In Genesis chapter 18, God appears to Abraham and tells him that Sarah will have a son in her old age. When Abraham hears this, he laughs to himself, thinking it impossible for a 100-year-old woman to bear a child. God then asks Abraham, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” This question reveals important truths about God’s character and abilities. The Context of God’s Question To understand the significance of God’s question, it is helpful to examine the context. In Genesis 18, three men appear to Abraham as he is sitting at the entrance of his tent. Abraham rushes…
Author: Tim Collings
The Bible does not specifically mention millennials or delineate generational differences. However, it does provide timeless principles about human nature, relationships, and wise living that can offer insight into this topic. All People Share a Common Humanity According to the Bible, all people are created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27) and inherit a sinful nature from Adam’s fall (Romans 5:12). Therefore, every generation struggles with the same spiritual condition and need for salvation (Romans 3:23). While cultural differences may exist between generations, their core desires, struggles, and need for redemption are the same (Ecclesiastes 1:9). All Generations Need Wisdom and…
Naboth was a man who lived during the reign of King Ahab in the northern kingdom of Israel. He is mentioned in 1 Kings 21 as the owner of a vineyard that Ahab wanted to acquire. When Naboth refused to sell his vineyard to Ahab, the king’s wife Jezebel arranged to have Naboth falsely accused and stoned to death so that Ahab could take possession of the vineyard. The story illustrates how ruthless and corrupt Ahab and Jezebel were, taking advantage of their power for selfish gain. God later pronounced judgment on Ahab and Jezebel for their actions regarding Naboth…
Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” This verse encourages us to fill our minds with positive, uplifting thoughts that reflect God’s values and perspective. There are several key points we can take away from this verse: We should focus our thoughts on truth – truth revealed in God’s word and in Christ. We should dwell on what is honorable and just – things that align with God’s…
Human cloning is a complex and controversial topic that raises many ethical, moral, and theological questions for Christians. At its core, human cloning involves creating a genetically identical copy of a human being. This is usually done by transferring the nucleus from a donor adult cell into an egg cell that has had its nucleus removed. The resulting embryo is then implanted into a surrogate mother to gestate and give birth. While the idea of human cloning captures the imagination, many Christians have reservations about pursuing this technology. God is the Author of Life A fundamental principle for Christians is…
Young Earth Creationism is the belief, based on a literal reading of the Book of Genesis, that the Earth and universe were created by God in six 24-hour days, sometime between 5,700 and 10,000 years ago. This view stands in contrast to Old Earth Creationism, which accepts the scientific evidence that the Earth is around 4.5 billion years old, as well as evolution and other scientific theories, while still holding that God created the universe. Some key beliefs of Young Earth Creationism include: – The Book of Genesis provides an accurate, literal account of the origin and history of the…
Determining Joseph’s age when Jesus was born requires some detective work, as the Bible does not directly state his age. However, by examining several biblical clues, we can arrive at a reasonable estimate. Clues about Joseph’s Age from the Bible Here are some key facts from the Bible that provide clues about Joseph’s age: Mary and Joseph were engaged but not yet married when she became pregnant with Jesus (Matthew 1:18). Engagements typically happened when the man and woman were in their teens or early 20s. After finding out Mary was pregnant, Joseph initially planned to “divorce her quietly” (Matthew…
Jesus mentioned Tyre and Sidon in Luke 10:14 as part of his condemnation of the cities where he had done most of his miracles and teachings, yet they still rejected him. Tyre and Sidon were wicked pagan cities, yet Jesus said they would have repented if they had seen the miracles he did. This highlights both the unique privilege and responsibility of those who witnessed Jesus’ ministry firsthand. Here is the full verse in context (Luke 10:13-15): “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon,…
The American Gospel documentaries are a series of films that examine the core question “What is the gospel?” from an evangelical Christian perspective. The films were produced by Brandon Kimber, an American filmmaker. So far there have been three installments in the series: American Gospel: Christ Alone (2018) The first film in the series explores the biblical gospel and compares it to the “prosperity gospel” and “social gospel” movements in America. It features interviews with respected theologians like John MacArthur, Paul Washer, and Voddie Baucham who argue that the biblical gospel centers solely on the life, death, and resurrection of…
Is it a Sin to Play Poker? The question of whether it is a sin for Christians to play poker is one that does not have a definitive yes or no answer in the Bible. There are arguments on both sides of this issue, with some Christians believing poker is inherently sinful, while others see no problem with playing poker recreationally. In exploring what the Bible teaches about gambling and related issues, we can come to some conclusions, but there is room for disagreement among faithful Christians. Definitions and Background First, it is important to clarify what is meant by…