The practice of circumcision is first mentioned in Genesis 17. Archeologists have found evidence that it was practiced in all Semitic cultures as well as Egyptian cultures, especially among the priesthood. Although the non-Israelite …
Today, most people believe that morality is relative—changing from age to age and culture to culture. Societal trends, fads, desires, and emotions often drive the ever-changing definition of what is right and wrong, frequently …
As we saw in Part One, Adam and Eve fell for Satan's temptation by weighing only the penalties and the benefits of the fruit that appeared so pleasant to their eyes. They overlooked what their choice would do to their unique …

(8) Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ (9) and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; (10) that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, (11) if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Paul's main thought is that he suffered the loss of all things to gain Christ, to know Him, to know the power of His resurrection, and to know the fellowship of His sufferings. The word translated "fellowship" here is the same one …
As I hustled through an office park on my daily morning walk, a woman arriving for work responded to my "Good morning" with, "Merry Christmas!" I waved politely and walked on. Her well-wishes reminded me that we are already within the time of the year when such words are thrown about with wild abandon. Also in the air are the songs, hymns, carols, and stories that accompany the celebration of Christmas, and these mention Yule, Yuletide, Noël, the Nativity, Advent, the Feast of the Incarnation, and so forth. And these are just the names for this holiday in English! Anyone with a …
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