Tarot cards originated in 15th century Italy as a card game called Tarocchi. Over the centuries, the cards took on divinatory meanings and became associated with occult and esoteric practices. Today, tarot cards are most commonly used for divination and introspection. The traditional tarot deck consists of 78 cards divided into two groups: the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana consists of 22 cards representing archetypal images and major life lessons or forces. Cards like The Fool, The Magician, The High Priestess, The Empress, and The World are some examples. The Minor Arcana consists of 56 cards…
Author: Mike Solis
The topic of celibacy, or abstaining from marriage and sexual relations, is directly addressed in several places in the Bible. There are differing perspectives on whether Scripture presents celibacy as a spiritual “gift” that is supernaturally bestowed upon some believers by God. On one hand, in 1 Corinthians 7:7-9, the apostle Paul expresses his preference for believers to remain unmarried and celibate, as he is. However, he acknowledges that celibacy is not for everyone, but only for those who have been given this gift by God: “I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own…
The middle verse of the Bible is Psalm 118:8, which states: “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.” This verse comes exactly at the center of the 1,189 chapters in the Bible. Knowing the significance of this central verse can provide insight into the overall message of Scripture. To understand why Psalm 118:8 is the middle verse, it’s important to first look at the structure of the Bible. The Bible is divided into two main sections: the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament has 929 chapters and the New Testament…
Joshua 1:9 says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” This verse contains a promise from God to Joshua as he was about to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. But does this promise apply to Christians today as well? There are a few key things to consider when determining if Old Testament promises apply to modern believers: What was the original context and audience? Is the promise conditional or unconditional? Is the principle behind the promise…
In Matthew 5:25, Jesus says, “Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.” This verse comes in the midst of Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount, where He is teaching His followers about living in God’s kingdom. So what does Jesus mean when He tells us to “agree with your adversary quickly”? Let’s explore the context and meaning of this important verse. The Context of Matthew 5:25 Matthew 5:25 comes right after Jesus’…
This is a common question that arises when considering the nature of Jesus Christ and His relationship to God the Father. At first glance, it may seem strange that if Jesus is God, He would refer to another (the Father) as “My God.” A full understanding requires examining what the Bible says about the Trinity and the incarnation of Jesus. The Dual Nature of Christ A key point is that Jesus Christ has two natures – fully God and fully man. This is a core doctrine of Christian theology known as the hypostatic union. When Jesus took on human flesh,…
Does the Bible Say to Believe in Yourself? The topic of believing in oneself is not directly addressed in the Bible. However, there are some biblical principles that relate to this idea. Self-Confidence vs. God-Confidence The Bible does warn against pride and self-sufficiency – thinking you can accomplish everything on your own without God’s help (Proverbs 16:18; 1 Corinthians 10:12). However, it does not teach that we should have no confidence in ourselves or our abilities. In fact, the Bible says we are “God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk…
This statement by Jesus to Peter is recorded in Matthew 16:23. To understand why Jesus said this, we need to look at the context. In Matthew 16, Jesus had asked his disciples who people were saying he was. They responded with various opinions – John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the other prophets. But when Jesus asked them directly, “Who do you say I am?”, Peter responded, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16). Jesus commended Peter for this statement of faith, saying that this truth had been revealed to him by God.…
This is an important question that deserves careful examination. Numbers 23:19 says, “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” At first glance, this verse seems to contradict the Christian belief that Jesus is God incarnate – that is, God in human flesh. However, when we look more closely at the context and meaning of this passage, we can see that there is no contradiction. Here are several key points…
This question gets at an important issue that many struggle with in relating to God – is following Him restrictive and opposed to enjoying life, or does He actually offer us true fulfillment? There are a few key perspectives to consider on this topic: God’s laws and commands can seem restrictive It’s true that God gives us many laws and commands in the Bible that restrict behaviors – like prohibiting sexual immorality, greed, idolatry, and dishonesty (see Exodus 20, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Ephesians 5:3-5). For those who don’t believe these behaviors are wrong, or who want to live according to…