'July 2023' Tagged Posts

I once heard an aged brother pray these words: “Lord, help us to keep the spiritual body of Christ as pure as he kept his physical body.” This statement, coming from a grand old soldier of the cross, has lingered in my memory for many years now. It is challenging and thought-provoking to every member of the body of Christ. We should all pray: “Lord, help us to keep the church pure.” The very fact that the New Testament depicts…

Each of us must strive to be loyal to Jesus Christ, and it is certainly clear that no man can be loyal to Him if he does not love Him and his fellowman (Matt. 22:37-38). However, it is very easy for any one of us to become unbalanced in our response to His teaching. It may be that one observes others who, it seems, in giving too much emphasis to doctrine, give too little ‘emphasis to love and, in reaction…

If you ever needed an example of what it looks like to maintain Christian commitment and focus, Paul certainly fits the bill. In the face of adversity, Paul said, “but none of these things move me” (Acts 20:24a). More on that later. For now, think about how often things happen that make you second-guess your commitment. Think about times when you have felt like throwing your hands in the air and saying, “that’s enough, I quit!” Have you been there?…

There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged” (Luke 7:41-43). The book of Luke has many unique characteristics. For example, Luke writes on the subject…

Many years ago the founding fathers of this nation envisioned a society unparalleled and unrivaled by any in the annals history. They saw a country in which people of varying cultural backgrounds and religious faiths could live together harmoniously, united under one American ideal–freedom. Thus the motto emblazoned on The Great Seal of the United States, E Pluribus Unum–out of many, one. Sadly, we have learned throughout our short history that maintaining that sense of national unity is extremely difficult.…