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Stay Grounded
One of life’s most difficult challenges, is dealing with difficult challenges. How do we cope with tragedy, cancer, war, or dozens of other issues we encounter in life? The painful reality is that many of life’s challenges are simply beyond our control. Neither you nor I have any bearing on the ultimate outcome of the war in Ukraine. We cannot dictate economic policy in Washington, and we cannot prevent a fatality accident caused by a drunk driver. As much as…
Who May Dwell with God?
If someone were to ask, “Do you believe that you will be in Heaven?” How would you answer, and why? Consider how Psalm 15 answers the question, “Who May Dwell with God?” The answer is… People who have the proper character, verses 1-3: Beginning in verse 2, David writes, He who:“Walks uprightly”, which means “to live blamelessly.” “Works righteousness”, which means “living according to God’s standard.” “Speaks the truth”, which means “speaking honest things.” Then in verse 3, David writes…
How to Handle Controversy
The first recorded controversy of the early church is found in Acts 3. 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, who arrested Peter and John. How did the church react to this challenge? Acts 4:23-31 tells us that they prayed. They prayed together (v. 24a). Peter and John “went to their own companions” and they “raised…
Crucify the Flesh
Peter wrote of the “exceedingly great and precious promises” given to the children of God (2 Pet. 1:4). Indeed, our Father has promised us great things. Blessings such as forgiveness (1 John 1:9), fellowship (Heb. 13:5), peace (Phil. 4:7), and eternal life (1 John 2:25) are all ours to enjoy. These promises motivate us to faithfulness and comfort us in times of distress. No wonder the Hebrews writer reminded his readers of them to encourage them to remain faithful to…
Certainty and Patience
Peter wrote of the “exceedingly great and precious promises” given to the children of God (2 Pet. 1:4). Indeed, our Father has promised us great things. Blessings such as forgiveness (1 John 1:9), fellowship (Heb. 13:5), peace (Phil. 4:7), and eternal life (1 John 2:25) are all ours to enjoy. These promises motivate us to faithfulness and comfort us in times of distress. No wonder the Hebrews writer reminded his readers of them to encourage them to remain faithful to…
We Submit to Christ Because… (Part 3)
The world is full of carnal pleasures seeking our allegiance. The “god of this age” (2 Cor. 4:4) blinds us with the “pleasure of sin for a season” (Heb. 11:25) that we may find ourselves enslaved to the Father of lies (John 8:44). This was one of the many problems in the Colossian congregation. In addition to Gnosticism convincing many that Christ was not truly the Son of God, carnality and sin of every kind gained entrance into the body…
We Submit to Christ Because… (Part 2)
4. He is before all things (Col. 1:17). Since He created all things, it logically follows that Christ preexisted all things. In fact, Christ is eternally existent. In John 8:58 He said, “…before Abraham was, I AM.” There was a point in time when Abraham began to exist. That time has never come for Jesus because He existed before time. There has never been a time when Jesus did not exist, and there will never be a time when He…
We Submit to Christ Because… (Part 1)
The world is full of carnal pleasures seeking our allegiance. The “god of this age” (2 Cor. 4:4) blinds us with the “pleasure of sin for a season” (Heb. 11:25) that we may find ourselves enslaved to the Father of lies (John 8:44). This was one of the many problems in the Colossian congregation. In addition to Gnosticism convincing many that Christ was not truly the Son of God, carnality and sin of every kind gained entrance into the body…
Glorifying God with our Speech (Part 2)
If we are to glorify God in our speech then we must also be mindful of the power of our words to accomplish both good and evil. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Pro. 18:21). The classic text on the tongue’s power is James 3:1-12 where James personifies the tongue as a bit in a horses mouth, a ship’s rudder, and fire. Note verses 5-6: Even so…
Glorifying God with our Speech (Part 1)
One of the more disturbing societal trends of late is the degradation of acceptable speech. A person could scroll through any social media news feed and see a barrage of language which would have shocked and disgusted most in years past, but today is so common that many think nothing of it. However, though the world’s standard of acceptable speech may change, God’s standard does not. The psalmist best captured the essence of God’s expectation for our speech when he…
Some Reasons to be Thankful
Christians are commanded to give thanks in everything (1 Thess. 5:18). November is the time of year when many people pause to reflect and show gratitude. Christians should do the same, but not just for one month out of the year. God has given us much to be thankful for. Here are three items for your consideration. First, God’s providential care. Simply stated, providence refers to provision. Consider the various ways in which God provides for His people. Spiritually speaking…
An Unpayable Debt
How does one repay an unpayable debt? To ask is to answer. An unpayable debt is by definition impossible to repay. Such a proposition may seem discouraging to some. If I can never fully satisfy my obligation, then why try at all? But this is not the proper attitude and it was not the mindset of the apostle Paul. As he reflected upon the sacrifice of Christ and his responsibilities as an apostle and minister of the gospel, Paul wrote,…