Issues In Perspective: Recent Episodes
Dr. Jim Eckman
Jesus is resurrected from the dead, conquering sin, Satan and death and then proclaims His Great Commission to His church.
Jesus teaches about who enters the kingdom and the events leading up to His crucifixion unfold.
The Olivet Discourse of Jesus deals with end times events and the admonition to be ready and be faithful.
The Pharisees, Herodians and Sadducess all challenge Jesus and HIs Messianic authority.
Jesus teaches on servant leadership and then presents Himself to Israel as their Messiah via the Triumphal Entry.
Jesus gives instructions on the methodology of church discipline and on the importance of forgiveness.
Jesus teaches on kingdom values, including humility and our obligations to fellow kingdom citizens.
Jesus continues performing His miracles proving He is the Messiah, but also teaching His disciples profound truth about Himself.
Jesus has presented Himself as the Messiah, now Matthew records the response of Galilee to His Messiahship.
Jesus sends out His 12 Apostles and counsels them on expectations, preparation and the message.
Messianic miracles are followed by an expression of His compassion and the commissioning of His 12 apostles to represent Him.
words and works prove His messiahship, but opposition is growing among the scribes and Pharisees.
Jesus performs a series of Messianic miracles fulfilling Old Testament prophecies that prove who He is.
Jesus completes His Sermon on the Mount by focusing on four choices we need to make in life.
Jesus completes His interpretation of the Law and now gives focus to the practice of righteousness.
interpretation of the Law focuses on the call to internal righteousness, not the facade of external righteousness alone.
Jesus completes His review of kingdom virtues and issues the challenge to be salt and light for Him.
As Jesus begins His Sermon on the Mount, He gives focus to the virtues of the Kingdom, sometimes called the Beatitudes.
Jesus begins His Galilean ministry, teaching, preaching and doing Messianic miracles proving He is the Messiah.
John baptizes Jesus, the Spirit comes and the Father proclaims His Beloved Son as the Messiah.
The Release of Satan, the Great White Throne and the New Heaven and New Earth round out this magnificent book.
The triumphant return of Jesus, the defeat of His enemies and the establishment of His 1,000 year reign.
A triumphant vision of Jesus followed by the prophetic proclamations of six angels--a prelude to the bowl judgments.
God raises up the two witnesses to challenge the Beast (the antichrist), by faithfully proclaiming the truth for 3 1/2 years.
s witnesses during the Tribulation, with the result that countless come to faith and their prayers are answered by the Trumpet judgments of God.
John is in the throne room of heaven witnessing the concentric circles of worship and adoration of the father and the Son.
Revelation: Introductory items on the book, plus the opening verses that introduce Jesus Christ and His Revelation to John.
Introduction to Prophecy, part 6: Jesus' Olivet Discourse closes with the exhortation to be ready and be faithful, while Paul encourages the Thessalonians with the teaching on the Rapture and his warning about the signs of the Day of the Lord.
Introduction to Prophecy, part 5: The Olivet Discourse of Jesus (Matthew 24): Jesus answers His disciples' questions about the sign of His coming and the end of the age.
Jeremiah promises of the "branch of David" (23) and the New Covenant (31) are complemented by the prophecies of Ezekiel 36 and 37 on the New and Davidic Covenants.
Daniel's concern about how God's covenant people fit into the framework laid out in chapters 2, 7 and 8 is answered by the angel Gabriel and the details of the 70th week.
Daniel presents a four-kingdom sequence for world history with history ending with the establishment of God's kingdom on earth.
Introduction to Prophetic Scripture: 27% of the Bible is Prophecy and God establishes five benefits associated with studying prophecy.
God completes His interrogation of Job, with Job responding in humility, confession and repentance, after which God restored Job's health, wealth and position.
Elihu counsels Job to allow God to teach him through his suffering and understand His justice and sovereignty.
In contrast to Job's three friends, Elihu chastises them and Job as he answers Job's questions.
Job's questions remain unanswered but he revels in the majesty, power and wisdom of God.
Job's three friends contend that they have God all figured out and can therefore judge Job, which he emphatically rejects.
Job goes from the downward spiral of despair to the heights of an affirmation of the resurrection.
Bildad's accusations are followed by Job's seeking to present his case directly to God.
Zophar focuses on God's omniscience to accuse Job, who responds with a perspective on God that rejects the singular focus of his friends.
Bildad evaluates Job's condition through God's justice, Zophar through God's omniscience but Job sarcastically rebukes their incomplete view of God.
Satan challenges God about his championing Job as a worthy worshipper and Job laments his suffering condition.
The nature of Satan and his rebellion are detailed, plus his challenge to God about Job.
Job is one of the wisdom books of the Bible, completing Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. Job is introduced as a man who walked with God, upright and devoted to Him.
In this chapter, Peter details the message of hope centered on Jesus keeping His promises to return for us.
Peter assures his readers that God will deal with the false teachers in judgment and rescue those who belong to Him from His wrath.
Peter closes his letter with an exhortation to elders, the importance of character and an emphasis on God's grace.
Peter offers several important truths about how believers should approach suffering in this broken world.
In light of Christ's suffering, we are to die to the old life and live a transformed life in "these last days.”
Peter issues a call to righteous living in the midst of acute suffering and persecution.
The virtue of submission is applied to the primary economic institution of the ancient world and to the family.
Peter challenges us to see ourselves as sojourners and exiles conducting ourselves honorably, highlighting the virtue of submission to the authorities in our lives.
To receive Christ makes us "living stones," part of the new building God is constructing with Jesus as our cornerstone and peak-stone serving as priests offering daily sacrifices to our God.
Peter summarizes the position of believers and their relationship with the heavenly Father, one characterized by reverence, faith, hope and love.
Peter emphasizes the life of faith in a Savior prophesied in the Spirit-inspired Old Testament, which results in a life of hope and holiness.
Peter reviews the incredible blessings of salvation in Jesus Christ and the "living hope" to which the Father is calling us.
An introduction on the character of Peter, his impulsive nature and how God transformed him, followed by Peter's greeting to the persecuted churches of the Roman provinces of Asia, Pontus and others.
These two short epistles of John focus on truth, hospitality and faithfulness as a leader.
John summarizes the testimonies to Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God; and then how our faith in Him affects our praying and our walk with God.
John reviews the content of the Christian faith and the testimonies to the truth that Jesus is the Messiah.
"God is love"--the implications and obligations that go with that proposition are John's emphasis.
Discerning truth from error begins with how one views Jesus and the command to love one another is rooted in God's very being, for God is love.
John contrasts Cain and Jesus on the matter of love and offers three major tests of assurance for the believer.
John calls his readers to a life of purity and anchors the call in the promise of Jesus to return, when we shall be "like Him" and "see Him as He is”
John warns his people about false teachers among them and exhorts them to know sound doctrine, continue walking with the Spirit and walking in righteousness.
Walking in the "light" with Jesus is a walk of loving obedience, assurance and not "loving the world" or its desires and its pride.
Our fellowship with God is affected by our sin and John gives three truths about how we deal with sin in our lives to facilitate that fellowship.
Introducing the letter with an overview, and then examining how John presents Jesus as the incarnate God in the first four verses.
In defiant pride and energized by Satan (1 Chronicles 21:1), David orders a census for military purposes which results in God's discipline but also leads him to purchase land for the Temple on Mt. Moriah.
These chapters are an epilogue to the book, covering David's just response to the Gibeonites, neutralizing the Philistines and his praise hymn to God who gave him victory in battling Israel's enemies.
David escapes Jerusalem and prepares for the battle with Absalom, who is killed by Joab.
Like a modern politician, Absalom intentionally presents himself as an alternative king, and is crowned king in Hebron; David flees Jerusalem.
David is paralysed by the guilt from his sin and cannot act decisively as the King or as a father regarding his sons Amnon and Absalom.
David mourns the loss of his son; Amnon rapes his half-sister Tamar; but David refuses to discipline Amnon.
David's sin with Bathsheba and the subsequent murder of her husband Uriah resulted in 5 consequences for David's family and the kingdom.
David returns the Ark to Jerusalem and "dances before the LORD;" God then establishes the Davidic Covenant, promising to David an eternal throne, dynasty and kingdom.
David is crowned king of all 12 tribes, makes Jerusalem his capital, neutralizes the Philistine threat and brings the Ark to Jerusalem.
The civil war between the House of David and the House of Saul ends with murder, assassination and bloodshed, but David begins to unify the 12 tribes with grace, compassion and justice.
David is crowned king in Hebron but must deal with the civil war orchestrated by Abner.
Saul hits his spiritual bottom by going to a medium for counsel and David hits his spiritual bottom by his plans to join the Philistines in a war against his own people.
In his confrontation with Nabal, God uses Abigail to teach David to trust God to deal with his enemies, not with vengeance but with justice.
After Saul kills the priests at Nob, David's contrite heart results in a growing dependence on God and profound lesson in leadership.
Saul develops a hatred of David, tries to kill him directly and indirectly and is consumed by jealousy, fear and delusional paranoia.
David, anointed to be the next king of Israel, plays music in Saul's court, soothing his spirit, and declares Goliath the enemy of the true God of Israel.
The LORD rejects Saul as King and David is anointed as king, with the Spirit annoying him as well for service.
Saul's downward spiral continues as his troops defy him and as he defiantly disobeys the Lord.
Saul's fear and pride lead him to destructive decisions that affect his family and the nation of Israel.
Samuel proclaims Saul king and gives him three signs from God to confirm his anointing.
Israel asks for a King, Samuel warns them of the consequences and Saul is introduced as the king.
As the Philistines capture the Ark, God disciplines Israel and reveals Himself to the Philistines.
The LORD judges Eli and his sons and calls Samuel as judge, priest and prophet to Israel.
Hannah dedicates Samuel to the LORD and offers an extraordinary prayer to God, reflecting a depth of understanding about theology that is astounding and remarkable.
Hannah, Samuel's mother, epitomizes how the ceremonial law was to work in ancient Israel.
James encourages believers to pray, to be patient and to seek to restore those who wander from the truth.
James addresses the "disease" of worldliness, offering its symptoms and its deceitfulness.
James argues that controlling our speech is the mark of self-control and calls for wisdom and understanding in the believer's life.
James details the 3 aspects of true "religion" and condemns "partiality" as an affront to God.
God is the giver of only good gifts and we should respond to HIs Word as disicplined doers, not heedless hearers.
James explains how God's curriculum for spiritual growth involves trials and the testings of our faith.
Paul defends the freedom believers have in Christ against the legalists and grace-killers in the church.
Paul concludes his defense of justification by faith with a personal appeal and an allegory.
The reconciliation of Paul and James--justification by faith and justification by works.
Paul demonstrates the inferiority and temporary nature of the Law in comparison with the Abrahamic Covenant.
Paul defends justification by faith using experience, Abraham, the curse of the Law and its relationship to the Abrahamic Covenant.
Paul defends his Apostoic authority and his free-grace gospel, both of which his critics rejected.
Paul presents himself as an apostle of Christ and expresses his shock that the Galatian churches are turning to "another" gospel.
Solomon probes the value of living a wise life vs. a foolish one, including how the wise person responds to authority.
Since God's providence is real, does prosperity evidence God's blessing and adversity evidence God's anger?
Solomon further explores the mysteries of God's sovereignty and providence, and the gift of joy that He offers humanity.
Solomon ends his discussion of the futility of materialism and brings God into his evaluation of the meaning of life.
Solomon lives a life of complete self-indulgence, discovering that it too is futile and empty.
Solomon tests his thesis with the pursuit of human wisdom, finding that this too is "vanity.”
