Week Twenty, 2024

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation (Romans 5:8-11).

Christians understand the concept of salvation. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. But what does it mean to be redeemed? That is the deeper question. The concept of being delivered from bondage begins in the Old Testament. It is described in Exodus 6:6-7

Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 7 I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.

Redemption literally means having been saved or delivered from sin and its consequences. In the Old Testament, the people of Israel were delivered from the bondage of the Egyptians by the Lord God through Moses, the mediator. They were delivered by faith, as they didn’t do a thing to earn it. They were delivered for restoration, worship and a relationship with God. He delivered and they worshiped.

Fast forward to the New Testament. Again, God delivered again through a mediator who bore the sin of all, His Son Jesus the Christ. Again, we were delivered by faith and did nothing to earn it. We too were delivered for restoration, worship, and a relationship with God.

A redeemer is someone entrusted with securing one’s release from oppression, harm, evil, enslavement, or some other binding obligation. A redeemer restores the lost rights and freedoms of another by avenging any wrongs and paying whatever price is required to set that person free. The role of “Redeemer” is uniquely assigned to Jesus Christ, who rescues believers “from the dominion of darkness” and delivers them into God’s kingdom of light.

Is He your redeemer?

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

“Be conformed to the image of His Son.” Romans 8:29

There was an anti-smoking commercial decades ago where a father and son were sitting at the base of a tree. The father lit up a cigarette and the son mimicked him using a small stick. Girls across the country see the popularity of Taylor Swift and want to emulate her. Boys see the moves and technique of Tom Brady and practice to become like him. All these are efforts to be like what someone does.

Instead, they, and we, should strive to be like what someone is, their character. We have a model of one Who demonstrates all the positive character traits we should want. That one is Jesus Christ. And when we trust in Him, we automatically get all the positive attributes we need. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Look in the mirror. Who do you see? Who do others see? Rich Jensen

— o —

Counterculture: a subculture whose values and norms of behavior differ substantially from those of mainstream society, often in opposition to mainstream cultural mores. In a society and culture moving further and further from the values in which it was founded, how then should we live?

A Countercultural Standard For Living:

• Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.

• Do not conform to what the world/age says is ok.

• Be transformed by the renewing of your mind so you can discern God’s perfect will.

• Do not think of yourself more highly than you should.

• Think sensibly.

• Be a functional part of the body of Christ.

How, then, will you live? For Christianity is naturally countercultural. What, then, will you follow? Mainstream society and the direction its world is pulling and leading? Or the counter… a world led by Biblical values, with decisions and choices made through prayer and supplication? Marty Stubblefield

— o —

WORDS OF WISDOM FROM EDGAR APONTE:

• King Jesus has power to forgive sins because He is God and Lord.

• Forgiveness of sin is your biggest need, and only Jesus can give it to you. You need to come to Him in faith!

• Do not harden your heart. Stop resisting God and honor Jesus!

• In faith and love, bring others before Jesus. Pray for the lost and tell them about Jesus.

— o —

Pontius Pilate: Joseph, I really don’t understand. You are one of the richest men in the region, and you spent a small fortune on a new tomb for you and your family and now you want to give it to this man Jesus.

Joseph: It’s just for the weekend.

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. You can show a person the truth, but you can’t make him think.

Experience is the hardest lesson you can have. It gives you the test first and the lesson afterward. Oscar Wilde.

Human beings are born with different capacities. If they are free, they are not equal and if they are equal, they are not free. Alexander Solzhenitsyn

The razor blade is sharp, but it can’t cut a tree. The axe is strong, but it can’t cut your hair. Everyone is important according to their unique purpose. Never look down on anyone unless you are admiring their shoes.

We witness other people’s storm from the shelter of our own perspectives. Let’s be mindful that we don’t ask the cold rain of judgment to their already soaked spirits.

Worship is no longer worship when it reflects the culture around us more than the Christ than is within us. A.W. Tozer

Death is not the end of life. It is only the gateway to eternity. Billy Graham

Orphanage babies don’t cry. There is no point in crying because they know no one will come for them. They just shut down. It is the loudest silence you can ever imagine.

Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, rather it is about learning to dance in the rain.

People don’t need to decide their futures. They decide their habits and their habits decide their futures. F.M. Alexander

Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake. Napoleon Bonaparte

A sign of intelligence is an awareness of one’s own ignorance. Niccolo Machiaveli

Dead people receive more flowers than the living ones because regret is stronger than gratitude. Anne Frank

If Adam and Eve had been Cajuns, they would have eaten the snake instead of the apple and saved all of us a lot of trouble.

Have we reached the ultimate stage of absurdity when some people are held responsible for things that happened before they were born, while other people are not held responsible for what they themselves are doing today? Thomas Sowell

It is far better to be alone than to be in bad company. George Washington

We are guilty of focusing on the small things in life while we ignore the big things. Jomo Cousins.

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Your feedback is welcome. Address all items and comments to [email protected]. ©Thoughts on Life Copyright 2024

Week Nineteen, 2024

But in your hearts, revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15)..

One of my first jobs was at a new car dealership. We had shined and polished models on the showroom floor, always ready for sale. Customers walked by and were lured in by the sparkle of those cars. Others drove to the dealership in search of a new vehicle.

As customers walked in, the first salesman on deck greeted them to find out what they needed, what they had to trade and anything else to begin the march to close the sale. Most of the time we knew that a visit to our dealership was not the first dealership and would not be the last unless we made the sale.

But there was one tantamount rule: Never let the customer walk! If they did, we would probably never make the sale to them. Sell now, was our goal. We told them everything we could to entice them to buy. We wanted to have them believe that we had the best car on the market at the best price.

There is a spiritual parallel. When interfacing with others how would we “sell” the Gospel. The Bible tells us to “Always be prepared.” Before you begin sharing the gospel with someone, it’s important to take a moment to pray for guidance. Ask God to give you the words to say and the wisdom to know when and how to share your faith. Pray for the person you will be sharing with, that they would be receptive to the message you have to share.

Think about someone in your own life who desperately needs the gospel.

3 Tips for Sharing the Gospel

• Have a personal relationship with God.

• Living in a way that is consistent with the faith they profess.

• Be able to point people to God.

How does God tell us to spread the gospel? It’s a divine call to action, urging believers to venture beyond their comfort zones in spreading the Gospel. Upon embracing the free gift of salvation, it’s time to share our testimony of love, devotion, and transformation with others, believing we too will witness a similar change in the lives of others as well.

Remember: When sharing with a potential believer, never let the person walk.

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

Know this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His [Christ’s] coming?” 2 Peter 3:3-4

A scoffer is one who speaks contemptuously or with derision. Whenever you speak the truth, especially that Truth found in God’s Word, they will deny it and say whatever contradicts it and makes them look or feel good. They are on opinion shows (true news is rare). They are in our workplace. They are in our schools. They are in the halls of government. Indeed, they are everywhere.

Take heart. Although they are running rampant these days, they will one day be silenced by the Truth. In the meantime, always be ready to give a defense for the hope in you, but with kindness and respect. (1 Peter 3:15) Truth will free you. (John 8:32) The Truth of God’s Word will not return void. (Isaiah 55:11)

Ignore the scoffers. Truth wins. Rich Jensen

— o —

In a new interview, a Catholic Cardinal who headed up one of the top Vatican offices says Joe Biden is “nominal” Catholic and should be excommunicated for supporting abortion.

Cardinal Gerhard Müller, who previously led the Vatican’s highest doctrine office, called abortion “infanticide” and saying those politicians who actively support abortion like Biden should be “excommunicated.”

“The word ‘abortion’ is too much a soft word. The reality is killing, murder of a living person,” said Gerhard Cardinal Müller. “There’s no right to kill another person. It’s absolutely against the Fifth Commandment..”

Trying to grasp the incredible gift of eternal life is like trying to understand the generosity of our Creator… watching a sunrise and sunset in just a twelve-hour period is a good way to start. Dwight Short

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

How closely does your life line up with the Gospel you profess? Brenden Schlappi

Forgiveness is the greatest miracle that Jesus ever performs. It meets the greatest need; it costs the greatest price; and it brings the greatest blessing and the most lasting results.

