By: Obed Pined When someone faces a truth that is difficult or unpleasant to accept and instead chooses to remain in a constant state of denial, vehemently rejecting all logical evidence that substantiates it as fact, it is concluded that this person is in a state of wishful thinking. This…
By: Obed Pineda “The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance is of the LORD” (Proverbs 21:31). During Israel’s post-exilic era, the Jews that had returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel and Jeshua had ceased the rebuilding of the temple because of their adversaries, the Samaritans (cf. Ezra…
By: Obed Pineda It had been a long and eventful day for the Master and His twelve. Mark relates that after returning from a successful campaign of preaching, healing the sick, and casting out demons from the possessed, Jesus instructed His disciples “‘Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place…
By: Obed Pineda While waiting for his audience with Caesar, having appealed his case to the Roman emperor, the apostle to the Gentiles was allowed to remain in custody under house arrest instead of sitting in a cold and harsh prison cell (cf. Acts 25:7-12, 28:16, 23, 30-31). Holy Writ…
By: Obed Pineda “There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its filthiness” (Proverbs 30:12) Righteousness. Rejection. Retribution. Repentance. Repeat. The nation of Israel would remain inside this vicious cycle from the death of Joshua until the anointment of Saul as the…
By: Obed Pineda It is said that the quality of a person’s leadership is best observed when confronted by adversity. It is curious that many want the prestige that comes with the label of leader, but few truly understand the responsibility, sacrifice, and dedication required of one. For this reason,…
By: Obed Pineda There are old folkloric tales that suggest that the etymological roots of our English word “sincere” can be traced as far back as to the days of the Roman Republic, before Julius Caesar ushered in Rome’s Imperial period. One tale claims that in those days marble craftsmen…
By: Obed Pineda From about 2000 B.C. to 536 B.C., the ancient world found itself submerged in a power struggle for world domination between some of history’s most prominent military powerhouses, from the Assyrian Empire to the Persian Empire. The children of Israel regrettably found themselves in the midst of…
By: Obed Pineda Sitting from his unmerciful prison cell in Rome, knowing that his martyrdom was sure to take place there, the great apostle to the Gentiles scribed his final epistle to his beloved and trusted protégé (cf. 2nd Timothy 4:6-8). There is little doubt that it was the purpose…
By: Obed Pineda In a letter penned with the intention of stirring up the embers of encouragement and steadfastness in the hearts of those who suffered great persecution, the inspired Peter espoused “we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles – when we…