There are two books in the Bible with Timothy’s name on them. Why was his name on them? Who was Timothy? Why did Paul write these letters to Timothy and do they give us a clue as to who he was? Letters or Epistles to Books of the Bible When Paul wrote letters to the church his letters became part of the cannon of the Bible. That is, they were accepted as Scripture and part of the New Testament and... Read more
What does reverence mean? How does the Bible define reverence? Let’s examine the Scriptures to see. Root Meaning of Reverence The Hebrew word for fear is “yare” and it literally means “to fear, be afraid, or to revere.” Other meanings of this word in Hebraic (Qal) are to “stand in awe, to have a deep respect or honor.” As for the way the word fear is used in the New Testament Greek, “phobe” from which we get the word phobia,... Read more
Have you heard of The Message Bible? Should Christians use this translation? Here is an examination of a translation of the Bible called The Message. The Message Bible The Message Bible is a Bible with contemporary language and tends to paraphrase many of the Scriptures. That presents a problem. Here is an example from John 10:30 where most translations say; “I and the Father are one” but The Message has it “The Father and I are one heart and mind.”... Read more
Jesus gives us many parables in the Bible. What is a parable? Why does He use parables…to hide or clarify the meaning? Parables The word parable is from the root word “paraballo” or in the Greek “parabole.” This compound word comes from “para” which means “to come along side or compare” and “ballo” which literally means “to throw” or “see” with. The parables are used in giving one or more instructional lessons or principles and can be an allegory and... Read more
Paul speaks about praying without ceasing or stopping? How is this possible in the life of the Christian? Let’s examine from the Bible what it means to pray without ceasing. What is Prayer? I know this sounds like a question that is obvious, but permit me to go a bit deeper on what the word prayer means. Prayer is not repeating a bunch of words using language that goes over certain words to make them sound grand. Prayer is really... Read more
There is the Old Covenant and the New Covenant but what is a covenant? What does the Bible define as a covenant? What is a Covenant? A covenant is so important to believers because it is an agreement ratified by blood by a God Who cannot lie and never abandons what He promises. It is the agreement between two parties, us and God, which are contained in the Scriptures which have been revealed to us. Marriage is like a covenant... Read more
Who was John Wesley? Why should we care to know about this man? His role in the history of Christianity must be told. John Wesley, Founder of Methodism John Wesley (1703-1791) was one of the most significant men in the history of Christianity and was among one of the leaders in the Holiness Movement, which was a belief in taking the Bible’s teachings and applying them to daily life and to moment by moment strive to avoid sin. He believed... Read more
Is tithing still required today? Does the New Testament or did Jesus say anything about tithing? The Tithe of the Old Testament There were actually three tithes in the Old Testament. The word “tithe” is an old English word meaning a tenth so a tithe was 10% of the gross of one’s income, whether that was money, livestock, seed, fruit, vegetables and any other produce or products (like sheep skins). It was a portion that was holy to God. Everything... Read more
Is there anyone more special than a grandparent to grandchildren? What are some important Bible verses for grandparents? Grandparents, A Godly Heritage Second Timothy 2:4-5 “As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.” I have used this verse for mothers but... Read more
What are some of the most important Bible verses relating to mothers in the Bible? What can they tell us about how to be a godly mother and how we should value our own mother and honor her? The Stored Treasure in a Mother’s Heart Luke 2:51 “And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.“ This happened just after Jesus was missing... Read more
Christian Crier
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In