16 Fundamental Truths for Understanding the Bible and reaching the world with the Gospel

The Assemblies of God: 85 Million adherents strong

I love being a part of a movement of God that is so large and diverse.

The Assemblies of God (AG) has over 85 million (yes, MILLION) adherents worldwide and continues to grow and flourish because of the ongoing ministry of the Holy Spirit through Jesus’ servants all over the world. 85 million is a glorious testimony of the wonderful work pastors and missionaries are doing to reach the lost for the sake of the Gospel.

The Assemblies of God operates under the anointing of the Holy Spirit and a firm understanding of 16 Fundamental Truths that are entirely Biblical based.

These 16 Fundamental Truths unite believers all around the world.

More on that in a moment. First, let me tell you a funny story.

The Assemblies of God and church planting (a humorous story!)

I had a humorous conversation the other day when I took my sons to their swimming lessons.

A fellow homeschool mom found out that I had graduated from Divinity School and eagerly asked me to consider planting a church in her area. She said there was only one evangelical church near her rural home and felt another was needed.

The humorous part of this occurred when she went on to describe that evangelical church:

“It’s Assembly of God.”

I chucked. “Oh, you’re not into the Assemblies of God?”

She looked at me with wide eyes and shook her head, vehemently, “no.”

“They are the crazy ones, right?”

She started to backpedal. “Well, um, yeah, kinda. Well, I don’t mean they are that bad…”

I smiled and told her very matter-of-factly, “I’m an Assembly of God pastor! Nice to meet you!”

I went on to gently tell her that not all of us are crazy:

Pentecostal churches can get a bad rap. So much so that even Pentecostals tend to describe themselves as simply, “Spirit-filled” to distance themselves from 1) the true crazies and 2) oneness sects. I am adamant that we need to reclaim the term because there is absolutely nothing wrong with being 100% Trinitarian Pentecostal.

There are healthy Pentecostal churches just as there are unhealthy ones.

I know plenty about it because I just spent a full year in a declining church that refuses to acknowledge its pending demise. It is like a hospice for churches, and that is just plain sad. Churches should be full of life, intergenerational, and reaching the community. Churches should be teaching sound doctrine (such as these 16 Fundamental Truths) and reminding people of why they believe as they do so that they will be encouraged and equipped to reach more people in the community with the Good News.

I encouraged this mom to try another AG church sometime. I also invited her to our church plant which is launching soon.

The Assemblies of God is very intentional about church planting because it is a Biblical model that works. People get excited about being part of something new.

16 Fundamental Truths based entirely on Biblical Principles

Many many years ago, the Spirit of the LORD inspired our forefathers and foremothers to write down 16 Fundamental Truths – quite nearly non-negotiables about the Scriptures. There are 4 Cardinal Doctrines which are absolutely non-negotiable. Those include Salvation, the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, Divine Healing, and the Second Coming of Christ because they are essential to the core of the Gospel and the church’s mission.

Anyone who learns these basic 16 fundamental principles will acquire at least a basic understanding of the overall picture of God’s plan for the salvation of humanity for those who will believe and trust in His Son Jesus (Messiah Yeshua).

The AG’s 16 Fundamental Truths are considered non-negotiable because each of them are completely and firmly rooted in Scriptural evidence, and Scriptural verses are provided with each one.

I caution seekers to always check an organization’s list of doctrine and ensure that it is entirely Scriptural because otherwise it is very easy for people to be taught incorrectly and led astray by the winds of false doctrine and heresy.

If a church (even an AG one!) falls into the “crazy” category, they may need to be reminded of the Biblical Fundamental Truths because the Bible will not lead us astray, but man’s emotions sure can. We must pray for all Christian churches (both AG and non-AG), that they will follow sound Biblical doctrine.

I invite you to read the Assemblies of God Statement of 16 Fundamental Truths for yourself.

Then you will see, we are not so crazy after all! 😉

And if you really love them, there’s even a song! (Hint: its extremely useful if you are studying for AG credential exams!)

I also have a free PDF printable for Bible memory verses for children based on these 16 Fundamental Truths. You can find that here.

ASSEMBLIES OF GOD STATEMENT OF 16 FUNDAMENTAL TRUTHS

16 Fundamental Truths of the Assemblies of God AG

The Bible is our all-sufficient rule for faith and practice. This Statement of 16 Fundamental Truths is intended simply as a basis of fellowship among us (i.e., that we all speak the same thing, 1 Corinthians 1:10 [KJV/NIV]; Acts 2:42 [KJV/NIV]). The phraseology employed in this Statement is not inspired nor contended for, but the truth set forth is held to be essential to a full-gospel ministry. No claim is made that it covers all Biblical truth, only that it covers our need as to these fundamental doctrines.

