“But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.”   (Heb. 12:22-24) A heavenly city awaits us – Mount Zion is the center of the kingdom and Jerusalem identifies the capital city as the perfect permanent home of God’s people (Rev. 3:12; 21:2). A heavenly choir awaits us – Myriads of super – beings (good angels) gather around the throne room to assist and accompany us in the worship of almighty God (Isa. 6:1-6; Heb. 1: 14; Rev. 5:11-12). A heavenly church awaits us – An “ekklesia” is a visible, tangible, local body which describes Bible – [...]

Proverbs 14:29 He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly. The man who exhibits temperance in relationship to his spirit shows that he has great understanding. The word for wrath is also translated anger in other passages. There are multiple words used for wrath such as in chapter twenty-seven and verse five, which means hot rage. This word here literally means to flare the nostrils. The temper has been kindled to where there is a change of the visage. The temperate man understands the commands of the Lord in regards to his anger, his own tendency towards a wrongful disposition, and as well understands the effect of his quick temper upon himself and those who are around him. This verse is the Old Testament counterpart to James 1:19. The man who would be quick or hasty in his spirit lifts or raises up foolishness. He literally places foolishness in his life upon a [...]

Name brand or Knock off? Most products marketed to the consumer have a name brand imprinted or fashioned on them. The brand stands for the quality of the product and the reputation and reliability of the company who made it. To purchase a name brand is to purchase hopefully the best. There are countless knock-off, cheap imitations. We can all be glad for the store brands at the grocery store; hundreds of dollars are saved every year. With some things, one cannot afford to settle for something that is not the best. Brands cost something and are worth more. A Hoyt bow will cost a lot more than one from Walmart and perhaps Cabelas, but it will live up to the standards of the name brand. This is generally true in all marketing. Spiritually there is an application here. There is no room to settle for anything less than the best in our spiritual lives. We must make sure that our Christian life be [...]

Considerations on Worship John 4:20-24; I Kings 10:4-5 Brethren, we have met to worship And adore the Lord our God…[i] To worship is to literally fall down before God; to humbly bow in heart, mind, soul and body in awe, reverence, and keen awareness of His holy presence. It is to praise and glorify Him for who He is and what He has done. Worship is to perform acts of devotion out of a heart of affection. It is to extol in song and prayer offering to almighty God that of which He is infinitely worthy. I Chronicles 16:29 says, “Give unto the LORD the glory [due] unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.” God seeks true worshippers to come before Him and His eye is upon them (John 4:23; James 4:7-8). Worship must not be Self-focused. In today’s culture, worship is a misunderstood concept. Blazing lights, loud bass-thumping music, adrenaline filled singing, [...]