Author: Rich Gorecki

Do your actions reflect a changed life?  The book of James tells us it should. Throughout my year-long journey through The MANual, an NIV Bible for Men, we have heard the stories and lessons of our biblical ancestors who faced persecution for following the ways of Jesus Christ. The book of James –the twentieth of the New Testament, is considered a “how-to” about the Christian life with the subtitle “Faith that Works.”  Which James is He? Many believe this book comes directly from Jesus’ half-brother James. However, there is some dispute about the author’s lineage. This James was not James the Great, the brother of John, who was one of the two sons of Zebedee among the first disciples of Jesus. Many believe that this was James the Just, who was a son of Mary and Joseph and therefore a brother to Joseph, Simon, Judas, and their sisters (according to Matthew

The book of Hebrews is another New Testament writing that reminds us that following Christ is worth the effort. It reminds the Jewish people that the superiority of Jesus Christ, rather than their steadfast traditions, is sufficient for their salvation. Read on to better understand the dilemna for the Jews who read this letter. Judaism’s Beliefs about Jesus Judaism is the world’s oldest monotheistic and ethnic religion, dating back nearly 4,000 years. The Jewish people believe there’s only one God who established a covenant—or special agreement—with them. Their God communicates through prophets and rewards good deeds while also punishing evil.  Judaism was not easy. It required complete devotion to God, the 613 religious commandments referred to in the Torah, the rituals, and understanding the promises of the prophets. It requires strict adherence to Jewish law and customs such as circumcision. Judaism also does not accept Jesus as God, a Divine Being as an

My year-long journey through The MANual, an NIV Bible for Men, brings us to the short book of Philemon, the eighteenth book of the Christian New Testament. It’s a good example of a very private, personal letter and how to handle a disagreement with a friend. You may remember from my previous post on the lessons from Paul’s Letter to the Colossians, the Apostle Paul wrote four “prison letters” (Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians, and Philemon) while he was under house arrest in Rome from approximately A.D. 60–62. Who Was Philemon? Philemon was a first-century Christian and a minister (possibly the bishop of Gaza). He was a wealthy man who hosted a church in his home in Colosse (sometimes more properly written as Colossae). Philemon’s name means “affectionate,” or “one who kisses” in Greek.  The only mention of Philemon in the Bible is in the opening line of the book that bears