Revenge is a disposition of the devil, and, sadly, it is embodied by most societies and cultures today, including the one in which we live. Revenge is sometimes the first thought that enters a person’s mind when he is mistreated by someone. “If you push me, I am going to push you back,” is the […]
1 Thessalonians 5:14 (NKJV) 14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. Notice, not all who are struggling spiritually should be treated the same way. Different situations call for different tactics. Paul refers to three categories of brethren who need help. First, […]
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 (KJV) 12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; 13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves. Who were these that Paul told the brethren at […]
It is amazing to me that so many simple teachings in the Bible can be misunderstood. While Martin Luther had good intentions in starting the 16th century Reformation Movement, a religious revolt against Catholicism, more harm has been done religiously than good from that movement. After the Lutheran church was started in 1520, several other […]
John 15:1-5 (ESV) 1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have […]
We are all servants of someone or something. In Romans 6:16, Paul said, “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” We are all either servants of sin or obedience. To be a […]
As Christians, we must always remember that we are at war. The body of Christ is filled with people who have taken their spiritual armor off because they have forgotten that every day we are in a battle against the devil. It is no wonder that Paul warns us to put on the whole armor […]
Paul knew something about the privilege of citizenship. After being imprisoned for preaching the gospel at Philippi, and unlawfully beaten, He and Silas were miraculously set free from their confinement (Acts 16:16-26). This led to the famous conversion of the Philippian jailer (vers. 27-34). After this, when the authorities were sent to release Paul and […]
We should all stop from time to time and reflect on who we are as Christians, or even more importantly, who God wants us to be. Considering some of the terms that are used in the Bible to describe us can remind us of some of our responsibilities and how we should be living our […]
Most of us remember the story of Gideon liberating the Israelites from the Midianites, with the help of God of course. Gideon was able to defeat an army of 135,000 with just 300 men. How were they able to do it? First, the hand of God was with them, without which such a victory would […]