Week Ten, 2026

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1–2).

Attending a good orchestra concert is near the top of my list. I did that recently, and my eyes were glued to the conductor. Before he came out, each member of the orchestra was tuning their instruments. It was utter chaos—different instruments, different notes. Then, there was complete orchestral silence as the conductor appeared and the audience applauded.

He raised the baton, pointed to different sections, and beautiful music filled the air. Each member had their assigned music and played in harmony. It was a marvelous production, from solos to full orchestral participation. I couldn’t help but think of a parallel to God. He equips us and directs us in His ways.

When I played in an orchestra, I played the second part that provided harmony to the first part. Sometimes God asks us to do that in life. We all have a role, and mine may be different from yours.

The idea of God as an orchestra conductor is a great analogy. It means God orchestrates life’s events. He guides us with a divine plan, bringing harmony from chaos and leading everyone to a purposeful, beautiful outcome. It suggests that while we play our unique parts, trusting His lead creates a symphony. Every person’s role—and even their challenges—fits into a grand design.

All good leaders are like conductors. As the conductor raises his baton, a hushed silence descends on the audience, and the musicians ready themselves to play. All eyes are on the conductor as his baton begins to move and the orchestra begins to play. When we see that God is center stage—always present and active—we become more attuned to the good He is always giving us.

The conductor has a deep knowledge of the full musical composition. The orchestra members’ trust in this leader enables them to follow and play music together.

Do we sometimes think we don’t need to be led? I’ve come to appreciate the importance of being led—and following. Any challenge we might have with this has a lot to do with who we see leading us. An orchestra would not allow someone with no musical knowledge to lead them. Similarly, we might not trust someone to guide us unless we are confident in their ability. Allowing God to lead us, rather than our own limited understanding, has profound benefits.

Hebrews 12:1–2 is a powerful passage. It encourages believers to run the Christian life with endurance, inspired by a “great cloud of witnesses” (past faithful people). It focuses on Jesus, who endured the cross for the joy set before Him, becoming the ultimate example of faith. It calls on us to shed hindrances and sin, run with perseverance, and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus as the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.

Who is your conductor?

Sometimes True Stories

When we were kids, we would ask for things we saw advertised. When birthdays or Christmas came around, we would ask again. We never asked for food or a warm bed. We just assumed our parents would provide those things. It turned out that they always gave us what was best for us.

There is nothing God cannot provide for us. After all, He already knows what is in our hearts. Too often, though, we act like kids and ask for material things. They may be nice, but God knows what is best for us. He gives us things like peace of mind, solid relationships, and a family that is becoming more Christlike. Those are the things God will provide in abundance when Christ abides in us. Where is your heart? —Rich Jensen

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In our daily lives, we constantly run into the devil. He tries to cause us to sin against our Creator. We swear, plot, plan, and let our lips lead us astray. “As we go through life, we are going to find ourselves running headfirst into the devil; if we don’t, then we are probably going in the same direction.” The devil is a devious fellow whose goal is to lead us down a path of sin. Be aware of his treacherous path; it ends in fire. —Tony Ferguson

Quotes You Can Use

First rule of 2026: Don’t dwell on what went wrong in 2025. God has a plan. Trust Him.

Being a good person is simple, but not good enough. Accepting God’s grace is the answer.

If we can completely believe some of God’s promises, why do we have difficulty believing all of God’s promises? —Dan Shock

If I die tomorrow, I will be with the Lord. If I live tomorrow, the Lord will be with me. Either way, I belong to Him.

Kindness is free to the giver and only takes an “attitude of gratitude” to share with those we interact with each day. Whether we are giving or receiving, our attitude is under our control. Fostering love is contagious. —Tony Ferguson

If you desire to experience true life, seek it according to and through God’s life-giving Word. —Kevin Baggett

Freedom is not procured by a full enjoyment of what is desired, but by controlling the desire.

You do not drift into spiritual maturity; you grow through consistent, intentional obedience in everyday decisions.

A person who understands that their blessings and prosperity come from God understands the compassion and love the Lord has for each of us. —Tony Ferguson

Life’s trials are God’s instruments to bring us to Him. —Dan Shock

We are saved not because we deserve it, but because God is merciful. —Charles Spurgeon

I should spend my life submitting every aspect of my life to the Word of God, even if it conflicts and contradicts my culture.

There can be no greater good than the quest for peace, and no finer purpose than the preservation of freedom. —President Ronald Reagan

The Son of God became the Son of Man in order that the sons of men might become the sons of God.

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

^©2026, Thoughts on Life

The Diary of My First Trip to Israel—pages 7-8

Page 7: “The shadow of the sun was dipping just below the crest of the wall above the Western Wall as young male voices were heard coming from the Jewish Quarter in the southeast of the Old City. They were dressed in black pants and white shirts. Their fathers were already waiting and worshiping at the wall in black suits and varied black hats. It is Friday night—Sabbath. I put on my cardboard yarmulke, compliments of the State of Israel, and joined the throng. Men and boys, arm in arm, dancing counter clockwise in a ring, many already at prayer or Torah reading, speaking out loud and rocking mechanically at their spot on the wall. Women were scarce, and no women were seen with the men to the left of the barrier which excluded them. They were to worship for hours, but I was now ready to eat, and soon I was seated at an Armenian restaurant looking at lamb, baby chicken and beef. The total bill for our group of eight came to $187. We even tipped.

It’s now 11:09 and I am rested. My headache is now only a memory and I have scarcely even burned even after exposure to the sun for two days. The Sabbath streets are eerily quiet compared to previous evenings. Even the birds are quiet. The weather has remained the same, and Jerusalem Day festivities are either completed or on hold. I have learned that this day celebrates the founding of Jerusalem by David.

I’d have liked to have been there!

Page 8: Today was a day of rest for me and for the Jew. It is Sabbath, Saturday, May 15th. We arose leisurely, breakfasted together in the second floor dining room and ascended the hotel stairs to the roof for a panoramic view of the city and beyond. Jordan lay slumbering in the haze of the morning to our east. The Mount of Olives served as a backdrop to the Dome of the Rock whose golden covering sparkled in the mid-morning heat. Now it was off to the synagogue for services.

Nothing in Jerusalem is flat, so we exited Jaffa Gate and rapidly descended into Gehinnom, the Valley of Hinnom, the New Testament picture of hell, past the Hilton and U.S. consulate, flanked by guards who shadowed us on the sidewalk as we made our way down empty streets.

We arrived at an old but modern edifice of worship. The women in our group went to the balcony as required. The men remained below to observe, though two younger men rolled their eyes after spotting us. The worship was dominated by the elderly and they couldn’t have filled more than 20% of its capacity.

A lunch at McDonald’s was all that was available. Every other eatery was shut down. After lunch a small group of hearty souls toured the citadel by our hotel, which may have served as a military garrison as early as the time of David. It was a lengthy and must-see self tour and ended with a look at a 1:500 model of the entire city of Jerusalem.

A return to the hotel resulted in a long nap. This evening we went out on David St. to a nearby cafe for shwarma and a coke which set me back twenty-one shekels. We then sauntered out on the deck which overlooks Jaffa St. to people watch and find joy in the setting of the sun. The larks frolicked above while the children below played soccer and climbed on the railings. The chill Jerusalem night air chased us inside for good conversation and a time with my pen. The city has come alive again with the quick curtain of night having fallen and the Sabbath complete.”

