Faith Lessons from Israel:

The Jordan River and the Baptism of Jesus

Matthew 3:15, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”

He closed the door of the family carpentry shop one last time—its floor covered with sawdust and rich with memories of time spent with his dad, Joseph:

Remember, Jesus, “Measure twice, cut once.”

“Dad, which wood is harder? Cedar or oak?”

“Finish sanding that table leg and we’ll call it a day.”

Three-legged and four-legged stools, chairs with backs, dinner tables that stood very low to the ground, beds with slats to support a mattress, nightstands to hold small clay lamps filled with olive oil, and large wooden storage chests. The business would now pass to his younger brothers—James, Joses, Judas and Simon (Matthew 13:55).

Mary’s “firstborn son” (Matthew 1:25) embraced his young mother; she always knew this day would come. He soaked in the familiar Nazareth hills with a slow sweep of his head and set out down the dry riverbed of the Wadi Bira for the winding, muddy waters of the Jordan River “to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15).

By the time Jesus arrived on the banks of the Jordan, possibly just outside of Jericho Town, believers and skeptics alike had already gathered there to hear the prophetic sermons of John the Baptizer, and in the case of many, to be baptized in the same water that had once divided miraculously so that General Joshua and the children of Israel could begin their conquest of the Promised Land. Any and all who confessed their sins each day at the Jordan followed up their change of heart with baptism. Baptized tax collectors promised to collect no more than the law required. Baptized soldiers promised not to bully civilians and to be content with their wages. Others promised to share their clothes and their food with the needy.

Forgiven sinners of all ages publicly identify themselves as sinners through the practice of baptism, which pictures the cleansing that God brings to the heart of men. The perfect need no baptism, so when Jesus stepped to the front of the crowd requesting baptism, the Baptizer initially refused. But Jesus insisted, saying, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (3:15). I suspect that John, like me, didn’t fully understand the meaning of Jesus’ words. They made little sense at the time. That’s why Jesus says, “Permit it to be so now.” In other words, some things that don’t make sense now will prove to be just right as we look back on them in the days ahead. Not fully understanding, John nevertheless fully trusted, and together they waded into the water for baptism—the sinless in the hands of the sinful. How fitting that Jesus, who could never identify himself as a sinner, nevertheless chose to identify himself with sinners! How comforting to know that Jesus understands our temptations, pressures and loneliness! He asks us to trust him in our moments of hesitation and confusion.

Today in Israel half a dozen or more locations have been proposed as the actual site of Jesus’ baptism—two in particular near Jericho. Despite the evident uncertainty, each site stands as a memorial to Jesus’ compassion for sinners and John’s obedience to Jesus in the face of the unthinkable.

God may be asking you too to do the unthinkable. It would be so much easier for you if it weren’t for the crowd nearby poised to criticize your actions; yet, you’ve clearly heard from God, so “permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for [you and God] to fulfill all righteousness.” Step into the water with him. It’s time to trust.

-Daniel McCabe

Trivia

On Location:

Israel’s Holocaust Museum

I loved my visit to Yad Vashem. Unfortunately I didn’t have as much time as I would have liked to spend there. It was already getting closer to the end of the day, their closing time, but we were still able to snake through the museum, for it’s laid out in a zigzag pattern. I haven’t been to many holocaust memorials even though there are many around the world, but I was expecting a lot more horrifying pictures of emaciated prisoners and their hard experiences inside the concentration camp. However, there was less of that and more about the stories of people and the context that led up to those experiences as well as the fallout that followed the Holocaust after World War 2, which was great. It was actually a nice surprise. Of course, there were still troubling pictures and other items that you would expect to see, but you really come away with a greater appreciation of the gravity of the historical context. Then, as you exit the museum, there’s a beautiful view of the city of Jerusalem, and as someone who appreciates and longs for the future of what God will do with the Jewish people, it’s really uplifting to look out over the city where God has chosen to place His name and where the Lord will return and rule in righteousness and justice and peace.

A trip to Yad Vashem is a must at some point on one’s trip to Jerusalem, but take your time there. Carve out an afternoon, a full day if you can.

-Dan McCabe

Pneumatology, Part 6:

The Holy Spirit’s Enablement for Service

There are various ways in which the Spirit enables men for service. For example, He’s given men the ability to interpret dreams, such as Old Testament Joseph and the prophet Daniel. We see too that He’s endowed certain men with administrative skills, e.g., Joshua in Numbers 27 who would be empowered to lead the Israelites in excellent ways. God has given people excellent military leadership like Gideon and poetic ability like David, the sweet psalmist of Israel.

Also, the Spirit has enabled others with special craftsmanship. Remember Bezalel and Aholiab when God gave instructions to Moses to construct the tabernacle. We see this in Exodus 31:2-3. Bezalel and Aholiab were two individuals of whom God said that His Spirit would give them great abilities of craftsmanship to carry out the work. Many of the Israelites were builders, but the construction of the tabernacle would not be an easy task, so He specially enabled certain people with excellent craftsmanship to do what He wanted them to do.

Then there’s Samson whom God gave great physical strength only when the Holy Spirit came upon him. It wasn’t Samson doing these great feats in his own strength. In fact, when I close my eyes and picture Samson, I don’t see a muscle-bound meathead or a gym rat. I picture a normal guy. The Holy Spirit came upon him at certain times, enabling him to perform miraculous feats of strength that no one could possibly do in his own human strength. Samson wasn’t able to lift huge boulders as soon as he woke up every morning. His strength appeared only during those times when the Holy Spirit came upon him.

There’s also a theocratic anointing of the Holy Spirit, meaning a special ministry to certain individuals to be the mediator between God and man. Yes, of course, the Bible teaches that there’s one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. But in the covenantal relationship that God had with the nation of Israel, He appointed theocrats, leaders that He called who would mediate between Himself and the people. Certainly nobody is a mediator between God and man in the same way that Jesus is, but the Spirit appointed human agents to serve in a special administrative way. For example, He raised up Moses, Joshua, various judges over the tribes, Saul, David, and all the kings after David. We see this many times throughout the Old Testament, but Jesus had a special mediating role as evident in Luke 4 when He read from the scroll of Isaiah that the Spirit had anointed Him for His ministry. But yes, the Spirit also rose up certain individuals to serve as the theocratic mediator between God and His covenant people. I think this is what David means in Psalm 51 when he says, “Take not Your Holy Spirit from Me.” I don’t think David is fearful that God would take his salvation away from him by taking away the Holy Spirit. I think instead that David is asking God not to take the kingship away from him because he knows what happened to Saul. Saul failed in such a grievous way that God took the kingship from him and eventually gave it to David. But then David sinned greatly with Bathsheba and against Uriah. Saul had violated an important instruction that God had given to him, and that’s technically what disqualified him from being king. Thus, in Psalm 51, I think David feared that God would remove the theocratic anointing of the Holy Spirit from him for his great sin with Bathsheba.

