Archive

Church or Synagogue?

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.

1 Thessalonians 1:1 (ESV)

Church – was it really a church as we know it today?  The Greek word is ekklēsia, perhaps you’ve heard it before.  The most accepted western definition for ekklēsia is “church”, but unfortunately that’s not what it means.  Ekklēsia in Classical Greek was used as a “town assembly” unrelated to a religious gathering.  It’s a town hall meeting.  This should come as a surprise.  With that common understanding during the time of Paul’s letter writing, how did it become so tightly linked with the followers of Yeshua? Continue reading “Church or Synagogue?”

Giving Thanks to the Lord

O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Psalm 107:1 (KJV)

David had plenty of reasons to thank God.  As a young shepherd, God helped him fight off a lion and bear for the life of his flock.  He stood against the mighty Goliath in simple clothes, and God guided his small stone which brought down the giant.  He was hunted by Saul and chased into hiding, and still God fed him and shielded him.  As a king, he was in continual conflict with the surrounding nations, but God always provided him victory. Continue reading “Giving Thanks to the Lord”

Peer Pressure

And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

Genesis 2:23 (KJV)

Have you ever defined yourself by your peers?  For most of us, the answer is yes.  I remember my High School days when my identity was established by the people with which I hung around.  Even now, the community I congregate with, have become a large part of who I am.  We’ve all experienced this sort of peer pressure in our lives and have taken from it, our identification. Continue reading “Peer Pressure”