There is a pattern in creation. – Albert Einstein

The formula for becoming adopted into God’s family is: Believe + Receive = Become.

Don’t waste your breath on fools, for they will despise the wisest advice. Proverbs 23:9

It’s hard to get in shape spiritually when you only work out on Sunday.

If we have nothing else to give our children, they have enough if they have God.

Sometimes faith will make you look stupid until it begins to rain. – Noah

If you refuse God’s remedy, there is no other cure.

The journey from life to death to eternal life need not be feared for those who have accepted the gift of Grace.

We must make some radical decisions concerning separation from the world and its pollution.

Fallacies do not cease to be fallacies because they become fashions.

A rising tide lifts all the boats.

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.

God will fight our battles.

God’s truth cannot be filtered through man’s perceived knowledge and self-professed wisdom.

Many professing Christians today seem to have the same curious fascination with evil.

Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life. Proverbs 4:23

It is frightening to realize that if a man persists in that path God has warned him against, the day will come when God gives him one final call.

For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; weeping may last for the night, but shout of joy comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5

Your feedback is welcome and if you want to contribute your ideas and thoughts, address all items and comments to [email protected].

© Thoughts on Life Copyright 2026

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May 9, 2029

Most of you probably don’t remember a television show that ran from 1968-70, entitled “Land of the Giants.” I barely do though it was one of my earliest childhood memories, yet today I find myself wondering if the producers of the show borrowed their title for it from Deuteronomy 3:13, which specifically refers to a “land of the giants.” Secular historians widely maintain that no race of giants existed in antiquity, yet the Bible uses several unquestionably ethnic terms to describe them, including the Rephaim, Anakim, Emim and Zamzummim (Deut. 2:11, 20).

Almost 75% of the eighteen occurrences of the English word giant or giants found in the New King James Version come directly from the Hebrew word for Rephaim, early inhabitants of Canaan (cf. Gen. 15:20). Numbers 13:33 even states by way of commentary that “the descendants of Anak came from the giants.” That races of giants once existed in antiquity is also reinforced by passages like Deut. 3:11 and Josh. 12:4; 13:12, which refer to a “remnant of the giants.” Most ancient cultures also describe men of great size and strength that have since disappeared from history.

In the Bible the ten faithless Israelite spies who scouted the Promised Land called the Anakim who lived there “men of great stature” (Num. 13:32) and “a people great and tall” (Deut. 9:2) though many today assert that these statements are merely the emotional reaction of intimated men. Some furthermore insist that the occasional biblical reference to giant-sized men can surely mean only that from time to time men do sometimes grow to an unusual height as did Robert Wadlow who measured 8 ft. 11 in. shortly before his death in 1940, but biblical references to a “land of giants” and descriptive statements by Moses and Joshua that identify several ethnic groups of giants would surely suggest otherwise.

-Daniel McCabe

Trivia

Many different languages are spoken in Jerusalem, including Arabic, Armenian, Greek and Hebrew. The following four words are sometimes used to say “hello” in one of the four aforementioned languages, but which one is Arabic?

History: Jerusalem Day

It can be a pretty intense day! But let’s start at the beginning! When Britain pulled out of what was known as Mandatory Palestine in 1948, a war broke out between Jewish and Arab forces that resulted among other things in the division of Jerusalem into two parts: East Jerusalem controlled by the Arabs and the western section of Jerusalem controlled by the Jews. This standoff would last for nineteen years until the State of Israel launched a preemptive strike against the surrounding Arab nations who threatened military action against Israel. On June 7, 1967, the third day of a six-day conflict, Israeli paratroopers entered the Old City of Jerusalem from the east through Lion’s Gate, defeated the scattered Jordanian forces that held it, and took full control of the city and its holy sites, including the Temple Mount and the Western Wall, until that time known as the Wailing Wall.

That day, 28 Iyar on the Hebrew calendar, has been celebrated annually by Israelis as both a national and a religious holiday. Called Jerusalem Day, this year’s celebration of the reunification of Jerusalem ironically falls on May 15, my blue-eyed sister’s birthday and the 78th anniversary of Israel’s first full day of independence as a state.

As you can imagine Jerusalem Day celebrations are generally not celebrated by the city’s Arab population who mark it conversely as the beginning of Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem. Even so, the Jews celebrate the day with political speeches, a youth parade, music, dancing and prayer at the Western Wall, though not all participate, for some religious Jews do not recognize the secular government of Israel while some Israeli politicians have even tried to abolish the day, questioning what they describe as its aggressive nationalism, provocation and exclusion.

-Daniel McCabe

Christology—the Death, Burial and Ascension of Jesus, part 6

These events are simple matters of history as the Bible has revealed them to us. The death of Jesus was, of course, prophesied in the Old Testament (Isaiah 53:8; Daniel 9:26; Zechariah 13:7) as well as by Jesus Himself (Matthew 20:18; John 12:23-24). His death, of course, was undeserved. He didn’t do anything wrong, and although undeserved, Jesus’ death was voluntary. He laid down His own life. He willingly went along with God’s plan to be that sacrifice. He was then buried in a new tomb, but He did not remain in the grave as we know because He was resurrected. Is there a greater aspect of anything than the resurrection of Jesus Christ?

We know that if Jesus was not raised from the dead, then we are to be pitied above all people. His resurrection too was prophesied in the Old Testament (Psalm 16:10; Isaiah 26:19) as well as by Christ Himself. Jesus was raised by the power of God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. All three members or subsistencies of the Trinity were involved just as they were all involved in the creation and in our salvation. They were all involved in Jesus’ resurrection, yet for me to say the word “they” sounds weird because there is one God. We use the word “they” because there are three persons of the Godhead, which transcends our comprehension, but agrees with Scripture. God the Father, the Son, and the Spirit were all involved in Jesus’ resurrection, which secured justification for the believer. This is clear from Romans 4:25 (it was necessary for the fulfillment of Scripture) and from Luke 24:45-47 (it was necessary for the forgiveness of sins). Jesus later ascended into heaven and is currently in heaven with the Father—simple matters of history that we know and love and need for our own salvation.

-Adam Keim

History and Geography—Amos of Tekoa

“The words of Amos, who was among the shepherds of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam, the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake” (Amos 1:1).

The village of Tekoa, hometown to Amos the prophet, was established in the days of Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 11:6). It is nestled in the Judean hills, about 8.5 miles south of Jerusalem.

Tekoa has been a small town for all of its history and is a quiet residential area today. Amos famously said, “I was no prophet, nor a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs” (Amos 7:14). His shepherd life would have been very similar to those of the shepherds who heard the announcement of the messiah’s birth (Luke 2:8-21), especially since Bethlehem is only a few miles away.

Amos is its most famous resident, but do you remember another biblical person from there? Joab brought a wise woman from Tekoa to go before David and convince him (by some tricky means) to bring Absalom back from exile after Absalom killed his brother Amnon (2 Samuel 14).

Letters from a leader of the Bar Kokhba revolt were found in a valley nearby the town. The Bar Kokhba revolt was fought from AD 132-136; also known as the Third Jewish-Roman War, it was the third and last of three major rebellions against the Roman Empire by the Jews.

Tekoa is one of those places that tourists seldom visit and most people have never heard of. But if you ever find yourself there, survey the landscape and take in the view that Amos beheld every day. To the east you can look out over the Dead Sea and see the country of Jordan. As visitors to Israel know, places are a lot closer together than what we often assume when reading the Bible.

-Adam Keim

Answer to the Trivia

C. Marhaba