We are coming toward the end of our look at the life of Jesus through scripture. The first section of His life was seen through verses focused on prophecy, arrival, and early life.
The next section of verses looked at Him as the Son, second person of the Trinity.
We proceeded into looking at Jesus as the Son’s preeminence, His works, and His ministry. Under ministry & works, I chose verses showing His attributes and aspects of being servant, teacher, shepherd, intercessor, and compassionate healer; and His attributes of omniscience, having all authority and power, and sinlessness.
Sixteen years! Next week as of January 9th I’ll have been writing daily on The End Time for 16 years. There are 6,764 essays here. On my other blog The Quiet Life it has been intermittent, but I founded that personal blog 3 years earlier, so, 19 years.
After 2006 other social media came along beyond blogs, such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and so on, so I absorbed them into my posting routine too.
The End Time blog is my main ministry though. My goals are to present solid theology, to refer women to credible ministries for further exploration, and to present thoughts about our faith that ultimately exalt and honor Jesus. The public square is marvelous for getting the name of Jesus out there and to share doctrines from a trustworthy source.
When podcasting became a thing I added that to the list. My main goal is to get good theology and resources into the hands of women, many of whom are busy moms. If they can listen to content while driving, cooking, or folding, instead of having to stop to read it, all the better. So The End Time Blog podcast was born.
Spotify keeps an annual analytic they send to creators at the end of the year. This year I stopped in May for a few months as I regrouped from WordPress and Spotify’s divorce, while I looked for another podcast platform to record on. So a good chunk of my analytics were impacted during the pause. Even with not having podcasted for a full quarter, the stats look good. So…thank you!
Apparently according to Spotify’s algorithm I am a Trendsetter personality:
They define the Trendsetter personality this way: “Like a true trendsetter, you have your finger on the pulse, publishing often and keeping it short and sweet. You love sharing your stories with your listeners.” Women have commented to me that they like short podcasts- some because it’s nice to intersperse with others’ longer podcasts, or just because they prefer short for various reasons. Most of my podcasts are under 15 minutes.
New listeners are coming in, so that’s good. Even with not promoting it and having stopped for a few months!
What was my top episode? Well, now there’s a story. If you follow me on Facebook and especially on Twitter you know I post rebuttals, warnings, and frequent criticism of Lori Alexander The Transformed Wife of godlywomanhood (and her husband too). Her ministry is damaging and unbiblical. I like being her gadfly, (to annoy through persistent criticism). I know that criticism is her kryptonite. Husband Ken hates it, too. They are unteachable, arrogant, and have thin skins- not a good look for people claiming to be Christians and teachers of others.
However, Lori has a huge following, I mean it’s near the million mark, so that means her damage goes far. Her false teaching goes far. If even one woman goes away from Lori through anything I post, I will have had a satisfactory day.
THAT’S why I persistently criticize Lori Alexander’s ministry. There are many women out there who think Lori’s output is biblical who would benefit from a wake up warning call, others who are seeking answers to niggling issues that their conscience or Bible study raises about her “teaching” or her behavior, or other ladies who just need confirmation of their own discernment that Lori’s output is not OK.
Other top blogs in 2024 included another discernment essay titled, Beth Moore’s divorced daughter was married this weekend. A consistent top read essay on this site year after year is the one I did comparing two divorces of celebrities in the faith that I wrote in 2016- Summer White and Melissa Moore, titled Two divorce cases: Summer White and Melissa Moore. White is the daughter of theologian James White and Melissa is Beth Moore’s daughter. So it stands to reason that Moore’s daughter’s remarriage this year also garnered a lot of interest.
Inevitably, when I write discerningly about a teacher’s lifestyle or her family I receive lots of comments along the lines of ‘It’s not your business!’ Oh, but it is. If a teacher is teaching publicly in a public ministry, the Bible tells us that their home life, behavior, and character are part of the qualifications for assuming the authority of teaching. (1 Timothy 4:16, Titus 2:7-8, 1 Corinthians 9:27, James 1:21-22).
The Alistair Begg issue (when he told a grandma it was OK to attend her gay grandson’s wedding) was also a well-read, top essay this year. So were the perennial top 10 essays I’ve written in the past but always land in the top 10 or 15, about Joyce Meyer and David Jeremiah.
A few non-discernment essays were also in the top 10, such as A Day in the Life of a Shepherd, an essay about the glory, one about the tree of life, and the like.
