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When the Saints Sleep
I think that many who read these words know the story of Eutychus, the man who went to sleep and fell out the window while Paul was preaching. He actually missed out on hearing the great apostle preach. What we may have overlooked is other times when individuals went to sleep and almost missed being part of some of the most remarkable times in history. This lack of knowledge makes it difficult to see and learn the lessons from other…
working together to survive the hunt
1 Peter 5:8 calls the devil a roaring lion prowling around seeking someone to devour. It is obvious that Peter’s readers would have seen or at least heard about these kings of the jungle for the analogy to make sense and be practical. Lions lurk, longing for lunch. In the savannas of East Africa, their meal of choice is usually either the wildebeest or zebra. Despite this, these two animals continue to graze and migrate together. In fact, because they…
Relationships with our enemies
The existence of enemies is a painful reality of the faithful Christian life, but not one that should surprise us. Our Lord had enemies. The Jewish leaders, Judas, and, of course, Satan himself all opposed Him and sought His ultimate failure and demise. The world hated Jesus and because it hated Him, it hates His people. Jesus said, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the…
A Mutual Confidence
Though he is only mentioned in two passages of scripture, much can be learned from the bad example of Diotrephes. John describes him as one “who loves to have the preeminence” (3 John 9). He spoke wickedly and maliciously, he would not receive faithful brethren, nor would he allow others to do so (3 John 10). He was, by all accounts and purposes, a church tyrant. He was arrogant, abusive, and wicked. His example should cause us to think twice…
god’s limitations
In a discussion with a denominational friend, the issue of God’s power arose which caused us to disagree completely. The position I believe firmly states that it is impossible for God’s saving grace to reach those who have not been baptized for the forgiveness of sins. My friend objected. “You’ve limited God,” he stated, “God is all-powerful and can do anything, including saving any sinner.” This sounded good my friend and may be “very full of comfort,” but it isn’t…
words – the basis of faith
Paul’s words to young Timothy were so descriptive of the trials he would have to face. Those verses in 1 Timothy 4 were given to Timothy because of what was happening. The gospel was soon to be preached to every creature under heaven, and the future of the church was so promising. Paul warned Timothy that the Holy Spirit of God had clearly revealed that some would depart from the faith and begin following false teachers and the lies they…
blaming god
Early in the novel Shogun a band of European sailors fell into the hands of a fierce samurai tribe. After days of misery and after they were informed to their dismay that the samurais had decided one of the sailors must die. The sailors were to pick the man. European moral traditions gave the men no basis on which to make such a decision. How do you pick a comrade to die? Finally one sailor, drawing on his meager Bible…
Bulwarks of Righteousness
The Psalmist challenges the attention of every parent with the words of Psalm 127:1, “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who built it.” The home was the first divinely instituted organism in the world. God saw that it was not good for man to dwell alone so woman was formed and the first unit of society graced the earth. The law of procreation was ordained by Jehovah and truly, “Children are an heritage of the Lord”…
our journey towards heaven
A wise sage once said, “It is good to have an end to a journey: but it is the journey that matters, in the end!” Friends, we are on a journey that will one day come to an end (Heb. 9:27). The eternal direction of our journey will depend upon what we do in this life (John 9:4; 2 Cor. 5:10). What are you looking for at the end of your journey? As a congregation of God’s people our journey…
why i’m not a christian
“I’m Not a Christian Because…” Every now and then someone will say something to the effect that “I’m not a Christian because…” and they will give some reason or the other. Perhaps one such someone is you. If so, might your reason be one of the following? There are hypocrites in the church. Of course, there are! Jesus said there would be—and that He would wait until judgment day to sort them out from sincere believers (Matt. 13:24-30). Besides, isn’t…
I trust god
A sad commentary of our generation is a lack of trusting faith in the marvelous promises of God. Without a trusting and obedient faith in the High and Holy – life becomes a meaningless and unhappy conclusion. The wise king Solomon was acquainted with trusting God’s blessings. The monarch had invested self in a matter apart from God and would be advised to understand the results of his experiences: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God,…
An Active Christian Remains a Christian
In the middle ages, the joust became a very popular event. It was a battle between warriors of the noble class showing off their skills to win prizes. It was very dangerous and violent. The event mainly served as entertainment for the people, but there were a couple secondary benefits. It kept the skills of these professional soldiers sharp, and it served as an outlet for their aggression. Knights were raised for the purpose of battle. They went through years…