Paul gives greetings to the five house churches in Rome, issues a two-fold warning and concludes the book with a majestic doxology.
Paul reviews the Christian's ethical duty to government and the fulfilling of the Law though love.
Paul calls for the worship of God and introduces his teaching on the godly living that results from sound doctrine.
Paul declares forcefully that God is not done with the Jewish people and will bring them to salvation at the return of His Son.
As Paul explains the sovereign freedom of God, he defends God's justice and His fairness.
Paul expresses his agony that His people have rejected Jesus as their Messiah and then begins his defense of God's sovereign freedom, which extends through chapter 11.
Paul closes this important chapter on sanctification by highlighting the intercessory work of the Spirit, the goal of sanctification and the security of the believer in Christ.
The Holy Spirit confirms we are God's children, is the source of our hope and prays for us when we cannot verbalize a prayer.
Paul counsels on the doctrine of sanctification and the Holy Spirit as his answer to the struggles with the flesh in chapter 7.
Paul details the struggle at the heart of sanctification--between the flesh and the Spirit.
Because we are dead to sin (6:1-14), we are no longer in bondage to sin and we are dead to the Law.
As Paul begins his transition from justification to a discussion of sanctification, he constructs the new identity of those who have been justified by faith.
Paul explains why, in terms of God's redemptive plan, Adam and Jesus are the two most important people in history.
The Apostle Paul develops the doctrine of our reconciliation with God through the finished work of Jesus Christ.
The saving Righteousness and the judging righteousness of God meet at the cross making it possible for God to justify all those who place their faith In Jesus and His finished work.
Paul answers three Jewish objections and then demonstrates the universal depravity of all humanity.
Paul reviews the witness of God's law on our hearts and the witness of human conscience.
Paul details the three consequences of rejecting God's revelation--perverse human sexuality, a depraved mind and the downward spiral of evil.
Paul explains the three reasons for his letter and proposes the thesis of his book: justification by faith.
Romans 1:1-8 - Paul introduces himself as a servant and Apostle of Jesus, who is the Messiah and Son of God, vindicated by HIs resurrection as the Lord.
As Joseph administers relief from the famine, Jacob blesses Joseph's two sons, and then his others sons, securing the promise from Joseph to be buried in the Promised Land.
Joseph reveals his identity to his brothers, brings the clan of Jacob to Egypt where they settle in the rich Nile Delta at Goshen.
Joseph oversees four tests of his brothers to see their faithfulness, their honesty and to sensitize their conscience to effect repentance in their lives.
Joseph interprets Pharaoh's dream and is elevated to power in Egypt, where he oversees the preparation for the famine God said would come, and meets his brothers for the first time in 20 years.
Genesis 38, 39, 40: These chapters contrast the egregious immorality of Judah with the faithful loyalty of Joseph to His God.
Rachel gives birth to Benjamin, tragically dies, while Isaac dies as well, setting the stage for the rise of Joseph.
Jacob's daughter, Dinah, is raped by a Canaanite leader; as spiritual leader of his family, Jacob does nothing but his sons respond with an evil act of vengeance.
God wrestles with Jacob, breaks him of his rebellious will and changes his name to Israel, after which he is reconciled to Esau in a wonderful demonstration of God’s grace.
Jacob, under God's protection and care, leaves his uncle Laban, with his wives, his children and wealth, and heads for the Promised Land.
In a dream, God renews the Abrahamic Covenant with Jacob, after which Jacob worships God, changes the name of a Canaanite sanctuary city Luz to Bethel. and makes a vow to God.
In collusion with his mother, Rebekah, Jacob, impersonating his brother Esau, lies (twice) to Isaac, his father, inorder to receive the blessing of the firstborn.
As Abraham dies, Issac, the new patriarch, struggles with the same sins as his dad, but sees his two sons, Jacob and Esau born--and the battle between the two begins.
Abraham sends his servant to find a wife for his son, Isaac, and God's loyal, covenant love and providence are clearly evident throughout the entire process.
In obedience to God, Abraham is willing to offer Issac back to God, but He stops him and renews the covenant.
Isaac the covenant son is born and God cares for Hagar and Ishmael, who are dismissed from the house of Abraham.
Abram follows the advice of his wife and sires Ishmael, creating major problems for his family; but God still affirms the eternal covenant with Abraham and its sign of circumcision.
As Abram rescues his nephew Lot, He receives a blessing from Melchizedek, a king and priest of God, after which God "cuts" the Covenant with Abram, a man of extraordinary faith.
Beginning a new study, focusing on the Patriarchs in the book of Genesis: God makes a threefold promise to Abram, to which Abram responds with incredible faith and worship.
Jesus' burial, His resurrection and the consequences of His ascension end this marvelous Gospel account of Jesus.
As Jesus eats the Passover meal, He institutes the Lord's Supper, foretells Peter's denial and then goes to Gethsemane to pray to His Father, preparing for His arrest.
As the Jewish leadership plots Jesus' death when Judas offers to betray Him, Jesus completes His discourse on end times by challenging us to be ready, to be faithful and to not try to figure out when all this will occur.
Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem is followed by His cursing of the fig tree (a metaphor for Israel), cleansing the Temple complex and the challenge to HIs authority by the spiritual leadership.
As Jesus predicts His future sufferings, His death and His resurrection, He teaches His disciples about "greatness" and about servant leadership.
Jesus stresses child-like faith, while emphasizing how wealth can become as a god in our lives.
As Jesus affirms the meaning of discipleship, He takes his inner circle of three to Mt. Hermon and is transfigured before them, manifesting His glory.
Jesus' Messianic miracles are to prove He is the Messiah but also to teach His disciples, who eventually proclaim that "He is the Christ.”
Jesus combats the perverted legalism of the Pharisees and heals Gentiles in Tyre and the Decapolis, all proving He is the Messiah
Because of their faith, Jesus transforms a demon-possessed man, a synagogue leader (and his daughter) and a woman with a disease that made her unclean.
As Jesus calls His 12 apostles, the scribes and Pharisees claim that His miracles are done by the power of Satan, not the Spirit, thereby slandering the Holy Spirit of God.
Jesus' ministry causes conflict and rejection within the Jewish leadership resulting in the plot to kill Him.
Jesus proclaims the kingdom of God and His Messianinc miracles prove that proclamation.
To prove his thesis that the gospel is about Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Mark presents the forerunner John the Baptist, Jesus' baptism and His temptation in a fast-paced narrative.
In the daily battles of spiritual warfare, rely on God's resources--the Whole Armor of God.
Paul discusses the role responsibilities within marriage, only possible through the filling of the Spirit (5:18).
The walk of wisdom includes redeeming opportunities, seeking God's will and being filled daily with the Spirit.
Paul illustrates his strategy for holiness (detailed in 4:17-24) with 5 specific illustrations.
Paul describes Christ's dispensing of gifted leaders to the church to equip the saints for ministry and to edify the church so that it can be unified around sound doctrine and achieve growth and maturity in Christ.
Paul describes the walk of unity, which, as with our Trintarian God, manifests a unique diversity within the unity of the body of Christ.
Paul prays for the Holy Spirit's transforming power, for Jesus to be the controlling force in our lives and for the capacity to fully understand and know the riches of God and His love.
Paul explains the "mystery" of Jew and Gentile sharing equally in New Covenant blessings in the church.
Paul describes the unified body of Christ—Jew and Gentile together—as a new kingdom, a new family and a new Temple.
Paul contrasts our past ("dead in our sins") with now being "alive to God" by grace through faith in Jesus.
Paul prays that God will through His Spirit enable the Ephesians to understand all God has done for them in the past, the present and the future and that they will understand the power now available to them.
Paul invites us to praise each member of the Trinity for their work in the plan of redemption.
An introduction to the city of Ephesus, its importance and the themes of this letter are presented.
In a world of deceit, sin, rebellion and oppression, these Psalms give counsel on how to live with faith, confidence and hope. Although King David laments God's seeming silence in the midst of his suffering, in the end he affirms his confidence and trust in God.
Psalm 9: God, the Sovereign Lord of history, with justice and righteousness, holds civilizations and individuals accountable.
As God offers the five reasons why He will judge Babylon, Habakkuk then presents a praise hymn to God celebrating His splendour, power and righteous judgment.
Habakkuk cannot understand how a holy God could use a pagan nation to judge His people—but God reminds him of His sovereignty, His goodness and His purpose in discipline.
Habakkuk, God's prophet, questions why God has not judged Judah for its idolatry, corruption and immorality; God's answer is surprising.
Although Jonah obeys God and preaches His message, Jonah is upset that God showed mercy and compassion to Nineveh.
From the belly of the "great fish," Jonah confesses his rebellion, repents and worships His God.
Commanded by the LORD to go to Nineveh in ruthless Assyria, Jonah goes in the opposite direction, openly defying His God.
The resurrected Jesus continues to serve as He makes breakfast for 7 of the disciples and restores Peter with the three-fold, piercing question, "Do you love me?"
The resurrection of Jesus is followed by several appearances of the risen Lord to various women and to His disciples, validating His literal, bodily resurrection.
Jesus' arrest and trial before Annas and Caiaphas are followed by the trial before Pilate, who cannot find any reason to convict Jesus.
As our high priest, Jesus prays that His Father will be glorified by His sacrifice, that the Father will keep His disciples from the evil one, and that His church will manifest a unity, a unity evident among the members of the godhead.
Jesus teaches that the Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment and that He teaches and guides in all truth.
Using the analogy of a vine and the branches, Jesus challenges us to "abide in Him," a dependency on HIm that has four intended results and four key characteristics.
Jesus introduces the facets of the New Covenant Community--prayer, the Holy Spirit, the new circle of love in Christ and Christ's peace.
As the way, the truth and the life, Jesus reveals the Father and the Holy Spirit whom He will send.
In washing His disciples' feet, Jesus exhibited limitless love, servanthood and, symbolically, the washing away of sin.
As the Father speaks for the third time to His Son, Jesus then interprets His Father's words for the people and offers a theology of unbelief to explain why so many are rejecting Him as the Messiah.
In the context of Mary anointing Jesus' head and feet and the Pharisees seeking to kill both Jesus and Lazarus, Jesus enters Jerusalem on a young donkey in a triumphal manner with the crowds waving palm branches and exclaiming Psalm 118, thereby fulfilling Zechariah 9:9.
Jesus explains that "I and the Father are one," and to Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life."
Jesus declares Himself to be the Door of the sheepfold and the Good Shepherd, providing salvation for His sheep and giving them eternal life.
Jesus' giving sight on the Sabbath to a man blind from birth raises questions among His disciples, cause division among the Pharisees, and leads to the former blind man confessing Him as the Son of Man.
As Jesus teaches in the Temple, using figures of speech to move people from the temporal and physical to the eternal and spiritual, some believe, some reject Him and some wait to see what happens.
Jesus' strategy is to move people from dwelling on the physical and temporal to understanding their spiritual and eternal need; therefore, He is the" bread of life".
As Jesus offers six proofs of His deity, He also feeds the 5,000 and walks on water--further proofs of His deity.
As the Pharisees chastise Jesus for healing on the Sabbath, He explains His relationship with the heavenly Father as one of equality, interdependence and mutual honor.
Jesus challenges the worldviews of a Samaritan woman and His disciples by changing their focus from the physical and temporal to the spiritual and eternal.
Jesus, the Son of God, did not come into the world to condemn the world, but to offer it salvation.
Jesus is not interested in superficial faith (2:23-25) but in a faith energized by the Holy Spirit (3:1-15).
Jesus calls some of His disciples, with John stressing His various titles (e.g., Messiah, Son of God, Son of Man) and His first recorded miracle ("sign") is at a wedding in Cana.