Forgiveness is Biblical and it is costly. The greatest act Jesus did for me was to make me a child of God by forgiving our sins. When we sin, we sin against God and only he can forgive our sins. When Jesus says your sins are forgiven, He is saying He is ready to pay the price for our sins. Be a great friend and bring others to Jesus. Warren Wiersbe

There is no doubt that it is around the family and the home that all the greatest virtues, the most dominating virtues of human, are created, strengthened and maintained. Winston Churchill

I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence, I can reach for; perfection is God’s business. Michael J. Fox

A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. John C. Maxwell

To love what you do and feel that it matters – how could anything be more fun? Katharine Graham

Cell phones are a digital pacifier.

What we think, say and do is what we are. Chris Dodson

Though we may not understand the timing, good will always win out, and our prayers will be answered. So don’t stop praying. Be patient. God’s timing is always perfect.

Only one-fourth of America’s preteens believe the Bible is the Word of God and only one-fifth believe in absolute truth, according to a new survey that warns the nation’s preteens are “following in the unfortunate spiritual footsteps of the generations that have preceded them.” Michael Faust

The one who will judge us is Jesus who saved us. Edgar Aponte

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

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Selected portions of Thoughts on Life can also be read at TheLife.com.

Your feedback is welcome. Feel free to pass this along to others and to contribute your ideas and thoughts. Address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2024

A Walk in the Land Deepens Your Walk with the Lord

April 27, 2024

Series–Teaching Notes from John 18:

—I. Verse 1, “[Jesus] went … over the Brook Kidron.”

—Also known as the Kidron Valley

—The eastern boundary of Jerusalem (see 1 Kings 2:36-37)

—Kidron—from a root word that means “black” or “dark,” perhaps because of its dark soil or from the blood of the temple sacrifices dumped into the water

—Brook—a “winter stream” or “wadi,” according to the Dictionary of Biblical Languages; winter rains can be severe in Jerusalem whereas it doesn’t rain during the summer. Today the water is diverted year-round and there is no longer any brook or stream.

—Mentioned by name only here in the New Testament

—11X in the Old Testament, including David’s route of escape during Absalom’s attempted coup (2 Samuel 15:23); and temple debris and idols were dumped or burned here by good kings Asa, Josiah and Hezekiah (1 Kings 15:13; 2 Kings 23:4, 6, 12; 2 Chron. 29:16; 30:14).

—II. The Temple Mount Sifting Project—in 1999 the Muslims began an illegal dig atop the Temple Mount in Jerusalem in order to construct a new underground mosque for their worshippers. Construction workers dumped the dig debris on the east side of the Kidron Valley in a large field. Jewish archaeologists began sifting through the debris and have since made some amazing discoveries.

—See the graphic below.

—Daniel McCabe

Week Eighteen, 2024

For as through one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one, many will be made righteous (Romans 5:19).

Growing up on a lake, I was often on or around the water. I would cast a bobber into the water and was fascinated to see ripples in perfect circumference radiate in all directions, as if to say for the fish that the hook was there.

Life is like that. We all have a ripple effect that radiates from us to others and affects their life, for good or for evil. The ripple effect of your life might be greater than you imagine. It is wise to pay close attention to the impact you may have on a day-to-day basis. Documenting the ripple effect, you have on the world may help you become conscious of ways you may have been minimizing yourself.

Throw a stone in a pond and see how far the ripples go. It depends not on the size of the pond but the size of the stone. Our words, actions and feelings affect those around us, who in turn affect individuals who come in contact with them. Communication is a powerful tool, capable of creating connections, driving results, and shaping perceptions. However, the way we communicate can also have unintended consequences, creating a ripple effect that can impact those around us in ways we may not even realize.

In life, we send out ripples every day. How much do we want to affect others in a positive way? It’s not a matter of how big the dog is in the fight, but rather how much fight is in the dog.