Lastly and best of all, the Holy Spirit worked in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ in special ways. We know that Jesus was conceived and filled by the Holy Spirit who led Him in both Matthew 4 and Mark 1. He anointed Jesus, and Jesus acted according to the power of the Spirit. We see this in Mark 5:30 and Luke 4:14; 5:17. Jesus’ entire ministry, the miracles He wrought, the revelation He gave, everything that is beyond the ability of a normal human was done by the power of the Holy Spirit who came upon Jesus at His baptism, enabling Him for His messianic public ministry. That’s why when Jesus’ opponents accused Him of working His miracles by the power of Beelzebub that Jesus responded, “Wait a minute, you’ve blasphemed the Holy Spirit! Anything you say against the Son of Man can be forgiven you, but what you just did by blaspheming the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, for He is the power behind Jesus’ ministry. Jesus operated according to the power of the Holy Spirit who, as we know, raised Jesus from the dead.

-Adam Keim

On Location The Center of the World

During our September 2022 trip to Israel, in which Gigi (alongside Richard) is standing behind a decorative stone that marks the center of the world–well, at least according to the Greek Orthodox. It’s located approximately 50 feet from the traditional site of the resurrection of Jesus Christ inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem.

I know some of you believe that the center of the world is the 50-yard line of AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, and how could I possibly disagree with that, but even if you were to challenge the credibility of either claim, may we never doubt the one who made and loved the world (John 3:16). In fact one day Jesus will return to earth to reign from Jerusalem for 1000 years, and I think we can easily agree that his throne in that coming day will rightly be called the center of the world.

-Daniel McCabe

Answer to the Trivia

C. David Ben-Gurion

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© 2026 Shalom Y’all Ministries

Cullman, AL 35058

Week Thirty, 2026

“That the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children.” – Psalm 78:6

It was so satisfying to hear my granddaughter, about to leave on a mission trip, say she was excited to share the Gospel with people in a foreign land. The fact that she was passing along what she had learned in church was exciting, but even more so the fact that a new generation was sharing the Gospel.

As Christians, we should be vitally concerned that we are always one generation away from losing the faith. Our children and grandchildren are so important. They should hear the Gospel in the church and in the home.

Because faith isn’t inherited biologically, the message must be actively taught and modeled. Failing to pass it on creates the reality described by theologians and leaders: faith and its values are always just one generation away from being lost.

If secular voices can plant seeds of doubt in our children, faith will fade in a generation—and we must be vigilant to prevent that.

We are—or should be—the greatest Christian example our children and grandchildren will see: how we conduct ourselves, bringing them to church, gathering around the dinner table, and praying before going to bed. The list goes on.

Archbishop Carey said in 1999, “The church is always one generation away from extinction.”

We too are fast losing—some would say have already lost—the next generation. The consequences are cascading: fewer Christian children likely mean fewer Christian teenagers, which likely means fewer Christian students, which ultimately leads to fewer Christian families with fewer Christian children. The cycle repeats and quickly deteriorates. Internal transmission within the family is a key priority today, but are we in danger of parents blaming the church for not doing enough, while the church blames parents for a low level of commitment in family life?

Matt Summerfield, the leader of Urban Saints (previously called Crusaders), often says, “I want to reach as many young people today as we can for Christ, so that in twenty years’ time they will be producing Christian children for the next generation.” Too few seem to have that vision.

What are you doing to preserve the Gospel for generations to come?

Sometimes True Stories

J. H. Shorthouse was an English novelist who, as a young man, had doubts about the divinity of Christ. Searching for answers to his questions, he sought out and spoke with the Anglican bishop Edward King.

King didn’t argue with him. Instead, he gave him two pieces of paper—one plain and one having a black border. He told Shorthouse to write on the plain paper everything he had ever done that was absolutely good, untainted by any evil. On the black-bordered page, he was to write things he had done that were wrong.

A few days later, Shorthouse returned. The black-bordered paper was full on both sides; many more such pages could have been filled.

On the plain paper, Shorthouse had written just one thing he considered the best and purest thing he’d ever done: his love for his mother. But then, after writing it, he crossed it out. His love for his mother was good, but not perfect. Far too often it had been marred by selfishness, bad temper, forgetfulness, etc.

“And what did you do then?” asked King. Shorthouse replied, “I went down on my knees and thanked God I had a Savior.”

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The year is half gone; during the previous six months, many of us have been following our 2026 plans. Our natural tendency is to be self-centered and think of our own plans as being the most important, without stopping to ask what God would have us do. God controls the past, present, and future, so we will find it in our best interest to consult with God as we make our plans. Why, you may ask? The answer is simple: God’s plans will ultimately be fulfilled, period! When you think about it, we are only allowed to make plans at all by the grace of God. We must be careful where we focus our attention. Forgetting these four words, “Thy will be done,” will be at our own peril. – Tony Ferguson

Quotes You Can Use

How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it.

One of the first steps in avoiding bad decisions is to develop a teachable heart, and a teachable heart only comes from a willingness to listen to the Lord.

Pride says, “I’m right and others are wrong.”

Those who are “pure in their own eyes” are self-righteous. Jesus exposed this condition as self-deceiving—thinking we are without fault while seeing the faults of everyone around us.

“The reflection upon my situation and that of this army produces many an uneasy hour when all around me are wrapped in sleep. Few people know the predicament we are in.” – George Washington, January 14, 1776

A little misery, at times, makes one appreciate happiness more.

God doesn’t want you to worship or serve Him out of pressure or emotional frenzy.

The aim of education is the knowledge not of facts, but of values.

Thank God we can’t escape His presence.

______________________________

Address all items and comments to [email protected].

© Thoughts on Life Copyright 2026

10025 Orange Grove Drive

Tampa, FL 33618, USA

Over 600 weekly John Grant devotionals posted courtesy of FrankBecker.com.

July 18, 2026

Last time we met this man whom the Bible calls a “mighty hunter,” a powerful leader who is credited with the building of Babel and Nineveh, two cities widely recognized for their ancient antagonism toward the Jewish people.

Nimrod has been variously depicted, identified or described as an Egyptian king, an idolater, Sargon the Great, a chained giant in Dante’s Divine Comedy, an ancient god of war and hunting, Gilgamesh (the hero of a famous Babylonian epic), and the leader of the Tower of Babel rebellion (which the historian Josephus interestingly ties to Nimrod’s insistence that they build a tower so high that no future flood could possibly engulf them).

Although the Bible never directly states that Nimrod instigated the rebellion at Babel, it is nevertheless the common assumption of most Christian, Jewish and Muslim sources. Some early Jewish sources equate “Amraphel king of Shinar” (Gen. 14:1) with Nimrod, thus securing his reputation as an enemy of Abraham, and in modern slang “nimrod” has become synonymous with a fool. What a colorful history surrounding this one man!

In the Qur’an 21:69, readers are introduced to a king, often identified in Islamic tradition as Nimrod, who debates with Abraham about the power of God and who is then seized by the people and thrown into a fiery furnace. God commands the fire to be cool and safe for him, “O fire, be coolness and peace upon Abraham,” and in some Islamic traditions, Abraham walks out alive, an uncanny parallel to the biblical accounts of divine rescue in the book of Daniel.

