[366 words] If I called you a Nimrod, how would you feel? If you are like most people you would probably feel insulted. The popular definition for a nimrod is an inept person, an oaf, a moron, an ignoramus. The original name Nimrod really meant to be a skillful mighty hunter. Its origin is found...
[396 words] Working your way through the major or minor prophets, where God is rebuking His people, it can become tedious to read. However, as one reads along, a reader will invariably come across an “if-then” statement. A good Bible student will note and highlight these if-then statements because they indicate application of God’s word...
[343 words] The practice of desensitization by saturation is very common one. Just take a moment and look back in your life and compare your past to what is allowed and permitted in our culture today. I understand that there is nothing new under the sun (Ecc. 1:9) and the sin we deal with today...
[303 words] The people of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us. Yet all the Canaanites who dwell in the plain have chariots of iron, both those in Beth-shean and its villages and those in the Valley of Jezreel” (Joshua 17:16). When the land of Canaan was being divided, the descendants of...
[381 words] During a time of David’s kingship, Absalom, his son, plotted a revolt against the throne. In a short time, Absalom gathered quite a force, and David decided to flee Jerusalem. Absalom and his army hotly pursued him. No doubt this was a distressing time for David. There are surely times in which we...
[361 words] When I was a young preacher student at International Bible College, now known as Heritage Christian University, I had the great privilege of sitting at the feet of a man by the name of Basil Overton. Brother Overton was in his mid-sixties and had been preaching since he was 14. He had a...
[377 words] Hamor and Shechem mistakenly said of Jacob’s sons, “These men are at peace with us” (Genesis 34:21). The wise woman of Abel told Joab, “I am among the peaceable and faithful in Israel” (2 Samuel 20:19). Near Gebor the descendants of Simeon found a place to dwell that was “quiet and peaceful” (1...
[397 words] After the events at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, many are asking one question: Why? We live in a country where blame is the name of the game. We want to blame someone or something for the problems of our world. Some are blaming guns. Some may be looking for blame...
[353 words] Attitude has so much to do with living the Christian life. A negative attitude will cause one to be overly critical and to see only the dark side of life. Such a perspective can be very depressing. When we see only the bad, we cease to experience the joys of being a Christian....
[352 words] I went home for lunch the other day and had a sandwich and leftover potato soup, and let me tell you that soup tasted really good! Now, normally I do not mind leftovers, but it is rare for me to rave about them. I’m sure you’re wondering what it was that made it...
[367 words] “So Jesus said to them ‘because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you’” (Matthew 17:20). Unfortunately many modem English translations talk...
[304 words] Jesus healed a blind man. Before working the miracle, the Lord declared, “We must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (Jn. 9:4-5). Jesus knew...
[301 words] The Old Testament prophets often went unappreciated in their time. Little has changed today. Many Christians do not know the order of the OT prophets, and usually need some extra time looking up a Scripture reference from one of those books during a class or sermon. But these were men of God, speaking...
[388 words] Robert Benchly once remarked, “Drawing on my fine command of language, I said nothing.” No matter how great your vocabulary may be, sometimes, the right thing to say is nothing. First, if you cannot speak with purity, the best thing that you can say, no matter how large your vocabulary may be, is...
[346 words] “Oh, how horrible our sins look when they are committed by someone else!” — Chuck Smith. It’s so hard to keep our eyes on ourselves rather than to compare ourselves with others, isn’t it? We CAN be too hard on ourselves as we live in a world where it’s normal to compare ourselves...
[375 words] Our bodies were received from our earthly parents; however, our spirit came from God. God is the Father of our spirit (Heb. 12:9). God alone forms the spirit of man within him (Zech. 12:1). Man alone, of all creatures of this earth, has a spirit and bears the image of his Creator. No...
[379 words] Do you ever wonder if you are pleasing to God? Do you consider if you are living a life that is pleasing to Him? Jesus stated in John 8:29 that “I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” God acknowledged that he indeed was pleased with Jesus as the apostle Peter...
[387 words] The atheist would argue that the reason life isn’t fair is because there is no God. The agnostic would say that life’s “unfairness” is “evidence” of why he or she can’t make his/her mind up about God. The apathetic, religious person would point to life’s lack of fairness as the reason why he...
[329 words] It seems as though the world is talking about the Ebola virus right now. Many are in a panic. Many are terrified. Proper fear can be a good thing. Recognizing something to be a threat is good. Formulating a plan to stay safe is good. Putting the safety plan into action is good....
[349 words] “For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well” (2 Tim. 1:5). I remember well the name of Howard Hughes. Hughes’ life started with great potential, but his life ended...
[354 words] I wish I would not have played so timidly during my high school basketball career. I wish I would not have taken chapel attendance as a suggestion my freshmen year of college. I wish, I wish, I wish… The list could go on and on in my life and I’m sure you could...
