Beacon2Light

Jesus, our Leader, was unpredictable.  That is because sinful people expected Him to act sinfully.  Since they didn't believe, it was easy to see Him as less than He was. Whether it was paying taxes, matters of the Law, marriage and divorce, it didn't matter.  They could never figure Jesus out because they always expected a self-serving, divisive, biased, in a word, a sinful reaction like what they would give. We should be the same as Jesus was.  The world anticipates a sinful attitude, action or reaction out of us.  And unfortunately, we rarely disappoint. Instead, they should be surprised by us, our attitudes, actions and reactions.  We wouldn't be perfect by any measure but living as imperfect followers of Jesus who often take people by surprise just as Jesus did.  Then, they would be forced to deal with the fact that our faith is real and makes a genuine difference in our lives. Another thing you will find is that people expect you to be tr...

  Evin Prison in Iran It is a question that is often times a riddle to Westerners.  How do persecuted believers do it?   What is it within them that enables them to withstand the extremes of persecution? In Nigeria, a pastor's son was hacked to death by machete-wielding Boko Haram terrorists.  His response to the tragedy was that he still loved his son's attackers.   Iranian American pastor Saeed Abedini has been held in Iran's notorious Evin prison for over a year.  Reportedly, he came out of solitary confinement, meant to break a prisoner, actually elated and encouraged from the experience.  What happened in that confinement?  More on that in a minute.  image from International Christian Concern's website   Stories abound of Christian ministers and laypeople being imprisoned, beating, etc., and seeing the situation as a God-given opportunity to minister to prison guards and fellow prisoners.  What make...

Blood Work by  Anthony J. Carter Free on Kindle for a limited time!   Amazon description:  Evangelical Christians often sing and preach about the blessed blood of Christ and the wonderful things it accomplishes for believers. To the uninformed ear, such language can convey the idea that Jesus’ blood had semi-magical qualities. Actually, Jesus’ blood was normal human blood, but the Bible refers to it in metaphorical terms to portray the many benefits that come to Christians because of Jesus’ death. In Blood Work: How the Blood of Christ Accomplishes Our Salvation, Anthony J. Carter traces this theme through the New Testament, showing how the biblical writers used the powerful metaphor of the blood of Jesus to help Christians grasp the treasures Jesus secured for them in His death on the cross. In doing so, he provides a fresh perspective on the atonement Jesus made. Note: by the description, I'm not sure I would agree with the author but it is worth diving into....