Week Forty-One, 2025

It is so gigantic that it can be seen from space. I have walked parts of the wall several times. The Great Wall of China is a gigantic structure which cost an immense amount of money and labor. When it was finished, it appeared impregnable.

Built in the 14th Century by the Ming Dynasty. By the 14th century, China’s Ming Dynasty was the envy of the world — wealthy, cultured, and terrified of Mongol invaders. To protect their empire, the Ming embarked on the ultimate construction project: the Great Wall. Stretching over 13,000 miles, it was a feat of engineering, manpower, and sheer willpower. But here’s the catch: building the wall was the easy part. Maintaining it? That’s where things got messy.

The Ming poured resources into the wall, but they skimped on the soldiers guarding it. Troops were underpaid, overworked, and often left without supplies. Corruption ran rampant: officers pocketed soldiers’ wages, and merchants bribed guards to let them smuggle goods (and sometimes invaders) through the gates.

In 1449, the Mongols, led by Esen Taishi, tested the wall’s defenses. The result? A disaster. Ming troops, demoralized and underfed, abandoned their posts. The Mongols waltzed through, capturing the emperor and humiliating the dynasty. But the enemy breached it. Not by breaking it down or going around it. They did it by bribing the gatekeepers.

The Great Wall’s failure wasn’t just a military blunder — it exposed the dangers of prioritizing show over substance. The Ming had built a symbol of power, but neglected the systems needed to sustain it. Sound familiar? The lesson? A wall is only as strong as the people defending it. And if you don’t pay your guards, don’t be surprised when they let the barbarians in.

There’s a 21st century parallel. America has the strongest democratic republic in the history of the world’s governments. We are strong and resilient, but at the same time we are in a time of downward spiraling decay. Polls and church attendance show a drifting away from Judeo-Christian values. We are one generation away from losing the Christian faith.

Our institutions are strong, but our gatekeepers are getting weaker, as they slowly slide away in moral decay. Especially the young in America expose atheistic socialism. Moral relevancy is increasingly scarce.

As mature Christians we have a calling to stand up and speak out for the restoration of Biblical relevancy in our land. May we heed the call or be prepared through our neglect to usher in the enemy through our unkept gates. Even the grandest of plans and institutions can crumble without care.

Sometimes True Stories

What is the biggest difference between the righteous and the wicked? The righteous pray, the wicked don’t! When we don’t take the time to pray, we are basically saying to God, I can handle this on my own, I don’t need You. The opposite of such independence is prayer in which we acknowledge our need of God’s instruction and guidance. Jesus lived His life in complete dependence upon God, we must do the same. Tony Ferguson

– 0 –

You have about 4,000 weeks. Give or take. And that’s your whole life — from start to finish.

Most people waste them: chasing someone’s approval, wasting time in arguments, getting caught up in pointless conflicts, fighting windmills, putting off what really matters, judging others, living in hatred.

Don’t be like most people. Build a life you’ll be proud of. Because one day you’ll look back and realize — it was just a short trip.

– 0 –

Annealing is a process of heating a material, such as steel, which actually makes it less hard and more ductile. Ductility is the property of said material to flex more easily and prevent brittleness or breakage. It almost seems counterintuitive that annealing would make the material less hard. But it’s the end result that matters.

God treats us in a similar way. He will allow us to experience various trials (turn up the heat) because, when we faithfully get through it, He knows that we will become more flexible and durable, “perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

The key is that we exercise faith in the process. Faith in the One Who will always bring us through. If you experience trouble or trials today, look for how you might grow by exercising patience and perseverance. Have faith and grow. Rich Jensen

Quotes You Can Use

The bigger the risk, the bigger the reward. Johnny Cash

We cannot understand eternity. It is beyond our ability to do so. We live in time, yet God and our eternity have no ending. I can’t fathom it, but I can accept it and know that one day I will enter it into that eternity and know peace as I have never known it before. Elbert Nasworthy

If you want to be respected by others the great thing is to respect yourself.

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

It is in the quiet crucible of your personal, private sufferings that your noblest dreams are born, and God’s greatest gifts are given. Whitley Phipps

The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts. Marcus Aurelius

I’m getting to the age where it’s considered rude to pull out a bottle of ibuprofen if I don’t have enough for everyone. John Grant

Living for Jesus is not a once-a-week kind of experience. Dan Shock

Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop. Ovid

On his death bed, famous minister Luis Palau said “we will never regret being courageous for Christ.”

God desires that our lives be a vessel to contain the Spirit of God, and that we would then channel God’s Spirit to a thirsty world around us. Dan Shock

Keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason. Jesus said so. Tony Ferguson

Eric Metaxas puts it best. “We need to know when it’s time to speak, and I’m here to tell you, the Church needs to speak loudly… The Church needs to stop cowering and saying, “What am I allowed to say?”

God has called us to be paramedics rather than policeman. Dan Shock

There is a problem when sin doesn’t offend us, but correction does.

Your feedback is welcome and if you want to contribute your ideas and thoughts, address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2025

October 4, 2025

One of my favorite books as a child was Danny and the Dinosaur, and I’m not the only one who liked it, for it has sold more than ten million copies since 1958. I read it again recently to reminisce, and to my surprise Danny’s talking dinosaur commented that he’d been around for one hundred million years.

I didn’t remember that part! Call me crazy, and many have, but I don’t believe for one second that dinosaurs (or the earth for that matter) date back millions of years. For me it’s the theory of evolution with its sloppy generalizations and blind faith that has some serious ‘splainin’ to do, but perhaps I’ll take this up in more detail another day. For now I simply want to discuss how dinosaurs intersect with the biblical story.

The English word dinosaur, which combines two Greek words, “terrible” (deinos) and “lizard” (sauros), didn’t even make its debut until 1842. The recent discovery of pictographs from Africa and North America as well as budding fossil evidence demonstrate the existence of these very large reptiles. Since the Bible says that “God made the beast of the earth … cattle … and everything that creeps on the earth” (Gen. 1:25), then I can summarily dismiss atheism unless you would prefer to dismiss the Bible as many do so easily these days, which sadly reminds me of the blunt, but true assessment of King David in Psalm 14:1, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”

So God made the dinosaurs and all the land animals on the sixth day of creation, and sometime shortly thereafter “Adam gave names to all cattle … and to every beast” (2:20). We can be sure that Adam had a name for the dinosaurs long before any nineteenth-century British paleontologist. So what name did he choose? Some Bible teachers have proposed that the behemoth of Job 40:15-24 describes an extinct land dinosaur, such as a brachiosaurus, a diplodocus or an apatosaurus. Others identify the behemoth as a hippo, crocodile, elephant or fictional creature and Leviathan as a serpent, dragon, crocodile, whale or likewise a fictional creature. That the behemoth “moves his tail like a cedar” (40:17) tips the scale for many who argue in favor of a dinosaur though the identification of the behemoth eludes consensus. It’s not hard, however, to say with specificity that dinosaurs existed, that God created them, that Adam named them and that these massive creatures roamed widely on the earth at the same time as man.

