Subscription Lists

The Series: To All Who are in Rome; The Article: World's Absolute Worst Bargain (Part 1); The Text: Romans 1.20-25

I admit it; I am horrible when it comes to bartering. If I traded two dimes for a nickel, somehow I would still come out on the short end of the stick! If there is comfort in numbers, however, I can still feel okay about myself since many others share in this malady. The hurt caused by a bad trade when it comes to physical assets can last a lifetime. However, the hurt caused by a bad trade when it comes to spiritual things can last for eternity. Let’s…  ( Click for more )

The Series: To All Who are in Rome; The Article: I Am not Ashamed (Part 6); The Text: Romans 1.16-20

Guilt has a way of robbing my bank of words! After all, what is there to say when you are caught red-handed? Anything that even sounds like an excuse just makes matters worse. When we are without excuse, we are at our lowest.

In eternity, men will face God without excuse. Every accountable man has all the evidence he needs to conclude concretely that God exists. Paul was not ashamed to declare the gospel even though the message that saved some condemned others. Those…  ( Click for more )

The Series - To All Who are in Rome; The Article - I am not Ashamed (Part 5); Focus Text - Romans 1.16-18

Paul was a logician; his writings contain some of the most skillfully woven arguments about God, His existence, eternity, humanity, and righteousness that one will ever encounter. God is reasonable and so are those who, with His approval, proclaim His word. God used Paul’s intellect and his sense of reason to proclaim and defend, when necessary, the gospel. Paul’s penchant for reason will easily be seen in today’s message. There are actually five fors…  ( Click for more )

The Series - To All Who are in Rome; The Article - I am not Ashamed (Part 4); Text - Romans 1.16,17

Did you ever play a little game where someone gives you three guesses to try to find out a bit of information? It may be fun when it comes to matters of little consequence, or just for the fun of the game. However, if failing to guess correctly is going to jeopardize anything of importance, a person would do well to refuse to play. Well, when it comes to matters of eternal importance, it might be surprising to find out how many people needlessly play three guesses. Let’s…  ( Click for more )

The Series - To All Who are in Rome; The Article - I am not Ashamed (Part 3); Focus Text - Romans 1.16

Guaranteed 100% effective 100% of the time! Products that have 100% effectiveness would be a boon to any sales person. However, almost any product that one can imagine will not work for someone. Even a brand new automobile that costs only $1.00 is of no value (as an automobile) to someone who has no roads. A pair of eyeglasses that are guaranteed to correct any sighted person’s vision deficiency are of no value to someone who has no sight at all. Whatever…  ( Click for more )

The Series - Jesus, Unique & Unequaled Teacher (50/TBD)

Focus Text: John 14.1-3

Here are the reasons. You guess the situation that elicited them. The college administration changed its policy. The money available in the budget would not permit it. The transportation we had arranged failed to arrive as indicated. The weather just did not cooperate with us. There is a danger of infectious disease which makes the trip totally out of the question.

What you just read is a list of reasons why different teachers failed to keep promises made to students even though the…  ( Click for more )

The Series - Jesus, Unique & Unequaled Teacher (49/50)

Focus Text: Acts 1.4-8

How many questions did the apostles ask Jesus during His ministry? I don’t know the answer but it would probably prove to be an interesting exercise to go through the gospel accounts and study each of these as well as Jesus’ response. Today’s devotional does not deal with all the questions Jesus was asked by the apostles, just the last one. This final question is presented along with the immediate context in today’s focus text.

“And [Jesus] being assembled together…  ( Click for more )

The Series - Jesus, Unique & Unequaled Teacher (48/50)

Focus Text: Acts 1.4-8

“And [Jesus] being assembled together with them [the apostles], He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, ‘which,’ He said, ‘you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’ Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’ And He said to them, ‘It…  ( Click for more )

The Series - Jesus, Unique & Unequaled Teacher (47/50)

Focus Text: John 21.18-22

“‘Most assuredly, I [Jesus] say to you [Simon Peter], when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.’ This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, ‘Follow Me.’ Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved [John] following, who also had leaned…  ( Click for more )

The Series - Jesus, Unique & Unequaled Teacher (46/50)

Focus Text: John 21.15-17

Some living things just can’t survive without special care; this is true of plants, animals, and people. Unless weak animals get intense attention, they may perish. Without tiny gardens in which diseased plants can be tended tediously, they will die. It is well understood that these principles apply to human beings and their critical needs at certain times in their lives. Today’s lesson transfers these principles from the physical realm into the spiritual realm and takes a…  ( Click for more )

The Series - Jesus, Unique & Unequaled Teacher (45/TBD)

Focus Text: John 18.19-23

Under the cover of darkness, Judas betrayed the Master with a kiss of abject depravity. There was no more ruse to be played out on Judas’ part; Jesus’ hour had come!

