Arise

Who do you trust? That is a loaded question, and the answer often depends on the context in which it is asked. Yet one thing is certain: we all place our trust in someone. For some, it may be a spouse; for others, a close friend, a mentor, or even themselves. Trust is a powerful bond. It often takes years to build, yet it can be broken in a single moment. The book of Proverbs has much to say about…

Many people look to the thief on the cross next to Jesus as an example of how to be saved today. Is this reasonable in light of scripture? Can I be saved like the thief on the cross? We don’t know a lot about this man who joined Jesus in paradise on the day of His crucifixion (Luke 23:43). Jesus obviously forgave the thief’s sins but unanswerable questions abound. Had he believed in Jesus before this interaction? Was he present…

There are not many problems more crippling to us, our families, and our congregations than laziness. Cambridge defines the word as “The quality of not being willing to work or use any effort.” Laziness is often compared to words like idleness, being a sluggard, or sloth. Today, someone who is lazy might also be called a “couch potato.” The point is, laziness is not a positive adjective. It is sin, and it should not be seen in the life of…

One of the great things about the Bible is that God chose to use real life examples to teach us. We can better understand how to be Christians when we can relate a Bible truth to something we know already. The New Testament uses the following occupations to teach us what it means to live by faith (Gal. 2:20). A Christian is like a builder. Jesus used the parable of the wise and foolish man to illustrate the point that…