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Unveiling Jesus Christ in Revelation 1
The Message of Encouragement and the Foundation for Everything That Follows “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place.” — Revelation 1:1, NKJV The book of Revelation has fascinated and challenged Christians for nearly two thousand years. It contains seemingly mysterious symbols, seven churches, seven…
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Ghosts in the Bible: Finding Comfort and Truth After a Loss
What would you do if you saw someone you knew was dead? For millennia, people have reported seeing, hearing, or sensing the deceased. Some seek these encounters to find comfort, especially after the passing of a loved one. Others avoid such supernatural experiences altogether, absolutely terrified by the “spirit world.” What does the Bible say…
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Where Was God? Finding Hope When You Are Stricken with Grief
“Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. . . . Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life . . . ” The pastor closes their Bible, casts you a gentle look, and begins to pray. A few minutes later, friends surround you, offering condolences, hugs, and…
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When Conscience Is on the Line: The Story of Dr. Marisol Quintanilla, COVID Mandates, and Religious Liberty
What happens when the conviction of an individual Christian appears to conflict with the official position of her own church—and with the requirements of her employer? The story of Dr. Marisol Quintanilla at Michigan State University raises that question in a particularly compelling way when one’s convictions clash with employer policies. During the COVID-19…
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WHAT IS CHRISTIAN PATRIOTISM IN AMERICA?
God, Government, Liberty of Conscience, and the American Experiment What does it mean to be a Christian patriot in the United States? Is Christian patriotism about the flag? Is it about political parties? Is it about electing Christian politicians? Is it about making America a Christian nation? Or is Christian patriotism something much deeper?…
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Christian Patriotism and Defending Liberty of Conscience
What Does It Mean to Be a Christian Patriot? What does it mean to be a Christian patriot in the United States? Is Christian patriotism putting a cross beside an American flag? Is it voting for candidates who identify themselves as Christians? Is it defending America because we believe America is a uniquely Christian nation?…
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What Is Christian Patriotism?
The Bible, Religious Liberty, the Founders, A. T. Jones, and the Great Controversy What does it mean to be a Christian patriot in the United States? Is Christian patriotism about the flag? Is it about political parties? Is it about electing Christian politicians? Is it about making America a Christian nation? Or is…
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The Generation Searching for Hope
Gen Z is Searching for Something Secularism Cannot Give Gen Z came of age in a culture promising unprecedented freedom, information, self-expression and technological connection. Yet many young people are discovering that connection is not the same thing as community, self-expression is not the same thing as identity, and freedom without purpose can become emptiness.…
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The Question That Matters Most
In the Cosmic Conflict, What Must I Do to Be Saved ? There is one question that ultimately matters more than every other question human beings can ask: “What must I do to be saved?” It is the question that Satan does not want us to ask. Ellen G. White makes this startling observation in…
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Final Battle of Two Competing Kingdoms
The Reality of Evil Spirits and the Supremacy of God There is a spiritual conflict taking place around us that cannot be adequately understood merely by looking at what we can see. The Bible presents a world far larger than the visible world. Scripture describes heavenly beings of extraordinary power, fallen angels who have become…
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Discovering the Assurance of Salvation in the Cross of Jesus
Understanding The Offense of the Cross Grace, Enmity, and the Great Conflict Between Christ and Satan There is something profoundly strange about the cross of Jesus Christ. It is the supreme revelation of God’s love—and yet it has always provoked opposition. It is the message of forgiveness—and yet it exposes human sin. It is the…
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The Offense of the Cross
Grace, Enmity, and the Great Conflict Between Christ and Satan There is a mystery at the very heart of the Christian gospel: the cross that reveals the love of God also awakens the hatred of Satan. The cross is God’s supreme revelation of grace, but it is also an offense to the kingdom of darkness…