I’m happy that anyone reads anything I write. Discernment seems to be needed, and since the Spirit gave me that as one of His gifts of the Spirit, I am happy to employ it. I’m not embarrassed by discernment. I’m also happy when a women reads anything else I write about, and I do write about other topics besides discernment, such as natural history, biblical history, people in the faith (in the Bible or outside the Bible).
My personal favorites are the series I published on “A Day on the Life Of…” and the series on “Little Known Bible Characters” especially the one I researched and wrote about Eutychus (the young man who fell out of the window). That was a fun one to look into.
These are the essays I wrote about “A Day in the Life Of”-
A Day in the Life of: Introduction A Day in the Life of: A Professional Mourner A Day in the Life of: A Fisherman A Day in the Life of: A Potter A Day in the Life of: A Scribe A Day in the Life of: A Shepherd A Day in the Life of: A Tanner A Day in the Life of: A Seller of Purple A Day in the Life of A: Concubine A Day in the Life of: A Roman Centurion
The blog and the podcast are small potatoes compared to a lot of others, but I’m content, because this is what the Spirit has ordained. In truth, I’m still working full time and I do not believe I could keep up if the blog and podcast grew more or expanded faster. I’m not on a “speaking circuit”, the podcast is really small, the blog isn’t a brand, it’s not slick, and to younger eyes the graphics may even look uncool. I’m just an old lady who loves her Savior and writes stuff because that is the way I process concepts. It’s all OK.
When a lady messages to me that she has gone away from this or that false teacher, or has grown thanks to the resources I offered, or just enjoys the writing, it is my reward. I’m grateful for another year here at The End Time, and all glory goes to Jesus.
We are coming toward the end of our look at the life of Jesus through scripture. The first section of His life was seen through verses focused on prophecy, arrival, and early life.
The next section of verses looked at Him as the Son, second person of the Trinity.
We are coming toward the end of our look at the life of Jesus through scripture. The first section of His life was seen through verses focused on prophecy, arrival, and early life.
The next section of verses looked at Him as the Son, second person of the Trinity, by looking at Jesus as the Son and His preeminence, His works, and His ministry.
Under ministry & works, I chose verses showing His attributes and aspects of being servant, teacher, shepherd, intercessor, and compassionate healer; and His attributes of omniscience, having all authority and power, and sinlessness.
With the New Year upon us, many people are either finishing a previous Bible reading plan and perhaps looking for a different one for next year, or starting one for the first time. There are a lot of plans out there!
I’ve done several myself with I enjoyed. I liked the M’Cheyne plan, the Professor Horner plan, a plan my seminary friend devised where the Bible is read from the aspect of when each book was written (Job was 1st).
How to Eat your Bible: A Simple Approach to Learning and Loving the Word of God, book by Nate Pickowicz. Nate is a pastor in Gilmanton Iron Works, NH, plowing hard New England ground. He is the author of several books, including The American Puritans with Dustin Benge. Here is a synopsis of the book:
If you’re feeling distant from God, could it be because you’re ignoring His Word? But maybe you don’t know where to start. Maybe the long books and strange names feel overwhelming. Maybe you just don’t like reading. Whatever the case, How to Eat Your Bible will help you cultivate an appetite for life-long study of God’s Word. Find practical guidance for overcoming the hurdles that have kept you from making Bible study a regular part of your life...
Post-Its and Bible study go together like Mac & cheese
John MacArthur has an article on How to Enjoy Bible Study: “There’s nothing I enjoy more than studying the Bible. Yet it has not always been that way. My real passion for studying Scripture began when as a college student, I made a commitment to explore the Bible in earnest. I found that the more I studied, the more my hunger for Scripture grew. Here are three simple guidelines that have helped me to make the most of my study time.”
Ligonier lists 20 Reading Plans for 2025, saying, “To grow in the knowledge of God and to live in light of His truth, it’s important that we set aside focused time to study His Word.”
Michelle Lesley has listed a huge variety of plans with a short synopsis of each and links to each. Worth checking out. Bible Reading Plans for the New Year.
Pastor Jacob Abshire has an essay on Why I Ditched Bible Reading Plans with reasonable cautions and personal experience. Some people don’t connect with a ‘plan’ and that’s OK. This time of year one begins to see lots of talk about plans and you might be feeling guilty if you’re not on one. Don’t be. You can absolutely create something for yourself. As long as you’re reading progressively and steadily in some kind of structure, you will grow.
