Week Thirteen, 2024

For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us (Ephesians 2:14).

There’s a piece of it that sits by my deck as a reminder of how walls can keep us out or keep us in. I flew there shortly after holes were punched in it to allow ingress and egress. Shortly before, people had been shot on sight for trying to go over it. As I stood before it, I saw a sobering sight, bustling prosperity on one side and drab sights of deprivation on the other. It was the Berlin Wall.

Berline Wall

I walked through a hole in the wall into East Berlin and experienced the stark contrast. I was there to purchase former communist assets to be deployed in a free business environment and become a part of the free enterprise economy in the west.

Throughout history walls were built around cities to provide security and keep enemies out. The Berlin Wall was different, designed to keep people in…. people who wanted to escape the tyranny of the East for the freedom of the West.

Metaphorically people build walls. Some around themselves and some around others. We build walls to isolate us from others. The Bible talks a lot about walls, the most noteworthy are the tearing down of the walls of Jericho and the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. One was to capture and the other to protect.

Today, more than ever, it is vital to build an impenetrable wall of the word of God around us and our family. The Bible says Jesus is our firm foundation. He is also the corner stone. We build on Him and His word – which, of course, are one.

Every time we pray, confess, or worship God, we are erecting our walls. The more we do this, the greater our wall becomes. The stronger and more fortified it is, as we confess His word over our life and the life of our families.

As you build with the word of God, you and your family become surrounded with the word of God. If you are surrounded by the word of God, you are surrounded by Jesus. If Jesus surrounds you, then you are safe and protected. God is telling me, telling us, to build our walls. To create, with the words of our mouth, a fortified place where we are protected from our enemy. That place is the word of God. That place is the blood of Christ. That place is in Him.

On what foundation are your walls built?

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

Love…. everything begins and ends with love:

• Loving the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength

• Loving our neighbors as ourselves

• Loving as we are loved

• Loving the poor, the weak, the brokenhearted and the downtrodden

And putting that love into action… just as Jesus put His love for us into action on the cross. In love, there is no room for prejudice, hate, abuse, divisiveness, or taking advantage of others. In love, there is room at the foot of the cross. How can we better show our love… our love for Jesus… our love for others? 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 —

We have expectations laid on us from many sources. Our parents tell us to avoid certain things to keep us safe. Our teachers tell us what to read so as to develop knowledge. Our bosses tell us to work a particular way to obtain the greatest efficiency. When we heed these admonitions, our lives are better for it. We can count on it.

God’s word tells us things as well. “Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.” Romans 15:7. “Pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” I Thessalonians 5:17-18. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6. “….truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3

God’s Word is true. Count on it. Rich Jensen

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires. William Arthur Ward

It seems to me that if we want to see revival… that if we want to see God do a great work… if we want to see God move, then it begins with us on our knees in prayer. Marty Stubblefield

In order to be faithful to the message and mission of Jesus, we must leave behind religious legalism. Tommy Campbell

Is your hope for heaven something you did or something someone did for you? Trust Jesus now. Edgar Aponte

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

Never, never, never give up. Winston Churchill

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

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

The Christian response to sinners in the world is radical love, and compassionate concern that results in Gospel witness. Tommy Campbell

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.

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

***

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

March 16, 2024

Countdown of the Top Ten Archaeological Discoveries Related to Jesus

-Sometimes the Lord puts a love in your heart for someone or something that’s hard to explain.

I’ve always liked cheetahs, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Coleridge, and the way that steam rises off my hot chocolate. I don’t know why those things fascinate me nor can I explain why I’m so fascinated by the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem.

After all, it’s dark, sooty, loud and filled with hanging icons that just don’t work for me, and yet I’m drawn to the place—every inch of it. I don’t believe most of the legends that have sprung up about the church, whether it be that they found the true cross of Jesus there in the fourth century; that Jesus was crucified over the place where Adam’s skull is buried; or that the Holy Fire celebrated annually at Easter won’t burn you; yet, I still find it all rather interesting to learn.