[300 words] Christ gave Himself up for us, and so, we live this life in our flesh by faith in the Son of God (Eph 5:1; Gal 2:20) to the service and blessing of one another. As husbands, we give ourselves up for our wives (Eph. 5:25). As fathers, we give ourselves to the nurturing...
[302 words] The Corinthian church was slipping away from the pattern that their Master had set for them to follow. The way they were observing the Lord’s Supper was one of the main problems in this area as it was being eaten with a common meal. The Corinthian brethren had totally lost the significance of...
[327 words] We all know the story of Cain and Abel. From childhood, we learned the awful story of how Cain out of anger and jealousy killed his own brother. Cain was the world’s first murderer. He is one of most infamous villains in the history of the world. Yet there may be more of...
[353 words] I remember back in my 9th grade English class, one of my assignments was to make an “eye can.” The teacher asked each one of us in the class to bring to school an empty and clean vegetable can. When the day arrived to complete the “eye can” assignment, she asked each of...
[328 words] Four-year-old to her two-year-old sister: “Let’s play Christmas. I’ll be Santa Claus and you can be a present and I’ll give you away.” — A man was applying for credit at a department store. Clerk: What do you do for a living? Man: I’m a tree trimmer. Clerk: What do you do after...
[394 words] I was conscious enough at 6 a.m. Monday through Friday to hear my dad step inside our doorway and turn on the light. My dad would say, “Rise and shine, my sons!” We got up to our daily chores of cooking breakfast, making coffee, fixing mom and dad’s lunch pails and their thermoses,...
[307 words] The Hebrews writer advised his readers to always be “looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). Notice that phrase, “for...
[362 words] The American League and National League division games in Major League Baseball have been great, haven’t they? Okay, so the Tigers didn’t have the start we’d like, but there are more opportunities to win, aren’t there? When one goes to a baseball, football or basketball game, that person goes as a spectator. There...
[371 words] A man was hoeing his garden in a chair. Said the passerby to himself, “What laziness!” However, closer observation revealed to the passerby a pair of crutches leaning against the chair. The passerby was guilty of that unnecessary exercise called “jumping to conclusions.” Be honest! Very little effort is required for attaching the...
[311 words] Most if not all of us are fam i liar with financial budgets. In them, you make a list of all your available resources each month and a list of all your expenditures for each month. The goal is to arrive at a place where your income is higher than your outgo. To...
[368 words] The Scriptures warn us about the devil. He is not our friend, he is our foe. He doesn’t love us, he hates us. He is not for us, he is against us. He indeed is our number one enemy; therefore, Peter admonishes, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like...
[372 words] On the morning of February 19, 1945, the fourth and fifth divisions of the United States Marine Corps invaded Iwo Jima after a 72-hour bombardment. Four days later, the men of the 28th regiment of the fifth division captured Mt. Suribachi. Five Marines and a Navy corpsman planted the U.S. flag in what...
[362 words] Have you ever deliberately walked into a room, gone back to your house, or driven to a store only to forget why you went in there, in the first place? Many of us have done this, unintentionally, of course! We may feel dumb or scatter-brained when it happens. We may even get frustrated....
[342 words] The title of this article is a question of no little importance. And when we reflect upon Jesus’ own words that “many” will choose to walk the way of eternal destruction and that “few” will ultimately make it to the gates of Heaven (cf. Matthew 7:13-14), this question becomes even richer in significance....
[342 words] I am well aware that putting self first does not seem like a Christ-like thing to do, but, for now, that’s where we need to start. My relationship with God has to start with my willingness to meet Him, to see Him, to recognize who He is. He is there waiting, but I...
[385 words] Occasionally, I see bulletins with an order of service for the Sunday worship period. They will include the phrase, ‘Those privileged to serve” and follow with a list of the men who will be leading the services. I like that phrase, “Those privileged to serve.” The word “privilege” refers to “a right…granted as...
[336 words] What do Jesus, Batman, and peanut butter all have in common? Sidekicks. Jesus has the 12 apostles, Batman has Robin, and peanut butter has jelly. These tandems create dynamic teams. Think of it this way: Timothy would have don a fine job preaching and teaching in Acts 16 but Paul heard about him...
[397 words] A woman and her husband interrupted their vacation to go to a dentist. “I want a tooth pulled, and I don’t want Novocaine because I’m in a big hurry,” the woman said. “Just extract the tooth as quickly as possible, and we’ll be on our way.” The dentist was quite impressed. “You’re certainly...
[317 words] Stephen doesn’t feel disgust. Ever. After years of attempting to find a reason for his lack of ability to feel emotions, Stephen’s doctors finally diagnosed him with a little-known condition called alexithymia. People who fit into this category are unable to feel excitement, shame, disgust, anticipation, or even love. One might think that...