The bottom line is that what we say, think or do has positive or negative impact on people we have never nor will ever meet. Paul in Romans pointed out the difference between two types of men who sent out two different ripples to others. For as through one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one, many will be made righteous. Romans 5:19

All of us affect somebody. The question is, how. We can lead many to the good things of life or we can lead many to the evil things of life. Are you living a life that through your example leads others to Christ or leads them away?

What kind of ripples does your life send out to others, to your community and to the world?

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

All you have to do is turn on the television and you will hear advertisement after advertisement hawking a particular pill or medication for whatever ails you. We suffer aches and pains, sleeplessness, overweight issues, malnutrition and hair loss among many others. If we just take enough of these remedies with a regular monthly subscription, we will achieve our perfect life.

We’re not just reminded of our physical well-being, but also our emotional and sometimes spiritual well-being. Does all that stuff really bring about total healing, or will we always be discontent with ourselves? (because TV tells us so)

Why not go to the One Who created us and Who, therefore, knows how to fix us. Sure, Jesus is the One to go to for our salvation, but He can heal us in our emotional and, if it’s His will, physical ailments. God’s Word will give us the direction we need.

Need healing? Go to the Great Physician. Rich Jensen

— o —

WORLD HAPPINESS REPORT A WAKEUP CALL FOR AMERICA

For centuries, humans have been searching for happiness. There are so many opinions about what happiness is or what it should be, but one theme seems to hold true across generations – Happiness is a state of mind.

The annual Gallup World Happiness Report recently released shows that some people living in the United States aren’t as happy as they used to be. This annual report ranks a country’s happiness overall; moreover, it ranks happiness based on age. The findings revealed that young Americans are much less joyful than older folks and their negative feelings about life and the future are to blame.

The US typically ranks in the top 20, but this year moved to #23. When you break down happiness based on age, the differences in this report are astounding. For people 60 and over, the United States ranks 10th among the 104 countries surveyed from 2021 to 2023. However, for people 30 and under, tand if you want to be taken off the mailing list a simple e-mail will do itheir unhappiness sank the U.S. to 62nd place.

What this report revealed is that our young people are suffering from loneliness and isolation likely because of COVID. The pandemic forced them to attend school online or work remotely. Social media might have also played a role in this outcome. The isolation has continued by habit rather than mandate, mainly where contact is cell to cell rather than eye to eye. Personal isolation is both habit forming and leads to personality changes and cognitive degeneration.

Numerous studies have concluded that overexposure to social media platforms like Instagram and Tik Tok could lead to mood disorders, depression, and anxiety. Those feelings of reduced well-being could have dangerous consequences.

What this seemingly innocuous report on happiness has done is shine a light on a weakness we as a nation must address. More discussion is needed to find out why young people are distraught and how we can reverse the dismal outlook of today’s youth. If not, it could have wider implications over time.

Older Americans were always considered less happy, having experienced war, social upheaval, pain from various ailments and arthritis, financial loss, inflation and being replaced in society by youth and vitality. Now, we are witnessing a role reversal.

Seniors are benefiting from better healthcare, advanced technology, more financial stability later in life, extended longevity, and an overall sense of gratefulness to be alive.

Let’s hope the good fortune of seniors rubs off on younger folks over time and they realize they have the power to improve their lives because happiness truly is a state of mind.

John Grant/Retired Florida Senator and President of Seniors Across America.

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Heaven has strict entrance requirements, but hell has open borders. Rodney Akers

When you change your thoughts, remember to also change your world. Norman Vincent Peale

Definition: Cellfish….. People who just focus on their cell phones when they are with you.

Christianity without the living Christ is inevitably Christianity without discipleship, and Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ. Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Being Christian is not about merely getting saved. Salvation is indeed important, but it’s not the only hallmark of a Christian. Being a Christian is about being a disciple of Jesus. And that was one of the chief aims of Matthew in the gospel that bears his name. He wrote it as basic instructions for first-century believers on what it meant to be a disciple of Jesus. Jim Denison

If you can’t give with joy, you are better off not giving at all. Florida Marketplace Ministries

If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough. Albert Einstein

My worship was empty because I was too worried about filling me… instead of pouring out and worshiping Him – the one that could and would wash me clean and fill me again. Marty Stubblefield

When you have a true encounter with God, you come away with the realization that God is for you. Dan Shock

We go to all kinds of seminars to get all kinds of answers, but God has our answers. Ask Him! Matt Blair

If it’s not in God’s time you can’t force it. If it is in God’s time you can’t stop it!

