There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true. —Soren Kierkegaard. "…truth is true even if nobody believes it, and falsehood is false even if everybody believes it. That is why truth does not yield to opinion, fashion, numbers, office, or sincerity–it is simply true and that is the end of it" – Os Guinness, Time for Truth, pg.39. “He that takes truth for his guide, and duty for his end, may safely trust to God’s providence to lead him aright.” – Blaise Pascal. "There is but one straight course, and that is to seek truth and pursue it steadily" – George Washington letter to Edmund Randolph — 1795. We live in a “post-truth” world. According to the dictionary, “post-truth” means, “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” Simply put, we now live in a culture that seems to value experience and emotion more than truth. Truth will never go away no matter how hard one might wish. Going beyond the MSM idealogical opinion/bias and their low information tabloid reality show news with a distractional superficial focus on entertainment, sensationalism, emotionalism and activist reporting – this blogs goal is to, in some small way, put a plug in the broken dam of truth and save as many as possible from the consequences—temporal and eternal. "The further a society drifts from truth, the more it will hate those who speak it." – George Orwell “There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.” ― Soren Kierkegaard
For success in our callings and affairs, comfort in relations, and comfortable places of abode.
It is God who equips me with strength and makes my way blameless, Psalm 18:32(ESV) who has blessed the work of my hands; Job 1:10(ESV) and it may be that though my beginning was small, yet my latter days will be very great. Job 8:7(ESV)
My house has been safe from fear, and there has been no rod of God upon me; Job 21:9(ESV) so that glad songs of salvation have been in my tent from day to day. Psalm 118:15(ESV)
With my staff it may be I have crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps; Genesis 32:10(ESV) and it is God who settles the solitary in homes. Psalm 68:6(ESV)
If I have enjoyed life with my relations, Ecclesiastes 9:9(ESV) and they have been to me as a lovely deer, a graceful doe, Proverbs 5:19(ESV) I must give you thanks for it; for every creature is that to me, and no more, that you make it to be.
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only-begotten Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; a holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen(Apostles Creed)
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Lord’s Day 9
26. What do you believe when you say, “I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth?”
That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who out of nothing created heaven and earth, with all that is in them,1 who still upholds and governs them by His eternal counsel and providence,2 is for the sake of Christ His Son my God and my Father;3 in whom I so trust, as to have no doubt that He will provide me with all things necessary for body and soul;4 and further, that whatever evil He sends upon me in this vale of tears He will turn to my good;5 for He is able to do so as Almighty God,6 and willing as a faithful Father.7
1 Gen 1-2; Ex 20:11; Job 38-39; Ps 33:6; Isa 44:24; Acts 4:24, 14:15; 2 Ps 104:27-30; Mt 6:30, 10:29; Eph 1:11; 3 Jn 1:12-13; Rom 8:15-16; Gal 4:4-7; Eph 1:5; 4 Ps 55:22; Mt 6:25-26; Lk 12:22-31; 5 Rom 8:28; 6 Gen 18:14; Rom 8:31-39; 7 Mt 6:32-33, 7:9-11
Believers, if you have been faithful and your persevering walk is evidence of that faith, you will be given a pass into eternal glory upon which the Lord of Hosts, the Ancient of Days, the Holy-Holy-Holy Lord has written upon it Himself, personally for just YOU!
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’’ (Revelation 2:17)
“But there’s an interesting little historical note, when a victor won in the games, whatever great games were being held, it was not uncommon for the victor to be given as part of his prize a white stone. And the white stone was his admission pass into the festival that was held following the games for all the victors. Could it be that the overcomer will receive the ticket to the eternal victory in heaven?”
Commentary on that verse: “And then He says, “And a new name written on the stone,” and I read where they would do that. They would give the victor, like a trophy, a stone with his name and he alone could use it as his pass. “A new name written on the stone which no one knows, but he who receives it.” I can’t tell you how many people have asked me…what is that name? A lady will come to me any time I preach on the book of Revelation and say, “What is the name that no man knows?” Folks, I don’t know what the name is. If I knew what the name was then this verse couldn’t say what it says, it would have to say, “And no one knows except John MacArthur.” The only one who knows what it says is the person who receives it, that’s how personal it is. What it is to me is some kind of personal message from Christ to the one He loves which is given as an admission pass into eternal glory. I’ll know mine and you’ll know yours and we’ll know the Lord wrote them for each of us and for none of the others of us.” (source)
WOW! It is huge to think of the precious Savior not only saving me, not only guiding and protecting me, not only providing for me, but when He brings me to glory (amazing!) He gives me a personal message just for me, out of the millions thronging there!
Friend, if you have ever been picked last at PhysEd, if you have ever had unwanted divorce thrust upon you, if you have ever been fired from a job, marginalized at home, or left in any feeling invisible and unwanted, THIS should pick you up. A secret message/name is waiting for you, just for you, with the Savior’s love and care personally imprinting it and gracefully extending it to you in heaven. What a day that will be!
The gospel must be proclaimed to all people. However, its benefits are offered only to those who believe. In this sermon, R.C. Sproul shows that God’s Word is the instrument by which the Lord grants the gift of saving faith in Christ.
But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (3:4–7)
As the apostle moves to his third reminder, the transitional conjunction But turns the emphasis from remembering our former condition of lostness to the equally important need to remember our present condition of salvation. Again, Paul lists seven categories (as in both previous points), this time the seven aspects of salvation that are revealed in the single sentence that comprises verses 4–7. In this short passage Paul sweeps across the glorious truths of salvation, every facet of which is sovereignly initiated and empowered by God alone. There are doctrines here that could be studied and pondered for months without mining all their truth. We are now radically different from the way we once were, and from the way the unsaved still are, solely because of God’s kindness, His love, His mercy, His washing of regeneration, His renewing by the Holy Spirit, His Son Jesus Christ our Savior, and His grace. Among other things, remembering our salvation should motivate us to keep in mind that the only reason we are different now is that He saved us. When we are bombarded by our ungodly culture—by ungodly media, ungodly educators, ungodly politicians, ungodly entertainers and sports figures, ungodly books and magazines, ungodly neighbors and co-workers, and even by ungodly friends and relatives—we should focus above all else on the sovereign grace of God, who delivered each one of us from that life purely by His own will and for His own glory and not because of anything desirable or worthy that was in us. It is God “who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4), who does not wish “for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9), and who “so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life, … that the world should be saved through Him” (John 3:16–17). Every aspect of salvation is from God and from God alone. First, we should remember that we were saved by the kindness of God our Savior. Chrēstotēs (kindness) connotes genuine goodness and generosity of heart. Our salvation from sin and lostness and death issued wholly from God’s kindness, His loving, benevolent, and entirely gracious concern to draw us to Himself and redeem us from sin forever. It is God’s nature to be kind to the lost. “Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return,” Jesus commanded; “and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men” (Luke 6:35, emphasis added). God is kinder still to His children, those who are saved. In his letter to the church at Ephesus, Paul declared, “God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:4–7, emphasis added). Paul again refers to God as Savior, the central title for both God the Father and for Christ the Son and the theme of this letter (see also 1:3, 4; 2:10, 11, 13; 3:6). Near the beginning of his letter to believers in Rome, the apostle asked rhetorically, “Do you think lightly of the riches of His [God’s] kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?” (Rom. 2:4; cf. 11:22). It is the sovereign kindness of God that initiates repentance, the first step in salvation. Second, we should remember that we were saved by God’s uninfluenced and unearned love for mankind, a phrase that translates the compound Greek noun philanthrōpia, from which the English philanthropy is derived. It is composed of phileō (“to have affection for”) and anthrōpos (“man,” or mankind) and refers to compassion, especially the eagerness to deliver someone from pain, trouble, or danger. It involves more than mere emotion and always finds a way to express itself in some form of helpfulness. In the last two chapters of Acts, Luke records two instances of unsaved Gentiles showing philanthrōpia. Before Paul boarded ship to be taken as a prisoner to Rome, the centurion “Julius treated Paul with consideration [philanthrōpia] and allowed him to go to his friends and receive care” (Acts 27:3). After the shipwreck off the coast of Malta, Paul and all the others on board managed to safely reach shore, just as God had promised (27:22–26). Luke then reports that “the natives showed us extraordinary kindness [philanthrōpia]; for because of the rain that had set in and because of the cold, they kindled a fire and received us all” (28:2). The Old Testament speaks often of the Lord’s loving kindness, which never ceases or fails (Lam. 3:22). David declared, “Thou, O Lord, art a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in loving kindness and truth” (Ps. 86:15; cf. 145:8). Another psalmist proclaimed, “He has made His wonders to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and compassionate” (Ps. 111:4). In the present passage, kindness and love for mankind are virtually synonymous. The two words together, especially in the context of these four verses, reflect the even deeper agapē love that God has for-fallen mankind. The best known and most beloved passage that expresses God’s agapē love is “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Because of God’s great and compassionate love for mankind, He delivers sinners from the oppression and fatal danger of their iniquity. It was through the incarnation of Jesus Christ that God’s sovereign kindness and love for mankind appeared, at which time His grace also appeared (Titus 2:11). “God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:4–6). All believers can exult with Paul: “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me” (Gal. 2:20; cf. Rev. 1:5). John Calvin wrote that, although God
testifies his goodness and love to all, yet we know it by faith only, when he declares himself to be our Father in Christ. Before Paul was called to the faith of Christ, he enjoyed innumerable gifts of God, which might have given him a taste of God’s fatherly kindness; he had been educated, from his infancy, in the doctrine of the law; yet he wanders in darkness, so as not to perceive the goodness of God, till the Spirit enlightened his mind, and till Christ came forth as the witness and pledge of the grace of God the Father, from which, but for him, we are all excluded. Thus he means that the kindness of God is not revealed and known but by the light of faith.