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The Twelve Illegalities in the Trial of Jesus
The Trial of Jesus from a Lawyer’s Standpoint The Arrest of Jesus was Illegal Walter M. Chandler’s Argument Chandler says the arrest contained three separate defects: It occurred at night. It was accomplished through Judas, whom Chandler regarded as an informer/accomplice. It was not the product of a proper judicial mandate designed to conduct a…
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The Origin of Evil
A Story of God’s Patience, Love, Mercy, and the Promise That Sin Will Never Rise Again Where did evil come from? It is one of the oldest and most difficult questions humanity has ever asked. If God is good, why is there evil? If God is loving, why is there suffering? If God is all-powerful,…
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The Great Controversy Reaches Its Climax
Satan’s Deceptions, God’s Character, Judgment, and the Restoration of All Things Introduction: The Final Conflict Between Truth and Deception The Bible begins with a question: “Has God indeed said?”— Genesis 3:1 It ends with a promise: “Surely I am coming quickly.”— Revelation 22:20 Between these two statements lies the entire story of Scripture: the conflict…
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The First Deception on Earth
Genesis 2–3, the Fall of Humanity, and the Biblical Question of Life, Death, and Immortality Introduction: From Heaven’s Conflict to Earth’s Crisis The biblical narrative of evil moves from the heavenly realm into human history in Genesis 3. After describing the creation of humanity in God’s image, Scripture introduces the serpent and the first human…
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Where Did Evil Come From? A Biblical and Theological Study of Lucifer’s Fall
Christians teach that God is humanity’s perfectly good and loving Creator. But if that’s true, where did evil come from? Why does suffering persist? Did God actually create sin? These are ancient questions that still plague many believers—even though the Bible offers answers. God’s Word assures us that evil is not an eternal force existing…
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The Origin of Evil and Deception
Satan’s First Lie—and Why It Still Deceives the World Today “You shall not surely die.” — Genesis 3:4 Every counterfeit begins with a genuine original. Before deception entered earth, it began in heaven. Before there was sin in Eden, there was rebellion among the angels. Before humanity ever questioned God’s goodness, Lucifer had already…
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What Does the Bible Say Happens After Death? From Death to Hope
“All we do crumbles to the ground, though we refuse to see. Dust in the wind. All we are is dust in the wind . . . ” Some rather bleak lyrics, don’t you think? Yet, they feel real. Maybe that’s the bleakest thing about them. Kansas’ hit song “Dust in the Wind” (nearly 50 years old now) centers…
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Why Hasn’t Jesus Come Back Yet? Understanding God’s Timing
“If there is a God, He will have to beg my forgiveness.” Originally written in German, this anonymous yet commonly quoted inscription was found in the Nazi-controlled Mauthausen concentration camp. Historians often use it to frame the faith crisis experienced by victims of the Holocaust. Another anonymous inscription born from this dark period of Earth’s…
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The Good News About Hell- 5
Part 5 — The End of Sin and the Hope of the New Earth How God’s Justice, Mercy, and Love Triumph Forever Introduction: The Story Does Not End With Judgment The subject of hell is often approached from the perspective of fear: “What happens to those who reject God?” But the Bible places the emphasis…
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The Good News About Hell- 4
Part 4 — How the Doctrine of Eternal Torment Developed A Historical Study of the Doctrine of Hell and the Biblical Recovery of Conditional Immortality Introduction: Why History Matters When studying any major Christian doctrine, it is important to distinguish between two questions: What did the Bible originally teach? How did later Christians understand and…
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The Good News About Hell – 3
Part 3 — Difficult Texts Explained Understanding the Passages Often Used to Support Eternal Conscious Torment Introduction: Letting Scripture Interpret Scripture Few biblical subjects have created more debate among Christians than the nature of hell and the final punishment of the wicked. Many sincere followers of Christ believe the Bible teaches that the lost will…
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The Good News About Hell-2
Part 2 — The Second Death: The Bible’s Description of the Fate of the Wicked Introduction: What Happens When Sin Finally Ends? The Bible’s message about the final judgment is not primarily a message about punishment. It is a message about the end of rebellion, the restoration of creation, and the triumph of God’s love.…