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Life will have highs and lows, some of which will be more extreme for some of us than for others. But sorrow is part of living on earth, and it is something that we will all deal with many times. It is a consequence of sin, and sin leads to regret, sadness, and loss. People were never supposed to die, but, because of sin, death reigns in our mortal bodies. We will all one day die. When we lose a loved one, it hurts, especially if he or she didn’t belong to Christ. When a dear one suffers and there is nothing that we can do to alleviate the pain, this brings us…  ( Click for more )

Luke 21:1-4 says, speaking of Jesus, “And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury. And He saw a poor widow putting in two small copper coins. And He said, ‘Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them; for they all out of their surplus put into the offering; but she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on.’”

The western world is experiencing financial fraud and crime everywhere, from unfair monetary policy to reckless spending to liar loans, high frequency trading, and the list goes…  ( Click for more )

Stephen Hawking, recognized by the world as a brilliant theoretical physicist, is also one of the world’s foremost atheists. He was recently in the news as having reasoned away the necessity of God’s existence. His new theory is that the world spontaneously created itself due to natural laws such as gravity. But this leaves a variety of questions unanswered, such as where the natural laws came from, where matter came from, and what forces led to the “spontaneity” of creation. Even spontaneous combustion depends upon the right set of initial conditions.…  ( Click for more )

Isaiah 5:20 says, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” A while back, I happened upon an advertisement for a new cable television show in which the whole pitch of the ad was that it was a next generation news show with a sexy, comedic edge. This very worldly show promoted itself by showing a clip of a person making fun of fanatical, religious, right-wing fundamentalists, or something to that effect. The punch line was something like, “What…  ( Click for more )

Words are powerful things. God has revealed Himself to us in detail in His written Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17). It is the Word preached that, when heard, can lead to repentance and salvation (Romans 1:16,10:17). It is the Word that just by its very reading can move hearts and change minds (1 Timothy 4:13). Jesus Himself is even referred to as the Word (John 1:1). Language and communication are God’s inventions, and, as such, Satan has great interest in perverting them. That is what the evil one does, taking the good things of God that can be used for edification,…  ( Click for more )

The cross is probably the most readily recognized of the Christian symbols, and there is significance to it. As a symbol, the cross is a reminder of the sacrifice of our Savior over two thousand years ago. The cross itself did not effect our salvation, but it was the shedding of blood of the perfect, sinless, spotless Lamb of God on the cross that has made it so that our sins could be forgiven. Thus, the emphasis must always be on the sacrifice of Christ, the ultimate event of significance, not on the cross itself. Yet there is a reason why God chose to have His Son put to death on…  ( Click for more )

The temptation of man is to go through life and miss the big picture because of sin and selfishness. Man, apart from redemption in and through Christ, is doomed to seek after his own glory, to create a false purpose, and to delight in the wrong things. God’s Word gives us a bird’s eye view of the grand story behind all the little stories that are our lives. In coming to a right view of God, we will come to a right view of ourselves and a proper understanding of what life and existence is all about. Many have asked questions concerning the meaning of life and have sought…  ( Click for more )

Matthew 7:1-5 says, “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.” Christians are called to be judging people…  ( Click for more )

“In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:26-27).

Despite the fact that the Trinity is all one essence, the three Persons that make up the Trinity all have unique ministries when it comes to our praying. We get the help of one all-powerful God who ministers to us through…  ( Click for more )

From early childhood on, we by nature are imitators. We see the people around us and tend to copy them for good or for evil. The blessing of God-honoring role models to imitate is of great eternal value because it is a highly potent means of passing on God’s truth and ways from generation to generation. Children need parents, friends, and caregivers who demonstrate what it is to love Jesus. Youth are strongly benefited by seeing real faith demonstrated by those whom they look up to in the church. Even adults should be able to have those who have gone ahead of them whose…  ( Click for more )

There are many character qualities that people in the church aspire to such as integrity, purity, perseverance, kindness, etc. However, one that is not often considered and therefore often neglected is zeal. Revelation 3:19 says, “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.” God says to the lukewarm, apathetic, self-sufficient church at Laodicea that they had better repent and start being zealous for the things of God before He brings divine discipline upon them. The idea behind the word “zealous” in this passage includes…  ( Click for more )

People fake things all the time in order to gain an advantage. For example, kids have been known to fake being sick so that they don’t have to go to school. Adults have been known to stretch the truth about a used car being better than it actually is. Many have mastered fake sincerity and care, while others have mastered the art of appearing happy when they are not. In the professing church, whether we like it or not, many are fakers. They talk a good talk and can throw a few theological points around to sound learned. They might appear to be devout because they volunteer…  ( Click for more )

