05
Feb
2026
Just Who is This Guy Anyway?

Just Who is This Guy Anyway?

He first showed up in Genesis chapter 14.  There had been a war between the king of Sodom (where Lot had chosen to live) and his alliance, and a stronger four king alliance.  The stronger alliance, of course, won, and carried the people and goods of Sodom away.  Abraham (then called Abram), would not have been concerned except for the fact that they had taken captive his nephew, Lot, and his family.  He organized the men of his own household along with some men from Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre.  Long story short, they conquered the stronger alliance of kings and got all the people and goods back.

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Posted by petra1000 in Bible Difficulty, Bible Study, Bible Teaching
05
Feb
2026
2 Thess 1:9 – How Can a Loving God Send Souls to Hell?

2 Thess 1:9 – How Can a Loving God Send Souls to Hell?

Problem: The Bible’s teaching on the reality of eternal punishment for unbelievers has perhaps “made” more atheists than any other teaching of Scripture. After expressing that he did not “believe one can grant either superlative wisdom or the superlative goodness of Christ as depicted in the Gospels,” popular early-20th-century agnostic Bertrand Russell indicated that he was not concerned about what other people said about Christ, but “with Christ as He appears in the Gospels.”1 How so? In his widely distributed pamphlet “Why I Am Not a Christian,” Russell argued, “There is one very serious defect in Christ’s moral character, and that is that He believed in hell. I do not myself feel that any person who is really profoundly humane can believe in everlasting punishment. Christ certainly as depicted in the Gospel did believe in everlasting punishment.”2

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Posted by petra1000 in Bible Difficulty, Bible Study, Bible Teaching
04
Feb
2026
Faith Turns The Impossible Into Reality

Faith Turns The Impossible Into Reality

Notice how God creates reality through faith. In Genesis he performed a miracle for Abraham. He made a statement that was humanly impossible but God made it so.

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Posted by petra1000 in Bible Difficulty, Bible Study, Bible Teaching
04
Feb
2026
1 Thess 4:17 – Is the “rapture” found in the Bible?

1 Thess 4:17 – Is the “rapture” found in the Bible?

Is the term “rapture” found in the Bible?

Yes and no. It is not found in the English translation of the Bible (KJV), but it is derived from a Latin verb (rapere, to snatch, seize) which was used in the Latin Bible to translate the Greek verb “caught up” (harpaz) in 1 Thessalonians 4:17– “Then we who are alive and remain shall be CAUGHT UP [raptured] together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” It is very interesting to see how this verb “caught up” is used in the New Testament. Study the following verses: Acts 8:39 (“caught away”), 2 Corinthians 12:2,4 (“caught up”), Revelation 12:5 (“caught up”); John 10:28-29 (“pluck out of”), etc.

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Posted by petra1000 in Bible Difficulty, Bible Study, Bible Teaching
03
Feb
2026
1 Thess 4:14-16 – Did Paul Make a Mistake Regarding the Resurrection?

1 Thess 4:14-16 – Did Paul Make a Mistake Regarding the Resurrection?

Problem: Near the close of his first letter to the church at Thessalonica, the apostle Paul addressed the subject of Christ’s Second Coming. He indicated that “the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God” (4:16). The Christians in Thessalonica were not to be concerned with what would happen to Christians who had passed from this life prior to Jesus’ return. Departed Christians were not going to miss the Second Coming; God would take care of them. Paul noted that those “who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep” (vs. 15). “[T]he dead in Christ will rise first” (vs. 16). Some have asked, however, if 1 Thessalonians 4:16 contradicts what Paul wrote just two verses previously where he indicated that “God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus” (vs. 14). How can those who will be the first to rise also be brought with Jesus? Did Paul make a blunder?

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Posted by petra1000 in Bible Difficulty, Bible Study, Bible Teaching
02
Feb
2026
Eternal Life

Eternal Life

These lessons are designed to be easily used for personal Bible Study or as a guide for group Bible Studies. Each of the lessons will include a set of discussion questions at the end of the lesson, which can be used either privately for introspection or in a group setting as provocative discussion builders.

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Posted by petra1000 in Bible Study
01
Feb
2026
Can God Use Rock Music?

Can God Use Rock Music?

Introduction

This is a hard article for me to write, mainly because I’m afraid people will think that my opinions would have to be prejudiced by the fact that I am involved in (what has come to be known as) “contemporary Christian music.” As you might guess, the title of this article is no new question to me. Since I myself have been somewhat “guilty” of using the medium of rock, I have heard just about every opinion about it – and have received no limit of warning, exhortation, and outright rebuke from many a well-meaning soul. Since I take my negative mail very seriously – always reading each negative and corrective letter as a possible word or warning from God – I have had to listen closely to each argument – praying and thinking the whole thing through with eternal values in mind.

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Posted by petra1000 in Apologetics, Bible Teaching, Music
31
Jan
2026
Fall of a Nation

Fall of a Nation

Fall of a Nation Jeremiah 51:6-51:18 Babylon is Fallen. Is the United States, Spiritual Babylon? Jer.51:6-18. I read an article the other day, concerning the vast wealth of America and the massive influence that she has over the rest of the world. Most banking systems are located in New York City, Gold, Silver, Diamonds and all manner of costly stones and commerce is located here. International travel is centered here and the major religions around the world look at her.

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Posted by petra1000 in Bible Difficulty, Bible Study, Bible Teaching
31
Jan
2026
Col 3:1 – In What Way was God Greater than Jesus?

Col 3:1 – In What Way was God Greater than Jesus?

Problem: According to the apostle John, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1,14, emp. added). Unquestionably, this Word (God), Whom John claims became flesh, was Jesus Christ (1:17). This same apostle recorded other statements in his account of the Gospel that convey the same basic truth. He wrote how, on one occasion, Jesus told a group of hostile Jews, “I and My Father are one” (10:30). Later, he recorded how Jesus responded to Philip’s request to see God by saying, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (14:9). He even told about how Jesus accepted worship from a blind man whom He had healed (9:38; cf. Matthew 8:2). And, since only God is to be worshipped (Matthew 4:10), the implication is that Jesus believed He was God (cf. John 1:29,41,49; 20:28; Mark 14:62).

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Posted by petra1000 in Bible Difficulty, Bible Study, Bible Teaching
30
Jan
2026
The Branch

The Branch

“Tell him this is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the LORD.  It is he who will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne.” Zechariah 6:12,13

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Posted by petra1000 in Bible Difficulty, Bible Study, Bible Teaching
30
Jan
2026
Col 1:24 – How did Paul help to fill up or complete what was lacking in the afflictions of Christ?

Col 1:24 – How did Paul help to fill up or complete what was lacking in the afflictions of Christ?

“I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church” (Co1 1: 24 NKJV)

Verse: This verse is not speaking of Christ’s sufferings which took place on the cross in payment for our sins. There is nothing incomplete about our Lord’s atoning work on our behalf. He paid the price in full, as indicated by His victory cry, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). Every believer can rest fully in that wonderful finished work. Nothing can be added to it and nothing can be taken from it. It was exactly what was needed to save us from our sins and from an eternal hell.

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Posted by petra1000 in Bible Difficulty, Bible Study, Bible Teaching
29
Jan
2026
The World’s Smallest Computer

The World’s Smallest Computer

The cells of all living things are filled with highly detailed information. The incredible system that is used for storing this information makes our best computer information systems look like a child’s simple slate board!

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Posted by petra1000 in Apologetics, Creation, Evolution

Spurgeon Devotional: