A Belt, a Breastplate, and a Pair of Shoes (Ephesians 6:14-15) The threat is real. The danger is high. The worldly powers over this present darkness (ver. 12), are nothing to take lightly. The present darkness referred to in ver. 12 is the world over which Satan is god (2 Corinthians 4:4). It is the […]
Doing All We Can (Ephesians 6:13) Standing firm in this spiritual fight that is upon us does not happen by accident. Satan continues to go to and fro on the earth and walking back and forth on it (Job 1:7). Peter said that the devil is walking about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he […]
Knowing our Enemies (Ephesians 6:12) In 1982-83 the Cougars of the University of Houston was the greatest men’s basketball team on the planet. They featured several first team All-Americans, led by two future Hall of Famers, Akeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler. They entered the college basket-ball championship game with an impressive 31-1 record and a […]
Be Strong in the Lord (Ephesians 6:10-11) Every day we are in a battle. The devil does not rest. He does not take days off or go on break. He spends all his time trying to defeat us, and he often has his way with those who are weak in the faith. So, we must […]
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican (Luke 18:9-14) This parable condemns those who are self-righteous and who treat others with contempt. Self-righteousness was a common trait among the Pharisees, and it continues to plague people today. When a person is self-righteous, he thinks he is, not only better than he really is, but […]
The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) The aim of this parable is to teach us about God’s infinite love, a love that is not greater for us when we do good, nor lesser when we do bad, but instead is constant. Yes, God is pleased with our obedience and saddened by our sins, […]
The Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-21) In the twelfth chapter of Luke, Jesus is instructing a large group of people made up of thousands (ver. 1). Since Jesus was the greatest teacher the world had ever seen, we would expect that the multitude of people who were now listening to Him would be […]
The Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) The purpose of this parable is to teach us the importance of loving our neighbor. A life spent doing good for others is a life well lived. This parable teaches us how important it is to help others, especially those who are hurting. The parable begins with […]
The Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23) This parable has three elements—the sower, the seed, and the soil. While the various kinds of soil have the starring role in this parable, the sower is indispensable. The parable begins with, “A sower went out to sow” (v. 3). We need more sowers in kingdom of […]
For nearly 40 years, ABC aired a show called the Wide World of Sports. It always began with Jim McKay referring to “the thrill of victory…and the agony of defeat… ” It is true that defeat can be agonizing, while victory is almost always thrilling. The good news for Christians is that while life has […]