Posts from 2024 (Page 2)

Unity among those who seek to serve and please God is a laudable goal! “Unity” and “union” are not interchangeable, however; they are NOT the same thing, and they do NOT produce the same results! Long ago, David proclaimed, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1). The fellowship we enjoy as God’s children is a precious blessing, and this is true whether we are gathered for worship, or simply for…

Twenty-first century society seems to thrive on worry; the environment, terrorism, environmental pollution, deforestation, vaccinations, “good” vs. “bad” parenting (be a PARENT, not an enabler!); the list of things about which we “should” worry seemingly has no end. Some people even worry about not having enough to worry about! Do you suppose the apostle Paul ever worried? In 2 Corinthians 2:13, he was “unable to relax” – worried – because he didn’t find Titus when he arrived in Troas. Christians…

What is “hope?” Some describe it as a goal, others simply as a desire; still others might consider it an illusion. In 1 Corinthians 15:19-20, the apostle Paul plainly implies that Christians HAVE it because we are “in Christ.” For Christians, hope should be a treasured possession! An Arabian proverb says, “He who has hope, has everything,” and a Russian one declares that, “In the kingdom of hope, there is no winter.” Not all “hopes” are equal: Some are unrealistic,…

Exodus 20:7 reads, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” I suspect that we do not have a broad enough concept of what this verse means. We apply it in terms of cussing and profanity, or using the “G” word. This commandment goes far beyond profanity. This commandment protected the holiness of God. The word “take” means to take upon…

We usually associate the word “beatitude” with the nine “Blessed are those who…” statements in Matthew 5. Some bible students will also know that four of these are repeated in what is sometimes called the “sermon on the plain” (Luke 6), and a few more might recognize that there are also seven more beatitudes in the book of Revelation. There are also nearly 25 more “beatitudes” in the old testament, mainly among the Psalms (about 18, plus one each in…

What God’s word says about salvation is crucial to our condition in eternity. Most of the world’s population knows nothing of the God of the bible. Still more people reject knowledge of Him. Yet if the God of the bible exists and is Who He claims, then everything this book says about human salvation is the most urgently important information in all the world! There IS general agreement in Christendom (the religious groups and organizations who describe themselves as “Christian”)…

The cartoon depicts a preacher shaking hands with a member of the congregation, and the caption reads, “Preacher, you made me see myself today as never before, and I’ll never forgive you for it!” TRUTH is not regarded – in our age – as the treasure it once was. Many now see it as nothing more than an illusion. Do you believe objective truth actually exists, and can be known? You must be a fanatic, not an honest, rational person!…

Ephesians 5:11-12 answers this question: “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.” “Fellowship” means common participation, sharing in a common cause – especially the mutual association of those whose beliefs and practices unite them with God through Jesus Christ. Does this mean we are “in fellowship” with everyone else who considers themselves “Christian?” It is…

“Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! 2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come into His presence with singing.” (Psalm 100:1-2, ESV) Have you ever heard someone use this verse to justify using a piano (or an organ, or a praise band, etc.) in worship to God? Often, the appeal is based on a “tongue-in-cheek” reference to the word “noise,” as if that word justifies ALL sounds! (Other translations render it as a “joyful SHOUT.”) Folks often…

“Grandparent:” Whether it refers to a feeble nursing home resident or a marathon-running, mountain-biking, adventureseeking 45 year-old, the only image this word conveys to many ears is “old.” My grandparents seemed “ancient” when I was a child (they were about the age I am now). Two were faithful Christians and two were not, yet all are precious to me and their examples are a large part of who I am now. Solomon wrote, “The memory of the just is blessed,…”…

God has always had a benevolent hand (caring touch) in the world, through laws (Ex. 22:25-27; Deut. 24:19-21), through Jesus Christ His Son (Acts 10:38) and through His church (Rom. 12:13). Jesus does His work in the world today through His church (Eph. 2:10) and if we do not do the work of Christ we become the corpses of Christ, not his body. Part of the work of the church involves benevolence and mercy. Jesus performed miracles of mercy (Matt.…

“So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” (James 4:17, ESV – emphasis mine, DR) The old statement that one can sin actively (by “commission”) OR passively (by “omission”) is accurate, but it is a mistake to think that sins of omission are somehow “not as serious” as sins of commission. An “active” sin might be committed “in the heat of passion” (and thus be a “once in a lifetime”…