Thus far, I’ve only covered four to five days of my first trip to Israel, but I hope that it has given you a flavor of the joy I experienced so long ago which has carried through to this day. Maybe someday I’ll share with you the latter half of my trip. How young I seemed back then! The people that I met there were beautiful, and I wish you could see their faces as I still can. That first trip made such an impression on my mind, and I look forward to being able to take you with me one day to the land of Israel. As I’ve said many times, a walk in the land deepens your walk with the Lord. You are there in the land where he was, where he lived, where he died, and seeing those sights has brought me a greater understanding of the Word of God. Still to this day, as I read it, the Word of God comes alive. I can see it, smell it, taste it, hear it and touch it, and so I do hope that one day, whether with our ministry or not, you will make a trip to the Promised Land.

Daniel McCabe

Trivia (Find the answer at the bottom)

Hebrew is written from right to left and English of course from left to right, but in which direction is Arabic written, the third most common language today in Israel?

Hamartiology – Origin and Transmission of Sin

Hamartiology refers to the study of sin. It comes from the Greek word for sin, hamartia. Sin is a violation of God’s moral standard. Some define sin as missing the mark, but essentially it’s anything that runs contrary to God’s character or will. Committing an act forbidden by God is sin as is failing to commit an act commanded by Him.

Adam and Eve failed their first test of obedience issued by God back in the garden. They were tempted by Satan, of course, but Adam and Eve were the guilty ones for choosing to sin. They couldn’t simply blame their sin on Satan even though Eve tried. It’s certainly true what Eve said, “The serpent deceived me and I ate,” but she couldn’t wiggle out of her guilt by blaming it on the serpent, the devil. Adam had likewise chosen to eat the forbidden fruit, and he tried to blame it on the woman, “She gave me of the tree and I ate.” Even when we’re tempted, we’re still guilty when we choose to sin. It’s our fault. By this act of evil by Adam, our representative head, the entire human race fell and became guilty of sin.

Traditionally, there are two different ways to think about the transmission of sin—representative headship or seminal headship. Did we inherit our sinful nature from Adam because he represented us—he’s our leader and our representative, and since he fell, I fell too? Or did we inherit our sinful nature from Adam through physical genetics? I think both are in play here. Adam represents man as the very first man. But he is also our head in that we all come physically from him.

Either way the guilt of sin has been transmitted to us. Every person is prone to sin from birth and can do no truly good act to please God. All of our righteousness is like filthy rags. We can’t do any good works to enter into a state of purity and goodness. We can only receive goodness from Jesus Christ as He imputes His righteousness to us. If we have faith in Him and ask forgiveness for our sins, then He is gracious and kind to do it (1 John 1:9).

The extent of sin is thorough in mankind. Every single person is guilty of sin. Even the baby that’s conceived is born into a fallen race, so even if he hasn’t technically committed any sins of his own, he is still part of the fallenness of this world. Jesus Christ is the only sinless human being. He’s fully human, and He’s the only sinless human.

Satan and some of the angels also sinned and fell from God, and they continue to tempt mankind to sin. Satan is up to his old tricks, and he’s always trying to tempt us, but we must resist his temptations though sometimes in our fallen flesh we give in to them even though we shouldn’t.

Adam Keim

History and Geography: Gideon of Ophrah

“Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, ‘The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor’” (Judges 7:11-12).

The precise location of Ophrah, Gideon’s hometown, is a difficult place to discern. There is another town called Ophrah in the Judean hills (1 Samuel 13:17), but Gideon’s home was most likely in the Valley of Jezreel. You can see in the picture that Nazareth and Megiddo were nearby places.

The pictures in this series will be snapshots from Google Earth so you can see the terrain as it is today, which in many cases is just like it was in biblical times! The Sea of Galilee lies about 18 miles to the northeast, and the modern city of Afula sits just next to ancient Ophrah. Personal travel tip: Afula’s traffic can get quite slow in the afternoons.

Ophrah is perched on the western edge of the Hill of Moreh. That hill also held such notable places as Endor on its east, where Saul found a witch in 1 Samuel 28, and Shunem on its south, where Elisha resurrected a woman’s son in 2 Kings 4.

Gideon felt personally the raids on his land by the Midianites. He beat out wheat in a winepress installation in order to hide it from oppressors. The Lord used him to lead a meager army against the Midianites, intentionally small so that the glory of victory would go not to any man, but to Whom it belonged–God.

Ophrah is a little-known town to even savvy Bible readers. In fact, most of what I want to highlight in this series are lesser-known locations, but places in which God raised up people to achieve great things by His own hand.

Adam Keim

Answer to the Trivia

A. Right to left

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© 2026 Shalom Y’all Ministries

Cullman, AL 35058

Week Nine, 2026

“O Lord, you are a great and awesome God! You always fulfill your covenant and keep your promises of unfailing love to those who love you and obey your commands” (Daniel 9:4).

The book of Daniel is one of the greatest books in the Bible. I just finished reading Agents of Babylon by David Jeremiah for the second time. It is a marvelous book. It describes both worldly and spiritual history, but especially prophecy—some of which happened long after the writing, and much that is yet to happen.

Daniel was a young boy living in Jerusalem when the Babylonians captured the city, slaughtering many of its people. Others, like Daniel, were forced to walk hundreds of miles in the desert. Many died on the way and were left for the vultures. Those who survived the journey were enslaved as Babylonian servants. Most, like Daniel, were made into eunuchs.

Daniel ended up serving in high positions, but the most significant thing in the book was his prayer life. He prayed constantly, even when threatened with death. God protected him in the lions’ den, just as He protected his friends in the fiery furnace. Prayer, not man, protected him for some eighty years.

The main lesson of Daniel’s story is unwavering faith and integrity in a hostile world. It shows that God is sovereign and protects those who remain faithful, even in exile. Daniel trusted Him over worldly power, refused to compromise with his food or prayers, and maintained a deep commitment to what is right. It reveals that God’s power triumphs over any empire or threat.

The book serves as a message of hope. It shows God’s sovereignty over empires and encourages enduring faith amid oppression, with prophetic visions pointing to a final divine kingdom. The depictions begin with creation, and the prophecy reaches all the way to the second coming. Of the events that have already happened, not a single one conflicts with the book of Daniel.

In Christ, God has provided us with the strength and resources to overcome the enemy. Take up the challenge to pray without giving up. Press on, and keep bringing your requests to God. He is listening—and the answer to your prayer may be closer than you realize.

The bottom line is to encourage constant prayer. Pray to see the world through God’s eyes, not through the eyes of the world. Follow His Word, not the dictates of the world.

How is your prayer life?

Sometimes True Stories

In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis writes about the “Moral Law” and how we all know right from wrong. Suppose you could push a button and kill someone on the other side of the world. In return, you would be given a million dollars. Even the most ruthless person knows pushing that button is wrong. They might choose to push it anyway and bury the guilt, but we all know the choice is wrong. God’s gift of the moral law keeps mankind from self-destructing.

On judgement day are we going say to God: Look, I needed the money!! God requires we do what is right, just, and fair, even when it may not appear to be in our best interest at the time. God’s love is called “Agape” which is unconditional love, focused on giving rather than receiving.

Right living requires we pass it on.

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Psychiatrist Dr. Abraham Twerski noted that “human beings need four things: air, food, drink, and someone else to blame.” I suppose it all started in the Garden of Eden, when Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the serpent. In Genesis 3:12, the man said, “The woman you put here with me, she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Then the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” Neither of them took personal responsibility.

Blaming others for the wrongs we do is not just a moral issue. It makes emotional and spiritual growth impossible. A dear friend once told me, “If you don’t like it, change it.” Wise people take responsibility for their actions. They show humility, admit when they are wrong, and talk things over with the Lord. If your way is not right, the Lord will help you change it. —Tony Ferguson

Quotes You Can Use

Here is the sobering reality: a PROFESSION of faith is not the same as POSSESSION of faith. —Charles Spurgeon

What we rehearse in our minds often becomes what shapes our hearts. —Marty Stubblefield

When we stand at that great white throne judgment of God and hear our names called, we need not fear. —Dan Shock

Not going to church because of all the “hypocrites” is like not going to the gym because of all the “out of shape” people.

