Random Articles
What is Death?
(Copyright 08-30-2025) by Rod Reynolds (Wentzville, Missouri) Dear Friends and Brethren, Even when we face sickness and death, God is aware of our plight, and if we maintain godly faith, we are safely in his hands. Scripture tells us, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation” (Hebrews 9:27-28). Jesus said, “For as the Father raises the dead and makes alive, even so the Son of man […]
What Do You Think It Is?
(Copyright 08-16-2025) by Gary C. Miller (Pocahontas, Arkansas) WHAT IS EVERYONE INTERESTED IN UNTIL THEY HEAR IT? WHAT DO MOST CLAIM TO BE SEARCHING FOR, SEEKING…UNTIL they learn how it will change their life? WHAT IS IT that only a “…FEW there be that find it?” ANSWER: THE REAL BIBLE TRUTH“Enter you in at the strait gate…Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads to life, and few there be that find it.” (Matt. 7:13-14)Time and again we see when the Bible truths come to light… suddenly the discussion ends…and so does the interest. BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS:“Beware of […]
Endure to the End of What?
(Copyright 07-24-2025) by Craig Sablich (Charlotte, North Carolina) No matter how old we are, everything we have experienced in life, every right or wrong decision, has contributed to the experiences that have shaped who we are at this very moment. As much as we would like, we cannot change or eliminate a bad decision that might have set us on a heart-breaking path. We can only look forward, ask for, and accept the forgiveness, mercy, and love of God. When I recall the struggles I have faced in life, I sometimes cannot help but consider God’s Word, which teaches us to endure. […]
Pantyhose on fire: To those who say, “What difference does it make?”
(Copyright 2016) by Curtis Dahlgren (Stephenson, Michigan) “If a political party does not have its foundation in the determination to advance a cause that is right and that is moral, then it is not a political party; it is merely a conspiracy to seize power.” – Dwight Eisenhower “The lie in the Soul is a true lie.” –Benjamin Jowett (1817-1893) This life’s five windows of the soul Distorts the Heavens from pole to pole And leads you to believe a lie When you see with, not thro’ the eye. –William Blake (1757-1827) To lapse in fulness Is sorer than to lie for need, […]
What is the true origin of Halloween?
(Copyright) by BibleStudy.org (Farmington Hills, Michigan) What connection does the origin of Halloween have with Noah’s flood? Who, in the world, celebrates a version of the holiday? Evidence suggests that Halloween and the flood are linked by a certain fixation on the dead, death itself, and the occult. This link between the holiday and a celebration called the “day of the dead” is written about by Frank Humphrey. He wrote, “What is often overlooked, however, is that there is the remembrance of the ‘Day of the Dead’ followed by a New Year. This occurs on our (modern Roman-based) calendar at the end of […]
What Does ‘Examine Yourselves’ Mean?
(Copyright 03-26-2025) by Staff (Charlotte, North Carolina) “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith.” —II Corinthians 13:5 From time to time, it is desirable to examine or prove ourselves to know we align with God’s mind and will. We check ourselves, as it were, to ensure that we are walking worthy of our calling. Passover is only a short time away. As Christians, we need to consider the self-examination process God’s Word says we should be undergoing as the spring festivals approach. The apostle Paul writes in I Corinthians 11:28-30: But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of the bread and drink of […]
What is a Christian?
(Copyright 02-19-2025) by Darwin Lee (Bismarck, North Dakota) Just what and who is a Christian? Some would say a Christian is someone who confesses that Jesus is their Lord and Savior. Confessing that their sins have been bought and paid for by Jesus, gave His life in death that they can live eternal at the resurrection. Certainly, that is a prerequisite to acknowledge that as an absolute necessity. Accepting His broken body and Jesus’ shedding of His blood for payment of sins death penalty in our stead. That faith and personal belief is the only hope for payment of our sins […]
What is Grace?
(Copyright 2022) by David Antion (Pasadena, California) Is there any word more misunderstood and abused and perverted than this word “grace?” Yet it is one of the most important words in the Bible. For this reason, I want to feature this topic in our Search the Scriptures emails. The English word “grace” is always a translation of the Greek word “charis”. However, the Greek word is used over 170 times but not all of those times translated as “grace.” It is translated in several other ways that we shall see. The primary meaning seems to denote a […]
What About Repentance Anyway?