This latter point has been dismissed by most evolutionists as absurd and akin to the theory that the moon is made of cheese or that you’ll find leprechauns dancing around a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow. For the most part they refuse to engage with any argument for the co-existence of men and dinosaurs by calling it pseudo-science. Even so there are obviously many pictographs that clearly depict dinosaurs if one will let his eyes overrule his pre-determined theories, and for the ancients to have painted a dinosaur must mean that they had actually seen a dinosaur.

Trivia (answer below)

Thomas Cook, a former Baptist preacher, is credited with being the first person to offer packaged tours to the Holy Land in what era?

Life in the Land:: Yom Kippur

written 10/1/25

With tonight’s sundown comes the holy day of Yom Kippur (“The Day of Atonement”), described in Leviticus 16. Historically on this day the high priest of Israel entered the Holy of Holies in the temple to sprinkle the blood of a bull from a sin offering on the Ark of the Covenant as a covering for his sin and that of his household and then a second time to sprinkle the blood of a goat from a sin offering on the ark as a covering for the sin of the people. You may remember too that a second goat, called the scapegoat, was released into the wilderness unharmed, symbolizing the removal of the people’s sin far away from them. Jews today no longer practice this biblical instruction, for obviously there is no temple, no formalized priesthood and no ark. Instead, the high priest’s actions have been substituted with community-wide repentance, prayer and good deeds.

The Day of Atonement is the only holy day on which the people were required to fast in addition to their suspension of work. Lev. 16:31 reads, “It is a Sabbath … and you shall afflict your souls,” a reference to fasting as confirmed by David’s usage of the same verb in Psalm 35:13, which reads, “I afflicted myself with fasting” (ESV). In addition to fasting, many Jews today take the expression, “afflict your souls,” to mean that they must refrain from bathing, wearing leather shoes, initiating physical intimacy with their wives or using perfumes and lotions as an act of self-denial.

As with all the biblical holy days, Christians believe that Yom Kippur points to the Messiah, Jesus Christ, but then on this day there is added meaning, for although the high priest performed the necessary sacrifices annually, Jesus died for our sins once and for all. Jesus is seen as both our sin offering and the one who graciously removes our sin far from us.

Scripture Study: Doubting Thomas

Recently I was moved by a passage that I’ve read too many times to count. But that is part of the beauty of Scripture. The Lord can show you something new every time you read it or help you to appreciate a new facet of something even if you are already familiar with the content.

Let’s look again at John 20:24-29, “Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see in His hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into His side, I will never believe.’ Eight days later, His disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then He said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see My hands; and put out your hand and place it in My side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.’ Thomas answered Him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’”

What hit me hard this time was the phrase in v. 26, “eight days later.” Thomas was one of Jesus’ beloved disciples, a man who truly loved the Lord and was zealous for Him! He was not there when Jesus appeared the first time, and I think that he was lost in his sorrow and depression. That’s why he didn’t believe, to whatever degree, that Jesus appeared.

But he had to walk around the city for over a week, living life in his deep sorrow with the fact that the Lord supposedly showed Himself to the other disciples, but not to him. Can you imagine what that would have been like for Thomas? How lonely that must have been. “Jesus appeared to everyone else–supposedly–but why not to me?” Those must have been the hardest eight days for anyone. How dejected and hopeless he must have felt!

But then what happened? Jesus did not abandon His beloved disciple! He loved him enough to come back. Thomas needed to be corrected, for sure, but he also needed to be comforted. Jesus loved Thomas enough to both comfort and to correct him. I must admit that more and more in recent months, I am just laid low and even brought to tears when I think about the moments of tenderness that Jesus has for His loved ones.

There are many Bible verses about God’s love that I could share, but I will leave you with this one—Matthew 11:29, “Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

– Adam Keim

Ten of My Favorite Places in Israel: #7, Jericho

“So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city” (Joshua 6:20).

You don’t even need the name of the city in Joshua 6:20 to know the location. That legendary city—Jericho. Pictured is Tel Jericho from the Old Testament, Canaanitic period. New Testament Jericho is a short distance away where Jesus encountered Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10). The ruins of Herod the Great’s palace, his place of death, are accessible there.

Jericho is a fascinating place. Important digs took place in the twentieth century, but no major excavations have been undertaken in a while. As a result, much of the city—even as Joshua left it—lies under the dirt. What remains is exactly what you would expect from a reading of the biblical account. You can see a distinct burn layer (charred remains of the city) in the excavated areas, at the same height all around, which shows the city’s destruction by fire at Israel’s hand (Joshua 6:24). Also, you can dig with your own hands just about anywhere and uncover shards of pottery. In fact, large jars of scorched barley have been found, the same food that the people of Jericho brought into the city to withstand an expected siege. You can even see the bricks left over from the walls that God brought down. In contrast to skeptics who try to explain away God’s handiwork, the bricks have all fallen outward from the city, just as they would have in the miraculous crashing.

I have many fond memories—and great stories to tell—about Jericho. I long to once again explore this amazing place where Joshua, Elisha, and Jesus Himself once walked, and to finish my day with a delicious meal and some good, strong coffee at the Green Valley restaurant.

Adam Keim

Answer to the Trivia

B. 1870s

Week Forty, 2025

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

It was such a tranquil view as I stood on that hill overlooking the peaceful farms in the valley and the small town of Bastogne, Belgium. My history knowledge kicked in as I remembered the great battle there during WWII.

The Battle of Bastogne was where the U.S. 101st Airborne Division and elements of the 10th Armored Division heroically defended the strategic Belgian town against German forces. Despite being surrounded, the defenders, famously led by Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe, who famously responded to a surrender demand with “Nuts!”, held out until relieved by General Patton’s forces. This fierce defense significantly hampered the German offensive and contributed to the eventual Allied victory in the Battle of the Bulge. It was a turning point of the war.

ut there is more. The weather was so severe that Patton’s men couldn’t break through to get there to join the battle. The phone rang in the chief chaplain’s office and it was Patton on the other end. His request: “Do you have a good prayer for weather?” The chaplain quickly penned one and sent it to the general, who read it and commanded that 250,000 copies be printed and distributed to every soldier in the Third Army, with a request that every man pray that prayer.

The weather lifted and the Third Army broke through to Bastogne, where they were decisive in winning, and the victory became a turning point for victory in Europe. Patton said that he believed in prayer, and his actions and God’s answer were proof.

Prayer works. It has worked in my life, and it will work in yours the same as it did in Europe exactly eighty years ago when Patton and his men prayed for clear skies.

“Pray without ceasing” means cultivating a constant, conscious awareness of God’s presence and maintaining an attitude of dependence and openness, rather than engaging in non-stop, verbal prayer. It’s about living with a heart inclined towards prayer, recognizing God in every moment, and turning to Him in all circumstances.

