To a certain extent, many Christians accept that because we are mortal and will struggle with our flesh even after we are saved, there are some things that we may not understand on this side of Heaven. There are doctrines where different people disagree, but accept that it does not impact whether or not someone can have a right relationship with God.

However, sometimes there are doctrines that someone presents as Christian which are actually false teachings from wolves in sheep’s clothing. Many come out and say things that are overt re-tellings of the Gospel, and many who lack discernment and the Holy Spirit accept these false teachings, though some familiar with their Bible recognize these things as lies. Some people come out and use big words, Biblical concepts, and even twist Scripture to their own purposes, making it harder to discern.

God gave the world His Word so they can learn about Him and be saved, and for believers, the Bible paired with the Holy Spirit can illuminate the Truth, helping people identify lies and false doctrine.

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From the perspective of a finite mortal, the universe and the purpose of existence can seem far away and unexplainable. When people are born, they know nothing, and must be taught and trained in knowledge and understanding. As people learn, they begin to ask more and more questions. Looking around at the world, everyone asks, is there a force or being who created me? Some conclude yes and others no. But which answer is correct? And if God is real, who is He and what is He like?

To make sure that people could have the answers to these questions, the one true God put evidence of Himself into creation, stamped His image onto each person, and divinely inspired and wrote through people the account of His ways, His purposes, and His will.

Not only is God real, but it is possible to know Him and to have a relationship with Him in this life and for all eternity.

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So why would God put poetry in His sacred texts? Because of the infinite and complex nature of God’s existence and character, He is capable of communicating with His creation in a myriad of ways. He is also a creative being, who gave that same nature to the people He made.

During the seven years of tribulation, the Bible warns of seven seals, the fourth of which, when broken, will cause four great creatures to call forth four riders, who carry with them conquest, war, famine and death.

Because God loved the people He created, He gave them the law. But the law could not redeem people from their sins, only show them their evil. To forever separate individuals from their sinful hearts, God the Son submitted to the Father’s will. He came and lived life as a mortal man, but being both fully God and fully man, He was able to resist sin and temptation.

God has many ways to communicate with humanity. He used the whisper of the wind, the Scriptures, and miracles. He even chose to use people on occasion. These people were prophets, and their lives were committed to God’s service.

When looking at the list, it can seem like it is dominated by men, and there was a specific kind of prophet whose role was only filled by men. However, there are instances in the Bible where it mentions women who had the gift of prophecy, or whom God used to speak to His people.

It is important to distinguish between people empowered by the Holy Spirit to have the gift of prophecy, people who are called to be minor prophets to the nation of Israel, and the men who were called to serve as prophets whom God used to call Israel to repentance and to prophecy about the coming Messiah. Once these distinctions are made, the role of the prophetess can best be understood.

God uses men and women for His purposes, and the prophetesses of the Bible demonstrate how He chooses to use women in a unique and special way.

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The desire for righteousness, and the hunger to have a right relationship with God, is the beginning of a walk with God. When Jesus says that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed, He is affirming that people who desire to be righteous – who hunger and thirst metaphorically, for the things of God – are blessed because they are pursuing the right thing.

After being forgiven and starting that relationship with God, it can be difficult to believe that all of someone’s wickedness can be washed away. The Bible promises the person who repents and accepts the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross paid for their sins, they can be assured their name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life and they will be in Heaven forever.

The New Testament centers around a very short period of history, unlike the Old Testament which spans thousands of years. The Gospels focus on Jesus’ ministry, death, and resurrection, while the other books focus on how to live in light of who Jesus is, what He did, and His future return.

Some are books of encouragement, others full of doctrinal explanation, but Jude is one of warning. It can be a complicated and confusing book sometimes, if removed from its context. When understood correctly, Jude exalts the work of the Holy Spirit, encourages the persecuted, and reminds the believer of the important work of pursuing sanctification.

This little, but often misunderstood and misquoted book, seeks to stand as a bulwark between believers and the wolves who prowl among the sheep, seeking to destroy the church, damage the faithful, and cause doubt and discontentment.

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In many ways, the book of Ecclesiastes is a simple, but poignant response to those who look around and chose to live life for themselves or see life as pointless. Despite the constant refrain that all is vanity, like vapor, or meaningless, the writer finds meaning in living life for God.

The suffering in this life that induces fear is something that Jesus overcame on the cross, and even death has no true power over those who have a relationship with Him. Knowing that in the head does not necessarily stop all fear in the heart. That’s why the Bible is full of encouragement for Christians to not be afraid of any evil in this world.

The High Priest is not like a pastor or priest, though both do have the ability and knowledge of the Scriptures to teach them. It is a mediator position, someone who intercedes between man and God, and a role that Jesus took on after His death and resurrection.

Because culture is greatly influenced by man, and man is creative in ways that are both good and bad, many cultures have elements that are a mix of good, bad, or neutral. Removing any objective standard of measurement of the morality of a cultural practice is not Biblical.

When examined in context, it is clear that wars and rumors of wars will increase as the return of Jesus approaches, but no one war is necessarily the herald of the end of days, since only the Father knows when that will happen.