John 10:1-18

Jesus uses three illustrations to show his relationship with his people.

(1) He compares himself to a shepherd that knows his sheep by name, and whose sheep know him intimately.

(2) He compares himself to a secure gate, that opens and closes to give his sheep safe passage from the fold to the pasture, and back again. He secures an abundant life for his sheep.

(3) He compares himself to a "good" shepherd, distinct from hired hands. When trouble comes, a hired hand runs away. Jesus, rather, makes the choice to allow the wolf to feast upon him, and thus saves his sheep.

In modern American society, there is little if anything that symbolizes to people generally that one honors some else by their dress. In Corinthian society, however, headgear in the Church's assembly spoke volumes about honor and dishonor toward others.

Paul's writing to the Corinthian Church is very clear: Men and Women have differing places related to honor and dishonor. How men and women relate to one another has root in the fact that Jesus himself has a head, an authority, over him: God. The relationship, consequently, that people have with Christ, is modeled by Christ toward God.

John Honan - 1 Thess 5 - My discipline, will power or effort is not the answer to my struggle as a Christian.  God opens his hand to me through Jesus Christ.  Learning to slow down and look to Jesus from a place of total weakness in myself is where the power will begin to flow and bring victory.  Believing Jesus really is all I need.  It is very difficult to learn to completely reject self reliance and completely trust the Lord.  How many times will you have to fail to before this is learned? 

John Honan - A new year message from 1 Thessalonians 4 attempting to expose and destroy every false hope through scriptures - illustrating the point that the wicked, foolish, and godless persons have no hope.

When the bible is used to define who the wicked, foolish, and godless are -  there is no one left.

Having clearly destroyed the hope of all mankind for 2007 and all eternity the ground work has been laid to properly present a real hope that never disappoints.

Only those "in Christ" can pass the hope test according to the scriptures.

Steps are given from the scriptures on how to start the new year with a eternal, proven guarantee.

May women pray or prophesy alongside men in the church's assemblies? The answer is: Yes. But.

Whether a man prays or prophesies, or a woman prays or prophesies, they each must demonstrate that they are in subjection to their respective heads. This is accomplished when the man who prays or prophesies must do so with his head uncovered. Otherwise, he dishonors his head. A woman who prays or prophesies must do so with her head covered. Otherwise, she dishonors her head.

In short, when the church has assembled (similar to our present-day "regular" Sunday morning services), a man who prays must not have a hat on, a woman must have a hat on. If they are not praying or prophesying, then there is no discussion about their headgear that applies.