This past weekend the movie "War Room" was released and I greatly enjoyed watching it with my bride. It was our first "date night" since our kids moved to college.

This is an inspiring and encouraging movie that does credit to the Kendrick brothers' continuing legacy of family-friendly and faith-friendly films. I laughed, I cried, er, had some sinus trouble in the dusty theater.  Two thumbs up!

Just because a movie is "faith-friendly", however, doesn't always mean it is 100% Biblically accurate. Before recommending it to others, I share a few items of concern that I think are worth mentioning.

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. – Psalm 127:3

Last week a friend asked me what I thought about a recent CNN article entitled "I don’t own my child’s body".

In the article, author Katia Hetter explains that she does not require her daughter to hug or kiss anyone she doesn't want to. "I would like you to hug Grandma, but I won’t make you do it" says Hetter to her daughter.

A friend recently contacted me and asked about some information he had seen on Facebook:

For centuries, people have wondered why the Bible records that 153 fish were caught by the disciples after Jesus told them to throw their nets on the opposite side of the boat in John 21:4-12. As I have mentioned before, EVERYTHING in the Bible is there for a reason. People would have figured out the mystery long ago if they had bothered to learn Hebrew. In Hebrew, every letter has a number attached to it. The Hebrews used their alphabet as a numbering system. The numbers attached to the letters in a Hebrew word could be added together to give a numerical total. The number 153 is the numerical total for the Hebrew words "Ani Elohim"--I AM G-D. When Jesus caused the disciples to catch exactly 153 fish, He was declaring to them that not only was He the Son of G-d, but that He was G-d Himself. Tell your Muslim friends who say that Jesus never claimed to be G-d that yes, He most certainly did!

Good Friday? If we look closely, the Bible tells us it was actually Good Wednesday.  Psalm11918.org has created two resources that share our examination of the Gospels and our search for the truth.

Our When Yeshua was Crucified article asks the question "when was Messiah crucified?" and systematically goes through Scripture to uncover the answer.  Step by step and verse by verse, we build the list of Biblically-based requirements for the correct date.

When it was originally published, this article prompted so much discussion among our readers that we created an entirely new interactive website devoted to examining Good Friday, Good Thursday, and Good Wednesday options and see which fit bet with the Word of G-d.  MessiahsPassoverWeek.info is full of colorful insight that reveals the truth of Scripture.

As the time draws near for Passover, may we all draw near to our Lord and Savior who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life!

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As we wrapped up last month, I said we would take a look at the promise that G-d causes all things to work together for good. Paul wrote about that in his letter to the Romans.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love G-d, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

Backing up to Romans 8:22, Paul notes that the "the whole creation groans and suffers" and believers also "groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body." (v23) He makes the point that such a redemption has not yet occurred, for if it had, we would have seen it and "who hopes for what he already sees"? (v 24)

It is in this context of the unseen-and-still-hoped-for redemption of our bodies that Paul says that G-d causes all things to work together for good to those who love G-d, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Does this mean G-d is going to cause us to have a good life... a happy life?
A great marriage?
A successful career?
Wonderful children?