What seems to be a fundamental fact to those of us who are Christians is a great mystery to many in this world of skepticism. We should know that not every skeptic is hostile to the concept of God. Many are just agnostic. Nevertheless, the question of God’s existence is a good one that needs […]
Referring to kingdom citizens as the salt of the earth is one of the classic statements found in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:13). It is practical, useful, and understandable because salt is such a common commodity. While there are literally dozens of uses for salt, two come to mind immediately when related to […]
Revelation 2:10 (ESV) 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. Peter once warned us […]
An important part of discipleship is fruit-bearing. Anyone who is following Jesus will bear good fruit. Putting this into perspective, Jesus warns His disciples of the consequences of not bearing the proper kind of fruit. John 15:2 (ESV) 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that […]
What do I mean by the cost of discipleship? I am simply referring to the demands that are fairly placed upon us by our Savior. One such demand that is overlooked by too many of us is telling others the good news about Jesus. Spreading the Word of God is not optional for the discipleship […]
A disciple is a follower of Christ. The question is, how do we follow Him? The answer is by abiding in His Word. John 8:31 (ESV) 31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, Jesus said this to those who had […]
Are you a disciple of Christ? To answer that question, we need to be sure we know what a disciple is. Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary simply says that a disciple is, “a student, learner, or pupil. In the bible, the word is used most often to refer to a follower of Jesus.” If we […]
By Sean Sullivan “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only” (Matthew 24:36). From the moment of that statement, faithful followers have endeavored to prepare. There are, like most Bible subjects, lots of ideas about the second coming of Christ. Some say that He […]
Nagelsbach said in Herzog’s Cyclopedia, “Malachi is like a late evening, which brings a long day to a close…” The book of Malachi is the close of God’s ancient revelation to His people, ceasing divine communication for about 400 years. The book of Malachi was probably written around 445-432 B.C., approximately 100 years after the […]
During Paul’s second missionary journey, he had a vision that we usually refer to as the “Macedonian call.” In the vision, a man of Macedonia appeared to Paul saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us” (Acts 16:9). Paul recognized this as a call from God; thus, he immediately obeyed. Acts 16:10 (ESV) 10 And […]