Tag Archives: the saved love

Three Bear Record In Heaven

When our Lord Jesus walked the earth, the name “Jesus” (the Greek iēsous or the Hebrew yᵊhôšûaʿ) was a fairly common name. The name “Jesus” literally means “Jehovah is salvation”, which is also what the Hebrew Joshua means. There were many named “Jesus” who walked the earth at the same time our Jesus did. The well known successor of Moses, Joshua (Hebrew name) was called “Jesus” in the language of the New Testament (see Acts 7:45; Hebrews 4:8). The Apostle Paul ministered with a Jewish Christian named “Jesus, also called Justus” (Colossians 4:11). When Jesus stood before Pilate, Pilate asked the people if they would release Jesus or Barabbas. Some ancient manuscripts tells us that Barabbas was actually named Jesus Barabbas. If so, Pilate was asking the people in effect “Which “Jesus” do you want to release?” They executed our Lord.

Our Jesus told us:

Matthew 24:5, 24 (ESV) For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. … 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

How do we KNOW that OUR Jesus Christ – the One found in the New Testament – is the ONLY WAY to God? The Bible itself establishes the means by how we make this determination. God told His people: Continue reading

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Let’s Live To Please Jesus

Lifeway Research, one of our Southern Baptist Resources, released a mid-pandemic study May 2021 on the state of the Church in the United States. The study noted that prior to the pandemic “In 2019, approximately 3,000 Protestant churches were started in the U.S., but 4,500 Protestant churches closed…” The information did not just come from the Southern Baptist denomination, but analyzed “congregational information from 34 denominations and groups representing 60% of U.S. Protestant churches to arrive at the church plant and closure numbers for 2019”. In 2014 there were more openings than closings of Churches, but in 2019 the trend reversed.

The American Church is experiencing a demise, though we live in a place of amazing freedoms. However the early Church GREW in a hostile Roman and Jewish world.

Christians were not only persecuted by the Roman Empire for the first 300 or so years that the Church started, but the Jewish religious authorities actively sought out and persecuted Christians as members of a cult. The term “Christian” was not a compliment. The Bible says:

Acts 11:26 … the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

An article in Relevant Magazine entitled “Where The ‘Christian’ Name Really Came From” notes:… Continue reading

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