Category Archives: Posts

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MEMORIAL DAY 2024

Today is Memorial Day. I am reposting 3 very moving videos.

Sometimes people get confused. Veterans Day, which is in November, is when we remember every military person who served our country, at any time, in any capacity.  Memorial Day, formerly known as, “Decoration Day,” commemorates the men and women who died while in military service to the United States.

It began as a way to honor both Union and Confederate soldiers following the devastating and bloody American Civil War.  After World War I it was extended,  to honor all American military who died in all wars; we remember those who gave their life in service to our country.

Congress actually established an exact minute of remembrance. The National Moment of Remembrance Act, adopted in December of 2000, encourages every citizen to pause each Memorial Day at 3:00 p.m. local time to remember the brave men and women who died serving this country.

Thank God for the freedoms and liberty we still have in this country, because over the years so many gave their lives.  But it is still up to each generation to protect and preserve the freedoms we enjoy.  Pray for our country, for those in government positions, to make godly decisions that which will insure our liberties and freedoms to continue.

If you don’t live here in the United States, take some time to pause and pray for God’s help and blessings on your country.

And, regardless of where we live, how very, very thankful we are for the greatest ultimate sacrifice ever;  our Lord Jesus Christ gave his life so we could have eternal life – the ultimate freedom – freedom from death itself!

Below are 3 very moving videos that help put this remembrance into perspective.

 THANK YOU!

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PENTECOST 2024

The Significance of that Momentous Occasion!

This year, on Sunday, May 19, Christians around the world celebrate Pentecost, remembering the events recorded in Chapter 2 of the book of Acts.

Jesus specifically spoke about this momentous occasion right before he ascended.   Yet, many Christians don’t understand the great significance of what took place eight days later.

But with a right understanding of God’s Word it becomes clear that event was the greatest event to date in the history of mankind! What happened on that day, recorded in Acts Chapter 2, is a not just a big deal; it’s a really, really big deal!

What Happened In The Garden?

In order to gain a greater appreciation of what occurred on the Day of Pentecost recorded in Acts 2, one needs to understand what happened with Adam and Eve in the Garden. God had told Adam not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and if he did, he would surely die. If you’re familiar with the record in Genesis 2 and 3 then you know both Adam and Eve ate of that fruit.

God had said, “for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die,” meaning that very day. Yet, if you continue reading, they both lived for many, many years. Was God wrong?

Genesis 1 and 2 describe how God

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IT WOULD HAVE BEEN #53

Remembering My Kathy

Today, May 8th, would have been our 53rd wedding anniversary. 

On this occasion, I am spending some quiet time. But I thought it might be a blessing for you to hear a teaching my Kathy did a number of years ago at a Women’s Advance in 2007.

 


I Thessalonians 4:13-18
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

 

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JESUS CHRIST IS ALIVE!

God Raised Jesus Christ From the Dead and He's Coming Back!

Jesus Christ is alive! God raised him from the dead! And he is coming back!

This Sunday, March 31, Christians around the world will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  God raised him from the dead.  The Bible is very clear that after his resurrection, he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God – he is God’s right hand man!

God has put all things (Himself excluded of course) under Jesus Christ. He is the head of the Body. He is lord of all people who have lived. He is our Lord and Savior!  It is only through believing in Jesus Christ that a person can gain salvation.

Romans 10:9
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

I Timothy 2:4 and 5
Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

It is stunning and remarkable when you consider that Jesus Christ did not establish an institution of higher learning, and yet all the schools of all times could never measure even close to his number of students. 

All the rulers who ever reigned, all the government bodies that ever sat, and all the military campaigns ever engaged, have not affected the life of mankind as powerfully and dynamically as Jesus Christ.

The Bible declares he was the Son of God who always did the Father’s will.  In his earthly life he carried out and completed God’s great plan of redemption and salvation.  One of the last things he said before laying down his life for all of mankind was, “It is finished!” 