Third, we should remember that we did not save ourselves by self-effort or any other means, but that God saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy. Saved is from sōzō, which, although it is sometimes used in the New Testament of physical, temporal deliverance (see, e.g., Matt. 8:25; John 12:27), is most often used of spiritual salvation. Those words have always been cherished by those who have been saved. Our salvation is the most important and precious thing about us, to which nothing else can begin to compare. Biblical Christianity is a saving religion, and salvation has always been the central theme of Christian songs and hymns. In the negative sense, salvation relates to our deliverance from the penalty of sin, that is, from divine wrath, spiritual death, and hell. Still again, we are pointed to that beloved text in the gospel of John. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,” the Son Himself declared, “that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved [sōzō] through Him” (John 3:16–17). In the positive sense, salvation grants us the privilege “to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4), to be made “alive together with Christ” (Eph. 2:5), to be delivered “from the domain of darkness, and transferred … to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Col. 1:13), and to have “the hope of eternal life” (Titus 1:2). After Pentecost, “the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47). In words that may have been part of an early church creed, Paul wrote, “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim. 1:15). The purpose of the incarnation was to accomplish the sacrifice that would save lost sinners, among whom we all were once numbered (Eph. 2:5). The Savior did not redeem us because of anything that we were, or could ever be, in ourselves. Ephesians 2:8–9 makes it clear: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast” (Eph. 2:8–9). No deeds, even those done in relative righteousness, could have earned or merited our salvation. We made no contribution to God’s sovereign and gracious work of salvation. We did not deserve deliverance from sin and death. We did not deserve to be born again, recreated in the very image of our Lord. We did not deserve to become God’s children and joint heirs with His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. We did not deserve the promise of everlasting life, which we will spend in heaven in the continual presence of God. We were rather saved according to His mercy. Mercy is from eleos, which refers to the outward manifestation of pity and assumes need on the part of those who receive it and sufficient resources to meet the need on the part of those who show it. In some ways, mercy is similar to grace, which Paul mentions in verse 7. But whereas grace relates to guilt, mercy relates to affliction. Whereas grace relates to the state of the sinner before God the judge, mercy relates to the condition of the sinner in his sin. Whereas grace judicially forgives the offender for his wrongdoing, mercy compassionately helps him recover. Fourth, we should remember that we were saved by God’s mercifully deciding to grant the washing of regeneration. When we were saved, we were cleansed of our sin, the decay and filth that is produced by spiritual deadness. Speaking of that truth in his letter to the church at Ephesus, Paul explains that we were cleansed “by the washing of water with the word” (Eph. 5:26). James declares that, “In the exercise of His will He [God] brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we might be, as it were, the first fruits among His creatures” (James 1:18). Peter reminds us that we “have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God” (1 Pet. 1:23). Palingenesia (regeneration) carries the idea of receiving new life, of being born again, or born from above. Jesus told the inquiring Nicodemus, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5; cf. Eph. 5:26). In his first letter, the apostle John repeatedly speaks of the marvelous truth of the new birth. We are assured that, “If [we] know that He [Christ] is righteous, [we also] know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him” (1 John 2:29). Conversely, we also are assured that “No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God” (3:9; cf. 5:18). We are assured that “everyone who loves is born of God and knows God” (4:7) and that “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God” (5:1). Fifth, we should remember that our salvation came through our renewing by the Holy Spirit. This phrase moves to the next logical step: the effect, or result, of regeneration—namely, the new life that emerges from the new birth. In Romans 8:2, Paul reveals that “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.” The Holy Spirit, working through the Word, empowers our new life in Christ. “If any man is in Christ,” the apostle explains in his second letter to the church in Corinth, “he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Cor. 5:17). That is the Spirit’s work of sanctification (cf. 1 Pet. 1:2). He begins moving the believer up the ladder of glory from one level to the next (cf. 2 Cor. 3:18). The Father not only saved us through His Holy Spirit, but He poured out His Spirit upon us richly and without measure when we were born again (cf. Acts 2:38–39; 1 Cor. 12:7, 11, 13). The Lord “is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power [of His Holy Spirit] that works within us” (Eph. 3:20). Because of that available power in us, we are commanded to “be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). The Holy Spirit gives us spiritual life, sustains our spiritual life, empowers our spiritual life, and guarantees that our spiritual life will become eternal life, because He is the seal, or guarantee, of eternal life (Eph. 1:13–14). Sixth, in order to prevent feelings of hostility toward the corrupters of our society, we should remember that we were saved only by the substitutionary and atoning sacrifice of God’s Son, Jesus Christ our Savior, which God, by His eternal decree, made efficacious for us before we were even born. His death in our place and for us is the means, and the only means, of our salvation. In his sermon at Pentecost, Peter declared to the assembled Jews that, although Jesus was put to death by their own ungodly leaders, He nevertheless was sovereignly “delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23). And the death that He died in God’s plan was a death in which He bore all the sins of all who would ever believe. The seventh aspect of sovereign salvation is equally from God alone. We should remember that we were saved by God’s grace, as Paul has already alluded to in verse 5. In his second letter to Timothy, the apostle explains in more detail that God “has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity” (2 Tim. 1:9; cf. Rom. 4:2–8; 9:11; Eph. 2:8–9). Paul is not here using justified in its narrow, forensic sense of God’s declaring believers righteous based on the merits of Jesus Christ that are applied on their behalf (see, e.g., Rom. 4:6–8; cf. 3:24, 26; Gal. 2:7). He is rather using justified in its broad, more general sense as a synonym for salvation. Even John Calvin, a stickler for the narrow, precise definition of justification, recognized that in this passage it refers to salvation in general. He says, “What does he mean by the word justified? The context seems to demand that its meaning shall be extended further than to the imputation of righteousness.” Paul used his own life as proof that salvation is based entirely on the gracious merit and work of Christ. “If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more,” he testifies:
[I was] circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless. But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith. (Phil. 3:4–9)
Because Jesus paid the price for our sins, they are graciously removed; justice is fully satisfied; and God’s kindness, love, mercy, regeneration, renewing, and grace are therefore enabled to act. Grace gives us what we do not and cannot deserve. We do not deserve to be forgiven, to have our sins removed, to have Christ’s own righteousness imputed to us, to be given heavenly citizenship, to be justified, sanctified, and one day glorified in the very presence of our gracious Savior and Lord. The bottom line is stated in the three words: He saved us! That divine saving grace provides another amazing benefit to undeserving sinners: By faith they are made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. As Paul declares more fully in his Roman letter, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him” (Rom. 8:16–17). Peter exults: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven” (1 Pet. 1:3–4).
MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1996). Titus (pp. 150–156). Moody Press.