  1. The Scriptures Inspired
  2. The One True God
  3. The Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ
  4. The Fall of Man
  5. The Salvation of Man
  6. The Ordinances of the Church
  7. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit
  8. The Initial Physical Evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit
  9. Sanctification
  10. The Church and Its Mission
  11. The Ministry
  12. Divine Healing
  13. The Blessed Hope
  14. The Millennial Reign of Christ
  15. The Final Judgment
  16. The New Heavens and the New Earth

1. THE SCRIPTURES INSPIRED

The Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments, are verbally inspired of God and are the revelation of God to man, the infallible, authoritative rule of faith and conduct.

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2. THE ONE TRUE GOD

The one true God has revealed Himself as the eternally self-existent “I AM,” the Creator of heaven and earth and the Redeemer of mankind. He has further revealed Himself as embodying the principles of relationship and association as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

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THE ADORABLE GODHEAD

a. Terms Defined
The terms “Trinity” and “persons” as related to the Godhead, while not found in the Scriptures, are words in harmony with Scripture, whereby we may convey to others our immediate understanding of the doctrine of Christ respecting the Being of God, as distinguished from “gods many and lords many.” We therefore may speak with propriety of the Lord our God who is One Lord, as a trinity or as one Being of three persons, and still be absolutely scriptural.

b. Distinction and Relationship in the Godhead
Christ taught a distinction of Persons in the Godhead which He expressed in specific terms of relationship, as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but that this distinction and relationship, as to its mode is inscrutable and incomprehensible, because unexplained.

c. Unity of the One Being of Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Accordingly, therefore, there is that in the Father which constitutes him the Father and not the Son; there is that in the Son which constitutes Him the Son and not the Father; and there is that in the Holy Spirit which constitutes Him the Holy Spirit and not either the Father or the Son. Wherefore the Father is the Begetter, the Son is the Begotten, and the Holy Spirit is the one proceeding from the Father and the Son. Therefore, because these three persons in the Godhead are in a state of unity, there is but one Lord God Almighty and His name one.

d. Identity and Cooperation in the Godhead
The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are never identical as to Person; nor confused as to relation; nor divided in respect to the Godhead; nor opposed as to cooperation.

The Son is in the Father and the Father is in the Son as to relationship.

The Son is with the Father and the Father is with the Son, as to fellowship. The Father is not from the Son, but the Son is from the Father, as to authority.

The Holy Spirit is from the Father and the Son proceeding, as to nature, relationship, cooperation and authority. Hence, neither Person in the Godhead either exists or works separately or independently of the others.

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e. The Title, Lord Jesus Christ
The appellation, “Lord Jesus Christ,” is a proper name. It is never applied in the New Testament, either to the Father or to the Holy Spirit. It therefore belongs exclusively to the Son of God.

f. The Lord Jesus Christ, God with Us
The Lord Jesus Christ, as to His divine and eternal nature, is the proper and only Begotten of the Father, but as to His human nature, He is the proper Son of Man. He is therefore, acknowledged to be both God and man; who because He is God and man is “Immanuel,” God with us.

g. The Title, Son of God
Since the name “Immanuel” embraces both God and man in the one Person, our Lord Jesus Christ, it follows that the title, Son of God, describes His proper deity, and the title, Son of Man, His proper humanity. Therefore, the title Son of God, belongs to the order of eternity, and the title, Son of Man, to the order of time.

h. Transgression of the Doctrine of Christ
Wherefore, it is a transgression of the Doctrine of Christ to say that Jesus Christ derived the title, Son of God, solely from the fact of the incarnation, or because of His relation to the economy of redemption.

Therefore, to deny that the Father is a real and eternal Father, and that the Son is a real and eternal Son, is a denial of the distinction and relationship in the Being of God; a denial of the Father, and the Son; and a displacement of the truth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.

i. Exaltation of Jesus Christ as Lord
The Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, having by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; angels and principalities and powers having been made subject unto Him.

And having been made both Lord and Christ, He sent the Holy Spirit that we, in the name of Jesus, might bow our knees and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father until the end, when the Son shall become subject to the Father that God may be all in all.

j. Equal Honor to the Father and to the Son
Wherefore, since the Father has delivered all judgment unto the Son,

it is not only the express duty of all in heaven and on earth to bow the knee,

but it is an unspeakable joy in the Holy Spirit to ascribe unto the Son all the attributes of Deity, and to give Him all honor and the glory contained in all the names and titles of the Godhead except those which express relationship

(see Distinction and Relationship in the Godhead, Unity of the One Being of Father, Son and Holy Spirit , and Identity and Cooperation in the Godhead) and thus honor the Son even as we honor the Father.

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3. THE DEITY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

The Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. The Scriptures declare:

His virgin birth,

His sinless life,

His miracles,

His substitutionary work on the cross,

  • 1 Corinthians 15:3 [KJV/NIV] 
  • 2 Corinthians 5:21 [KJV/NIV] 

His bodily resurrection from the dead,

His exaltation to the right hand of God.