One of the strongest lingering connections to Nimrod is Mount Nemrut in southeastern Turkey, sometimes called the eighth wonder of the world. Nemrut is, of course, a variant spelling of Nimrod, and atop this mountain archaeologists have uncovered the tomb and shrine of King Antiochus I of Commagene who reigned in the first century B.C. According to a longstanding local tradition Nimrod once hunted on the slopes of this mountain, a contention that finds roots in the biblical account of the flood wherein Nimrod’s grandfather Ham and great-grandfather Noah landed on this or on a nearby mountain.

In the end the identity of Nimrod remains rather slippery, but one truth remains sadly resolute—that there will always be men who foment rebellion against God. On the other hand, thank God for the godly men and women in your life who have directed you so faithfully to him. Who have not built towers of defiance. Who hunt only a close relationship with the Lord. For they are the mightiest of all!

-Daniel McCabe

Trivia (Answer at bottom of page)

Life in the Land:

Fun Facts about Israel’s Desert Fox

Late at night when I’m waiting to get sleepy, you can often find me watching black and white documentaries about World War 2. I know all the famous names associated with the war and even many of their colorful nicknames—e.g., General Eisenhower, “Ike”; Prime Minister Winston Churchill, “the British Bulldog”; and German Field Marshall Erwin Rommel who earned the nickname, “The Desert Fox,” for his brilliant military maneuvers in the deserts of North Africa.

The desert fox most commonly associated with Israel, however, is of the four-footed variety. Let me run through several fun facts about this fascinating creature, a top favorite of many Israeli photographers.

1. You might not recognize its technical name, Blanford’s fox (Vulpes cana), named for a nineteenth century British naturalist and geologist, William Thomas Blanford, who studied the desert fox extensively. It is one of Israel’s smallest wild canines, weighing a mere 2-3 pounds, hardly bigger than a house cat, and inspiring Nehemiah’s critics to mock his efforts to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem with these words, “Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall.”

2. Like other loveable creatures, such as Dumbo and Yoda, the desert fox has very large ears that not only help it listen for small animals and insects scurrying among the rocks, but its ears also release body heat, acting like a natural air conditioner.

3. Like the ibex with which it shares a habitat, the desert fox can easily climb steep cliffs and maneuver along rocky ledges looking for food.

4. You can generally find the desert fox in the Judean Wilderness east of Jerusalem and in the Negev Desert south of Jerusalem.

5. The desert fox rarely needs to drink water because it receives most of the moisture it needs to survive from fruit, insects and small animals.

6. To avoid the direct sun of the desert it prefers to burrow or shelter behind rocks during the day, emerging to hunt only after sunset.

7. The desert fox enjoys a wide diet of insects, lizards, rodents, birds and fruit with a fondness for figs, dates, grapes and berries. Song of Solomon 2:15 even reads, “Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes.” Aesop also wrote about a fox who hungered for a cluster of ripe grapes, but after finding them impossible to reach, simply walked away muttering, “They are probably sour anyway.”

8. The desert fox has a tail that is almost as long as its body, which helps it maintain balance while climbing and which it can use as a blanket to curl up in during cold desert nights.

9. In Israel the desert fox is a protected species, and though once thought to be close to extinction, it turns out that the desert fox was never endangered and simply preferred to remain hidden. Hikers spending many nights in the desert may never even see one.

-Daniel McCabe

Pneumatology—Our Sanctification, part 5

hat does it mean to be sanctified? When we’re saved, we are justified from sin, i.e., we are declared innocent of sin. Legally before God we are no longer guilty of sin because all of our sin—past, present and future—has been paid for by the blood of Christ. Yes, we still wrestle with the flesh. That’s why I emphasized past, present AND future sins, but at the point of salvation we’re justified.

Then, for the remainder of our lives all believers are progressively sanctified, i.e., we go through the process of becoming more holy by the power of the Holy Spirit, according to Romans 15:16, 1 Corinthians 6:11 and 1 Thessalonians 4:3. There are many more verses that describe our progressive sanctification although from the point of my salvation until the end of my physical life here on earth I will never attain moral perfection. Paul writes about this in Romans 7. I do what I don’t want to do. I don’t do what I want to do. I will never become morally perfect until I stand before Jesus one day and am glorified. So I am justified at the point of salvation, sanctified throughout the rest of my life in an upward progression, and finally glorified at the end, meaning that I am actually totally free from sin and the possibility of ever sinning again.

Progressive sanctification means that I am becoming more like Christ the longer that I live. It’s an upward trajectory. Certainly I’m going to experience some ups and some downs in this life since I continue to wrestle with the flesh, but generally the arrow is pointing upward. Some days I will struggle and sadly I will fall into temptation. I might not feel very holy some days, but it is a lifelong process wherein the Holy Spirit strives with us to bring us to look more like Christ, and the longer I’m a believer I should be able to look back on my life and see that God really has helped me a lot, having made me look more like Christ even in my conduct. For example, I’m able to resist more temptations than I used to. I don’t struggle with a particular sin anymore though perhaps there is another sin with which I may struggle the rest of my life. But even there I’m making progress as the Spirit works in me.

Again, sanctification begins at the point of salvation, according to Romans 6:22. It continues in a positive direction. It achieves salvation for those chosen by God, according to 2 Thessalonians 2:13 and 1 Peter 1:2. There are some who believe that you can achieve moral perfection in this life, that you can get to a stage of complete sanctification in your life, that you can arrive at a point before you die where you’re totally free from sin and from its influences. However, I don’t think you can ever get to that point until you’re glorified.

-Adam Keim

How Joseph Foreshadows Jesus, part 2

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

41. Joseph’s predictions came true (Gen. 40:20-22).

Jesus’ predictions came true (John 14:29).

42. Joseph desired to be remembered by the butler (Gen. 40:14).

Jesus desired to be remembered by his disciples (Luke 22:19).

43. Joseph was delivered from prison in due time (Gen. 41:14).

Jesus rose from the grave after three days (Acts 2:24).

44. Joseph was delivered from prison by God (Gen. 45:7-9).

Jesus was raised from the grave by God (Acts 2:32).

45. Joseph is seen as the revealer of the secrets of God (Gen. 41:16, 28, 38).

Jesus is seen as the Revealer of the secrets of God (John 8:28; 12:49; 17:8).

46. Joseph warned of a coming danger and urged his hearers to make suitable provisions to meet it (Gen. 41:31-36).

Jesus warned of a future judgment and urged the Jews to hear and believe his words in order to escape it (John 5:24).

47. Joseph provided wonderful counsel (Gen. 41:33-36).

Jesus is a Wonderful Counselor (Isaiah 9:6; Col. 2:3).

48. Joseph’s counsel commended itself to Pharaoh and his officers (Gen. 41:37-39).

Jesus’ teaching astounded those who heard him (Matt. 7:28-29; 13:54; John 7:46).

49. Joseph is exalted to a position of authority over Egypt (Gen. 41:39-41).

Jesus is exalted to a position of authority over all (1 Peter 3:22).

50. Joseph shared the throne of Pharaoh (Gen. 41:40).

Jesus shares the throne of his Father (Rev. 3:21).

51. Joseph was exalted for serving the people of Egypt (Gen. 41:40).

Jesus was exalted for serving all mankind (Phil. 2:7).