Sometimes True Stories

There are so many needs around us, so many that we count on others to handle while we sit on our hands and say, “amen.” Look around. Open your eyes. See the need, the hurt, the pain, the sadness, the lost. How long will we remain on the sideline? How long will we sit idly by? How long? Marty Stubblefield

– 0 –

The Gospel is for everyone, but our own traditions and prejudices can hinder the gospel from reaching all people. God prepares hearts for salvation, but people still need to hear and believe the Gospel to be saved. Tell people about Jesus. God shows no partiality, but sadly His people sometimes do. See and treat people as Christ does. Edgar Aponte

– 0 –

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

Sometimes things get really tough, and we wonder in what we can trust to fix the mess, whether personal, corporate or national. We may think that a job change will do it. Or maybe a move to another town or change in a toxic relationship.

Our government seems to be going off course, so we trust in a new group of leaders to right the ship. All these fixes seem to be the answer at the time, but they are temporary at best.

What we really need is someone in whom we can trust who is both able and long lasting. Someone who will never let us down, no matter what. The Lord our God is that person. When we place our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, He comes along side us and brings us out of the mess for our good and His glory. Rock solid, 100% sure.

Wherein lies your trust? Old Lazy Dog

Quotes You Can Use

You are the average of the five people you hang with. David Meyers

The next time you find yourself in one of life’s storms, overwhelmed with anguish and distress. Call in the A team, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, and the creator of the universe. Nothing is too hard for Him. Tony Ferguson

Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy. Anne Frank

Salvation is not in sacraments, nor in priests, nor in our own works. It is in Christ and in Him alone. Charles Spurgeon

Don’t worry about dying for you will never die. You will live forever. All you have to worry about is the location.

If God could call Moses at 80, Abraham at 75 and Caleb at 85, then your age is not a barrier, rather it is a set-up for divine purpose. You are not too old; you are right on time.

How a person handles trouble will determine whether he is alive or dead, genuine or an imitation, saving or non-saving. John MacArthur

When there is something in the Word of God I don’t like, the problem is not in the Word of God, it is with me. R.C. Sproul

Friends are like gold, family are like diamonds, because we always need a base of gold to hold the diamonds! Tony Ferguson

Many are quick to blame God for everything – instead of thanking Him. Dan Shock

To study and not think is a waste. To think and not study is dangerous. Confucius

I dream of a world where chickens can cross the road without having their motives questioned. Anonymous

The only way to be found worthy to escape the great tribulation is by receiving Jesus Christ and the forgiveness He offers. Dan Shock

Believing what the Lord says is absolutely true is the essential foundation of a faithful life. Absolutely nothing the Lord has ever said, has been proven false, we must keep that in mind when the devil tempts us. Understanding that the Lord “is truth”, “is knowledge.” Tony Ferguson

I am reminded of my need for Jesus and my desire to become more and more like Him. I am reminded of all the good that also happened in my day, in my life, in my little part of the world… reminded of all the good that I am surrounded by… and reminded to dwell upon such things. Marty Stubblefield

Your feedback is welcome and if you want to contribute your ideas and thoughts, address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2025

October 2, 2025

God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

– 1 John 1:5

For those critics who like to paint Jesus as “the white man’s god,” please pay attention: God’s word, the Holy Bible, states clearly that “God is light,” not white! The biblical description of God as “light” is a metaphor for His essential nature rather than a reference to a physical color.

God is not a color of the spectrum, like red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo or violet. He is like the crystal clear light that—when directed through a glass prism—produces the colors of rainbows, the rainbows that occasionally decorates the sky when sunlight passes through the drops of water that fall during a rainstorm.

And God created that first rainbow to certify that he would never again inundate the earth with water, a fact that should do away with the empty threats of those who promulgate the false doctrine of global warming. Apart from that, the rainbow was not meant to serve as a symbol for people who practice things that God considers abhorrent.

But God is much more than energy. He is a Person—characterized by immeasurable intellect, will, and emotion. God is love and life,

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.”

John 3:16

Concerned about global warming? If you’re not born again, don’t rush it! God will get around to it soon enough. But there won’t be any flood waters to sooth feverish brows.

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens, being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

2 Peter 3:10-13

“God is light,” and that light shines on people of every color, red and yellow, black, brown and white. And that light can illuminate our hearts and minds with truth and grace. Or, in our pride, we may, like Icarus, the character in Greek mythology, fashion our own wings of tar and feathers, and try to reach the sun on our own, perishing in our own self-righteousness.

Some scientists postulate that one day the earth may draw nearer to the star that we call our Sun, and the planet will be incinerated. Others fear that a burning asteroid will smash into the earth and destroy all life, as some argue ended the age of the dinosaurs.

If these philosophers—who base their conclusions on such scanty evidence, were to ask God to open their spiritually blind eyes, and were to then read through the Bible, they might come to understand that God created it all, and God will end it all!

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

Genesis 1;3

The Apostle John, when writing about John the Baptist, said this:

He (John the Baptist) was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

John 1:8-9

The apostle knew that the man he had formerly followed, John the Baptist, was not the true light that lighteth every man, regardless of their race or color, or of their national origin or their fake and failing religion. Jesus, after all, was born the Holy Spirit and a Hebrew woman, not of a Caucasian.

So, the Book of John opens by stating that Jesus was the true light. But man has a problem, because our spiritual eyesight is cloudy, even blind. So John informs us:

He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.

We can be adopted into the family of God, with all the privileges that implies. But we will be

… born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 1:14-15

In a letter that we call The 1^st Epistle of John, he declared,

… that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

I John 1:5

If you walk into a strange room at night, when the lights are off, you can’t tell what colors the walls, the carpet, and the furniture are. You can’t tell because every thing is in darkness, and darkness is the absence of light. The light of Christ will bring true color to your life, regardless of whether you are red, yellow, black, brown, or white.

And when you finally step into the presence of God, after exercising even the least amount of faith, in Jesus Christ, it will be like watching the sun rise in the morning, and you’ll experience that first glorious glimpse of something you’ve never imagined. It will stagger you with its magnificence and make you hunger for more.

We are told,

…if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.

I John 1:7

Jesus is waiting for you with outspread arms and a voice of love. Why wait and longer? Tell him you are sorry for your sins, that you want him to be your Savior and Lord, and find new life today.

September 27, 2025

Life in the Land: The Feast of Trumpets

This morning and tomorrow morning a ram’s horn will sound in synagogues, public parks, hospitals and nursing homes throughout Jewish communities worldwide. It will be blown on street corners and even in the homes of the homebound in observance of a biblical command found in Leviticus 23:23-25 and Numbers 29:1-6.

The Hebrew in these two passages technically calls this event a “memorial of shouting” (Lev. 23:24) or “a day of blowing” (Num. 1:1), the latter suggesting the use of a ram’s horn to announce its commencement in much the same way that trumpets were blown in the Sinai wilderness so long ago to signal the breaking of the Israelites’ camp or the urgent assembly of troops for battle.

The Bible instructs the Israelites to treat the first day of the seventh month as a Sabbath day (now celebrated as a two-day event) and further describes it as “a holy assembly.” On our modern calendars the Feast of Trumpets falls annually in September or early October, and the Israelites are commanded to offer burnt, grain and drink offerings as a pleasing aroma to the Lord each Fall.