For me it’s not about the pageantry and legends. It’s about Jesus, and just being inside the church and experiencing the life of the place makes me feel closer to him. I believe that he was once there. I believe that he took his last breath on a nearby spot of ground now enveloped by the church and that I was on his mind in that moment. Every ancient pillar in the church, every painting, every churchman who walks the hallways—they all suspend my attention from the trivial things of life and transport me back to that Friday afternoon when Jesus died for me and to the following Sunday morning when he rose again to defeat my two greatest adversaries, sin and death. I am alive in that place, for it is there that I was made alive. Though once dead in my trespasses and sins, Jesus raised me to new life through the cross. If I lived in Jerusalem, I’d be a regular visitor to the church, thanking God that the events which took place there so long ago have impacted me so personally.

-Can it be proven absolutely that the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is the correct site of Jesus’ death and resurrection? No, I suppose not. But the archaeological, historical and literary evidence for its authenticity is so strong that I have little doubt about it. The church is a powerful testimony, therefore, to Jesus Christ, my Savior. Do you know him?

—Daniel McCabe

Week Twelve, 2024

When Moses’ arms grew tired, Aaron and Hur brought a stone for him to sit on, while they stood beside him and held up his arms, holding them steady until the sun went down. In this way Joshua totally defeated the Amalekites. Exodus 17:12-13

Lighthouses in America have always fascinated me, and I have been able to visit many and climb to the top of several. There are more than a thousand lining the coast, shooting beams of light to warn ships at sea.

Most predate electricity, yet project sharp beams of light as they rotate. The important components are height, the light, the lens and the lighthouse keeper, who kept the light burning all night long. Lighthouses are built high enough on the land to be seen by ships miles away. The light itself was usually a burning wick saturated with kerosene. It gives little light, but the key is the prism lens that concentrates the light into a bright beam.

Several years ago, I was walking through a cemetery on St. Simons Island in southern Georgia when I came across a gravestone that said, “For fifty years–the keeper of St. Simons Light.” I could not think about how many ships he had kept off the coastal rocks and the lives he had saved, as the light guided ships into St. Simons Sound and warned of the many sandbars in the area. Since 1872, a lens made in France has projected the light that guides mariners into the sound.

Lighthousue

But all of that was impossible without the keeper of the light, most of which are never remembered. I thought of Aaron and Hur in the Bible. Everyone remembers Moses who was directing the army to defeat the Amalekites. Lacking more modern forms of direction and communication, he directed with his arms. When he became tired, Aaron and Hur brought him a stone to sit on and when his arms became too tired to lift, they held them steady. Again, like the lighthouse keepers they, though hardly remembered saved the day in defeating the Amalekites.

I thought about Jesus being our lighthouse and that great song that describer him:

I thank God for the lighthouse. I owe my life to Him. Jesus is the lighthouse and from the rocks of sin he has shown a light around me that I might clearly see. If it wasn’t for the lighthouse tell me where would this ship be?

This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:5-7

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

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 —

The Presbyterian church called a meeting to decide what to do about their squirrel infestation. After much prayer and consideration, they concluded that the squirrels were predestined to be there, and they should not interfere with God’s divine will.

At the Baptist church, the squirrels had taken an interest in the baptistry. The deacons met and decided to put a water-slide on the baptistry and let the squirrels drown themselves. The squirrels liked the slide and, unfortunately, knew instinctively how to swim, so twice as many squirrels showed up the following week.

The Lutheran church decided that they were not in a position to harm any of God’s creatures. So, they humanely trapped their squirrels and set them free near the Baptist church. Two weeks later, the squirrels were back when the Baptists took down the water-slide.

The Episcopalians tried a much more unique path by setting out pans of whiskey around their church in an effort to kill the squirrels with alcohol poisoning. They sadly learned how much damage a band of drunk squirrels can do.

But the Catholic church came up with a more creative strategy! They baptized all the squirrels and made them members of the church. Now they only see them at Christmas and Easter.

Not much was heard from the Jewish synagogue. They took the first squirrel and circumcised him. They haven’t seen a squirrel since.

