There are many great things said about Abraham in the Bible, but perhaps the greatest compliment of all is that he is called a friend of God (James 2:23). The place where he is called God’s friend is Isaiah 41:8. “But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham […]
As Christians, we should have a positive influence on the world. No one ever taught this truth more clearly than our Lord did in the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV) 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a […]
Are you a disciple of Christ? If you are a member of the Lord’s church, you are a child of God, but that is not the question. The question is are you a disciple of Christ? What is a disciple? There are at least two characteristics shared by all disciples of Christ. First, disciples are […]
When Jesus said that He was the true Vine in John 15:1, it would have immediately gotten the attention of His apostles. Why? Because in the Old Testament, Israel was the vine of God. Jeremiah 2:21 (ESV) 21 Yet I planted you a choice vine, wholly of pure seed. How then have you turned degenerate […]
As Christians, we are engaged in spiritual warfare. As such, we are described in the New Testament as soldiers. 2 Timothy 2:1-3 (ESV) 1 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful […]
There are many different terms used in the New Testament to describe Christians. They all reveal something a little different about the nature and character of those who are followers of Christ. This week let us take a look at some of these terms and make sure that they describe us as individuals. If they […]
The straightforward answer to the question above is no. I doubt anyone would say that cigarette smoking is a good thing. Yet many members of the church smoke. Have we forgotten the Bible principle of abstaining from every appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22)? Since little argument can be made against the fact that there […]
How do you view greatness? How does God view greatness? The world sees greatness much differently than God does. It defines greatness in terms of power and possessions. If you can demand service from others, you have arrived. In our self-serving culture with its “me first” mentality, acting like a servant is not a popular […]
Most people do not realize the importance of our bodies in the eyes of God. In several places, Paul emphasizes the significance of our bodies. God sees our bodies as instruments to be used for righteousness. Paul wrote of this in Romans six. Romans 6:12-14 (ESV) 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal […]
Why do so many marriages fail today? There are many reasons. Infidelity and money issues are the two leading causes of divorce, statistically speaking. But there is something that lies behind the outward causes of divorce and that is the view that people generally have of marriage today. Most people simply do not see marriage […]