These days, those who decide to go ahead and make a lifelong commitment to one another in marriage rarely follow through on their promises. Even many “Christian” marriages shatter after just a few years. If marriage was simple and easy, most everybody would choose to marry and would stay married. Sadly, few marriages last “until death do us part” because sickness, lust, financial ups and downs, and just plain old selfishness get in the way. God’s design was never for one partner to leave the other behind, but marriage done God’s way means that…  ( Click for more )

The conscience is certainly not given the credence that it once was. Even the secular world used to appreciate the value of a clean and clear conscience as evidenced by the storybook character Pinocchio who was advised to always let his conscience be his guide. There was a clear dichotomy between right and wrong, and the dangers of going the wrong way were emphasized. Yet, today, as consciences become increasingly defiled, right and wrong become increasingly muddled, and people’s sensitivity to sin becomes dulled. This is evidenced by all kinds of things, one of which is…  ( Click for more )

When Jesus addressed the crowds of people following Him, He always spoke in parables (Matthew 13:34). Mark 4:33-34 says, “With many such parables He was speaking the word to them, so far as they were able to hear it; and He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples.” Psalm 78:2 prophesied that Jesus would speak in parables as Jesus explained in Matthew 13:35. Jesus also quoted from Isaiah 6:9-10 in Matthew 13:14-15, saying, “In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,…  ( Click for more )

One of the deepest needs of the human heart is that of peace, safety, and security. 1 Thessalonians 5:3 says, “While they are saying, ‘Peace and safety!’ then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.” People the world over think they can find or have found peace and safety through riches, armies, great oratory, security systems, and passcodes. However, what they miss is that the things of this earth are bound to rot and decay and prone to thieves breaking in and stealing. No human…  ( Click for more )

Jude 22-23 says, “And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.” Jude is a short but potent epistle that carries a central message of contending for the faith and upholding sound doctrine in a world in which the devil operates, deceiving and leading many astray. As he closes the letter, he gives several admonitions. Two clear-cut principles arise, one for those who are doubting and one for those who are in imminent danger because of their sin. …  ( Click for more )

Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Jesus said that there are two options when it comes to our eternal destiny. The road to destruction is broad like a six-lane highway. It is easy to pass through the gate, and, because of the multitudes who also go that way, there is great peer-pressure to join the crowd. On the other hand, there is…  ( Click for more )

Matthew 5:3-12 is commonly referred to as “The Beatitudes.” Jesus does teach on some attitudes and character qualities that we should wish to possess and cultivate, and these we should study carefully. But there is a bigger picture concept that He is trying to convey to His disciples, to the crowds, and to all who would read His words. He is setting up a stark contrast between those who are blessed and those who are not. The Greek word translated “blessed” is makarios. It can also be found in seven passages in Revelation (1:3,14:13,16:14,19:9,20:6,22:7,14).…  ( Click for more )

Matthew 18:5-6 says, “And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” In Matthew 18, the disciples asked Jesus who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. His answer was to call a child to Himself and emphasize that those who humbled themselves as children were those who would enter heaven and be great. Furthermore, emphasizing His love and care for children,…  ( Click for more )

Mankind has a way of becoming very arrogant and honing in upon only that which is visible. This leads him to false conclusions about his own power, strength, importance, and understanding. His fixation upon only what is visible causes him to be unable to see the signature of the Divine upon all of creation (Psalm 19:1-2, Romans 1:20). Indeed, by faith, even the creation testifies to its Creator. The order, the beauty, the complexity, the individuality, the symbiosis, and the laws of math and physics are just a few of the ways that the visible testifies to the invisible. Physical…  ( Click for more )

The Bible is clear that we all, apart from Christ, deserve to go to hell because we are born with a sin nature and, thus, we sin. As Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The consequences for sin, regardless of its kind, is eternal death and damnation in hell. Luke 12:10 says, “And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him” (see also Hebrews 6:4-6,10:26-27).…  ( Click for more )

“And He said to him, ‘What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?’ And he answered, "YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." And He said to him, ‘You have answered correctly; DO THIS AND YOU WILL LIVE.’” - Luke 10:26-28

There are some who minimize or ignore the Old Testament as if it is either totally or largely irrelevant for today. Some even refuse to preach out of it at all. Yet Romans 15:4…  ( Click for more )

Perhaps you know of people who have suffered so greatly or been brainwashed to such an extent that they do not even know for sure what to believe anymore. They might even question their salvation or even God’s existence, let alone the gospel of grace in Jesus Christ. They might have been so turned off by hypocrisy in their family, their church, or by their friends. They might have compromised so severely that their consciences have been defiled such that they are desensitized to sin and the Holy Spirit (Titus 1:15,1 Corinthians 8:7). Then again, perhaps they were never…  ( Click for more )