4–6. And let us do this from the motive of gratitude for what we ourselves have received. Hence, Paul continues, But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love toward man appeared, he saved us. What a striking contrast, a double contrast, in fact! (1) Over against “man’s inhumanity to man” pictured in verse 3, is portrayed God’s benignity (a word used only by Paul: Rom. 2:4; 3:12; 11:22, etc.) and love for man (cf. Acts 28:2). And (2) upon the Stygian darkness of our past (verse 3) dawns dramatically the light of the Father’s kindliness and pity which brought us into the present state of grace. (Here again is that glorious epiphany mentioned earlier; see on Titus 2:11.) This, let it be emphasized, is more than an argument. It is an argument, to be sure, as has already been pointed out. But it is more than that. It is the outpouring (in proverbial language; see on verse 8) of a heart which is glowing with love in return for God’s love. It must be borne in mind that Paul writes as one who has in his own life experienced all this. He does not stand next to his story, but he is himself part of it. Hence, these words about the kindness of God our Savior and his love toward man are as warm and tender as was the heart of this same apostle, a man who was often seen to weep, and who once wrote very touchingly, “The Son of God loved me, and gave himself up … for me!” (Gal. 2:20). The expression “the kindness and the love toward man” is one concept; hence, the verb in the original is singular. The expression as such is found also in the works of pagan moralists, but the content as used here in Titus 3:4 is unique. Here is not “the kindness and the love” ascribed to some earthly ruler upon whom the praises of men are being showered, praises which he has hardly deserved; but here is the real benignity and love. The expression “love-toward-man” is one word, exactly the same word as our “philanthropy.” Nevertheless, since in present English usage the term “philanthropy” is often understood as referring only to “the work of practical benevolence,” a work of which men are the authors as well as the recipients, it is probably best to retain the beautiful rendering which is found in our common English versions; for certainly, as Paul uses the term it combines both the love itself and its generous outpouring upon mankind. By retaining the rendering “love toward man” one is immediately reminded of John 3:16, which beautifully expresses the truth which the apostle had in mind. It was the kindness and the love of God our Savior (see on 1 Tim. 1:1; Titus 1:3; 2:10) which came to man’s rescue. It was he, namely, God the Father, who saved us, rescuing us from the greatest evil and bestowing upon us the greatest blessing (see on 1 Tim. 1:15). He saved us: Paul, Titus, in fact all those who in course of time become the recipients of this great blessing. Now, in order to make us all-the-more-ready to help others who as yet are unsaved, and to prevent us from ever saying, “But they do not deserve our help,” Paul stresses the fact that we, on our part, did not deserve our salvation either. He does this by pointing out that negatively the Father saved us not by works which we ourselves had performed in (a state of) righteousness, and positively but according to his own mercy. So strong is Paul’s emphasis upon this completely sovereign (that is, by us wholly unmerited) character of our salvation, that (as is clear in the original; and see also the renderings of the A.V. and A.R.V.) he causes this entire lengthy compound phrase to precede the verb saved. Thus, A.V. has: “4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us …” As concerns the word-order, that rendering is correct. The only objection which many have felt is this, that, unless one pays very close attention to the punctuation, he is in danger of mentally construing the compound phrase as if it were a modifier of the verb appeared, and not of the verb saved. “Not by (i.e., in consequence of, on the basis of; cf. Gal. 2:16) works which we ourselves had performed in a state of righteousness.” The implication is: there were no such works. Neither Paul nor anyone else had ever performed such a work, for before God and his holy law all—both Jews and pagans—are by nature “under sin” (Rom. 3:9). Hence, if men are ever to be saved at all, it can only be done “according to his (God’s) own mercy.” Note, not only are men saved of or by or on the basis of his mercy (all this, to be sure, is implied), but according to his mercy, the “wideness of God’s mercy” being the yardstick which determines the wideness of their salvation (cf. Eph. 1:7). Other passages of Scripture which similarly emphasize the completely sovereign character of God’s grace in saving man are quoted on p. 307 of N.T.C. on John, Vol. II.207 God’s mercy (for which see on 1 Tim. 1:2) is his kindness and pity to those in need or in distress. The means employed in saving us is indicated by an additional modifier of the verb he saved, namely, through a washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit. Note “through a washing” (λουτρόν, -οῦ), not “through a laver or basin for washing.” The washing referred to is wholly spiritual. It is that of regeneration and renewing, regarded as one concept. The term regeneration as applied to individuals occurs only in this one New Testament passage. (Matt. 19:28 has reference to the cosmic regeneration.) Literally it means new birth, the being born again (palin = again, plus genesia = birth; hence, palin-genesia). But though the word occurs only this once, the idea is found in many other passages (John 1:13; 3:3, 5–8; 1 Peter 1:23; 1 John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1, 4, 18; cf. also 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15; Eph. 2:5; 4:24; and Col. 2:13). I know of no better definition than that which is given by L. Berkhof, namely, “Regeneration is that act of God by which the principle of the new life is implanted in man, the governing disposition of the soul is made holy, and the first holy exercise of this new disposition is secured.” The present passage, in connection with its context, places emphasis on the following particulars in connection with this wonderful work of God: (1) It is the work of the Holy Spirit. This stands to reason, for in Scripture it is especially the third person of the Trinity who is represented as the bestower of life; hence, also of spiritual life. Also, it is he, the Holy Spirit, who takes the lead, as it were, in the work of making men holy. (2) It precedes and gives rise to the process of renewing. While the latter is a life-long activity, the former is a single act, an instantaneous change. (3) It affects the entire man. Note: “he saved us.” (4) It is a radical change, so that those who beforehand were loaded down with the seven vices mentioned in verse 3 are now in principle adorned with the seven virtues mentioned in the verses 1 and 2. The word renewing is found also in Rom. 12:2. That passage indicates that although this work, as well as regeneration, is ascribed to the Holy Spirit, nevertheless, there is this difference: regeneration is entirely the work of God, but in renewing or sanctification man as well as God takes part. While regeneration is never directly perceived by man, and becomes known to him only because of its effects, renewal requires the conscious and continued surrender of man’s whole personality to the will of God. For the definition I quote once more L. Berkhof (p. 532 of the work mentioned in footnote ): “Sanctification is that gracious and continuous operation of the Holy Spirit, by which he delivers the justified sinner from the pollution of sin, renews his whole nature in the image of God, and enables him to perform good works.” It is clear from such passages as John 3:3, 5 and especially Eph. 5:26 (cf. Heb. 10:22) that this “washing of regeneration and renewing” stands in some relation to the rite of baptism. Undoubtedly, also here in Titus 3:5 there is an implied reference to this sacrament. However, discussing that problem here, while commenting on a passage in which the water is not even mentioned, would take us too far afield. See, however, N.T.C. on John 3:3, 5. Now, in order to place still more emphasis on the fact that believers do not have a reason for falling short in their duty of winning others for Christ through godly conduct, Paul adds the following words, with reference to the kindness of God in saving us and imparting to us his enabling Spirit: which (or whom, namely, this Spirit) he (namely, God the Father) poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior. Note how in this passage God the Father, God the Spirit, and God the Son are beautifully combined. God the Father not only gives his Son but also pours out his Spirit. The reference is to Pentecost (Acts 2:17, 18, 33). Organically speaking, the Spirit was poured out upon the church of the present and of the future; for, that Spirit having once established his personal residence in the church, never leaves it again. Hence, Paul can say, “whom he poured out upon us.” The adverb richly indicates the rich supply of spiritual gifts which results from this outpouring. No one has any right to say, “I can do nothing in the kingdom, since God has given me nothing.” The beautiful phrase “through Jesus Christ our Savior” indicates that the latter through his atoning sacrifice and prayer secured for his people the gift of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16; 16:7).
Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Pastoral Epistles (Vol. 4, pp. 389–392). Baker Book House.
And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saith not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands. (1 Samuel 17:47)
Let this point be settled, that the battle is the Lord’s, and we may be quite sure of the victory, and of the victory in such a way as will best of all display the power of God. The Lord is too much forgotten by all men, yea, even by the assemblies of Israel; and when there is an opportunity to make men see that the great First Cause can achieve His purposes without the power of man, it is a priceless occasion which should be well employed. Even Israel looks too much to sword and spear. It is a grand thing to have no sword in the hand of David, and yet for David to know that his God will overthrow a whole army of aliens.
If we are indeed contending for truth and righteousness, let us not tarry till we have talent, or wealth, or any other form of visible power at our disposal; but with such stones as we find in the brook, and with our own usual sling, let us run to meet the enemy. If it were our own battle we might not be confident; but if we are standing up for Jesus and warring in His strength alone, who can withstand us? Without a trace of hesitancy let us face the Philistines; for the Lord of hosts is with us, and who can be against us?