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

You must not only aim right, but draw the bow with all of your might. Henry David Thoreau

It takes half your life before you discover life is a do-it-yourself project. Napolean Hill

You can’t have legalism and the Gospel at the same time, as they are incompatible. Tommy Campbell

The price tag of prejudice and racism is the elimination of people who might have been our friends. Dwight Short

One of our goals as Believers should be to bless God and glorify Him through our actions and our words. Taking off the old and dirty… and putting on the new and the clean. Marty Stubblefield

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

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

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

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

***

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

Your feedback is welcome and if you want to be taken off the mailing list a simple e-mail will do it. 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

You know him best as the man who washed his handss to rid himself of the responsibility for the execution of Jesus, even though he famously said of him, “I find no guilt in this man” (Luke 23:4).

In his position as the Roman governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate had the authority to spare the life of Jesus, but even after his wife had a dream about Jesus’ innocence and his own interview of Jesus reinforced her conviction, Pilate “delivered Him to be crucified” (Matt. 27:26).

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church believes that Pilate’s words about Jesus and his reluctance to fast track Jesus’ execution lead to only one conclusion—that Pilate became a Christian. They even venerate Pilate as both a martyr and a saint in contrast to the more common take that he spoke and acted solely out of political expedience.

In any event whether his role in the trial of Jesus is that of a saint or a savvy politician, there is no meaningful disagreement regarding Pilate’s historicity and proper governmental title following a monumental find in 1961, known popularly as the Pilate Stone. Discovered in Israel in the port city of Caesarea on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, this broken, carved block of limestone, measuring just over 2 feet tall and 2½ feet wide, bears the name of “[Ponti]us Pilatus, [Praef]ectus Juda[ea]e.

The Latin spelling translates into English as “Pontius Pilate, Prefect of Judea.” In Latin prefect is a title that means roughly, “put in charge,” and the Bible rightly describes him as the “governor” of Judea (Matt. 27:2; Luke 3:1).

Evidently carved to dedicate a Roman building in Caesarea, perhaps even a temple in honor of Tiberius Caesar, the Pilate Stone dates to the time of Jesus in the first century.

Yet again, the accuracy of the Bible has been corroborated—this time by a broken stone that points our attention back to the bitter-sweet account of our Savior, who on the night before his crucifixion broke bread with these wonderful words, “This is My body which is broken for you” (1 Cor. 11:24).

—Daniel McCabe

Week Eleven, 2024

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10).

It was my hobby when I was young. As a teenager, my most prized possession was my camera. I built a darkroom. It was long before digital photography and I had to develop the film and print the photos.

The first task was building the darkroom. I used a bathroom and proceeded to make it totally dark. I would get it done and then turn out the lights and sit in total darkness and then pinpoints of light would appear. After going through that exercise several times, the room was totally, totally dark with not even a pinhead of light.

The first exercise was to remove the film from the camera and place it in the developing solution, for not too long or too short of a period of time so that it would develop exactly as it should.

Then, I would project the film onto print paper and slowly the picture would appear. The next step was to put the printed picture in a “fixing” solution so that it would not disappear when it was exposed to light. Hang it on a cloth line with a cloth pin to dry and then we were done and could open the door to regular light.

I thought how the Lord “develops” us. Like the instant the camera shutter clicks, the picture is made, but then it has to be developed. There is that “instant click” in our lives when we accept Christ and are saved, but that begins a development process as we grow in the faith.

The Bible shows us a way of life that turns us from sin and embraces holiness. As we see God’s goodness and grace through the gospel and are renewed in our minds to think in alignment with God’s thoughts, we can then act in a way that pleases Him and blesses others. By reading the Bible, we learn who God is, as we learn about life, relationships, work, and a whole lot of other things about life and living.

We learn how God cares for humanity and most importantly, we learn clearly how to have a personal relationship with God. The Bible holds knowledge, Truth and hope. Interwoven throughout the Bible is the redemptive work of God. Each book points to His master plan to rescue broken and desperate people and restore their relationships with Him through Jesus.

The next time you read a passage from the Bible, take time to look through that text and see how it connects to Jesus, as He leads us through the development of our lives.

