What Does It Mean to Be Poor in Spirit? Exploring the First Beatitude

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” — Matthew 5:3 To be poor in spirit is not about financial poverty or low self-esteem. It’s a spiritual posture—an honest recognition of our deep need for God. The Greek word used for “poor” here, ptōchos, refers to absolute destitution. Jesus is […]
When is lying OK?

The Ninth Commandment, “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:16), is a clear two-part moral directive. One, God wants people to tell the truth. Two, God wants people to NOT harm their neighbors. So the question about lying should be pretty easy, but it isn’t. First, we must remember that the […]
Why do Christians celebrate Palm Sunday?

Palm Sunday marks the start of Holy Week in the Christian Calendar and marks the day that Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey as crowds of people cheered and waved palm branches. Almost 600 years had passed since a king in the line of David sat on a Jewish throne in Jerusalem and many […]
One God…Really?

The first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before me,” is a profound declaration of monotheism and a call to exclusive worship. It sets the tone for devotion to one God—the creator of the universe and everything in it including men and women. This commandment calls for a life centered around the worship […]
What is True Love?

“I love you” is much more than a Valentine’s Day sentiment. It’s much more than words on a card. So what is true love? The Bible says the greatest commandment is: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5) and “love your neighbor […]
What will Christian bodies be like after the Resurrection?

At the end of the Apostles’ Creed, Christians affirm their belief in the resurrection of the body. What form that will take is often a topic of discussion. What will we look like? Will we recognize others, will they recognize us? The apostle Paul writing to the church in Corinth answered the first of these […]
Why do bad things happen to me and my family? I thought God was on my side.

Let’s start with the second thought first. If you have invited Jesus Christ into your life as your Savior and Lord, then yes God is on your side! His promise to you is the same made to Joshua, the man selected to lead the Israelites into the promised land (Deut. 31:8). God Will never leave […]
Will the ‘lost or unsaved’ have bodies in Hell or only tormented souls?

This is another most intriguing and somewhat perplexing question. It has been considered many times down through the ages by Christians and non-Christians alike. Back in 1320 AD Dante wrote the book, Divine Comedy, and it was published finally in 1472 AD. It describes his view of what torment might be like in various levels […]
What is evil?

People use the word evil to describe all sorts of behavior. More often than not, evil is associated with people other than themselves or with actions with which they disagree. Politicians are labeled as evil when they take a position that is at odds with the person or group calling them evil. Some people argue […]
Why did Jesus talk more about hell than heaven?

Jesus spoke more of Hell than Heaven but we do know He spoke a lot about both.You know God tells us that He loved us so much that “… while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:8). So God’s purpose for each of us is to bring us into a present and […]