As Christians most of us understand that prayer is not an optional part of our spiritual experience with the Lord, but an essential requirement if we want to have any type of relationship with Jesus. And not only is prayer a Christian duty, but it is something we should be doing throughout the day, for we read in (1 Thessalonians 5:17): “pray without ceasing.”
While most of us understand that we should pray more, often we fall way short. Our excuses are numerous, ranging from we are just too busy to pray, to it’s hard to concentrate as our minds often wander. In addition, we tire easily when we don’t get a quick yes to our requests. But imagine if prayer was not just a duty but a delight. If this could happen I bet all of us would eagerly look forward to our prayer time with Jesus. In the remainder of this devotion, I would like to share some thoughts on how to make our prayer time a delightful experience with Jesus.
First, we need to realize that prayer is all about Jesus and how can every aspect of our prayer life bring glory to His Name. I love what Andrew Murray says on this point: “The sooner I learn to forget myself in the desire that He may be glorified, the richer will be the blessing that prayer will bring to myself. No one ever loses by what he sacrifices to the Father.”1 I believe when we put Jesus first in our prayers that this sacrifice will come back in multiple blessings to us. For example, when we follow the advice in (Philippians 4:6-7) we will see worry subside and peace flood our souls. These wonderful two verses read: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Second, many Christians when they think of prayer only think of asking God for things. But prayer is so much richer than this. While making our supplications before the Lord is a key element of prayer I ask you to place this aspect last.
Instead, why not start with adoration which is simply spending time praising and worshipping God for who He is. I don’t know about you but just reflecting on just who Jesus is brings joy and delight to my soul and automatically elicits praise and worship – and is an important element of prayer. Then why not spend some time in confession, which is simply asking God to cleanse us from our sins. This aspect of prayer make one feel clean and excited to approach a holy God knowing that He delights when His children are honest about their shortcomings. And when we think about God delighting in us it should make us delight also in Jesus. And don’t forget the all-important prayer aspect of thanksgiving, which is just telling God how much we appreciate His love and grace. I have found that having a thankful heart shows God how much we appreciate all He has done for us and once again puts a smile on His face and joy in our hearts.
And once we spend time in adoration, confession, and thanksgiving our hearts should be bubbling with joy and the delightful knowledge that our prayers will be well received by our Savior. Then we can boldly come to the throne of grace with our requests feeling confident that Jesus is intently listening to them and knowing that our desire is to conform every aspect of our prayer life to His will. Again, Andrew Murray adds insight here: “The Lord gave the wonderful promise of the free use of His Name with the Father in conjunction with doing His works. The disciple who lives only for Jesus’ work and Kingdom, for His will and honor, will be given the power to appropriate the promise. Anyone grasping the promise only when he wants something very special for himself will be disappointed, because he is making Jesus the servant of his own comfort. But whoever wants to pray the effective prayer of faith because he needs it for the work of the Master will learn it, because he has made himself the servant of his Lord’s interests.”2 In short, as you spend quality time in prayer, getting to know and adore Jesus more, get excited because the Lord will answer your prayers!
And third, and this may prove to be the key aspect to making prayer a delight rather than a duty, when you consider that your heavenly Father, when you come exercising all of the above aspects of prayer, delights when we approach Him with our requests. One final Andrew Murray quote I believe sums up this idea that God takes delight in His children: “Each time, before you intercede, be quiet first, and worship God in His glory. Think of what He can do, and how He delights to hear the prayers of His redeemed people. Think of your place and privilege in Christ, and expect great things!”3
May I challenge you to make your prayers a multidimensional time of praise, worship, confession, thanksgiving, and petition. When you do this, I believe, you will get lost in the presence of the Lord. And just watch how duty will be transformed into delight!
It is tempting to skip over the final paragraphs of Paul’s letters, thinking they are simply polite and perfunctory formalities. But this misunderstands the function of such elements. The letter closings have much to offer and often round off the teaching of a letter in memorable fashion. Romans 16:20a is a case in point. It certainly packs a punch and is worth pondering at length.
In the letter closing of Romans, immediately before the final greetings (Rom. 16:21–23) and doxology (Rom. 16:25–27), Paul offers a striking benediction in 16:20a, which is an allusion to Genesis 3:15. It contains several unexpected elements. Three things take us by surprise: (1) it is the God “of peace” who undertakes the violent action against Satan; (2) it will happen under “the feet” of the Roman Christians; and (3) it will happen “soon”!
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet (Rom. 16:20a).
I [God] will put enmity between you [the serpent] and the woman
and between your offspring and hers;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel (Gen. 3:15).
In this short benediction, Paul recalls major gospel themes in Romans, including the work of Christ, union with Christ, suffering in the Christian life, the use of the Old Testament, and God’s final victory over evil. The promise of Romans 16:20a is a fitting way to recall and reinforce the key teaching of Romans on the gospel and the end of all things. It is also a wonderful encouragement for Christians today.
The basic message of Rom. 16:20a, the promise of the victory of believers over evil, picks up and draws together ideas from two specific texts in Romans 12–13. First, in Romans 12:17–21, Paul points to God’s decisive eschatological action against evil (Rom. 12:19: “leave room for God’s wrath”). He also holds out the prospect of believers having a part in overcoming evil themselves: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21). In this way, the promise of God defeating evil in connection with the activity of believers in Romans 16:20a brings to mind the earlier text in Romans and is a fitting further encouragement for believers to do good in the present.
The reference to “evil” in Romans 12:21 picks up on two occurrences of the same word in Romans 12:17a (“Do not repay anyone evil for evil”). Given the widespread association of Satan with evil across the New Testament and the use of “the evil one” as a moniker for Satan (e.g., Matt. 5:37; 6:13; Luke 11:4; John 17:15; Eph. 6:16; 2 Thess. 3:3; 5x in 1 John), it is significant that in Romans 12:21 it is believers who triumph over evil.
A similar link can also be seen between Paul’s benediction and Romans 13:11–14. If in that passage Paul calls on Christians to behave well in the light of the coming eschaton, doing battle with the evils of self-indulgence and social strife, in Romans 16:20a, he repeats that the final victory will occur “soon” and the end of all evil is in sight. When the Roman Christians heard Paul’s sure promise of this future victory in the letter closing, they would have taken it as further encouragement to live in ways (mentioned in Rom. 13:11–14) that are in keeping with that coming day.
Yet Romans 16:20a is not entirely good news, even if it includes believers in God’s ultimate triumph over Satan and evil. For, in God’s crushing of Satan under the feet of believers lurks the suspicion that the battle will not be without some cost. Indeed, Genesis 3:15a sets the tone for the verse as one of mutual hostility between the serpent and Eve’s offspring: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers.”
When read in the light of Genesis 3:15, where the serpent bruises the heel of Adam’s seed, Romans 16:20a can be seen to include the sobering implication that the victory of believers over such a formidable adversary will involve some personal distress. However, Paul has prepared the Roman Christians well for dealing with this reality with his profound teaching about the suffering of believers in union with Christ. Extensive treatments of the beneficial purpose of such suffering occur in Romans 5:3–5 and Romans 8:12–39, where such suffering is seen to be “the divinely orchestrated means by which God strengthens their faithful endurance and hope by pouring out his own love and Spirit to sustain or deliver them in their distress.”1
If Romans 16:20a reminds the Christians in Rome of the travails of their lives as those in union with Christ as they wait for God’s imminent victory, the recollection of Romans 8 would comfort them that their suffering is the pathway to sharing in Christ’s glory: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword” (Rom. 8:35)?
“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Rom. 16:20a). These words strike notes of joy and hope, recalling key texts in Romans that summarize several major themes in the letter. Paul reminds the Roman Christians of their deliverance by God from the power of sin as those in union with Christ, urging them to understand the present time by overcoming evil and doing good. He also reminds them to be comforted in their suffering—all in light of the reassurance that the night is almost over and the day will soon be here—all of this in eleven short words (fourteen in Greek)!
Notes:
S. J. Hafemann, “Suffering” in Dictionary of Paul and his Letters, ed. G. F. Hawthorne, R. P. Martin, & D. G. Reid (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), 920.
