Another One Gone!

Another One Gone! | Ernie's Musings

But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. (Genesis 17:21)

It seems like yesterday that we faced the prospect of 2018, and here we stand on the threshold of 2019. The truth of the adage, “time flies,” manifests itself more conspicuously each year that goes by. It is said that once one reaches middle age (whenever that is), it’s all downhill from there. What is not said is also true. The closer one gets to the bottom of the hill the faster the slide goes. I can confirm that from experience!

Read more...https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/12/30/another-one-gone/

Why Christmas?

Why Christmas? | Ernie's Musings

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:17)

It is said that “familiarity breeds contempt.” One need look no further than the season of Christmas to see the truth of this axiom. Forget about the lost world that has no concept of the true meaning of Christmas. Christians, who should possess at least a rudimentary understanding of the significance of the season, too often get caught up in the madness associated with “the holidays” right along with those who know no better.

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/12/23/why-christmas/

The Bethlehem Star

The Bethlehem Star | Ernie's Musings

When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. (Matthew 2:9)

Once more the Christmas season arrived with all the usual pre-season hype of merchants competing for your hard-earned bucks by attempting to convince you that their product will bring you all the love an joy you deserve for “the holidays,” or that their product is the perfect gift to demonstrate your love for a loved one. As Christians, we know, or should know, that the celebration centers around the person of Jesus Christ – God’s gift to us.

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/12/16/the-bethlehem-star/

Pride

Pride | Ernie's Musings

Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom. (Proverbs 13:10)

Pride is not all bad. There is nothing wrong with having a “dignified sense of what is due to oneself or one’s position or character,” i.e., “self-respect; self-esteem.”[1] It took almost five years to build, but I was proud of the 1/60th-scale model of Noah’s Ark that I built for ICR, and I get a sense of pride when people come by and admire it. There is nothing wrong with that kind of pride. If you think about it, God demonstrated that kind of pride at the end of each day of creation when He declared everything “good.” Then on the final day of creation, He declared it all “very good” (Genesis 1:31).

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/12/09/pride/

Things Happen

Things Happen | Ernie's Musings

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. (Matthew 6:34)

With the exception of those who will depart in the Rapture,[1] no one gets out of this world alive. By the same token, no one leaves this world trouble-free.[2] Everyone alive has either experienced trouble, is currently experiencing trouble or will experience trouble in the future. No one is immune.

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/12/02/things-happen/

It’s Here Again

It’s Here Again | Ernie's Musings

Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. (1 Chronicles 16:10)

Thanksgiving Day came and went. We enjoyed a no muss, no fuss Thanksgiving, just June, me, and our dog pack. We brought the old pre-lit Christmas tree down from the attic and set it up. Another section of lights failed. That makes two sections that need to be filled in. We decided the tree is going to the curb at the end of this season. We will look for a new one at the end of season close-out sales.

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/11/25/its-here-again/

One Was Thankful

One Was Thankful | Ernie's Musings

And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, (Luke 17:15)

Thanksgiving Day is upon us, and I’m sure most of us have plans for food, family, friends, and fellowship. In today’s culture, Thanksgiving Day is just a good excuse to have a day (or two) off work, indulge in gluttonous behavior, and worship before the luminous god of football followed by the giving of alms to the god of materialism the next day, all the while in complete ignorance of the significance of the day.

As I thought about Thanksgiving coming up, the Lord brought to mind the account of Jesus healing the ten lepers. We read about that in Luke 17:11-19:

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/11/18/one-was-thankful/

The Borg

The Borg | Ernie's Musings

When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me; Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother. But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way. Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold. And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel. (Deuteronomy 17:14-20)

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/11/11/the-borg/

The Soul

The Soul | Ernie's Musings

Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. (Ezekiel 18:4)

My twice-brother and I engaged in a discussion a few nights ago concerning the meaning of “the soul.” What is the soul? Most people think of the soul as the spiritual essence of a person. The English dictionary seems to support that view:

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/11/04/the-soul/

A Nutshell History of the World

A Nutshell History of the World | Ernie's Musings

Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: (Isaiah 46:9-10)

World history can evenly be divided into three segments of 2,000 years each: from creation to Abraham; from Abraham to Jesus; and from Jesus to the present. I realize that academic historians and anthropologists with Ph.D. degrees will disagree, but they have earned the right to be wrong; so I will acknowledge their opposition and move on.

