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As wonderful as it is to be able to celebrate our freedom as a nation, it is a far, far greater thing to be able to celebrate our freedom in Christ. “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). Perhaps many of us as Americans are sometimes guilty of taking our freedom for granted. But each year on the Fourth of July we remember how precious freedom is, and that our freedom came with…

When we think of cleanliness, we think of removing dirt from our bodies, clothes, dishes or our houses, but the Jews used the word far differently. God spoke often to them using this word and almost without exception it applied to being ceremonially unclean. This concept can be seen so clearly in the book of Leviticus where He uses the word “clean” at least forty times. Now add to this that in the same book He uses the word “wash”…

On August 8, 1988, the Chicago Cubs played the first ever night game at Wrigley Field. For nearly 60 years, other teams were playing at night and were seeing a huge increase in attendance and revenue. So on August 8, 1988, the Chicago Cubs finally hosted their first night game under the lights. However, if you look at the record books, you will see that the first night game at Wrigley Field was not played on August 8, 1988, but…

One of the great blessings we have is the continuing cleansing of the blood of Jesus in our daily lives. We were washed in His blood when we were baptized (Acts 22:16), but we continue to be cleansed by His blood as we continue to walk in the light. “But if we walk (Greek tense indicates continual action—“are walking”) in the light as He is in the light, we have (are having) fellowship with one another, and the blood of…

I remember seeing a sign posted so all those leaving the building could see it. It said something like, “Evangelism begins as you leave this building and extends to all the world.” There is no question that His words, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” and “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:15) cause our eyes to look places far removed from where we are. May I suggest…

The book of Psalms expresses the deep emotions that servants of God have. There is something about poetry and singing which touch the souls of His people. Each of the psalms is different and has a special place in the various stages of our lives as we serve our Creator. Psalm 126 gives us great insight into the emotions each of us has as we seek to lead others to the Lord. It is truly the Psalm of the Soul…

Because it happens every week, it is easy for the partaking of the Lord’s Supper to become somewhat of a religious ritual and we fail to understand the part it plays in our spiritual growth. The abuse of this feast in Corinth brought dire consequences. “For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep” (1 Cor. 11:30). If one does not remember Jesus and discern His body as he partakes of the bread and cup, he…

King Nebuchadnezzar was filled with pride because of the massive image he had made of gold. That image stood nine stories high and was nine feet wide at its base. Imagine how much gold it would have taken to make this image. His arrogance caused him to demand the gathering of all the government officials, even from the most distant reaches of the Babylonian kingdom. They were ordered to be present at the dedication of the image. At that dedication,…

Evangelism is more than a summertime trip, more than door knocking, more than special mail outs, more than an international move, more than an invite to a friend, more than any act. Evangelism is part of something eternal and powerful. Evangelism is how the church spreads the divine message. “To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration…

Everyone understands the practical importance of preparation. Before taking a long vacation we first take time to secure lodging, map the route, and pack every item necessary for a successful trip. We prepare for major decisions like marriage and childbirth. We prepare for major expenditures and investments like houses and retirement funds. Benjamin Franklin said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” By and large everyone understands the truth of that statement as it pertains to major life…

“Debt” is something that many people prefer not to think about. One recent study showed that the average American household with debt owes more than $104,000. Most who are in financial debt desire to be debt free, and understandably so. But there is a certain kind of debt that God’s people owe which we will never be able to fully repay. Paul spoke of it in Romans 1:14 when he said, “I am a debtor both to Greeks, and to…

Every wonderful deed that was ever done was first conceived in the mind. There is a clear and obvious connection between the way we think and the way we act. In Proverbs 23:7 the wise man wrote, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he,” so we might ask, what should we be thinking about? Colossians 3:1-2 admonishes, If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand…