The Appearance of Evil

Abstain from all appearance of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:22)

The biggest problem I see with Christians today is that, when looking on the surface, there is no distinction between a believer and a non-believer, with the possible exception that the believer attends church on a semi-regular basis. Other than that, when observed from outside of the church walls, believers look and act pretty much like unbelievers. Believers and non-believers wear crosses around their necks. Believers are just as likely to consume alcoholic beverages at restaurants just like unbelievers. Female believers often dress just as immodestly as unbelieving women. Believers and unbelievers are equally fluent in foul language. Believers, like unbelievers, deface their bodies with hideous tattoos except that believers tattoo themselves with “Christian” messages and symbols.

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2022/08/28/the-appearance-of-evil/ 

 The Bible 101

I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. (Psalm 138:2)

I recently took a volunteer position teaching Bible to third to sixth graders in a local Christian school. My first time meeting with these students was Friday, and rather than jump right into the curriculum, I determined to get to know the students and see what their level of understanding was of the Bible. As I expected, their knowledge about the Bible was pretty rudimentary, but still far and above children of the same age who know nothing about the Bible.

For that reason, I prepared a lesson so they might get a glimpse of what the Bible has to say about the Bible. Most Christians (I hope) know some basic facts about the Bible. These students did as well. The Bible is the Word of God. God is the ultimate Author of the Bible. It was written by men inspired by God, the Holy Spirit. It has 66 books, 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. So, what does the Bible have to say about itself?

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2022/08/21/the-bible-101/

There's Only One Fix

 Notwithstanding the LORD turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal. (2 Kings 23:26)

Unlike Israel, the ten tribes that composed the northern kingdom, Judah had a mixture of good and bad kings. The bad kings were those who led Judah into the practice of idolatry. King Manasseh[1] was arguably the worst king Judah ever had. Of him, Scripture records that “Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the children of Israel” (2 Kings 21:9). He “worshipped all the hosts of heaven”[2] (astrology). He built altars to pagan gods in the Temple and to “all the host of heaven.”[3] “And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger” (2 Kings 21:6). So …

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2022/08/14/theres-only-one-fix/

 Tisha B'Av

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

At the posting of this article, August 6-7, 2022, Jews everywhere solemnly observe Tisha B’Av or the Ninth of Av. Av is the fifth month on the Jewish calendar which begins with the month of Nissan. Christians, for the most part, are ignorant of Jewish observations and feasts; but the same God that gave observations to the Jews is not a God who does things arbitrarily or at random and without purpose, and He does not change. So, even though Christians are under a different “covenant” than the Jews, that does not render these observations meaningless. It behooves Christians to study and understand the Jewish feasts and observances because, while they may not directly apply to us, they have great significance in our understanding of our God.

Read more ... https://erniecarrasco.com/2022/08/07/tisha-bav/