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/10/28/a-nutshell-history-of-the-world/

Angels

Angels | Ernie's Musings

There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. (Psalm 91:10-11)

I often get asked, “When did God create angels?” That is an understandable question since the Bible often speaks of angels. The word “angel” in Hebrew is mal’âk and aggelos in the Greek. In either language, the word means “messenger.” The English word “angel” appears 203 times in the Bible, and that does not account for the plural form or other terms that describe them.

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/10/21/angels/

The Devil

The Devil | Ernie's Musings

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. (1 Peter 5:8-9)

A 2003 Gallup poll concluded that 70% of Americans believe in the existence of the Devil.[1] A 2009 Barna survey stated, “A minority of Christians indicated that they believe Satan is real by disagreeing with the statement,”[2] i.e., that Satan is a real entity. I could not find a more recent survey, but my observation tells me that most either do not believe in the existence of the Devil or they are unaware or indifferent of his existence. On the darker side, there is a rise in Satan worship and the occult.[3]

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/09/23/the-devil/

How Long, O Lord?

How Long, O Lord? | Ernie's Musings

And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? (Revelation 6:9-10)

I still have my head on my shoulders. I have not lost it or even had the threat of losing it over my faith in Christ. The verse above describes the Tribulation saints martyred for their faith. However, it makes me wonder about the many of our brethren that have died for their faith in other parts of the world. Are they asking the same question? “How long, O Lord do you not judge and avenge our blood?”

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/09/16/how-long-o-lord/

Still Listening Again | Ernie's Musings

Still Listening Again | Ernie's Musings

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).

Every year for at least the last decade – ever since I learned about the Feasts of the Lord[1] – around this time of year, I start getting a little anxious with excitement wondering if this will be the year that Jesus will call His bride home.[2], [3], [4], [5], [6] This Monday, September 10, the Feast of Trumpets comes around again. For those of us who look forward to the Rapture of the Church, this is a “high watch” day. 

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/09/09/still-listening-again/

Artificial Fertilization | Ernie's Musings

Artificial Fertilization | Ernie's Musings

For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. (John 6:33)

Is Artificial Insemination right or wrong? Are there scriptures that can be used to either support or be against it? As Africa is working on catching up with the west, these are some of the Issues so foreign in our culture, but we have to deal with, much more deal with rightly especially for those who profess to be followers of Christ.

Read more: https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/09/02/artificial-fertilization/

Well-Fed Birds

Well-Fed Birds | Ernie's Musings

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? (Matthew 6:26)

This weekend I refilled the bird feeder we keep in our backyard. That last time I filled it was more than a month ago. It seems strange that the birds do not come around as often as they did in the spring. Perhaps the late August heat saps their energy so that it is too much effort to hang on a feeder and peck at the seeds inside. Perhaps the feeder would be more inviting if I put up a birdbath nearby. A nice cool bath might make them hungry.

Read more: https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/08/26/well-fed-birds/

Merit-Based Salvation

Merit-Based Salvation | Ernie's Musings

For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:14)

There exists a common misconception among non-Christians and, sadly, even among some Christians, that when it comes time to meet our Maker that we can gain entrance into the celestial realm based on our merits. As our lead verse suggests, “God shall bring every work into judgment … whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” If challenged, those who hold that view almost always see themselves as better than most. They may admit to “small” sins like telling a “white lie” now and then, stealing a pack of gum, failing to correct a cashier when given too much change, or something equally innocuous. By their estimation, their “good” works will outweigh their “evil” works on the cosmic scales, and God will say, “Good enough!”

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/08/19/merit-based-salvation/

Being Gods

Being Gods | Ernie's Musings

Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? (John 10:34)

When Satan met Eve in the Garden of Eden, he charged that by His prohibition against eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, God denied Adam and Eve of something good. “For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5, emphasis mine).