John details Jesus as the Incarnate God who reveals grace and truth, who is the only unique Son of the Father, and who is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
John’s thesis is that Jesus is the Godman and therefore introduces Him in the preface as the eternal “Word.”
In both of these Psalms, King David appeals to God as the righteous Judge to defend him (Psalm 7) and, in light of God’s majestic power exhibited in creation, he marvels that God is even interested in him (Psalm 8).
David experiences the gracious, chastening hand of His God, is restored to a relationship with God, and thereby seeks to bring glory to Him.
King David knows His God, His attributes and His holiness, all of which provide the basis for His cry for help and deliverance from his enemies.
Threatened by men within his government, King David finds safety and security in His gracious God.
In the face of Absalom's rebellion, King David finds his confidence in God, who will fight for him, deliver him and restore him.
The human rebellion against God is met by God's anointed Son, who will crush the rebellion and claim His inheritance--to rule over this planet.
God’s blessings flow to the one who rejects the counsel of the ungodly, the lifestyle of the sinner and identifying with those who mock God—but flow only to the one who finds delight in God’s word.
As Nehemiah returns from Persia, he meets four major crises with fortitude and decisive leadership. He is a model servant leader.
The Exiles finalize the renewal of the Covenant with God and Nehemiah re-populates Jerusalem, while organizing the sacrifices, the priesthood and Levitcal worship in the Temple.
As the Exiles re-affirm their covenant with God, they review His faithfulness and is loyal-covenant love for them.
The Exile community in Jerusalem confesses the sins of the nation and reviews the faithfulness of their Sovereign Creator.
The Jewish Exiles in Jerusalem became the "People of the Book" as they heard Ezra read the Word of God. They engaged the Word with their minds and emotions, which then resulted in obedience.
Nehemiah neutralizes his enemies and completes the wall in 52 days, after which Jerusalem is re-populated.
Nehemiah is an exemplary servant leader in how he organized the wall’s rebuilding and how he dealt with the opposition.
As a leader, Nehemiah had to deal with threats from external enemies as well as oppression & exploitation within the Jerusalem community.
As Nehemiah and his people begin to rebuild Jerusalem's walls they face mockery, a conspiracy from their enemies, and discouragement, fear and exhaustion.
Nehemiah, a strategic leader, was a man of prayer—prayers of adoration, confession and petition; and a man who fired straight-arrow prayers to God.
The historical background of the Exile to Babylon, which began in 586 BC, and the return to Jerusalem, which began in 539 BC, provide the context for Nehemiah's request of the Persian king Artaxerxes.
As Paul closes his epistle to the Colossians, he emphasizes the centrality of prayer and a life of wisdom.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ transforms marriages, parent-child relationships, and the workplace.
The Christian has an upward and a forward look in the walk with Jesus, which results in a strategy for holiness.
Legalism and asceticism are of no value in earning God's favor; only faith in Jesus Christ alone results in salvation.
True spirituality is not gained through legalistic rules or mystical experiences, but is only the result of our spiritual unity with Jesus and the indwelling Spirit of God.
Paul reminds the church that Jesus' sacrifice produced judicial forgiveness, payment of their debt for sin through His sacrifice, and, in doing so, Christ disarmed and shamed Satan and the fallen angels.
As we receive Christ as Savior, we are to walk in Him, rooted, built up, strengthened and abounding in thankfulness.
Christ's ministry of reconciliation produced significant transformation in the Colossian believer' lives. Paul's ministry to them involved one of suffering and of stewarding God's Word faithfully.
Paul gives a short, concise description of Jesus, to help combat the heresy in Colosse.
The results of living a life pleasing to God, and how the purpose for all things is realized in Jesus.
In-depth discussion of Paul's thanksgiving for the faith of the Colossians, and his prayer for their spiritual growth.
A new study of the book of Colossians: setting up the scene in Colosse, introduction, and analysis of Paul's greeting to begin chapter 1.
The conclusion of our study of Hebrews, as the author shares what the Christian life looks like.
Continued discussion of Old Testament examples of faith & perseverance, and how we can apply this today.
Discussing the 4th warning passage to believers in the Book of Hebrews: the peril of rejecting Christ's sacrifice.
More in-depth discussion from Dr Eckman: Jesus as our High Priest & the Mediator of the New Covenant.
Insightful discussion of Jesus as our High Priest & His superiorities over the imperfect Levitical priesthood as understood in Biblical times.
In-depth discussion of the term "falling away" from Christ, the certainty of God's promises, & Jesus as the High Priest of the New Covenant.
The warnings of becoming 'dull' to the Word of God, due to complacency & personal choices of sin. We are encouraged to practice wisdom & discernment in our lives daily.
Hebrews 5 discusses how Jesus is superior as our reputable high priest - a concept that was difficult to grasp for Jews of the ancient world.
In-depth discussion of the 3 different "rests" spoken of in Hebrews 4, that the Lord provides His people.
Hebrews Chapter 3 establishes the greatness & superiority of Jesus as compared to Moses. The writer also encourages readers to listen to the Word of God, and warns against unbelief & its consequences.
In today's study, we learn the proven superiority of Jesus over angels by appealing to His nature. The thesis is that He did not come to earth to save angels, but to save humanity.
We begin a study of the Book of Hebrews: Dr Eckman reviews 7 significant statements about Christ & why He is the superior revelation of God, plus beginning discussion of His superiority over angels.
Dr. Eckman closes out our study of Acts. Despite tremendous challenges, Paul's journey to Rome continues just as God said it would, where Paul ultimately preaches the Word & teaches about Jesus.
Paul is taken into custody & makes his plea to Felix, the Roman governor at Caesarea, who leaves Paul in jail & his case goes unheard. The case drags on for 2 years, & is taken up by Festus.
Paul addresses the Jews at Jerusalem, making his case with his credentials, upbringing, and zeal for God's Word, in sharing how Jesus is the Messiah. The Sanhedrin become divided, which leads to a plot to kill Paul.
Paul lays out a warning to the pastoral leadership of the local church, encouraging them to soundly teach the Word to their flock, while being aware of internal & external influences that can corrupt.
The Lord works through Paul to defeat sorcery & false gods, and take back the city of Ephesus for the Kingdom. Then & today, the world is a battleground: the power of Satan versus the power of God for control of people's lives.
Paul's Third Missionary Journey takes him around the Mediterranean region again. Ephesus is an important city, and Paul spends 2 years there, teaching & preaching to Jews & Greeks alike.
Paul concludes his second missionary journey with a visit to Corinth. The Lord protects Paul, as local Jews bring him before the courts.
Paul creates an alternative way for the Gentiles of Athens to think about the spiritual world. Today, this still challenges the thinking & views of a non-theological society.
Paul's visits to Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens are powerful & fruitful in bringing more Greeks to faith.
The Second Missionary Journey continues: events at Philippi & Thessolonia, including the jailing & beating of Paul & Silas.
The First Church Council writes a letter to Gentile believers, encouraging their behavior for the sake of the Jews they are trying to reach with the Gospel. Excellent in-depth side discussion of Personal Liberty vs a Christian obligation to new or non-believers.
Paul, Barnabas, & Peter go to elders of the Church in Jerusalem, to dispute the false doctrine being taught, and educate them we are justified by Faith alone, & not by our works or the keeping of laws & traditions.
Continued discussion of Paul & Barnabas' first missionary journey, performing miracles & sharing the Gospel
A review of Paul's message to the Jews at Persidian Antioch, plus additional discussion of "sustaining grace vs saving grace", and God's divine sovereignty vs Man's responsible freedom.
Paul speaks to Jews at Persidian Antioch, sharing how Jesus in the Messiah they've been awaiting.
The first Missionary journey of Paul: encountering false prophets in Cyprus, and sharing the Gospel with Jews in Persidian Antioch.
The Church at Antioch faces continued persecution from King Herod - including the death of James, and the arrest of Peter. Despite these acts, the Church continued to grow & believers multiplied throughout the region.
Dr Eckman leads discussion of the growth & influence of the Church at Antioch, under the guidance of Barnabas & Saul.
Peter is further enabled for ministry through the resurrection of Tabitha, and his vision at Joppa, which helped him to see that when the Holy Spirit comes, the old Jewish laws are set aside & the New Order of Jesus has begun.
Continued discussion of Saul's conversion from a Jewish leader who persecuted Christians, to a believer proclaim Jesus as the Messiah.
Phillip's actions at Samaria show how everyone is equal at the cross; Simon seeks the Holy Spirit for ungenuine purposes; Phillip preaches on the Gaza Road.
Luke writes on dividing up the work & duties of Church leadership; the disciple Stephen is accused of blasphemy by Jewish priests.
Discussion of God's swift judgement on matters of deceit; As the church grows, the apostle preach at the temple and endure persecution as they proclaim God's Word.
Dr Eckman discusses the bold healing & preaching of Peter & John; the apostles face persecution, as unity & numbers in the Church grow.
Peter continues his case that Jesus is the Messiah that the Jewish people have awaited.
Peter encourages those at Pentacost to repent & be baptized; The miracle & the message of the Healing of the lame man.
Dr Eckman discusses Peter's sermon at Pentacost: how proves that what happened is a fulfillment of Joel, and he demonstrates by using the Old Testament that Jesus in the Messiah.
The Holy Spirit comes over those gathered at Pentacost; Peter addresses the crowd, proclaiming another fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.
Dr Eckman begins a new study of the book of Acts. Written by Luke, Acts concerns the very vital period in Christian history between the resurrection of Jesus and the death of the apostle Paul; a time when Christian ideas and beliefs were being formulated and when the organization of the church into a worldwide movement was being developed.
Paul writes of God's grace and how it works in our lives: encouraging believers to reject sin and live self-controlled, upright, godly lives.
Titus continues on teaching sound doctrine to the different groups that make up the body of Christ, as Dr Eckman relates this principles to today.
Paul teaches on matters of Godly behavior, reaffirming that sound doctrine produces Godly living.
Dr Eckman discussing Paul's writings on the character, effect, and condemnation of false teachers, with excellent side discussion on making wise decisions in non-moral areas of our lives.
Dr Eckman discusses a key point of Paul?s teachings in this 1st chapter of Titus: To encourage & lead others with sound doctrine, and refute those who don?t know it.
Continuing discussion on the qualities of Leadership in the Church: proven character, proven competence, and proven leadership in their own homes.
Paul writes to Titus on the qualifications for the Godly leaders he is seeking for the Church: Men of godly commitment, conduct, and character.
Dr. Eckman begins a new study of the Book of Titus, with a historical overview, introduction & discussion of Paul?s salutation to readers.
Peter concludes his 2nd letter, re-affirming that the future promises of God should motivate how believers are to live now ? with holiness, purity, peace, & godliness.
Dr. Eckman begins discussion of 2 Peter, with excellent commentary on ?The Day of the Lord.?
Dr. Eckman discusses Peter?s writings on the practices of the apostates: how the contempt & unruliness of these false teachers can be appealing to the weak & unknowing, but will still be met with God?s judgement.
Peter writes of the precepts & punishment of apostates: false heretical teachings, and how God holds false teachers accountable.
Dr. Eckman reviews & expands on the Christian concepts of Revelation, Inspiration, & Illumination.
Peter reminds us of his commitment to remind believers of the Truth, and reinforces that prophesy does not come from human interpretation or will, but rather comes from divine inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Peter continues his encouragement to believers: because we have already reached justification in God's eyes, we are to carry ourselves with holiness & grace, and to love others. Through these actions, we will know Jesus better, as He conforms each of us to be more like Him.