“The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine. Jesus answered him, ‘I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and in secret I have said nothing. Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me what I said to…  ( Click for more )

The Series - Jesus, Unique & Unequaled Teacher (44/TBD)

Focus Text: John 13.12-17

“So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than…  ( Click for more )

The Series - Jesus, Unique & Unequaled Teacher (43/50)

Focus Text: John 13.8-13

The final Passover had arrived. Jesus was about to be betrayed in to the hands of sinners. The apostles still yet had many things they needed to know in order to achieve the mission for which they had been called. Besides all of this, Jesus was about to enter the darkest place into which any man could ever enter! His suffering was to be incomprehensible and it waited only hours away. What anguish might have stricken the ordinary heart; what dread might have engulfed a lesser man in self-pity…  ( Click for more )

The Series - Jesus, Unique & Unequaled Teacher (42/50)

Focus Text: John 13.1-7

Today, we enter nine messages to close out the series, Jesus, Unique and Unequalled Teacher.

“Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His…  ( Click for more )

To All Who are in Rome

Focus Text: Romans 1.1-4

“Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” (Romans 1.1-4).

Words are so important to understanding God’s plan for us. One word of unexcelled importance in today’s…  ( Click for more )

To All Who are in Rome

Focus Text: Romans 1.1-4

Wise people do not accept every claim that they encounter; they weigh the evidence and draw conclusions based on the strength (or lack thereof) of the available testimony. It should be no different with claims of a religious nature. In fact when one considers the risks involved with accepting a false claim, nothing could be more hurtful than to be taken in by a “peddler of goods” in the spiritual arena. Perhaps that is why Paul purposefully introduced himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ at the very outset of some…  ( Click for more )

To All Who are in Rome

Focus Text: Romans 1.1-4

It is only reasonable that the book of Romans would contain some of the deepest and most complex theological themes of the entire Bible. This is true because of the audience to whom the Holy Spirit appealed through Paul, the human author of the book. Rome was the literal capital of the “civilized world” at the time the book was written. As such, it was a melting pot for every imaginable human philosophy. The Greek culture blended with Rome and produced one of the best educated societies of the era as well as one…  ( Click for more )

The Series - Jesus, Unique & Unequaled Teacher (41/TBD)

Focus Text: John 6.66-69

Note to our readers: This is the final edition of TODAY’S LITTLE LIFT prior to the coming of the New Year. I want to take this time to thank you for letting me be a part of your daily routine and for giving the me Joy of knowing that every day someone, somewhere has the opportunity to reflect on the scriptures and perhaps draw a little closer to God through these efforts.

“From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said…  ( Click for more )

The Series - Jesus, Unique & Unequaled Teacher (40/TBD)

Focus Text: John 6.60-66

“Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, ‘This is a hard saying; who can understand it?’ When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, ‘Does this offend you? What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.’ For…  ( Click for more )

The Series - Jesus, Unique & Unequaled Teacher (39/TBD)

Focus Text: John 6.53-58

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly [literally: Amen, Amen!], I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds…  ( Click for more )

The Series - Jesus, Unique & Unequaled Teacher (38/TBD)

Focus Text: John 6.53-58

Are we guilty of “cafeteria style” Bible study? By that I simply mean, do we tend to go through life like a cafeteria line, picking and choosing from the Bible those things which we like and leaving the less savory truths to someone else? It is common to see banners and signs saying, YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN! or, GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD…! Did you ever see a banner saying, UNLESS YOU EAT THE FLESH OF THE SON OF MAN YOU HAVE NO LIFE? Or, how about, HE WHO DRINKS MY BLOOD ABIDES…  ( Click for more )

Monday Miscellany

Focus Text: John 3.36

If the Bible is the word of God (and I believe without reservation that it is), then how one interprets and applies the scripture is of utmost importance. In fact, I think we would all agree that the responsibility of understanding God’s word is unexcelled in importance by any human endeavor. Anyone who would willfully play “fast and loose” with the word of God is of all men most pitiable and is in danger of condemnation. Yet, each and every day of our existence, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, and ad…  ( Click for more )

The Series - Jesus, Unique & Unequaled Teacher (37/TBD)

Focus Text: John 6.47-52

“‘Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.’ The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves,…  ( Click for more )

The Series - Jesus, Unique & Unequaled Teacher (36/TBD)

Focus Text: John 6.43-46

“Jesus therefore answered and said to them, ‘Do not murmur among yourselves. No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, “And they shall all be taught by God.” Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father.’” (John 6.43-46).

There are two great affirmations…  ( Click for more )