52. Joseph was arrayed for his position (Gen. 41:42).

Jesus is arrayed for his position (Heb. 2:9; Rev. 1:13).

53. Joseph’s authority and glory was recognized by the people who bowed their knee (Gen. 41:43).

Jesus’ authority and glory are recognized by the people who bow their knee (Acts 2:36; Phil. 2:10).

54. Joseph received a new name from Pharaoh (Gen. 41:45).

Jesus received a new name from God (Phil. 2:9-11).

55. Joseph was given a wife (Gen. 41:45).

Jesus was given a wife (Rev. 21:9).

56. Joseph’s marriage was arranged by Pharaoh (Gen. 41:45).

Jesus’ marriage was arranged by his Father (Matt. 22:2).

57. Joseph was thirty years old when he began his life’s work (Gen. 41:46).

Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his public ministry (Luke 3:23).

58. Joseph left the presence of Pharaoh to begin his life’s work (Gen. 41:46).

Jesus left the presence of his Father to begin his public ministry (Luke 3:21-23).

59. Joseph traveled throughout the land of Egypt in Pharaoh’s service (Gen. 41:45).

Jesus traveled throughout Galilee in the King’s service (Matt. 4:23).

60. Joseph’s exaltation was followed by a season of plenty (Gen. 41:47-49).

Jesus’ exaltation was followed by a season of grace (Eph. 2:4-7).

-Daniel McCabe

Answer to the Trivia

C. France

Week Twenty-Nine, 2026

“My chains are gone. I have been set free.” – John Newton

The profound history and impact of this hymn span several key milestones: after leaving the Royal Navy and engaging in the Atlantic slave trade, a life-threatening storm battered Newton’s vessel in 1748. Terrified, he called out to God for mercy—a turning point that sparked his spiritual conversion.

Newton wrote the words in 1772 as a poem to accompany a New Year’s Day sermon for his congregation in Olney, Buckinghamshire. It was first published in print in 1779 in a collaborative book called Olney Hymns, co-written with poet William Cowper.

Originally, the lyrics may have been chanted or sung to various tunes. The version familiar today was created in 1835 by American Baptist song leader William Walker, who paired Newton’s words with the traditional melody “New Britain.”

Despite his early involvement in the slave trade, Newton later became an outspoken abolitionist. He served as an influential mentor to William Wilberforce, the British Member of Parliament who spearheaded the eventual abolition of the slave trade in the British Empire.

“Amazing Grace” evolved from relative obscurity in England into one of the most recognizable and widely sung spiritual anthems in the world. With a message that forgiveness and redemption are possible regardless of the sins people commit, and that the soul can be delivered from despair through the mercy of God, it is among the most sung and recorded hymns in the world and is especially popular in the United States.

It offers a lesson for us all, as Christians. No matter how bad we have been, we can be set free for the work of God. With a conversion, there is a bright future for us all. As the song says, we can go from wretch to saint and serve God in a mighty way.

Are you prepared for a significant lifetime of service to our Lord and Savior?

Sometimes True Stories

“Remove the impurities from silver, and the sterling will be ready for the silversmith.” – Proverbs 25:4 (NLT)

Can you imagine a silversmith trying to create a fine artifact without first removing the impurities from the silver? When you leave dross in silver, weak spots develop and blemishes result. Once the impurities are removed, the final product has more value and can be used in countless applications. The analogy to our lives should be obvious: when we allow the Lord to remove the impurities and weaknesses, our lives can be molded into something we will be proud of. Here is the rub: the dross cannot be removed from silver without heat, and we cannot be molded into the people God would have us to be without trials and tribulations. Life can be easy when things go our way, but it is in difficult times that true character is formed. – Tony Ferguson

Quotes You Can Use

When hopelessness vanishes, hope takes its place.

Stay focused on God’s word and you will not be uprooted.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” – Deuteronomy 6:5

God has always been interested in wholehearted devotion.

God will never call you to do anything that He will not enable you to do.

The early church was a lifeboat for rescuing the perishing; today’s church is a cruise ship pampering the prosperous.

When God fulfills His Word concerning the end times and begins to pour out His judgment upon the earth, people will know He is God.

Sinful desires create conflict, but humble repentance receives greater grace.

Few things are impossible to diligence and skill. Great works are performed not by strength, but by perseverance.

Taking credit for what God has done is always a dangerous thing.

Caring comes from being able to put yourself in the position of another person.

Rather than criticize God, we need to learn from Him. We need to have the same love, compassion, and readiness to forgive as God does.

Address all items and comments to [email protected].

© Thoughts on Life Copyright 2026

10025 Orange Grove Drive

Tampa, FL 33618, USA

John Grant

Week Twenty-Eight, 2026

“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” – Mark 10:47

He was sitting along the roadside, where he usually sat, begging for coins in his small tin cup. You see, he was blind and couldn’t work. He needed alms to survive. His name was Bartimaeus.

He was in Jericho along the road to Jerusalem. Bartimaeus was a blind beggar whose miraculous healing by Jesus is recounted in the Gospels of Mark and Luke. His story is celebrated as a powerful example of persistent faith, as he cast aside his begging cloak to follow Jesus on the road. He didn’t ask for sight; he asked for mercy.

In biblical theology, Bartimaeus’s story is often juxtaposed with that of the “Rich Young Ruler.” While the wealthy man turned away from Jesus because of his possessions, Bartimaeus—who had nothing but his cloak—recognized Jesus as the Messiah, cast aside his meager belongings, and chose discipleship. His plea, “Son of David, have mercy on me,” remains one of the most famous prayers in Christian tradition.

The core lesson of Blind Bartimaeus (found in Mark 10:46-52) is that persistent faith, even in the face of adversity, unlocks God’s mercy and leads to true discipleship.

It is a lesson for us as Christians. No matter what we face, no matter how difficult, Jesus’ mercy is available to us, and we are called to discipleship. He can use us in the worst of times in a great way.

We never know what tomorrow will bring, but Jesus will always be there for us.

Sometimes True Stories

Take a good look at the world around you. There isn’t a single thing that wasn’t made by God at the beginning. And it was created out of nothing—Genesis 1:1. The variety is extraordinary. We see drab, gray elephants and incredibly colorful birds and everything in between. All of this was done in great detail, including you. You have body parts that function in a way that you can’t explain.

So, did Jesus create sin? Of course not. But He did allow for free will, resulting in man’s rebellion and separation from His presence. Knowing that would happen, He created His greatest, most extraordinary gift to us… salvation.

He took on our sin and offered Himself as an atoning sacrifice so that, in trusting Him, we can freely enter God’s presence. By that act, He exalted Himself above all creation—more extraordinary than elephants, birds, or our body parts. And He invites us to freely accept His salvation, no strings attached.

He truly created it all. – Rich Jensen

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“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” – Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

Have you ever thought about the journey of Abraham, Job, and Paul? Is there anyone who ever trusted God more than these three? They lived this proverb through pain we can only imagine. These two verses apply to thousands of situations and speak to every problem, every decision, and every fear. In short, they apply to every life situation. Trust in the Lord—the Lord God Almighty, the Sovereign Ruler of heaven and earth, the One who made us and loves us. Trust in the Lord with all your heart.