Abshire, while ditching a standard plan, absolutely advocates for reading the Bible. He devised a way to read it that was comfortable to him, and shares the specifics. His approach is kind of like the G3 “Six Ribbons” plan in Michelle’s list above.
If you start the year with a Bible Reading Plan and find it’s just not for you, that is OK too! Don’t wait until 2026 to begin a new one. Meeting with God every day is a blessing, so just read, or pick a new plan, or devise one yourself.
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12).
This section of verses that show Jesus’ life are focused on His attributes. In His earthly ministry we’ve seen Him as servant, teacher, shepherd, intercessor, and healer. We then looked at His attributes of omniscience, His authority, and now His sinlessness.
He came from glory where righteousness reigns. He descended to an earth that’s cursed where every single human is depraved, thoroughly drenched with a sin nature. He lived among us, sinlessly and perfectly fulfilling the Father’s commands for righteous living. He did this at every moment in every way. Not one blot, not one thought, not one act of anything less than perfection.
For this, He was reviled, mocked, hated, and killed.
In what sense did Jesus become “sin on our behalf”? Does that phrase mean that Jesus literally became a sinner on the cross? …
Based on the above passages, we can safely determine what 2 Corinthians 5:21 does not mean. It cannot mean that Jesus became unrighteous, or that He became a sinner, or that He took on a sin nature, or that He literally embodied sin. … So, then what does it mean? This brings us to our third point. … 3. The best way to understand Paul’s statement (that Jesus became sin on our behalf) is in terms of imputation. Our sin was imputed to Christ, such that He became a substitutionary sacrifice or sin offering for all who would believe in Him.
On the cross, Jesus took our sin upon Himself and purchased our salvation. We have “been justified by his blood” (Romans 5:9), and part of that justification is an imputation of His own righteousness. Paul puts it this way: “For our sake [God] made [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus is righteous by virtue of His very nature—He is the Son of God. By God’s grace, “through faith in Jesus Christ,” that righteousness is given “to all who believe” (Romans 3:22). That’s imputation: the giving of Christ’s righteousness to sinners.
Ligonier: Jesus’ Sinless Life Jesus lived a representative life. Jesus lived a sinless life, and it was, therefore, a life of representative sinlessness. Our Lord’s obedience stands in the place of His people’s sin. His law-keeping is counted as the law-keeping of those who have faith in Him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thirty Days of Jesus Series-
Introduction/Background
Prophecies:
Day 1: The Virgin shall conceive Day 2: A shoot from Jesse Day 3: God sent His Son in the fullness of time Day 4: Marry her, she will bear a Son
Birth & Early Life-
Day 5: The Babe has arrived! Day 6: The Glory of Jesus Day 7: Magi seek the Child Day 8: The Magi Offer gifts & worship Day 9: The Child Grew Day 10- the Boy Jesus at the Temple Day 11: He was Obedient
The Second Person of the Trinity-
Day 12: The Son! Day 13: God is pleased with His Son Day 14: Propitiation Day 15: The Gift of Eternal Life Day 16: Kingdom of Darkness to Light Day 17: Jesus’ Preeminence Day 18: The Highest King Day 19: He emptied Himself Day 20: Jesus as The Teacher Day 21: The Good Shepherd Day 22: The Intercessor Day 23: The Compassionate Healer
Attributes
Day 24: Jesus’ Omniscience Day 25: Jesus’ Authority
This section of verses that show Jesus’ life are focused on His attributes and earthly ministry. We’ve seen Him through what He does, as servant, teacher, shepherd, intercessor, and healer. Now we look at who He is by looking at His attributes. We looked at His omniscience yesterday and today we ponder His authority.
How to represent the authority of Jesus over life, in pictorial form, since this series is mainly pictorial? That was a tough one. I settled on the notion of the dock being the long journey of finite earthly life in the flesh, then we come to an inevitable end and launch up and into the eternal heavens. Jesus has authority over every step.
I recently wrote an essay focusing on the authority of Jesus. It is linked below if you’re interested, along with a couple of additional essays from credible sources.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Further Reading
The End Time: Jesus Has the Authority What does this mean, exactly? Let’s look into the nature of the word authority and what it means when Jesus says He has been given all of it.
AIG: What is the extent of Jesus’ authority? When Jesus told His disciples He has full authority in heaven and earth, His declaration came before giving them a direction: “make disciples of all the nations.” … Yet we easily forget that the implication of biblical authority is much more than defending truth. In the case of Matthew 28:18–19, upholding the authority of the Bible is about doing. If God’s Word is authoritative, we must not overlook any directive in it. We should never consider one passage more authoritative than another.