The Bible gives no specific purpose for this holiday, but the inferred use of a ram’s horn (“day of blowing,” v. 1) has prompted a natural connection to the sacrifice of Isaac. For Christians there is also an interesting connection to the return of the Lord who comes “with the trumpet of God” (1 Thes. 4:16).

In time the biblical Feast of Trumpets took on a dual role as the Jewish New Year, known in Hebrew as Rosh Hashanah (“Head of the Year”), a likely development during the Israelites’ sojourn in Babylon, which for a certain period in its history followed a civil calendar that began in the Fall. Today Rosh Hashanah is followed by a ten-day period, “Days of Awe,” a time of introspection and repentance for misdeeds in preparation for the Day of Atonement which comes ten days later.

During the modern two-day observance of Rosh Hashanah, the Jews attend synagogue, blow the ram’s horn, read Genesis 22 and recite special prayers. It’s also a family-oriented holiday, marked by special foods, such as honey cakes and apples dipped in honey that symbolize hope for a sweet year; round challah bread that symbolizes the cycle of the year; pomegranates (thought to contain 613 seeds) that picture God’s 613 commandments; and fish heads that express the wish to be “like the head and not the tail” (cf. Deut. 28:13). Some may also visit a lake, a river or even the Mediterranean Sea in order to throw pebbles or pieces of bread into the water that symbolize a ready heart to cast off their sins (cf. Micah 7:19).

Trivia

When the Lord revealed himself to Elijah in a “still small voice” (not in the wind, earthquake or fire) where was Elijah?

Answer to Trivia question at bottom of page

Scripture Study: Genesis 4:26, (Part 1)

Of course we all know the names of Adam and Eve and their two sons, Cain and Abel, but the first couple had at least seven children in all (cf. Gen. 5:4), including five sons, the third named Seth. We meet Seth for the very first time in vs. 25-26 where he and his wife celebrate a baby boy of their own, named Enosh, presumably their first baby, a son. This happy occasion is punctuated by a short note in v. 26b, “Then men began to call on the name of the LORD.” Short and sweet, and yet there’s nothing more said! So what can it mean?

Using the time markers from Genesis, we can determine that 235 years have passed between the creation of Adam and the birth of baby Enosh. That’s quite a long time! After all, America is only 249 years old, and a lot has happened since the world first heard the famous shot at Lexington and the peal of the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. So what actually occurred during the first 235 days of world history that would prompt the writer of Genesis to announce that with the birth of Enosh “men began to call on the name of the LORD”?

Does it mean that for the past two centuries Cain had been busy raising a gaggle of kids who turned into hoodlums with little or no regard for the Lord and that only now was there a new family that wanted to live for the Lord? Had Adam and Eve been worshipping alone all those years while grieving over the general rebellion of their only surviving son, Cain, who never taught his kids and grandkids to pray, to bring an offering to the Lord or to worship the Lord in any way?

Does this verse imply that following the birth of his firstborn son, Seth quickly realized that little Enosh would soon be watching him, thus prompting Seth to say to Paw Paw Adam, “Why don’t we begin to worship together—you, mom, my wife and I, and we’ll teach little Enosh that God has a wonderful plan for this world even though Cain feels differently and has raised the cousins to live for themselves!”

What do you think? Is that how it happened? Is that what this verse means? I’d sure love to hear from you.

Scripture Study: Genesis 4:26, (Part 2)

“Then men began to call on the name of the LORD.” Many Bible teachers and most modern translations take this verse to mean that it’s at this point, following the birth of Enosh, that men began to pray together or worship publicly. After all, both Genesis 12:8 and 26:15 use a similar expression to describe Abraham’s move to Bethel and Isaac’s move to Beersheba where each built an altar and “called on the name of the LORD.” This view does seem preferable to me; however, there are a couple of alternative views that might intrigue you—as they did me.

First, some assert that the Hebrew doesn’t read, “Then men began to call on the name of the LORD” in order to express some new gathering for public worship, but rather, “Then men defiled the name of the LORD in worship.” Both “began” and “defiled” are justified, depending on the context. But if we translate the word as “defiled,” then the author implies that false religion or idolatry had been newly introduced.

Second, others think that we should read this verse, “Then men began to call themselves by the name of the LORD.” Herbert Lockyer offers this take, “With the coming of [Enosh], men were conscious of their weakness, and, seeking refuge in God, wished to do His will. A sacredness, previously unknown, was now attached to the name Jehovah. One writer suggests that this may have given rise to the practice common to the Jews for centuries of giving names to children in which the name of God is interwoven” (author’s emphasis). My own name includes the name of God, “God is My Vindicator.” What does your name mean?

On Location: Pater Noster

September 9, 2022

I’ve never recited the Lord’s Prayer in any other language besides English, but if I ever decided to try it in Latin, it’d start with the words, “Pater Noster” (“Our Father”). There is a church on the brow of the Mount of Olives just east of Jerusalem called the Pater Noster Church, and it displays the Lord’s Prayer on colorful ceramic plaques in at least 140 languages. A dubious, late tradition states that Jesus first taught this prayer to his disciples there inside a cave that’s now been incorporated into the church complex.

The modern discovery of this cave in 1910 was, nevertheless, quite notable. You may recall that, after converting to Christianity in the early fourth century A.D., Emperor Constantine and his mother, Helena, sought to locate the key biblical sites associated with Jesus’ birth, death and ascension. Written less than one hundred years after the death of the Apostle John, the Acts of John, a collection of stories about the apostle, mentions a cave atop the Mount of Olives where Jesus taught his disciples. Helena looked for this cave and found one that the locals identified as that mentioned in the Acts of John and, in particular, as the location where Jesus taught what’s commonly called the Olivet discourse (Matthew 24-25). But even more importantly the locals identified the entrance to the cave as the location for Jesus’ ascension into heaven (Acts 1:9-12).

Constantine built his Eleona (“of olives”) Church on this site to commemorate the ascension, and since for me there is strong evidence that Constantine’s Church of the Holy Sepulcher inside the Old City of Jerusalem correctly marks the site of Golgotha and that his Church of the Holy Nativity in Bethlehem correctly marks the location of the place of Jesus’ birth, I am comfortable with Constantine’s identification for the ascension of Jesus as well. But even if we are not entirely confident that we’ve found the right site, we can be sure of one thing. He is coming again! Are you ready?

Answer to the Trivia

D. Mount Sinai (1 Kings 19:8)

Week Thirty-Nine, 2025

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you (Psalm 32:8).

My wife and I have had a great marriage, not to say there have not been a few bumps along the way. But some of the greatest strains have been on Christmas eve, after the little Grants had gone to bed when we opened some boxes and found the notation, “some assembly required.” The process would last until the early morning hours and got worse as time progressed. Usually, the strains came from not fully reading and following the instructions.

Life is like that. There are always bumps in the road, and more life assembly is required. Usually those bumps could be lessened or eliminated if we fully read the instructions. I well remember having to replace a broken belt on my lawnmower. I disassembled it and twisted and installed the new belt. After reassembling the mower, I was so proud of myself for figuring it out without having to consult the instructions.

