How should Christians view Sunday?

The anonymous author of Hebrews found different ways of describing the superiority of the Lord Jesus Christ. One of them, which forms the underlying motif of chapters 3 and 4, is that Jesus Christ gives the rest that neither Moses nor Joshua could provide. Under Moses, the people of God were disobedient and failed to enter into God's rest (3:18). Psalm 95:11 (quoted in Hebrews 4:3) implies that Joshua could not have given the people "real rest" since "through David" God speaks about the rest he will give on another day (Heb. 4:7). This in turn implies that "There remains a sabbath rest for the people of God" (Heb. 4:9).

In speaking of this rest (3:18; 4:1, 3-6, 8) the author consistently used the same word for "rest" (katapausis). Suddenly, in speaking about the "rest" that remains for the people of God, he uses a different word (sabbatismos, used only here in the NT) meaning specifically a Sabbath rest. In the context of his teaching, this refers fundamentally to the "Sabbath rest" which is found in Christ ("Come ... I will give you rest," Matt. 11:28-30). Thus we are to "strive to enter that rest" (4:11).

Since Augustine, Christians have recognized that the Bible describes human experience in a fourfold scheme: in creation, fall, redemption, and glory. We are familiar with echoes of this in the Westminster Confession of Faith (chapter 9) and in Thomas Boston's great book Human Nature in its Fourfold State. It is no surprise then that the Sabbath, which was made for man, is experienced by him in four ways.

3 Simple Ways to Boost Your Savings

Have you ever stopped to consider the potential "future value" of the money you spend today? That is, if you were to save it rather than spend it, what would it be worth as you near retirement, say in 20 years?

For example, let's say you spend $7 each workday for lunch on the job. What if you decided to fast just once a week and save that $7 rather than spend it? Over 20 years, you would accumulate $7,280. Not bad. But if you were to invest that $7 a week in a Roth IRA earning 6%, your small weekly investment would grow to . . . (drum roll) . . . $14,078!

Surprised? We thought so. Now, start applying that same logic to other adjustments you can make in your lifestyle.

Boost Savings By Changing a Habit

3 Ways to Recognize False Prophets

How do you recognize a false prophet? They aren't really dressed up in sheep's clothing. Here are three ways to recognize false prophets according to Scripture.

Satanists protest Ten Commandments monument at Arkansas State Capitol by unveiling giant goat-headed statue

Satanic Temple unveils Satanic statue of a goat-headed, winged creature called Baphomet at the Arkansas State Capitol on August 16, 2018.

Some Christians recently protested against a giant Satanic Temple statue unveiled at the Arkansas State Capitol, holding Bible verse messages against a Satanic rally.

CBS News reported that in total 150 people, both Satanists and Christians, were present at the unveiling of the Satanic statue of a goat-headed, winged creature called Baphomet at the state capitol last Thursday.

The Danger of Living Like Satan and Demons Don't Exist

Unless you dish out $10.75 to watch some poor fictional family be terrorized by them on the big screen, you aren't going to hear much talk about Satan or demons nowadays.

Contemporary thinking is far too "advanced" to entertain the existence of such entities. Most westerners classify the devil and his demons alongside trolls, poltergeists, and vampires — they're a little scary to think about, but make-believe nonetheless.

North and South Korean families allowed rare reunions after decades apart

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un shake hands after signing agreements during the inter-Korean summit at the truce village of Panmunjom, in this still frame taken from video, South Korea April 27, 2018.

Families split apart since the Korean War decades ago have been given the rare chance to meet each other again this week.

It is the first time since 2015 that reunions have taken place between North Koreans and their South Korean relatives. The resumption of family reunions was made possible by the Panmunjom Declaration signed by South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during their historic meeting earlier this year.

Authentic Christianity changes culture, US nuncio says

Many have forgotten that authentic Christianity has a positive influence on history and brings about greater human fulfillment, Archbishop Christopher Pierre said Sunday at a cultural event organized by the lay movement Communion and Liberation.

“When faced with change, conflict, relativism, and bleak prospects for the future, people are beginning to despair under the burden of daily life and have forgotten how to be protagonists in history,” the apostolic nuncio to the US said Aug. 19 at the Rimini Meeting.

“Meeting Christ and being changed by Him – the revolution of the heart – this is what turns the wheel of history! This is the true revolution!”

3 Things That Deceive You Into Settling for a Fake God

1. The pleasures of the flesh.

2. The pursuit of success.

3. The approval of man.

Unfortunately, this is not a television game show but the way we live our everyday lives.

For example, many people today try to find meaning and satisfaction in sex. This is why pornography is so rampant. Sexual immorality and promiscuity may make us feel safe, loved, looked after and in control, but in the end, they leave us feeling more guilty, broken and demeaned.

China backtracks on one-child policy in face of massive demographic crisis

After decades of limiting families to one child via forced abortions and sterilization, the Chinese government is undertaking a campaign to encourage more babies in hopes of staving off a demographic crisis.

China began implementing its one-child policy in 1980, amid fears of food shortages and hopes of cutting the country’s population to under 1.2 billion by the end of the 20th century. In 2016, concerns that there would be too few young workers to replace and support an aging population led the Communist regime to allow couples to have two children. That concession sparked a brief population spike that year, but it didn’t continue into 2017.

3 Stages of Prayer That Lead You Into Deeper Intimacy With Jesus

Richard J. Foster, a Quaker and author of the modern-day Christian classics Celebration of Discipline and Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home, is a longtime student of various forms of prayer. Through his studies and experience, he has encapsulated contemplative prayer into three stages: recollection, the prayer of quiet and spiritual ecstasy.

