Posts from April 2026

In our world today, it is estimated that roughly 6.5 to 7 billion people own a smartphone. Of those numbers, almost 6 billion people are on social media. Of these billions of users, millions of them are striving to be “influencers.” They make posts and videos trying to convince people how to eat, workout, dress, travel, handle finances, parent, work, practice Christianity, and live their lives. It can be quite overwhelming. The reality is, billions of people are being influenced…

Have you ever been through events in your life that have changed you? Think about boot camp. A soldier who enters basic training for a military branch will graduate as a different person. The experience with its training, focus, emphasis, discipline, feedback, and arrangement transforms someone from a citizen to a soldier (sailor/airman/ marine/guardsman). There are other transformative experiences in life. Some last days or weeks while others last months or years. After such experiences, one may look back and…

“I think slavery is the next thing to hell.” – Harriet Tubman, 1856 Harriet Tubman was a conductor for the Underground Railroad. She knew the difficulties of escaping slavery; thus, she was likened to Moses. Egypt had enslaved Israel, and during their Exodus, Moses and the Israelites overcame many difficulties. The struggles they faced while escaping Egyptian slavery are notably similar to the struggles Christians face while escaping slavery to sin (John 8:34). Though Pharaoh never stood a chance at…

The reader might have noticed the titles of this issue tend to reflect a change from the negative to the positive. The exception to that rule is the subject of my assignment. As Christians, we want things to move from bad to good (and not the other way around), but the reality is the devil is hard at work (1 Pet. 5:8). Sadly, some who were faithful in the past have departed from the faith (1 Tim. 4:1). What are…

The account of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, whom we know now as Paul the Apostle, is one of the greatest conversion stories and testimonies known to man. We first see this individual as a young zealous man, eager to destroy a fast-growing religious group called “The Christians” or “Jesus Followers.” Young Saul was no idiot. He was well-versed in the Law, studied at the feet of Gamaliel,  was a Hebrew of the Hebrews; as to the Law, was…

It is undoubtedly the most amazing “Rags to Riches” story of all time. We follow the descent of Jesus from heaven to earth to humility to humiliation to death and now, exalted to the highest place (Phil. 2:5-11). What’s more remarkable is that He shares the riches of His glory with us who at one time were the ones who put Him to death (Rom. 5:5-8; 2 Cor. 8:9). We are heirs together with Him. So many people are working…

An ordinary young woman who was soon to be married had her world turned upside down. It was from the moment that the angel of the Lord appeared to Mary that she knew her life was going to change. From that time strange things began to happen. She found that she was with child though she had not yet married Joseph nor “known” any man. She visited Elisabeth her cousin and upon her greeting Elisabeth’s child leaped in her womb.…

Have you ever heard someone say, “outside of a new car, most people do not like change?” Did you know there is a day coming when some big changes will take place? When the Apostle Paul penned his first inspired letter to Corinth he wrote about the idea of change. “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed” (1 Cor. 15:51). Strong’s Bible Dictionary defines the word change as “to make…

I n part 1 we saw that culture cannot change the word of God. Instead, it meets the needs of every culture. God’s word lives and abides forever (1 Pet. 1:23). Culture is always changing, but God’s word remains the same. Even though the current culture cannot override God’s standard, it does have an impact on how we obey God’s law. Culture does impact the way a Christian applies God’s word. A good example of this is found in the…

There are few things more unpredictable and unstable than the ocean. In just minutes, it can change drastically. An earthquake may trigger a tsunami, storms can stir violent waves, and the tides shift daily because of the moon. The sea is restless because so many external forces affect it. This is the picture James is painting in James 1:6. When speaking about prayer, he writes, “But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is…

When I graduated from high school I had no doubt about what was considered popular. As a teenager I was “plugged in” to what pop culture had determined as the standard for what was acceptable dress, entertainment, communication, and behavior. As a naive adolescent I was shocked with how quickly new fads replaced my generation’s code of cool. As each year passed my favorites became old favorites. Undeniably we live in a world where culture is always changing and it’s…