Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten season in the Christian church calendar. It falls 46 days before Easter Sunday, not counting Sundays. The date changes from year to year, but it is always between February 4th and March 10th. On Ash Wednesday, Christians attend church services where ashes are placed on their foreheads in the shape of a cross. The ashes are made by burning palm leaves from the previous year’s Palm Sunday service. This symbolizes repentance and mourning for sins. As the ashes are applied, the minister says “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you…
Author: Mike Solis
The Bible does not directly mention Santa Claus, as he is a modern fictional character. However, it does provide guidance for parents on related issues of truth telling and materialism. Here is a 9000 word exploration of what the Bible has to say to help parents decide what to tell their children about Santa. The Importance of Truthfulness The Bible emphasizes the importance of truthfulness. Exodus 20:16 states “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” Ephesians 4:25 says “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members…
Simon the Zealot was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ. He is mentioned by name in all four lists of the apostles in the New Testament (Matthew 10:4, Mark 3:18, Luke 6:15, Acts 1:13). Beyond his name appearing in Scripture, very little is known for certain about Simon’s life. The epithet “the Zealot” helps distinguish him from the other Simon among the twelve disciples, Simon Peter. The title likely indicates that he belonged to a Jewish sect called the Zealots before becoming a follower of Jesus. The Zealots opposed Roman rule over Judea and sought to incite a…
The Bible has a lot to say about our emotional lives and offers wisdom and insights on how to handle our feelings and cultivate emotional health. Here are some key Bible verses about emotions: Anger “Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.” (Psalm 37:8) “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.” (Ephesians 4:26-27) These verses encourage us to control our anger and not let it lead us into sin. We should express anger in healthy ways and…
The Bible has a lot to say about authority and how we should relate to it as Christians. Here is an overview of some key biblical passages that touch on this important topic. Romans 13:1-7 – Submitting to Governing Authorities Romans 13 contains one of the most extensive passages on relating to earthly authorities. In summary, it teaches that governing authorities are established by God and we are to submit to them. The only exception would be if the authorities command something contrary to God’s Word. Some key verses include: Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For…
Christianism is the religion based on the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus was a Jewish teacher and prophet who lived in the 1st century AD in ancient Palestine under Roman occupation. Here are some key aspects of Christianism explained in detail: Core Beliefs – There is one God who created the universe and everything in it. God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. (Genesis 1:1, Jeremiah 32:17, Psalm 147:5) – Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament. Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of…
Calling upon the name of the Lord is an important concept in the Bible that appears numerous times throughout both the Old and New Testaments. At its core, it refers to invoking the Lord’s name in prayer, worship, and times of need as an appeal for His help and deliverance. Let’s explore in more depth what the Bible says about calling on the Lord’s name and why it matters. Examples of Calling on the Lord’s Name There are many examples in Scripture of people calling upon the name of the Lord. Here are a few key ones: Abraham “called upon…
The verse in Ephesians 4:26 that says “In your anger do not sin” is an important verse for Christians to understand. Anger is a natural human emotion that everyone experiences at times, but the Bible tells us that we need to be careful not to let our anger cause us to sin. The full verse in Ephesians says, “In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold” (Ephesians 4:26-27). Let’s break this down to understand what Paul is teaching in this passage: 1.…
The Book of Zechariah is one of the books of the Old Testament and Jewish Tanakh. It records the prophecies of Zechariah, the prophet who began prophesying sometime between Haggai, during the building of the second temple in Jerusalem in the 6th century BC following Israel’s return from the Babylonian exile. The Book of Zechariah can be divided into two parts: the first part containing chapters 1-8, and the second part containing chapters 9-14. The first part contains prophecies from the earlier period of Zechariah’s ministry, when the temple was being rebuilt. The second part contains prophecies from a later…
In Leviticus chapter 12, the Bible outlines purification rituals for women after childbirth. Verses 2-5 detail the lengths of time a woman was considered ceremonially unclean following the birth of a son versus a daughter: “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If a woman conceives and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days. As at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. Then she shall continue for thirty-three days in the blood of her purifying. She shall not touch anything…