Keep The Faith

The Lord’s Prayer and the Call to Forgive Opening Reflection If you’ve spent time in a Protestant church, you’ve likely prayed the Lord’s Prayer—often aloud, often in unison, and often without the space to slow down and absorb its depth. Recently, I opened my Bible study tools and began examining the prayer in the original Greek. Looking at the Greek often reveals layers of meaning that English alone doesn’t fully capture. This time, one part of the prayer stopped me. Verse 12. And then verses 14–15, which sharpen its meaning. These verses felt personal—direct, even. The Prayer Itself “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” ( Matthew 6:9–13 ) Jesus immediately adds: “If you forgive others, your Father w...

In this Unity Series reflection, we look at the beauty of a simple faith—one that listens for the voice of God without the noise of human hierarchy. The Quakers, in their quiet devotion and courage, offer a picture of what it means to walk in direct communion with Christ. What is a Quaker? What Do Quakers Believe? I’ve watched these videos many times. Whenever I think about Quakers and their beliefs, I can’t help but feel that they reflect something very close to the true church of Christ. Their lives are simple and beautiful, yet they are not afraid to stand against injustice—something deeply needed in America today. In many historical accounts I’ve read, there is almost always a Quaker quietly standing in the background, playing a significant role in moments of truth, justice, and compassion. The gospel message of Yeshua—Jesus the Christ, the Messiah—is simple, yet profound. Jesus, the Son of the Living God, came to take away the sins of the wor...

We are living through some very stressful times right now with this pandemic. As I was thinking about this, I thought about God. God is still the all-powerful God. He doesn't change. He is God who we can call Father and someone who loves us, so much so that He sent His Son, Jesus, into this world to take our punishment for the sins we've committed. Think about that. What amazing love. Think about what Jesus did when He was here on earth with us. He had compassion for all those He met. Matthew 9:35-38   New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE) The Compassion of Jesus.   35  [ a ] Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness.  36  At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, [ b ]  like sheep without a shepherd.  37  [ c ] Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest ...

Building a Peaceful, Self‑Sufficient World Reflecting on community, compassion, and the ways we can live more peacefully under Yeshua’s guidance. I’ve been thinking deeply about the homeless, the poor, and those living on the edge of survival. Many people prosper for a time, only to be devastated by disasters — wars, fires, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, and cyclones. In a moment, everything can change. Consider an ant colony or a beehive. Every member plays a part, and the whole thrives because each one contributes. Humanity could learn much from that kind of unity. Our basic needs are simple: food, clean water, and shelter from the elements. Yet we’ve built systems that make even these essentials difficult to secure. What if we shifted our focus from money to Yeshua (Jesus)? The Quakers teach that there is God within each of us — we need only listen and act upon His guidance. When Yeshua is the Head and we see ourselves a...

I saw this article in ' The Washington Post ' " More than 11,000 scientists from around the world declare a 'Climate Emergancy '" I believe that this is God giving us one more chance for peace; maybe just this last time. If all the countries of the world declared peace with each other and work together to try and solve this emergency then maybe God will forgive us and not destroy us. Revelation 7 New King James Version (NKJV) The Sealed of Israel 7  After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. 2  Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3  saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” ...

A reflection on salvation, faith, and the transforming call to repentance. Salvation, Faith, and the Missing Piece Many Churches Overlook In many Protestant churches, we often hear the phrase: “Salvation is by faith, not by works.” And this is true. Scripture is clear that we cannot earn salvation, cannot work our way out of the wrath of God, and cannot contribute anything to the atonement Christ accomplished. Salvation is a gift. But somewhere along the way, many believers have absorbed a simplified version of the gospel: “Just believe in Jesus and you’re saved.” As if faith were merely agreeing with a set of facts — that Jesus died, that He rose, that He paid for our sins. I agree that salvation is by faith alone. But Scripture also teaches something else that must accompany genuine faith: We Must Repent Think about it. A person can say, “Yes, I believe Jesus died for my sins,” and yet never come face-to-face with the truth about who they are — never ...

I woke up very early this morning thinking about this belief that Donald Trump is chosen by god and why they are extremely powerful words. It is an extremely powerful tool for a political party to use. They just have to say this person is chosen by god. It doesn't need to be proven, it can't. People just have to believe. The more who believe the better. As I was thinking about it, it dawned on me why this is so powerful. It turns an ordinary man into a special man, "one who is chosen by god." It makes him into a god. People will believe what he says because "he is chosen by god." What happens to Yeshua Jesus? He is shoved out of the minds of the people and replaced by this god. They no longer remember Jesus's teachings. They only hear the words of this god. Jesus said that if you love him then keep or obey His commandments. John 14:15-21 Lexham English Bible (LEB) Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit 15  “If you love me, you will keep my command...