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4. THE FALL OF MAN

Man was created good and upright; for God said, “Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness.” However, man by voluntary transgression fell and thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is separation from God.

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5. THE SALVATION OF MAN

Man’s only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God.

Conditions to Salvation

Salvation is received through repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ. By the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, being justified by grace through faith, man becomes an heir of God, according to the hope of eternal life.

The Evidence of Salvation

The inward evidence of salvation is the direct witness of the Spirit.

The outward evidence to all men is a life of righteousness and true holiness.

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16 Fundamental Truths:

6. THE ORDINANCES OF THE CHURCH

BAPTISM IN WATER

The ordinance of baptism by immersion is commanded by the Scriptures. All who repent and believe on Christ as Saviour and Lord are to be baptized. Thus they declare to the world that they have died with Christ and that they also have been raised with Him to walk in newness of life.

HOLY COMMUNION

The Lord’s Supper, consisting of the elements –bread and the fruit of the vine– is the symbol expressing our sharing the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:4 [KJV/NIV]), a memorial of his suffering and death (1 Corinthians 11:26 [KJV/NIV]), and a prophecy of His second coming (1 Corinthians 11:26 [KJV/NIV]), and is enjoined on all believers “till He come!”

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7. THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

All believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, the baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian Church. With it comes the enduement of power for life and service, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry.

This experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth.

With the baptism in the Holy Spirit come such experiences as:

  • an overflowing fullness of the Spirit, John 7:37-39 [KJV/NIV], Acts 4:8 [KJV/NIV]
  • a deepened reverence for God, Acts 2:43 [KJV/NIV], Hebrews 12:28 [KJV/NIV]
  • an intensified consecration to God and dedication to His work, Acts 2:42 [KJV/NIV]
  • and a more active love for Christ, for His Word and for the lost, Mark 16:20 [KJV/NIV]

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8. THE INITIAL PHYSICAL EVIDENCE OF THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

The baptism of believers in the Holy Spirit is witnessed by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives them utterance.

The speaking in tongues in this instance is the same in essence as the gift of tongues, but is different in purpose and use.

  • 1 Corinthians 12:4-10 [KJV/NIV] 
  • 1 Corinthians 12:28 [KJV/NIV]

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9. SANCTIFICATION

Sanctification is an act of separation from that which is evil, and of dedication unto God.

The Scriptures teach a life of “holiness without which no man shall see the Lord.”

By the power of the Holy Spirit we are able to obey the command: “Be ye holy, for I am holy.”

Sanctification is realized in the believer by recognizing his identification with Christ in His death and resurrection, and by the faith reckoning daily upon the fact of that union, and by offering every faculty continually to the dominion of the Holy Spirit.

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10. THE CHURCH AND ITS MISSION

The Church is the Body of Christ, the habitation of God through the Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of her great commission. Each believer, born of the Spirit, is an integral part of the General Assembly and Church of the Firstborn, which are written in heaven.

Since God’s purpose concerning man is to seek and to save that which is lost, to be worshipped by man, to build a body of believers in the image of His Son, and to demonstrate His love and compassion for all the world, the priority reason for being of the Assemblies of God as part of the Church is:

  1. To be an agency of God for evangelizing the world.
  2. To be a corporate body in which man may worship God.
  3. To be a channel of God’s purpose to build a body of saints being perfected in the image of His Son.
  4. To be a people who demonstrate God’s love and compassion for all the world.

The Assemblies of God exists expressly to give continuing emphasis to this reason for being in the New Testament apostolic pattern by teaching and encouraging believers to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. This experience:

  1. Enables them to evangelize in the power of the Spirit with accompanying supernatural signs.
  2. Adds a necessary dimension to worshipful relationship with God.
  3. Enables them to respond to the full working of the Holy Spirit in expression of fruit and gifts and ministries as in New Testament times for the edifying of the body of Christ and care for the poor and needy of the world.

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11. THE MINISTRY

A divinely called and scripturally ordained ministry has been provided by our Lord for the fourfold purpose of leading the Church in:

Evangelization of the world.

Worship of God.

Building a body of saints being perfected in the image of His Son.

Meeting human need with ministries of love and compassion.

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12. DIVINE HEALING

Divine healing is an integral part of the gospel. Deliverance from sickness is provided for in the atonement, and is the privilege of all believers.

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13. THE BLESSED HOPE

The resurrection of those who have fallen asleep in Christ and their translation together with those who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord is the imminent and blessed hope of the church.

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14. THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF CHRIST

The second coming of Christ includes the rapture of the saints, which is our blessed hope, followed by the visible return of Christ with His saints to reign on earth for one thousand years.

This millennial reign will bring the salvation of national Israel,

and the establishment of universal peace.

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15. THE FINAL JUDGMENT

There will be a final judgment in which the wicked dead will be raised and judged according to their works. Whosoever is not found written in the Book of Life, together with the devil and his angels, the beast and the false prophet, will be consigned to the everlasting punishment in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

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16. THE NEW HEAVENS AND THE NEW EARTH

“We, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.”