Jesus has a daily allotment of work for each of us to do. We have a world to reach, and every one of us has a role to fill. There’s no time to waste. The closer we come to His return, the busier we become in doing His labor—and it’s a joy! “Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find him doing so” (Matthew 24:46). Get ready!

Men are only too clever at shifting blame from their own shoulders to those of others.

The exaltation of Jesus reveals His true identity, demands our worship, and transforms how we live. —Edgar Aponte

God sent His only Son, Jesus, to teach and to save each of us from our own sinful nature. We must not worry about being good, but rather understand how good God is and how trusting we can be of His Word. Jesus came to make it possible for each of us to inherit salvation because of His goodness. —Tony Ferguson

Spiritual depression or unhappiness in the Christian life is very often due to our failure to realize the greatness of the Gospel. —Martyn Lloyd-Jones

The Father made a plan. The Son made the plan possible. The Holy Spirit makes the plan work: The Father elects us. The Son justifies. The Holy Spirit sanctifies us. —John MacArthur

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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

February 21, 2026

Life in the Land: A Bobsleigh Story

If you don’t know the difference between a bobsleigh and a bobsled, then you’re not alone. I had to look it up myself, and it turns out that there isn’t really a difference. Americans say bobsled and the rest of the world generally says bobsleigh. But I promised you a story, so let me get to it.

Have you ever been an alternate or a backup? Perhaps you were the first runner up at the Miss Tractor Pull or Miss Pickle pageant (yes, both are actual events) and Miss Pickle suddenly relinquished her title because of a scheduling dill-emma. Or someone declined an academic scholarship to LSU or Auburn and it fell to you. Go Tigers!

Well, after Great Britain declined one of its allotted slots for the Olympic two-man and four-man men’s bobsleigh competition, the spot was awarded to Israel. The two-man competition ended on Tuesday, and they finished 26th out of the 26 teams in their first-ever Olympic appearance. But who knows how much they might improve by 2030 for the 26th Olympiad in France? The four-man bobsleigh competition begins today. Best wishes!

Daniel McCabe

The Diary of My First Trip to Israel—pages 5-6

Page 5: I fell asleep with little fanfare last night, but awoke early around 5:30 to visit the water closet. As I returned to bed, I became aware of a choir of birds outside performing the rendition of a jailbreak. It was a little unnerving until the sun called them away after 6:00 and the staccato of a distant church bell incessantly launched into its own overture. Refreshed nonetheless, I awoke wondering, “Was it a morning like this when Golgotha claimed the life of my Love and the love of my life?

We headed out at around 8:00 after a breakfast of eggs and dry toast. From this point on, I must sadly note that words cannot capture the magnificence of this day, certainly not mine! May Jewish evenings and mornings are quite chilly, but the day heat was soon upon us. We wandered purposefully through the narrow, paved, hilly streets which led from the Jaffa Gate to the Temple Mount. There a PBS camera crew captured one of our guide’s many lectures on what we were to see that day. As the cameras rolled and the green-clad IDF forces kept careful eye, I looked sadly from my perch out upon the blind zeal of the Jews at the Western Wall.

Robinson’s Arch, Wilson’s arches and Warren’s Shaft were dutifully explained. Am I here? The young boys turning thirteen are here on this Thursday, as also on Mondays, to celebrate their bar mitzvahs. Faces from all over the world are here. I am one. We advanced up the rampart to the Temple Mount. One woman was politely asked to cover her shoulders by the Muslim gatekeeper. Several cats greeted our party near the olive trees on the east side.

Later we exited the mount to join a large group of German Pentecostals in a glorious rendition of “Amazing Grace” inside St. Anne’s Church. Then off for a panoramic view of the east side of the Old City wall. The traffic is congested throughout the city and walking is therefore greatly preferred, and I was also struck by the close proximity of everything to each other, making walking less a chore. My lunch of rice, spinach, quiche, coleslaw, two veggies of unknown origin, one Coke, and one heavenly slice of blueberry pie set me back 65 shekels or roughly $16, but I ate with ravenous desire. A walk through David’s city and a visit to the traditional site of the Upper Room completed the day’s events that evening.

This night as I purchased a large round treasure of bread and a bottled water for 6½ shekels, the Jaffa Gate was inundated with thousands and thousands of teenage Jews singing, waving the Israeli flag in celebration and chanting, “I will give my blood for Israel.” It was spectacular.

After much discussion with Brent and Lee tonight about the day’s happenings, I sought my first hot shower. Now I will seek the Lord.

Page 6: Obe’s voice and closed fist were heard through our door. We were sound asleep and it was time to leave. A rushed dressing and quick walk through the crisp air of the Christian quarter brought us to the Holy Sepulcher Church. The candle-lit halls and altars led to the traditional site of the burial of our Savior. A short Coptic priest with a crooked smile and red gown shot past us, and a black-gowned Greek Orthodox priest with folded-arms guarded the entrance to the tomb. His only words were said cheerlessly, “Please hurry, we need to clean inside.” The frescoes and paintings were discolored from years of incense. But after exiting the church, leaving through the Damascus Gate and spelunkering for a time in the quarries below the Old City, we ventured next to a lot behind the Palestinian bus station and looked up to see Gordon’s Calvary, a skull-like protrusion in the cenomanian limestone.

Then we entered the Garden Tomb and witnessed living faith as had not been encountered anywhere in our journeys until that moment. Our guide’s British accent, gray hair and polite demeanor stood out from the hustle and smell and noise of the street from which we had just come. Stan was our guide through the garden, and he articulated in fine manner the history of the place while emphasizing on more than one occasion that the person of Christ was more important than any place. He gave the gospel message clearly and even shared his testimony of trusting Jesus Christ through the ministry of a military liaison that he met while in Michigan many years before. I will never forget his last words to us this day. He said, “Go on in, folks. It’s empty!” Thank you, Stan! See you in the throne room of heaven!

From there we made our way to the Golden Arches for a taste of the familiar. The others have gone shopping. Lee sleeps. I write. Tonight the Sabbath will begin and we will walk to the Western Wall to take a peek at Sabbath worship. For now, though the tomb is empty and the Lord risen, my bed is occupied, and I shall not rise for two hours or so. Shalom!

Daniel McCabe

Trivia (Answer below)

What day do Muslims gather for worship with others?

History: A Once Proud Building

Forgive me if this post falls into the category of “meh” for you. Sometimes I fear that I’ve become like the guy who pulls out his baseball collection at a quilting bee or like the dad who drones on about his new miter saw at his daughter’s slumber party. It’s just that I love everything about the Old City of Jerusalem, and though admittedly some of you will never love black jelly beans, dark chocolate or black-eyed peas as much as I do, perhaps you might enjoy the following snapshot of history.

As you walk out of the shade of Jaffa Gate on your entrance into the Old City, squint your eyes or shade them from the early morning sun and focus about one hundred yards dead ahead of you to the far side of the square, Omar ibn al-Khattab Square to be precise, named for “Omar, the son of Khattab,” the second caliph of Islam who conquered Jerusalem in 638 A.D. There it is—an old stone building that’s passed by thousands of locals and tourists every day with barely even a notice though it once stood quite proudly over the square.

The United States moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in 2018, one of only five countries with a formal presence there today. Before that time the U.S. only operated a consulate in Jerusalem, a consulate being simply a branch office of an embassy. The U.S. has had a supportive and lasting relationship with the land of the Bible long before the people there took the name of Israel in 1948. Until 1917 the Ottoman Empire ruled over the land of milk and honey from its capital in Constantinople, modern-day Istanbul, and the U.S. embassy officed there. In 1844, however, the U.S. opened a consulate in Jerusalem, and in 1857 it moved to a building on Omar ibn al-Khattab Square in order to assist American citizens, missionaries and tourists and to report local developments on the ground in Jerusalem to the embassy staff in Istanbul. Needing more room and citing security concerns, the consulate moved to a building just outside the Old City in 1912, which operated there until its merger with the new U.S. embassy in 2018.

Attached are two pictures—a shot of the U.S. consulate on the square that dates to 1857 (taken facing south and marked by the stars and stripes) and a modern shot of the still-standing building (taken facing east).

Now, see! That was at least slightly more interesting than watching paint dry or doing your taxes. Perhaps you even enjoyed the read.

Daniel McCabe

Scripture Study: Man’s Moral State

I’ve previously noted that Adam and Eve were morally perfect in the beginning. They had not sinned. But when man failed his first test from God in the garden, he fell into a state of sin, resulting in his total depravity, which means that every aspect of man has been affected by sin. Our mind has fallen. Our bodies are fallen. Of course, we’re morally fallen. Every aspect of man is now imperfect and depraved, and every human being bears guilt for his sinful condition.

Even though Adam and Eve were the only two people in the garden, the entire human race fell into a state of sin with them. We’re born into a fallen race of people. We may not think that’s fair, but it’s the reality. Each person inherits a sinful nature from Adam, his representative head, and each person is guilty from birth.

Even so, sinful man retains the image of God. We never lose that. Satan tried to trip up Adam and Eve in the garden in an attack on God’s image, but we are still made in God’s image, an image which for believers will be ultimately restored to a pristine condition on the basis of the work of Christ. That is why God provides redemption for mankind—because we are made in His image and He loves us.

Angels do not have this opportunity. After Satan drew some angels away from God, those who remained faithful to God were preserved or confirmed forever in a pristine moral state, but those angels who fell have no opportunity to be restored. Only man has the opportunity for salvation because he is made in God’s image. The angels are not made in His image.

The work of Christ is, of course, what restores man to God. Christ imputes His righteousness into a redeemed man, redeeming that person from his sinful state.

Now as long as we’re in this flesh, we all wrestle with the flesh. We struggle! Unfortunately we continue to sin even after we’re saved. It’s at the point of our glorification, after this life, when we then get to be with God in heaven. It’s only after we are glorified that we no longer struggle with the flesh, for we’re out of the flesh at that point. After the resurrection we won’t wrestle with a fallen flesh anymore.

Adam Keim

Editor’s query: If they were “morally perfect,” how could they sin? Perhaps a better description is “innocent,” and thussuccumbed to temptation. Jesus, on the other hand, was morally perfect, and therefore did not succumb to the devil during his wilderness temptations. Isn’t that why the Bible refers to him as “the second Adam?”

Soup’s On!

Sometimes you just need a break from the heavy lifting of archaeology, geography and history in order to satisfy that hankering for a king-sized Payday; a box of dark chocolate Raisinets; or a toasted, blueberry bagel covered in butter, just butter. I know I’d be better off to choose a veggie tray, a bowl of fruit or even a cup of chicken soup. Which reminds me! Tonight is the Sabbath, and on Friday nights Jewish homes typically enjoy a large meal steeped in various traditions, including elegant table-setting, candle-lighting, prayers, blessings, songs and relaxed conversation.

A common main dish for the Sabbath meal is chicken soup, often served with matzo balls that give it the name matzo ball soup. Matzo balls are dumplings made with matzo meal, eggs and fat.

Daniel McCabe

Answer to the Trivia

A. Friday

© 2026 Shalom Y’all Ministries

Cullman, AL 35058

Week Eight, 2026

“Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).

The antidote to fear is confidence in God, and that comes through faith. Fear hangs over our heads like a constant vulture, ready to devour us. In the book of Hebrews, faith is the essential “engine” of the Christian life. It moves beyond mere head knowledge to a deep trust that results in action and endurance. Chapter 11 describes this best. It is often called the “Hall of Faith.”

Fear can be described as a terror of the unknown… worry, doubt and concern about the future. Most of what we worry about never happens and whatever does happen is far from being as difficult as we had imagined.

Affliction is temporary, while Glory is eternal. The only way to overcome fear is through faith. Biblical faith is active trust and reliance on God’s character and promises, not just intellectual belief, serving as an assurance of unseen realities and the foundation for salvation, demonstrated through obedience and action, growing through hearing God’s word, and enabling believers to overcome obstacles and live by God’s truth rather than sight. It’s a gift from God, a response to His initiative, bringing peace, purpose, and victory through Jesus Christ, as expressed in Hebrews 11:1 as “assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”.

Faith resides at the core of Christianity and the Christian life. While the Bible has much to say about it, faith is a challenging concept to define. A biblical definition of faith reaches beyond mere belief—the simple acknowledgment that God exists—into the realm of trust. Genuine faith involves abandoning all human reliance on self-efforts and placing total dependence upon God’s character, His actions, and His promises, as revealed in His Word.

The apostle Paul said, “We walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). Faith does not put trust in bank account balances, headline news, or the doctor’s report. As Scripture says, “We don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever” (2 Corinthians 4:18, NLT). When the world seems to be falling apart, our faith stands secure on the rock-solid promises of God.

On a scale of 1 to 10, where does your faith score?

Sometimes True Stories

You can trust the Bible entirely, for the Bible is entirely true. The Bible verifies itself through fulfilled prophecy. Biblical prophecy was 100 percent right in the past; we can trust it 100 percent in the future. Daniel 8 provides a rich sample of biblical prophecies that have already been fulfilled to the letter. Add all the Messianic predictions fulfilled in the coming of Christ, and the evidence is overwhelming.

Since the Bible’s remaining predictions primarily involve the end times and the return of Christ, we can take them seriously and trust them totally. The Bible has a perfect track record. It’s hard to imagine how a person who studies Daniel 8 could deny Daniel’s God. “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19). It’s time to study what the Bible predicts about the final days of history. —David Jeremiah

Quotes You Can Use

Relationships are the currency of heaven.

Comparison is the enemy of contentment. It is never wise to compare your trials with another’s.

The process of trusting God is gradual, not automatic.

Though you may resist God’s purifying work, you will never regret your acts of obedience.

On earth, you are not home, but you are in preparation for home.

We are not defined by the pain of our past, but by the joy of our future. —Ken Boa

Affliction is temporary. Glory is eternal.

The world has switched price tags on us. What was once expensive is now cheap.

Age conspires with God to take away our temporal hope.

We live in a world where evil is good and good is evil.

The end stay of our life is sure. It is not only good, but for Christians the best.

Christmas is not a myth, not a tradition, not a dream. It is a glorious reality. —Billy Graham

God is not looking for people who desperately want titles or positions. He is looking for people who desperately want God.

Stay humble and don’t take anything for granted.

Jesus didn’t just come to be born. He came to save. —Charles Stanley

The world may war against Jesus, but He will triumph. He is the Lord of lords and King of kings. —Dan Shock

If sin doesn’t grieve you, grace hasn’t changed you. —Adrian Rogers

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

February 18, 2026

We were beginning the second day of our long drive from our home in New York to my mother’s home in Clearwater, Florida, and the questions had begun.

“Are we almost there, Daddy?” And, “How much longer, Daddy?”

