An MTV commentator was once reported as saying, “A little lust, pride, sloth, and gluttony—in moderation—are fun, and that’s what keeps your heart beating” (source). Is there really such a thing as gluttony in moderation? How in the world can we practice excess in moderation? Although moderation is a virtue (Philippians 4:5 KJV), it can […]
In the lyrics of the hymns that we often sing, God combines the power of music along with His truth to draw His people closer to Himself (Ephesians 5:18-21; Colossians 3:16-17). In Deuteronomy 31-32, God instructs Moses to teach a new generation of Israelites a song that proclaimed God’s faithfulness, but it would also become […]
In the context of Hebrews 10:22, reference is made first to the offering for sin “once for all” by Jesus who is our High Priest (Hebrews 10:10; Hebrews 3:1; Hebrews 4:14-15). His sacrifice stands opposed to animal sacrifices which had to be offered yearly (Hebrews 10:3). God had before spoken of the “new covenant” where […]
The neck muscles that are supposed to hold our head upright sometimes become lazy, not doing their job. As a result, our shoulder muscles have to take over the function of holding up our head, causing unnaturally stiffened shoulder muscles.
“All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful, The Lord God made them all. “Each little flower that opens, Each little bird that sings, He made their glowing colors, He made their tiny wings.
As a child, my neighborhood friends and I enjoyed pretending like we were cowboys and Indians. Our vivid imaginations allowed us to take on the roles of other make-believe characters as well. We understand that pretending is normal for a young child, but some carry the habit of pretending into adulthood — including those who […]
On various cooking programs, we sometimes hear the phrase “comfort food.” It speaks of the things that are so good, so familiar, that they always bring a smile to our face. Comfort food usually includes hamburgers, French fries, meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy (are we hungry yet?). Also, chocolate in almost any form imaginable. These […]
Of the many gospel hymns written in recent times on the theme of God’s goodness and faithfulness, the following above titled hymn stands out like a beacon in the night. While many hymns are produced out of a particular dramatic experience, the above titled hymn is simply the result of the author’s “morning by morning” […]
No one in our society wants to “appear” as being weak, so we find ways to “appear” as if we are very strong. Some folks use the force of their emotions to manipulate people, while others use the force of their personality to control people. This writer has even worked with bosses who have used […]
In Galations Chapter 3, Paul mentions the fact that the law of Moses served as a “schoolmaster” (Gal. 3:24 KJV) or “tutor” (Gal. 3:24) to bring us to Christ. The Greek transliterated term for “schoolmaster” is “Paidagogos,” from which we get our English term “pedagogy.”
The story is told of mechanic who was once called to repair the mechanism of a giant telescope. During the lunch hour, the chief astronomer found the mechanic reading his Bible. He asked, “What do you expect to gain from reading that book? Don’t you know the Bible is out of date? Why, you don’t […]
Here’s an indelible truth regarding an individual’s faith: God has never blessed anyone’s faith before his faith expressed itself in some act. Faith is always conditional (see the preposition, “if” in 1 John 1:6-9) to some kind of faith/act response in obedience to the commands of God (Hebrews 11:1-13; cf. Matthew 7:21; Acts 9:6; Acts […]
The following is a poem from an unknown author that graphically illustrates the fact that we become what we think about and act upon (Proverbs 23:7 AMP).
This is the beginning of a new day. God has given me this day to use as I will. I can waste it, or use it for good. What I do today is important, because I’m exchanging a day of my life for it.
The prophet, Zechariah, penned the following regarding God‘s people: “But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their cars so that they could not hear. Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former […]
While Jesus lived on the earth He appeared to be just like any other man (Philippians 2:8). He had a body, He ate, slept, and talked just as all men do. After His resurrection, it was imperative that eyewitnesses knew that the body of Jesus, which had been put in the grave, had indeed been […]
In looking at hundreds of religious articles written by other fellow writers, I sometimes come across a well-written article that really makes a great spiritual impact on me (I pray it has an impact on you as well). The following article, “Unread Letters,” written by Brother Matt Hennecke, one of the writers for the “Think […]
The following signs of success by poet, Ralph Waldo Emerson are very worthwhile signs of success, but I would like to include two more important signs from the wisdom of Solomon: Signs Of Spiritual Success From God’s Word: 1) “Fear God and 2) keep His commandments, For this is man’s all” (Ecclesiastes 12:13; cf. Deuteronomy […]
The inspired writer Solomon gives us some sage advice when he states: “Do not take to heart everything people say, Lest you hear your servant cursing you, For many times, also, your own heart has known That even you have cursed others” (Ecclesiastes 7:21-22).
What is prejudice in the religious realm? The following are six observations in answering this soul-searching question: 1) Prejudice involves folly and shame! The wise man wrote: “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.” (Proverbs 18:13 KJV).