Life's Inanities and Ironies

  Pentecost was never a vague “spiritual experience” or the start of some new era detached from Scripture. It was the dramatic, prophesied fulfillment of God’s promise, exactly as a first-century Jew would have understood it—and it remains the same empowering reality for us today. What Pentecost Meant for the People of That Time For the Jews gathered in Jerusalem, Pentecost (Greek for “fiftieth”) was the ancient Feast of Weeks—Shavuot. Fifty days after Passover, they celebrated the firstfruits of the wheat harvest and remembered the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai. It was a time of thanksgiving, covenant renewal, and expectation. Then everything changed. In the upper room, 120 disciples were suddenly filled with the Holy Spirit. “Cloven tongues like as of fire” sat upon each of them (Acts 2:3). They spoke in real, intelligible languages—reversing the confusion of Babel—so that devout Jews from every nation under heaven heard the mighty works of God in their own tongue (Acts 2:5-11...

After Jesus had spoken to them about the kingdom of God and the coming power of the Holy Spirit , something extraordinary happened on the Mount of Olives . The risen Lord—fully alive, fully human, fully divine—was taken up before their very eyes. A cloud received Him out of their sight. In that moment, the King of kings was crowned. This was no mere disappearance. This was the coronation. The same Jesus who had walked dusty roads, touched lepers, calmed storms, and conquered death now ascended to the right hand of the Father. He entered the throne room of heaven not as a servant but as the victorious Sovereign. Every knee in heaven bowed. The angels sang. The Father placed the scepter in His hand. The One who had humbled Himself to the cross was now exalted above every name ( Acts 1:9 ). The disciples stood there, necks craned, eyes locked on the empty sky—exactly where many of us find ourselves today. That is when two men in white appeared with the gentle rebuke that still echoes thr...

  The conversation we’ve been having about biblical truth—*emet* and *aletheia*, Jesus as “the Truth,” and the sobering warning of Proverbs 6:16-19 that God hates a lying tongue—does not exist in a vacuum. From the very beginning, the Church has been locked in battle over truth. False teachers, heresies, and cultural pressures have repeatedly tried to twist, dilute, or replace the clear teaching of Scripture. Conservative Christians today stand in a long line of faithful believers who refused to compromise on the absolute, objective truth revealed by God. These historical debates are not dusty relics; they are urgent warnings for our own day, especially when politicians (and sadly, some church leaders) treat truth as negotiable.  1. The Early Church: Truth vs. Gnostic Secret Knowledge (2nd Century) One of the first major assaults on truth came from Gnosticism, which claimed that salvation came through secret, hidden knowledge (*gnosis*) available only to the enlightened elite....

 In our last exploration we saw that Scripture defines truth as *emet* (faithfulness, certainty) in the Old Testament and *aletheia* (unconcealed reality) in the New—rooted entirely in the unchanging character of God. Jesus declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Truth is not abstract; it is personal, absolute, and divine. But what happens when we set this biblical view alongside the major philosophies of truth developed by human minds? The contrast is stark—and instructive—especially for conservative Christians who hold the Bible as the inerrant, sufficient Word of God. 1. Correspondence Theory (Aristotle, Aquinas, Modern Realism) This is the most intuitive philosophical view: a statement is true if it corresponds to reality—“The cat is on the mat” is true only if the cat really is on the mat. **Biblical alignment:** Scripture strongly affirms correspondence. God’s Word corresponds perfectly to reality because God Himself cannot lie (Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18)...

The Bible does not treat truth as a philosophical abstraction or personal preference. Instead, it presents **truth** as an unchanging, objective reality that flows directly from the character of God Himself. Truth is not something we invent; it is something we discover, obey, and embody because God *is* truth. Scripture uses two primary words for truth—one in the Old Testament and one in the New—that together paint a rich, multi-layered portrait.   1. Old Testament: *Emet* – Truth as Faithfulness and Certainty In Hebrew, the most common word translated “truth” is **emet** (אֱמֶת). It comes from the root *aman*, the same root as “amen” and “faith.” *Emet* carries the idea of firmness, reliability, trustworthiness, and what is solidly established. - ** God Himself is the source and standard of truth. **     “The LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King” (Jeremiah 10:10, ESV).     His word and His promises never fail: “Thy word ...