“Girls” I said, in an attempt to divert their attention, “the first one to spot a palm tree, an alligator, or aa wild boar gets aa quarter!”

“What’s a wild bore,” one asked, and then, “I have to go to the bathroom!”

Those road trips can seem interminable, and for mommy, who cares for the children while daddy suffered back pain from sitting immobile behind the wheel for hours at a time, the desire to reach the destination is no less important than it is to the children. So when one of them says, “I can’t wait,” we silently echo the sentiment. But we remain silent, not because we have learned patience, but because it’s futile to complain. And, isn’t there something in the Bible about rejoicing in all things?

That particular trip was to cheer up my recently widowed mother. The plan was to take her on our first visit to the Magic Kingdom, at the recently opened Walt Disney World. It really did seem magic back in the days when Walt Disney himself was dedicated to providing good clean family entertainment, rather than management’s efforts today to pander to the worse that is in us.

After we parked the car for free in one of their enormous parking lots, and rode the tram to the ferry, we finally reached the ticket booths. An adult ticket book, with coupons for two of each of the rides, classified “A” through “E,” sold for just seven dollars and fifty cents, that’s right, “$7.50, and we would have no long lines to wait in before getting on the “E” rides, such as The Jungle Cruise Boat Ride, Pirates of the Caribbean, or Captain Nemo’s Submarine. I can’t remember whether the Swiss Family Tree House was a “C” or “D” coupon, but it was well worth the visit.

Sadly, it seems that Disneyworld, like the real world around us, has experienced its own decline, and some realize it’s because there has been a change in management’s vision.

We only need to check our Bibles to ascertain the truth. There has been a universal decline in the morals, character, and spirituality of the human race. And in spite of those champions of evolution, who argue that the human race will evolve to a point of perfection, we only need to look around our own cities and towns to see the problems, much less at the crazy dictators who rattle their nuclear weapons, and encourage annihilation of those they consider their enemies, especially us Christians and Jews. You can see it in the lack of character of those who rule kingdoms and govern nations, as well as in corporate officers, and even in those who oversee many of our religious institutions.

Yes, there’s been a serious decline in the character of world leaders, but that’s because there has been a serious decline in the spirituality of the people of the world who select and support those leaders, and that is a sad fulfillment of biblical prophecy. For Jesus warned,

“And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” 

Matthew 24:12

On the other hand, there has not been a decline in the wisdom, power, and the love of our Creator and the God of the universe:

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”

Hebrews 13:8

It’s understandable that believers in Christ will fret over the decline in morality and the flourishing of sin and crime, because it poses a real threat to their lives and to the future of our nation. But taking the long view, we are to rejoice in all things, even this. Why? Because it’s evidence that the Lord’s return is far closer, perhaps imminent.

Why is The Father holding off Christ’s return? One reasons is to provide opportunity for everyone to be saved who wants to be saved—perhaps you! Saved from what? Judgment for the sins you’ve committed, cleansing from the guilt you bear, pardon from the penalties you face, and eternal blessing in heaven because of God’s grace on everyone who believes.

We Christians know these facts, but we tend to forget them. And we are not unlike our two little girls, all those years ago, who repeatedly asked, “Are we almost there?” Is Jesus coming soon?

In the fifth chapter of Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonian church, he reminded us:

“But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.”

I Thess. 5:1

“Brethren?” That’s we who have received Jesus as Savior. Those other people—though they may follow some priest, rabbi, or other religious leader, and though they may faithfully attend religious gatherings, pray to their gods, give money, or even give their bodies to be burned—they are not “brethren.” They are deluded if they imagine that they might reach heaven as the result of giving money or performing an occasional act of generosity or kindness. Unless they confess with their mouths the Lord Jesus, and believe in their hearts that God has raised him from the dead, they are not born again, saved, one of the brethren, and heaven bound.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Ephesians 2:8-9

So Paul is writing to us, his brothers and sisters in Christ, and while those in this lost and dying world are welcome to read Paul’s inspired letter, it won’t profit them unless they make Jesus their personal Savior and Lord.

These words are for we who walk by faith, and not by sight.

“But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.”

I Thessalonians 5:1

Hey, wait! He states that he doesn’t need to write these things for us. Why?

“For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.”

I Thessalonians 5:2

I get what he means by “…the day of the Lord.” That’s the moment in the future when Jesus Christ keeps the promise he made to his disciples, after his resurrection from the dead, and just prior to his ascension to heaven, when he rose into the clouds, right before their eyes. Jesus told them that he would return to this earth to take every believer, dead or alive. to heaven.

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we, which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall ever be with the Lord. Wherefore, comfort one another with these words.”

I Thessalonians 4:16-17

Do you remember now? Now do you “know perfectly”?

Our little girls wouldn’t have understood if I’d told them we still had 500 miles to go, or that we still had to drive through the states of South Carolina, Georgia, and half the length of Florida. But at least we knew when we began our journey, just as you know when you began your walk with God. And Joy and I trusted that we would ultimately arrive at my mothers, just as you will know when you hear the shout, the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God, that you are almost home.

Jesus told his disciples that they were not to know the day and hour of his return:

It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father has put in his own power.”

Acts 1:7

Jesus told us that he would come like a thief in the night; that is, with stealth, and unseen by men and women whose eyes are darkened by sin. In consequence, we need always to be ready, careful to avoid sin and to seek forgiveness when we fall into it. But those things are like spiritual maintenance. They’re what we do every day, like preparing meals or washing dishes, paying bills, or filling the gas tank. Jesus expects more, for the last thing he told us was:

But ye shall receive power after the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me…..”

Acts 1:8

Jesus told a parable that warned us to be ready at any time for his return:

Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh.”

Matthew 24:44

It’s okay to observe the times and the seasons if it causes you to be prepared. But don’t be a spiritual “clock watcher.” Stop asking, “Are we almost there,” or “When will we get there?” Instead,

…comfort yourselves together, and edify (build up) one another.”

I Thessalonians 5:11

Okay, you are free to paraphrase the words of the beloved disciple at the end of The Revelation.

“Please hurry, Daddy!”

He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Revelation 22:20

Life in the Land: Israeli Pickleball

Last Fall my wife and I bought my son a pickleball set for his birthday. I actually don’t know much about pickleball. I’ve never even seen it played, but it has clearly become a phenomenon in the United States.

I understand that it’s a cross between badminton, tennis, ping pong and wiffle ball if that helps. Like tennis the players stand on opposite sides of a low net, serve diagonally and hit the ball back and forth until someone misses. Like badminton the court is small, and standing near the net, players must have quick reflexes. Like ping pong the paddles are solid without strings and the ball is light, and like wiffle ball it uses a plastic perforated ball.

As it turns out pickleball has become popular in Israel as well, so popular in fact that at last Fall’s Pickleball World Cup in Florida, Team Israel won one gold and two silver medals, even defeating the reigning world champion. Mazel tov!

Daniel McCabe

My First Trip to Israel—pages 3 & 4

Page 3: Seven hours were lost in flight, and while darkness reigns in Lake Charles, I’m now sitting across from an Orthodox rabbi inside Zurich’s modern terminal. Outside the landscape is soaked by heaven’s tears. It’s a cool 55° and the time locally is 8:56 a.m. As we await our flight to Tel Aviv and look around, I notice that all the terminal’s main signs and advertisements are in English. We’ve also been joined by Brent and Guy, bringing our total to seven. The fog is thick and the mountains of fame cannot be seen. There is still a sense of mystery in the land of Calvin, but it has clearly been masked in gloom this day, standing in stark contrast to the strident anthem of 2001 Space Odyssey, which was piped to my ears during the last leg of my Swiss flight. Watches are for sale at every turn and army knives are prevalent too. I even saw a Furby behind glass. Ah, the reminders of home!