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

• No one is beyond redemption.
• Abraham was 100 and Sarah 90 when God said it’s time to go to Babies R Us
• Noah was a drunk
• Isaac was a daydreamer
• Jacob was a liar
• Leah was not beautiful
• Joseph was abused
• Moses had a stuttering problem
• Gideon was afraid
• Samson had long hair and was a womanizer
• Rahab was a prostitute
• Jeremiah was too young
• David was an adulterer (not to mention he covered it up with murder)
• Elijah was suicidal
• Isaiah that dude preached naked
• Jonah ran from God
• Naomi was a widow
• Job went bankrupt
• John the Baptist ate bugs
• Andrew lived in the shadow of his big brother
• Peter denied Christ more than once
• All the disciples fell asleep while praying (and ran away when Jesus really needed them.)
• Martha worried about everything
• The Samaritan woman was divorced (more than once)
• Mary Magdalene was demon-possessed
• Zacchaeus was too small
• Timothy had an ulcer
• Paul was a Christian-killer
• Oh…and Lazarus that dude was dead!

Don’t tell me God can’t use you.

— 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.

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

Death is just a comma to a Christian, not a period. Adrian Rogers

The future doesn’t belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave. Ronald Reagan

The hard part is, relinquishing the control that I so highly value. Marty Stubblefield

Fear is a reaction. Courage is a decision. Sir Winston Churchill

You never know how a horse will pull until you hook him to a heavy load. Bear Bryant

Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” (John 10:11)

Jesus calls sinners to follow Him. Edgar Aponte

When someone speaks the truth in love, it pierces our very being because we know our own heart and see ourselves without excuses or coverups. Dwight Short.

To feel valued, to know, even if only once in a while, that you can do a job well is an absolutely marvelous feeling. Barbara Walters

There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence and the other is to believe in and feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. Demons are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist on the one hand, or a magician on the other, with equal delight. C.S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters

Only when you understand your desperate need of Jesus, will you be willing to leave everything to follow Him. Edgar Aponte

The reason God looks at our hearts while man looks on the outward appearances is because there’s more important information than what you find on a scoreboard. Dwight Short

We don’t always know why certain things happen to us, but God knows. Dan Shock

In order to write about life first you must live it. Ernest Hemingway

A rising tide raises all ships, but you have to make sure your boat is in the water.

It is the mark of an educated man to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. Aristotle

Beware of self-righteous traditions that elevate ourselves while ignoring our sin and need of divine mercy. Edgar Aponte

***

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

March 2, 2024

—Simply put, an ossuary is a box that contains bones. Between 37 B.C. and 70 A.D., Jews placed the bodies of their dead in tombs and then returned one year later to retrieve the bones and put them in ossuaries.

—In 1990, as they moved ground to build a waterpark south of Jerusalem, a construction crew uncovered a first-century tomb. Inside the tomb archaeologists discovered an incredibly ornate, stone ossuary with the inscription, “Joseph, son of Caiaphas.”

—Ronny Reich, a renowned Israeli archaeologist, explains, “The name Joseph son of Caiaphas does not necessarily mean that Caiaphas was Joseph’s father. Caiaphas may designate simply a family nickname….. A person named Joseph with the nickname Caiaphas was the high priest in Jerusalem between 18 and 36 [A.D.]. The New Testament provides only his nickname…. Josephus [a first-century, Jewish historian], however, gives his proper name as … “Joseph Caiaphas” or elsewhere, “Joseph who was called Caiaphas of the high priesthood” (Biblical Archaeology Review, Sept/Oct 1992). In short, we are explicitly told by Josephus that Caiaphas was indeed a nickname.

—In all probability then we have recovered the bones of the high priest who presided over the trial of Jesus. That’s extraordinary! You may remember that Caiaphas asked Jesus, “Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!” (Matthew 26:63). Jesus responded, “It is as you said” (v. 64). But the proof of Jesus’ identity goes beyond his claim that day before Caiaphas! Just follow the bones. We have those of Caiaphas. The bones of Jesus have never and will never be found! He rose from the dead to defeat sin and death. It is as Jesus said!

—Daniel McCabe

Week Ten, 2024

The foundation has already been built. No one can build any other foundation. The foundation that has already been laid is Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11)

It was a shocking scene. Seven stories of smoking twisted steel and rubble. They were still looking for human remains. People were on their knees and holding onto fences and praying as ashes fell on all surrounding the grim scene.

We were passing out Bibles and tracts and the out stretched hands were brisk of those who wanted answers and comfort. It had been not quite three weeks since I watched them come crashing down, first one tower and then the other. We all remember where we were on that grim day of a national attack.