I woke up this morning with a burden on my heart for the politicians in this country. Now I know that may seem at cross purposes, so to speak, but as I was reading Proverbs 6:16–19, I realized it could be directed directly at the politicians of our day in this country. And the fact that, not once but twice, God mentions how much He hates a liar—I didn’t misspeak; the actual word used is “hate.” I know for many of us it’s hard to think that God hates anyone, especially some of you folks who think, “Oh, God is always love and He wouldn’t do anything to anyone.” This thought and fallacy has sent more people to hell than any other. God makes it very clear what is needed to enter heaven. These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren....

We live in Giant Country. The giants are bigger than ever — government overreach, cultural decay, moral confusion, family breakdown, and open defiance of the living God. They strut across the valley and shout their taunts just like Goliath of Gath. Most of God’s people stand on the hill, dismayed and greatly afraid. But the infallible, inerrant Word of God shows us exactly how one young man survived Giant Country — and how we can too. Turn with me to 1 Samuel 17:32-40. The armies are arrayed. Goliath has defied Israel for forty days. Then David steps forward. David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine” (v. 32). Saul protested: David was just a youth; Goliath was a man of war from his youth. But David answered with the testimony of a man who had already walked with God in the hidden places: “Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after hi...

As we have walked through the opening chapters of 1 Samuel together — watching God choose David, build him in obscurity, and empower him to slay Goliath — we now turn to the heart of the man himself. David was “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22). Nowhere is that heart more clearly revealed than in the inspired Psalms he wrote. Many of these are what Bible scholars call *Psalms of Trust* — raw, honest declarations of faith forged in the furnace of real-life danger, betrayal, pursuit, and warfare. These are not polite religious poems. They are battle hymns of the soul. David trusted the living God when Saul’s spear was flying, when the Philistines had him cornered, when his own son rebelled, and when the future looked impossible. In a day when conservative Christians face cultural giants, government pressure, media mockery, and personal trials, David’s Psalms of Trust are not optional reading — they are survival instructions from the Holy Spirit Himself. Let us exp...

We live in a day when bullies seem to grow larger by the hour. They mock the people of God. They defy the living God Himself. They strut across the cultural battlefield with weapons of intimidation, media, academia, and government power, demanding that we bow or be crushed. But the infallible, inerrant Word of God in 1 Samuel 17:1-54 gives us the clear, timeless answer: **the big bad bully always falls before a heart that trusts the living God.** The scene is set in the Valley of Elah. The Philistines have gathered their armies against Israel. Their champion is Goliath of Gath — nearly ten feet tall, clad in 125 pounds of bronze armor, with a spear like a weaver’s beam and a voice like thunder. For forty days this giant taunted the armies of Israel: “Choose you a man, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.” (v. 8-9) Not one man in...

We return again to the infallible, inerrant Word of God — the Authorized King James Bible — and continue the story the Lord began in 1 Samuel 16. Last week we saw how God *chooses* a king according to the heart. Today we see how the same sovereign God *builds* that king. Turn with me to 1 Samuel 16:14-23. The Scripture declares: “But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.” (v. 14) Saul had rejected the clear command of God. Now God rejected him. The Holy Spirit that once empowered Saul for kingship was gone. In its place came an evil spirit sent by the Lord Himself — not as the author of evil, but as the righteous Judge allowing judgment to fall on a disobedient king. Saul’s servants saw the torment and wisely suggested a solution: “Let our lord now command thy servants… to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and tho...

We live in a world obsessed with outward appearances. Churches pick leaders by résumés. Believers size each other up by social status, education, or charisma. But the living God does not choose as man chooses. The infallible Word of God in 1 Samuel 16:1-13 shows us exactly how the Lord selects His servants — and the truth will challenge every one of us. The Lord told Samuel, “How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? … for I have provided me a king among [Jesse’s] sons” (v. 1). Saul had looked like the perfect king — tall, commanding, the people’s choice. Yet he had disobeyed God’s clear commands. God rejected him. Samuel went to Bethlehem with fear, but the Lord provided the way. Jesse presented his seven older sons before the prophet. Each one looked impressive. Samuel thought the oldest, Eliab, must surely be the one. But God declared: “Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LOR...