(Copyright 2004) by Wayne Schatzle (West Chester, Ohio) If you would ask 10 different people: what does the word, “repentance” mean? You may get 10 different answers. Nowadays the term “repentance” is relegated to comic strips, with the little bearded guy holding a sign saying, “Repent, the end is near”. Although repentance is indeed an important element in the salvation process, modern churches have distilled the salvation message to simply: “Jesus, I give you my heart” and presto chango I am in the Kingdom. This is a popular formula for salvation because it is easy and doesn’t interfere with our […]
What does the Bible say about abortion?
(Copyright) by BibleStudy.org (Farmington, Michigan) Abortion is the murder of a potential human being who resides in the womb. What Scripture says about it has deeper spiritual consequences than society realizes. Each pregnancy is a miracle, made possible so that another human being has the potential of becoming one of God’s sons or daughters and inheriting eternal life. The great sin of abortion is that it is man’s attempt to thwart God’s plans for a large family. Part of the human (not the Bible) rationale for supporting abortion is that what is in the womb is not a person. Since it is […]
What About the “Bema Seat Judgment?”
(Copyright 2015) by Rich Traver (Clifton, Colorado) The Evangelical World often makes reference to a Term which the Church of God,for the most part, is not familiar with. What IS the BEMA Seat, how does it differfrom the White Throne Judgment and how does this particular “judgment”correlate with our understanding of a Christian’s Destiny? The Bema Seat and the Great White Throne Judgments are recognized in Protestant Evangelical / Fundamentalist views as distinct and separate ‘sentencing’ appearances. Though not a familiar term among the Church of God genre, it is a matter we should be aware of, at least for sake […]
What to Expect in 2012
(Copyright) by John Jewell (London, England) What do you expect to happen in this new year of 2012? It certainly hasn’t started very well. Millions still suffer from an ongoing drought in various parts of the world. Many more suffer from the aftermath of floods over the past two or three years. Others still suffer dreadfully from the massive earthquakes that have inflicted the planet in recent years.. Countries such as Haiti where more than half the population still suffer and regardless of the weather continue to live in ramshackle shelters made of whatever scrap of wood or piece of […]
What is the Jubilee Year?
(Copyright) by BibleStudy.org (Farmington, Michigan) What is the year of Jubilee? Why is it important? How is it related to Jesus’ first message? In the Bible, the year of Jubilee occurs after seven sets of seven intervals (49 total) are completed. This special period is proclaimed on one of God’s annual feast days known as the Day of Atonement. Because God owns everything, he set up a special, regularly occurring time period called the Jubilee when a man’s possessions would be returned to him. This fiftieth year is sacred – it is a time of freedom and of celebration when everyone will […]
What is a jot and tittle?
(Copyright) by BibleStudy.org (Farmington, Michigan) What is a jot and tittle? Why did Jesus use them in his Sermon on the Mount? Why is it critical to understand their meaning in relation to living forever? The words jot (iota, Strong’s Concordance #G2503) and tittle (keraia, Strong’s #G2762) appear only once in the Bible. Jesus’ statement using jot and tittle occurs near the beginning of his famous Sermon on the Mount likely given from Mt. Eremos. Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto […]
What About Armageddon – Who Will Fight and When?
(Copyright) by Rhoda Foust (Lehigh Acres, Florida) When the word Armageddon is spoken, people automatically think of war between nations. Most do not fully understand when, where, or how it will take place. Many fear it could happen at any time, especially now that Israel is fighting for survival, and many assume that the middle east problems will lead to this event and that it will spread into other nations. We hear religious people talking about armies surrounding Jerusalem, and “sudden destruction coming upon the land”, and we think could this be “Armageddon”? Because it conjures up fear many choose […]
Can You Prove What You Believe?
(Copyright) by Richard Markland (London, Ohio) Christianity today is in a state of complete confusion because the nation’s clergy and members of church after church are confused. What can only be described as one big giant mess is because deception has made huge inroads that has resulted in so much confusion. II Timothy 4:3- “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap on themselves teachers, having itching ears.” Churches across the country are not telling members what they need to hear, but what they want to hear. Christianity in America […]
What Does Domestic Violence Look Like?