Because of what Christ has done for us, Peter reaffirms that we are called to act: Dr. Eckman discusses 7 responsibilities for a believer to supplement & grow their Faith.
Peter's writings at the beginning of his 2nd letter are a summary of how we should look at our lives: God's divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life & godliness through the knowledge of Him.
Peter reaffirms personal humility & dependence on God and His grace, even when He appears to be silent. This grows & tests our faith and builds our hope, that we can be more dependent on Him & become all that He wants us to be.
Peter gives particular directions, first to the elders, how to behave themselves towards their flock; then to the younger, to be obedient and humble, & to cast their care upon God.
Dr. Eckman discusses Spiritual Gifts, and Trials vs Temptation, as Peter's writes about Living for God, and Suffering for being a Christian.
Peter builds on his message of Living for God: As Christians, we need to live by the principle that future promises should determine present behavior.
Peter reminds us that as Christians, we have a new position in Christ; we are to die to our old life & be conformed to the image of Jesus, as we line up our minds & will with that of God.
Peter teaches that as we suffer & go through difficult times, remember Christ's suffering: It was for us & accomplished our redemption. It completed His work, as we identify with Him in His death, burial, & resurrection.
Peter teaches on the blessing of suffering for righteousness, and guides us on how to handle ourselves when others challenges our Faith.
Dr. Eckman details more of the virtues of Righteousness, as part of Peter's writings about Righteous Living.
Peter presents the obligations of Christian husbands, and calls readers to Righteous Living; Dr. Eckman leads discussion of the virtues of Righteousness.
Dr. Eckman continues on the Biblical roles of husbands & wives. Despite cultural opposition & much misunderstanding, God's plan for marriage is as true & relevant as ever.
Dr. Eckman uses Ephesians 5:32 to express & enhance the Biblical truth of Peter's writings on the roles of husbands & wives in marriage.
Peter encourages us to be people of God who represent integrity & His standards, regardless the costs.
Dr. Eckman leads in-depth discussion of how we are free in Christ, specifically freedom from the bondage of sin. He also details 4 factors in a life of such freedom, as written by Peter.
Peter continues his call of submission to God, bringing order, stability, and good spiritual health, which truly frees the believer to live a rich & fulfilling life.
Peter reminds us of who we are because of Jesus: a chosen people, part of the royal priesthood & a Holy Nation, and belonging to a new Family. This brings about change & transformation into a life of submission to Him.
Peter is laying out that in the New Covenant, we are the new Temple & the new Priests, plus excellent side discussion on 'human responsibility' vs 'divine sovereignty'.
Peter shares more of God's intent in redeeming us: today's discussion focuses around living a Life of Love.
Peter defines a lifestyle of Salvation, describing & discussing a life of Hope & Holiness for those who accept & believe in Christ.
Peter shares more of God's plan for Salvation, emphasizing how the prophets of the Old Testament were laboring not for themselves, but for future generations -- including us today.
Dr. Eckman begins a new study of 1st Peter: Peter affirms & reinforces that our Hope is a living Hope for life because of Jesus, and there is an imperishable, undefiled, unfading inheritance for every one who puts their faith in Christ.
Dr. Eckman wraps up our study of the Book of Jude, including a concise summary to all Believers for living the Christian Life.
Continued discussion of false teachers & the Lord's instruction to us in avoiding apostasy.
God holds false teachers accountable, and in today's study, Dr. Eckman discusses characteristics of a false teacher.
Jude warns readers those of perverting the grace of God, and of those distorting the teaching of Jesus. We are encouraged to have clarity on who Jesus is & to recognize His grace.
An introduction to the book of Jude, discussing "servanthood" plus detailed discussion of how we are 'called & kept' by the Lord.
In this final study of Exodus, Moses draws closer to the Lord & meets with him on the mountain, as He renews his Covenant with the people.
Moses demonstrates maturity & leadership as he handles the pagan Golden Calf incident; he also shows intimacy in his conversations with God - the same intimacy that each of us can have with the Lord today.
God gives a picture of the Tabernacle, starting from the inside out (or, from the presence of God to the outside where man is allowed).
Chapter 24 shares how Moses was called up the mountain, where the glory of the Lord would appear to him; In-depth discussion of the principles, values, & strategies of ancient Israel that are just as important today.
Exodus 23 concludes the laws given to Moses; The Lord shares His promise of completing the mercy He began, by sending an angel ahead into Canaan.
Dr. Eckman leads continued discussion of God's civil laws, as He sets up a system of justice, restitution, accountability, and equity.
Having given the Ten Commandments as His Moral law, the Lord then provides Civil laws to build a society based on justice, accountability, restitution, and equity.
The Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, & Tenth Commandments, as God lays down his framework on the sanctity of intimacy, material stewardship, truth, and motive.
The Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Commandments, with in-depth discussion of God's plan for work & rest, the submission to authority, & the sanctity of all life.
The Lord gives Moses The Ten Commandments: Dr Eckman leads in-depth discussion of The Mosaic Covenant, and how it compliments the Abrahamic Covenant.
The Israelites reach Mt Sinai, and Moses prepares himself & his people to receive the Ten Commandments.
The Lord continues to provide for His people through drought, foreign attackers, and added wisdom as Moses continues to lead the people.
As the Israelites journey from Egypt to Mt Sinai, the Lord continues to provide, while teaching them -- and us today -- that obedience brings blessing, disobedience brings discipline.
The Lord parts the Red Sea for Moses & the Israelites as they depart Egypt & journey to Mt Sinai, fulfilling His promises of deliverance & inheritance.
The Lord instructs His people for The Passover, after which Pharaoh finally sets the Israelites free; God reminds them to remember their deliverance by sanctify their firstborn, and educating their children of what the Lord had done for them.
God unleashes the last of the plagues upon Egypt; instructions & meaning of the Passover, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
God prepares Moses for another encounter with Pharaoh, and leads the way to the 10 Plagues.
Moses returns to Egypt, where he & Aaron appear before Pharaoh; Pharaoh does not respond well & increase the People of Israel's work burden.
Moses' resists the Lord's commands to take leadership of His chosen people, yet God demonstrates His grace to Moses and to us today.
In his final breaths, Jacob bestows his blessing on his 12 sons: they are the foundation of the 12 Tribes of Israel, and the groundwork for the entire Old Testament.
Jacob & the family settle into Egypt, which ultimately will birth the nation of Israel.
Joseph's final test of his brothers' hearts, revealing his true identity to them, then sending for the entire family to come to Egypt: Joseph demonstrates how sound theology produces Godly results.
Joseph encounters his brothers, and challenges them with a series of tests to learn their motives & see if their hearts have been changed.
Joseph interprets the dreams of Pharaoh, and is put in a position to prepare & lead all of Egypt through 7 years of famine; Joseph encounters his brothers.
Joseph's imprisonment & interpreting of dreams: through all circumstances, the Lord was with him & worked in all circumstances to accomplish His eternal plan.
As we study the lives of Judah & Joseph, we see how God remains firmly committed to His covenant & His Word to accomplish His plan & purposes, even using corrupt & immoral situations and those who compromise.
Joseph & his exile to Egypt, at the hands of his brothers; Judah takes a Caananite wife.
Jacob is now a changed man, and God reiterates His covenant to him; the deaths of Rachel & Isaac.
After reuniting with Esau, Jacob & his people settle to Shechem, where they have conflict with the Canaanites, and plot a massacre.
Isaac blesses Jacob & sends him to Padan-Aram, Esau marries the daughter of Ishmael, Jacob's vision, & the stone of Beth-el.
Not trusting completely in God and relying instead on his own resources & methods, Jacob steals the blessing of his father.
Esau gives up his birthright to Jacob; and discussion of Isaac's falsehood: a nearly identical experience with Abimelech as his Father.
Genesis 24 demonstrates the loving kindness & providence of God, as He leads Isaac's search for a wife.
Abraham was obedient to God's test of faith, and the Lord confirmed His blessings & promises. In time, Sarah dies and Abraham purchases land for her burial in Canaan, the promised land.
God tests Abraham's faith, demonstrating how the Lord blesses those who obediently surrender everything to Him.
Dr. Eckman discusses how Abraham's falsehood with Abimelech & his restoration demonstrates the grace of God; and the awaited birth of Isaac leads to conflict in Abraham's home.
Genesis 19 focuses on destruction & deliverance: God owed nothing to Lot, but showed His grace by getting him & his family out of Sodom.
The judgment of Sodom & Gomorrah: when a society defies God's laws & order, wickedness, evil, & greed will result, and those who partake will face God's wrath.
The Lord reaffirms His covenant with Abraham, teaching us today that we are responsible to walk in obedience before Him, no matter how difficult.
Abraham's vision & covenant with God, and the story of Hagar & Ishmael teaches us today & always to trust God's Word & wait for His promises.
Dr. Eckman leads discussion of how Abram rescues Lot, and the Lord's renewed covenant with Abram.
God commands Abraham to travel to the land of Canaan. After several tests of Abraham's faith, including conflicts with Pharaoh & with Lot, The Lord reveals His covenant with Abraham & his offspring.
Dr. Eckman leads discussion of the Tower of Babel & the beginnings of the Lord's Redemptive Plan, by His calling of Abraham.
Sin re-enters the world through the actions of Noah & his son Ham, but God's plan to re-populate the Earth continues with Noah's sons & their offspring spreading out across the world.
The floodwaters over the Earth recede, and God establishes His New Order through Noah & his family.
As humanity oversteps His boundaries & rules, God determines to destroy all life on Earth with a great flood; Noah & his family are spared from this judgment by building an Ark.
The family of Cain altered God's ordinances for marriage & the value of human life, and God preserved worship & obedience to His laws through the line of Seth.
Continued discussion of the fall of Adam & Eve: their expulsion from the Garden, and the suffering that continues in their family.
Adam & Eve suffer the consequences: Dr. Eckman discusses how their disobedience led to a curse upon themselves, and all of creation to follow.
Dr. Eckman leads in-depth discussion of how the serpent tempted Adam & Eve, causing the beginnings of human rebellion & its consequences for all of mankind.
A continuation of Genesis 2: God's creation of humans to populate & have dominion over His world, and the creation of the institution of marriage.
Chapter 2 begins an in-depth account of God's work on the 6th day: The creation of human beings to populate & have dominion over His world.
In 6 days, God called into existence a perfect, harmonious, and fruitful creation over which we, His Image Bearers, are to rule.
Dr. Eckman begins a study of the Book of Genesis: God, through His Spirit, created the entire universe.
The final 2 chapters of Revelation reveal The New Heaven, the New Earth and the New Jerusalem: God's promises completely fulfilled.
The binding of Satan, the Lord's 1000 year reign on Earth, & the Great White Throne judgement.
A succinct & glorious description of the return of Christ, and the final defeat of the beast.
The 7 Bowl judgements bring about the collapse of an ungodly world & the norms of day-to-day life, making way for the Second Coming of Christ.
The Seventh Bowl judgment & the collapse of Babylon: a world that had supported the religious rise of the Anti-Christ will then be crushed by him.
Chapter 16 discusses the seven Bowl Judgements: plagues against nature & mankind which demonstrate the power, sovereignty, and majesty of the true God.
God's judgment continues, judging the beast & his followers, while offering hope to those who have & will accept Him, and hope to those who are martyred during this time.
Chapter 13 reveals more details of The Anti-Christ & his False Prophet, and their deception & control over mankind.
Dr. Eckman discusses the details of the Sounding of the 7th Trumpet, and we are introduced to 7 figures who are dominant during the last half of the Great Tribulation.
Chapter 11 of the Book of Revelation introduces us to two key players in the Day of the Lord: the Two Witnesses, and to the Anti-Christ.
