Christianity 101

Crushed Roses in Ukraine

Soldiers' lives crushed by the horrors of war

crushed roses after funeral procession for Ukrainian soldier

The sun shone hot on the faces of the mourners gathered along the highway that ran through our village. The line stretched from the entrance of the village to the home of Sergei, a soldier. He had left the village to serve his country. And he served faithfully until four days ago when a landmine claimed his life.

The military sent his body from Kharkiv to the military hospital in Kiev. And like this village often does in times of need or distress, they asked my dad to use our family’s vehicle and go pick up the body. Read it all

Covid-19 and Vaccines in Light of Hearing and Being Taught by Christ

Jonathan Kropf follows up on his earlier article: "We Are Facing More Than a Virus"

Am I watching and praying? Am I being sober? How would you respond to these questions if they were directed to you? I have been challenged to take the scriptures that give these commands to heart.

Recently we studied Ephesians 4:17-32 in a Bible study. I find that before hearing and being taught by Christ, there are at least seven conditions that we find ourselves in.

  1. Thoughts are vain
  2. Understanding is darkened
  3. One is separated from God
  4. General problem with ignorance
  5. Blind (hard) heart
  6. Conscience is not sensitive
  7. Given to seek after what is prohibited

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Dear Christian: Do Not Forget the Watchers!

A wake-up call thanks to a nonchristian's questions about God, His people, and Covid vaccines
What I’m curious about is
how is it known that
God doesn’t want people
to have the vaccine?

The question dropped unexpectedly into one of my digital communication platforms. The nonchristian’s private inquiry to me last week came after reading what other Christians were asserting on the public Web.

How would you answer the question? I’ll give you my answer shortly, but first something else that’s related.

What do Christians project in the public square?

  • Whether in the grocery store or on social media, what do nonchristians hear from Christians?
  • What do non-citizens of the kingdom of Heaven observe in the actions, attitudes, and general demeanor of Heaven’s citizens?

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Ezra: Faith and Action Preacher

He certainly was a faith-in-action preacher (Ezra 10:1–12).

Our choice to follow God must not be built on the shifting sands of emotions. Nor do we dare construct on the fractured foundation of human reason. To do so may seem sensible at first, but eventually the realities of life in the eye of the storm will bring the structure crashing down. Our decision to choose God needs to both blossom from and grow into a love commitment to obey.
Confessing and Forsaking Sin (Ezra 9:1-3; 10:9-14)

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Above all, love God!