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Praying for a continued outpouring of the Holy Spirit as missionaries and pastors reach people around the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ

If you are a follower of Jesus, we pray for you and ask that you would pray for us and the continued work that God is doing. We must pray with urgency in these last days, that many more would come into a saving relationship with our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ (Yeshua haMashiach), the King of Israel and the King of the Universe.

The 16 Fundamental Truths are one way that God has united the Pentecostal movement of the Assemblies of God fellowship. We are excited about the future and all God will continue to do using men and women who are willing to step out in faith and preach the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

If you will join us in this effort, to pray continually, please leave a comment!

We love to hear from you and pray for you!



Spirit-filled Songs of Praise in Luke’s Gospel

(Luke 1-2) 5783 B”H, updated 2/20/23

Last week, I focused on Dr.Luke, Gospel-writer. His purpose in writing was so that the beloved ones would “know for sure the Truth.” We will see today that Luke was also very interested in recording examples of Spirit-filled praise.

As we continue to look at Luke‘s writings, I’d like to point out his early focus on praise hymns. Before the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke ends, he has already shared with us the song of praise (often called the “Magnificat”) of Mary (Miriam), the mother of Jesus (Yeshua).

This indicates to me that Luke was a worshipper. It seems to me that Dr.Luke had a heart filled with praise which inspired Him to write and share the Good News with us.

Miriam the Prophetess & Miriam, Mother of Messiah

When we hear the name “Miriam” related to Scripture, it is not uncommon to immediately think of Miriam the Prophetess, Moshe’s (Moses’) brave sister (Shemot/Exodus 15:20).

Both Moshe (Moses) and Miriam sang praises to ADONAI for leading them to safety through the parted waters of the Red Sea (Shemot/Exodus 15). With tambourine in hand, Miriam led dancing and singing:

“Sing to ADONAI, for He is highly exalted! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!” Exodus 15:21

Exodus Praise to Adonai

The praises sang in the Sinai desert set a precedent for the way praise would be offered throughout the Scriptures. Even today, we ought use these patterns for our praise – unashamedly rejoicing before the LORD in song and celebration.

Every bit of the Bible is compelling, but I find it very fascinating that Miriam the Prophetess is not the only Miriam in Scripture.

The mother of Yeshua (Jesus) was also a Miriam. “Mary” is anglicized. Back in ancient Bethlehem, it wasn’t “Mary and Joseph:” it was “Yosef and Miriam” blessed with their beautiful Son, Yeshua.

Luke’s Gospel account records that when Miriam visited Elizabeth, the Holy Spirit (Ruach haKodesh) filled Elizabeth “completely” (Luke 1:41, TLV).

In response to that Spirit-driven experience, Prophetess Miriam praised the LORD using the types of phrasing typical of Hebrew poetry. It is likely that Miriam, mother of Jesus (Yeshua) was inspired by the praise song sung by the other Miriam, sister of Moses:

“Then Miriam said,

‘My soul magnifies ADONAI,
and my spirit greatly rejoices in God, my Savior.
For He has looked with care upon the humble state of His maidservant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed.
For the Mighty One has done a great thing for me,
and holy is His name.
And His mercy is from generation to generation
to the ones who fear Him.
He has displayed power with His arm
He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down rulers from thrones
and exalted humble ones.
He has filled the hungry with good things
and sent away the rich empty-handed.
He has helped His servant Israel,
remembering His mercy,
just as He spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his seed forever.'” Luke 1:46-55

Zechariah the Priest (Kohen)

Luke, being the very detail-oriented doctor that he was, made sure to record the song sung by Priest Zechariah because of its prophetic Truth.

Zechariah, too, was filled with the Holy Spirit (Ruach haKodesh) and Luke makes sure to point that out.

Notice the parallels between the songs of the Miriams and Zechariah. They begin by magnifying the LORD, blessing His Holy Name. The Bible says that Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and therefore prophesied about his son Yochanan (John [the Baptist/Immerser]) as well as Messiah Yeshua our Savior Jesus:

“Blessed be ADONAI,
    God of Israel,
for He has looked after His people
    and brought them redemption.
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of His servant David,
just as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ages past,
salvation from our enemies
    and from the hand of all who hate us!
So He shows mercy to our fathers
    and remembers His holy covenant,
the vow which He swore to Abraham
    our father, to grant us—
rescued fearlessly from the hand of
    our enemies—to serve Him,
in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.
And you, child, will be called a prophet of Elyon.
For you will go before ADONAI to prepare His ways,

 to give knowledge of salvation to His people
through removal of their sins.
Through our God’s heart of mercy,
the Sunrise from on high will come upon us,
to give light to those who sit in darkness
    and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet in the way of shalom.” Luke 1:67-79

The Army of Heaven

Are you familiar with Chris Tomlin’s song, Whom Shall I Fear? (The God of Angel Armies)?