What a wonderful thought it is that some of the best days of our lives haven’t even happened yet. Anne Frank

All in this world are not disobedient to God but, the devil is the most “cunning” ‘fisher of men’” as his baits are deceitful and enticing. Stephen Bernard

What’s one of the differences between humans and animals? Animals don’t let the weak lead.

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Your feedback is welcome. Feel free to pass this along to others and to contribute your ideas and thoughts. Address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2024

April 20, 2024

The Walk to Gethsemane, part 1

John 18:

—I. Verse 1a, “When Jesus had spoken these words”—probably the words of his preceding prayer in chapter 17, but it brought back to my mind all the following memorable teaching of Jesus as well. One powerful quote after another.

—13:14, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”

—13:21, “One of you will betray Me.”

—13:34, “A new commandment I give to you that you love one another.”

—14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the life.”

—14:16-17, “[The Father] will give you another Helper … the Spirit.”

—14:28, “I am going away and coming back to you.”

—15:5, “I am the vine, you are the branches.”

—15:18, “If the world hates you … it hated me before it hated you.”

—16:20, “You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.”

—16:24, “Ask, and you will receive that your joy may be full.”

—16:32, “You will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone.”

—II. Verse 1b, “He went out with His disciples [from the Upper Room] over the Brook Kidron where there was a garden.”

—See the graphic below for a diagram of the possible route of Jesus’ walk to Gethsemane.

—Daniel McCabe

April 13, 2024

Picture of Tower of Babel

—I’d like to visit a familiar event from the book of Genesis. Sometimes the answer to a mysterious question is staring us right in the face, and we just need to read carefully what the Bible says. Many Christians wonder why the Tower of Babel was built.

—I have heard many different ideas and guesses as to what was going on there. Well, by the time we get to the narrative in Genesis 11, God had already commanded mankind to “be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it.” We read that command to Adam and Eve in Genesis 1:28, and God reissued that creation mandate to Noah and his sons in 9:1—a mandate, by the way, that God has never rescinded.

—The reason why the Tower of Babel was built is stated plainly in 11:4, “And they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.’” You see, God was not pleased with humanity so brazenly disobeying His will to spread out over the earth. He responded in the most effective way possible to split them up—by mixing their languages. Vs. 8 states, “So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city.” So, the problem with the tower was not the tower itself, but the people’s motive, their unwillingness to live according to God’s sovereign plan for mankind in relation to the globe.

—Adam Keim

Week Sixteen, 2024

He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. (Isaiah 53:3).

It was a familiar hymn that I had sung many times, but when I sang it recently, it spoke to me in a new way and how it affects our culture today. “The Old Rugged Cross” is a popular hymn written in 1912 by American evangelist and song-leader George Bernard. Troubled by contemporary disregard for the gospel, Bernard said he had a vision where he saw the Christ and the cross as inseparable.

What is the meaning behind The Old Rugged Cross? He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed. The Old Rugged Cross’ lyrics reflect a life that has been changed by the gospel truth that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, the emblem of suffering and shame; And I love that old cross where the dearest and best, for a world of lost sinners was slain. Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world, has a wondrous attraction for me; for the dear Lamb of God left His glory above, to bear it to dark Calvary.

What stood out to me were the words despised by the world. How appropriate that is in today’s contemporary world. John 15:18–27 predicts that those who follow Christ faithfully will experience hatred and persecution from the world. The intensity of this experience has varied according to time and culture, but the non-believing world is generally hostile to authentic faith and perhaps today it is now more pronounced than ever.

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

We all dread the time when our age prevents us from doing the things we must do and the things we enjoy doing the most. It’s not just the physical but also the mental failings. And having a clear memory of when we were younger doesn’t assuage the melancholy we feel.