Trust is more of a heart thing than a head thing. In all your ways acknowledge Him. Acknowledge that He is the Lord, the Almighty God, the King; that He is God and we are not; that He is worthy of our trust, the Shepherd who cares for us; and that He will make straight our paths. Here’s the promise of God: When we trust Him, He will take care of us. He will bless us and lead us and protect us. God will see us through, but it will not be a pain-free journey. – Tony Ferguson

Quotes You Can Use

There’s more power in Jesus than there is sin in us.

Even demons have faith, while Christians have a Master.

We have an internal problem, and that is sin—corrected by an external solution, Jesus.

Works are the proof of our salvation.

Biblical orthodoxy without compassion is surely the ugliest thing in the world. – Francis Schaeffer

Where there’s a garden, there’s a gardener.

Let Christ be magnified in me.

We are saved by faith alone, but saving faith never remains alone—it produces a life of obedience and compassion.

In all your life, you’ve never experienced a love like the love God has for you.

Heroes don’t always wear capes; sometimes they wear headsets or hard hats, or carry lesson plans and orders to the kitchen.

Where flowers bloom, so does hope.

The grateful heart will always find opportunities to show its gratitude.

If you submit to Him, you will gradually begin to see the shape God is forming in you.

Words once spoken can never be retracted, but words left unspoken can almost always be said better another day.

We simply cannot live a Christian life with an attitude of hatred.

You may be going through some unpleasant experiences, but that doesn’t mean that God’s thoughts toward you are evil.

Disruption is unsettling and uncomfortable, but it serves an important purpose.

Rest satisfied with doing well, and let others talk of you as they please.

A life without Christ is—never enough.

Never underestimate a mother’s influence!

God may use suffering to produce a greater good that could not be achieved otherwise.

“The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?” – Proverbs 20:24

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Address all items and comments to [email protected]

© Thoughts on Life Copyright 2026

10025 Orange Grove Drive

Tampa, FL 33618, USA

July 11, 2026

For a guy who’s only mentioned four times in the Bible, he sure has received a great deal of notoriety.

A fortress in northern Israel, a tower near Babylon, and both a volcano and mountain in Turkey all bear his name, for example.

Two times we read in the Bible that “Cush begot Nimrod” (Gen. 10:8; 1 Chron. 1:10), which in a straightforward reading of the text would make Nimrod the great-grandson of Noah. Now if Noah lived 350 years following the flood (Gen. 9:28), then it would follow seamlessly that Noah lived long enough to have held baby Nimrod in his arms.

According to the Bible, the land of Cush was located south of Egypt, leading naturally to the presumption that it was named for Nimrod’s papa who may have migrated there to raise his children in the dark, mineral-rich soil astride the Nile River (Job 28:19).

The Bible, however, associates Nimrod with the land of Assyria (Micah 5:6), a walking distance of approximately two thousand miles from Cush, so perhaps papa Cush left Mesopotamia (the ancient land of Assyria and Babylon) for Africa only after his children were grown and as head of one of the many groups that were scattered in the aftermath of the Tower of Babel. Or perhaps Cush is simply a variant spelling of Kish, an ancient Mesopotamian city, thus strengthening the view that Nimrod never left the region of Assyria for which he is biblically connected. Others posit that Nimrod grew up in modern Turkey, for that’s where his grandfather Ham and great-grandfather Noah first touched down after the flood. All this to explain why so many traditions variously connect Nimrod to Egypt, Turkey and Mesopotamia.

An index in the back of my red, duct-taped Bible (the one I bought during my freshman year at college and which has served as my everyday study Bible for decades) gives the meaning of Nimrod’s name as “valiant, strong.” Another solid source suggests that it means “to rebel” or “let us rebel” and yet another “to shine,” but in truth most highly respected Hebrew sources seem stubbornly uncertain about its meaning.

You’ll encounter various descriptions of Nimrod—he was an empire builder, despot, ancient king, warrior, conqueror, the one who led the rebellion at the Tower of Babel and even a cannibal—but here’s what we can say for sure. The Bible describes him as “the mighty hunter before the Lord” (Genesis 10:9). As a young man, I never spent much time parsing the meaning of that verse. I simply assumed that Nimrod was a good guy who liked to hunt. I pictured a Massachusetts pilgrim returning with a turkey for his Thanksgiving meal; Teddy Roosevelt on an African safari; or perhaps Legolas from the Lord of the Rings emptying his quiver into a pack of charging warg riders.

As it turns out, I wasn’t entirely wrong to think that, but let’s break it down a little more. Yes, Nimrod was “mighty,” and this is the same word used in that famous description of the coming Messiah in Isaiah 9:6, “Mighty God.” So, we’re safe to assume that Nimrod was a mighty leader, one known for strength or power. Nimrod is also called a hunter, and it’s the same word used for Esau who hunted wild game for his father (Gen. 25:27; 27:29), yet the context of Genesis 10 would suggest that something more is in view, perhaps something even sinister, for we are immediately told in the following two verses that “the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad and Calneh in the land of Shinar” and “from that time he went to Assyria and built Nineveh.” Nimrod then is directly linked with Babel and with the unmistakable implication that he directed or at least assented to the construction of Babel, the ancient name of Babylon, a city and country that has been routinely associated in the Bible with rebellion against God.

But then there’s that little phrase back in Gen. 10:10 stating that Nimrod was a mighty hunter “before the Lord.” Does this point to a godly motive and a good heart? Not likely, for it can just as readily be understood as an idiom for “over all the earth” or “on the earth,” such as we see in v. 9 and in 1 Chron. 1:10.

The Bible, history and tradition thus slowly paint the picture of a mighty man who “hunted” power, conquest and fame. We’ll dig a little deeper into this next time.

-Daniel McCabe

Trivia

Life in the Land: David’s Sling

Forgive me if you launched into this post expecting to encounter a young shepherd boy, a Philistine giant and five smooth stones, for this is not that sling. It is instead an Israel Defense Forces surface-to-air missile system used to intercept enemy drones, planes, missiles and rockets. It’s been operational since 2017 and can fire missiles defensively at speeds greater than one mile per second.

Only one part of Israel’s multi-tiered defense system, David’s Sling is designed for medium to long-range applications, whereas the Iron Dome, with which you may be more familiar, is designed for short-range air defense. Israel also utilizes a laser air-defense system known as the Iron Beam, which all brings back memories for me of my long-ago years as an engineer in Texas where I worked for a U.S. electronics and intelligence defense contractor, widely known for its cooperation with Israel on a Sinai early-warning defense technology.

David’s Sling has successfully neutralized rockets fired from Gaza toward Tel Aviv and Jerusalem; from southern Lebanon into northern Israel; and from Iran into Israel. Several Gulf States, Finland, Australia and Estonia have all expressed interest in acquiring this system.