I started it up, pressed the pedal only to see it go in reverse. I had twisted the belt in the wrong direction, so then I read the directions, disassembled the mower and did it the right way. Then, when I pushed forward, it went forward.

Recently, we assembled a big project that took three evenings to do. We carefully followed the directions and all went well. We actually enjoyed the fun evenings and were speaking when the project was finished. All because we followed the directions.

The Bible is full of directions and life goes better when we follow them. The Bible emphasizes that God has a plan for each person’s life and encourages believers to seek His direction in decision-making. Trusting in God’s guidance and obeying His commands are crucial aspects of following His direction. The Bible also warns against straying from God’s path and the consequences of living without His guidance.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6) In summary, the Bible presents direction as both a literal concept (referring to physical directions) and a symbolic one (representing God’s guidance). Following God’s direction is a central theme, emphasizing trust, obedience, and seeking His will in all aspects of life.

Deuteronomy 12:28 | God wants us to obey Him; so things will go well for us.

Matthew 28:19-20 | We should help others obey God, too.

Luke 11:28 | Obeying God’s Word brings blessings.

Colossians 3:20 | God loves it when children obey their parents.

Are you following God’s directions as you live your life?

Sometimes True Stories

Part of being righteous in Christ is allowing your weakness to lead you into more and more dependence upon God. To realize that running into the arms of the Lord through prayer and faith is the best journey any human can take. It is a journey that can take you from the depths of despair; to wisdom and understanding. The wealthy, on the other hand, will quickly realize their wealth will not protect them from deadly diseases or offer security from life’s problems. It can become easy to think wealth can give you everything you need, that safety can be purchased. One of the greatest things you will ever achieve in life is “peace of mind”. Knowing your heart, spirit and soul are in the hands of God is truly priceless.

– 0 –

Lukewarm faith illustrated: “I would like to buy about three dollars’ worth of gospel, please. Not too much—just enough to make me happy, but not so much that I get addicted. I don’t want so much gospel that I learn to really hate covetousness and lust. I certainly don’t want so much that I start to love my enemies, cherish self-denial, and contemplate missionary service in some alien culture. I want ecstasy, not repentance; I want transcendence, not transformation.” D.A. Carson

– 0 –

God calls us to model and share the Gospel to the next generation—proclaim it and tell them what God has done for you. We cannot commend what we don’t cherish. Treasure Christ deeply so you can commend Him faithfully. Care enough about the next generation—and ultimately God’s glory—that you will fight for them even when it means to sacrifice your preferences. Edgar Aponte

Quotes You Can Use

God’s hand is in every disruption and every detour.

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

When we understand the character of God, when we grasp something of His holiness, then we begin to understand the radical character of our sin and hopelessness. R C Sproul

Faith obeys, regardless of personal understanding.

Your destination will determine your life’s direction. Jesus was a man on a mission. He was a person with a purpose: Are you? Let me ask you: Where are you headed? Do you have a goal? Do you have a purpose? So many people live their lives with no sense of direction or purpose. Pastor Tony Walliser

If you serve Jesus, you must first worship Him.

Wealth and easy living are not the highest values of this life; rather, truth and righteousness are more important to the Lord. Tony Ferguson

Be more concerned with what you can do for others than what others can do for you. You’ll be surprised at the results! John Wooden

We are saved by faith, not by growing fruit; but we are not saved by fruitless faith. A person saved by faith will be a person in whom the fruit of the Spirit grows. Timothy Keller

There is a difference between joy and happiness. Happiness is based on circumstances. Joy is found in knowing that God is faithful and will work things for His good despite your circumstances. Joy comes in knowing the hope, peace, grace, forgiveness and love found in a relationship with Jesus Christ. Marty Stubblefield

One way to check on your own value system is to measure the amount of time you spend looking at your 401K vs your Bible!! Dwight Short

Don’t live a sloppy life, our souls will suffer for it. Tony Ferguson

Peace stems from prayer, from conversations with God. Now prayer doesn’t always stop the drama or the traffic, or the junk in life, but it does give us peace in the storm and hope in the midst of the flames. It’s through that relationship and through those prayers that we find ourselves at peace when the rest of the world is in a funk. That doesn’t mean that we won’t have a sense of urgency at times and that we won’t show our displeasure over a certain situation. But we will have peace. Peace beyond understanding. Peace in the fires and storms of life… and peace in the normal day to day. Where’s the Peace? It begins and ends in and with Jesus. Marty Stubblefield

When you are a child, you make funny faces at the mirror. When you become an adult, the mirror gets even.

Your feedback is welcome and if you want to contribute your ideas and thoughts, please ddress all items and comments to [email protected]. ©Thoughts on Life Copyright 2025

September 24, 2025

Last Sunday, millions of Americans mourned the passing of a great Christian leader and rejoiced in his accomplishments, while some merely regretted his assassination, and others—far less noble—rejoiced in it.

Some claimed that his martyrdom marks the beginning of a Christian revival. But it also marks a new low in American history, because a man of God was murdered for exercising his sacred right to free speech. It serves as a warning that all of us are at risk—great or small, rich or poor, influential or unnoticed—because the wrath of Satan is inflamed more than ever against the servants of God in these last days.

The Apostle Peter was exposed to the wrath of God’s enemies when the Roman Emperor, Nero, encouraged the people of his empire to scorn the faith of Christians by literally throwing any to the lions who would not renounce their faith. It’s said that he even burned half of Rome, blaming it on the Christians, thus inflaming the superstitions, fears, and malice of the people of his empire against all who took the name of Jesus.

The times were, and are, harsh and dangerous, and Peter addressed his first epistle to the believers, many of whom lived in poverty in a far corner of the Roman empire, a province we now call Turkey.

If we are wise, we will look to the apostle Peter, and heed his words, for Christians became aliens as a result of their faith, and by the biases of a blind world. So Peter addressed his letter in this manner:

“…to the strangers scattered abroad throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappodeceia, Asia, and Bithynia.

1 Peter 1:1

Today, 2,000 years later, those who rule that part of the world are not the Romans, but their religious beliefs, becaause taken to the extreme, have produced an environment that is inhospitable to both Christians and Jews.

And people of that faith are no longer satisfied with occupying vast areas of the Middle East. Instead, millions who oppose Christianity and Judaism have exploited the hospitality of the nations of Western Europe and North America, by illegally crossing their open borders, enriching themselves at the expense of their hosts, and creating political and economic instability, with some radicals attacking strangers– beheading some, shooting others, knifing still others , even pushing some under trains, running over them with vehicles, burning them alive, blowning them up, robbing, raping, and murdering.

It’s not necessary to prove that a single guiding force is behind these horrendous attacks that strike in unexpected places at any time. What seem like undirected and arbitrary attacks in formerly freedom-loving nations are simply the result of fanatics following the teachings they imbibed with their milk. Religious fanatics and socialist radicals are determined to replace the political, economic, and religious institutions of their democratic hosts with those their own systems, and ultimately overthrow our governments.