I particularly love the line, “The One who reigns forever, He is a Friend of mine!”

Think about that! Let it sink in! The God of the Heavenly Armies, the All-Victorious, Almighty One, who reigns forever – is also your Friend. A Friend of mine!? Then yes, whom shall I fear? The Commander-In-Chief, the Eternal Protector, just so happens to be the One I can call upon at any moment and He will send heavenly host reinforcements. Immediately. He’s that Powerful. He’s that Loving. He’s that good of a Friend. ADONAI-Tzva’ot!

“A multitude of heavenly armies” proclaimed the birth of our Messiah:

“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth shalom to men of good will.” Luke 2:13-14

Luke recorded these songs of praise to inspire us to do the same.

Praise the LORD today!

Does your soul magnify ADONAI?

Do you sing praises to the LORD Most High?

Have you, like those who have gone before us, recognized the Sovereignty of God in your life?

Do you rejoice in God your Savior?

Have you been rescued and delivered by His Mighty hand of power?

Are you filled with the glorious Holy Spirit?

Praise the LORD for all He has done!

“For the Mighty One has done a great thing for me, and holy is His Name.” Luke 1:49

Asbury Awakening

We appear to be witnessing a revival, or what is often more historically termed, an “awakening,” at Asbury University. As I wrote on our Adonai Shalom Facebook page,

“Let’s pray for the students of Asbury University. May this be a true revival/spiritual awakening that our nation and world so desperately needs. I have been cautiously optimistic that what is going on there may become the Azusa Street of our day. This generation has been raised on coffee and donuts in the church and is hungry for real spiritual nourishment. I pray this generation learns true worship and experiences the authentic power of the Eternal One! I also pray for the administration because the logistics of what is going on at the university must be quite a challenge to navigate. But may the LORD have His way and may hearts turn to Messiah Yeshua (Jesus)!”

This is such an exciting event to witness! We are in the last days, and there will again be Spirit-filled songs of praise lifted to our Most High God who is worthy of all honor and glory forever and ever. With all the modern technology, people have found out about the revival and are traveling from all over the world, hungry to experience the LORD. The Spirit of God is not limited to that place, but there will be people who, like the wise men, need to go there to see what it is the LORD has done and they will go and spread that news elsewhere. We should pray that this wonderful spirit of repentance and revival will continue and truly have a global impact.

Keep your eyes fixed on our Savior Yeshua (Jesus) – because He will come back for His own!

May you be most especially blessed today!



Review: Gospel of Mark: Word for Word Bible Comic: NIV

Bible Gateway Blogger grid Member

Simon Amadeus Pillario, author/illustrator, has generously provided me with an ebook copy of the Word for Word Bible Comic (NIV) in exchange for my honest review. This was made possible through the Bible Gateway Blogger’s Grid. Here is a link to his blog: https://www.wordforwordbiblecomic.com/blog

Book Review

Word for Word Bible Comic: The Gospel of Mark (NIV) by Simon Amadeus Pillario.
The book is also available in Spanish:
El Evangelio de Marcos: Verso a Verso Bíblica-Cómic : Traducción NVI

The Gospel of Mark: Word for Word Bible Comic: NIV is available in both in English or Spanish (NVI). Since my husband and I have pastored Spanish language and bilingual congregations, the fact that this is available in both languages right from the start is very appealing. In other words, there’s no need to wait for a publisher to finally get around to offering it in Spanish. My first reaction to seeing the cover was, I need to show this to my tweens and see what they think! So I did. And as expected, they said, “Looks cool, yeah, we’ll read it.”

Getting kids that age interested in the Word is a challenge, so that was a win. This looks to be a very appealing format for many tweens and teens to be introduced to the Gospel of Mark!  ¡Excelente!

I love that the Word for Word Bible Comic series is straight from the Gospel text. I could easily see this book (and others in the series) being used for youth ministry in both English and Spanish language congregational settings.

Cultural accuracy and relevance

I also love the Hebraic-styled font on the cover. Anyone who follows my blog won’t be surprised! I love anything that reminds today’s believers of the Jewish roots of our faith. The illustrations inside the book are tastefully done and colorful and it seems very apparent that care was taken to ensure cultural accuracy and relevance.

Additionally, the faithfulness by the part of the author to provide teenage readers the actual Gospel text should be commended. I personally am not a huge fan of the NIV (New International Version) translation. Nevertheless, I am aware that it is popular, especially for outreach. I would be even more impressed by this effort if a version comes out that uses something like the TLV (Tree of Life Version)! Why the TLV? It restores the Jewishness of the Scriptures, most obviously the name of Yeshua which is Jesus’ Hebrew name. But in the meantime, this graphic novel series is more than adequate to express Gospel Truth.