Brian Rosner (PhD, Cambridge) was principal at Ridley College in Melbourne, Australia from 2012–2024, where he now lectures in New Testament. He previously taught at the University of Aberdeen and Moore Theological College. Rosner is the author or editor of many books, including How to Find Yourself: Why Looking Inward Is Not the Answer. He is married to Natalie and has four children.
Life is complex. Gray areas abound. Yet Jesus taught that we all face a simple but fateful either/or: a wide way leading to woe, or a narrow way leading to life.
Romans is about the good news—the gospel. The word gospel is prominent at the beginning and end of the letter. And we can summarize the bad news and the good news with four words.
Scholars continue to debate the purpose of Romans. However, the reasons Paul wrote Romans are hidden in plain sight in the opening and closing sections of the letter.
Paul had never visited the church in Rome when he wrote Romans. For that reason, the theology of Romans is the most complete and comprehensive of any of his letters.
Lord, grant that I may meet the coming day with spiritual tranquility. Grant that in all things I may rely upon your holy will. In each hour of the day, reveal your will to me. Whatever news may reach me this day, teach me to accept it with a calm soul, knowing that all is subject to your holy will. Direct my thoughts and feelings in all my words and actions. In all unexpected occurrences, do not let me forget that all is sent down by you. Grant that I may deal firmly and wisely with every member of my family and all who are in my care, neither embarrassing nor saddening anyone. Give me the strength to bear the fatigue of the coming day with all that it shall bring. Direct my will and teach me to pray, to believe, to hope, to be patient, to forgive and to love. Amen.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours, Yours are the eyes through which to look out Christ’s compassion to the world; Yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good; Yours are the hands with which He is to bless others now. Amen
Lord, Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace ~ Prayer attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi link
Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace Where there is hatred, let me sow love where there is injury, pardon where there is doubt, faith where there is despair, hope where there is darkness, light and where there is sadness, joy
O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console to be understood as to understand to be loved as to love for it is in giving that we receive it is in pardoning that we are pardoned and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life Amen
Now, wherever we are, and in every place, and at every hour, throughout each time of each day, may all of us honestly and humbly believe, holding in our hearts to love, honor, adore, serve, praise, bless, glorify, exalt, magnify, and give thanks to the Most High and Eternal God, Trinity, and Unity. Amen.
Roman Catholicism claims an unbroken line of papal authority and doctrinal stability. In this conversation, Justin Peters and Mike Gendron test those claims by Scripture: the papacy’s authority (Matt 16:18), the Council of Trent and justification, purgatory and indulgences, Marian dogmas, the Mass, and contemporary ecumenism. Our aim is firm clarity with charity— calling all people to the all-sufficient work of Christ.
Topics: Papal claims and authority, Scripture vs. tradition, justification by faith alone, the gospel’s exclusivity, purgatory and indulgences, Marian dogmas, ecumenism.
Guest
Mike Gendron leads Proclaiming the Gospel, a ministry equipping Christians to share the biblical gospel with Roman Catholics with clarity and love.
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“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (1:8)
In this verse the Lord God puts His signature on the prophecy of the Second Coming recorded in the previous verse. Three of His divine attributes guarantee the certainty of the pledge of Christ’s return. Alpha and the Omega emphasizes God’s omniscience. Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, and Omega is the last. All knowledge is conveyed through the letters of the alphabet; thus God’s designation of Himself as the Alpha and the Omega affirms that He has all knowledge. He knows, therefore, the certainty of this promise. As the one who is and who was and who is to come, God’s transcendent, eternal presence is not confined by time or space or any feature or event in them. There is no possible contingency of which He is unaware regarding the Second Coming. Thus, His promise that the Lord Jesus Christ will return settles the issue. The designation of God as the Almighty (cf. 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7, 14; 19:6, 15; 21:22) affirms His omnipotence. Since He is all powerful, nothing can hinder Him from carrying out His sovereign will. No one or no thing can possibly prevent Christ from returning in glory as described in verse 7. Jesus came the first time in humiliation; He will return in exaltation. He came the first time to be killed; He will return to kill His enemies. He came the first time to serve; He will return to be served. He came the first time as the suffering servant; He will return as the conquering king. The challenge the book of Revelation makes to every person is to be ready for His return. John Phillips writes,
One of the most stirring pages in English history tells of the conquests and crusades of Richard I, the Lionhearted. While Richard was away trouncing Saladin, his kingdom fell on bad times. His sly and graceless brother, John, usurped all the prerogatives of the king and misruled the realm. The people of England suffered, longing for the return of the king, and praying that it might be soon. Then one day Richard came. He landed in England and marched straight for his throne. Around that glittering coming, many tales are told, woven into the legends of England. (One of them is the story of Robin Hood.) John’s castles tumbled like ninepins. Great Richard laid claim to his throne, and none dared stand in his path. The people shouted their delight. They rang peal after peal on the bells. The Lion was back! Long live the king!
One day a King greater than Richard will lay claim to a realm greater than England. Those who have abused the earth in His absence, seized His domains, and mismanaged His world will all be swept aside. (Exploring Revelation, rev. ed. [Chicago: Moody, 1987; reprint, Neptune, N.J.: Loizeaux, 1991], 22–23)
Only those “who have loved His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8), who love Him and acknowledge Him as the rightful king, will enjoy the blessings of His kingdom.
MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1999). Revelation 1–11 (pp. 34–35). Moody Press.
8 Such a stupendous promise requires more than the prophet’s own signature or even Christ’s “Amen.” God himself speaks and, with his own signature, vouches for the truthfulness of the coming of Christ. Of the many names of God that reveal his character and memorialize his deeds, there are four strong ones in this verse: “Alpha and Omega”; “Lord God”; “who is, and who was, and who is to come”; and “the Almighty” (cf. v. 4 for comments on the second title). Alpha and omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. Their mention here is similar to the “First” and “Last” in v. 17 and is further heightened by the “Beginning” and the “End” in 21:6 and 22:13. Only the book of Revelation refers to God as the “Alpha and the Omega.” God is the absolute source of all creation and history; nothing lies outside of him. Therefore, he is the “Lord God” of all and is continually present to his people as the “Almighty” (pantokratōr, lit., “the one who has his hand on everything”; GK 4120; cf. 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7, 14; 19:6, 15; 21:22; 2 Co 6:18).
Johnson, A. F. (2006). Revelation. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews–Revelation (Revised Edition) (Vol. 13, p. 601). Zondervan.
THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA
Revelation 1:8
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Rev. 1:8)
In Revelation 1:8, we come to the final verse in John’s introduction to this remarkable book. The prologue gives useful information about Revelation, and the most important bit is the purpose for which John is writing. There are many secondary purposes for Revelation, such as giving information about the future and exhorting the churches to which it was written. But the great purpose of Revelation is to provide Christians with a view of history from God’s perspective in heaven. As James Boice elaborated, “the primary purpose of Revelation is to enable Christians from every age and in every possible circumstance to view what is happening in history from God’s point of view, rather than from man’s, and to be comforted and strengthened by it to live for Christ and his glory at all times.” By keeping this grand purpose for Revelation in mind, we can best understand the role of 1:8 in concluding John’s prologue. It might seem strange, after all, that at the end of the apostle’s introduction, God the Father himself speaks to the readers. This is more surprising when we note that the first person of the Godhead does not speak again in this long book until almost the end (Rev. 21:5–8). Why, then, does John’s prologue conclude: “ ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty’ ” (1:8)? The answer is that since Revelation presents God’s view of history, it makes sense for God to present himself as the Sovereign who is able to hold all things together and accomplish all his purposes in Christ to save his people.
THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD
The question of the sovereignty of God is essential to all Christians, but especially to those who are going through hard times. Boice asks: “Is God sovereign? Is he regulating affairs on earth today and at all times? Or are things somehow out of his control? Or in man’s hands? Or even controlled by the devil?” The evidence suggests to many that God is not in control. Perhaps no one is. History, many argue, is like a roller-coaster off the rails, careening forward by chance and momentum toward a dangerous, unsettling, but nonetheless exciting future. Wasn’t it Jesus, after all, who said that history would involve wars and rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes, persecutions, and more (Matt. 24:5–12)? Someone has penned a limerick that responds to these catastrophes with a pessimistic view of history:
God’s plan made a hopeful beginning,
But man spoiled his chances by sinning.
We trust that the story
Will end in God’s glory
But at present the other side’s winning.