We discuss the sounding of the 6th Trumpet, and John's vision of a mighty angel which reaffirms John's prophetical calling & prepares us for the horrific things to come.
The Sounding of the Seven Trumpets: Dr. Eckman leads as we discuss the first 5 Trumpets & the earthly catastrophe that will come with each.
The opening of the Seven Seals in John's vision describe the events that will come upon God's people immediately prior to the Second Coming. We also discuss the Tribulation Saints: 144,000 from the tribes of Israel who will be God's witnesses in a post-Tribulation world.
Dr. Eckman leads discussion of the scroll & Seven Seals: John's vision focuses on why we should worship Jesus, the One worthy to open the Seals.
Jesus' shares his message to the church at Laodicea, and John's writings turns to his vision of the Throne of Heaven.
Jesus speaks in John's vision to the churches at Sardis, condemning them for being a 'dead' church & confronting them with a process to renew their hearts. He also tells the church at Philadelphia that He will vindicate & protect them. We are encouraged today by both to renew our own spiritual passion & trust in God in all situations.
Jesus speaks to the churches at Pergamum & Thyatira, telling them to protect the purity of sound doctrine in the Church. There should be no compromise to the foundational theology of the Bible: It is important to the Lord what we believe & how we protect that in our hearts & minds.
Jesus speaks to the church at Smyrna in John's vision, commending them for enduring suffering & persecution. Today, we are encouraged to be faithful in all situations, for our reward is eternal life.
John shares Jesus' words from his vision as he addresses the church at Ephesus, commending them for their endurance, and reminding them how they've lost their sense of their first love, Jesus. We are reminded today that without love, the Church's work is lifeless.
Dr. Eckman begins a new study of the Book of Revelation: presenting Jesus as Lord of the Universe, and now his final Kingdom will be ushered in.
Ending discussion on The Final Vision of Daniel: how the prophecy was fulfilled & details of prophecy still to come, as we set the stage to begin a new study of the Book of Revelations.
Continued discussion of Daniel's Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks, and the beginnings of the Final Vision of Daniel.
Daniel's Prayer & the Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks - Dr. Eckman leads discussion of this powerful prayer to restore his people & his nation.
The Vision of the Ram & He-Goat: we discuss this dream of Daniel's, and the detailed view it provides of future events as they pertains to Israel.
Dr. Eckman leads discussion of Daniel's Vision of the Four Beasts, a dream with striking similarities to the dream of Nebuchadnezzar in chapter 2: Both outline the 4 great kingdoms of the world, and the 5th kingdom-to-come which is far superior.
The Writing on the Wall: God uses Daniel to tell King Belshazzar that he has not glorified & honored God with his actions as King, just as his ancestors did, and that the days of his Kingdom are over.
King Nebuchadnezzer's remarkable royal proclamation glorifying God is an account of mysterious dream, Daniel's interpretation, and God's fulfillment of the dream raise interesting questions, including discussion of Nebuchadnezzer's place in heaven.
Nebuchadnezzar built an idol of himself, and threw Daniel into the fire for not worshipping. Dr. Eckman leads discussion on how God changed Nebuchadnezzar's heart.
We discuss The Dream of Nebuchadnezzar: the King's threat to his court, how Daniel prayed for insight to know & interpret the King's dream, and how this dream revealed a broad framework for history.
Dr. Eckman begins a new bible study on the book of Daniel, beginning with Daniel's exile to Babylon, and his education & training under King Nebuchadnezzar.
We complete our study of 2 Thessalonians, with Paul's encouragement to believers to live holy & productive lives.
Paul reminds us that God loves His people & we are in the process of being sanctified. We are reminded to hold fast to His teachings, and encourage others to consider to the Gospel of the Lord.
In 2nd Thessalonians 2, we have a brief summary of the End times, including discussion of events that must occur before the judgments of the Day of the Lord.
Paul reminds the Thessalonian people of his teachings on end times & discusses 'The Man of Lawlessness'. We are reminded to set aside fears & wonders of this coming time, and to focus the promise that Jesus will return for His people.
2 Thessalonians 1:8 states "He will punish those who do not know God." Dr Eckman takes us to Romans 1, 2, & 3 to discuss this verse & give understanding on 'being accountable to the Light received."
Paul's 2nd letter to the Thessalonians begins with comfort & understanding for the people of this Church enduring much suffering. Paul encourages them that their faith & love grows during such times, and that such difficulties are evidence of their righteous judgement.
Paul concludes his 1st letter to the Thessalonian people, reminding us to hold fast to what is good, turn from sin, and to live our lives according to the promises & hope that our Lord Jesus Christ offers.
We discuss Paul's practical instructions for supporting church leaders & interacting with others, plus gives 3 commands for personal holiness.
Paul reminds the Thessalonians about the coming "Day of The Lord," and explains how this can be a time of blessing & salvation, or that of judgement & wrath. To be "prepared" is the simple act of accepting the gospel of Christ.
Paul describes how Christ will fulfill His promise to come back for His people. Dr. Eckman discusses Biblical truth for this coming event, including details for the resurrection of the dead.
Paul gives instructions on Sanctification - conforming one's life to the image of Christ. It is God's will for our lives to be sanctified, and we are encouraged to develop a strategy for avoiding sin & being Holy.
Paul sent Timothy to the Thessalonians, and Timothy brought back word of the persecution they were undergoing, and of their steadfastness in the midst of it. We are encouraged in our lives today to grow in our dependence & trust in God, and live holy lives pleasing to Him.
Dr. Eckman discusses Paul's teachings on the differences of hearing, receiving, and accepting the Word of God, and learning to see others & the world around us through God's perspective.
Dr. Eckman leads this discussion involving Paul's defense of his motive & his ministry to the Thessalonians. These passages encourage us to examine our lifestyle & behaviors, to be sure they are honoring to God.
Paul gives thanks to the Thessalonian people for their faith, as they had become good models to other believers in the region. We are encouraged to be the same models of Christ in modern times.
Dr. Eckman begins a new study of the book of 1 Thessalonians. We discuss cultural & geographical factors of the time, and a breakdown of Paul's opening statement of Thanksgiving.
Paul concludes his letter to the Philippians, encouraging us to be content with everything & every situation God puts before us.
What we think about is important to God: Paul continues his call for Peace with a directive & thorough description of 'the right thoughts' for Peace in one's mind.
Paul makes a Call for Peace: Peace in the Church and Peace in one's inner self, encouraging believers to have gratitude, be gentle with others, and to not be anxious.
"Future promises determine present behavior" - Paul reminds the church at Philippi that because one has accepted Christ as a Savior, our thoughts & actions will be shaped & molded by Him.
Paul encourages the people of Philippi to continue in pursuit of holiness & maturity as a Christian. He offers himself as a model to follow, warns of false teachers, and reminds them that their true citizenship is in Heaven.
Paul's words to the Philippians are a perfect summary of the basic Christian principle of Justification: Once we accept Christ as our Savior, we have a new position in Him & are declared righteous, and the process of defining & shaping our new lives begins.
Paul warns the Philippians of false teachers, and reminds them that the hope of salvation is not based on one's genealogy, flesh, or works; Salvation comes through faith in Christ.
Paul teaches us that because we are children of God, we are to live pure & faithful lives in a crooked world. In modern terms, we are instructed to "live what we are" because how we live matters.
Dr. Eckman leads discussion on a short verse with big implications in our Christian lives: "Do everything without complaining or arguing."
Paul tells the Church at Philippi to pursue God & to be obedient to Him, because God is already at work in the lives of His people, shaping their thoughts, desires, and actions.
Paul makes an appeal for unity amongst the church at Philippi which applies to us today: because of our Christian characteristics, we should have unity of mind, love, spirit, and purpose. Unfortunately, man's selfish ambitions get in the way, so we are encouraged to follow the example of the humble & selfless Jesus Christ.
In this study, we discuss this verse that characterizes the God's values of love & compassion, and how we are to model this in our own lives.
In today's study, we see how despite his imprisonment, Paul is determined & focused with an eternal view, and he encourages us to conduct ourselves in ways that are honorable to the Gospel.
Paul tells the church at Philippi that his imprisonment is not hindering the gospel in any way. He also speaks of those who preach with impure intentions: God blesses the message, but not the motives.
Discussion of Paul's powerful prayer for the Philippians, and how it reflects God's desire for each of us today: that as we love God, we gain knowledge & discernment, so that we may be pure & blameless, and righteous.
Dr. Eckman leads in-depth discussion of Philippians 1:6 - "?He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus", and discusses Paul's teachings of how God ultimately wants us to see people as He sees them.
Join us as we begin a new study of the book of Philippians. We begin with a historical overview of Paul's writings, and break down the significance of how Paul greets the people of Philippi in this letter.
Solomon encourages us to live responsible lives in our youth, to set the stage for later years. He then concludes with his guidance for living life: trust God, walk with him in Faith, and obey Him, because everything we do is important.
As we near the end of our study of Ecclesiastes, Solomon explains what a life of Faith, Trust, and Obedience to God should look like.
Solomon shares his message of God's providence as it relates to human joy: man cannot begin to comprehend God & his infinite power & wisdom, so we are to walk in faith, while trusting & obeying Him, and enjoy all the days of our lives.
Solomon discusses the relationship between God's sovereignty & human character, and begins sharing perspective on a wise person's relationship with government.
Dr. Eckman gives final thoughts on God's perspective regarding adversity & prosperity in our lives, then begins discussion on the relationship between God's sovereignty & human character.
In Chapter 7, Solomon tells us that God is the author of both adversity & prosperity, and He mingles them together throughout life. We are encouraged to trust God by being happy in 'good' times, and to consider the purpose behind seemingly 'bad' times.
Final thoughts on truly enjoying fruits of one's labor as a Christian, and begin discussion on the Providence of God and Wealth.
Dr Eckman leads discussion on man's inability to enjoy the fruits of our labors, and how it conflicts with man's understanding of God's Providence over all.
We continue discussion of the factors of life that seem to contradict God's providence in our lives. In today's study, Solomon addresses labor and man's inappropriate motivations to work hard.
Solomon begins to discuss factors of life that appear to contradict God's providence over mankind, and also includes insights on the importance of being able to answer tough questions from non-believers about Christianity.
Solomon establishes God's providence over all human activity, with much discussion on how this challenges man's understanding.
We continue discussing Solomon's perspective on work & labor, with excellent commentary from Dr. Eckman on our society's tendency of valuing our work over our position in Christ.
Solomon shares his experience & perspective in both foolish & wise living, and explains the "meaninglessness" of either from an eternal perspective.
Dr Eckman leads this discussion of Solomon's experiment with pleasure-seeking as a means of fulfillment & contentment; how self-indulgence & frivolous living left him empty & unfulfilled.
Solomon teaches us about the futility of human wisdom: how knowledge without Spiritual transformation is useless.
Dr. Eckman begins a new study on the book of Ecclesiastes, with a historical overview & discussion of Solomon's main theme: "The meaninglessness of life apart from God".
Dr. Eckman completes his study of 1 Corinthians, with Paul's teachings to the Corinthian people regarding giving money for the needs of the Church.
Paul teaches the Corinthians on the nature & details of the Resurrection of the body upon Christ's return.
A review of Paul’s message on righteous living in 1 Corinthians 15:30-34, plus side discussion on how God holds humans accountable.
Paul continues his lesson to the Corinthians on the fundamental importance of the Resurrection, the consequences of denying it, and the guarantees & certainties that it promises for believers.
The Apostle Paul begins to address the Corinthian people on the importance of the Resurrection, and presents facts to show them how reasonable the Bible is.