Age Rating

The Gospel of Mark Word for Word Bible Comic is rated for ages 12+ due to infrequent “bloody violence” and “mild alcohol use.” Given the violent world around us and the images kids are bombarded with every day online and on tv, I don’t think many children would be startled by the illustrations in this book. The author included several pages on how he made his designs which I think would appeal to any young person, especially those with artistic interests!

My recommendation

★★★★★

The Word for Word Bible Comic has the potential to greatly increase the Biblical literacy of young people, and the young-at-heart. This book makes the Good News accessible to those who might not otherwise pick up a Bible. I wholeheartedly recommend it!

PURCHASE LINK:  https://www.wordforwordbiblecomic.com/buy

Matthew, Mark, and coming soon: Luke!

Matthew is available, now Mark, and the creators of this Bible comic are currently in the process of crowdfunding $20,000 for their forthcoming title The Gospel of Luke on Kickstarter.

Here is the link if you are interested. Moreover, if you are able to support this important work, you can give here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/word4wordbiblecomic/the-gospel-of-luke-word-for-word-bible-comic-niv-and-nvi?ref=424wph

It is very exciting that there will be another book available for the Gospel of Luke!

*Note: at 45-49 seconds into the promotional video on the Luke project, I do want to alert my readers that I was initially concerned about the use of sacred heart/Marion imagery in the video, though I had not come across anything like that in the Mark volume.

Mr. Pillario was kind enough to send a picture of the page in question (at right) and personally responded to me, which I also thought was very kind of him. To clarify, Pillario writes: “. . . it is in the context of Mary prophesying that she will be called ‘Blessed through generations.’ It’s an artistic representation to highlight the fact the prophecy is true: you see there’s white Mary and black Mary and even Japanese Mary.” It is certainly true that regardless of our cultural and denominational backgrounds, the prophecy is indeed true. I find Mr. Pillario’s explanation sufficiently reasonable to continue to fully recommend this book.

Title: Word for Word Bible Comic: The Gospel of Mark (NIV)
Author:  Simon Amadeus Pillario
Publisher: Word for Word Bible Comics
Release Date: March 1, 2022
Genre: Religion/Christian Education/Teen

ISBN: 9781914299063



Pastora Jennifer Mieliulis Fuentes, M.Div., Duke University

Additionally, if you enjoyed this book review, you may want to check out these other reviews. I have reviewed Rabbi Jason Sobel’s, “Mysteries of the Messiah” as well as Dr.Amy-Jill Levine’s “The Difficult Words of Jesus.”

Review: “Mysteries of the Messiah” by Rabbi Jason Sobel

Review: “The Difficult Words of Jesus” by Amy-Jill Levine



What would you ask from Yeshua?

I was reading a book last night by Dr.Amy-Jill Levine. It was sent to me and I’m going to be writing a blog review for it soon. Update: Here is a link to my review: The Difficult Words of Jesus. While Dr. Levine and I definitely have our theological differences, I was struck by one very simple, but poignant question she posed. The rich young ruler of the Gospels was so preoccupied with storing up treasures in both earth and heaven that he wanted to know what he had to do to inherit eternal life – so he could fill up his heavenly “vault,” as Levine put it. The question that sparked my interest was this: if you were in that situation, able to stop Jesus in His tracks to ask Him any question in the world, what would you ask? What would you say?

What would you ask Yeshua?

Would you ask Him what it takes to “earn” eternal life? Demand a heavenly inheritance? Plea for salvation? Would you humbly ask for a healing? Would you ask something deeply theological, or would you stick to something more temporal?

In 1 Kings, King Solomon has the opportunity to ask anything of God.

He could’ve asked for details about what happens in the next life or the world to come. But he asks for something quite unexpected, and much much different than the riches sought by the young ruler in the Gospel story.

The fact that the Eternal One directs Solomon to ask Him for something, to ask for anything at all is shocking.

It is shocking because it is unexpected, but it is also shocking because at the time, Solomon was walking in obvious disobedience.

King Solomon knew full well who God is, and his duty to honor the God of Israel as he ruled. After all, his father was King David who wrote most of the Psalms! Surely King Solomon had no excuse when he practiced idolatry and lustfully sought out his many wives. Solomon knew better than to worship pagan gods!

This Psalm, penned by King Solomon’s father, King David, speaks of the glorious ascent to the hill of YHVH.

“Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully.
He shall receive blessing from the LORD,
And righteousness from the God of his salvation.“

Psalm 24:3-5

It is certainly conceivable Solomon had his father’s words ringing in his ears as he

climbed up . . . not to a Holy Place, but to

the pagan

high place in Gibeon

to singe a thousand burnt offerings and incense.

On top of that, Shlomo (Solomon in Hebrew) had just married Pharaoh’s daughter. Shouldn’t he be feeling ashamed by now?

Many of us are well aware that Solomon’s foreign wives inspired him to pursue pagan practices. Yet even to this day Solomon is known for something else: his wisdom. God’s mercy, long-suffering, and patience really are remarkable.

