Israelites | TLG Christian News

An Open Letter to You in 2017: The Same Old Message for a Brand New Year

02/01/2017 0 Comment

As we anticipate the challenges and opportunities of 2017, I want to repost an open letter that focuses on the most important realities in the world. And the addressee of my open letter is you. No matter who you are—whether young in the faith, a seasoned saint, or not a believer in Jesus at all; whether we’re good friends, have only spoken a few times, or if I don’t know you from Adam—I can think of nothing more profitable that I’d like to say directly to you. And perhaps the most interesting di..

3 Examples Of Conflict Resolution In The Bible

27/12/2016 0 Comment

Here are three great examples of conflict resolution in the Bible.
Jew and Gentile ChristiansThere was a great divide within the church between the Jewish Christians and the Gentile Christians. This was perfect timing for such men as Paul and Barnabas, who often played the role of peacemaker. After the church had grown, “some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved” (Acts 15:1), so there were alrea..

Waiting for More than Christmas

24/12/2016 0 Comment

The season of Advent brings with it pleasing rituals of happy anticipation. Open a door on the Advent calendar and find a piece of chocolate. Light a candle in the Advent wreath and know you are getting closer to Christmas. Make your lists and check them twice as you look forward to giving, receiving, and feasting.

The waiting that comes with Advent is fun because it is finite. We know what’s coming at the end of our wait will be good, and we know exactly how many days we have left to wait for ..

Why the Jewish Messiah is the Most Important Individual in History

23/12/2016 0 Comment

However, he will differ from all other human beings: he will also be God. We know this for a few reasons. First, as mentioned in Micah 5:2, his existence has no beginning. That can only be said of an individual who is self-existent and uncreated; who is prior to all created things. The Hebrew Scriptures (and logic) tell us that such a being must be the God and Creator of all things. Second, Isaiah 7:14 mentions that he will be known as, “Immanuel,” which means “God with us.” Third, Isaiah’s seco..

Do not be afraid – Christmas will survive Advent

21/12/2016 0 Comment

Advent is my favourite season in the Church calendar.

In fact, I often start longing for Advent sometime in September. I get tired of the long season of Green or Ordinary Time. Usually by Thanksgiving, I'm ready for anything, but more parables from the Gospels.

I'm ready to see anything, but the same-old green paraments hanging from the chancel fur..

What Should We Remember?

13/12/2016 0 Comment

“In Scripture, memory has a similar formative power. The Bible depicts believers as being formed by their response to the revelation of God, and the divine Creator and Redeemer exhibits His holy character by His faithful remembering of the people whom He has created and promised to redeem.”

Memory of the past—whether corporate or individual—can wield a powerful influence not only in how people engage the present but also in how they face the future. As a matter of fact, it is not surprising tha..

Thought for the evening of Tue December 13, 2016

13/12/2016 0 Comment

Verse”I will make thy windows of agates.” — isa 54:12
ThoughtThe church is most instructively symbolized by a building erected by heavenly power, and designed by divine skill. Such a spiritual house must not be dark, for the Israelites had light in their dwellings; there must therefore be windows to let the light in and to allow the inhabitants to gaze abroad. These windows are precious as agates: the ways in which the church beholds her Lord and heaven, and spiritual truth in general, are to be..

Deuteronomy 18:15

10/12/2016 0 Comment

“The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.”

Dad, Why Must I Obey?

06/12/2016 0 Comment

Have you ever heard a child ask, “Why do I have to obey?”

As a father of six kids, ages seven to seventeen, I have heard this question often — when not explicitly, then in the tone of their voices and the looks on their faces. As a parent, I don’t want to merely change their external behavior; I want to help them understand the “why” of Christian obedience. And as an Old Testament professor, I have wondered how Jesus’s Bible answers my children’s question. I found an answer in Deuteronomy.

Why You Shouldn’t Change Jobs Every Two Years

06/12/2016 0 Comment

Two years have passed since I joined the workforce and started at a nonprofit in New York City. In that span of time I’ve watched dozens of friends change jobs—a few more than once. As one told me, “I can’t imagine being in the same place for two years.”

How is it that what was once unremarkable—staying put—is an increasing rarity among younger workers in today’s marketplace?

It’s hard not to see the benefits of switching. The tantalizing prospect of better pay, new environments, and meaningfu..