Dr Eckman continues discussion on Spiritual gifts in worship (tongues & prophesy), and emphasizes Paul's overall message of how all Spiritual gifts are to be used first to edify the Body of the Church in a fitting & orderly manner.
The Apostle Paul completes his lessons on the characteristics of Love, then begins discussion on tongues & prophecy in worship.
Paul continues his teaching on Love, as he breaks down the characteristics of love that Christians should have for others.
1 Corinthians 13 is often referred to & quoted as a chapter above "love". In reality, Paul's message in this chapter is focused on using one's Spiritual gifts in loving ways towards God & others. Dr. Eckman shares Paul's lesson and begins in-depth discussion on the characteristics of Love.
Further discussion on how the diversity of spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit to followers of Christ makes a unified body of the Church.
Paul teaches that spirituality is not about self-elevating gifts to glorify the individual; rather, spiritual gifts are given to believers for the purpose of edifying & building up the Body of the Church.
Paul instructs the Corinthian people regarding the Lord's Supper, and the importance of focus & remembrance of Christ's sacrifice.
Paul continues his lesson on Christian liberty in worship & at the Lord's Supper as it related to the troubled Corinthian culture, with additional commentary from Dr Eckman on God's Divine Order.
Dr. Eckman offers a review of the final verses of 1 Corinthians 10, along with an excellent discussion of Christian liberty & responsibility in current events & in our culture.
Paul continues his lesson to the Corinthians on Christian liberty, in relation to idolatry.
Paul warns the Corinthians of idolatry & other sinful practices, and uses the Israelites in the wilderness as an example. He warns us to not be presumptuous in avoiding sin, and to trust God in trials & temptations.
Paul discusses his rights as an Apostle & how he waives his Christian rights for the benefit & care of others to be more Christ-like.
Dr Eckman's continues Paul's discussion on Christian liberty & the importance of individual conscience in our actions & decision-making.
The apostle Paul discusses Christian liberty, and how we are to wisely exercise our liberty & freedom in Christ in the choices we make daily.
Paul gives further clarity on God's view of the martial commitment & how it can impacts one's relationship with Christ.
Paul continues his instruction on Christ's view on the vows & commitment of marriage, as well as guidance on one's life after conversion to Christianity.
Paul shares God's instructions on marriage & divorce as it relates to the married, unmarried & widowed.
Paul explains a Biblical, God-centered perspective of the body, and how we are to view sexual intimacy of marriage.
Paul explains a deeper meaning of freedom in Christ to the Corinthians, and that it matters how we live and what we do with our bodies.
In this passage, Paul gives us the reasons why Christians should not sue one another in civil law courts.
Paul teaches on being a part of the temple of God, and also being part of the inheritance of God.
Dr. Eckman discusses Paul's teachings to the Corinthians regarding their misunderstandings of the apostolic messengers of the time, and that serving the Lord means being accountable to Him & serving Him well, so that we may hear Him say "Well Done."
Dr Eckman discusses Paul's teachings to the Corinthian people on the wisdom of God: how it is revealed to believers by His Holy Spirit, and why the matters of the Holy Spirit are not understood by the non-believer.
Dr Eckman continues the study of 1st Corinthians: Paul teaches more on the message of "Christ-crucified" & how it stands opposed to human wisdom.
One of my favorite writers is Andree Seu, who writes for the magazine World. In her most recent column, she writes of reading through a bird magazine she bought at a local PetSmart store. One article particularly in this magazine caused her to write of the author: ?. . . by the end of her remarks I felt just a little bit ashamed of being human??
The rather shocking outcome of the South Carolina primary is a metaphor for the state of the Republican Party. During the campaign in South Carolina and especially during the major debate right before the primary, the wealth and taxes of Mitt Romney seemed to be the primary issue.
Once again, the pernicious issue of gambling is raising its ugly head in the state of Nebraska, the state in which I live. It is important to refresh our collective memories on the nature of gambling and its indisputable effects on culture and society.
Jon Meacham, associated with Time magazine and an important American writer on religious issues, has written that Tim ?Tebow is perhaps the most significant Evangelical Christian in the country. Depending on your point of view, his rise is a thoroughly American story of honest conviction or of ostentatious piety, of faith and family or of aggressive sectarianism??
The mixing of political and religious ideas is central to understanding Judaism and the modern state of Israel. Thomas Friedman, in his book From Beirut to Jerusalem, argues that there are four distinct groups of Jews within modern Israel (and the world).
Basic to any understanding of physics is the concept of mass. Why do particles of nature have mass? This is obviously a fundamental question of physics but one that is inscrutably difficult to answer.
Over this past year, I have done several programs on the sociological phenomenon called emerging adulthood. One of the most significant aspects of this age-group is the absence of a commitment to institutions. One of those institutions is, of course, marriage.
Oil consumption in America remains an important issue for our economy and for our national security. Our nation, however, has become more efficient in its use of petroleum and has secured new energy sources, as shown recently by Daniel Yergin. How did this startling development occur?
As we begin 2012, as Americans and as evangelicals, we will face, no doubt, huge challenges?the economy, foreign policy challenges, and a national presidential election to name a few. To at least create a framework for answering questions that arise, the entire Issues in Perspective is devoted to the question.
Sometime during the 2011 Christmas season, you have no doubt heard the reverberating words from George Friderich Handel?s imposing oratorio, Messiah.
For over 150 years Charles Dickens? story of the miserly, miserable Ebenezer Scrooge and his three ghosts has been a regular Christmas tradition throughout Western Civilization.
One of my favorite books, or actually series of books, is The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. In the first book of the series, Narnia is frozen in a seemingly permanent state of cold, frigid winter. There is never spring and there is never Christmas.
In November, the voters of Mississippi voted down a human personhood amendment by a 58% majority. Similar efforts have failed in other states as well. This amendment was a frontal assault on the legal and moral logic of Roe v. Wade.
On 6 December 2011, President Obama delivered an important speech at Osawatomie, Kansas, site of the famous 1910 Teddy Roosevelt speech. In this Perspective, I hope to not so much evaluate his speech but focus on the much larger issue of the role of the welfare state in our lives.
We live in a curious culture! Scandals abound. But what we seem to ignore as a culture is that we all have the same problem?the Bible calls it sin.
Over 100 years ago, a path-breaking book by the famed sociologist Max Weber was published in which, among other things, Weber made a profoundly important argument about the connection between religion and economics.
In his Pastoral Epistles (1 and 2 Timothy and Titus), the Apostle Paul argues very compellingly that ?sound doctrine? produces godly living. The two are thereby inextricably linked.
Herman Cain spent a part of his life in Omaha, Nebraska, where I live. Shortly after I became president of Grace University I met him.
Just before Thanksgiving, congressional leaders admitted that there would be no deal to reduce the US budget deficit by $1.2 trillion over ten years. Although this is not a surprise, it has significant ramifications for our nation.
Every 3 years, the OECD conducts exams as part of the Program for International Student Assessment, which tests 15-year olds in the world?s leading industrialized nations on their reading comprehension and ability to use what they have learned in math and science.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) published a report on 8 November on Iran?s nuclear program. The IAEA says that it ?has serious concerns regarding possible military dimensions to Iran?s nuclear program...?
This is Thanksgiving weekend and it is appropriate in this edition of Issues in Perspective to focus on Thanksgiving. To that end, I want to concentrate on the Thanksgiving hymn, ?We Gather Together.?
With the death of Apple founder and CEO, Steve Jobs, and the subsequent release of the biography of Jobs by Walter Isaacson, we have gained a new insight into the mind and heart of this remarkable man.
That the Penn State football coach, Joe Paterno, has been fired is almost unimaginable! I was born and raised in Pennsylvania, and in that state he is probably the most important single individual.
What are we to make of the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement? What are its goals, its aspirations? Is it the left-wing equivalent of the Tea Party movement on the right? Is there any ideological coherence to this group?
The conventional wisdom is that the Supreme Court will soon agree to hear a case challenging the constitutionality of the healthcare law passed last summer. Basic questions are at stake here:
Nearly two weeks ago, I read a book by sociologist Christian Smith while returning to Omaha on a plane. It was an astounding account of the cultural phenomenon called emerging adulthood.
Recently, I read a remarkable magazine on medicine and health care throughout history. What was most striking was the article on healthcare in the Roman Empire. In my opinion, nothing better illustrates the power of worldview in explaining social change than this article.
In the new book by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, there is a startling account of an offer Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, made secretly to Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority in the summer of 2008.
Scripture teaches that humans, made in the image of God, have an innate sense of right and wrong, a moral monitor that either ?approves or accuses.? Conscience serves as an umpire, which disposes the human to view life situations in a moral/ethical light, thus judging/determining that some actions are ?right? and some are ?wrong.?
As Christians, how are we to treat the physical world, including animals? What is the value of non-human life? How much care do we as Christians need to take in relation to nature? How does God look at non-human creation? What are we to think about all of this?
If one is intellectually honest about what is occurring in western civilization, especially in the United States, one would conclude anecdotally that traditional marriage with one man and one woman, married and having children?is non-existent in major parts of the culture.
Recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics expressed deep concern about the effects of exposure to ?screens? (i.e., TV screens, computer screens, monitors, iPads, smartphones, and other such devices) on children. In fact, the AAP called upon parents to place severe limits on the exposure of young children to such ?screens.?
Generally, when a 21st century person thinks of science, he/she thinks of certainty, truth or the realm of the absolute. One of the axioms of modern science that has been declared to be certain and absolute is the speed of light. And an absolute in Einstein?s theory of relativity is the absolute prohibition of speed faster than light.
Robert Bryce of the Manhattan Institute has written a most helpful article entitled ?Five Truths about Climate Change.? Because there is so much hype and emotional baggage surrounding this topic, it is always refreshing when you read something that is balanced and insightful. To that end, I want to use his essay as the basis for this Perspective.
One of the more perplexing aspects of our culture right now is the Occupy Wall Street movement. Questions about this movement abound, most important of which are what exactly does this movement want? What are the action points they are demanding?
With the rise of reproductive and genetic technologies, the world has increased the number of options people have when it comes to having children. Technology has enhanced the power of choice. What technology has not done is enable culture to live with the consequences.
One of the most important thinkers of the modern era was Karl Marx, one of the key founders of ideological socialism and communism. His Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital influenced the formation of the USSR, the Peoples Republic of China, Cuba, North Korea and many other smaller experiments in constructing a socialist / communist utopia.
One of the key founders of the Apple brand and product line was Steve Jobs, who died recently as a result of his struggle with pancreatic and liver cancer. His contribution to our technological society was truly revolutionary.
I just returned from conducting my annual study tour of Israel. As usual, it was an invigorating trip. While I was there, the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, petitioned the 66th session of the United Nations to in effect unilaterally declare a Palestinian state. In this Perspective, I want to present a multifaceted analysis of this development.
Sociologist Christian Smith recently led a research team that conducted in-depth interviews with 230 young adults from across America, all of which focused on the moral lives of today?s young adults. The results are quite depressing. Columnist David Brooks summarizes several of the salient findings:
Christianity is not only a personal relationship with the living God through faith in Jesus Christ; it is a worldview. It is an entire way of thinking, covering not only theology, but how to think about ethics, history, science, literature, etc. Because God has revealed Himself verbally in the Bible, Christians have the answers to the most penetrating questions of life.
By the phrase ?genuine biblical Christianity,? I mean the faith clearly revealed in God?s Word, the Bible, and validated through human history. Using the seven questions of James Sire, let?s examine biblical Christianity as a worldview.