Being gods remains mankind’s greatest desire. Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/08/12/being-gods/

Only Eight Saved

Only Eight Saved | Ernie's Musings

For Christ also hath once 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: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. (1 Peter 3:18-20)

One of the many attributes of God is that He is longsuffering. The English word first appears in Exodus. “And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation (Exodus 34:6-7). The word “longsuffering” translates two Hebrew words: ‘ârêk meaning long or patient and ‘aph meaning nose or nostril, hence the face. Together they picture the face of God as He patiently looks on His wayward children. The word appears three other times in the Old Testament: Numbers 14:18; Psalm 86:15; Jeremiah 15:15.

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/08/05/only-eight-saved/

Three Fingers Back

Three Fingers Back | Ernie's Musings

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! (Psalm 133:1)

I often hear the charge, “that’s not very Christian” coming from non-Christians when a Christian acts or speaks in a manner which the non-Christian deems inappropriate for a Christian (as if they would know what is or is not appropriate for a Christian). I get that. They make those judgments based on their humanistic worldview that determines right or wrong according to their contrived values. It is a relativistic worldview that authorizes the individual to make value judgments as he sees fit. “Every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). Everyone has his/her own value system. Everyone has his/her own “truth.” One can say or do whatever one wishes as long as it is legal and “it does not hurt anyone else.” That rule applies to everyone – except for Christians. Christians are judged by a different measure. That measure is the subjective preconception of how a Christian ought to behave.

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/07/29/three-fingers-back/

Bad Copy

Bad Copy | Ernie's Musings

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:28)

In 1996, Michael Keaton starred in the movie “Multiplicity” where he plays the part of a man who never seems to have enough time to gets things done.  To resolve this problem, he is offered the opportunity to have himself duplicated, i.e., cloned.  The initial “copy” is pretty good except that he displays some character flaws that the “original” can normally keep under control.  Keaton assigns all the tasks he cannot manage to the copy, and soon the copy becomes overwhelmed and decides to have himself duplicated as well.  The second copy is a little more degraded than the first copy.  The second copy also has himself duplicated, then the third and then the fourth, and so on.  Each subsequent copy is more degraded than the previous until the final copy is a complete drooling imbecile.  The concept makes for a hilarious movie, but it is not that far from the truth.

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/?p=178

Born Gay

Born Gay | Ernie's Musings

Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. (Leviticus 18:22)

The notion that people are “born gay” is based on a flawed and biased study done in 1991 by researcher, Simon LeVay.

Read more: https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/07/15/born-gay/

Closed Borders

Closed Borders | Ernie's Musings

And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; (Acts 17:26)

Images of small children separated from their “parents” caught crossing our southern border illegally, and held in “cages” have aroused the ire of many Americans lately, especially Americans of “Christian” leanings. Like the images of snotty-nosed, emaciated children with sad, tear-stained faces broadcast by the Christian Children’s Fund, UNICEF, and others, or the pictures of abused and neglected dogs and cats displayed by the American Humane Society, these images are intended to wrench the gut and stir the emotions to incite a response. They are manipulative, and they work!

Read more...https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/07/08/closed-borders/

Conversation

Conversation | Ernie's Musings

Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God. (Psalm 50:23)

We engage in conversation on a daily basis. If there is no one around with whom to converse, we sometimes hold a conversation with ourselves or with the dog or cat. Conversation can be completely mindless or profound.

The modern dictionary defines “conversation” as: “informal interchange of thoughts, information, etc., by spoken words; oral communication between persons; talk; colloquy.” In addition, noted as “obsolete,” conversation can mean “behavior or manner of living.”[1] That “obsolete” definition is what we find throughout the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible; therefore, we must grasp this meaning of the word. Otherwise, Scripture, like the passage above, becomes confusing, and the deeper meaning of the text is lost.

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/06/24/conversation/ 

End-Times 101

End-Times 101 | Ernie's Musings

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:52)

I am constantly amazed at how many Evangelical Christians, much less the rest of the world, have no interest in current events as related to end-times prophecy. One reason may be related to Jesus’ prediction of attitudes at the end times. “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Matthew 24:37-39). In context, Jesus was speaking to Jews, not Gentiles, and His prevision referred to His physical return to earth to set up His Millennial Kingdom.