In a world obsessed with ROI—return on investment—Proverbs 19:17 delivers a shocking financial truth straight from the mouth of the Holy Spirit: when a believer shows pity to the poor, he is not throwing money away. He is making a secured loan directly to Jehovah Himself. And the repayment is guaranteed. This is not prosperity theology or sentimentalism. This is the inerrant, preserved Word of God. Let us open our King James Bibles and dig deep into this divine promise. The Text (KJV) “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.” (Proverbs 19:17) Hebrew Word-by-Word Exegesis  The original Hebrew (Westminster Leningrad Codex) reads:   **מַלְוֵ֣ה יְ֭הוָה חֹ֣ונֵֽן דָּ֑ל וּ֝גְמֻלֹ֗ו יְשַׁלֶּם־לֹֽו׃** - **חֹונֵֽן (ḥōwēn)** – Qal active participle of חָנַן (*chanan*, Strong’s H2603). It means “to be gracious, to show favor, to have pity or compassion.” This is not mere emotion; it is active, merciful concern that mo...

In an age of tax-deductible foundations, celebrity “giving” campaigns, and virtue-signaling social media posts, the word *philanthropy* has been hijacked by the world. But the Bible—specifically the book of Proverbs—reveals the true meaning of philanthropy: a heart of generous love for others that flows from the fear of the Lord. This is not optional charity for the “socially conscious.” This is commanded obedience for every Bible-believing Christian. The Proverbs are not suggestions from a distant philosopher; they are the inerrant, Spirit-breathed wisdom of the living God. Let us open our preserved King James Bibles and hear what the Lord declares about true philanthropy. “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD” (Proverbs 19:17) This single verse turns all worldly philanthropy upside down. When you give to the needy, you are not merely helping a fellow human—you are making a loan to the Creator Himself. And Scripture promises: “that which he hath given will he pay him ...

In our day of multi-billion-dollar foundations, celebrity charity galas, and social-media virtue signaling, the world loves to crown its own philanthropists. Yet the Bible reveals the true Greatest Philanthropist—not a man with deep pockets, but the unchanging God of heaven. James 1:12-18 pulls back the curtain and shows us the Giver of every good and perfect gift, the One whose generosity knows no variableness or shadow of turning. This is no sentimental devotional. This is the inerrant, preserved Word of the living God speaking directly to His people. Let us open our King James Bibles to James chapter 1, verses 12 through 18. These verses stand as a lighthouse in the midst of a stormy world that lies in the wicked one. Blessed Endurance and the Crown of Life (v. 12) “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” True blessing does not come from escaping trials but from enduri...

In a culture that treats motherhood as optional, burdensome, or even obsolete, the Bible declares it one of the highest callings a woman can receive from her Creator. This Mother’s Day, we turn not to greeting cards or commercial slogans, but to the preserved, infallible Scriptures. We stand unashamedly on God’s Word to exalt motherhood as a divine vocation, a sacred stewardship, and a reflection of the very heart of our Lord. The Portrait of the Virtuous Woman (Proverbs 31:10-31) The Holy Spirit paints the definitive picture of godly motherhood in Proverbs 31. This is no outdated cultural ideal—it is the unchanging standard for every mother and every young woman preparing for that high calling. “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.” The Hebrew word *chayil* means strength, moral excellence, and capable force. This woman is no passive figure; she is a warrior in the home. Her husband trusts her completely because her character is rock-solid. She works willi...

The Apostle Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 1:17-18—“For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God”—were not written in a vacuum. They were penned to a specific church in a specific city at a specific moment in history. To grasp the full power of that old rugged cross on “a hill far away,” we must step back into first-century Corinth and feel the cultural winds Paul faced head-on. Only then does the radical simplicity of his message shine.  A Prosperous, Pagan, Party City on the Isthmus Corinth was no sleepy village. By the time Paul arrived around A.D. 50–52 during his second missionary journey, it was the thriving capital of the Roman province of Achaia (southern Greece). Strategically perched on the narrow isthmus connecting the Peloponnese to mainland Greece, the city ...