Page 4: Now the hair color has turned raven, and the language of the patriarchs can be heard at 37,000 feet. The trip’s log grows rather silent at this point, for the Sandman came calling for a large portion of this 3½ hour jaunt. My headache remains, but rest may be the necessary cure. The German to my left is reticent, and seat 23E will soon meet the Shepherd of Psalm 23.

We disembarked to the American tune and lyrics, “Tell me lies, Tell me sweet little lies,” boarded a crowded bus and stepped past an armed female soldier. A long line awaits, leading to a clerical beauty who welcomed me to Israel in choppy but delightfully accented English.

My bag greets me and my $200 have been transformed to 800 shekels. It’s 91° and the wind is blustery and cool. The sky is clear, but it seems that a slight haze has dampened the azure. Thirty-seven shekels bring me to the Jaffa Gate after an hour’s drive has brought me the forty-three miles to the Old City walls. The Gloria Hotel, three stars, is home for now, room 180. A black and white picture of the Old City Candle Shop in 1881 is the lone adornment on the walls of white. The mattress is firm, but the walls are thin. It’s now 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 12th, Jerusalem time.

At 7:00 p.m. we’re off to Ben Yehuda St., a short walk’s distance from the Jaffa Gate. We ate what appeared to me to be a pita with shrimp hush puppies enclosed. Obe showed us the shopping areas, and we have now returned to our rooms at the Gloria. It’s a little after 9:00 p.m.

The road to Jerusalem was modern and most signs were again emblazoned with English. The landscape was rockier than I could have reasonably imagined as we undulated through the foothills of the Shephelah to the Judean heights of Zion. My body is numb with inattention. So now I lay me down to sleep with a prayer for the peace of Jerusalem. Tomorrow will begin at 6:30 a.m. with a quick shower and the whistled tune, “The Trees of the Field.”

Daniel McCabe

Trivia (Answer below)

Which of the following is incorrect?

Anthropology – Gender Relationships

Mankind is composed of male and female members, both of equal value. In the beginning God created them in His image. Today our society gets very confused over the term gender and simply defines it however it wants. But physically there are only two sexes, male and female, and they are both image-bearers of God. One is not more valuable than the other. They do, however, have different roles laid down by God, and several of these roles can be seen throughout Scripture.

The male is the head of his wife and has authority over her with certain leadership responsibilities as explained by Genesis 2:23; 3:16; 1 Corinthians 11:3; 14:35; and 1 Timothy 2:12. The husband’s leadership is properly exercised by gentleness, love, sacrifice and understanding, not in an overbearing, iron-fisted, domineering manner. In turn the wife is responsible to submit to her husband’s leadership as explained by Ephesians 5; Colossians 3; and 1 Peter 3.

The marriage of Adam and Eve demonstrates the appropriate pattern of marriage, i.e., the union between a single natural man and a single natural woman. When both the man and woman are living out their roles to operate in society as God has determined for them, then there’s wonderful harmony, peace and love. There is greatness in God’s design. When they do not fulfill these roles, problems will enter into the marriage. For example, as part of the curse, following the Fall, if the wife seeks to rule over her husband, he will respond with force—both sinful choices that lead to trouble. God’s designed roles are beautiful though they may be hard in practice due to our sinful nature. But when both the husband and wife work in cooperation with one another and live out their God-given roles with humility, accepting God’s will for their lives and not their own will, then the result is peace, contentment and true joy.

Adam Keim

Scripture Study: Mark 6:7-29

“So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them” (Mark 6:12-13).

At this time in the Lord’s ministry, He sent twelve of His disciples throughout the country, two by two, as apostles to act as His representatives in offering the kingdom to Israel. They were to rely on God for their provisions, stay in the houses of hosts in each town, and dissociate from those who rejected their message.

This was a special mission, and they were to report back to Jesus the results of their efforts (v. 30). King Herod heard of this activity because of Jesus’ fame. He even thought John the Baptist might have been resurrected to work miracles through Jesus!

Mark thus recorded the story of John’s death. The historian Josephus reports that John was held at Machaerus, one of Herod’s many fortress palaces, which was situated on the east side of the Dead Sea in what is now the country of Jordan. It was here at Herod’s lavish birthday party that he had John beheaded at the request of his wife, Herodias.

Interestingly, Herod both feared John and enjoyed listening to him speak. The political and religious sensibilities of Israel were quite complex and layered at that time. Nothing was as “black and white” as we often assume, and the same goes for our world today.

That should actually encourage us as we witness. We never know where someone is at spiritually, even if they appear a certain way to us. Just as everyone had varying degrees of readiness to receive the Lord’s message during the apostles’ mission, so do those around us. Our role is to sow the seeds of the Gospel, and God will provide any growth that might result.

Adam Keim

Answer to the Trivia

A. Caleb the Ephraimite

Week Seven, 2026

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9).

There is a term that most clearly marks the world today. That term is conflict. It may describe big conflicts like the war between countries, or smaller ones like next-door neighbors disagreeing about a fence line. Look at the world around us: collapsing cultures, world chaos, and egotistical rulers. There is conflict in the workplace and in the home.

Conflict in the Bible covers everything from large-scale wars to family friction. Biblical teachings emphasize seeking peace, loving enemies, forgiveness, and overcoming evil with good. Key themes involve the ongoing struggle between righteousness and sin, and the call for believers to be peacemakers. We must also follow practical steps for resolving disagreements, such as the process found in Matthew 18.

The Bible teaches that conflict often stems from selfish desires, but it provides clear guidance for resolution. It emphasizes speaking truth in love, being quick to listen, and prioritizing reconciliation over winning arguments. Key principles include being slow to anger (James 1:19), forgiving freely (Ephesians 4:32), and seeking to live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18).

There are spiritual conflicts, group conflicts, and conflicts within the family. They are internal and external. Conflicts have existed for as long as people have assembled together. The church is no exception; all too often, the wisdom of the world prevails. We live in a culture where pleasure is found in fulfilling one’s own desires. Pride and self-interest are often the root cause. We lust, and yet we do not have.

Friendship with the world is enmity with God. We put our needs above the needs of the community. Are lust and desire your gods? James exhorts us to submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you (James 4:7–8).

The best medicine to avoid conflict is humility. It is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.

Biblical Principles for Resolution:

Jesus handled conflict with grace, focusing on others’ needs—even those of His enemies (John 3:16). How about you?

Sometimes True Stories

Establish a daily time of prayer and be serious about it. Too many Christians utter a hasty “Lord, bless me!” while dashing to work in the morning. But true power is found in true prayer, and true prayer must become a serious habit in our lives. New habits are hard to make, but once made, they’re hard to break. Think through your schedule and begin to spend time in prayer each day, at a certain time and in a certain place. If you miss a day, don’t give up. Stick with it until it’s an unbreakable pattern. —David Jeremiah

– 0 –

When we feel ourselves being pulled into wrong behavior, we must decide if we want to go along just to be cool or follow the ways of the Lord. We will never regret following a godly path. —Tony Ferguson

Quotes You Can Use

When you live to please God, you fulfill the purpose for your existence.

The wise understand that few people learn by having someone yell at them. They also understand that thoughtful words accomplish much, while harsh words accomplish little. If we truly desire to persuade people, pleasant words can be the best tool if they are used with compassion.

Don’t ever water down the Gospel. If the truth offends, then let it offend. People have been living their whole lives in offense to God. Let them be offended for a while. —John MacArthur

Fear is “what if” and faith is “even if.”