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/06/10/end-times-101/ 

Securing Eternal Life

Securing Eternal Life

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13)

Surely you have heard, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” The adage applies to gimmicks intended to take advantage of the gullible. Those who believe they can obtain eternal life in heaven based on a system of merits think it is “too good to be true” that one can get to heaven by simply believing. Those who realize the gravity of their sinful lives think it is “too good to be true” that they can be absolved of their sin simply by asking and believing. However, it is true. Anyone who wants to can go to heaven. It will only cost you your life. Do not be alarmed. Let me explain, and make it as simply and clearly as possible.

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/06/03/securing-eternal-life/ 

What Can I Give God?

What Can I Give God? | Ernie's Musings

For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. (Psalm 50:10)

I heard a story about two bills that were printed on the same day. One was a one-dollar bill, and the other was a twenty-dollar bill. They became good friends, but as things go with paper money, they were soon separated at the bank and went off in different directions. After many years apart, the two ended up in the same wallet. The one-dollar bill immediately recognized his long lost friend. “Andy! How have you been? What have you been up to?” The twenty-dollar bill responded enthusiastically, “Well, Georgie, let me tell you. I have just been having a grand old time. I have been on several cruises up and down both coasts of the good old USA. I’ve been to all kinds of concerts, and sports events. I have dined at the finest restaurants all over the country. I’ve been having a blast! How about you, Georgie? What have you been up to?” The one-dollar bill sheepishly answered, “Well, you know me, Andy … church, church, church.”

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/05/27/what-can-i-give-god/

Come, Harvest Time!

Come, Harvest Time! | Ernie's Musings

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. (Acts 2:1)

Today, May 20, 2018, celebrates 1988 years since the birth of the Church on Pentecost (provided the Church was born in 30 A.D.). Most modern Christians pay little attention to the day since it is mainly a Jewish observance, and it has never been incorporated into the Christian tradition. However, it might behoove us to give it closer attention. Some end-times prophecy watchers see this Pentecost as a “high watch” day for the Rapture of the Church. I thought the same thing last year and wrote about it, but I was obviously wrong.

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/05/20/come-harvest-time/

Anytime Now! | Ernie's Musings

Anytime Now! | Ernie's Musings

The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap. (Isaiah 17:1)

Much to the chagrin of the Iranian leadership, President Donald Trump announced in May 8, 2018, that he is pulling the US out of the controversial Iranian nuclear deal. In their indignation, Iran lashed out at Israel in a midnight attack sending 20 rockets aimed at Israeli military targets in the Golan Heights on May 10, 2018.[1] Israel’s Iron Dome air defense intercepted four of the 20 rockets into Israeli territory. The remaining rockets fell harmlessly in Syrian territory displaying the “iron dome” of God.

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/05/13/anytime-now/

Spiritual Contortions

Spiritual Contortions | Ernie's Musings

And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. (Luke 16:15)

Have you ever patted yourself on the back? I mean, have you literally reached around behind your neck and patted yourself on the back? I have, and I can honestly say it’s not so easy nor is it very rewarding. It feels better when someone else comes behind you with a solid pat on the back and a heartfelt, “Good job!” In comparison, self-approval always rings rather hollow.

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/05/06/spiritual-contortions/ 

Bare Naked

Bare Naked | Ernie's Musings

And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. (Genesis 3:7)

Man (and woman) was created in the image of God – Imago Dei for the sophisticates. That image incorporates many of God’s attributes without the omni- aspect of those attributes. Man is a rational being, although that ability to reason progressively wanes through constant rejection of God (Romans 1:28). 

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/04/29/bare-naked/

Plant Death

Plant Death | Ernie's Musings

And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. (Genesis 1:29)

Plants do not possess life in the biblical sense. The Bible almost always refers to plant “death” as “withering.” The Bible says that “the life of the flesh is in the blood” (Leviticus 17:11). Plants do not have blood; therefore, plants do not have life, neither do they die in the biblical sense. The prophet Isaiah wrote: “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever” (Isaiah 40:8). Notice that he says that the grass “withers,” not that it dies.

