ECCE

             The Pharisees and Sadducees, who represented the religious leadership, came to Jesus and demanded that He show them a sign from heaven. He had even recently fed thousands from a small amount of food, but still they demanded a sign. Jesus acknowledged that they were able to discern the day's weather from the meaning of a red sky at morning or night, but added: "...O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall be no sign given unto it, but the sign of Jonah." He later said to His disciples: "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees." His disciples thought He was speaking of bread that they had not brought with them, but after His correction ("O ye of little faith..."), the disciples then "understood ...how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine ( ...

      We have begun a new year. When considering what to expect for the new year, far too many are focused on the world and the agenda of men, rather than the Word of God. As we look at scripture this week, many of them will have a twenty or a twenty-four associated with them.      Psalm 20 is a song in which David asked the LORD: "Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reigns and my heart...I will wash my hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O LORD...I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth. Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men." (v. 1-9, excerpt). Our lives are to line up with God's Word as Paul wrote in Rom. 12:1-2 . We are living in the time of "Jacob's Trouble", and we need to be following 2 Chron. 7:14 , turning to God, seeking His forgiveness, and the healing of our land. This was David's attitude as he sought the LORD.      In Mt. 24 , Jesus is asked ...

Missouri is known as "The Show Me State", because one of its Congressional representatives, when faced with a political argument of dubious facts, stated, "You're going to have to show me!" Certain events of this week, both of the world and the church, including those who refer to themselves as prophets, involved the issuing of statements that seem dubious, but are being accepted as truth. I respond to these statements by saying, " Show me that in the Word of God!" Last week, I encouraged all to become "Bereans", those who searched the scriptures for themselves, looking for confirming truth regarding what Paul was teaching them. We need to know what the Word of God says, especially in these times in which we are living. Paul wrote: "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their ow...