Dip and Dye!Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. — Matthew 28:19One year our Moscow pastoral staff had a debate over whether or not it was right or wrong to dye Easter eggs for the annual Easter celebration. In the Russian Orthodox Church, Easter eggs are a very big part of tradition. Therefore, I wanted to include...  Read More

What Should You Do When You Get Offended?Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come.... — Luke 17:1Every so often, everyone has an opportunity to get offended. In fact, Jesus said, “...It is impossible but that offences will come...” (Luke 17:1). The word “impossible” is the word anendektos, meaning something that is impossible, inadmissible, unallowable, or unth...  Read More

Cast All Your Care on the Lord!Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. — 1 Peter 5:7When we were constructing a huge church facility many years ago in the Republic of Latvia — a former Soviet nation where our family once lived and worked — worry and anxiety tried so hard to control me. In fact, worry nearly broke me until I really came to understand and embrace the meaning of First ...  Read More

Peace That Passes UnderstandingAnd the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.— Philippians 4:7Are you tired of letting the devil get you all stirred up? Has it been easy for the enemy to throw you into a frenzy of panic and anxiety? Maybe it doesn’t happen continually to you, but every once in a while, something happens or someone says...  Read More

Are You Dressed In the Whole Armor of God?Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.— Ephesians 6:11Not far from our personal residence is Moscow’s Great Kremlin Palace. Its massive red brick walls rise to the sky with bell towers and clock towers. Its huge, famous ruby-red stars can be seen from all directions in the city of Moscow. One entire side...  Read More

Don’t Do What You’re Tempted To Do When Someone Gets Ugly With You!And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient. — 2 Timothy 2:24Have you ever found yourself in a predicament where you were trying to help someone who resisted you, spoke disrespectfully to you, and just flat out acted ugly? In that instant, did you find your blood boiling, your temp...  Read More

True Profession Is From the HeartLet us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;).— Hebrews 10:23Years ago, I was staying at a pastor’s house while I was preaching in his church. The first day I slept in his home, I became very frustrated early the next morning. About 5 a.m., the telephone started ringing — and it rang and rang and rang. I began to...  Read More

Isolation — A Tool The Devil Uses To Discourage PeopleAnd let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.— Hebrews 10:24My wife and I heard from various sources that a young missionary girl was depressed and discouraged. We were both shocked when we heard it because she always seemed so “up” about everything. She always flashed a big smile on her face; her voice was vivacious; ...  Read More

Rejuvenated by the Spirit of God!But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.— Romans 8:11Recently I was thinking of the pressures and stresses that affect so many people’s lives. People live their lives in their cars as they spend endless hours on expresswa...  Read More

Is Jesus Christ a Fairy Tale to You, Or Do You Really Know Him?...In every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you.— 1 Corinthians 1:5,6The State Hermitage, which is the most famous of all Russian museums, is located on the banks of the Neva River in St. Petersburg, Russia. Within its walls is a huge collection of r...  Read More

The Right Way To Die!I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.— 2 Timothy 4:7When I was just old enough to get a job, I heard about a job opening at the huge cemetery just down the street from where my family lived. The old caretaker needed someone to mow the cemetery lawn. So one day I walked down to the cemetery and knocked on the door at the caretaker’s resid...  Read More

Let God Breathe Into Your Life!All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.— 2 Timothy 3:16Would you be interested in getting plugged into a power source that will permeate you with extraordinary energy, vitality, strength, and wisdom to assist you in overcoming any challenge that comes against you? Of ...  Read More

The Post-Resurrection Appearances of Jesus ChristAnd when he had said this, he breathed on them, And saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost. — John 20:22On Resurrection Day itself, Jesus appeared to the disciples at various times and places. It was simply a physical impossibility for Him to be at so many different places in one day. These appearances therefore revealed that Jesus’ glorified bo...  Read More

Jesus Appears to Mary MagdaleneBut Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, and seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou?...— John 20:11-13When Peter and John left the garden, Mary Magdalene remained behind....  Read More

Peter and John Run to the TombPeter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.— John 20:3,4By the time the women reached the apostles, they must have sounded very confused! On one hand, they reported that the angels said Jesus was alive from the dead. On the other han...  Read More

Resurrection Morning!In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. nd, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.— Matthew 28:1,2Jesus is alive! His resurrection is not merely a philosophical r...  Read More

Buried!Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; And in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.— John 19:41,42John’s gospel tells us that near the crucifixion site, there was a garden. The Greek word for “garden” is kepos, and it refers to any garden with ...  Read More

... . . Source: Sparkling Gems From The Greek Vol. 1: 365 Greek Word Studies For Every Day Of The Year To Sharpen Your Understanding Of God's Word | Rick Renner...  Read More

The Day the Veil Was Rent And the Earth ShookJesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent. — Matthew 27:50,51Matthew, Mark, and Luke all record that on the day Jesus was crucified, the sky turned eerily dark at the sixth hour of the day. Matthew 2...  Read More

Crucified!They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. And they crucified him....— Matthew 27:34,35When Jesus arrived at Golgotha, the Bible says, “They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall....” According to Jewish law, if a man was about to be executed, he could request a narcotic, mingled together with wine, which would help allevia...  Read More

Golgotha: The Place of the Skull And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull. — Matthew 27:32,33  Read More

Scorned!Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!— Matthew 27:27-29After Jesus was sc...  Read More

Scourged!...And when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.— Matthew 27:26What was it like for a prisoner to be scourged in New Testament times? From what materials was a scourge made? How did it feel when the straps of a scourge whipped across a person’s back and body? What effects did a scourging have on the human body?Matthew 27:26 tells us that Pilate “had scourged Jesus” bef...  Read More

‘Not Guilty’[Pilate] said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touchingthose things whereof ye accuse him: No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him. I will therefore chastise him, and release him.— Luke 23:14-16When Jesus was ...  Read More