“What does ‘he ascended’ mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions?” (Ephesians 4:9) Dr. Luke tells us that Jesus died around 3:00 on a Friday afternoon, just a few hours before the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath. Funerals were prohibited on the Sabbath, so Jesus’ supporters didn’t have the luxury of time with which to plan a service. They had to hustle just to bury him before sunset. In fact, the Bible notes that they didn’t even have time to secure a tomb in […]

“When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished’. With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” (John 19:30) It’s hard to believe that Good Friday is less than a week away, but Easter is almost here. Sadly, most of the world no longer sees much of the “Good” in Good Friday. I guess that’s why most businesses no longer observe it as a holiday. But Good Friday is more than a holiday. And while we call it “Good”, it actually commemorates one […]

“Return, you backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings.” (Jeremiah 3:22) If you attend church on a regular basis, then you’ve heard your pastor or Sunday School teacher mention backsliding. But what does it mean? Moreover, what are the common symptoms associated with backsliding? There are some who would tell you that backsliding means to go back to your old ways. I don’t agree. Someone who goes back to his old ways is what I call a “Counterfeit Christian.” In other words, his salvation may not have […]

“But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted.” (Romans 6:17) I understand exactly what the Apostle Paul means when he says, “You used to be slaves to sin.” But I didn’t understand it until I was born again. Salvation gave me a whole different perspective about the life I used to live. The truth is I can’t believe some of the things I did, not to mention some of the […]