If you are a child of God, you will never be happy in sin. —Charles Spurgeon

Our homes should be sanctuaries for spiritual and personal development in settings of love and acceptance. —Ken Boa

What defines me is not my circumstances, but rather what I do with my circumstances.

You cannot be identified with Christ if you have not given your life to Him.

One of the worst things the devil did was to make people selfish.

We must learn to train ourselves in this world and, at the same time, in the kingdom of God.

Suffering is temporary, but glory is forever.

God uses adversity to conform us more to the image of His Son, so we will be ready to meet Him face to face. It can make us bitter or better.

There is no joy or peace apart from Jesus Christ.

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

© Thoughts on Life Copyright 2026

“And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12).

February 12, 2026

One of the great joys of my life is to observe the students and graduates of Northeastern Baptist College living out our theme verse. “And the things you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:2) Every day the faculty and staff of NEBC imparts knowledge, wisdom, and skill to our students. Every day, the students take what they have learned and commit it to others.

Students take what they learn and help other students, “spurring one another on to good works.” Students take what they learn into the neighborhoods, parks, the YMCA, and marketplaces of the surrounding communities. Students serve in local churches and church plants across the northeast, entrusting what they have learned to others. Every student has mentors and seeks to be a mentor to others, encouraging those they mentor to do the same. Graduates carry this theme with them into the ministries and fields of business the Lord has for them after college, and they continue to impact lives long after leaving NEBC. Let me share just three examples with you.

A Shepherd Group’s Excursion

Each Wednesday at 11:00am, our students meet in small groups with a Shepherd Leader, who encourages them in life, in their walk with the Lord, and in serving the Lord. Mrs. Lola Payne’s Shepherd Group came up with a great idea the first Shepherd Group meeting of the new semester. Together these ladies baked cookies and shared them as an outreach to the neighbors surrounding the Dr. Gray Allison Student Housing Village. The Lord is already opening relationships for sharing the Gospel through this outreach activity.

Second Generation Gospel Fruit

Several of our students serve at Great Commission Baptist Church (GCBC), a church that started in the fall of 2024 here in Bennington. In the fall of 2025, the church saw several come to faith in Jesus and follow Him in believer’s baptism. These new believers are being mentored and are already serving the Lord in various ministries of the church. They are also catching the vision of 2 Timothy 2:2 from the students and staff at GCBC.

Joel, one of the men who trusted Jesus in recent months has been sharing the Gospel with his dad. His dad has been battling cancer for several months. Recently, he was told that he had a short time to live. In late January, Joel had the privilege of leading his dad to the Lord. On February 3rd, Joel’s dad left his earthly tent and entered the presence of his Lord and Savior. It is exciting to see how the Lord has been using our students in the life of Joel’s family and how Joel took what they entrusted to him and shared it with his dad.

A Graduate’s Heartbeat

A two-time graduate of NEBC is back on campus each Tuesday this semester. Tyler graduated with his bachelor’s and then his master’s degree. He moved to a town of 3,500 with no Gospel witness. Eighteen months later he is pastoring a church with more than 80 in attendance, seeing people profess Jesus regularly and mentoring them to mentor others. Their congregation is now praying about what towns the Lord is leading them to begin new works. Tyler’s heartbeat is to see multiplication within his congregation and multiplication of congregations in other towns with no Gospel witness. This semester he is back at NEBC one day a week, teaching a class on Church Planting Movements that focuses on the multiplication possible when we live out 2 Timothy 2:2.

Thank You!

God is at work in and through the faculty, staff, students, and graduates of NEBC. He is also at work through your partnership! As you pray, give, come on mission trips, and invite others to get involved, you are making it possible for NEBC students, graduates, staff, and faculty to make an eternal impact.

Thank you for your faithful partnership!

In Him,

No gift is too small!

Copyright (C) 2023 Northeastern Baptist College. All rights reserved.

February 7, 2026

The Diary of My First Trip to Israel—pages 1-2

Can you imagine what it would be like to travel to Israel for the very first time? Maybe you’ve been wanting to go for a long time. Maybe you’ve been there multiple times, but I bet you can still remember well your very first trip. I remember mine. I was 36 years of age and it changed my life, so I’d like to share my personal memories of that trip straight from my diary.

First of all, I want to thank the Lord for my friends Deb and Richard Taylor from Lake Charles, LA, where I was pastoring at the time. They gave me a diary as a gift before that trip, and I’m so glad they did. Here’s what I wrote with only minor changes to make it a bit more readable.

Page 1: My journal journey has begun. It’s Tuesday, May 11th, 1999, 2:29 p.m., and as I look out my window seat, 21 E, countless wisps of heaven’s cotton lay below. The ride is bumpy, but my hopes are sky high. I think back now on the morning. Alexandria, LA lies directly below. Atlanta ahead. Houston behind. The faces of Lee, Obe, James and Shirley rush to mind. There are other faces yet to meet.

The Delta agent checked my bag to Tel Aviv and playfully scolded me for not knowing Mom’s telephone number by heart, needing next of kin for her records. June, an elderly Christian Scientist, completely emptied my checked bag at her security post without apology, but with a forthright explanation that it was because I was headed to the Middle East. Others in my party weren’t checked.

With well wishing to her newly wedded daughter, I left June and the noise of Terminal A for a seat at Gate 18. Now an empty bag of snack mix, a refreshing glass of apple juice having already served its purpose, Mel in 21D and a redwood lass with blonde hair and a southern accent, concerned about making my flight comfortable—these are my latest and abiding images.

The clouds have now erupted into an avalanche of sun glittered beauty. It’s the first I’ve seen the sun today, and it’s creeping closer now to the left side of my page. Its warming influence moves my heart now towards the Son and his brilliance of which this present beam can be no more than a shadow. “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” No more window pleasures. We have descended from our perch at 33,000 feet and Atlanta’s 82° is rushing toward me.

Page 2: After a well organized jaunt through crowded corridors, I again find myself high above the clouds. It’s now 8:15 p.m. as time passes for the land of Dixie and the people of the Eastern seaboard. This time I hail from 28E on the left aisle. There are ten across this Zurich-bound bird. Lee and Obe directly to my right. A brown headed Swiss miss has served bread, crackers, pasta, a lemon dessert bar, dinner salad with ranch dressing and hot tea. We soar at the standard 33,000 feet at 575 mph. Our trip time is 8 hours and 5 minutes real time, but we will arrive in Switzerland at approximately 8:12 a.m., local time. We will have traveled by then around 4684 miles, but with an outside air temperature of -61° F, I’m content to remain patiently for that time to come despite the cramped quarters of the moment.

We’ve been treated to the music of the Beatles, reruns of the Pink Panther, the latest on CNN and today’s Wall Street Journal. A blue blanket, red pillow, and sweet dreams await. As the lights have begun to dim after our leisurely dinner, I’ve noticed that the Swiss flight attendants speak English, German and French with apparent ease and I was somewhat surprised that the meal came with cheddar, not the expected Swiss cheese. Tonight’s feature movie is taking center stage—Patch Adams.

My conversation with Lee thus far has been enjoyable. He’s a bright 27-year old, single Houstonian studying philosophy at the University of Houston. We’ve discussed Hume, Kierkegaard and Bertrand Russell, the marvelous working of God in the life of one of his friends who has been marvelously saved and delivered from sexual sin, and the need for relevance in our communication with unbelievers about the Lord.

I have a slight headache at the moment, due in part to the omission of lunch, but I’m relaxed and expectant. The sun outside the cabin has long been extinguished. We shall surely beat its rays to the European mainland, but no doubt at considerable cost to our physiology.