However, it’s not just old age. How many times have we said this job is getting old. Or all that people expect of me is getting old. Or the general burden of life is just getting old!

It’s those times when we must look to the source of our strength and resilience. Consider the source of your strength. “The Lord is my strength and my shield….” Psalm 28:7 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1 “My flesh and my heart fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26 With God’s help finish strong. Rich Jensen

WORD OF WISDOM FROM EDGAR APONTE:

• Do not compromise. Be faithful to the Lord. People will dislike you and oppose you.

• Do not reject Jesus. He is worthy of your trust.

• You can be in a Christian crowd but still not following Jesus.

• Faith should lead us to obedience.

• It takes special eyesight to see who Jesus is. It is spiritual sight, not physical sight.

• Jesus is there to help us even when we think He is not paying attention.

• Jesus, the expected King and Messiah, saves us and makes us whole.

• Faith cries to the Lord and is transformed by the Lord. Keep pursuing Jesus!

• People of faith can disobey Jesus. Do not excuse disobedience, instead obey His Word. 

• The crowds are amazed by the Lord but are not transformed by the Lord because they are not following the Lord. Follow Jesus!

• The currency used in heaven is faith.

— o —

The average cost of college in the US is $36,436 per year.

— o —

U.S. consumers spend a record $19 trillion dollars in January 2024, most of it on credit cards.

— o —

New Estimate Shows More Than 1 Million Babies Killed in Abortions in 2023

— o —

According to the latest poll from Gallup, more than one in five Gen Z adults in the US—people born between 1997 and 2012—now identify as LGBTQ+.

But while that number may seem high, it’s right in line with the changes in sexuality from generation to generation. The study found that people in each generation are roughly twice as likely as the one preceding it to identify as LGBTQ+. If the trend continues, then nearly half of those who come after Gen Z will share a non-heterosexual identity.

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Suffer not the little children to come unto me…Jesus never pushed the little ones away but instead drew them closer to Him. Dwight Short

The uncommitted stand by and watch as the forces of darkness take over. Dan Shock

For all the people who want to see a miracle in order to believe in God, perhaps a trip to the doctor to see just how amazing our human bodies are would remind them that they are not an accident, and in fact a real miracle of Creation. Dwight Short

God’s wisdom is more valuable than any material wealth. John MacArthur

The first generation creates the wealth, the second generation conserves it, and the third generation loses it. This is true to human nature: when we receive a gift we didn’t deserve, we typically acknowledge it with gratitude and seek to use it well. Then we take it for granted as though we deserved it. Then we abuse it until it’s gone. Jim Denison

Jesus will not leave you the way He found you. He is such a great friend and savior that he will not leave you in your sin. He will find sinners in their sin, but He will not leave them in their sin. Edgar Aponte

Don’t expect to make a withdrawal if you’ve never made a deposit.

Our adversary seems to attack us at the very time when we are not fully awake, or at a time when we are least prepared to fend off the attack. And it happens when we’re being productive and least expect it. Take heart. The same Jesus who calmed the storm for His disciples will calm the storm in your life as well. He is always there. Focus your eyes on Jesus, not the storm. Rich Jensen

Your mind cannot be both grateful and anxious at the same time. Chris Dodson

The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history. George Orwell

The fear of the Lord may be the beginning of wisdom, but the love and obedience of the Lord’s precepts will be the basis of wisdom for a lifetime. Dwight Short

Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile. Albert Einstein

Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art. Eleanor Roosevelt

The things that we love tell us what we are. Thomas Aquinas

We have enough money. We just cannot control our financial appetite. Chris Dodson

You can change what a person looks like on the outside, but can’t change one’s real person on the inside. Too often, we look at people the same way. We form our opinions of them by the outside, when it’s the inside that matters. Rich Jensen

There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it’s going to be a butterfly. R. Buckminster Fuller

Perseverance, secret of all triumphs. Victor Hugo

Never, never, never give up. Winston Churchill

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Selected portions of Thoughts on Life can also be read at TheLife.com.