Just as Christians and Jews were slandered and attacked during the apostolic age, and just as they have been ridiculed and molested under the Nazis, so they are being being targeted today. But Peter does not encourage his followers to take up arms and attack those who despitefully use them. He instead begins with words of encouragement, speaking of our incorruptible inheritance in Christ, and reminding them that they are…

“Kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time.”

1 Peter 1:5

Then he follows with a reference to their suffering, their “heaviness,” and introduces what initially seems like an absurd claim,

That the trials of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”

1 Peter 1:7

Peter goes on to explain and encourage his readers, providing rich doctrinal truths, telling them, and us, that through all these trials, each of us is to be without spot or wrinkle.

He assures us that we have purified our souls:

in obeying the truth by the word of God which liveth and abideth forever.

1 Peter 1:23.

Instead of excusing those bedlievers who, out of fear of worldly persecution, might be tempted to deny Christ, Peter goes on speaking of our obligation to lay aside….

all malice, and all guile; and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings.

1 Peter 2:1

In other words, we Christians are not to follow the practices of the unsaved and sinful world that persecutes us, because “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal.”

Perhaps, because you’re a Christian, you’ve already been a victim of spiteful behavior. But you can scarcely begin to imagine the grace and spiritual strength that were exhibited by Erika Kirk—widow and mother—to tell to her young husband’s assassin, “I forgive you.” Yet, this is the behavior that Peter is telling us that God requires of all believers.

Indeed, when Jesus was in agony, and at the point of death, he asked his heavenly Father to forgive those who murdered him without reason::

Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

Luke 23:34

And, why? Peter tells us that we Christians are a singularly remarkable group. We are the “called out,” the “body of Christ,”

“a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praise of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

1 Peter 2:9

Peter again makes an appeal, not simply that we won’t quit following Jesus in the face of adversity, but that we will purify ourselves, to…

“abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.”

1 Peter 2:11

It is by this means that we keep the line of communication open between ourselves and God, that in our most desperate hour, we can cry out, and he will hear and answer, for we must have his answers in order to endure.

Peter then, remarkably, told his audience to submit themselves to the very rulers whom Nero had appointed to persecute them.

that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.”

1 Peter 2:15

This doesn’t mean that you cannot exercise the rule of law to contend with those who violate the laws of the land, as Daniel and his friends were to declare that God’s law is higher than man’s law. They were willing to surrender their lives in defense of God’s laws, and on behalf of others who might also be persecuted. Peter goes on to speak of our marital obligations, and then continues to assure us that all in the body of Christ should…

Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:

1 Peter 3:8

We are to realize that the body of Christ, the Church, is our new family. We chose to join it through exercising faith in Christ. Paul, too, warns us to offer loving care to even the most pitiful among us, that we should care for them as we cherish every part of our own fleshly bodies. Peter’s argument for our faithfulness is simple:

“For Christ also hath suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.

1 Peter 3:18

And after again explaining that “Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh,” (4:1), Peter again makes the appeal that, no matter what evil seems to be overtaking us in this world…

the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer. And above all things, have fervent charity among yourselves, for charity shall cover a multitude of sins.

1 Peter 4:7-8

“Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you. But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are part of Christ’s sufferings.

1 Peter 4:12-13

If the end of all things is at hand, and Christ is soon to return for his Church, have you determined to follow him? Do you plan to be among those destined for glory, or among those on whom the doom of the Lord falls?

Peter provides an argument for willingly and even gladly being “reproached for the name of Christ” (4:14).

If you have obeyed Christ’s command–confessed his name, repented of your sins, followed him obediently in water baptism, and taken up your cross of crucifixion to follow and serve him—you are already dead to this world.

In a mere instant of time, whether you pass quietly in your bed, or are thrown to lions, there is laid up for you a crown.

But which of the ways we might pass on brings the greater glory to God and to you?

Last Sunday, hundreds of thousands attended a young man’s funeral. One-hundred million people streamed the funeral proceedings on their phones, tablets, computers, and television sets. And the president of the United States—along with many other dignitaries, honored the memory of that young man who was taken in the flower of his life. And because he died, others have been revived. His life and death testify to the glory of God. So Peter writes:

“But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”

1 Peter 4:13

It may not be Peter’s final argument for us to persevere, but it is a powerful one:

“If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you.”

1 Peter 4:14

Peter then hints at the great divide between those who persecute us and we who are saved. It’s the great divide that separates us, one to eternal life, the other to eternal hellfire. It’s based simply on whether an individual’s personally and unequivocally decides to follow Christ. To remain silent is to commit the fallacy of decision by indecision, and determines whether a person will be among the quick or the dead; whether they will dwell in eternal bliss or outer darkness; and whether they’ll spend all eternity in heaven or hell. It’s an awesomely important question that many ignore until it’s too late to make it. Which are you?

“…on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.”

1 Peter 4:14

And here’s the sobering warning:

“And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?”

1 Peter 4:18

“And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”

1 Peter 5:4

***

Copyright 2025, Frank E. Becker

September 21, 2025

I know a couple of Latin expressions: carpe deim — “seize the day”) and et tu, Brute? (“and you, Brutus?”) — but that’s about it, so when I first saw the words ecce homo, I had no idea what they meant. Do you?

Turns out that they mean, “Behold the man,” and there’s an arch by that name in Jerusalem along a road called the Via Dolorosa (“the Way of Suffering”) that runs through the Old City of Jerusalem and that many believe to be the road that Jesus walked on his way to the cross. The arch is named for Pontius Pilate’s words in John 19:5, “Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, ‘Behold the Man!’” The crowd reacted by chanting, “Crucify him!” And we know the rest of the story.

Although the arch does not date to the time of Jesus, it’s still quite old, dating to the time of Roman Emperor Hadrian around 135 A.D. Archaeologists believe that what’s visible of the arch today from street level is actually the central arch of what was once a triple-arched gate that led into a large Roman plaza. Even so, standing before the arch on Jerusalem’s modern pavement, it reminds us still of that bittersweet day so long ago when Jesus bore a beating, mockery and an unspeakable death by crucifixion so that we might be saved. “So they took Jesus and led Him away” (v. 16).

– Daniel McCabe

Trivia (answer below)

Which of the following was NOT a king of Israel?

Life in the Land: The Hyrax

This is not an animal name that I know. Maybe you don’t know it either. What about a coney? Does that name ring any bells? Perhaps you thought about Coney Island in New York with its beaches, amusement parks and hot dogs or the popular restaurants by the same name. Coney Island took its name from the large population of rabbits that once roamed the area, for coney comes from a Latin word for “rabbit.” So, is a hyrax the same as a bunny? No, but it does look like a bunny, and because the hyrax loves rocky terrain, it’s often called a “rock bunny.”

The King James Version translation of Psalm 104:18 reads, ”The rocks [are a refuge] for the conies.” In an attempt at modernization and clarification, the New King James Version reads, “The cliffs are a refuge for the rock badgers,” arguably the most popular word choice of modern translations, for evidently “rock badger” is a synonym for the hyrax. The Holman Christian Standard Bible stands alone among the major translations in directly referring to these cliff-loving animals as “the hyraxes.” The Hebrew word here in v. 18 literally means “the hidden ones,” evidently describing an animal that prefers to hide among the rocks, and perhaps in order to stay safe, the New American Standard Bible simply prefers a transliteration of the Hebrew, which yields, “The cliffs are a refuge for the shephanim.”

