Have you thought lately about what you are saying to God when you give on the first day of the week when the church assembles? While we give without uttering a word from our lips, God knows what are our motives, our thoughts, and our purposes. “I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the … [Read more…]
“But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul” (Prov 8:36a). Sin is first and foremost against God. It is often against others. But it is also against one’s own soul. We might say it is a self-inflicted wound. Consider three wounds where the Bible description of them brings out their self-inflicted nature. “For … [Read more…]
“Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, To The Unknown God. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you” … [Read more…]
(Luke 14:16-24) In the parable of the great supper, a man gave a great supper, invited many, and at supper time sent his servant to tell those who were invited to come because all things were ready. But they all with one mind began to make excuses. Three excuses given were because of the invitees’ … [Read more…]
“Now the serpent was more cunning than any animal of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, ‘Has God really said, “You shall not eat from any tree of the garden”?’ The woman said to the serpent, ‘From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may … [Read more…]
2 Samuel 11 Sin has long arms. Upon seeing Bathsheba bathing, the first sin David committed in 2 Samuel 11 was coveting his neighbor’s wife, a violation of the tenth commandment in the law of Moses. But coveting his neighbor’s wife was not the end. David then sent messengers to inquire about her and then … [Read more…]
“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” (Heb 6:19-20). The Christian has an anchor for his soul – hope. It … [Read more…]
As we read through the Bible, we must be impressed with the fact that God is the giver of every good and perfect gift (Jas. 1:17) that man has ever had, has, or will have. These blessings are of God. Is man passive in all of these? Consider just a few examples of the blessings … [Read more…]
It is quite common for community churches to speak of and publish their “core beliefs” – these to them are the truths that those seeking fellowship with them must agree upon and cannot be compromised. Other teachings not included in their list are not “core,” and are not to be a basis for them to … [Read more…]
After years of Babylonian captivity, the children of Israel were permitted and even urged to return to Jerusalem under Zerubbabel; the temple was rebuilt. But Israel needed restoration – restoration to following the Law of Moses which for so long had been neglected and violated. A man named Ezra, both scribe and priest, came to … [Read more…]