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HAPPY NEW YEAR 2024

At the beginning of each New Year, most people are looking forward to a good year ahead. Many have “resolutions” or goals in hopes that doing certain activities will help them achieve a good or better year.  And we all cheer each other on by saying, “Happy New Year!”

As the New Year arrives, an old habit of mine is to look back on the past year and remember God’s blessings.  But sitting here today, on January 1, it is a bit more difficult for me to do that this year, in light of losing my wife just one month ago.

But, as I moved the sadness ever so slightly aside. I began reflecting on a number of things from this past year to tell God, “Thank You.”  It was indeed heartwarming and encouraging for me remembering some blessings I had forgotten.

Regardless of what kind of year you had, I would encourage you to take some time to reflect and then give God the thanks He deserves for His blessings to you in 2023.

And by the way, after pausing my recording of the His Word podcast for a few weeks, I’m back.  Below are links to the two most recent.

149 This Is Very Personal

150 Looking Back

Have A Wonderfully Blessed New Year!

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THE MAGI

Have A Wonderful Holiday Season!

Below are the links to a series I did on His Word podcast about the Magi (each under 5 minutes).
And a beautiful rendition of O Holy Night.

Enjoy!


Episode 85 The Magi – Part 1

Episode 86 The Magi – Part 2

Episode 87 – Part 3

Episode 88 The Magi – Part 4

Episode 89 The Magi – Part 5

Episode 90 The Magi – Part 6

God promised to send a savior, and He kept that promise.
God also promised to send Jesus Christ back to gather together all those who are born again, and He will keep that promise too.
The Lord Jesus Christ IS coming back!

Have a wonderful holiday season!

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I WILL SEE HER WHEN WE SEE HIM

My heart is shattered.  On December 2, my best friend and companion of 53 years passed away. My dear Kathy is asleep, awaiting the Return of Jesus Christ.

Years ago, I was out of town at a memorial service, and Kathy texted me the following: “There is no service that could ever be long enough, or good enough, to adequately and properly pay tribute to any person’s life. There’s no obituary or eulogy that could ever come close.  But you’re all there today because of the impact their life had on each one of you.”

Those words are so true, and that’s why this post is really more of an announcement.  

Kathryn Lynne Verdicchio was born January 21, 1953 in Columbus, Ohio. Kathy leaves behind her husband Mike, her children Emery Pace Archer and Michael (Jacey) Verdicchio, her grandchildren Ava, Betsy, and Ezra, five siblings, and nieces and nephews.

She married Michael Anthony Verdicchio in May of 1971. During their 52 and a half years of marriage, Mike and Kathy lived in 12 different states. They have been living in Arizona for the second time, since 1992. They traveled abroad to Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Croatia, and other places.

Kathy graduated from The Way College in 1981 with an associate’s degree in theology. Over the past 50 years, Kathy worked a number of part-time jobs, but her whole life was devoted to her family and to serving God’s people. Her love for God and His book, The Bible, was the most important thing to her in her life.

She was a most excellent cook, and many people over the years have enjoyed her food. She loved making food for people. She has been with mothers about to give birth, and with people in their final days, as well as everything in between.

Her favorite expression was, “God is good, always!” One of her favorite songs was, “Never Give Up.” She was a great example of trusting God in all situations, serving others with love, and practicing what she preached.

Her favorite verse was Ephesians 3:20 and 21: “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”

A Celebration of Life service will be held 3:00 pm, December 15, 2023 at Chapel of the Chimes Garden Venue 7924 North 59th Avenue, Glendale, Arizona, with Rev. Steve Armstrong officiating. 

In lieu of flowers, do what Kathy would do – take someone out to lunch or bless them in another way in honor of Kathy.

God’s Word, the Bible, clearly declares that when someone dies, they neither go anywhere, nor know anything, nor do anything, until the Return of Jesus Christ.  That’s why God refers to those born again ones who have died as “asleep.”  When Jesus Christ returns, all born again ones will meet Jesus Christ in the clouds, and so shall we ever be with the lord.