When I returned to the scene a few weeks later, it looked totally different. Buildings had been replaced and there were two square pools of about one acre each in the exact footprint of each of the Twin Towers, which were the icons of New York City and at 110 stories, the then tallest buildings in the world.

There is an elevator where visitors can descend eight stories to the bedrock on which the foundations rested. It was there that the foundations initially rested… bedrock upon which the tallest buildings in the world could rest.

As I looked upon the scene with tears in my eyes, I thought of the spiritual parallel in the Bible. Paul said that Jesus himself is the foundation. Christ calls His people to turn away from the world and trust solely in His work on the cross for salvation. All other foundations are like sinking sand, but Jesus Christ is God’s appointed means of salvation as the only sure and steady foundation for all who believe.

The World Trade Center housed more than four hundred corporations, some of which were the foundations of world trade activity. As I stood there I thought what is the foundation in this life? Is it personal possessions or sense of security?

People put their hope and base life on many things. In this sermon on 1 Corinthians 3:11 titled “Christ the Foundation,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that any foundation in life that is not Jesus Christ is doomed to fail. All other foundations are passing and transient; they satisfy, but only temporarily. Jesus Christ is an eternal foundation that can never be shaken. He is a foundation that never leaves His people wanting for more. Christ alone can satisfy one’s deepest needs and desires.

The greatest tragedy is that many reject Christ as their hope and turn to everything else that is vain and passing away. Christ calls His people to turn away from the world and trust solely in His work on the cross for salvation as the foundation of life. All other foundations are like sinking sand, but Jesus Christ is God’s appointed means of salvation as the only sure and steady foundation for all who believe.

What is your foundation?

***

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

“How do we put our faith to work?”

1) By living what we say we believe. That is by glorifying God through our day to day living… through our work… through our fun… even in the mundane.

2) By doing what Jesus did – loving others, helping others, sharing life with others. Not because we must, but because of what He first did for us.

3) By going therefore – That is, by going to make disciples. Whether next door, down the hall, across the country or around the world. Put your faith into action.

4) By loving your neighbor as yourself. And who is your neighbor? Everyone – even if they don’t look like you. Overcome hate and disdain with love. Shine where you are.

5) By taking up our cross daily and following Him… loving Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength – loving him with all that we are. Love like Jesus. See as He sees. Respond like would respond. Allow His heart to become our heart.

Sometimes we have to do more than say it… we have to show it. We have to live what we say we believe.

Let’s be clear – Faith and faith alone in Jesus Christ, the Son of God is what saves us. But as we live and grow in our faith in Him, we are called then to put our faith to work. So others can see Him in us… so others might know of His great love, grace and mercy.

Marty Stubblefield

— o —

Drug addicts outnumber high school students in San Francisco.

— o —

WORDS OF WISDOM FROM EDGAR APONTE:

• Jesus needs to be the center of our souls.

• If you love the Bible, do you love the God of the Bible?

• King Jesus has power over demons, for He is God and Lord.

• In this life you should expect spiritual opposition. Trust Jesus’ power to deliver you.

• It’s not knowledge but love and worship that distinguish demons from saints. Love and worship Jesus!

• Love people more than your goods and possessions.

***

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

We often put ourselves in some pretty, miserable positions because we move ahead without seeking God. Florida Marketplace Ministry

Did you know you can fit 1.3 million “earths” into the sun? And God said, “Let there be light”. What a mighty God we serve! Pete Dail

Taking the Life of an Innocent Child is Never a Choice. Catholic Bishop

To improve is to change, so to be perfect is to have changed often. Winston Churchill

When I am in need of help now, as a believer in Christ, God Himself has my back. Rich Jensen

Just as there is no human cure for leprosy, there is no human cure for sin. Dan Shock

If God forsook His own Son because of sin, how can you ever expect God to be in fellowship with you as long as you have sin permeating your life? Florida Marketplace Ministries

A man should always consider how much he has more than he wants. Joseph Addison

Jesus is not only Savior… He is also Lord. And that’s Lord over everything – even all my junk. When will we heed the warning lights and get our hearts serviced? Marty Stubblefield

