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We must carefully consider the ramifications of 1 Peter 1:15-16: “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation: Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” The holiness of God demands that his people be separate from the world. “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them,…

We often sing the wonderful hymn, “Holy, Holy, Holy”, but just what are we singing about? Of course, it is praise to God, but what is meant when we speak of Him being “holy”? The psalmist writes, “Exalt the LORD our God, – and worship at his holy hill, for the LORD our God is holy” (Ps. 99:9). The wise man used the same term in Proverbs 9:10: “’The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge…

Throughout its pages the bible emphasizes with forceful clarity the need for God’s people to be holy. But, why is this admonition so important? What is it about holiness that causes God to look at it so seriously? Second Corinthians 6:14-7:1 is a classic passage that answers this question in four points. First, there is an admonition. Paul said, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers” (2 Cor. 6:14). “Be ye not” is a present imperative, and to be…

What is your understanding of personal evangelism? When we consider this topic, we are dealing with a subject absolutely essential to the health and growth of the Lord’s church in every community. So, what is it? Simply put, personal evangelism is taking the work of sowing and watering the seed of the kingdom personally, so that God may give the increase (1 Cor. 3:6). It is a command that every Christian should be doing (Mark 16:15). Therefore, let’s consider some…

One of life’s most difficult challenges, is dealing with difficult challenges. How do we cope with tragedy, cancer, war, or dozens of other issues we encounter in life? The painful reality is that many of life’s challenges are simply beyond our control. Neither you nor I have any bearing on the ultimate outcome of the war in Ukraine. We cannot dictate economic policy in Washington, and we cannot prevent a fatality accident caused by a drunk driver. As much as…

J. W McGarvey once said, “I would esteem above every other gift that could be bestowed upon me as a preacher the power to adequately conceive what sin is and to adequately set it before the people.” Why was this so vital to brother McGarvey? He knew of the horrible nature of sin. Sin, a transgression of God law (I John 3:4), has terrible consequences. Because of the end result of sin there is a great need for evangelism. To…

James, author of the New Testament book bearing his name, wrote, “But if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” (James 1:5). The words, “God who giveth” in the Greek text are in this order: tou didontos Theou, literally, THE GIVING GOD! So characteristic of God to give, and so much a part of his nature is giving that he is identified to…

Today is the annual holiday called by many “Easter Sunday.” Millions celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on this date. Many consider “Easter” the most holy of all religious holidays. Strangely, for some, it marks the only time they attend a worship assembly. Did you realize that the first century church did not observe a yearly celebration of the Lord’s resurrection? The word “Easter” is found only once in the King James Version of the Bible (Acts 12:4). The word, pascha,…

When the Lord said, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life” (Prov. 4:23), He obviously is not talking about that large muscle in our chests. The Bible uses the word “heart” over 800 times and almost always, if not actually always, refers to that inner part of our being. When the Lord discussed the greatest commandment, He spoke of loving God will all our heart, soul, and mind. That inner part of…

It is my belief that most Christians wish to make their lives as effective for the Lord and His cause as possible. We are not satisfied with the ordinary, just being mediocre, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might” (Eccl. 9:10). We want to give God our full measure, using to the greatest possible potential the talents He has given us. What will help us please Him in this way? One, the Christian must have “God…

Ever so often we need to give ourselves a “check up from the neck up.” This means we must deal with our attitudes. The attitudes we have, and show to the world and the church have a profound effect on all with whom we meet or speak. God speaks specifically concerning various attitudes in His Word. For instance: “Do everything without complaining or arguing . . .” (Philippians 2:14). He lists grumbling with a lust for evil things, idolatry, sexual…

This is a true story. I know personally the parties involved. Love dwindled, unhappiness and dissatisfaction grew, daily fussing and fighting characterized the relationship of the husband and wife, and, ultimately a divorce wrecked the home, leaving two bewildered, emotionally scarred children in its wake. The father gained custody and the mother went her own way, doing her own thing. The children loved their mother. Strange thing about love—it’s so often blind to the faults of those we love. Months…