Ligonier Devotional: The Authority of Jesus In today’s passage, Mark highlights the matter of Jesus’ authority by recording an exchange our Lord had in the temple with “the chief priests and the scribes and the elders” not long before He went to the cross.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thirty Days of Jesus Series-
Introduction/Background
Prophecies:
Day 1: The Virgin shall conceive Day 2: A shoot from Jesse Day 3: God sent His Son in the fullness of time Day 4: Marry her, she will bear a Son
Birth & Early Life-
Day 5: The Babe has arrived! Day 6: The Glory of Jesus Day 7: Magi seek the Child Day 8: The Magi Offer gifts & worship Day 9: The Child Grew Day 10- the Boy Jesus at the Temple Day 11: He was Obedient Day 12: The Son! Day 13: God is pleased with His Son
The Second Person of the Trinity-
Day 14: Propitiation Day 15: The Gift of Eternal Life Day 16: Kingdom of Darkness to Light Day 17: Jesus’ Preeminence Day 18: The Highest King Day 19: He emptied Himself Day 20: Jesus as The Teacher Day 21: The Good Shepherd Day 22: The Intercessor Day 23: The Compassionate Healer Day 24: Jesus’ Omniscience
We have been through a section of verses that show Jesus’ life in His earthly ministry. We’ve seen Him as servant, teacher, shepherd, intercessor, and healer.
Now we look at His attributes. Today- Omniscience.
CARM.org: The sovereignty of God: His omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence Omniscience is an attribute of God alone. It is the quality of having all knowledge (Isaiah 40:14). God knows all things possible as well as actual because He has ordained whatsoever will come to pass according to the counsel of His will (Eph. 1:11). He does not need to experience something to know about it completely.
Ligonier: Scripture and the Two Natures of Christ The historic Christian understanding of the person of Christ is that He is one person who possesses two natures: a divine nature and a human nature. Each nature retains its unique properties, and the two natures remain distinct, though inseparably united in Christ’s person. Thus, according to His divine nature, as the second person of the Trinity, the Son of God is omniscient, omnipotent, and so forth. According to His human nature, the incarnate Christ needs to eat food to survive, grows in knowledge, and so forth.
GotQuestions: What does it mean that Jesus is omniscient? Despite the condescension of the Son of God to empty Himself and make Himself nothing (Philippians 2:7), His omniscience is clearly seen in the New Testament writings. The first prayer of the apostles in Acts 1:24, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart,” implies Jesus’ omniscience, which is necessary if He is to be able to receive petitions and intercede at God’s right hand.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thirty Days of Jesus Series-
Introduction/Background
Prophecies:
Day 1: The Virgin shall conceive Day 2: A shoot from Jesse Day 3: God sent His Son in the fullness of time Day 4: Marry her, she will bear a Son
Birth & Early Life-
Day 5: The Babe has arrived! Day 6: The Glory of Jesus Day 7: Magi seek the Child Day 8: The Magi Offer gifts & worship Day 9: The Child Grew Day 10- the Boy Jesus at the Temple Day 11: He was Obedient Day 12: The Son! Day 13: God is pleased with His Son
The Second Person of the Trinity-
Day 14: Propitiation Day 15: The Gift of Eternal Life Day 16: Kingdom of Darkness to Light Day 17: Jesus’ Preeminence Day 18: The Highest King Day 19: He emptied Himself Day 20: Jesus as The Teacher Day 21: The Good Shepherd Day 22: The Intercessor Day 23: The Compassionate Healer
Now here is another piece of biblical art that I’ve discovered, thanks to Facebook. I’m so thrilled. Julius Gari Melchers’ The Nativity is beautiful and tender. It takes the scene from a different perspective and a different moment in time. We know that usually a nativity scene shows the babe being adored by his parents, the shepherds, animals and sometimes the Wise Men, though they didn’t arrive until a year or two later.
But Melchers, a painter of German descent, took the scene from the point of view of immediately after the birth of the Savior. His aim is to paint “true and clear” and so we are viewing naturalism in a scene that is usually romanticized.
In looking at Mary’s pose, one can almost feel her exhaustion, both emotional and physical. Joseph’s expression is one of concern and perturbation and near overwhelming responsibility. All among a dirty hallway…and yet the Babe’s head is aglow with the promise of God having sent the Light into the world. What were Mary and Joseph thinking and feeling then? We can ask them when we get there, but meanwhile, please enjoy this representation of the glorious moment when all was quiet, before heaven shouted with joy and all hell broke loose…of the coming of Jesus Christ the Lamb.