What at awesome responsibility it is to represent God to other people. Dan Shock

When God touches your heart, it fills with love and peace. Though the storms may rage, you have a glorious confidence in God’s ability to control life’s circumstances. Florida Marketplace Ministries

***

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

Top 10 Archaeological Discoveries Related to Jesus

February 24, 2024

—According to the Gospel writers, Jesus visited Herod’s Temple in Jerusalem on numerous occasions. First as a newborn for his circumcision, then as a twelve-year old, presumably for his bar mitzvah, and then frequently as an adult to celebrate Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles, the three, annual, religious festivals required of all Jewish men. Any archaeological evidence that confirms the historicity of Herod’s Temple adds to the veracity of the New Testament’s accounts of Jesus at the temple, and there is a great deal of temple evidence to be sure.

—Books have been written on this topic, but let me just mention three. First, in 1871 a French archaeologist discovered a complete stone tablet, inscribed with painted red letters that read, “No outsider shall enter the protective enclosure around the sanctuary, and whoever is caught will only have himself to blame for his ensuing death.” This warning inscription is known to have been posted on a barrier wall that surrounded the temple building itself, and we have found it. See my original post on this discovery from Sept 24, 2022 that’s archived at shalomyallministries.org in order to learn more.

—Second, archaeologists have uncovered massive stone steps on the southern end of the present Temple Mount that once led up to Herod’s Temple through underground walkways. Pilgrims to Jerusalem walked up these steps, singing the psalms on their way to offer their sacrifices to the Lord. You can visit these steps today and even touch the temple walls that date to the time of Jesus.

—Third, in the 1970s archaeologists removed tons of rubble from the southwestern corner of the present–day Temple Mount, uncovering a market street, a priestly inscription and more that corroborated first-century historians’ accounts of the temple. The rubble resulted from the destruction of the temple by the Romans in 70 A.D. who quelled a Jewish revolt at that time and systematically dismantled all the buildings.

—The corroborating evidence for Jesus and for the accuracy of the New Testament is beyond dispute!

Week Nine, 2024

My wife is a wonderful cook. My girth is proof of that. It’s been a learning process. When she cooked our first meal after returning from our honeymoon and she served beanie weinnies for dinner. She was so proud! I knew we were in for a long haul!

But she has been self-taught, with a huge gracious help from my mother. Now, and for many years, she is a fabulous cook. She doesn’t use recipes… well sometimes she does, rather she just adds as she works along as she goes, adding this and that. Often, I ask her to repeat the meal and she doesn’t remember what she did to make what she made. I told her many times that if she would write down the recipes and give each dish a flashy name, we could open a successful restaurant.

The Bible has many recipes. Try Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. It works.

God gave Joshua a plan on how to defeat Jericho. It was simple. All he had to do was follow His instructions and Jericho would be theirs.

Jericho’s walls were 11 feet high and 14 feet thick. They were virtually impregnable. For man, it was impossible and overwhelming to even consider getting in, much less destroy.

When Joshua announced the strategy that God Himself laid out, I wonder how the people responded. I wonder what ran through their minds when they heard what seemed like such a foolish plan?

“Well that’s a silly plan… There’s no way that will work, but ok…”

Joshua followed God’s unusual plan to the letter. He had faith that God was who He said He was and would do what He said He would do.

So they marched. One time around Jericho each day for 6 days. On the 7th day they marched around 7 times. Seven priests in front carrying rams horn trumpets in front of the ark of the covenant. A long trumpet blasts. A loud shout by the army.

And the walls came tumbling down.

Do you follow God’s recipes?

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

And all around us, still—personally, and beyond to the ends of the world, questions lie unresolved. Issues, problems, concerns, disagreements and worse, linger, fester, and seem to grow everywhere. So, now what? Uncertainty reigns. So, then, to what, and where can we look. The answer is clear and has been with us for over two-thousand years.

The Hope which came in the magnificent birth of the Babe of Bethlehem. The Son of God. The Savior of the world. Christ—there to lead us to the answers we seek, the joy and peace for our lives and for the world.