Mormonism is by far the largest and fastest growing worldview, with as many as 10 million adherents worldwide. I believe that it needs to be scrutinized and evaluated for its viability and its commitment to truth. Hence, this edition of Issues in Perspective will be devoted to such an analysis.
God. Mormonism teaches that God the Father was once a man, but became God. He has a physical body, as does his wife (the Heavenly Mother).
Mormonism has a strong commitment to the spiritual world, the realm beyond the physical; it is possible to connect with this spiritual world through the specific activities of the believer. As Bible-centered Christians, we believe that as well, but teach clearly that a relationship with God is possible only through Jesus Christ (John 14:6).
Last weekend the USA, and indeed the world, remembered the horrors of the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001. Today, ten years later, politically, financially and socially, America seems to have lost its way. That sense of fear, of anxiety, is real and at times almost overwhelming. It is this long shadow of fear that I seek to address in this Perspective.
Without question, one of the most hotly debated issues in American evangelicalism is the role of women in the church. One issue that cannot be debated, however, is that the Scriptures affirm the equality of men and women, both in the image of God, in their position in Christ and as joint heirs.
With the ongoing financial struggles of the American economy, Asia (especially China) is gloating. Furthermore, many are now suggesting that America is no longer the world?s leading economic giant but, rather, a declining one.
After US SEALS killed Osama bin-Laden, they brought home a significant amount of intelligence from more than 100 computer storage devices collected from his compound. According to columnist David Ignatius, three major themes emerge from all this intelligence:
Our son, Jonathan, lives in London, UK and this August my wife and I were in London for his wedding. It was a very special time for our family. But during the time we were in London we saw the London police carrying machine guns and other weapons, something I had never seen in all the times I have been in London.
Worldview issues?the thoughts, ideas and convictions that explain the nature and qualities of organized civilization. If you believe that there is no God to which you are accountable or that there is no God who has provided redemption for you, you will live your life quite differently than one who affirms such propositions.
A New York Times writer recently published one of the most chilling and shocking articles I have read in some time. Entitled, ?Unnatural Selection,? the article uses a phrase new to me, ?pregnancy reductions.? A seemingly neutral term, it actually refers to a frequently used procedure of eliminating one of the twins growing in a woman?s womb.
The provision in President Obama?s health care law requiring Americans to purchase health insurance or face tax penalties was ruled unconstitutional on 12 August 2011 by the US Court of Appeals of the 11th Circuit in Atlanta. For the first time since it was passed, this provision of the health care legislation is in real jeopardy.
In the July 2011 edition of Christianity Today there is an interview with Bishop Kallistos Ware, formerly known as Timothy Ware, who had converted to Orthodox Christianity as a young man and who wrote a rather definitive book entitled The Orthodox Church.
The division of the church between East and West is rooted deep in church history. First of all, early on leaders noticed the difference and discrepancies that language brought.
For the Protestant, Scripture is the final authority. For the Roman Catholic, it is both Scripture and tradition. However, for the Eastern Orthodox, theological authority is internal, coming from the Spirit, Who speaks to believers through tradition.
One of my personal heroes went to be with the Lord in July?the British scholar and Christian leader, John R.W. Stott. He was 90 years old. I will miss his pithy, succinct writing, his gracious style and his deep-seated commitment to genuine, biblical Christianity.
The city of San Francisco has declared war on crisis pregnancy centers in the Bay Area. The first element of attack is a bill introduced to the city?s Board of Supervisors that would make it illegal for such centers to advertise falsely about their pregnancy-related services.
The downgrading of the US credit rating from AAA to AA+ is significant, yet troubling. That different political groups within the US are trying to make ?political hay? out of this is obvious. But this nation cannot permit politics to determine our response.
As I am writing this, congressional leaders and the president have presumably reached a last-minute agreement on raising the debt ceiling of the United States in exchange, among other things, for a reduction in future spending of the US. In this Perspective, I hope to provide some important background and analysis to the crisis.
As is so often the case, history gives us increased understanding about events of our day. For that reason, I think it helpful to explore how the generation of Arab dictators came to power into the Middle East. To have that background brings an understanding to the current ?Arab Spring? unfolding before our eyes in 2011.
Broadly speaking, our evangelical culture in America is dumbing down doctrine and theology. Rarely in the typical evangelical church in America will you hear sermons or teaching sessions on God as Trinity or the importance of the deity and humanity of Jesus Christ. In this Perspective, I want to illustrate the importance of sound doctrine to our lives.
One of my favorite columnists is Joe Klein of Time magazine. Although decidedly liberal in the political sense, Klein is honest and straightforward. I respect that about him. For that reason, his most recent column on Head Start was intriguing.
America has been experiencing a crisis for some time now in the area of its immigration policies and practices. In this Perspective, I want to add a biblical perspective to the discussion.
On 8 July 2011, the US space shuttle program came to an end. The shuttle Atlantis was the last operational shuttle to be launched into space; its mission was to resupply the International Space Station (ISS). The space shuttle program lasted for 30 years and involved 135 launches and two tragic disasters.
Nearly two weeks ago, my wife and I were watching ABC evening news and an ABC investigative reporter was summarizing a piece on Michele Bachmann?s husband, who runs a Christian counseling center in Minnesota. One of the goals of his center is to help counsel homosexuals who desire to change their lifestyle. The report was cynical and filled with innuendo and criticism from other professional counselors.
One of America?s premier corporations, Boeing, has built a second production plant in South Carolina (its other one is in Washington State) for its 787 Dreamliner airplane, creating over 1,000 jobs so far. But the National Labor Relations Board, created in 1935 by the Wagner Act, has taken exception to Boeing?s decision.
Sexual scandals seem to abound right now in our culture: politicians, media leaders and former presidents, as well as the normal sexual perversion emanating from Hollywood. Are our expectations about fidelity in marriage too high and, in fact, unrealistic? Will this same expectation of basic fidelity in marriage now be extended to same-sex marriages?
Mara Hvistendahl has written a powerful and provocative book entitled Unnatural Selection: Choosing Boys Over Girls and the Consequences of a World Full of Men. She demonstrates that in China, India and other nations, there are many more men than women, the result of systematic campaigns against baby girls. In nature, 105 boys are born for every 100 girls. Jonathan Last writes ?this ratio is biologically ironclad. Between 104 and 106 is the normal range, and that?s as far as the natural window goes. Any other number is the result of unnatural events.? However, in India today there are 112 boys for every 100 girls born. In China the number is 121, with some towns in China over 150! Why this incredibly skewed ratio? One reason?abortion.
The debate within our culture about origins continues, and the legacy of Charles Darwin in this debate is immense and profound. We tend to forget that Darwin?s ideas were truly revolutionary and their impact continues throughout western civilization. Better than any other example, Darwin?s hypothesis about natural selection proves the point that ideas do indeed have consequences.
Recently, I received in my office at Grace University a single sheet entitled ?The Heartland Proclamation? by the Heartland Clergy for Inclusion. In part, this sheet read, ?As Christian clergy we proclaim the Good News concerning Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) persons and publicly apologize where we have been silent.
I believe strongly that God desires we keep our focus on the Middle East. No matter what your position on eschatology, the end of history will occur in this region. The campaign of Armageddon will be in the Jezreel Valley of Israel and that campaign will involve all major world powers. So, it matters to us what is occurring in this region. In this Perspective, I want to review recent developments in the region.
In the United States, there is a growing fascination with the belief in reincarnation. In fact, adherence to this belief is a part of psychiatric therapy?something called ?hypnotic regression? or ?past-lives therapy.? One very famous physiatrist, Dr. Paul DeBell, believes that he was a caveman in a past life and that his eternal soul also inhabited the body of a Tibetan monk and a conscientious German who refused to betray his Jewish neighbors in the Holocaust.
One of the major themes of Issues in Perspective is the centrality of marriage as an institution. The health of this most basic of all institutions says much about the health of the larger culture. In this Perspective, I want to provide an update on the health of marriage in 2011.
Intellectuals often have a real struggle with the idea and existence of God. Atheism, or at best agnosticism, are frequently the standard worldview for the intellectual. Two recent examples highlight this sad pattern.
I recently read an op-ed essay by John Garvey of the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. I was absolutely stunned by a statistic Garvey cited in his piece: More than 90% of college housing in the US is now co-ed!! Common sense tells me that this is not a good thing for our culture. What are we saying to our young people?the next generation of leaders?about values, about virtue and about sex?
One of the heroes of some Republican conservatives and of radio/TV hosts such as Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh is philosopher, novelist and fervent anti-communist Ayn Rand. She is often cited at Tea Party rallies and other such gatherings as well. Congressmen Paul Ryan and Ron Paul cite Rand as one of their personal heroes and a reason why they got involved in politics.
In 2008, as he was beginning his run for the presidency, Barack Obama said that ?the single most important factor in determining [student] achievement is not the color of [students?] skin or where they come from. It?s not who their parents are or how much money they have. It?s who their teacher is.? Few would disagree with that statement.
Over the last few years, a surge of tragic stories about unfaithful men has inundated the media. To one degree or another, each one of these men is being held accountable, some more severely than others. But what should be our response as Christians?
All of us were embarrassed by the failed prediction of Jesus? return on 21 May 2011. Far more important than the inane prophecies of Harold Camping is his theology of the church. I came across an important article published by the Christian Research Institute, written by James R. White, that focuses on Camping?s theology.
Dr. Jack Kevorkian died last week at the age of 83. He had assisted in about 130 suicides in the 1990s and thereby symbolized the right-to-die movement that gained strength during that decade. [Doctor-assisted suicide has gained legitimacy in Oregon, Washington and Montana, but in no other states of the union.] He was a Michigan pathologist who would hook up patients to his homemade suicide machine.
Oprah Winfrey is leaving her regular TV program and founding a new TV network, which will expand even further her influence on American culture in the early 21st century. She just finished 25 years of syndicated ?pastoral work? (a total of 4,561 shows) serving her own ?congregation? of true believers throughout America. Joanne Kaufman aptly summarizes this last program: ?Oprah?s final show made it difficult to avoid ecclesiastical comparisons.
On 10 May 2011, the Presbyterian Church (USA) joined other mainline churches in opening the door to gay ordination. The constitutional change, which has received the necessary votes in the denomination, removes language that had required clergy to live in ?fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman, or chastity in singleness.?
It has been said that ?the one thing we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history.? This equally applies to those who should learn from church history. Throughout the history of the church, leaders have attempted to be specific about certain historical developments and relate those events to biblical prophecy, specifically the return of Christ.
In an extraordinary speech last Thursday, President Obama endorsed using the 1967 boundaries as the baseline for a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. He is the first American president to do so! [He also prodded Arab governments to carry out the democratic reforms their citizens have demanded in the so-called ?Arab Spring.?] In the 1967 war, Israel?s victory over Egypt and other Arab neighbors expanded its control over territories in the West Bank and Gaza, over the Golan Heights and over East Jerusalem.
Pitzer College, a small liberal arts college in Southern California, will inaugurate this fall a department in secular studies. Classes taught by professors from the other departments of the college will include, ?God, Darwin and Design in America,? ?Anxiety in the Age of Reason,? and ?Bible as Literature.? This new department is based on the premise that studying nonbelief is as valid as studying belief. Among other things, this department will also study the growing waves of secularization in Western Europe and in Canada. The head of the department is Phil Zuckerman, a sociologist of religion, who describes himself as ?culturally Jewish, but agnostic-atheist on questions of deep mystery.?
With the death of Osama Bin Laden and what some are calling the ?Arab Spring,? a new Middle East is emerging. Its parameters are far from clear but there are some discernible characteristics. Most of them are rather troublesome.