This poem may be funny, but its theology is dreadful. Boice points out: “If ‘the other side’s winning,’ we are all in deep trouble. But the other side is not. What Revelation teaches is that God is sovereign over all things, including the ups and downs of human history, and that he is indeed working out everything according to the counsel of his own inscrutable yet perfect will.” In a world like ours, we will often feel like the prophet Isaiah, when the righteous king Uzziah died. Isaiah was reeling over Israel’s loss and for the uncertainty of what would happen next. He did the right thing, however, by turning to God, entering into his temple. There, God gave the prophet the vision that his faith needed: “In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple” (Isa. 6:1). Isaiah was reminded that God is the true Sovereign over his people, and that while Uzziah may have vacated his throne, God had not stepped off from his. The Lord is “high and lifted up” above the affairs of the earth, and since God’s robe “filled the temple,” there is no room for any other sovereign. Over all history there is only one Lord and King, and that Sovereign is God himself.
THE ETERNITY OF GOD
Revelation 1:8 supports God’s sovereignty with three statements, the first of which expresses the eternity of God: “ ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God.” The point is that God reigns over all, since he is before and after all things. “The Alpha and the Omega” is a figure of speech called a merism. G. K. Beale writes that “a merism states polar opposites in order to highlight everything between the opposites.” As the Alpha and the Omega, God is in control of everything in between. This statement echoes Isaiah 41:4, where God says: “Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.” When we speak of God’s being eternal, we mean that his being exists outside time and history, which God created. A. W. Tozer writes: “Because God lives in an everlasting now, He has no past and no future. When time-words occur in the Scriptures they refer to our time, not to His.… Since God is uncreated, He is not Himself affected by that succession of consecutive changes we call time. God dwells in eternity but time dwells in God.” Peter therefore states that “with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8). Being eternal, God is the One “who is and who was and who is to come” (Rev. 1:8). William Barclay comments: “He has been the God of all who have trusted in him; he is the God in whom at this present moment we can put our trust; and there can be no event and no time in the future which can separate us from him.” An analogy of a river may help us to understand God as eternal. We experience time the way that a boat travels down a stream: we are on the river, are at only one place at any one time, and can see only a short distance behind and ahead. But God has an aerial view that enables him to see the entire river at once. He knows every turn, sees every narrows, and foresees every difficulty and danger. As the Alpha who started it, God knows where the river began, and as the Omega, he has ordained its destination. Likewise, everything that is, was, or will be is present to God at the same time and is subject to his rule. This is true of our individual lives, the whole of which God sees at once from beginning to end. The same is true for all history. Beale writes: “The God who transcends time guides the entire course of history because he stands as sovereign over its beginning and its end.” What better news could suffering Christians have than that God is “the Alpha and the Omega”?
THE SELF-EXISTENCE OF GOD
When we study the attributes of God, we find that they are all interrelated. Therefore, related to God’s eternity is another attribute of God highlighted in Revelation 1:8. Repeating a phrase from verse 4, God describes himself as the Alpha and the Omega, “who is and who was and who is to come.” These words reflect God’s eternity, but the first of them especially declares God’s self-existence. He is the God “who is.” Not only does the eternal God have no beginning, but the self-existent God has no source of life other than himself. God’s self-existence is highlighted in the Greek text, which begins Revelation 1:8 with the words ego eimi, “I am.” These words bring us to the burning bush, where God spoke to Moses. Moses asked for his name, and God answered, “I AM WHO I AM” (Ex. 3:14). In Hebrew, this is summarized by the tetragrammaton, the four Hebrew letters that make the name Yahweh, based on the verb to be. “Say this to the people of Israel,” God told Moses, “I AM has sent me to you” (3:14). God’s self-existence is declared in the Bible’s very first verse, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). God’s being is like the fire in the burning bush that Moses saw on the mountain, which “was burning, yet it was not consumed” (Ex. 3:2). The fire did not depend on the bush but burned by its own all-sufficient life. Like the fire, God does not derive his life from any source; the fire burned in the bush, but the bush was not the source of the fire. The theological term for God’s self-existence is aseity. This word combines the Latin a, meaning “from,” and se, meaning “himself.” God is “from himself.” The Puritan Matthew Henry observed: “The greatest and best man in the world must say, By the grace of God I am what I am; but God says absolutely—and it is more than any creature, man or angel, can say—I am that I am.” A number of implications may be drawn from the self-existence of God, starting with his self-sufficiency. Philip Ryken says: “He does not have any unmet needs or unsatisfied desires. He does not need any help. He is not codependent. He is not living on borrowed time. He does not live or move or have his being in anyone except himself.” A second implication of God’s self-existence involves another attribute of God: his immutability. This means that God does not and cannot change. Because God is eternal, his being is not subject to any chain of events. Because he is self-sufficient, nothing outside God is able to cause him to change. Paul wrote, “For from him and through him and to him are all things” (Rom. 11:36). Therefore, having his life entirely from himself, the God “who is and who was and who is to come” always is, was, and will be exactly who he is. The immutability of God provides more good news to suffering Christians like the believers to whom John was writing in Revelation. It means, first, that God’s character does not change. God is now exactly the same as he always has been and will be for all eternity. Westminster Shorter Catechism answer 4 teaches: “God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth” (emphasis added). This means that we can count on God to always be the same as he is revealed in the Bible. People often change and let us down. Their attitude toward us alters without a good reason. But God is always the same in his being, attitude, and purpose. Some people counter by arguing that the Bible does show God as changing his attitude toward people. The answer is that while God responds to sin, faith, and obedience, he always responds to these in the same way. A. W. Tozer writes: “What peace it brings to the Christian’s heart to realize that our heavenly Father never differs from himself. In coming to him at any time we need not wonder whether we shall find him in a receptive mood. He is always receptive to misery and need, as well as to love and faith.… Today, this moment, he feels toward his creatures, toward babies, toward the sick, the fallen, the sinful, exactly as he did when he sent his only begotten son into the world to die for mankind.” Along with God’s character, God’s truth does not change. J. I. Packer writes:
Men sometimes say things that they do not really mean, simply because they do not know their own mind; also, because their views change, they frequently find that they can no longer stand to say things that they said in the past.… The words of men are unstable things. But not so the words of God. They stand forever, as abidingly valid expressions of his mind and thought. No circumstances prompt him to recall them; no changes in his own thinking require him to amend them. Isaiah writes, “All flesh is grass … the grass withereth … but the word of our God shall stand for ever” (Isa. 40:6 ff.).
Moreover, God’s purposes do not change. Our plans change, simply because we do not know the future until it arrives and we often lack the ability to do what we intended. Not so with God! Isaiah 46:9–10 proclaims: “I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.’ ” Since God’s purposes never change, his purposes for Jesus Christ will never change. The Bible asserts that God’s purpose is to enthrone his Son and glorify him forever (Ps. 2:6–7; Phil. 2:9–11). God has ordained his Son as the only Savior, and so the words of the apostle Peter will be true forever: “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). What folly it is, then, to resist Jesus Christ and withhold our faith from him, since God “put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church” (Eph. 1:22). Not only will God’s plans for Christ never change, but his plans for his redeemed people will also never change. Paul wrote that “those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers” (Rom. 8:29). Christians are ordained by God to partake of the holiness of Christ, so it makes no sense for believers to live as though they still belonged to the world. Paul stated that as children of God, believers are “heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ” (8:17). Because God is sovereign, eternal, and unchanging, his salvation is also sovereign, eternal, and secure. Jesus said, “I give them eternal life, … and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:28–29). When God forgives through faith in Christ, he does so eternally and unchangingly, promising, “I will remember their sins no more” (Heb. 8:12). Finally, since God’s purposes never change, God’s plans for the wicked will not change. Revelation shows that God will judge sinners who have not been forgiven. Exodus 34:7 (NIV) teaches that God “does not leave the guilty unpunished,” and the many judgments displayed in Revelation add living color to that assertion. God’s unwavering wrath against sin gives a warning to anyone who refuses Jesus as Lord and Savior. A. W. Pink writes: “Those who defy him, break his laws, have no concern for his glory, but live their lives as though he existed not, must not suppose that, when at the last they shall cry to him for mercy, [having rejected Jesus], he will alter his will, revoke his word, and rescind his awful threatenings.… God hates sin, eternally hates it. Hence the eternality of the punishment of all who die in their sins.”
