What is Ash Wednesday?

In Western Christianity, Ash Wednesday is the first day and start of the season of Lent. However, Sundays are not included in the 40 day count. traditionally, Lent is a period of time that many Christians spend preparing for Easter by fasting, repentance, prayer, and meditation on God's word. Not all Christian churches observe Ash Wednesday. It's mostly observed by Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Roman Catholic, and Anglican denominations. During some Ash Wednesday services, the minister or priest will rub ashes on the forehead of believers in the sign of the cross.

While the Bible does not directly mention the observance of Lent or Ash Wednesday, there are some verses that account the practice of using ashes for mourning and repentance.

Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the ornamented robe she was wearing. She put her hand on her head on her head and went away, weeping aloud as she went. (2 Samuel 13:19)

When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly. (Esther 4:1)

Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes. (Job 2:8)

So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. (Daniel 9:3)

"Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. (Matthew 11:21)

Many Christians, including myself, do not observe Ash Wednesday. Maybe this is a mistake. certainly, fasting, prayer, and preparation for the most holy Easter season must be a very good for our spiritual health.

by James Apple Jr.

Jesus' First Sermon

How would you react if someone came to your hometown and stood up and proclaimed that he was the fulfillment of scripture as read in Isaiah? Our reaction today probably wouldn't be too much different from the reaction 2,000 years ago in Nazareth after Jesus' first sermon.

Let's put ourselves in their shoes. What if someone you grew up with stood up in your hometown church and read:
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

 

Then, he calmly puts down his Bible and says:
"Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
I would be the first to speak-up and say, "Isn't this the son of Joe the carpenter? Now young he thinks he is the messiah!"

 

Most of us wouldn't go to the extent of chasing the newly proclaimed messiah out-of-town and plotting to kill him by throwing him off of a cliff like the Nazarites did with Jesus. However, most church congregations at a minimum would run him out of their church. I would be the first to support this, because just as with the Jews, this newly proclaimed messiah goes against everything I have ever learned and believe in.

 

But, there is one major difference between a newly proclaimed messiah today and when Jesus proclaimed his fulfillment of scripture. Today, we know through the miracles and proof within Jesus' ministry that he was the real-deal; he is the true messiah.

Back when Jesus gave his first sermon and proclaimed fulfillment of the scriptures, the Jews believed that the messiah was still to come and were always on the look-out for the true messiah. In fact, Jews still to this day looking for the messiah to come.
It is sad to think that all the proof of the messiah is there right in front of them and they are still looking for signs of the messiah. All they need to do is look at the life and ministry of Jesus. What more could a messiah do to send a message to his people as Jesus did? Just think about all the miracles he did, all the good he did, all the love he gave; even unto death.

The problem is this, most Jews are not looking for a messiah that set up a kingdom in Heaven, but are looking for a messiah to set up and rule a kingdom on Earth. My message to the Jews and anyone who will listen is this kingdom on Earth will soon come. Jesus, will come back again with power and glory and rule for a thousand years.
But, if you wait until then to find your messiah. You will have waited to it's too late!

Please do not wait until the second coming of Jesus to finally believe in Jesus. You must soften your hearts and believe in the first coming now. If you refuse Jesus, your fate will be the same as Satan's.
I pray that you repent and ensure that your name is in the Book of Life now.
"Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:14-15

by James Apple Jr.

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Matthew 1 - Cyber-linked Bible

Matthew 1 - Video Study Bible

The Genealogy of Jesus

1 A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham: 2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, 4 Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, 7 Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, 8 Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, 9 Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. 12 After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Eliud, 15 Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. 17 Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.

The Birth of Jesus Christ

18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”–which means, “God with us.” 24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

Revelation 1 - Video Bible Study

Revelation 1 - Video Bible Study

Prologue
1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw--that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

Greetings and Doxology
4 John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father--to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. 7Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen. 8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come,the Almighty."


One Like a Son of Man
9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which said: "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis,Philadelphia and Laodicea." 12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,13 and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man,"dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. 19 "Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right handand of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

The Bible and Science Agree

Throughout time, scientist have made more than a few scientific errors. The Bible does not give answers to all scientific questions, but the ones it does mention are accurate. It just took secular society some time to learn the knowledge that God already gave man through his inspired Word!

Here are some examples:

1) Scientist used to believe there was only between one thousand and twelve hundred stars in the universe. We now know there are trillions upon trillions of stars; more than man can ever count.

What did God tell us?
"And as the stars cannot be counted and the sand on the seashores cannot be measured, so I will multiply the descendants of David, my servant, and the Levites who minister before me." Jeremiah 33:22

2) Men used to think these stars were all very similar to each other and now we know that each one is unique.

"... And even the stars differ from each other in their beauty and brightness." I Corinthians 15:41

3) Scientist believed in The Steady State Theory, the theory that the stars were just out there. Now, scientists know that star constellations have gravitational binding.

