As Paul began to wrap up his second letter to the saints at Thessalonica, he exhorted them to pray. 2 Thessalonians 3:1 (ESV) 1 Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, Is there anything more powerful in our possession than prayer? […]
Do you possess righteousness? If so, what kind of righteousness do you have? Jesus tells us that it matters. Matthew 5:20 (ESV) 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. When Jesus talks about our righteousness exceeding that of the […]
Who or what do you put first in your life? As Christians, our immediate answer should be God. Sadly, this is not the case with many who call themselves Christians. While the world puts God last on their list of priorities, that is, if He even makes their list at all, many church members put […]
Every Christian knows how valuable the precious blood of Christ is. Jesus tasted death for everyone (Hebrews 2:9), and because of this everyone who accepts Him as their Savior is saved by His blood (Matthew 26:28). Thank God that Jesus was willing to be obedient to His Father, even to the point of death on […]
Surprisingly, idolatry has always plagued the people of God. Even before they became a great nation, while they were just beginning their trip toward the land of promise, the Israelites turned from God to worship a golden calf (Exodus 32:1-4). A shocking development after God had just delivered them from the bondage of Egypt. Just […]
God’s faithfulness to Israel in times past is an encouragement to God’s people today. Listen to what God told His people of old through the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah 44:21-22 (ESV) 21 Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant; I formed you; you are my servant; O Israel, you will not […]
In the book of Romans, Paul emphasizes that man is justified by faith rather than by works (works of the law that demand sinless living). Romans 5:2 (ESV) 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. […]
Jesus promised that the gates of Hades would not prevail against the church that He would build. How would Jesus build His church? He would do so by going to the cross and dying for our sins. While the death of Christ was necessary for the salvation of our souls, it was not enough. For […]
No description of God would do Him justice. How could we ever paint a picture of One who is so much greater than we can even imagine? (Ephesians 3:20) The truth is, it is impossible to comprehend the totality of God’s divine nature. This makes the realization that we will someday be in His presence […]
In one of the great “I am” passages uttered by Jesus, He said, “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me” (John 10:14). His own are those identified as His sheep. It is a wonderful blessing to be among the Lord’s flock, and the blessing begins with the relationship […]