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/04/22/plant-death/

Nothing Changes!

Nothing Changes! | Ernie's Musings

The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9)

Nothing changes! Well, that is not exactly true. Many things change. The First Law of Thermodynamics informs us that matter/energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it can only be changed. The Second Law of Thermodynamics tells us that everything is changing from order to disorder. I experience that every day as I endure the aging process.

However, humanly speaking with regard to our relationship with our Creator, nothing really changes. We may be more technologically advanced than past generations, but we still fall into the same sin traps that Satan sets before us. Nothing changes!

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/04/15/nothing-changes/

Rain

Rain | Ernie's Musings

… for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:45)

As I sit here, I smell the scent of moist earth and feel the freshness of freshly washed ozone. For now, the night is quiet and peaceful save for the distant sound of a siren on its way to one emergency or another, but earlier it was not so. The same dark clouds that brought the much-needed moisture to my house also delivered large stones of ice to others. At this time of year, the same clouds that carry the welcomed precipitation can also harbor violent storms that wreak havoc on anything in their paths.

There's more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/04/08/rain/

Not Here!

Not Here | Ernie's Musings

And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. (Mark 16:6)

Mohammad’s bones lay at rest in the Al-Masjid an-Nabawi (the “Mosque of the Prophet”) in the city of Medina, Saudi Arabia. They cremated Buddha’s body and divided his ashes among several Buddhist temples in Asia. The remains of Confucius reside in a grave in his hometown of Qufu, Shandong Province, China. The remains of these and others are enshrined by the followers of the religions they founded, and the location of their tombs are known. Followers of these various religions can point to the tombs and say, “Here lies so-and-so, founder of religion ‘you-name-it.’”

However, Christians cannot make such claims. 

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/04/01/not-here/

Jesus’ Last Days | Ernie's Musings

Jesus’ Last Days | Ernie's Musings

And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, (Luke 9:51)

Jesus spent most of His time in ministry around the Sea of Galilee. His “mission base” was in Capernaum, probably staying at the house of Peter. As the time for His crucifixion approached, Jesus traveled up to Caesarea Philippi with His disciples – the furthest north He ever traveled (Matthew 16:13).

Read (lots) more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/03/25/jesus-last-days/

Living Temples

Living Temples | Ernie's Musings

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  (1 Corinthians 6:19)

Many Christians today are indistinguishable from nonbelievers. They go to the same places as nonbelievers. They behave in many ways like unbelievers. Most of my Facebook friends are Christians, and frequently I find pictures of them in what appear to be bars holding what appears to be wine or mixed drinks. Granted, the picture does not tell the whole story. The drinks in their hands could be non-alcoholic; the “evidence” is inconclusive, and one should not judge on appearances. However, the Bible does instruct Christians to “Abstain from all appearance of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22, emphasis mine), and what is presented bears the “appearance” of evil.

Instantly I hear the protest now ... Read more: https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/03/18/living-temples/

The Gates of Hell | Ernie's Musings

The Gates of Hell | Ernie's Musings

And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. (Matthew 16:16)

Most of Jesus’ earthly ministry centered around the Sea of Galilee, aka the Sea of Tiberius, with His ministry headquarters at Capernaum. The furthest north He traveled, as recorded in the Gospels, was Caesarea Philippi, an ancient Roman city located at the southwestern base of Mount Hermon. Formerly, it carried the name of Paneas in association with the Greek god Pan. Herod the Great erected a white marble (pagan) temple there in honor of Caesar Augustus in 19 BC. Philip II (the Tetrarch) founded the city of Paneas and renamed it Caesarea in honor of Caesar Augustus in 14 AD.

Read more...https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/03/11/the-gates-of-hell/

Jesus’ Brethren

Jesus’ Brethren | Ernie's Musings

There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. (Mark 3:31)

One of the tenets of the Roman Catholic Church holds that Mary, the mother of Jesus, remained a perpetual virgin her entire life, but that is not what the Gospels teach. Here in this passage from Mark’s Gospel, as well as in Matthew 12:46-50 and Luke 8:19-21, we see a different story.