Farewell, my beloved Kathy.  I will see you again when we all see him in the clouds.

I Thessalonians 4:13-18:
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

I Corinthians 15:51-58:
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

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THANKSGIVING 2023

So Much to be Thankful For!

This Thursday is Thanksgiving Day.  For us Christians, every day is a day to give praise and thanks be to our great big wonderful God!

And how thankful we are for the completed work of our Lord and Savior, the Son of God, Jesus Christ – for his sterling example of a son serving his Father and for his accomplishing and completing God’s plan of salvation and redemption for us.  What a savior!

And we’re very thankful for God’s wonderful and magnificent Word! Without a knowledge of His Word we would not know how good and great God is; we would not know all the great rights, privileges and abilities we have as born again ones; we would not know about the great future we all have!

Those are three things to be very thankful for every single day!

God’s Word tells us to be thankful. That’s not a request to try to be grateful, rather God says, “be thankful.”  In a recent podcast I shared something I did a number of years ago to help me to increase my gratitude toward God, called, How To Be More Thankful. 

Below are some links from previous posts.

Have a very blessed Thanksgiving Holiday – we all have much to be thankful for!

Some forgotten history of the pilgrims 

A Psalm for Thanksgiving 

What Washington and Lincoln said

Lots of history related to the pilgrims and Thanksgiving

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Check out His Word podcasts, all under 5 minutes!  You can access all of them right here. And, you’ll find links to share individual ones you think might bless someone.  There’s also a list of platforms you can use to subscribe, and it’s free.

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THE ORIGINS OF HALLOWEEN

Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in).  This marked the end of summer and the harvest, along with the beginning of the dark, cold winter.

Celts believed that on that night the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.

In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the “other world” spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future, giving people a source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.

To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to their gods.

The only way, it seemed, for scared humans to escape this night of demonic activity, was to offer them things the demons might like – fancy foods and sweets. Or, in order to escape their fury, a human could disguise himself as one of them and thus be not recognizable to the demons on that night.

By A.D. 43, Romans had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. In the course of the four hundred years that they ruled the Celtic lands, two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain.

The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of “bobbing” for apples that is practiced today on Halloween.

By the 800s, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. In the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 All Saints’ Day, a time to honor dead saints and martyrs. Many believe the Pope was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday.

The celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints’ Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween. Later, in A.D. 1000, the Church would make November 2, All Souls Day, a day to honor all the dead.

It was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes such as saints, angels, and devils. Together, the three celebrations, the eve of All Saints, All Saints, and All Souls, were called Hallowmas.

You might want to read an interesting article titled, What is Halloween and should Christians celebrate it?

I recently recorded a podcast call, Halloween.  Here’s some of what I shared.

Over the course of history, those ancient ungodly pagan practices have changed and merged with our current western culture. Today costumes take the place of disguises and candy has replaced fruits and fancy foods.  For many, many people it’s just a fun holiday, but its pagan ungodly origins are in honoring death and the devil.

For those who love the One true God, it is very apparent that many of the visuals associated with halloween are not at all godly according to the Bible, His Word.  Witches, demons, sorcery, are an abomination to God.  And oh so many skeletons, which of course represent death. I saw one you could buy at home depot that was at least 14 feet high!  Is it inspiring to you to look at a skeleton?  It represents death, and His Word tells us the devil is the author of death.  Does this celebration promote God’s love, His goodness, or His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Not at all.  Does it lead anyone to receiving God’s free gift of eternal life?  No.  Instead, it very subtly, and sometimes very openly, promotes the work of our enemy, our adversary, the devil.

Some people may not like this podcast – that’s okay. I’m not here to tell you what to do or what not to do – I’m not trying to spoil anyone’s fun.  But here’s what His Word says about some  of these things, from the book of Deuteronomy, Chapter 18.