Recollection. Phase one is recollection, which means letting go of all competing distractions. That is the idea behind Psalm 46:10: "Be still, and know that I am God."

What to Expect in a 'Ruth' Year

It's a Ruth year. That's one of the revelations Chuck Pierce has been sharing in the Hebrew year 5778. But what does that mean?

As I was reading the Book of Ruth, I received a revelation we can hang our faith on. Although there is more to be understood about the Ruth year, the second chapter of this book reveals five points that we can contend for in 2018 as we stand at the open door and prepare to move into a foreign land: divine connections, divine strategy, divine protection, divine favor and divine harvest.

In Ruth 2, we find Ruth and Naomi in Bethlehem. Although this was Naomi's homeland, it was a foreign land to Ruth. She followed her mother-in-law there out of loyalty. When you follow the Lord into a foreign territory out of allegiance to His heart, you can expect the following.

3 Key Ingredients to See the Prophesied Transfer of Wealth

Have you ever wondered what it's going to take for you to experience the transfer of wealth that the Bible predicts?

Sometimes, huge concepts like the wealth transfer seem like distant, pie-in-the-sky concepts ... especially when we have not experienced them yet.

Proverbs 13:22 says, "A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just."

We believe God and desire the prosperity He promises. So, we pray and pray for the fulfillment of His Word, but we often don't know what else to do to see the things we are praying for manifest. However, anytime we dissect a historical occurrence of a phenomenon such as a transfer of wealth, we find patterns we can replicate in order to see that phenomenon happen in our own lives.

Recently, the Lord showed me three key ingredients of the wealth transfer that we can each replicate in our own lives in order to see that wealth transfer come to pass.

3 Dangerous Traps That Can Blind Seers

The enemy wants to blind seers and is working overtime in this season to fulfill that mandate. Listen in as Jennifer teaches three dangerous traps that can blind seers.

How family structure affects the likelihood of child abuse

Amid a renewed public conversation about what can be done to keep children safe from abuse, studies show that unstable family structure is a major risk factor for abuse.

When looking at overall trends in child abuse, Dr. W. Bradford Wilcox, director of the University of Virginia’s National Marriage Project, told CNA that studies show children who come from unstable homes with unmarried parents are most likely to be abused, especially by someone close to them.

“Family drama and family chaos are breeding grounds for abuse,” Wilcox told CNA. “Kids who are exposed to instability are more likely to be exposed to unrelated adults, especially unrelated adult males.”

Kids in chaotic family situations are also more likely to be emotionally distraught, a vulnerability that adult abusers are likely to prey on, Wilcox said.

8 Signs You Are Under Spiritual Attack

Many people are facing spiritual struggles as they attempt to advance in the things of God. One of the primary tricks of the enemy is to get a person deceived and not realizing the depth of what is taking place in their lives.

Oftentimes people assume that the struggle they are facing is just a natural battle yet just beneath the surface there is something far more complex taking place. They are under a spiritual attack!

US bishops welcome change to Catechism on death penalty

Bishops across the US have welcomed the modification made to the Catechism of the Catholic Church saying the Church teaches that capital punishment is “inadmissible.”

Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles welcomed the changes, stating Aug. 3: “I am grateful for Pope Francis’ leadership in working for an end to judicial executions worldwide.”

Team Breakers Break Dreams

I had the privilege to interview T.D. Jakes. Many of his sermons have moved me over the years, as have his writings.

Along the way, I learned that Bishop Jakes is a successful entrepreneur and knows his pastoral calling is linked to helping others succeed by helping them pursue their dreams of business ownership.

One of the takeaways from the interview was this quote: "Build a team to build the dream." He spoke of building a team of doers with complementary skills and gifts. Too many dysfunctional teams are known for how they internally compete.

Should Christians Date?

It's apparently more complicated than you'd expect. Pure Flix Entertainment's new documentary, The Dating Project, recently challenged people on the street to define dating. Their answers may surprise you. Watch the video to see what a few people said.

Tarot, palm readings are idolatry, says Francis

Tarot cards and palm readings are idolatrous, according to Pope Francis, and should be shunned alongside other modern 'idols'.

The pope was speaking at his weekly audience yesterday after a month-long summer break. He asked his hearers: 'How many of you go to pray with tarot cards to see your future? How many of you go to get your hands read to see your future, instead of praying to God?'

He said: 'God is living, the rest [of these] are idols, and they aren't useful.'

Francis was expounding the first commandment, 'You shall have no other gods before me.'


He pointed to the Greek origin of the word 'idol', which means 'to see'. Idol worship, he said, was 'a vision which becomes a fixation, an obsession'.

Zimbabwe's ruling party wins majority in parliament, opposition questions poll

The presidential candidate for Zimbabwe's main opposition accused the ruling ZANU-PF of trying to steal the general election on Wednesday after official figures gave President Emmerson Mnangagwa's party a majority in parliament.

Nelson Chamisa, 40, and the 75-year-old Mnangagwa were the main contenders in Monday's vote, the first since Robert Mugabe was forced to resign after a de facto coup in November after nearly 40 years in power.

The Incumbent President Emmerson Mnangagwa

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission's results showed Mnangagwa's ZANU-PF cruising to a big majority after picking up 109 seats against 41 for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). Another 58 seats are yet to be declared.

Pope Francis to altar servers: Holiness is not for the lazy

Everyone is called to pursue sainthood through living the Works of Mercy, though it is not for the weak of heart, Pope Francis told more than 60,000 young altar servers in St. Peter’s Square Tuesday.

“It is true, it is not easy, but remember – I will say it again – the way of holiness is not for the lazy,” the pope said July 31.