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Grace, Christ, and the Missing Seam

Grace is often defined simply as “God’s unmerited favor.” That definition is true as far as it goes. However, for many readers of Scripture, it creates a tension. If grace is unmerited favor, and Christ is full of grace (John 1:14), does that imply Christ was undeserving? It seems there is no seam by which we can stitch unmerited favor and Christ's perfect holiness together. How can Christ be full of unmerited favor?  That question exposes a seam many of us were never taught to see.  The issue isn’t with Scripture, it is with how narrowly grace is sometimes defined.  Grace Is Not Defined by the Recipient In Scripture, grace does not originate in human need; it originates in God's character.  God describes Himself as “merciful and gracious” (Exodus 34:6). Grace belongs to who God is before it ever describes what we lack . When John says that Jesus is “full of grace and truth,” he is not saying Jesus needed grace; he is saying that God's gracious character ...

"Synagogue of Satan," Replacement Theology, and the Irrevocable Call: A Thorough Case for Christian Zionism

If the sun and moon are still up there, God’s covenantal bond with Israel is still down here. That’s Jeremiah’s logic, and it frames everything that follows .“As Long as the Sun and Moon Endure.” My aim is to present a thorough Biblical rebuttal to Replacement Theology. Scripture teaches continuity, not cancellation. The New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31) is explicitly promised to the house of Israel and the house of Judah, and God swears by the fixed order of creation that Israel will never cease to be a nation before Him (Jeremiah 31:35-37). The New Testament confirms, not overturns, this: Gentiles are grafted into Israel’s olive tree (Romans 11); Gentiles share Israel’s covenants (Ephesians 2:12-13), and are called to provoke Israel to jealousy, not replace her (Romans 11:11). Misreading a handful of texts to erase Israel does violence to the plain sense of Scripture and, historically, has greased the rails for antisemitism. It has led to pogroms, expulsions, and even a Holocaust.  W...

The Christmas Church - A Children's Story of Faith and Angels

On a snowy Christmas Eve in 1965, Max and his sister Julia set out with sleds, ready for adventure. But a sudden blizzard swallows the world in white, leaving them lost and afraid - until a mysterious old man rescues them and leads them to a glowing church in the storm.   Inside, they hear wondrous stories of Jesus, angels, battles in heaven, and the power of God’s messengers.  This storybook, video and paperback, is meant to encourage children (and the child in all of us) that even in the darkest storm, God’s hand is near.  Story by DL Kennedy. Illustrations by ChatGPT.  The print storybook is available at Amazon. The YT video and Amazon link are below.   https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FQ6RDP86   # Jesus #ChristmasStory #Childrens Story #Faith #Christian Stories #Angels #Illustrated Storybook   

A Parable of the Christian Gospel - Two Video Versions

The room frightened Jacob. It was at the end of a long corridor. There were countless entrances along the stretch of dark hallway, but once the room was entered, there was only one way out. Inside, there was no visible doorknob, handle, or bolt. Lucian had to let him out again. Jacob always suspected there was a secret exit in the floor, but he feared what might happen if it were ever opened. He envisioned a long descent into darkness if that were the case. Lucian, the casino’s manager, sat behind a large polished desk. But there was also a stranger standing in the corner, and judging by Lucian’s hostile glances in his direction, he didn’t appear to be welcome. Jacob wondered how the man had come to be here. Did he owe the casino too? “Sit down, Jacob.” It was a command, not an invitation. Jacob obeyed quickly. He would never dare defiance. He had tried that once and had been carried out on a stretcher as a result. “You know our deal. Today is your last day to pay back what you owe me ...

The Artist and the Painting

The painting had changed again during the night. The self-portrait was nearly erased, only a faint outline remained, barely visible through the stains and smudges. A new image was gradually forming where the original had been - a grotesque caricature of the artist. Yotsero didn’t turn at the sound of knocking. He already knew who stood outside. “Come in.” His guest entered the studio. Still, the artist did not move from his spot. He merely raised a hand and motioned for Giulio to join him at the canvas. Both men stared at the image, each lost in thought. “You said it keeps changing day by day?” “Yes. It’s happened countless times now.” His guest looked incredulous. “Are you sleep-painting, my friend?” Yotsero might have taken offense at the suggestion, but he did not. He simply shook his head. The noise of his beard rubbing against the rough fabric of his shirt made a faint scratching sound, loud in the silence. Giulio knew the room was always under observation and th...

Yes, Doubting Thomas, the Shroud of Turin is Authentic

The Shroud of Turin is a large piece of ancient linen, about 14 feet long and 3½ feet wide. On it is a faint image of a man who was whipped, crowned with thorns, crucified, and pierced in the side. The bloodstains and wounds match exactly what the Gospels describe about Jesus’ crucifixion. What makes the Shroud unique is that the image is not painted or drawn - it’s only on the very top fibers of the cloth, like a photograph burned in by light. When the cloth is viewed as a photographic negative, the image suddenly becomes clear and detailed, even showing 3D information. In 1978, STURP (Shroud of Turin Research Project), with a team of about 30 American scientists from various disciplines (physics, chemistry, engineering, medicine, and more) traveled to Turin, Italy, to study the Shroud of Turin directly for the first time with modern scientific equipment. Over a five-day period in October 1978, they performed non-destructive tests -including photography, spectroscopy,...