-Daniel McCabe

Pneumatology—Our Baptism into the Body of Christ, part 4

Believers are baptized into the Holy Spirit by Jesus Christ and baptized into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit, which we see in 1 Corinthians 12:13. I’m a part of the body of Christ that is mentioned several times in Paul’s letters, and it’s the Holy Spirit who baptized me or dipped me into His body. When we are dipped in water as a public declaration of our faith, that’s an outward symbol of a spiritual reality, the reality that I’ve been baptized or dipped into the body of Christ. Water baptism by immersion at a church service, the actual going down into the water and coming back up, pictures Christ’s death, burial and resurrection and my immersion into the body of Christ at the moment of my salvation. One’s baptism in a church service might come days, weeks, months or sometimes years later, but the moment one professes faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit immerses him or her into the body of Christ.

To be clear, there’s nothing about the water that cleanses one from sin or saves us in any way, shape or form. It is merely a public declaration though admittedly there are some who do believe that you have to be water baptized in order to be saved. But the Bible teaches nothing of it. There is a verse in Acts 2:38 spoken by Peter on the day of Pentecost which is often cited to support the teaching that one must be baptized in order to be saved, but that’s not what he’s saying. Water baptism is not necessary for salvation. It is a symbol. It’s a command. We ought to do it. Christ wants us to be baptized, and it’s a great public declaration to say, “Hey, I’m with the Lord! I am in Christ, and here’s my way of declaring that to you.” But water baptism doesn’t save anyone. It only pictures the work of the Holy Spirit at salvation when He immerses the believer into the body of Christ.

-Adam Keim

The People and Religions of Israel—the Neo-Pagans

Over the last few years more and more Israelis have, as they like to say, “come out of the broom closet.” Although their numbers are still quite small, the true number of neo-paganists in Israel is hard to assess since many choose to remain in their broom closet, fearing that their beliefs will damage meaningful relationships with their Jewish families and friends who hold a strong aversion to idol worship and polytheism.

Neo-paganists worship nature and a wide variety of ancient gods and goddesses, rejecting Judaism in favor of Mesopotamian, Canaanite, Nordic, Celtic, Greek and Roman gods. Every individual chooses his own pantheon after attempting to contact the various gods and goddesses that they have learned about from reading mythology or history. Some follow Wicca, Druidism, Shamanism, New Age and Indian religions. Some erect personal altars in their homes or band together with others to perform community rituals.

It is heartbreaking for me to read about this new trend in Israel, and it’s a sad return to spiritual infidelity after all that the Lord has done for his people. But before I end this post, it is fair to turn the light upon our own spiritual condition. We may not be tempted to worship a tree or the moon; kneel in the corner of our apartment before a Canaanite god like Baal (pictured); or proudly drink coffee from a mug that reads, “Thank God I’m Jewitch,” but have you allowed your job, your thought life or your latest pastime to distract you from the worship of the “only true God and Jesus Christ” (John 17:3)?

-Daniel McCabe

Answer to the Trivia

B. Jordan River

***

© 2026 Shalom Y’all Ministries

Cullman, AL 35058

“Three Archaeological Discoveries”

First discovery: A carved inscription from the time of Pharaoh Thutmose III—the first mention of the city of Megiddo appears on the walls of the Temple of Karnak in Egypt, describing the pharaoh’s victory over Canaanite forces at Megiddo, dated to 1468 B.C. The inscription reads in part, “His majesty set forth in a chariot of fine gold adorned with his accoutrements of combat… His majesty’s army was at a hill south of the Qina brook, and the northern wing was to the northwest of Megiddo, while his majesty was in their center…. Thereupon his majesty prevailed over them at the head of his army.”

Second discovery: A seal from the time of King Jeroboam II—found at Megiddo and inscribed with the words, “belonging to Shema, servant of Yarob’am,” it depicts a majestic roaring lion and probably dates to the time of King Jeroboam of Israel who reigned in the 8th century B.C. (2 Kings 14:23-29). Although seals belonging to Berechiah and Jerahmeel have been discovered by archaeologists (Jer. 32:12; 36:26), unfortunately we don’t know the identity of Shema.

Third Discovery: A fragment of the Epic of Gilgamesh—the official website of Tel Aviv University in Israel gushes, “This is the only first-class literary Mesopotamian text ever to be found in Canaan.” Discovered at tel Megiddo in the excavations of the 1950s, this clay cuneiform tablet of roughly forty lines dates to approximately 1400 B.C. Written in Akaddian, it describes Enkidu’s decline and death bed, not any portion of the flood account, nevertheless it shows knowledge of this renowned Babylonian epic inside Canaan.

-Daniel McCabe

Trivia

Life in the Land: Fast Facts about the Ibex in Israel

1. Their scientific name is capra nubiana, which literally means “the goat from Nubia,” a dry mountainous region in northeastern Africa, roughly equivalent to southern Egypt and northern Sudan. Ibex, however, are found throughout the Middle East.

2. Psalm 104:18 and Job 39:1 evidently refer to the ibex in their descriptions of the wild mountain goats.

3. The ibex possess incredible climbing skills, capable of making near-vertical ascents. They have unique hooves with hard outer rims that can support their weight on narrow ledges and with soft inner pads that grip the rock. Even young ibex are able to climb rather effortlessly shortly after birth.

4. They don’t require as much water as other mammals and so are able to survive in desert temperatures that regularly exceed one hundred degrees. They obtain much of their water from plants and can go long stretches with only small amounts of water. They typically feed in the morning, rest in the shade of the afternoon and grow more active again in the evening.

5. They’re easy to spot at Ein Gedi and other sites along the western shore of the Dead Sea and throughout the Judean Wilderness as a whole. They are so accustomed to tourists that they often stroll through parking lots and picnic areas, so have your camera ready.

6. The males sport spectacular horns, some measuring more than three feet in length, which curl backward in large picturesque arcs. Sometimes males will lock their horns as they fight for the right to mate with the females who too have beautiful horns though they are shorter and more slender.

7. Historically the Arabian leopard was their main predator, but the leopard population has declined dramatically. Today the ibex face only minor threats from wolves and jackals, and they’re usually able to escape such predators by moving to higher or more difficult terrain.

8. Due to conservation efforts in Israel the population of ibex has increased steadily through the years after coming close to local extinction in the 1940s. Today it is illegal to hunt or kill ibex.

-Daniel McCabe

Pneumatology—the Holy Spirit’s Work in Salvation, (part 3)

Without the Holy Spirit we just simply would not be saved. He convicts us of sin, which we see in John 16 and 1 Thessalonians 1, and He convicts us of our sin by the revelation of Scripture. It’s the truth of Scripture that really does bring one’s mind to realize, “Yes, I am a sinner! I do need to repent of my sin. I do need to reach out to God (so to speak) and to ask for forgiveness.”

It’s the Spirit who convicts us of our need through the preaching of the Scripture and also through the rebuke of other believers. We see this especially throughout the pastoral epistles, such as 1 Timothy 5, 2 Timothy 4 and Titus 1, where Paul really wanted his readers to understand the importance of rebuke and correction from other believers wherein the Spirit works through them to convict us of our sins. So we must not dismiss our loved ones when they confront us about our sinful actions. This is different, of course, from a busybody or even someone trying to trick us or trap us about something we’ve done. But there’s also a genuine loving concern that someone might have for us, someone who walks through life with us, knows us and truly sees something that’s concerning. A dear friend can at any time approach me and say, “Adam, you’ve been living or thinking or acting in a way that really is not godly,” and the Spirit can use his rebuke to convict me of my sin, the need to repent of it, and the need for correction. Truly we need one another and that’s why the Bible refers to us as brothers and sisters in Christ. We don’t live this life alone. We need one another, and we should be thankful that we have one another to keep us accountable to what the Scripture instructs.

