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Praying Through Controversy
After healing the lame man on Solomon’s Porch, Peter preached the gospel to the crowd that had gathered and many obeyed. Unsurprisingly, the event caught the attention of the Jewish leaders. They arrested Peter and John and commanded them to cease preaching in the name of Christ. How did the church react to this challenge? The answer may surprise you. Acts 4:23-31 tells us that they prayed. They prayed together (v. 24a). Peter and John “went to their own companions”…
A Friend Loveth at all Times
Over the course of our lives, most of us have known many people whom we have called a friend. But, how can we differentiate between a real friend and someone who is really just an acquaintance? The story of Jonathan and David gives us the answer (1 Sam. 19:2). The true test of friendship is whether or not a person will stand beside you in the most difficult of times. Jonathan showed himself to be a true friend to David…
How to be a Mentally Strong Christian
At times, anxiety can be overwhelming and if we are not careful if may consume us. This is why Solomon said, “keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life” (Prov. 4:23). Consider a few suggestions for developing the mental strength necessary to ensure we stay focused. Trust God. The key to being mentally strong is to realize that our strength does not come from within us, it comes from God. “The Lord is…
Some Reasons to be Joyful
Christians are commanded to “rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil. 4:4) but sometimes that can be difficult. It is helpful to remember the many reasons what we have for rejoicing. Here are three for your consideration. God’s providential care. Simply stated, providence refers to provision. Consider the various ways in which God provides for His people. Spiritually speaking He has provided “all things pertaining to life and godliness” (2 Pet. 1:3). We have redemption through the blood of Christ (Eph.…
Sin Distancing
The emergence of the COVID-19 Coronavirus has changed our world in a number of ways. Though hard to believe, wearing masks, standing in line to enter the grocery store, and toilet paper at a premium have all become part of daily American life. Part of this great change is the practice of social distancing. Health officials tell us that we can prevent contracting and spreading the virus by maintaining a distance of 6 feet from each other, refraining from hugging…
The Value of a Good Reputation
Solomon said, “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold” (Pro. 22:1). We all have a reputation of some kind and everyone has an opinion of us. It is true that we cannot control what people think, but we can control the impression we give them by the way we act. Scripture implores us to recognize the value of a good reputation. We should recognize that our reputation will not…
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
If you were to write a book about the greatest kingdom in the world, you would probably say something about a very large kingdom with unmatched military power, an indestructible economy, and a capable king. To human eyes, these things are perfectly sensible but from a divine standpoint, they mean nothing. Jesus promised to build His kingdom (Matt. 16:18) and it is far superior to every human kingdom (Dan. 2:44), but its origin and characteristics are not worldly (John 18:36).…
Can you Trust the New Testament?
How can we be sure that the New Testament is historically reliable? It’s an important question. Consider three brief evidences that prove the reliability of the New Testament. First, consider the enormous amount of manuscripts in existence. To this writer’s knowledge, there are 5,748 in Greek, 10,000 in Latin, and 10,000 to 15,000 in other languages in existence. This totals 25,000 to 30,000 handwritten copies of the New Testament. Some of these manuscripts date back to the second century, making…
The Miracles of Jesus
Scripture describes Jesus as One who performed miracles. Jesus instructed John’s disciples to “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them” (Matt. 11:4-5). He was authenticated by His miracles (Acts 2:22). His miracles “bore witness” to His identity (John 5:36). Even His enemies recognized that He worked “many…
Why Some Refuse to Obey the Gospel
There are over 7 Billion souls in this world, each one fighting with the struggles of life, and each one in need of salvation (cf. Rom. 3:23). The gospel is God’s power to save (Rom. 1:16), and it provides the answers to the issues of life which are common to all people. You may think that everyone would gladly obey the message that provides hope, joy, peace, and salvation, but that is simply not the case. Some refuse to obey the…
The Plan of Salvation: Baptism
Upon hearing the preaching of Peter and the apostles, a great number of Jews asked “Men and brethren, what shall we do” (Acts 2:37)? That question has been asked by a countless number of people from that day until now. Thankfully, God has not left us in the dark searching for the answer. God’s word teaches us that He has a very simple plan for the salvation of mankind. A person must hear God’s word (Rom. 10:17), believe in Christ…
There Is Nothing In A Name . . .
It is quite interesting to listen to the feeble attempts of men to justify those things for which they have no authority. After more than 45 years of preaching, I have learned that once a person has decided to embark upon a certain course of action that is so blatantly opposed to the word of God, reason is thrown out the proverbial window. Some years ago Johnnie Ann and I were making multiple trips to Ukraine to help establish and…