“…you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations.
There shall not be found among you anyone… who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD…”

For me, personally, I don’t participate in Halloween – not at all – I don’t even give out candy – my porch light is off that night.  I certainly don’t view it as a holiday – holiday means holy day – it’s far from being holy!  And I don’t judge anyone who does participate  – but, I’m not at all shy to say why I ignore it.

Mike Verdicchio 2023

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Check out my podcast: His Word.  They’re all under 5 minutes, and at this link, you’ll find a separate link for each one, making it easy for you to copy/paste and share God’s Word with someone!  If you like “His Word” podcast, subcribe for free and never miss an episode.

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WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DIE?

It Was My First Podcast

Last year I started doing short podcasts (under 5 minutes) about “what God has to say about topics you might be interested in – not my words, but His Word.”  According to the stats, the most  popular, the one that continues to  have the most downloads is actually the very first one: “What Happens When You Die?”

So I decided to take some of the notes I used to record that podcast, and add more content to it here in this article. I hope it provides a little more understanding of what happens when you die, according to the Bible, His Word.

                            What Happens When You Die? #01

There are lots of opinions about what happens when a person dies: one goes to heaven, or goes to hell, or goes to purgatory, or comes back to live again as a butterfly, or…  

In His Word, God oftentimes uses a euphemism to describe death. The Scriptures many times refer to death with the word, “sleep.” So, what do you do when you are asleep? How much do you accomplish? How many projects do you get done?   Nothing, absolutely, nothing; you’re asleep!

Blunt And To The Point!

In the book of Ecclesiastes, a discussion about death is pretty blunt; no, wait!  It’s very blunt. In Chapter 9, it talks about the one event everyone will experience – the righteous and the wicked alike.  And that event is death.


Ecclesiastes 9:3
This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that      there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of   evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to   the dead.

The very next verse is also very blunt.


Ecclesiastes 9:4
For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

After those very startling statements, His Word goes on to say we ought to live our lives now, and live it with all our might, because we will do absolutely nothing when we go to the grave.  Nothing!  We will be asleep.


Ecclesiastes 9:5-10 (Bold type added for emphasis)
For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.

Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.

Why?  Look at the next verse.


Ecclesiastes 9:10 (Bold type added for emphasis)
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

That’s It?  Forever asleep?

What? That’s it? It’s over?  Yes, at that moment it is over for us, for now.  But His Word also talks about what’s coming in the future – a time when those who are asleep will awaken.  Wow! Talk about being woke!

You may have thought that at death the good folks go to heaven and the bad folks go to hell. Hell, that place that burns and burns. (What  exactly is “hell,” according to the Bible?  That’s coming up in the next podcast so don’t miss it.)  

Spoiler Alert!

In the meantime, spoiler alert!  It would be very advantageous to confess or acknowledge the Lord Jesus – that he is lord of all people and believe in your heart God raised him from the dead. Why?  In doing so, at that moment, His Word says you are saved, born again! 

And for all those who are born again, both those living and those who have died, God has promised to send His Son from heaven to gather us together.  His Word says we will meet the Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds, and “so shall we ever be with the lord.”  And as it says in I Corinthians 15:  “Death is swallowed up in victory.”  

My oh my,  what a fabulous future awaits those who are born again.  On the other hand, for those who decide to decline this simple offer of salvation, for them, there is a day coming when there will be a very rude awakening.  Accept the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart God raised from the dead!

Mike Verdicchio 2023
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There are other “His Word” podcasts related to this topic, as well as articles and audio teachings on this site. Links to some of those are below.

His Word Podcasts (all under 5 minutes)

What Is Hell?

Are You Saved?

What is the Rapture?

Who Is In Heaven?

He Is Coming back

Is He Really Coming Back?

Audio Teaching
2/28/2022 Your Future (41:39)

Article
What Happens When You Die?

Access all His Word podcasts  at this link, they’re all under 5 minutes and you’ll find a separate link for each one, making it easy for you to copy/paste and share God’s Word with someone!