The story is told that one day a man was walking down a long hot road. He came to a shade tree and decided to sit down and rest awhile. When he sat down, he saw a sign upon which was written, “Come inside the gate where there is a cool spring.” Once he went […]
In Hebrews 12:1, the besetting sin spoken of here according to the context of Hebrews is the sin of unbelief (Hebrews 3:12,19; Hebrews 4:6,11; Hebrews 10:35-39). It is the sin from which all other sins in a measure proceed, and by means of which they are ever more or less cherished and supported. In this […]
In the New Testament, the expressions, “great door,” “open door,” and “door of utterance,” convey the idea of opportunity and accessibility. Paul used these expressions, referring to the opportunities he had to preach the gospel (1 Corinthians 16:9; 2 Corinthians 2:12; Colossians 4:3).
The desire to enjoy the good things of life isn’t wrong in and of itself, for God “gives us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17). Other passages of Scripture welcome us to take pleasure in the eating of food (Ecclesiastes 2:24), having good friends (Mark 5:19; Acts 10:24), and enjoying healthy marriage relationships […]
This past season, my wife and I watched the American Idol show on television, which showcases potential musical artists. Ryan Seacrest is the host of the show. When Ryan introduces certain guest artists, he
“Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently” (1 Peter 1:22 KJV).
With one out of every seven people in this country receiving food stamps as well as hundreds of food banks and churches who give away food for those who show up to take home a sack, this story seems to fit into life today. And yet nothing can compare with this “free food.”
In the lifetime of Jesus, it’s interesting to note that we do not hear Him ever speak of “my house,” “my land,” “my farm,” “my books,” “my business,” or “my “money.”
The process of absorbing words and ideas is not unique to just speakers and authors of books. We all take in vast amounts of information every day from various sources. What we “do” with all this input is vitally important. Living in a world-system of godless values, we are bound to encounter a lot of […]
A preacher was once heard to say, “If you can do anything besides preach then don’t preach.” James is stressing the same idea with regard to teachers in James 3:1. Unless you possess the unquenchable desire to teach, don’t teach. Until God’s Word is like a “burning fire shut up in your bones” (Jeremiah 20:9), […]
As Mary of Bethany gave the best she had to Jesus (Mark 14:1-9), so as Christians, each of us should give the best we have to the Lord as well. Our efforts may not seem significant, but God can use them for His glory.
Paul once reminded Titus that the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men (Titus 2:11 – NKJV). Due to mankind’s deliberate act of transgression
Some time ago when discussing the importance of the church with a disinterested church member, he was encouraged to become more involved in the activities of the church and to attend church on a regular basis. He quickly replied that going to church occasionally was a good thing, but that going to church three times […]
Like little sponges that absorb vast amounts of liquid, young impressionable children quickly soak up attitudes and ideas with which they come in contact. Therefore, as parents, we must be very careful about what is allowed to fill their minds during their formative years.
The story is told of two young men who had been friends from childhood. One was a Christian, the other was not. The non-Christian was about to embark on a long ocean
The sole business of the church is about souls (Matthew 16:24-27; cf. Psalm 49:6-8; Psalm 49:15). In fact, the church is souls in love with God and with one another (Matthew 22:36-40; cf. Romans 13:8-10; James 2:8).
1) You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. 2) You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. 3) You cannot help little men by tearing down big men. 4) You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer. 5) You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. 6) You […]
The below thought provoking poem written by an unknown author, was popular in church bulletins a few decades ago, but needs to be revived and its message heeded in the church
One: Don’t miss the boat (or the plane). Two: Remember that we are all in the same boat. Three: Plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the Ark. Four: Stay fit. When you’re 600 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
Whichever way the wind of popularity blows, so usually goes the general population of the world (John 11:45-48). After all, we don’t want to be classified as the “oddball” who stands out in the crowd do we? (Acts 17:5-6).