THE OMNIPOTENCE OF GOD
In proving the sovereignty of God by means of his attributes, we have considered the eternity of God, together with his self-existence, self-sufficiency, and immutability: “ ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come’ ” (Rev. 1:8). We might think that there is nothing more to say on the matter, but God points out one more essential attribute that makes him sovereign over all things. Verse 8 adds an assertion of God’s omnipotence, concluding with “the Almighty.” The Greek word translated as “Almighty” is pantokrator. This word combines pantos, for “all things,” and kratos, which means both “might” and “dominion.” Luke 1:51 uses kratos to say that God “has shown strength with his arm,” and 1 Timothy 6:16 uses it to exult in God’s “eternal dominion.” For God to be the pantokrator is to exercise sovereign power and authority to rule all things, in all places, and at all times. Stephen Charnock elaborates:
As God is Lord, he hath a right to enact; as he is almighty, he hath a power to execute; … in regard of his sovereignty, he hath a right to command all creatures; in regard of his almightiness, he hath power to make his commands be obeyed, or to punish men for the violation of them.… This dominion is a right of making what he pleases, of possessing what he made, of disposing of what he doth possess; … and to execute the manner wherein he resolves to dispose of his creatures.
A Bible story that depicts God as Almighty is that of Joseph, the beloved son of the patriarch Jacob. Joseph’s story may seem to display all that is unjust and unstable in our world. His brothers disliked him and so betrayed Joseph. Sold as a slave in Egypt, he served faithfully but was wrongly imprisoned and expended his precious youth in the darkness of a cell. Yet God was revealed as almighty over these circumstances. A fellow prisoner, Pharaoh’s cupbearer, was released from jail and commended Joseph to the ruler. When God enabled Joseph to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams, Jacob’s son was installed as regent over the greatest nation in the world. In this almighty way, God both prepared Joseph for the role he was to play in God’s plan and also used Joseph to save his people from a famine and bring them into Egypt. Joseph himself explained God’s overruling sovereignty to his repentant brothers: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Gen. 50:20). Knowing the truth of God’s almighty and sovereign rule over all things brings the greatest comfort to suffering Christians like John’s audience in Revelation. How are we, in our turn, to meet the uncertainty, unfairness, and sorrows of this world of sin? In John’s day, Epicurean philosophy had captured large portions of society with the same kind of existentialism that tells people today to find their solace in pleasure. In this view, life is a tragedy without meaning. But for believers who know God as sovereign pantokrator, life possesses a great purpose beyond the trials, and our knowledge of God’s eternal, unchanging, and almighty love fills us with comfort and joy. We look up from God’s Word with praise to him, crying with the host of heaven: “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign” (Rev. 11:17).
THE GOD WHO SPEAKS
The book of Revelation brings a message of great solace to Christians, good news that is centered on the sovereignty of God over all things. This was the point that John Piper sought to make when he titled a book God Is the Gospel. The very truth of who God is provides good news for those who belong to him through faith. We would never know that good news, however, unless God first spoke to us. This, too, is why Revelation 1:8 bears such good news, for in it God himself addresses his needy people: “ ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’ ” One reason why God speaks in this verse is to validate and verify everything that John will disclose in this apocalyptic letter to the churches. Only at the end of Revelation will God speak again, to declare his sovereign purpose and validate the message of the book: “And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true’ ” (Rev. 21:5). When we think of God’s speaking, Christians should especially think of God’s revelation through his Son, Jesus Christ. Hebrews 1:1–2 says that while God formerly spoke by the prophets, “in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.” It is for this reason that when God says in Revelation 1:8, “I am,” Christians hear the voice of Jesus. God says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” an expression that Jesus will apply to himself within this very chapter: “I am the first and the last, and the living one” (1:17–18). We also hear the voice of Jesus’ great “I am” sayings in John’s Gospel:
I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. (John 6:35)
I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. (John 8:12)
I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved. (John 10:9)
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (John 10:11)
I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live. (John 11:25)
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit. (John 15:5)
These “I am” statements show that Jesus Christ is one with the God who says in Revelation 1:8, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, … who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” This means that Jesus was present when Moses heard God speaking from the burning bush, giving his name, “I AM THAT I AM.” Exodus 3:2 declares that “the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire” within the bush. The most likely explanation is that Moses saw the eternal Son of God in his preincarnate form, speaking with God’s voice. God likewise speaks, revealing himself to us as good news through his Son, Jesus. In fact, the only way for you to come to know the great I AM, the sovereign, eternal, unchanging, and Almighty God, is to believe in Jesus Christ. Jesus exclaimed, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Have you met him in the way that Moses met Christ at the burning bush? God called to Moses, and he came, believed, and entered into a saving relationship with God. God now calls you through his Word. He says to you, “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” the Almighty Sovereign who controls your destiny and offers you eternal life through faith in his Son. Jesus, the eternal, self-existent, and Almighty God, says to you: “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life” (John 5:24).
Phillips, R. D. (2017). Revelation (R. D. Phillips, P. G. Ryken, & D. M. Doriani, Eds.; pp. 47–56). P&R Publishing.
I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. Here is the first self-designation of God, which John repeats with an addition in 21:6, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.” The question, however, is whether these words refer to God or to Christ. For one thing, the I am was spoken by God when he called Moses at the burning bush, “I am who I am” (Exod. 3:14). But in the Gospel of John, Jesus identifies himself repeatedly with the I am formula, for example, “Before Abraham was born, I am” (John 8:58). Both God and Jesus identify themselves as “I am the Alpha and the Omega.” Notice these parallels: God: I am the Alpha and the Omega (1:8). Christ: I am the First and the Last (1:17). God: I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End (21:6). Christ: I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End (22:13).
The parallels are identical, yet not Jesus but God is called Almighty (1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7, 14; 19:6, 15; 21:22; and 2 Cor. 6:18). Nonetheless, Christ is eternal and can say that he is the first and the last, the originator and the one who completes the work of creation and redemption. He is the first and the last letter of the Greek alphabet (i.e., everything from A to Z); he is fully the Word of God. Thus we see “Christ as the divine agent both in God’s creation in all things and in God’s eschatological fulfillment of all things.”30 Jesus is the one who was sent by God the Father to deliver the words of God (John 3:34). This verse summarizes the first segment of chapter 1 by emphasizing the divinity of Jesus Christ as one with God the Father. The Lord Jesus Christ has been from eternity with the Father, has come to earth to pay the penalty of our sin through his death and resurrection, and is giving us the promise of his return. Jesus himself is uttering the words of this text, as is evident from a succeeding segment (vv. 17–18) where he identifies himself as first and last, the living one who was dead, but who lives eternally, holding the keys of Death and Hades. Jesus takes center stage in the first eight verses of this chapter:
• in the opening verses as God’s agent of revelation (vv. 1–2); • in the greeting as the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth (v. 5a); • in the doxology as the redeemer and king (vv. 5b–6); • in the prophetic announcement of his return (v. 7); • and in his declaration of his eternity, divinity, and power (v. 8).
John F. Walvoord rightly concludes, “If no more had been written than that contained in this introductory portion of chapter 1, it would have constituted a tremendous restatement of the person and work of Christ such as is found in no comparable section of Scripture.”
Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Book of Revelation (Vol. 20, pp. 87–88). Baker Book House.
Longing for Hope — Looking in the Wrong Place Across the world, something remarkable is happening. People who once turned away from church are now searching again — longing for stability, meaning, and spiritual truth. On the surface, this seems like good news. But the real question is — which God are they finding? Spoiler alert: the wrong one.
Ex-CIA chief Petraeus: ‘Real opportunity to help Ukraine and crush Russia’s war economy’ former CIA director David Petraeus said Russia’s finances are in a far more dire state than many realise, arguing that there is now “a real opportunity” for the United States and other NATO countries to strengthen Ukraine’s defences and “crush the Russian war economy”.
Colombia bombs guerrillas near Venezuela Colombia’s military has carried out a deadly bomb attack on a guerrilla group near the border with Venezuela, the defense ministry in Bogota said. The operation is the latest in a series of intensified attacks by President Gustavo Petros against groups suspected of cocaine trafficking. Around 20 people have been killed in similar attacks in recent times.
Russian oil outage after attack on port city An oil terminal in the Russian port city of Novorossiysk has temporarily halted operations after Ukrainian attacks, Euronews reports. The disruption corresponds to approximately 2 percent of total Russian oil exports, Euronews writes, citing Russian authorities.
