Love Your Neighbor
I t started with something small—a teasing remark at a Sunday potluck that struck the wrong chord. Within a week, two friends who once laughed together were avoiding each other. What began as a lighthearted moment turned into bitterness and silence. Moments like this show how quickly small offenses can snowball when left unchecked. Paul warned against the “works of the flesh”— “hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, [and] envy” (Gal. 5:20–21). These are more than attitudes; they are heart diseases…
Who Do You Worship?
Paul’s warning in Galatians 5:19-21 lists idolatry and sorcery among “the works of the flesh,” placing them beside sins such as sexual immorality, hatred, and drunkenness. Yet many Christians assume these sins belong solely to the ancient world—of golden calves and pagan temples – overlooking their relevance in our lives today. As we work to understand what Scripture means by idolatry and sorcery, and how they appear in our modern world, it will bring us to a deeper question: Who…
Carnal Sins
Do you worship God or idols? Most idolaters in our society do not bow before carved images, yet they practice idolatry all the same— by choosing the desires of the flesh over the will of God. Both Scripture and common sense teach that God’s prohibitions against the carnal sins listed in Galatians 5:19–21 are for our good and protect us from devastating consequences. Adultery Adultery is a specific form of sexual immorality (fornication). It is also used figuratively in Scripture…
Repent of Your Sins
The concept of sin is based squarely upon the understanding of the holiness of God. This holy God based both promises and commands given to man on His divine attributes. As the Sovereign, God possesses all authority. Any violation of that will on the part of man results in separation from Him (Isa. 59:1- 2). The same God, however, is also one of love, mercy, and grace. Through His mercy, He extends grace in the form of “repentance.” The Greek…
How Many Talents Have You Buried?
As we approach the end of December, many begin to reflect on the year. Perhaps you do this as you prepare for your goals for the upcoming year. What went right? What went wrong? What do I want to do differently next year? Amongst all these questions of reflection, consider this question: “What if I did not spend so much time on my phone?” The average American spends 5 hours a day on their phone. To put this into perspective,…
The Greatest Giver
I have been blessed to have received many wonderful gifts from friends and family members. But sometimes the gifts we receive are not useful, good for us, or right for us at the moment. The Hebrews writer made an interesting connection between God and our human fathers when he wrote, “God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?” (Heb. 12:7). In Luke 11:11 Jesus asked, “If a son asks for…
Run Towards the Storm (Jonah 1:1)
What’s the difference between a cow and a bison? This may seem like a silly question or the start to a joke, but the answer is fascinating. In the Northwest, ranchers deal with massive snowstorms that roll in each winter. These storms highlight a major difference between cows and bison. You see, when a snowstorm comes, cows will try to “outrun” the storm. In trying to run away from the storm, they often spend more time in the storm, and…
Take Time to Be Worldly
I love the song Take Time to Be Holy written by Williams Long Dunstaff and George C. Stebbins.. It indicates that time and effort must be offered on our part for holiness to be achieved. Of course man cannot save himself by works (Gal. 2:16). However, my obedience is necessary to have the faith and love required by God (Jn. 14:15; Jms. 2:17). Unfortunately, many spend their time in sinful worldliness instead of walking in God’s light. It’s as if…
“While he was still speaking, the rooster crowed”
It happens every morning across the world. A rooster crows in the early morning as the sun rises—this is as normal and natural as God created it to be. However, there was a morning 2,000 years ago where a rooster’s crow was a miraculous fulfillment of prophecy. It was the morning of Jesus’ crucifixion. Remember, Jesus had spoken to His disciples in the upper room about who would be the greatest in the Kingdom and told them each one would…
“The Veil of the Temple was Torn…”
And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split. (Matt 27:50-51). When one thinks of the miraculous events surrounding Jesus’ crucifixion, perhaps the veil of the temple being torn is not the first one that comes to mind. That said, this event is highly significant in that it symbolizes some very…
“Then they Crucified Him..”
The crucifixion of Christ is the central event of the Gospel, and of world history. Yet, it is also one of the most adamantly denied events in all of history. Some religions teach that Christ was never crucified, others that His crucifixion was a mistake, or that it was a surprise to God, who then had to come up with a “plan B” until Jesus could come back and try again to establish His Kingdom on earth. Yet, Scripture is…
“There was Darkness over all the Earth…”
I magine a sun that refuses to shine at high noon. From the sixth hour to the ninth—twelve o’clock to three—the sky over Jerusalem turned midnight black while the Son of God hung bleeding on a Roman cross. This was no eclipse, no storm; it was the Creator pulling a curtain across the heavens so the world might glimpse the weight of its own guilt. God has always spoken through the heavens. He once draped Egypt in a darkness “that…