Minister Moose Tracks

"If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the LOD, who will intercede for him?" - 1 Samuel 2:25 It is a kind of tragedy when those put in charge to lead God's people are but frauds and wolves. In this passage, the context reveals that Eli is both the high priest and judge in Israel while his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas were brought into the priesthood by birth. Because Eli was advanced in years (1 Sam. 2:22), he likely left it up to his sons to inspect the service of the tabernacle and they took advantage of the absence of their father to profane the offerings of the LORD ( vv. 13-17). Nonetheless, his absence did not prevent him from hearing that his sons were having sexual relationships with the women who served at the tabernacle (v. 22). To top it off, verse 12 says that his sons were "worthless" or "corrupt" and did not know God; the Hebrew phrase literally means "sons of Belial", connot...

Something I was thinking about recently: The LGBTQI+ community celebrates their pride with a rainbow flag. The Bible says that the rainbow is a symbol of God's promise that He will never destroy mankind again by flood (Gen. 9:12-17). Perhaps more significant, however, is that it indirectly points to a future promise that God will destroy mankind by fire (2 Pet. 3:7), just as Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed for their sexual immorality (Gen. 19:23-25). The rainbow flag that the LGBTQI+ community waves above their heads is, in a way, them celebrating their own destruction. It reminds me of the passage in Revelation where the unrepentant cry out for the mountains and rocks to fall upon them, in an attempt to hide from the Holy One of God, Jesus Christ (Rev. 6:15-17); they would rather perish in their sins than repent. The truth of the matter is this: 1. The LGBTQI+ community are sinners and haters of the one true God, just like every other sinner (Rom. 1:30; 3:10-11,...

Do not allow the usual holiday hectic schedule and activities rob your joy of celebrating the birth of your Savior this Christmas season. Whether it's the shopping, the traveling, the gatherings, or whatever else, turn your eyes to Jesus Christ. This time of the year reminds me of when I was in the Middle East. Being in a foreign land with a vastly different culture and religious ideals, I often wondered about what my friends and family were doing back at home and I yearned to be with them, especially my wife and children. I remember looking out into the desert, praying to God that He would fill them with His presence, producing the joy of celebrating the birth of our Savior.  It seems though, at that moment, joy sprung up in me; all of a sudden, my melancholy state turned in a well of great joy, since God reminded me of the reality of my Redeemer, Jesus Christ. There I was, in a part of the world which is often hostile to people like me, praising my Lord for His wond...

"A word fitly spoken      is like apples of gold in a setting of silver." -Proverbs 25:11 You've heard it before; the right thing spoken just at the right time. As gold and silver are both precious metals, Solomon makes a comparison by painting a comely picture that points to the might and magnificence of fitly spoken words. Scripture repeatedly admonishes us to pay attention to how we speak to others. It is a true statement to say that everyone has lied during the course of their life, although Christians are referred to as "new creations" with the indicative that the "old has passed away" and "the new has come" (2 Cor. 5:17). Speaking lies and deception represents what you did in the past and you are now called to put that away in order for you speak truth to others (Eph. 4:25) and become more like Christ (Eph. 4:15). Ever since the Lord saved me from my sins, I've frequently come across others who claim to love Jesus Christ but y...

"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea." -Mark 9:42 Shortly after I cried out to God to save me from my sins and became a Christian, a former in-law of mine heard of my new faith and she promptly made her thoughts known to me that I was brainwashed and that it was not as real as I perceived it to be. As an infant in Christ, however, my reckless and zealous response was less than gentle by replying, "What!? You don't know me!" Was that response arrogant? Probably, although the sinful tone contained truth, especially since Christ recently made me into a new creation and began to transform my very reason for living. I've witnessed men who professed faith in Christ get enticed and lured away by attractive and seductive women, causing them to sin and having the joy of salvation sapped right out from them. In my forme...

Ruth 1:19-21 19  So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them. And the women said, “Is this Naomi?” 20  She said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21  I went away full, and the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the Lord has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?” Distraught, sorrowful, and likely confused due to the death of her husband and two sons, Naomi understood these events to be signs that God was against her and therefore treated her harshly. Her reaction is somewhat reminiscent of Job's wife who said, "Curse God and die" (Job 2:9). While having a finite understanding of their own circumstances, both Naomi and Job's wife witnessed the events that surrounded them and subsequently developed a bitterness toward their Creator. While a backstory ...

Ruth 1:15-18 15  And she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 16  But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. 17  Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” 18  And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more. When the Spirit stirs within a person to fervently pursue the ways of God, the person's will is conformed to His own and diligently seeks ways to please Him. In this brief wonderful story found in the Old Testament,  we read of a woman named Ruth who dwelled in the pagan city of Moab. Ten years after two Israelite men took Ruth and Orpah, another Moabite woman, to be their wives, they both died, leaving Naomi, th...

Genesis 3:8-13 8  And they heard the sound of the  Lord  God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the  Lord  God among the trees of the garden.  9  But the  Lord  God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10  And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”  11  He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”  12  The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.”  13  Then the  Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” In the verse before our passage (v. 7), we read that the eyes of Adam and Eve were opened and so they sewed fig leaves together to co...