During his ministry on earth, Jesus sought those who, like him, were prepared to completely dedicate, or consecrate, their hearts and minds to God. Jesus understood that this type of commitment, which would come at the expense of worldly goals, approvals and rewards, would [...]
The terrible things that happen in the world make it difficult for some to believe in God, let alone Christ. They cannot understand why God allows the things He does—how can a loving God let people suffer in illness, in political turmoil, in natural [...]
The Bible does not reference Valentine’s Day or anything similar, as it was created hundreds of years after the Bible was written. Its history is quite convoluted according to the timeline presented by Wikipedia. Valentine's Day - WikipediaSome form of an annual celebration of [...]
The “flesh” and the “old man” are synonymous.During his ministry, Jesus told his apostles that in order to follow him, one needed to “deny oneself” and “take up his cross” (Matthew 16:24). He further tells them that any who lose their lives for his [...]
Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,4:2 with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in4:3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond [...]
Mark chapter four begins with Jesus addressing a “great multitude” of people. One of the lessons he taught them was the Parable of the Sower (Mark 4:2-9). In the parable, a sower (farmer) sows a parcel of seeds. Different things happen to the seeds. [...]
Our world rewards self-confidence. The pervasive belief is that we should rely on ourselves at all times—we should be strong, aggressive, go after what we want. Our needs and our wants are our most important consideration. We should be able to handle our lives [...]
The Apostle Paul uses the illustration of an athlete’s training to illustrate the lifestyle of a faithful Christian. Several Bible commentaries make reference to the Isthmain games, named because they took place in the isthmus where Corinth stood. For example, Ellicott’s Commentary for English [...]
1 Thessalonians consists of a letter from the Apostle Paul to the early Christian church at Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 1:1). In chapter 1, Paul issues greetings to the church members. Chapters 2 and 3 continue his greetings and also offer an explanation for his [...]
There has always been one main criteria for those who seek membership in Christ’s church after being called by God – to love God with all one’s mind and heart and to love one’s neighbor as oneself (Matthew 22:37-40). Those who truly understand this [...]
James 5:1-6: (KJV) “5 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. 3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall [...]
The Bible teaches that in the future, mankind will be resurrected to a state of human perfection, as was experienced by Adam and Eve before their sin. This is part of the “restitution” spoken of in Acts 3:21. Restitution refers to a restoration to a [...]
Sin is, by definition, something that “misses the mark” and is displeasing to God. Sin usually comes down to a choice. The first man Adam was presented with a choice. God told him he could eat from any tree in the Garden of Eden [...]
God gave Moses specific rules the Jewish nation was to follow regarding the practice of lending. God said, “If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not be like a moneylender; charge him no interest.” (Exodus 22:25) [...]
In Old Testament times, the man, or father, was considered the head of the household. He had the responsibility for ensuring all within his care were provided for, including his wife and all of his children. The head of the household was meant to [...]
Christians should treat all according to the “Golden Rule,” that is, they should treat others as they would wish to be treated themselves. In the case of an employer, this would imply respect for the skills of the employee and fair payment for work [...]
This incident, recorded both in Mark 12:41-44 and Luke 21:1-4, is an example in practical terms of the way Jesus (and God) looks at giving. The world tends to be impressed with large gifts and grand gestures; the Lord looks at the heart. When [...]
Humans have one BIG thing in common: we are all sinners. Romans 3:23 NLT: “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” Romans 3:10 NASB: “There is none righteous, not even one" which is quoting from Psalm 14:3 and Psalm 51:3.Sin always [...]
Romans 8:6: NASB “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.”A true follower of Christ is one that surrenders all the mind, heart and energy to do the will of the heavenly [...]
The Christian is NEVER instructed or encouraged by the Bible to study demonology. It is our deeply held conviction that people should not go looking into these types of subjects out of curiosity, because darkness is dark and darkness is subtle.God has revealed through [...]