Your feedback is welcome. Feel free to pass this along to others and to contribute your ideas and thoughts. Address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2024

Archaeological Discoveries Related to Jesus

In 1968 a Greek archaeologist named Vassilios Tzaferis oversaw the excavation of a tomb in Jerusalem that yielded the remains of a crucified man. Inside the man’s limestone ossuary (bone box), which dates to the first-century A.D., the excavating team found the heel bones of a man named Yehohanan, and in 1985 Tzaferis wrote an extensive article on what he found.

Yehohanan’s bones were held together by a 7-inch nail—clear evidence of his crucifixion. When pounded into the olive wood by the executioner, the nail hit a hard knot, bent and curled. If not for the knot, then the nail would not have been preserved in the bones. The only way Yehohanan’s executioners could remove his feet from the upright was to take a hatchet and amputate his feet, which they did.

From Tzaferis’ study of Yehohanan’s bones his position on the cross can be generally described as follows. The same nail affixed both his feet to the upright. The nail went through the right heel bone first and then the left. His right foot and his right leg laid on top of his left foot and left leg so that his knees would have been turned to his left. A wooden foot support nailed into the upright enabled Yehohanan to push up his legs in order to breathe easier. His knees were bent and his legs flexed at about a sixty degree angle while his left buttock rested on another wooden support nailed to the upright. This support enabled Yehohanan to lift up his torso to breathe. His arms were stretched out on the crossbeam and nailed just below the wrist—not directly into his hands—and there is evidence that Yehohanan’s legs were fractured.

The Romans left condemned men on the cross for as many as three days that they might die a slow death, but Jewish tradition required burial on the same day, so in order to hasten asphyxiation Roman executioners often broke the legs of the condemned man, preventing him from pushing up with his legs to breathe.

Following his death and the decomposition of his body, Yehohanan’s bones were placed in an elaborate, carved ossuary inside his family’s tomb. An inscription found on a nearby ossuary read, “Simon, builder of the temple.” Another read, “Yehonathan the potter.” These inscriptions suggest that Yehohanan was from a comfortable or prominent family, suggesting that he wasn’t crucified as a common thief. Perhaps he participated in some activity considered treasonous by the Romans, but whatever his crime, the evidence of his crucifixion has provided incredible first-hand insight into the crucifixion of our Lord as recorded in Scripture.

Daniel McCabe

Week Fifteen, 2024

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another (Proverbs 27:17).

One of my first jobs was working in an automobile dealership, sometimes in the repair shop, where there were a multitude of mechanics, each doing their own work. There was one exception. If a wheel was removed to work on the brakes and other things, before the tire could be put back in its place, the job had to be inspected by another mechanic. It was a good check to make sure that no one got hurt if the wheel came off.

That’s a good lesson for our Christian journey. Iron sharpens iron and we have a duty to help other believers of the faith. I remember a time when I was contemplating a business venture that I was excited about. A group of men in my Bible study came to me to talk and point out what I was overlooking. They said I was excited about the “frosting” on top and ignoring the cake underneath. You know, they were right, and I passed on the opportunity. That decision, all because of their coming to me saved me a lot of heartache …. and money.

There are times when Christians are called upon to “talk to” or try to correct a fellow Christian. Assuming we are talking about a matter of sin in a believer’s life, our motive and intent should always be to bring about repentance and restoration to the erring brother or sister in Christ.

We can’t divorce Jesus’ methods from His message and expect Jesus’ results. As Christians, we have to invest in other Christian’s lives. It has been said that if you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, travel in a group. You don’t help fellow Christians by lecturing to them, but rather by understanding them and investing in their lives.

The phrase “iron sharpens iron” is found in Proverbs 27:17: “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” There is mutual benefit in the rubbing of two iron blades together; the edges become sharper, making the knives more efficient in their task to cut and slice. Likewise, the Word of God is a “double-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12), and it is with this that we are to sharpen one another—in times of meeting, fellowship, or any other interaction.