What Solomon had in his favor is recorded in 1 Kings 3:3, “Solomon loved the LORD . . . “

Loving the LORD makes up the difference. His mercy endures forever.

On one particular trip up the Gibeon mountain, the trek plus the mountain air allowed Solomon to fall asleep that night. He probably didn’t have to count Israeli sheep in order to fall asleep. I imagine he fell into a fairly deep sleep just from the day’s activities.

The LORD Almighty, the Sovereign One, the Only True God, came to Solomon in a dream.

No messenger sent, no angel. God Himself appears to Solomon in the dream and says to him,

“Ask! What shall I give you?” (1 Kings 3:5)

Solomon burned sacrifices not to YHVH, but to false gods, in this very place. But to demonstrate His Omnipresence and Perfect Sovereignty, Adonai challenges Solomon to go ahead, ask for something.

A conversation King to king

Solomon is king (melech) of Israel and in a sense, the LORD is treating him that way. Being a king, surely Solomon was used to asking for things and getting them. There are no restrictions, there are no asterisks, no strings attached.

There are no limits because the LORD is God of the entire universe.

Any other supposed deity would have to place a limitation. A blue genie could get trapped in a bottle along with the three wishes he might be offering. A less-than-Almighty god would have to say:

“Ask for something within reason.”

“Please keep it under 100 shekels.”

“There will be a 10% service charge, which will be handled by your next tithe.”

Solomon is allowed to ask the LORD Most High for absolutely anything because He is able to do absolutely anything.

YHVH is All-Powerful, unlike a genie in a bottle

If you could ask God for anything, would you want jewels? tools?

If you were the king or queen of Israel, what would you want? More wealth and riches?

Solomon doesn’t ask for any of these things, not even a new pet camel.

“What do you want, Solomon, what should I give you?

King Solomon is ready to answer, but first he is sure to flatter YHVH a little. Smart thinking. Maybe he felt an extra need to show honor and deference to Elohim if he was laden with guilt from his unfaithfulness. That or, like a wife trying to butter up her husband to complete a honey-do list, first she reminds him how much she loves him, appreciates him, and couldn’t live without him. Right? 🙂

Solomon begins to praise God and thank Him for the kindness He has shown to his father David. Solomon acknowledges his immaturity and demonstrates humility (1 Kings 3:6-8). He expresses how he views the situation he lives in, this context of governance over a chosen, great, and numerous people.

Only after all of that does Solomon dare to say what he would like from God.

“Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” 1 Kings 3:9, emphasis added

Understanding and discernment.

In other words, wisdom.

Notice, King Solomon never says “wisdom.” He only describes it.

In Hebrew, the word for wisdom is chokhmah, and it is not found anywhere in this text, even though traditionally wisdom has been ascribed to Solomon. The Proverbs attributed to Solomon, however, do employ this term frequently. Here in 1 Kings 3, a form of the word chokhmah is used, chakham, but only by God Himself. God answers Solomon’s request for understanding and discernment by calling it wisdom (chakham).

It is quite evident that King Solomon avoids using the word chokhmah or any form thereof in his request of God.

So we must ask the question: why?

Perhaps it can be dismissed as too much of a technicality, but I do believe there is more to it.

Solomon may have been hesitant to ask for wisdom because in the culture of his day, despite being a king, he was asking a lot.

As early as the writings of Job, Jewish tradition has always held that wisdom is costlier than gold and silver (Job 28:12-15).

Maybe he thought it was too much to ask.

Wisdom is also personified in Scripture, interpreted as a divine attribute of God and embodied by Messiah Himself. While Solomon did not yet know his Messiah, Wisdom Incarnate, he would have had reverence regarding the subject of God’s Wisdom.

He had mustered his courage, and this pleased the LORD.

The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”

1 Kings 3:10-14, NKJV, emphasis added

The LORD assures Solomon that he will give him wisdom and fame. He adds riches and honor to the package, but now He does add an asterisk:

“You will have all of this and a long life, if you walk in My ways as your father David did.”

God will hold King Solomon accountable – He wants Solomon to do what is right.

Solomon awakens from his dream, heads straight to Jerusalem to offer legitimate sacrifice there to Adonai, and holds a party for his servants (1 Kings 3:15).

“And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore.” 1 Kings 4:29

King Solomon had so many great achievements, most importantly, the construction of the Temple. He was known for his sayings and proverbs, his riches and influence. But despite all of that, his heart strayed from the LORD. Lust was in the family line, and he seems to have inherited a generational curse. Because Solomon continued in disobedience, the Lord assured him the kingdom would be torn away under the reign of his son and that is exactly what happened.

What would you ask Yeshua?

We are all given the opportunity to ask God anything because He has made a way for us through Messiah Yeshua (Jesus). He might not come to us in a dream, but He is willing to listen to us because of His amazing grace.