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/03/04/jesus-brethren/

Evil Servant

Evil Servant | Ernie's Musings

But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; (Matthew 24:48)

Matthew 24 begins what is known as Jesus’ “Olivet Discourse.” Jesus spoke these words on the Mount of Olives just two days before He went to the cross (Matthew 26:2). Jesus had just issued a series of eight “woes” against the Jewish religious leaders—the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23:13-33) ... As the disciples stood around hearing these words, their curiosity piqued. “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” (Matthew 24:3).

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/?p=1990

Bewildered

Bewildered | Ernie's Musings

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. (2 Timothy 3:1)

This week our nation suffered another horrendous tragedy – the mass murder of students and teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Ironically, the massacre took place on Valentine’s Day, which also happened to be Ash Wednesday. “Where was God in all of this?” is the first question many ask.

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/02/18/bewildered/

High Cost of Admission

High Cost of Admission | Ernie's Musings

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 19:23)

Another Super Bowl came and went. I did not go, nor did I watch it, but I know the cost of admission was outrageous, even for the cheap seats. I read that the cheapest seats in the upper level, 11 rows from the top in the corner of the end zone, sold for $4900.[1] Undoubtedly, people actually paid the high cost of admission for the “experience,” and I am sure that today they are boasting that it was worth the “sacrifice.” For those willing to shell out that kind of cash, the price of admission was not too high a cost.

The Gospel writer, Matthew, records an account of “one” who came to Jesus asking about the cost of admission to “eternal life.”

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/02/11/high-cost-of-admission/

Intelligent Design | Ernie's Musings

Intelligent Design | Ernie's Musings

Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: (Jeremiah 32:17)

The Intelligent Design Movement (IDM) originated around 1987, according to Wikipedia,[1] for the purpose of debunking the theory of evolution from a strictly scientific perspective. Wikipedia says that IDM “is a neo-creationist religious campaign for broad social, academic and political change to promote and support the pseudoscientific idea of intelligent design (ID), which asserts that ‘certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection’” (emphasis mine). One must consider the source! Wikipedia charges that the “movement arose out of the previous Christian fundamentalist and evangelistic creation science movement in the United States, and is driven by a small group of proponents. The overall goal of the intelligent design movement is to overthrow materialism and atheism” (emphasis mine). The author takes a defensive posture against IDM and tends to minimize the scientific research behind the movement.

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/02/04/intelligent-design/

Walking On Water

Walking On Water | Ernie's Musings

And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. (Matthew 14:29)

One of my favorite accounts recorded in the Gospels is that of Peter walking on water. Everyone knows that Jesus walked on the water, but no one remembers that Peter walked on the water too. Most people focus on the fact that Peter sank. Peter succumbed to the natural laws of physics, but he did walk on water.

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/01/28/walking-on-water/

End of the World

End of the World | Ernie's Musings

The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; (Matthew 13:41)

In the thirteenth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus relates several parables illustrating the “kingdom of heaven.” Beginning with verse 24, He compares the kingdom of heaven to a field that a farmer sowed with wheat (“good seed”). Then at night, while the farmer slept, an enemy came and sowed tares in the same field. The tares to which Jesus referred were probably some kind of darnel that looks much like wheat before it matures. Once it matures the difference becomes obvious.

Read more .... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/01/21/end-of-the-world/

Alien Intrusion Reviewed

Alien Intrusion Reviewed | Ernie's Musings

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12)

Thursday evening I met some friends at a movie theater in Plano, TX to watch the documentary Alien Intrusion: Unmasking the Deception.[1] Since I read the book by the same name by author Gary Bates, I had a good understanding of the topic, so there were no surprises.

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/01/14/alien-intrusion-reviewed/

Tough Love

Tough Love | Ernie's Musings

He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. (Matthew 10:37)

I may be wrong, but I sense that every Christian experiences this dilemma to one degree or another. 

Read more... https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/01/07/tough-love/