The news from Jerusalem has been about the political tensions in advance of elections, and I am glad that you, Lord, are on the throne of my heart and on the footstool of Jerusalem, the city of peace. Amen.

Daniel McCabe

Trivia Question (Answer at bottom of page)

Israel’s largest passenger airline carrier is called El Al. What does it mean?

Life in the Land: Beet Veggie Crisps—

I wasn’t quite sure what to think of these chips when I first saw the bag. After all, beets didn’t even make this year’s list of America’s Top 50 Favorite Vegetables, according to yougov.com. But, then again, black olives came in on the list at #48 and I can eat them like candy, and green olives fell all the way to #50, and I’ve never made a trip to Israel without ordering a green olive pizza. So perhaps you’d be pleasantly surprised by beetroot chips. I was! Now, I must warn you that the rest of my family let me finish the bag on my own until a family friend dropped by who tried them and quite liked them.

A father-son duo wanted to produce a healthy, protein-packed snack that tastes good, and I think they did just that! Their business, Super Natural, has faced some unique challenges over the last few years as the manufacturing plant in northern Israel has dodged missiles fired from both Hezbollah and Iran, but they have persevered to offer four other chip flavors in addition to beet, including vegetable, sweet potato, quinoa and seaweed. Hmmm, again, not sure about that last one. In any event, you can find them online if you’re interested in trying them out. I recommend the beet!

Daniel McCabe

History: Man on the Moon

Do you know how many nations have landed men on the moon? The answer is one, the USA! But we aren’t done, for in cooperation with international partners NASA’s Artemis program intends to return with America’s first female astronaut as early as the summer of 2027. No other nation has landed astronauts on the moon though China is making plans to do so by 2030; however, other than the USA, only four nations have landed unmanned crafts on the moon, including the Soviet Union (now Russia), China, India and Japan.

But did you know that Israel made an attempt to land an unmanned craft on the moon in 2019? Launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, this privately-funded spacecraft sadly crashed on its final descent to the surface after aerospace engineers from SpaceIL lost engine control. America has named its space programs Pioneer, Ranger, Surveyor and Apollo, but I think I like the name of Israel’s program the best—Beresheet, which means, “In the Beginning,” based on the Hebrew of Genesis 1:1. How fun! There were plans for a Beresheet 2 to return to the moon sometime this year or last, but unfortunately funding problems have grounded the mission to date.

Daniel McCabe

Anthropology – Man’s Essence and Nature, Part Two

On a previous topic, theology proper, we talked about the essence and nature of God. But here we’re exploring the essence and nature of man. Adam was created in the image of God, after His likeness. That’s the best way to understand the Hebrew construction in Genesis 1:26-27 when God says, “Let Us create man AS Our image, according to Our likeness.” We ARE God’s image. It’s what we are. We also take after God’s likeness.

As God’s image, we represent Him in the created order, and man is the only creation of God which specifically bears His image. WE are His image. Angels are not. Animals are not. Nothing else is His image. Thus, we are the pinnacle of all creation with utmost value.

God was working through the first six days to get the created order ready to house mankind, which is really the main purpose of creating anything in the first place. We are the pinnacle of His creation and we have the utmost value over everything else because we are His image.

But how are we like God? Well, we’re intellectual, moral, spiritual, emotional, relational, creative and physical beings, for example. There are many things that make us like God in a way that really nothing else is. You might say that angels are like God. They have moral agency and intellectual capacities. They’re spiritual and, I suppose, emotional as well. However, God created only man to take His image, which points to man’s dominion over the creation. The main thrust of being God’s image, if you will, is that He has entrusted dominion over the created order to His image—to us, everybody in the world. Every single person who has ever existed is part of that image of God. That’s why people have value, true value, and I would say infinite value just by being human. That’s why life is precious.

Each human being has a definite point of beginning. We didn’t pre-exist. We didn’t exist as souls in heaven before God placed our souls in our bodies. We all have a definite point of beginning at conception, and we will exist for all eternity. We will exist forever. We’re not snuffed out upon death or after we have spent a certain amount of time in hell. He doesn’t do that. We exist forever, so, let me ask you, “After death where are you existing? Will you be with God or will you be apart from Him?”

When we trust in Jesus Christ, then our sins are forgiven and we receive eternal life with God. If we do not trust Jesus, then our sins are not forgiven, and we spend the everlasting state apart from God. But either way you exist forever.

There is a concept known as annihilationism which teaches that God will snuff out people if they’re not saved. That’s not true. We have a definite point of beginning, and we will exist forever. Each person is generated by his parents as a body and soul, thus we are composed of two elements, the physical and the spiritual.

There are some who believe in a three-part composition of man—that there is a body, a soul and a spirit. Personally, I think that biblical references to soul and spirit are synonymous. So, I accept a duality of man, the physical and the immaterial, and that is when you are whole, when you have your physical and immaterial aspects combined, starting at conception, when you are generated by your parents. Thus, in a special way, a man and woman get to partake in God’s creative activity when they come together and have a baby. Ultimately God is the Creator of all things, but parents get to participate in that. I think it’s very special.

So a person inherits both elements from his parents. He’s created by them and he inherits both his physical and, in some sense, his immaterial elements from his parents. He is a union of body and spirit, and he’s incomplete without both elements.

Now at present when we die, our soul departs our physical body, but even in heaven we’re not yet entirely complete. Our spirit will spend some time apart from our body, but eventually our body and soul are reunited at some point before entering our eternal destination. This is discussed in John 5:29, 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 and Revelation 20:5-6, 14. Just before the new heavens and new earth, the real everlasting state, there will be a resurrection. Our body is reunited with our spirit, and then we are truly and forever whole, the way that God intended for Adam and Eve in the garden and for us.

Adam Keim–Trip Diary, October 6, 2022

Chocolate, Pigs and a Gold Wedding Ring

Are you familiar with the carob tree? Native to the Middle East, the long, brown pods of the carob tree are sometimes ground into a flour or powder for baking, which can even be used as a substitute for chocolate. Historically, however, ground carob pods were used as feed for animals. The “carob pod” even appears in Scripture. In Luke 15 Jesus tells the story of the prodigal son who filled his stomach with the “pods” [or “carob pods”] that the pigs ate.

What do you see pictured in the hand of our Israeli tour guide, Dani? Last month our group had just descended the hill of Azekah, which overlooks the valley where David killed Goliath, and as we hurried toward the bus, looking for a break from a September heat wave, Dani stopped us, and asked, “Does anyone have a wedding ring?” In the palm of his hand he then displayed the proffered ring alongside a small seed that he had extracted from the pod of a nearby carob tree. Dani explained that the seeds of the carob tree are remarkably symmetrical with each one weighing almost exactly 1/5 of a gram.

Looking for a way to uniformly measure gemstones, sellers throughout the Middle East once used the ubiquitous carob seed as a standard weight. Thus, a 24-carat, gold ring would be equivalent in weight to 24 carob seeds. The word carob comes from an ancient Arabic word for “bean pod,” and the word carat is simply a modern form of the same word.

“Thanks, Dani!” What a fun fact!

Daniel McCabe

Answer to the Trivia

D. To the skies

Who We Are

Shalom Y’all Ministries is a 501(c)(3) organization, and all gifts to our ministry are tax-deductible. SYM was formed in 2021 to teach the Bible and lead tours to Israel. Our teaching and presentations feature the acronym S-H-A-L-O-M, which means “peace” in Hebrew.

Our Mission

To teach and encourage those who love the Bible, the land of the Bible and the people of the land and to lead educational tours to Israel that forever change the way you read your Bible and worship the Lord

Our Prayer

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26).