The present administration in Washington is against school vouchers and even permitted the very popular and demonstrably effective voucher program in the District of Columbia to die. But Obama resurrected that program as a part of the deal he struck with the Republican Party over the 2011 budget. What evidence is there that vouchers serve students well and give parents a valid option for educating their children?
Over the last twenty years, the growth of the gambling industry has been staggering. Increasingly, more and more states are legalizing all forms of gambling. It is on several Indian reservations and the respective states are now utterly dependent on revenue from some form of gambling. The gambling industry is a huge, worldwide business. According to The Economist, in 2009, the total revenue from gambling worldwide was $335 billion. That percentage total breaks down as follows...
I am on the advisory board of The Nebraska Coalition for Ethical Research (NCER), which opposes the derivation and use of stem cells from human embryos. Such derivation and use involves the direct destruction of a human being in its embryonic stage of development and treats such humans as mere physical objects that can be harvested for their parts. However, NCER supports and applauds the use of stem cells obtained from umbilical cord blood or adult sources that do not involve the destruction of human life.
President Barack Obama invited President Bush to join him as he traveled to ?ground zero? in lower Manhattan last week. President Bush declined the offer. In issuing this invitation, perhaps President Obama recognized how much he truly owes to President Bush. In fact, one could probably argue that President Bush?s decisions right after 9/11 made the death of Bin Laden possible.
As I am writing this, the President of the United States just announced that Navy SEALS had killed Osama bin Laden, the head of al Qaeda. It will take some time before we know the ramifications of this momentous event but permit me a few preliminary observations...
I have a very dear friend who lives near Jerusalem. His name is Ronny Simon, a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Israeli Defense Force, who serves as my guide when I lead my annual tours of Israel. He recently sent me a detailed email on his perspective about what is occurring in the Middle East today.
This weekend (8 May) we celebrate Mother?s Day in the United States. A recent article details the changing face of motherhood in the US. A summary of the findings:
Last week, Standard & Poor?s announced that it might need to downgrade the US government?s AAA bond rating for the first time in history, because of the dim prospects for serious debt reduction. This panicked investors, in the short term, who believe that Treasuries are the last safe haven in an uncertain world.
Last week, Iran and Egypt?s new government signaled they were moving quickly to thaw decades of frosty relations. Iran said it appointed an ambassador to Egypt for the first time since the two sides froze diplomatic relations more than three decades ago. Both the US and Israel are deeply concerned that such moves indicate that Egypt is reordering its foreign policy, which could further empower Iran and its regional clients Hamas and Hezbollah.
With the advent of modern technology, humanity has sought increasing control with the goal being manipulation of nearly everything for the good of the human race. Since the eighteenth-century Enlightenment, several historical developments have produced an openness in Western Civilization toward seeking to control and manipulate humans.
The four academic degrees that I have earned are in history and historical theology. Therefore, the historical perspective is quite important to me. In this Perspective, I seek to give an important historical perspective to the origin and development of 19th-century theological liberalism. When I am finished, I will make application to what is occurring within certain parts of current American evangelicalism.
Planned Parenthood is one of the most dangerous organizations in America right now. Its view of human life growing the womb is reprehensible. Basically, for Planned Parenthood, the baby has no value until it exists outside of the mother?s womb. It values the rights of the woman more highly than the rights of the child in the womb. It stands against everything I hold dear as a Christian. Planned Parenthood annually receives about $363,200,000 in various government grants and contracts. [$100 million of that amount comes from the federal government; the rest comes from various state funds.] Congress recently debated ending all funding of Planned Parenthood because no matter how one examines the issue, the government is indirectly funding abortions that Planned Parenthood performs.
Social networks have provided one of the several sources of energy for the pro-democracy movements in the Middle East. Information technology is changing the global balance of power. ?The Facebook Generation? helped significantly to bring down Hosni Mubarak of Egypt. One of the heroes of this same revolution is the young Google executive, Wael Ghonim.
The economist, Robert Samuelson, has an interesting take on Social Security: He calls it ?welfare.? Here is why: First, it taxes one group to support another group, meaning it is pay-as-you-go and not a contributory scheme where people?s own savings pay their later benefits. Second, Congress can constantly alter benefits, reflecting changing needs, economic conditions and politics. Let?s think about this provocative thesis.
The debate over the 2011 federal budget is presumably over. After taking the nation to the brink, even possibly facing a possible shutdown of the federal government, the congressional leaders cut the budget and finally passed the 2011 budget, which runs through 30 September. As I approach this Perspective on the 2012 federal budget, I find the words of the economist, Robert Samuelson, refreshing and brutally honest...
I am not a medical doctor nor do I understand all the complexities of health insurance, but I have spent time in a hospital as both a patient and as someone who visits hospitals to comfort friends and those whom I care about. I also believe that there are several common sense principles that we are not following as a nation.
Jefferson was a child of the European Enlightenment and was certainly one of its more passionate advocates. Jefferson adopted the antisupernaturalism of the Enlightenment and used that bias when he reached his conclusions about Jesus. He revered Jesus as ?the first of human Sages? and regarded His ethical system articulated in the Sermon on the Mount as superior to all others. Lincoln was born into a Baptist family and his early life was surrounded by Baptist leanings. However, what evidence there is about his faith indicates that he was deistic in his thinking...
The significant changes sweeping through the Middle East will have acute implications for Israel. At this point, it is impossible to deduce those implications in their entirety but there are a few hints.
In 1798 a British clergyman named Thomas Malthus argued that human population growth would exceed the world?s ability to feed this growth in population. Robert McNamara in 1968, as president of the World Bank, spoke of ?the mushrooming cloud of population explosion.?
The wave of populist uprisings throughout North Arica and into the Middle Eastern nations necessitates that we step back and do a reality check. What is going on? Is there a difference between what occurred in Egypt or Tunisia, for example, and what is occurring in Libya? What are the available options for these nations currently undergoing turmoil? Let?s examine these questions in this Perspective.
First, columnist Tom Friedman helps us understand that there are two different types of states in the Middle East: ?Real countries,? with long histories in their territory and strong national identities
One of the key themes of Issues in Perspective is the articulation and defense of the Christian worldview. That worldview is discerned from a study of the Bible and the application of that worldview to life. Two recent studies validate the biblical viewpoint.
Probably one of the most influential women in America today is Oprah Winfrey. The Oprah Winfrey Show is now history but she has founded her own network and her influence will hardly diminish.
Historian Niall Ferguson has written several insightful articles over the past few years helping me to understand the ongoing shift from the West to the East going on in the world. A new order to our world is emerging and, in this Perspective, I seek to make sense of it.
First of all, Ferguson argues that over the last 500 years the West has had six ?killer applications? that explain its dominance of the world in every sense?militarily, financially, socially and in setting the world?s agenda.
At the end of December 2010, a huge natural gas discovery was confirmed in the Eastern Mediterranean inside Israel?s territorial waters. It is called the Leviathan gas deposit in the Levant Basin and marks a major development for Israel, with the potential for making Israel an energy exporter over the next decade. Natural gas was first discovered off Israel?s coast in 1999, but the quantity was so small that until recently, Israel was still planning on importing natural gas from Russia. The Leviathan field, discovered by a consortium led by Houston-based Noble Energy, is the world?s largest offshore gas find in the past decade and makes Israel now among the ranks of the world?s largest gas reserve holders in the world. [Possibly, the Leviathan field may contain a world-scale oil deposit as well.]
Marvin Olasky was at one point a radical leftist history professor and an advocate of the communist worldview. But he trusted Christ a number of years ago and is now the editor of World magazine. Olasky recently appeared on Glenn Beck?s TV program. Beck is one of the media stars on the late afternoon Fox TV lineup. I believe the substance of that interview needs to be summarized. In effect, I will quote verbatim from Olasky?s account of his time with Glenn Beck. Beck introduced Olasky as ?a former Communist. Now he believes man can rule himself.? Olasky comments: ?Not exactly, on the last part: I said, ?We are people created to worship in some way. If we don?t worship God, we?ll worship the human gods created by people . . .??
One of the key themes of biblical Christianity is the importance of sound doctrine. The Apostle Paul uses this phrase especially in the Pastoral Epistles. The term ?sound? actually means healthy and, from Paul, we learn that sound doctrine is the key to godly living and to spiritual health. It is therefore quite significant to focus on the importance of sound doctrine in this postmodern world. And in this global village, building bridges to Islam is necessary. But how do we do that without compromising the sound doctrine of the Bible, particularly as it relates to Jesus Christ? In the Perspective, I seek to probe this very issue.
There is quite a stir going on right now about the anticipated publication of Rob Bell?s new book, Love Wins: A Book about Heaven, Hell and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived. It is scheduled for release on Tuesday, 29 March 2011.
Issues in Perspective has lamented family breakdown, social disintegration and the decline of American civilization for several years now. The evidence for all these propositions seems overwhelming. However, a recent study gives a small ray of hope.
Recently, President Obama determined that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)?the 1996 law that bars federal recognition of same-sex marriages?is unconstitutional. He directed the Justice Department to stop defending the law in court.Despite the fact that his administration had defended DOMA during the first two years in office, that department will no longer do so. The Attorney
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President Obama recently presented his budget to the Congress and, as a part of this budget, he is launching an initiative for a high speed rail network for the United States. Indeed, VP Joe Biden, with great fanfare, announced the administration?s plan in Philadelphia to spend $53 billion over six years for a ?national high-speed
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During World War II, Adolf Hitler showered the grand mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin al-Husseini (the titular leader of the Palestinians) with gifts, wealth and a Berlin villa. Why? Because he broadcast Nazi propaganda to the Middle East, recruited European Muslims for the SS, exulted the Holocaust and after the war went on to represent
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As I am writing this, the Middle East is in turmoil. It is simply impossible to have a clear view of all that is occurring and what the short term and long term implications are. Civil war in some of the nations, a disruption in the flow of oil from this region, higher energy costs, the growth or the demise of radical Islam are all potential results, but no one really knows. It is simply too early. There are nonetheless a few items of importance that we can discern.
The proverbial day of reckoning for the United States, both at the national level and in most of the respective states of this union, has arrived. In this Perspective, I want to defend that proposition.
One of my favorite authors is Kay M. Hymowitz. Her written works have helped me in developing one of the major themes of Issues in Perspective?an analysis of cultural trends, especially the growing confusion of young men in American culture. She uses the term ?pre-adult? to define a new cultural development or even a new stage in human development between the teen years and adulthood. [Other sociologists, such as Christian Smith, have called this stage, emerging adulthood.] Here are some of Hymowitz?s observations about pre-adulthood, based on her new book, Manning Up: How the Rise of Women Has turned Men into Boys.
Years ago, my wife and I watched a movie based on a famous book by Boris Pasternak, Doctor Zhivago. The movie, made in 1965, is a gorgeous movie: The scenery of Russia in the winter is breathtaking and stunning. The movie is set during the tumultuous years of the Bolshevik Revolution that swept Russia from 1917-1920. As the forces of Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, who took the name of Lenin, ravaged the country of Russia, they killed, pillaged and destroyed as they built their communist utopia in Russia. Dr. Zhivago is caught in this tumult and, when he returns from the front in World War I, he finds his home ransacked and occupied by 13 families. But the movie is really not about the Bolshevik Revolution; it is a love story.
n preparation for a recent conference at which I was to speak, I was studying Matthew 6:19-24. Among other things, Jesus is clearly asking His followers to have an investment strategy, one that balances investment for the future with investment for eternity. Material wealth is not evil, but it is transitory, will deteriorate and can be stolen (vv. 19-20). Not so with investment for eternity. As Randy Alcorn has observed, ?Whatever treasures we store up on earth will be left behind when we leave.