First case: New bird virus infected American An elderly person in Washington state in the US has been infected with bird flu. … which has now been detected in a human for the first time. The person in Washington is reportedly suffering from flu-like symptoms.
Putin’s Secret Sons: Isolated Life of Great Wealth They are often called Russia’s most secret children. The Dossier Center, which received its information from a person working in the presidential residence, calls them Ivan and Vladimir. There is no trace in government records of the boys, who are said to have lived under the same type of protection as spies since birth. They live under constant surveillance by the Russian FSO (Federal Security Service) and when they travel, it is by private jet, luxury yachts or armored trains. Like their father, they drink only from personal mugs …
A mysterious flight of “Palestinians” arrives in South Africa – how did they get there? South Africa is investigating the arrival of a mysterious chartered flight carrying over 150 “Palestinians” from Gaza at OR Tambo International Airport, where passengers were detained on the tarmac for approximately 12 hours due to a lack of proper documentation, including exit stamps from Israel, allegedly, and no clear plans for their stay in South Africa. None of the “Palestinians” on the flight had applied for asylum. speaking anonymously, said an organisation called Al-Majd arranged the transport of about 150 Palestinians from Gaza to South Africa.
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob’s ancient tomb in Hebron, Israel: The Cave of Machpelah The Cave of Machpelah in Hebron – Me’arat HaMakhpéla in Hebrew – is the burial place of the biblical patriarchs and matriarchs: Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Leah are all buried there. Only Rachel, Jacob’s beloved wife, is not buried in this place; her tomb is in Bethlehem, at Rachel’s Tomb. The Herodian structure above Machpelah is unique: it is the only fully intact Herodian-era building that still stands in Israel. Its massive, precisely cut stone blocks, symmetrical joints, and colonnaded courtyard make it one of the finest and best-preserved examples of early Roman architecture. The cave itself is a natural, multi-level karstic cave system that was used for burial in ancient times.
US signals optimism about UN resolution for Gaza security force despite Russian & Chinese objections U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that Washington was “optimistic” about advancing its draft of a UN resolution for a mandate for an International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza, despite reports that China had raised objections and Russia had presented an alternative draft. “We’re making good progress on the language of the resolution, and hopefully we’ll have action on it very soon. We don’t want to lose momentum on this,” Rubio told reporters on the sidelines of a G7 summit in Canada. … the U.S. Mission to the United Nations (USUN) condemned “attempts to sow discord” and urged the council “to unite and move forward to secure the peace that is desperately needed.”
Iran confirms seizure of oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz Iran on Saturday confirmed the seizure of a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker as it traveled through the narrow Strait of Hormuz over violations, including carrying an illegal consignment, state media reported. A report by the official Irna news agency carried a statement by the Revolutionary Guard that said the tanker was taken to Iranian waters.
Gun Rush’ sweeps Jewish New York Jewish New Yorkers are buying firearms and seeking training in anticipation of Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani taking office, fearing a rise in antisemitic incidents and reduced police protection. Samson Armory, a gun shop in Marine Park, Brooklyn – the first new gun store in the borough in more than 50 years. The Orthodox Jewish owner said business has surged since Mamdani’s election victory, with everyone from elderly community members to Rabbis seeking firearms and training.
Right-wing lawmakers pressure Netanyahu to reject Palestinian state recognition Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that Netanyahu’s silence on the matter led to a diplomatic deterioration over the issue in a post on X/Twitter. “Two months ago, immediately following the announcement by several countries of their unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state, you committed to responding to the matter decisively upon your return from the United States. “Two months have passed in which you have chosen silence and diplomatic disgrace. The deterioration we are now witnessing in this matter is dangerous, and it is your responsibility due to your silence,”
‘They Wanna Buy a Lot of Jets’: Trump Says Eyeing F-35 Deal with Saudis “I’m looking at that. They’ve asked me to look at it. They want to buy a lot of ’35’ – but they want to buy actually more than that, fighter jets.” The potential sale of the Lockheed Martin LMT.N.-produced aircraft comes as Trump plans to host Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House next week, with the two leaders expected to ink economic and defense deals.
Accountable To God: One Of Christianity’s Most Offensive And Important Teachings The idea of divine judgment is probably one of Christianity’s most offensive teachings. I think this is because there’s a lot of misinformation about Hell and the Devil. For example, some like to think that Hell is a continuous party place. Another false assumption is that the Devil lives in Hell and has red skin, horns, hooves, and a pitchfork. But none of that is biblical. The Bible describes the Devil as the commander of the powers in the unseen world, the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God (Ephesians 2:2). He’s not in Hell now, but he’s going there one day.
Hundreds in Tehran pray for rain as historic drought empties Iran’s reservoirs Hundreds of people gathered on Friday at a mosque in northern Tehran to pray for rain, with Iran gripped by one of its worst droughts in decades. Rainfall in the capital has this year been at its lowest level in a century, local officials say, and half of Iran’s provinces have not seen a drop fall in months.
Tornado strikes Albufeira leaving 1 dead and more than 20 injured, Portugal A destructive tornado struck Albufeira in Portugal at around 11:00 LT on Saturday, November 15, 2025, leaving one person dead and injuring over 20 people. The event severely affected the Albufeira Campsite and Eden Resort Hotel, where multiple structures collapsed and vehicles were overturned.
IEA report admits commitment to climate change is melting away In a new report, IEA, a body whose research helps to shape global energy policies, has admitted that countries’ commitment to climate change action is declining rapidly. The IEA had been predicting that “fossil” fuel consumption would peak in 2025. But now it says that demand for oil and gas will continue to rise. A few months before the IEA’s report, the US energy secretary had said that the IEA’s modelling of peak hydrocarbon fuels was “complete nonsense” and threatened withdrawal of funding if the IEA did not reform.
US Tests Thermonuclear Bomb Without Warhead In Nevada Desert The United States successfully carried out a test of the B61-12 tactical thermonuclear bomb – but using a non-nuclear, inert version – back in August, according to a newly released statement from Sandia National Laboratories under the US Department of Energy.
Rumored supernatural sighting of Jesus in hillside town debunked by Pope Leo XIV Rumors and stories of special appearances made by Jesus Christ in the town of Dozulé, France, have been declared not true. In the 1970s, a Catholic mother, Madeleine Aumont, reported seeing Jesus 49 times, sharing that the Lord told her to build an enormous cross in the French town.
Putin, Netanyahu discuss Middle East in phone call, Kremlin says The two discussed Gaza in the context of the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, the exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, the status of Iran’s nuclear program, and more.
DR Congo and M23 rebels sign framework for peace in Qatar Rwandan-backed M23 rebels and the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo have signed a framework for peace in the east of the country. The ceremony was held in Qatar, which along with the US and the African Union, has been trying to mediate an end to decades of conflict in the resource-rich region.
Kremlin Trolls Zelensky After Berlin Urges Ukraine To Take Back Fighting-Age Males The Russian Foreign Ministry has mocked the German government’s pleas to Ukraine to keep its fighting-age young men from flooding Germany and the rest of Europe. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Thursday acknowledged the pressing problem in televised remarks discussing Ukraine’s manpower woes with President Zelensky, pleading with him to “ensure that young men in particular from Ukraine do not come to Germany in large numbers.”
The LGBTQ movement is working to infiltrate our children’s schools. Join me as I react to this dark issue and share my perspective on it as a Bible-believing Christian.
Providence Baptist Church on RSBN featuring Pastor Dr Rusty Sowell live from Providence Baptist Church in Beauregard, AL Sunday Morning Worship 11/16/25
After Democrats dumped a new trove of emails to try and show that President Trump was much better friends with the dead sex offender than he let on, we’ve learned a few things.
1. Trump was clearly pals with Epstein for a while. We’ve seen endless pictures of them hanging out.
2. They had a serious falling out, as evidence (in the new emails) by…
3. Epstein was helping Democrats with their efforts to hurt Trump with dirt, which we now learn extended to…
4. Texting with Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-Virgin Islands) during a 2019 congressional hearing with Michael Cohen…
Plaskett, for those who didn’t know, previously served in the Virgin Islands government – helping to give Epstein tax benefits, and worked for Epstein’s fixer on the island before she was elected to Congress.
If there’s any good that’s come from the government shutdown, it’s exposing all the fraud being committed to exploit the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. To be sure, there are millions […] The post appeared first on The Western Journal .
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