The Spirit also assures believers of their salvation. We see this in Romans 8:16-17. He seals them in Christ, marking them as God’s possessions and as children of God, ensuring them an inheritance and preventing them from becoming lost. We didn’t do anything to earn our salvation and we can’t do anything to keep it. If it was up to me to keep my salvation, it would be gone in seconds.

Paul writes in Ephesians 1:13-14, “In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it to the praise of His glory.” Thus, I am sealed with the Spirit of God who is the guarantee of my inheritance, i.e., my salvation, until the day when I die and actually acquire possession of my total freedom from sin and dwell with God forever. Until that day when I am freed from this mortal coil, the Holy Spirit dwells within me as a downpayment, as a guarantee, and as the promised seal of my salvation; therefore, I cannot possibly become lost once I am truly saved.

The term down payment comes from a Greek word that means the first installment towards something that you intend to purchase, which here refers to the Holy Spirit, the downpayment of our salvation who guarantees us that we will possess it on the day that we stand before our Lord, which is a great comfort.

-Adam Keim

Hometown Heroes—Mary of Magdala

“Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out” (Luke 8:1-2).

Have you ever wondered why Mary, a faithful follower of Jesus, was called “Magdalene”? The name simply describes her hometown of Magdala. This naming scheme is similar to “Elijah the Tishbite” (1 Kings 17:1) and “Simon of Cyrene” (Mark 15:21).

Jesus cast out seven demons from her—a wonderful blessing! She also has a reputation for being a former prostitute. However, that notion does not come from any biblical text, but was an idea of Pope Gregory I in his Easter Sermon, way back in 591. He probably conflated Mary Magdalene with the unnamed sinful woman in Luke 7:36-39.

Large scale archaeological excavations have been conducted at Magdala since 2006 with some amazing finds. A residential district with many ancient homes was found. Their doorways were filled with stones, likely because of families that fled the Roman conquest in AD 66-70, hoping to return after the battles.

The most notable discovery is an entire synagogue in which was found the famous “Magdala Stone,” a large slanted slab that was probably used to hold an open scroll to read from in the synagogue service. A menorah is carved into the Magdala Stone, the earliest menorah of that period to be found outside of Jerusalem.

A breathtaking modern church stands on the shore of Galilee’s waters. The church is dedicated to the women of Jesus’s ministry. It contains beautiful artwork and a great dome that makes for wonderful acoustics—try singing your favorite hymn and hear the sound reverberate all around you!

Magdala is an easy stop since it is close to major destinations like Capernaum, the church of the Beatitudes, and the city of Tiberias. Do yourself a favor and visit Mary’s hometown. Tradition holds that Jesus healed the bleeding woman there when she reached out in faith and touched His garment (Mark 5:25-34). Walk among the ruins and ponder the many great things that our Lord did in that village and everywhere throughout the region of Galilee!

-Adam Keim

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© 2026 Shalom Y’all Ministries

Cullman, AL 35058

Week Twenty-Seven, 2026

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” – Galatians 5:1

It is a birthday celebration like no other… the 250th birthday of the United States. It is a time to celebrate the greatest nation on our planet. It is also a time to realistically examine where we have come and how we got here, as well as the dangers of where we are going.

John Adams wrote, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” That was true then, and it is true today. Our Founding Fathers believed that only a moral and virtuous people could remain free.

America was founded on the belief that our rights come from God, not government. In officially atheist nations, including Communist China and North Korea, government is god, and you have no inherent and unalienable rights.

The 1787 Northwest Ordinance, one of America’s first laws, states, “Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged.”

In his farewell address, President George Washington wrote:

“Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great Pillars of human happiness…

“And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that National morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.”

There hadn’t been a war in Europe since Waterloo in 1815, but in 1898, Robert Cecil, Marquis of Salisbury and prime minister of Great Britain, warned that any danger to Europe would arise from dying nations. Most Europeans didn’t think of England, Germany, Austria, and France as dying nations, but with the outbreak of the Great War in 1914, it became evident to all how dead the nations of Western Europe—the former Holy Roman Empire, the “Christianized” nations—really were. They were as dead as godless Darwinism, Marxism, fascism, democracy, etc., can render a people.

For decades America has been preparing its downfall. The hatred, incivility, murder, violence, obscenities, moral perversion, and crime that is spewed are everywhere. But just because America is dying doesn’t mean the church is dying with it. It has always been in times of societal decay that the church, the pillar and ground of the truth, has flourished.

While our rights come from God, a nation is only as strong as the faith of its people. That leads me to a disturbing report from the American Bible Society, which found that “less than a third of American parents pray with their children.”

Whenever they have power, secular leftists do all kinds of things to restrict our religious liberty. But nobody can tell you what you can do in your home with your children. If you’re not doing such a simple thing as praying regularly with your children, step up!

There is much to do; there’s work on every hand. May God give us the strength to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world in this dark and decaying hour.

Sometimes True Stories

“The Lord preserves those with knowledge, but he ruins the plan of the treacherous.” – Proverbs 22:12 (NLT)

As we get older, it seems life gets more complicated, perhaps because we continue to gain more useless information. How we sort this accumulation of information can determine the life we lead. A quick Google search says that over 40% of the information found on the internet is false. A search of evolution vs. creation is a prime example. A little common sense will tell you that much of the science on this subject is nothing more than theories and assumptions. Please understand that I am not implying that all science is bad; in fact, I enjoy science and use it in my business daily, but it has its limitations. This Proverb says the Lord will preserve those with knowledge. That knowledge is gained through the eyes of the Lord to discern truth, wisdom, and understanding.

“For all people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” – 1 Peter 1:24-25 (NIV)

The science of man vs. the Word of God? One withers, the other endures forever! – Tony Ferguson

Quotes You Can Use

We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito. – C.S. Lewis

The book of Proverbs warns against ignoring God, because true wisdom and knowledge cannot exist without a foundation of reverence for our Creator.

A woman who fears the Lord lives with wisdom, strength, and confidence because her hope is in the Lord.

Our refuge is the name of the Lord.

There is something about everything to be glad about, if you keep hunting long enough to find it.

When faced with the choice of being kind or being right, choose to be kind; we can always be right.

A good friend loves you no matter your mood.

Whatever our planning and preparation for the future may be, doing so without consulting God is done at our own peril. Learning to yield to the plans of the Lord and concede that God is in ultimate control is the beginning of a peaceful life.

It hurts to see our character destroyed by short-term selfish thinking when it has taken many lives and many acts of courage over many years to build that trust.

You have to compare the end result of a life of wickedness with the end result of a life of righteousness.

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

God’s will is tomorrow’s unknown factor.

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. – Philippians 2:3-4

You cannot push anyone up a ladder unless he is willing to climb a little himself.

Address all items and comments to [email protected].