The hyrax, found unsurprisingly in rocky areas throughout Israel, weighs about ten pounds, and it’s approximately 12-24 inches long. Its brown or grey fur, small rounded ears, short legs and padded feet, used for gripping the rocks, do indeed resemble the characteristics of a bunny or perhaps a guinea pig, but the hyrax is actually more closely related to the elephant and the manatee. Hyraxes are very social creatures, living in colonies that can number into the dozens, and they’re active during the day, thus allowing visitors at En Gedi and Qumran, for example, to get a good look at them as they groom, play fight or sunbathe atop rocks alongside the parks’ hiking trails. The hyraxes are not among the list of clean animals in Scripture (Lev. 11:5; Deut. 14:7), so they are spared from Israeli cook pots and frying pans.

The only other mention of the hyrax or rock badger appears in Proverbs 30:26, which reads, “The rock badgers are a feeble folk, yet they make their homes in the crags.” It’s true that rock badgers are not powerful animals, and they have certainly found safety in the cleft of the rocks, which isn’t a bad idea to be sure. Just ask Moses (cf. Exodus 33:22).

– Daniel McCabe

Scripture Study: The High Priestly Prayer of John 17, part 5

In v. 20 Jesus prays, “I do not ask for these only,” and here’s how we build the bridge between the disciples and us. “I do not ask for these [disciples] only, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word.” Not only the converts in their own generation, but this evidently applies to all believers of all time, all “those who will believe in Me through their word that they all may be one, just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You have sent Me.”

How transforming would it be if we as believers were actually one, if we were as united as the Father is with the Son? Can you imagine the effect this would have on our testimony for Christ? If believers were united as one? Surely we all want that, but sadly our instinct is to think that we’d have it already if it weren’t for that other person over there, when in reality we are probably the stumbling block to unity. But to have a unity like that of the Father and the Son would be so much sweeter, and it will be one day.

We are really good at removing specks from other people’s eyes while ignoring the logs in our own whereas obviously we should always consider first if we may be the stumbling block to unity. Just as the disciples weren’t perfect, neither are we. Obviously Jesus knows everything and He knows that at no point in history has the church ever been united as are the Son and the Father, but that doesn’t mean that the ideal isn’t still there, and, of course, that is our goal. We ought to be united even if we’re not.

But look at the context of this unity in vs. 20-21. For what effect is Jesus looking? If we are united, then our testimony would be greater. “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word,” their testimony, “that they may all be one, just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us that the world may believe that You have sent Me.” If we had true unity, if we really sought to work together to be in unity and harmony as was the Apostle Paul’s goal for the church in Philippi (Phil. 2:1-11), and if we had more and more of that unity, then how much more effective would be our witness before the world so that others would believe that Jesus was sent by the Father?

Jesus continues in v. 22, “The glory that You have given Me, I have given to them that they may be one even as We are one. I in them and You in Me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that You sent Me and loved them even as You loved Me.” Wow, that the Father loved us, you and I, even as He loved Jesus Christ! That’s amazing!

“Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, may be with Me where I am to see My glory that You have given Me because You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” This is all according to the sovereign plan of the Father.

He closes out His prayer, “O righteous Father, even though the world does not know You,” and it’s a tragedy that the creation does not know its Creator, “even though the world does not know You, I know You, and these know that You have sent Me,” meaning the disciples—Peter, James, John and the others, and through their testimony, future believers will know that “I made known to them Your name, and I will continue to make it known that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them and I in them.”

So, that’s the High Priestly Prayer of John 17, and there’s nothing overly complex in it. Actually it’s rather simple, but there are some interesting contextual things one could unpack. For example, the effectiveness of the disciples’ witness to future generations and how necessary it is to strive for unity in order for that witness to be effective. Also, the love the Father had for Jesus Christ is just wonderful, just as the love that the Father has for you and I. Jesus’ desire too for us to know the Father as He does, to be one with the Father as He is, and that we would make it known to others, so that the world may know that Jesus was sent by the Father.

It’s great to read about the Lord praying for us and for the disciples in His day, and although it’s a simple prayer, it’s a powerful one, and never forget that even today the Lord is praying for us.

– Adam Keim

Trivia Answer

E. They were all kings of Israel.

Week Thirty-Eight, 2025

It’s not good to eat too much honey, and it’s not good to seek honors for yourself (Proverbs 25:27).

The book is a great read. A Man and His Ship is the story of a young boy who is obsessed with building ocean liners. He was born about the time propeller-driven ships hit the waters of the Atlantic, opening a whole new world of travel between the United States and Europe. Speed was a factor, as week-long or more voyages shrunk to three days or less.

The prize for the fastest crossing was a blue ribbon, known as the Blue Riband, an unofficial accolade given to the passenger liner crossing the Atlantic Ocean in regular service with the record highest average speed.

It was interesting ocean history to see how ships jockeyed over a more than fifty-year quest for the ribbon. William Francis Gibbs is considered to be America’s greatest naval architect. He kept building faster and faster ships in competition with the British. The ribbon passed from country to country.

Gibbs’ final achievement was the design and building of the world’s then greatest ocean liner, the United States. In 1952, it took the ribbon from the Queen Mary, never to lose the ribbon.

Interestingly, as air travel replaced sea travel, the S.S. United States ceased operating and rusted away in a naval yard in Philadelphia before being towed to Florida to be sunk as a diving reef.

Gibbs’ obsession plagued him for all of his life, causing him to give up much, like family, to achieve his goal. While the world acclaim focused on what he did, there was little mention of the cost of his goal. While what he did was important, what he gave up was precious.

A good breakfast food is biscuits and honey, and it is wonderful in small amounts, but too much honey will make you sick. Honor is like that too. Honor is desirable in the right dosage. Recognition of a job well done, the respect a child gives to a parent, the appreciation of your friends, these are honors we gladly receive.

But when we taste honor and then seek it as an end in itself, we are wrong. Another Scripture says to let others praise you, not ourselves. When we seek our own praise, it is our pride showing. When others praise us, honor us, we should receive that honor humbly. If not, it is tainted by pride.

We live in a world that emphasizes the wrong things.

What ribbons are you chasing?

Sometimes True Stories

The Lord is my Shepherd —– that’s a Relationship!

I shall not want —– that’s Supply!

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures —- that’s Rest!

He leadeth me beside the still waters —– that’s Refreshment!

He restoreth my soul —– that’s Healing!

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness —– that’s Guidance!

For His name sake —– that’s Purpose!

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death — that’s Testing!

I will fear no evil —– that’s Protection!

For Thou art with me —– that’s Faithfulness!

Thy rod and Thy staff comfort me —– that’s Discipline!

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies — that’s Hope!

