Why Not Aim At Becoming Wiser This Year?
You will develop a good reputation among people because of your wisdom. This is more important than obtaining wealth.
Above all, if you are wise you will learn and apply the grace of humility (3:7; 11:2; 8:12-13; 26:12), before the face of God (Jas. 4:10). In other words, you will reflect the heart of Jesus Christ (Phil. 2). As a Christian, that is the character of the One you follow (Isa. 11:2; Matt. 13:54;... Continue Reading
The Seeking God
God’s care for sinners runs so deep that He seeks them by all necessary measures
“God not only seeks sinners, He finds them. How many things have we sought for unsuccessfully? We know what it feels like to give up a search. Many have sought to purchase a home only to see it taken off the market. We’ve unsuccessfully sought out a certain job or educational opportunity. But God always... Continue Reading
7 Unbiased Facts about Jesus’ Death
Today, even liberal scholars agree about some very basic data
“According to multiple sources, Jesus was condemned to die for specific reasons. He attempted to lead Israel away from God through miraculous deeds. His enemies attributed his works to the devil as acts of sorcery. He was then condemned to die for blasphemy for claiming to be God. Jesus was handed over to Pontius Pilate... Continue Reading
What’s the Difference Between Lament and Complaint?
Is “lament” just a name we give to complaining when it’s in the Bible?
“First, in a lament, you’re talking to God, not about God—implying that you still trust God. God’s response to grumbling in Numbers is opening the ground underneath the Israelites. Lament, to be safe, should be done in the context of worship. But, Longman said, Christians have lost the tradition of lamenting in Christian worship.” ... Continue Reading
Heaven-bound: What will it be like?
God does more than comfort us with His descriptions of heaven – He also uses them to correct our misdirected desires.
Many of us may remember back in our younger years, wondering if heaven was going to be boring. The idea of strumming on a harp and singing all day, every day, isn’t appealing to most children (nor to many musically inept adults). But while this question bothers many kids, few will ask it out loud... Continue Reading
Why is Godliness with Contentment Great Gain?
How can you find joy in what God gives you, especially when it is less than you had before?
“A Christian comes to contentment, not so much by way of addition as by way of subtraction… Contentment does not come by adding to what you have, but by subtracting from what you desire. The world says that you will find contentment when your possessions rise to meet the level of your desires… The Christian... Continue Reading
God’s Will for Your Life in A New Year
What will this new year, 2018, bring in your life?
There is the secret will of God and there is also the revealed will of God. What is the revealed will of God? The revealed will of God are those truths that he has clearly made known throughout his Word. In the year ahead, God’s will for you is really not that hard to discern;... Continue Reading
What Did Jesus Believe About the Bible?
Rather than grasping for a quote from the sixth or sixteenth century, Christians ought to be primarily concerned to study the example of Jesus Christ.
One of the best ways to learn what Jesus believed about the Bible is to observe how Jesus used the Bible in his earthly life and ministry. In John 10 Jesus is engaged in a heated exchange with a hostile Jewish crowd. They are hostile because Jesus has just made a very controversial claim: “I and... Continue Reading
Preventing Spiritual Scurvy this Year: The Micronutrient Bible Reading Plan
If you can’t read, meditate, pray, sing, congregate, or serve as much as you would like to, don’t just give up.
The more frequently and fully you can drink from God’s fountain, the less spiritually dehydrated you will be. There are many spiritual disciplines that will benefit your soul in this life and the next, and make you a more fulfilled, mature, and earnest disciple of the Savior. But… We all have experienced the deflating disillusionment... Continue Reading
On Unconditional Covenants
Are marriages covenants and therefore unbreakable?
Call if a contract or a covenant, we take solemn vows when we marry. Our spouse takes solemn vows. The solemn vows are dependent upon one another. A girl won’t vow those vows to a man who has no intention of vowing those vows. Lives are at stake, which is why we take solemn vows.... Continue Reading