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 when thinking about the […]

It is a blessing to have a job.  With so many people either unemployed or underpaid, it is a good thing to have a job that affords you the ability to support your family and pay all your bills.  If you have a good job, you should not take it for granted, but thank God […]

When individuals obey the gospel, they are added to the church (Acts 2:47).  After becoming members of the universal church, first-century Christians joined themselves to local churches that were organized with elders, deacons, and saints (Acts 9;26-28; Philippians 1:1).  We read of local churches at Jerusalem, Colossae, Corinth, Ephesus, Philippi, Troas, etc. It is in […]

We sometimes forget how much influence we have on the people around us.  We are constantly being watched by others.  Whether it is our co-workers on the job or our children at home, our actions, as well as our words, are being judged.  The importance of our influence cannot be overstated.  We must take it […]

In Ephesians 5:18, Paul instructed the saints at Ephesus to avoid being drunk with wine, but instead to be filled with the Spirit.  He then set forth five present participles that demonstrate that we are indeed filled with the Spirit (speaking, singing, making melody, giving thanks, and submitting).  I am especially interested in the last […]

Ephesians 4:32 (ESV) 32  Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. This is one of the most significant “one another” passages we find in the New Testament.  Being willing to forgive is essential to any human relationship.  In the world, most people decide that forgiving is not […]

The salvation of our souls is more important than anything else in life.  To understand this, all we have to do is think about what God did to make our salvation possible.  It is so important that He sacrificed His one and only Son so that we could have the hope of eternal life (John […]

Someone said, “the church would be great if it were not for the people.”  The problem, of course, is that the church is people—God’s people, and I believe that they are the best people in the world.  Still, the church is made up of people who are plagued with flaws.  We all have weaknesses.  We […]

The book of Romans is a literary masterpiece.  As Christians, we are not surprised by this, knowing that Paul wrote the epistle by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:6-13).  One reason that Romans is a book we should become thoroughly familiar with is because of its theme—“the just shall live by faith” […]