There it is. The only answer to the question—now what? When we set our hearts each day on the One who then calls each of us to also be joy to the world, and peace on the earth. When we live each moment of every day remembering the answer to whatever will be found when we embrace and follow Christ, and live out and sing the words—

“O Come let us adore Him!” Scott Whitaker

— o —

Every day we are tempted. Every day something or some things are thrown into our face, come our way that vie for our focus… for our attention… for our lives.

How will we respond? How will we react? Do we know the voice of the Master? In the midst of those tempting moments… in the midst of the battle, do we hear His voice?

Do we respond? Do we continue to walk with the Master? Or do we chase after the temptations of the day… the focus of the moment… the demon that has come to steal and kill and destroy? What do we do when face temptation or when the demons attack?

Marty Stubblefield

— o —

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.

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

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

This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it. Ralph Waldo Emerson

We may not have the physical Jesus with us, but, as believers, we have His Spirit within us to calm us in our storms and get us through them. He has the power. Take heart. He is always with you. Don’t be beat up. Be upbeat. Rich Jensen

When going through trials, we often feel alone. We think nobody sees or understands. But God knows. Dan Shock

Honesty is the first chapter of the book of wisdom. Thomas Jefferson

When life hands us a lemon, let’s try to make lemonade. Dale Carnegie

In love, there is no room for prejudice, hate, abuse, divisiveness, or taking advantage of others. Marty Stubblefield

You don’t have to hide. You don’t have to pretend, worry about what people will think. Everyone is dealing with something. There’s no shame in saying, “I need help. I’m struggling; I’m hurting; I’m broken.” David Jeremiah

Remember that True Worship isn’t about the What, Where, When, nor How. It’s all about The WHO And The Why! The WHO is the Lord, God Almighty Creator of Heaven and all other things. The WHY is He loved us so much He sent His Son to die on the Cross for our sins!

The only way to be all you can be is to surrender all you are to the One who created you to be all HE made you to be. Todd Gongwerca

God wants us to learn to trust in Him completely – even when we cannot see any possible solutions. Dan Shock

We often put ourselves in some pretty miserable positions because we move ahead without seeking God. Florida Marketplace Ministry

***

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

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

Archaeological Discoveries Related to Jesus

February 17, 2024

—Here are the highlights from a story in John 4 that you’ll probably recognize quickly. Jesus engages a Samaritan woman at a well outside the city of Sychar near Shechem. Jesus turns the conversation to the woman’s need for living water, and soon even explains to her that he is the Messiah. The woman is convinced and hurries back into town to tell the men of the city. It’s a powerful story with great implications, but for now let’s take a deeper dive into the history of that well where the woman and Jesus met.

—We often talk about how exciting it would be to stand where Jesus stood. Jacob’s Well is located inside a Greek Orthodox church that was purposely built over and around it. It’s the very same well that Jacob built after he purchased the surrounding tract of land for himself and his family in Genesis 33, and today you can visit the church and even draw water from the well. You CAN stand where Jesus stood! Or more precisely you can sit where Jesus sat. John 4:6 reads, “Jesus therefore being wearied from His journey sat thus by the well.”

—Jacob’s Well is not a popular stop for modern tour groups because of its location in the heart of the West Bank, but Samaritans, Christians and Muslims alike acknowledge its authenticity. There are at least three reasons why all three groups are so confident about it.

—First, it matches the descriptions given in the Bible. In particular the well is located at Shechem just as the Bible suggests. But John 4:11 adds a small detail that is really quite significant, noting that the well is deep. Modern measurements of Jacob’s Well in Shechem show it to be between 135 and 150 feet deep just as one would expect.

—Second, early Byzantine and Crusader churches once stood where the modern church now stands. This long-standing tradition of honoring this site and well shouldn’t be dismissed easily.

—Third, over the last two thousand years pilgrims to the Holy Land have written about the well, and some have even chosen to be baptized with water from the well. Jerome, a well-respected theologian and historian, mentions the well as early as the fourth century.

—Jacob’s Well is one site in Israel that I haven’t yet visited, and perhaps I’ll be able to travel there as early as this summer and taste the water for myself. But one thing I can say with certainty! After drinking water drawn from Jacob’s Well, I will surely be thirsty again by day’s end, but how blessed I am to say that in 1978 Jesus offered me a drink of living water that has satisfied me to this very day.

—Daniel McCabe