Thou annointest my head with oil —– that’s Consecration!

My cup runneth over —– that’s Abundance!

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life —- that’s Blessing!

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord —– that’s Security!

Forever —– that’s Eternity!

Face it, God loves you!

What is most valuable is not what we have in our lives, but WHO we have in our lives!

Quotes You Can Use

Charity, like the sun, brightens every object on which it shines. Hugh Blair

How blessed are we to love and be loved by such a great God! Dan Shock

He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has. Epictetus

Conquering others takes force, conquering yourself is true strength.

It’s not about who you are, but who you are becoming.

God’s desire for us is that we bear fruit.

You are defined by what you desire.

Focus your mind on things of the spirit.

Social media is killing people one click at a time. As you think of someone, look in the mirror.

We learn godliness by practicing godly skills and habits.

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

©Thoughts on Life Copyright 2025

#1, September 16, 2025

It’s a clever quip, “All I need today is a little bit of coffee and a whole lot of Jesus.” It reveals a growing dependence on, and love for, the Lord.

My wife rises at four each morning and immediately starts the coffee maker. Why so early? It’s September in Texas, and temperatures still climb into the 90s every day. Joy wants to beat the heat and watch the sun rise.

As she jogs or walks, she enjoys fellowship with the Lord in the growing light of day; but she doesn’t go out for her three-mile run before she’s had her coffee, studied her Bible, and gotten down on her knees in prayer.

This morning, I overslept, and didn’t get up until 4:20 AM. If you’re wondering how this marriage has lasted sixty-one years, it should be obvious that Jesus has deeply involved himself. With Joy struggling with her own health issues, and me miraculously sustained by God after surviving prostate cancer, and even now walking around with Carcinoid cancer, severe hypertension, and heart problems, you might understand why I’d be happy to sleep longer, and why I frequently take a nap in the afternoon.

But all humor aside, a little coffee and a whole lot of Jesus are a necessity to me too, and early morning has also become a vital time of day for me. So while Joy makes a nest on our bed, surrounded by Bible, notebooks, pens, and reference works, I sit out at the big kitchen table I made over 50 years ago, with my own Bible, a hymnal, and a notebook before me.

Each morning, I quickly review the scripture I studied the day before, searching for some truth to “jump out at me,” something that the Holy Spirit wants to bring to my attention. It’s my prayer that the Lord will lead me as I rapidly write down the thoughts that occur to me, barely noting what I write, exploring implications in an impromptu manner, new ideas and possibilities that I may not have noticed before.

To others, my thoughts may seem shallow, my conclusions inaccurate, and my arguments weak; but to me, this labor is edifying, and I’m alternately convicted and blessed, sometimes teary-eyed with sorrow and repentance, but more often filled with joy at my growing understanding of Jesus’ mercy, grace, and incredible love.

Sometimes I have to figuratively gird up my loins and “hang on,” sharing a finite sense of the ineffable loneliness, sorrow, and pain that the Lord suffered on Calvary, when,

… about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46).

If you’ve ever felt that your earthly father rejected you, you might imagine the devestation of having your heavenly father turn his back on you?

Sometimes I don’t feel God’s presence with me in our little country kitchen, but I know that this sense of absence is an illusion, a momentary testing of my faith to reveal to me my absolute dependence on him, and to cause me to examine my faith, and to measure my determination to persevere, even in the darkest moments.

Sometimes the Lord’s presence is almost palpable, and I seem to feel the brush of angels wings as I I sense the shadows of not one, or two, but even three angelic beings, their wings folded, bowing in awe before King Jesus, and comforting me with the knowledge of their appointed protection. Of course it’s just my imagination. Isn’t it?

I look up at the little cross hanging above the archway to our living room, a gift from dear friends, and I try to imagine the love, tears, and blood that flowed down from Calvary as Jesus Christ somehow paid an infinite price to save multitudes from the penalty of our sins, not just for a day or a year—in what some mistakenly think of as purgatory—but forever and ever, because his death and resurrection meant that the price was paid, and:

“We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8).

There’s no waiting time required; no penalty we can pay to defer hell or hasten heaven; because there is no sin burden remaining on a born-again believers account!

And after an hour or so, writing down things as they flow unbidden, there comes a time of worship and prayer and praise. I set aside my Bible and notebook, and I open a hymnal that survives from a church I was privileged to plant and pastor fifty years ago. And with my physical eyes dimmed, and my ears damaged by the exigencies of time and illness, this old voice croaks out the glorious melodies of Christ’s saving power and eternal love. And somehow the Holy Spirit raises up the truth that there is joy and liberty in Christ, and I truly begin my day with Jesus,

“Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory” (I Peter 1:8).

Oh, how I wish I might have understood the blessings of rising early at the birth of my faith, with a little bit of coffee and a whole lot of Jesus. Oh, that I might have arisen before the birds, and as a young pastor, started my day on the wings of certain faith!

But even as a young pastor, I was foolish and shallow. “God will understand,” I would delude myself. “He knows I have too many things to do, too many people to help, too many lessons to teach and sermons to preach, and too many burdens to bear for both family and church, to be able to spend more time in personal Bible study and prayer. Perhaps young Timotby faced the same temptations, for Paul exhorted him to,

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

We can’t really teach others until we submit ourselves to the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our pursuit of truth.

So it was that foolish, short-sighted reasoning that caused me to leave the house most mornings, having failed to,

“Put on the whole amour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11).

Too many mornings I left the house failing to put on the whole armor of God. Too many days I fell short of God’s best.

You may never have the opportunity to read the last book that the Lord gave me—for it has not been published—but Average Guy Meets Extraordinary God is my account of how the Lord continuously delivered this too busy, too shallow, too self-confident young man from the consequences of his own carelessness and foolish decisions. And the Lord didn’t always save me. Why? Because I needed to learn my lessons well, and sometimes his loving discipline was necessary to indelibly impress them on my heart and mind, that I might grow thereby.

There’s a lesson here for all of us. Those moments you might spend each morning with the Lord are not only precious, but immeasurably profitable.

Earlier I remarked that I open my Bible to review the passage about which I wrote the day before, looking “for some truth to jump out at me.” This morning, that truth was:

“Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake…for that is the will of God” (I Peter 2:13-15).

Wow! That’s a hard saying, for we frequently observe evil leaders setting down ungodly requirements for us. But that is a subject for another day, inasmuch as I was carried me off into a confession of my own failure and subsequent loss of blessing. I pray my testimony profits you.

Perhaps you will better understand it if you start rising an hour or so earlier, to start your day

with…

a little bit of coffee (or OJ or milk) and a WHOLE LOT OF JESUS.

Life will become far more manageable, your labors will be more productive, and your heart will be filled with joy if you follow that practice.

Take it a brother in the faith who has wandered around for 77 years since his confession of faaith. I’ve been privileged to live long enough to learn it the hard way…but I am learning it. Don’t wait too long. Only the Lord knows what you might achieve if you take time to sit at his feet each morning.

_________________

From Frank Becker’s Words of Encoruagement, September 16, 2025.

© 2025, Frank Becker.