Copyright © 2008 Brenda Branson (Hanson, Kentucky) Domestic violence is “any behavior that is intended to control another human being through the use of fear, humiliation, and verbal or physical assaults”, according to Dr. Susan Forward, Ph.D., author of Men Who Hate Women and the Women Who Love Them. Domestic violence includes:Physical violence: slapping, hitting, burning, punching, choking, shoving, beating, throwing things, locking out, restraining, pushing, grabbing, twisting limbs, pinching, pulling out clumps of hair, etc. Emotional abuse: shaming, ridiculing, insulting, demeaning, name calling, threatening, withholding, manipulating, insulting, financial control, undermining, etc. Sexual abuse: rape, forcing reproductive decisions, forcing someone to […]
What Time Is It?
(Copyright) by Gary Miller (Pocahontas, Arkansas) 2022 Doomsday Clock is currently set at 160 seconds to Midnight.Updated January 20, 2022, staying the same as 2021. DOOMSDAY CLOCK TURNS 75 THIS MONTHCreated in 1947 at the University of Chicago the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, dubbed it the “Doomsday Clock” as a symbolic clock whose setting is based on world events. It is an estimation by Bulletin scientists of the likelihood of a manmade global catastrophe. The clock’s midnight hour spells doomsday for humanity. Realizing the bomb, they had created could be a global threat, the clock was developed by the Manhattan […]
Just What Do You Mean “Ezekiel’s Message”?
(Copyright) by Craig White (Australia)
Ezekiel’s Timeless Message – What is the Real “Work of the Watchman”?
(Copyright) by Vance A. Stinson (Tyler, Texas) God said to the prophet Ezekiel, “I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore, you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me.” What kind of warning was this? Was it primarily geopolitical in nature? Did it involve dire warnings about coming earthquakes, famines, disease epidemics, floods, droughts, and other disasters? Was it an ancient form of the sensational “headline theology” that is so popular among a large number of evangelical preachers and writers today? What does the watchman’s message have to do with the mission of the New […]
What Makes a Great Nation?
by Jeffrey Caldwell (Redwood City, California) What makes for a great nation is relevant to God’s holy nation. It seems good to me to share with you a couple of my recent Facebook posts: The day after the election: ————Today we, here in the United States, have a new President-elect — not the one that I, nor many of us, were expecting! Reminded that citizenship confers not only rights, but also responsibilities. Thanks to the wisdom of our founders each of us has a say in the public square and ability to communicate with fellow citizens or our officials. Even, where appropriate, to engage […]
What is “Sucralose”?
by Jeffrey Caldwell (Redwood City, California) Technically, the correct chemical name for “sucralose” — a popular ‘sugar substitute’ – is “1,6-dichloro-1,6-dideoxy-beta-D-fructofuranosyl-4-chloro-4-deoxy-alpha-D-galactopyranoside” (!) Sucralose is a common ingredient in “light” calorie foods. “Sucralose” is a generic trade name for Splenda*, the artificial sweetener advertised as “made from sugar”. The “ose” ending is standard in chemistry for real sugars, such as sucrose, glucose, or dextrose. But sucralose is actually a sweet-tasting chlorinated hydrocarbon. Sucralose is an official nickname coined to sell the chlorinated hydrocarbon “1,6-dichloro-1,6-dideoxy-beta-D-fructofuranosyl-4-chloro-4-deoxy-alpha-D-galactopyranoside” as a sugar substitute. Splenda — “1,6-dichloro-1,6-dideoxy-beta-D-fructofuranosyl-4-chloro-4-deoxy-alpha-D-galactopyranoside” — is indeed made from sugar – by means of a complicated […]
What was WRONG with the Pharisees?
by Nathaniel Burson (Big Sandy, Texas) What was wrong with the Pharisees? Why did Christ condemn them? Was it for keeping the letter of the law? WHY would He condemn them for doing what HE, HIMSELF said? HE DIDN’T! He never condemned them for the righteous things they did! Matthew 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Notice He said that tithing of mint, anise, and […]
The Feast is Over…Now What?
by Staff (Charlotte, North Carolina) This year the Feast of Tabernacles was a great one—again. We have come home uplifted, encouraged, inspired, and corrected. We are filled with resolve to grow and overcome. We recognized God’s Spirit in both the ministry and the brethren. We heard expounded a great deal of God’s Word, and much of our fellowship centered on spiritual matters. During the Feast, we may even have committed ourselves to certain actions. We only wish everyone in the world could have heard what we heard and experienced what we have just experienced. We wonder how a Feast could be any […]
UFOS Exist! But What are They?