The proverb also indicates the need for constant fellowship with one another. Man was not made to be alone, for did not the Lord God say this, even before the Fall (Genesis 2:18)? How much more, then, after the Fall of Man, do we need to come together with our brothers and sisters in Christ for seasons of fellowship and prayer? Clearly, this was recognized by the saints of the early church (Acts 2:42–47), who “devoted themselves” to teaching, fellowship, communion, and prayer, all corporate activities that provided opportunities for sharpening one another.

Whose iron are you sharpening?

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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

I was in Dollar Tree last night and there was a lady and two kids behind me in the LONG line. One was a big kid, one was a toddler. The bigger one had a pack of glow sticks, and the baby was screaming for them so the Mom opened the pack and gave him one; which stopped his tears. He walked around with it smiling, but then the bigger boy took it and the baby started screaming again. Just as the Mom was about to fuss at the older child, he bent the glow sticks and handed it back to the baby.

As we walked outside at the same time, the baby noticed that the stick was now glowing and his brother said, “I had to break it so you could get the full effect from it.” I almost ran because l could hear God saying to me, “I had to break you to show you why I created you. You had to go through it so you could fulfill your purpose.”

That little baby was happy just swinging that “unbroken” glow stick around in the air because he didn’t understand what it was created to do which was “glow”. There are some people who will be content just “being” but some of us have been chosen by God to be “broken”.

We have to get sick. We have to lose a job. We go through divorce. We have to suffer with the disease of addiction. We have to bury our spouse, parents, best friend, or our child because, in those moments of desperation, God is breaking us, but when the breaking is done, then we will be able to see the reason for which we were created.

So, when you see us glowing just know that we have been broken but healed by his Grace and Mercy.

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Words of wisdom from Edgar Aponte:

• Christ’s grace extends to us even when we are neither expecting nor asking for it.

• There is a cost to follow Jesus, but the cost to not follow Him is infinitely more.

• Jesus is not like a used car salesman trying to trick you to buy anything.

• Discipleship is living a life with Jesus.

• There is a cost to follow Jesus but there is also an urgency.

• Jesus paid an incredible cost for our redemption. Be prepared to pay a cost for being His disciple.

• A call to follow Jesus is a call to count the cost and o commit to Him completely. Follow Him now.

• Conditional acceptance is a complete rejection and delayed obedience is disobedience. Follow Him today.

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QUOTES YOU CAN USE

We all need to be careful in what we do or say, lest we lead others to stray from basic moral truth. Jim Wilson

In order to be faithful to the mission and message of Jesus, we must abandon old traditions, practices and prejudices that are not in line with the Gospel. Tommy Campbell

We often get upset because we think someone is getting by with evil deeds. But sooner or later, their sins will catch up with them. Dan Shock

As we begin to hear and answer God’s call to action to “Do Something”, we have to remember that God’s grace and forgiveness are a free gift and not given to us just because we are trying to do good things. His grace and forgiveness aren’t earned. They were given to us on the cross – through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Marty Stubblefield

Do something every day that you don’t want to do; this is the golden rule for acquiring the habit of doing your duty without pain. Mark Twain

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. Anne Frank

God knows that fear is born when we focus on the problem or on the power of the enemy. Dan Shock

Anything you don’t pray for you don’t really care about. Jim Wilson

Mercy is a divine attribute of God. He is always merciful. So we ask for His mercy and we can know it is there because it is an attribute of God. We are recipients of His mercy each day. Elbert Nasworthy

The Bible says, only on Jesus is eternal. Stephen Bernard

It’s always a good idea to be careful how you use Scripture; it only took God a few hundred years to get it right in delivering it to us. We would be wise to only apply the Bible as the Creator intended. Dwight Short

The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other peoples money. Margaret Thatcher

As a Believer and Follower of Jesus, it’s time for us to bravely and boldly put our faith to work, time for us to step out of the darkness and shine God’s light, time for us to overcome our fears and weaknesses. Look around you. See what needs to be done. Marty Stubblefield

I believe that no man or group of men is good enough to be trusted with uncontrolled power over others. C.S. Lewis

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Your feedback is welcome. Address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2024

The Heel Bones of Yehohanan (part 1)

March 30, 2024

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 24-28 years old 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