Articles by Marty Kessler
Balaam, a prophet of God, being tempted with cold hard cash from Israel’s enemies, came up with the idea of leading Israel into fornication and idolatrous worship with “the daughters of Moab”. You can read about this whole sordid affair in the book of Numbers 22-25, 2nd Peter 2:15-16 & Jude 11. God instructed Moses to execute those who had lead Israel to do so. When a man came brazenly amongs...
I recently saw where a fellow claimed that Jesus only commissioned the apostles to spread the gospel, arguing that such was not the responsibility of individual saints. Really? Is he kidding? Was disciple making to end once the apostles died? I seriously doubt that was Jesus’ intention. If so, why then did the Holy Spirit inspire Luke to tell us of so many who were not apostles, but who ...
If you read Mark’s gospel, you will be able to see that he records nine times when Jesus told the apostles very clearly that he would be arrested, tried, crucified and then three days later, be resurrected from the dead (8:27-33, 9:1-13, 9:30-32, 10:32-34, 10:35-45, 12:1-11, 14:3-9, 14:17-25 & 14:26-31).Mark, however, does not record the time that Jesus said, “…….for just as Jonah was three days a...
“You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” …….. Jesus, from the gospel of John the apostle, 8:44 Who does not value truth? The best liars want to know th...
Why did God record his reasons for choosing Abraham? For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him”, - Genesis 18:19 I confess that there was a time when I wanted the above passage to say that God chose Abraham becau...
We’ve been told over and over that the last living dinosaur lived millions of years ago. If that’s so, I have some questions. First, why are there accounts of human encounters with dragons (“dinosaur” was not coined until 1841) from nearly every ancient culture on the planet? England, Italy, France, Greece, Israel, Nepal, Russia, China, Japan, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Ethiopia, Egypt, P...
Some years ago, I recall visiting with some friends. I don’t remember any part of our visit except one statement they made. They said they did not want to influence their children in matters of religion. They wanted their children to grow up and make their own choices and decisions about the subject. Needless to say, I was stunned at such a strategy for raising children. I’ve always thought it was...
In John 9:20-22 we can read of Jesus giving sight to a man who had been blind all of his life. The man’s parents knew Jesus had done this for their son, but refused to publicly acknowledge him because they feared they would be put out of the synagogue for admitting that it was so. In John 12:42-43 we are told that among those in authority in Jerusalem, many believed in Jesus. These, however, ...
Jesus said, “If I be lifted up, I will draw all men to myself”. This truthful claim of his is why I believe he commissioned the church to preach the gospel of his death, burial and resurrection to the whole world. Jesus taught us to do good works that God may be glorified, and to impact the world like salt & light according to Matthew 5:13-16. Doing good lifts up Jesus to the world today.&nbs...
Charles Darwin noted several problems with his own theories. Below is one of my favorites: “But then with me the horrid doubt always arises whether the convictions of man's mind, which has been developed from the mind of the lower animals, are of any value or at all trustworthy. Would any one trust in the convictions of a monkey's mind, if there are any convictions in such a mind?” Charles Da...
Two archers are honing their skills, slinging arrows at the same target. One man’s arrow strikes the target near the bullseye, and he feels a sense of satisfaction at coming close to his mark, yet determines to make every effort to bring his next shot even closer. His desire is to master his bow so that his arrows will consistently strike wherever he aims them. The second man draws his b...
I am indebted to Irishman John Lennox, mathematician and Christian apologist, for the following insight. God teaches us to love him with all of our heart, soul and mind, said first in Deuteronomy 6:5 and repeated by Jesus in Matthew 22:37. What does it mean, however, to love God with all of your mind? Suppose for example, that an unbeliever asks you why you believe. Have you thought...
The world of music lost Glen Frey of the Eagles, David Bowie, Paul Kantner of Jefferson Airplane, Maurice White of Earth, Wind & Fire, Keith Emmerson of Emmerson, Lake & Palmer, Merle Haggard the Okie from Muskogee, Prince & Ralph Stanley the godfather of traditional bluegrass music known from the movie “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” Hollywood lost Alan Rickman of Harry Potter fame, Dan Haggerty who...
The holiday season is for me, like the evening of a year-long day. My "instinctive" hope is for the whole family to return from the day's activities and be gathered together around the table at home. But as many of us have learned, their return is not guaranteed.I was 13 when my brother-in-law stepped through the door of our home to tell me that my dad would not be returning. No holiday season has...
“Behold, My servant will prosper, He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted. Just as many were astonished at you, My People, so His appearance was marred more than any man and His form more than the sons of men. Thus He will sprinkle many nations, kings will shut their mouths on account of Him; for what had not been told them they will see, and what they had not heard they will...
It is a principle as old as creation, and which is stated ten separate times in the Biblical creation account (Genesis 1:11-12, 21 & 24-25). Everything reproduces after its kind. Reproduction in kind is not limited to biology. Similarly, Isaac Newton observed that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. So consistent is this truth that he identified it as the t...
Amber alerts are for missing children. Silver alerts are now understood to mean an older person is missing. Our ears perk up when we hear of these announcements because we care. What alert do we have for sheep that are missing from the Lord’s fold? Who do you know whose name needs to be plastered across a screen somewhere within sight for all of the “spiritual” saints to see? Tha...
Acts 5:27-29: “When they had brought them, they stood them before the Council. The high priest questioned them, saying, ‘We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.’ But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than men.’” In spite of the dange...
The clamor of “separation of church and state” over the last several decades has served to condition many saints into thinking that religious views have no place in our nation’s lawmaking or in the selection of our leaders. Nothing, I repeat, Nothing could be farther from the truth. How could we come to believe that God would ordain governments to exist (See Romans 13:1-5 for examp...
Day dawned again this morning, the light is spreading still, as it has since God’s creation, his order to fulfill (Psalm 19:4-6) The world is going crazy, but then that is a lie, because it’s long been crazy and will be ‘til we die (1st John 2:15-17) The nations in an uproar, fools devising their vain things, taking counsel with one another against the King of Kings (Psalm 2:1-3) But God stil...