(Copyright) by Lloyd W. Cary (Tyler, Texas) Are UFOs real—and if so, what are they? Does the Bible speak of UFOs? Was God an ancient astronaut? Are we being visited by non-earthlings, and if so, who are they and what do they want? Who will ultimately rule space? You can know! And the answers will astound you! –Part One–UFOs Exist… In this supposed age of reason, public officials and scientists find themselves facing a new wave of interest in unexplained phenomena. UFO sightings, testimony about alien abductions, and government agencies dabbling in telepathy have produced a steady stream of headlines. A […]
What in the World is Wormwood?
by BibleStudy.org (Farmington, Michigan) What is wormwood? Where is it located in the Bible? What does it mean? How is it related to the prophetic Day of the Lord? Wormwood, in the Old Testament, is derived from a Hebrew word meaning bitterness or to curse (Strong’s Concordance #H3939). It was considered cursed since it was regarded as poisonous. Given that the word is found, in the KJV Bible, seven times in seven verses (Deuteronomy 29:18, Proverbs 5:4, Jeremiah 9:15, 23:15, Lamentations 3:15, 19 and Amos 5:7) it may symbolize complete bitterness or a perfect poison. In the latter regard, it is interesting to note that the […]
Just What Do You Mean Apostasy?
by Robert E. Tigue (Des Plains, Illinois) An apostasy is not people leaving an organization…. but it is the organization leaving…. turning aside from…or abandoning Truth. Apostasy (from Greek, meaning a defection or revolt, from, apo, “away, apart”, stasis, “standing”) is a term generally employed to describe the formal abandonment or renunciation of one’s religion, especially if the motive is deemed unworthy. In a technical sense, as used sometimes by sociologists without the pejorative connotations of the word, the term refers to renunciation and criticism of, or opposition to one’s former religion. One who commits apostasy is an apostate, or one […]
What does BC and AD (B.C. and A.D.) Mean?
by BibleStudy.org (Farmington, Michigan) What is the meaning of BC (B.C.) and what does AD (A.D.) stand for? Why are these abbreviations utilized less and less in the world in lieu of BCE (B.C.E.) and CE (C.E.)? BC (B.C.) is an abbreviation used in the Julian calendar, then later the Gregorian calendar (introduced in October 1582), that means “before Christ.” The letters AD (A.D.), although commonly thought to represent “After Death,” actually stand for “Anno Domini,” a Medieval Latin phrase that is translated as “in the year of our Lord.” The original designation for this type of year also included the Latin words “Jesu Christi” […]
What is the True Gospel?
by Bill Glover (Eugene, Oregon) Exactly what is the gospel of Jesus Christ? What did He actually teach? Why are there so many different Christian denominations all teaching different gospels about Jesus? We first need to understand the meaning of the word gospel. The literal meaning of the word “gospel” is GOOD TIDINGS or GOOD NEWS or GLAD TIDINGS. The English word comes from the Old English expression “good tidings” or “glad tidings.” Mark 1:14-15 [in the King James translation] states: “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God and saying […]
Atlantis – what they don’t tell you
by Jonathan Gray (New Zealand) YES? WHERE? “Just where did it go down?” asked Dale. “Where did WHAT go down?” I asked. “Atlantis” that’s what,” responded Dale. He swatted a blowfly and continued. “Look, I’m hearing so many theories, but how much is true?” “You really want it direct?” “Sure.” “The truth is, all we have for Atlantis is a legend. Yet, where there is smoke, there is fire. Legends are usually based on a core of truth, even if the final story becomes garbled or embellished.” We went out under the big oak tree and sprawled on the grass. “Okay, come clean,” challenged Dale. “Very well,” I said, […]