Friend, How would you like to receive a free Caribbean Cruise for Christmas, or maybe a brand new Lexus SUV or even a new home? Most of us wouldn’t have those kinds of expectations because we don’t have friends that could afford such gifts. You do have one friend, however, who affords a gift for you that infinitely surpasses anything money could buy. God so loved you that He gave His only begotten Son! Love motivated a perfect God to give the free gift of salvation for sinners (John 3:16). Too Expensive For You And Me! A sinless and holy God knew that you and I could never afford eternal life because heaven is a perfect place and the guilt of just one sin forbids us from entering there. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” At our very best, we could never reach God’s standard of perfection. No church, ritual, or religion, no promises to do [...]

What to do when Surrounded? What to do when Outnumbered? These are perhaps two different titles which can be given to these thoughts. Both of these circumstances are extreme or difficult circumstances. They take place around battles. Every Christian will come to points along the way when he will find himself “surrounded” or “outnumbered” in the Christian battle. What is a Believer to do in these tight spots? Father and son kings Abijah and Asa give us a Biblical pattern on what to do when we are in extremity. No matter if it is surrounding or outnumbering we face, the strategy remains the same. Today we may not face this type of battle, but there are many other battles a Christian will face. What must we do? II Chronicles 13-14 Cry out to the Lord—13:14; 14:11 Abijah and Judah cry to the Lord when they are in battle in front and behind. They have an army of 400,000 while their enemies have 800,000. Asa cried [...]

Inquiring of the Lord King David is perhaps one of the greatest spiritual men of the Old Testament. He was not perfect and made many mistakes. We can learn some spiritual lessons from him and his personal relationship with the Lord through prayer and trusting God for His leadership. I Chronicles 14: 8-17 Lessons can be learned about how Christians should relate and respond to the Lord in prayer: A Christian should ask the Lord questions—vs. 10 David inquired of the Lord if he should or should not go out to battle. Every Christian ought to seek the mind of the Lord and for His wisdom before making decisions. God does desire that we make our requests, petitions, and supplications known to Him. He invites us to ask for wisdom.   A Christian should obey what he knows after trusting the Lord in prayer—vs. 11 Once the Christian has prayed about a decision and sought for wisdom and counsel; prayed for the Lord to [...]

“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, [...]

Are You Made Free or Set Free? And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:32 This verse is often misquoted by substituting set for make: …the truth shall set you free. The English Standard Version translates it this way. On the surface, this doesn’t sound like a big deal. The underlying Greek could be translated set free. So what is the problem? Most old westerns explain it very well. When one of the local bank robbers was put in jail, his fellow gang members would blaze into town, blow up the jail and set him free. Now, he certainly was free from his prison but was he really “free?” No. In the eyes of the law he was still a guilty man and eventually he was usually recaptured to serve his sentence. Now, if there was a man in jail and the sheriff came in with a judge’s order that said he was innocent and should be [...]

Joshua chapter three records the journey of the children of Israel up to the Jordan River. God speaks to them through His servant Joshua to sanctify themselves because the Lord will do wonders among them. God had commanded them to cross over the river, yet the river overflows its banks during the harvest season. The path is obstructed, the way unsurpassable, the situation impossible. For at least one night the children of Israel are camped with no way to move forward. Many thoughts could have gone through their minds, many doubts, many fears, and questions. God had told them based upon that which He would do, they would know that He was among them. God would surely keep His promise and bring them into the promised land and most assuredly give them victory over their enemies, even when the odds were against them, yet here they are in their tents on this side of the river, with only a promise. What should the children of [...]

What a waste   To waste something is to take something that I have, or that has been given to me and to use it up in a fashion that is inconsistent with Godly Biblical stewardship.  It is a term that is negative in nature.  On the surface we might say that we waste little; in reality we waste much.   The Biblical term wasting refers to the idea of spending, or to be spent up, or to be depleted.  Certainly when we spend up resources or spend up our time for that which does not profit, we are guilty of wasting.   We waste:  food, time, money, life, things, potential, and opportunities. We waste relationships, responsibilities, and resources.   No one on purpose would throw good things in a waste can?  Or would they? On a consistent daily basis, we are making choices that determine what we do with God-given stewardships.   God gives us resources, opportunities, and time, not to squander them [...]