Everyone wants to look beyond the veil of death to view that which is on the other side. In Lk. 16:19-31, we have at least a glimpse of that which we desire to see. That particular text gives us a picture of life after death and the condition of both the righteous and the wicked […]
That the church grew rapidly in the first century is clear from reading the book of Acts (Acts 2:47; 4:1-4; 5:12-14; 6:1; etc.). The question is why did the early church have so much success in the area of growth? I believe I know at least part of the reason. They practiced a daily religion. […]
By Wayne Jackson John Calvin (1509-64) was a religious reformer and theologian. The basic premise of his theology was the absolute sovereignty (right to reign) of God, out of which evolved his misguided theory of “predestination.” The Swiss reformer believed that human “free will” was destroyed by man’s “original sin”; thus, the innate power to […]
Some people take pride in their fearless nature. They fancy themselves as being bold and courageous and not afraid of anything. But there is something that most people fear, even the most courageous, and that is death. Men fear death because of the misery that attends it. Men fear death because of the darkness and […]
Proverbs 27:17 (ESV) 17 Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. Our interaction with each other as brethren is crucial to our spiritual development in Christ. We need to sharpen each other from time to time. When men challenge each other, it can lead to growth. There are two ways that brethren can challenge […]
Proverbs 19:20 (ESV) 20 Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. An admonition to listen to advice is always profitable. The problem is it is easier said than done. Personal pride, too often, gets in the way and stops us from truly listening, especially when someone is trying […]
Godly fear is an important characteristic to have. It does not mean that a person is terrified of God, it simply means to be filled with reverence for God. The person who fears God understands the greatest, power, and strength of God. Sadly, this world lacks godly fear. Most people today have the Pharaoh mentality […]
Friends are precious. We are all blessed to have them. However, there are good friends and bad friends. Some are fair-weather friends; then, some friends are a constant part of our lives. Solomon helps us to put friendship into perspective. Proverbs 17:17 (ESV) 17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born […]
Paul said, “Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness” (Romans 6:13). Paul was referring to members of our physical bodies here. The wise man in Proverbs helps […]
It takes a godly man to buck a trend and go against what is popular. That is what Hezekiah did. He took the throne at a time when Judah was immersed in idolatry. He immediately started his work of restoration, turning the kingdom back to God. The testimony of his life, therefore, was that he […]