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The Greatest Generation could be adequately described in many different ways. Words like courageous, heroic, and hard-working immediately come to mind. But perhaps the word that best describes them would be selflessness. Coming of age during the Great Depression and serving in WWII meant that every one born from 1900-1920 knew what it was to do more with less, lend a helping hand, and work hard for the greater good. They knew much about sacrifice and service. Current and future…

In Philippians 2:12-16, the Apostle Paul commands the brethren in Philippi to “work out  your own salvation… in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world…” Yet, we should remember that we are “saved by grace through faith, not of works” (Eph. 2:8-9), but as those saved through  faith without meritorious works  on our part, we have been “created in Christ Jesus  for good works” (Eph. 2:10; Tit. 3:1-8). Therefore, how…

Life is journey full of twists and turns and it’s easy to get lost. Challenging questions about life and death, tragedy, morality, right-living, and many other things often confront us. Left to our own devices, these questions are impossible to answer satisfactorily. Like a ship at sea needs a lighthouse, you and I need the light of God’s Word to light the way, and bring clarity and direction to life. The psalmist said, “Thy word is a lamp unto my…

It has been said, “following the course of least resistance makes men, as well as rivers, crooked.” No doubt, always doing the easy thing is a dangerous way to live, because obeying God sometimes requires doing things that are not easy. In Hebrews 5:8, it is said of our Lord, “though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.” Therefore, the test of true faith is whether we obey when it is hard. It…

Did you know that the tongue is more powerful than a gun? While a gun can only take physical life, the tongue influences eternal destinations. For this reason, God says in Proverbs 18:21, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” So, do we own our tongue or does our tongue own us? Yes, it is challenging to control the tongue, but God teaches that it can and should be done (James 3:8-12). Consider a few points on…

The question of suffering is one with which man has wrestled throughout history. Why does it happen? Is there any good to come from it? Luke 22:31-32 contains 3 truths to remember when facing trial and temptation. First, Satan means to destroy you. The word “ask” in the passage carries the sense of “demanding.” It brings to mind the scenes of Job 1:6-12 and 2:1-6 in which Satan demanded to test Job. And the sifting which he has in mind…

When Christ gave the great commission to the apostles, he placed upon every Christian the obligation of teaching the gospel to every person (Matt. 28:18-20). This cannot be done by pulpit preaching alone, nor by the preacher alone. This was never God’s intention. Each Christian must contribute (Phil. 2:15-16). Therefore, let’s consider some reasons for personal evangelism. First, every Christian must be a personal evangelist to be like Christ, just as He said, “the Son of Man has come to…

The growth of the first century church was both spectacular and constant. What caused this tremendous growth? One passage summarizes their success well: ¬“Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied” (Acts 9:31). Brethren, if we are serious about church growth, we will pay close attention to these principles of church growth. First, the church…

Solomon said, “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion” (Pro. 28:1). Scripture enjoins and illustrates the practice of boldness in the lives of Christians, but what exactly is it? Thayer defines the term as “freedom in speaking, unreservedness in speech; free and fearless confidence, cheerful courage, boldness, and assurance.” Note some examples of boldness in scripture. Boldness is seen in the courageous way the early church publicly proclaimed the Gospel. Acts 4:31…

As Jesus went about preaching the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, He did not always find a receptive audience. The problem He faced was that many people, though they had ears to hear, their ears had become “hard of hearing” (Matthew 13:14-15). To illustrate this problem, Jesus told a parable that is known as “The Parable of the Four Soils.” In it, we can see ourselves as we really are concerning how we receive the Word of God in…

Hebrews 11:10 says of Abraham, “for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Abraham lived out his life as a sojourner. He knew God had promised Canaan to his descendants but he never lived to see its fulfillment. Though he never settled in the Promised Land he was just as certain in the future fulfillment of that promise as if he had seen it with his own eyes. This is because his sight…

As Jesus went about preaching the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, He did not always find a receptive audience. The problem He faced was that many people were “hard of hearing” (Matt. 13:14-15). To illustrate this problem, Jesus told “The Parable of the Four Soils.” In it, we can see ourselves as we really are concerning how we receive the Word of God in our lives. Therefore, let’s consider the second one, the stony soil (Matt. 13:5-6). According to…