© Thoughts on Life Copyright 2026

10025 Orange Grove Drive

Tampa, FL 33618, USA

As I travel and speak with pastors and ministry leaders across the country, my focus is to help them understand why the success of Northeastern Baptist College matters. It’s an easy message to share. Northeastern Baptist College matters because New England matters.

Not long ago, I drove through a beautiful Vermont town. At its center stood a historic church building with a towering white steeple. It reminded me of the rich Christian heritage that once shaped this region.

As I continued through the town, however, I was reminded that appearances can be deceiving. Across New England many of these beautiful church buildings no longer represent the reason for which they were established.

Some have become museums, community centers, or performance venues. Others remain open, but the message proclaimed within them bears little resemblance to the biblical gospel that once transformed New England.

What struck me that day was how many visitors stop to admire and photograph these churches. They marvel at the architecture and the charm of New England.

Yet few realize the deeper story. The steeples remain, but the spiritual vitality that once filled those buildings is gone.

As I drove away, I found myself thinking, “This is why Northeastern Baptist College exists.”

My desire as President is not simply to preserve a college. It is to see New England transformed by the power of the gospel. I long to see churches filled with vibrant worship, faithful biblical preaching, and lives changed by Jesus Christ.

While New England is rich in Christian history, it is now one of the most spiritually needy regions in America. Many people live within driving distance of our campus, but few heard the gospel message. This is the mission field God has assigned to us.

Every student who enrolls at Northeastern Baptist College represents more than a classroom seat. Each student represents what it is going to take to reach New England for Christ. They are future pastors, missionaries, church planters, educators, counselors, and business leaders who will carry the gospel to their communities, their churches, and their workplaces.

That is why one of the most unique aspects of NEBC’s mission is our commitment to keeping ministry preparation affordable and accessible.

Your giving to NEBC helps make it possible for students to receive a biblical education while preparing for a lifetime of ministry service. In many ways, our ministry partners are investing in missionaries before they ever reach the field.

Think about that for a moment. Long before a church is planted, a pastor must be trained. Long before a missionary is sent, a leader must be equipped. Long before lives are transformed by the gospel, someone must prepare those who will faithfully proclaim it.

That is what happens every day at Northeastern Baptist College. Your ministry partnership funds the preparation of those who will spend their lives advancing the gospel. It is helping ensure that students called by God are equipped for the work God has given them to do.

The opportunities before us are tremendous. The need is real. The mission is urgent. Thank you for praying. Thank you for believing in the mission of NEBC. Thank you for partnering with us as we train students to reach New England for Christ.

Because of Jesus,

Dr. Mark Howell

__________________________

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

Our mailing address is:

PO Box 4600, Bennington, VT 05201

One of my travel guides lists hundreds of sites worth visiting in Israel, but awards a one star “highly recommended” rating to only twenty-five, and you guessed it. Megiddo made the cut, and for good reason! A stunning location astride the beautiful Carmel mountain range. Westerly winds of the Mediterranean Sea whipping through your hair. The fruitful Jezreel Valley sprawling out below you to the north and east. The heartland of Israel to the south.

As you leave the visitor center to enter the 125-acre ruins of the tel, you first come to an ancient four-chambered Canaanite gate, then to a later six-chambered Israelite gate complex. Now before you nod off at all this talk about long ago gates, don’t miss this. Yigael Yadin, the Israeli archaeologist who excavated the site in the 1950s (a former Israel Defense Force Chief of Staff and the son of professor Eleazar Sukenik, prominent in the recovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the 1940s), observed that the six-chambered gate structure looked strikingly similar to the gates at Gezer and Hazor, and after compiling and comparing the measurements of all three gates, it was almost as if they were built from the same blueprints. But this is just what he should have expected, for 1 Kings 9:15 notes in one of those easy-to-fly-right-by verses that King Solomon built all three cities. Yadin would later write in an article for Biblical Archaeology Reader that “This fact … confirms quite clearly the Biblical narrative.” Hooray! Once again the Bible shines bright!

There’s no time for a thorough tour of the site unless you come with me next time we tour the Holy Land, but let’s take a quick lap of the site even so and take in the highlights. After you leave the gate complex, follow the path clockwise to reach the northern “stable” (there is also a southern stable) which housed perhaps as many as 150 chariot-horses, referenced or suggested by later biblical and Assyrian sources (though admittedly some argue that they are storerooms rather than stables). Then to a palace of Solomon, so identified by Yadin, and past a large Canaanite altar, perhaps used for both animal and human sacrifice. Next you’ll come to a massive grain silo with several dozen descending steps, past another palace, dating perhaps to the time of Solomon, and past the aforementioned southern stable until finally you come to one of the crowning achievements of the inhabitants of Megiddo, an underground water tunnel that brought water from a nearby spring into the city, enabling them to withstand any siege.

What do you think? Worthy of one star or would you give it two?

-Daniel McCabe

Trivia (The answer is at the bottom of the page)

On Location: The Cardo in Jerusalem

Although it might sound to you like a hallway lined with the offices of heart doctors or perhaps even an Italian magician who made your card miraculously appear at the top of the deck, it’s something quite different. The Cardo is actually a Roman-period street, approximately 75-feet wide, flanked by rows of stone columns and by compartments that once brimmed with merchants. Wooden beams supported the roofing of the side stalls that were likely covered by ceramic tiles. Topped with dazzling Corinthian capitals, the 16-foot high, limestone columns were discovered by archaeologists in fragments that had been incorporated into later structures.

Today you can visit the Cardo and actually walk on the original Roman-period paving stones of this ancient street found inside the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. Historically the Cardo ran past two spectacular churches: the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the traditional location of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, and the even larger New Church, built three hundred years later in the sixth century by Emperor Justinian. Known both then and today as the Cardo Maximus, it runs north-south through the city. Many think that the word “cardo” is related to the word “heart,” perhaps symbolic of its route through the heart of the city, but the word cardo actually means “hinge” or “axis,” and “cardo maximus” means “the main axis,” for it originally intersected with a major east-west city street.

Inside the Cardo are pictures and maps for those interested in its history as well as modern shops for those wanting to buy art, clothes, spices, jewelry or t-shirts. You’ll also notice signs of past archaeological work. Today the Cardo is completely covered, so if you ever get caught by a storm or even a latter rain, just drop into the Cardo and do some shopping until it passes.

-Daniel McCabe

Pneumatology: the Personhood of the Holy Spirit, part 2

The Holy Spirit is God, which means that He is a person. He is spirit, yes, but He’s also a person. The Holy Spirit is not just a force. He has personality. He intercedes for the believer. He does things that only beings with personhood do. He testifies with His spirit. He can be insulted (Hebrews 10:29). He can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30). He can be lied to—Ananias and Sapphira did that (Acts 5:3-4). He can be spoken against.

He is indivisible and He has a will. He does things. He strives with us. He teaches us. He speaks. He forbids. Thankfully the Holy Spirit is our helper, guide and revealer to the believer. So in every way that God has personhood—He loves, even hates, can be angered or pleased—the Holy Spirit has personhood.

-Adam Keim

How Joseph Foreshadows Jesus, part 2

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

-Daniel McCabe

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Cullman, AL