"Can you hold back the movements of the stars? Are you able to restrain the Pleades or Orion?" Job 38:31

4) Scientists used to believe that the earth was flat and of course now know it is round.

"It is God who sits above the circle of the earth." Isaiah 40:22

5) We used to believe that light did not move and we now know that it does and has physical properties such as "light waves" and "photons."

"Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And darkness, where is its place," Job 38:19

6) Doctors used to believe the "bleeding out" a person could help to heal them. Blood is now know to be essential for life and blood transfusions are given to add blood and heal people.

"For the life of the flesh is in the blood," Leviticus 17:11

7) We used to believe that air has no weight. We now know that oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon-dioxide have respective atomic weights that can be measured.

"To establish a weight for the wind, and apportion the waters by measure." Job 28:25

8) We used to believe that winds blew straight across the Earth. We now know that air currents move in large circular patterns.

"The wind blows south and north, here and there, twisting back and forth, getting nowhere." Ecclesiastes 1:6

9) People did not understand how important hand washing was to stop sickness. Of course, we now know that many diseases are spread by contact and washing hands reduces the chances of spreading these diseases.

"During that time, he must wash his clothes and bathe in fresh spring water. Then he will be ceremonially clean." Leviticus 15:13

10) In the time of Greek mythology, people believed the Earth was carried on some one's back. Of course, we now know it floats in space.

"God stretches the northern sky over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing." Job 26:7

11) Last but not least, many even still today believe in "The Big Bang" theory. That our world just somehow came together by chance. Dr. Harold Morowitz, a former biophysics professor at Yale University estimated that the chance formation of the smallest simplest form of living organism is 1 out of 10^340,000,000. To understand the size of this unimaginable odds, you have to imagine a 1 followed by 340,000,000 zeroes. As you can see, these odds make evolution impossible.

Of course, there is a much better and simpler answer to everything.
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1

And just like all the others, the only right answer.

Democrat or Republican? Let the Bible Decide!

Christian Democrat ... That's Impossible!

I do not know about you, but I am so tired of hearing people say they are Christians and vote Democrat. I believe it is impossible to be both because their beliefs are complete opposites of each other. I believe it is also wrong to always vote Republican and call yourself a Christian because many Republicans have beliefs that are contrary to Christian teachings as well. I believe a true Christian has to be Independent of both parties and vote for the lesser evil. It is virtually impossible to vote Democrat because one never finds a Democrat with less evil values than his or her Republican opponent.

If you know one, please cue me in so I can give him or her my full support!

Now, you are probably thinking ... "This guy is nuts!" and "How can he say such nonsense?"

Who care what I think? What really matters is what God thinks ... so ... let's take a look!

Remember, when you vote for a political candidate, you do not just vote for the person; essentially ... you vote for every ideal and belief that person holds. In short, what every impact that person has on society ... either good or bad ... is partly your responsibility.

St. Paul wrote to the church in Corinthians this, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil." 2 Corinthians 5:10

This means that God hold you personally responsible for your actions ... Good and Bad.

Let us take a look at what God thinks about the mainstream political platform that most Democrats support and vote for in the Congress and Senate. Which also translates, what you support when you support the Democrats.

What God says about "Gay Marriage and Homosexuality."
Most have heard the saying, "God made Eve and not Steve!" Well, this is true. Not because I say so, but because God believed a woman was the perfect companion for man, not another man.

"Then the Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him' ... Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man." Genesis 2 18, 22 NLT

"Haven't you read the Scriptures?"Jesus replied."God made them male and female... This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together."Matthew 19:4-6NLT

"That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex ans instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved." Romans 1:26-27 NLT

Their are many others on this subject, but why be redundant ... let's go to the next Democratic platform.

Most Abortions are done for convenience.
Approximately 93% of abortions are done out of convenience. It is very important to understand that the woman's heath is an issue only 3% of the time and rape or incest are an issue about 1% of the time. Democrats would have you think that women's health is the primary issue at stake when supporting "Pro-choice." This is not the case.
The truth is a large percentage of woman regret having an abortion later because she realizes that she did it for her own selfish reasons.

Abortion is an act of Murder.
Did your know that the term "with child" is in the Bible twenty-six times and the reference to "with fetus" does not exist.

Democrats argue that abortion is not murder because the baby is a "fetus" and does not become a human being until after birth. However, even scientist believe that life begins at the time of conception. If you do not believe me, go ahead and research the numerous scientist that attest to this fact.

What does the God say?
He hates those who shed innocent blood! Deuteronomy 27:25
"Cursed is anyone who accepts payment to kill an innocent person. And all the people will reply, Amen." Deuteronomy 27:25 NLT
"I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations." Jeremiah 1:5 NLT
"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and kit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born." Psalm 139 13-16 NLT

Like before, there is many more, but why be redundant. The message is clear.

As I said before, prove to me that it is possible to be both Christian and Democrat!