Be Still, and Know

Jesus Christ… was born before Christ. Let me explain! Around AD 525 , a monk named Dionysius Exiguus was asked to calculate Easter dates. He didn’t want to keep using a Roman calendar that honored emperors who persecuted Christians. There wasn't even an "AD 525" at that time, they had different calendar systems. So he reset history around Jesus and introduced Anno Domini — the “Year of the Lord.” He calculated Jesus’ birth as AD 1 . But Dionysius made some errors. He didn’t have access to all the historical data we have today. Couple of centuries ago, scholars started seeing the miscalculation. The Bible gives us clearer anchors. Matthew 2:1 says Jesus was born during the reign of Herod the Great . History tells us Herod died in 4 BC . Matthew also records that Herod ordered the killing of all boys two years old and under in Bethlehem. That means Jesus could have been up to two years old before Herod’s death. That alone places Jesus’ birth between 6 and ...

We see a very strange account in Genesis 6 where sons of God took the daughters of men to be wives. Who are these sons of Gods? There are t hree usual interpretations: Descendants from Cain’s line Pagan rulers who did polygamy Fallen angels  [1] The 1st interpretation is that the sons of God were wicked descendants of Cain intermarrying with godly descendants of Seth. It kind of fits the scene of lust running everywhere. [2] The 2nd interpretation says it refers to powerful human rulers, pagan kings who took many wives and sinned through polygamy, like Lamech who is a descendant of Cain (Gen 4: 17). The problem with these 2 interpretations is that nowhere else does sons of God refer to any kind of human beings. And if they were men indeed, that may not explain much about how giants were born as offspring because of that. Also, these options, in general, do not seem to justify the harsh judgment of flood that follows after this scene. [3] The 3rd and what I feel is t...

Prayer should always be done with a humble approach. Ask God’s will to be done in all that you do, rather than your will being executed by God. There is this preaching that we can demand anything with authority to God - and I just want to warn you how dangerous demanding something from God without any humility can be. Take the Israelites for example. They were given manna from above, but they demanded meat. Read Numbers 11 to see how badly they asked for it.  Now, if you demand something like that, God might give it to you, but it might not end well for you.  God gave them the meat just like they demanded, but they were faced with a plague while the meat was still between their teeth. In 1 Samuel 8 , they demanded a king just like the nations around them, rejecting God as their true King. God had a plan to bring up the King in David’s line, but it wasn’t His time yet.  God even warned them that there would be corruption and immorality if this new king came into ...

If we should not alter God’s Word, how are we OK with translations? (Proverbs 30:6, Deuteronomy 4:2, Deuteronomy 12:32, and Revelation 22:18–19) The best Bible version is actually the original text in Hebrew, Aramaic (OT), or Greek (NT). But how many of us can read the Bible in that language? The goal of translating is to accurately convey God’s word in a language that people understand. The Septuagint is the Greek translation of the original Hebrew Old Testament, formed before Christ. Jesus refers to the book of Isaiah (29:13) in  Mark 7:6–7 while talking about dishonoring God. The words that are m entioned are  from the Greek Septuagint, not the Hebrew language.  Similarly, Matthew 21:16 quotes Psalms 8:2 from the Septuagint . So whether Jesus Himself spoke those words, or the gospel authors chose to write those words, the Greek translation was normally used during the time of Jesus. So are translations OK? Yes, they help you understand God’s Word in a language o...

KJV, NKJV, NIV, ESC, ASB, CSB - There are hundreds of English Bible translations. This is a great blessing, because people from different background and with different levels of understanding will always have a version that resonates with them, that talks to them. But it also is a problem, in the sense that it poses the question "Which one is the best?". Every translation is unique - be it the time it was written or the reason it was made. But all of them will generally lie in a spectrum. On one end of the spectrum we have the Word-for-word philosophy, where words or text are converted from one language to another. So it ends up being a literal equivalent of the original. On the other end is the Thought-for-thought philosophy, where the meaning of a text or passage is expressed using other words. Cultural references and idioms might be smoothed over, and it is worded such that a modern reader can easily understand. This side of the spectrum might be suitable for someone who ...

What one generation deems as an option, the next one deems unnecessary.  Have you prayed today? Is it just an option, or are you spending time every day on your knees? What about Church - Do you say, "I'll go to Church if I don't have anything else to do"? And when you go, do you carry your Bible? Or do you think you can just read out of one of your Bible apps in your phone? Is carrying the actual Bible just an option? Have you read the Bible today? Do you read it every day, or is it just an option to you? Do you say, "I'll read it if I find time", "I'll read it if I wake up early"? What you find as an option, your next generation could find it unnecessary. It could be your kids, grandkids, anyone who keeps you as a role model - they notice whatever you do. So, if you never gave these primary Christian behaviors a priority, you are sending a message that these are not obligations that they need to have. Matthew 6:33  But  seek first  the ki...

Understanding the ACTS of Prayer: A Simple Guide to Deeper Communion with God Did you know that many Christian prayers follow a rhythm that’s been recognized and used for generations? It’s a structure made up of four essential parts - Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. Together, they form the acronym ACTS , a helpful framework for deepening your prayer life. Let’s break it down. A – Adoration This is where prayer begins: by recognizing and praising God for who He is. Adoration is about worship. It’s not about what God has done for us, but simply about acknowledging His holiness, majesty, and love. Whether it's “Hallowed be Your name” or a quiet moment spent in awe, adoration is our heart looking up. Psalms 29:2 Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. C – Confession Next comes confession - an honest admission of our sins before God. Scripture encourages us to confess so we can receive forgiveness and restor...