He may not give us exactly what we want, but we definitely have the opportunity to share our heart with Him and He knows our deepest desires. Next time you are in prayer, ask of Him, and I know He will answer you in love. Learn from Solomon’s mistakes: keep a repentant heart, and go after the things of God, not the ways of the world.

The Father sent His Son to die for you. He loves you. Surely it is not too much for you to ask for something that is weighing on your heart, if you ask in humility, it shall be done for you.

Are you able to have a conversation with the LORD?

Are you in relationship with Him?

If you are sincerely sorry for your sins and your mistakes and your character flaws that sometimes get the best of you . . . and you have decided that you will trust in Him to help you change and turn away from continuing in sin, and if you have accepted the Truth that Yeshua (Jesus) is the King of Israel and would like Him to be the King of your heart, then you absolutely can be in communion and conversation with Him. Nothing can separate you from His love – and Messiah Yeshua bridged the gap between sin and darkness to enable you to be able to trust Him today with your life and your salvation. Believe in Him, obey His Word, and do not be afraid to go to Him in prayer. He hears you when you pray!

I hope this blog post has encouraged you! Please leave a comment, and consider subscribing! And, if you’d like, let’s connect on social media! Find us on Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter. Shalom!



1 Kings 4


Don’t stop reading Deuteronomy 28 at verse 14

Parashat Ki Tavo 5781 B”H

The first part of Deuteronomy (Devarim) 28 is a favorite for many. And who wouldn’t like it?

” . . . all these blessings will come upon you and overtake you, if you listen to the voice of ADONAI your God . . . ” Deut.28:2

Blessings will abound! Blessed will you be in the city, in the field, your children, your land and produce, your flock (verses 3-6). Your enemies will flee from you! (v.7) You will lend and not borrow, you will be the head and not the tail (v.12, 13).

What’s not to like?

Certainly all of us who claim to love Adonai resonate with these promises. Surely, we are established as His holy people (v.9) and surely we walk in His ways. Right?

“Then all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of ADONAI and they will stand in awe of you.” Deut. 28:10

Ok, now the pride meter might be rising.

“Everyone will be in awe of us.”

“We are His people, and we cannot fail.”

Uh oh. We may be getting on a slippery slope, my friends.

Blessings require us to LISTEN and to OBEY

These blessings are contingent upon consistent relationship with the Holy One of Israel. These blessings don’t just come because we have professed faith. These blessings require us to constantly LISTEN to what His Spirit is saying and obey what is written in His Word.

It is only natural for us to dwell on the things we like and try not to think about the stuff that we don’t. But we are not called to be natural, we are called to be spiritual.

Many believers know parts of Deuteronomy 28 very well – but if you check closely, those commonly cited passages are all found in the first 14 verses of the chapter.

I don’t hear anyone talking about the curses! And understandably so . . . they are overwhelming! Terrifying. But we must acknowledge the reality that there are REAL curses that DO afflict those who choose to disobey God.

There are 69 verses in Deuteronomy 28, not just 14. MOST of those verses describe the destruction that will come to those who turn from ADONAI’S instructions.

Most people are concentrating on only 20% of the entire chapter. Most of us are ignoring 80% of Deuteronomy 28.

www.Adonaishalom.com

BUT THERE IS HOPE!

The curse of sin and death has been broken.

But if we do not understand what we have been saved from, we are missing half of that very blessing. Also, if we do not understand that sanctification is an ongoing process and that we either invite blessing or demise into our lives based on our choices (even after receiving salvation) we are prone to confusion and a less dynamic understanding of the relationship we hold as children of the Most High God.

THE CURSES ACTUALLY REVEAL HOW AMAZING LIVING UNDER BLESSING REALLY IS

You don’t have to live under any curse. You have the choice to follow the Savior, who chooses to bless us when we repent and reject a cursed life of sin and death.

How great a salvation! We were destined for curse but the Son of God, Yeshua ha Mashiach (Jesus the Christ) came to earth, died for our transgressions, our failings, and our disobedience, so that we may have life eternal if we believe in His Name.

We must confess that He alone is Lord and follow His ways.

www.adonaishalom.com

The curses outlined in Deuteronomy 28:15ff are so horrific that it just makes me think of just how awesome the gift of salvation truly is. We have been saved from terror, a hopeless, despairing future and so freely given love, security, and peace – the shalom that surpasses all understanding. So many people fear “keeping Torah,” citing legalism and claiming irrelevance, but if only they would understand how Torah illuminates what pleases God and rather than bind us, it frees us to more fully understand the richness of our salvation!

2 Timothy 2:15

So let’s commit ourselves to reading the entirety of the Bible, not just the parts we like.

Because even in those passages that seem so difficult or even dreadful to read . . . – even there in the depths, we can find the glimmer of the Gospel. He has given us hope and a future, so let’s learn and study the whole Word so we can step into our callings as ambassadors for His glorious Truth.

Shalom!