This section of verses that show Jesus’ life are focused on His earthly ministry. We’ve seen Him as servant, teacher, shepherd, intercessor, and now healer.
Jesus healed people of their afflictions and diseases. He healed Mary who had 7 demons. He healed the woman who’d had a blood issue for 12 years. He healed lepers, even touching them, a dramatic departure from protocol. He healed the Centurion’s servant from a distance. Whether with a word or a touch, the power of Jesus to heal was demonstrated. He healed the blind, the sick, even the dead. He healed Peter’s Mother-in-Law. Strangers or friends, he healed. He did this to show who He was who He said He was- from God and Son of God, Messiah, the prophesied one.
He did this to show His omnipotence. He healed to show His compassion. The word Splagchnizomai, meaning compassion, is used 12 times in the New Testament, and each time it’s used it’s Jesus who is experiencing it. Prior to the NT, the word when used meant courage. Splanchnizomai is not the only word used for compassion in the NT but it is distinctly used with Jesus and in the context of His healings.
Jesus took the term a step further and used it to define the attitude that should capture the life of every believer. In the parable of the unforgiving servant, the master had compassion and forgave the servant’s debt (Matt. 18:27). The prodigal son’s father had compassion on him (Luke 15:20). The good Samaritan had compassion on the injured traveler (Luke 10:33). Jesus had compassion on the crowd (Mark 6:34). People needing help asked Jesus for compassion (Mark 9:22; cp. Matt. 9:36; 20:34). Source: Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary
People who need help are the ones who need compassion. Jesus is a God of compassion and He demonstrated this in His willingness to heal.
Usage: This word is used 12 times:
Matthew 9:36: “when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted,” Matthew 14:14: “a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed” Matthew 15:32: “his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because” Matthew 18:27: “lord of that servant was moved with compassion and loosed him, and forgave” Matthew 20:34: “So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately” Mark 1:41: “And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and” Mark 6:34: “much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were” Mark 8:2: ” I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me” Mark 9:22: “him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help” Luke 7:13: “Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said” Luke 10:33: “where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion” Luke 15:20: “his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran,”
Photo by Karen Maes @karen1974 at Unsplash
“When God visits with sickness, we should think (in the use of means) our work is more in heaven with God than with men or with medicine. When David dealt directly and plainly with God and confessed his sins, then God forgave them and healed his body too.” Puritan Richard Sibbes
“It’s a picture of an omnipotent Savior, master of human fate, able to heal, able to give forgiveness of sins, able to save to the uttermost those that come unto God by him. And when he touches the eyes of our blindness we sing, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me”
Perspectives on faith healing often seem as varied as the number of faith healers around. Some say God wants to heal all sickness. Others come close to conceding that God’s purposes may sometimes be fulfilled in our illness and infirmity. Some equate sickness with sin. Others stop short of that but still find it hard to explain why spiritually strong people get sick. Some people just flat out blame the Devil, and they think if they can tie the Devil up in a knot and send him off to Tibet or something, everybody’ll get well.
He asked him, ‘Do you want to get well?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Get up and walk.’ I cannot tell you how many times I would lie in that bed, straining to make my muscles move, and I would sing a hymn that I had learned as a child, ‘Savior, Savior, hear my humble cry. While on others Thou art calling, Jesus do not pass me by.’” But I never got up out of that bed and walked. And it seemed back then that Jesus had passed me by.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thirty Days of Jesus Series, Overview-
Introduction/Background
Prophecies:
Day 1: The Virgin shall conceive Day 2: A shoot from Jesse Day 3: God sent His Son in the fullness of time Day 4: Marry her, she will bear a Son
Birth & Early Life-
Day 5: The Babe has arrived! Day 6: The Glory of Jesus Day 7: Magi seek the Child Day 8: The Magi Offer gifts & worship Day 9: The Child Grew Day 10- the Boy Jesus at the Temple Day 11: He was Obedient Day 12: The Son! Day 13: God is pleased with His Son
The Second Person of the Trinity-
Day 14: Propitiation Day 15: The Gift of Eternal Life Day 16: Kingdom of Darkness to Light Day 17: Jesus’ Preeminence Day 18: The Highest King Day 19: He emptied Himself Day 20: Jesus as The Teacher Day 21: The Good Shepherd Day 22: The Intercessor
the-end-time.org 