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Communication
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton A profound shift has occurred in the way we communicate. At one time, a speaker had something to say and would relay it to a listener. Basic communication, I know. “Teaching, in its simplest sense, is the communication of knowledge.”(1) There has to be a source (the speaker), a target (the…
Read MoreA Voice in the Wilderness
by Terry Wane Benton The Pharisees and Sadducees had the larger, more luxurious places to indoctrinate people with their corrupt doctrine. John the Baptist had to find secluded areas in the countryside where he could preach and baptize people. His was a voice in the wilderness, but word spread that he was even calling the…
Read MoreGod Is Good All the Time
by Zeke Flores The things I see people complain about remind me that we live very pampered lives. A rude cashier, a wrong food order, no WiFi, etc., are all mere inconveniences and reminders of how good life usually is. And -shame on me- I’ve been guilty of it too. Then some find themselves in…
Read MoreBlessed Risk-Takers
by David Gibson High Praise! The leaders of the Jerusalem church referred to Barnabas and Paul as “men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 15:26; see II Corinthians 11:23-28). Paul appreciated risk-takers like himself, such as Priscilla and Aquila, “who risked their necks for my life” (Romans…
Read MoreLike Father
by David Gibson My finite mind soon reaches the end of its tether when I try to comprehend God, the eternal, invisible, all-powerful, all-knowing Maker of all things. By observing the wonders of His handiwork in nature, we get glimpses into His wisdom and power (Romans 1:18-20), To learn more, we turn to the Old…
Read MoreWhen Money Means Everything
by Zeke Flores I know a guy to whom money means everything. He’s not rich, but he is very well off and has everything he wants – a nice house, new cars, a beautiful family, and lots of toys – but he doesn’t have Christ. His reasoning is, “I have everything I want; what can…
Read MoreBraided Hair
Author Unknown I still remember someone telling a teenage girl that her braided hair was wrong. He cited the scripture in I Timothy 2:9. I remember going home to look at that passage to see if that is what it really says. Sure enough, here is what it says. “Likewise, I want women to adorn…
Read MoreModernizing the Bible
by Michael Ray Baggett When King Jehoiakim of Judah heard the writings of Jeremiah read to him, he destroyed the scroll. The King did not simply disagree with what he heard but took his penknife and cut off three or four pages and threw them in the fire until the entire scroll was destroyed (Jeremiah…
Read MoreThe Legacy of Dorcas
by David Gibson We don’t know much about her—she is mentioned in only one brief passage in the New Testament (Acts 9:36-42). But everything we know about Dorcas is good. She was a disciple. The word disciple means learner. She had learned to live the life of a Christian. She was not simply someone who…
Read MoreThe Second Coming of Christ
by Terry Wane Benton The first time He came was personal. He came to offer Himself “to bear the sins of many” (Hebrews 9:28). To those who eagerly wait for Him, He will appear a second time for salvation. The first time was to save us from sin and condemnation. So, what does it mean that He…
Read MoreThey Helped
Author Unknown The prophet Isaiah, declared by the inspiration of God, “They helped everyone his neighbor: and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage” (Isaiah 41:6). In times of crisis, especially, cries for help are frequently heard from every corner of the earth. Victims of floods, hurricanes, and other natural disasters reach…
Read MoreLooking to His Holy Temple
by Seth Mauldin via Biblical Insights, Vol. 15 No. 2, February 2015 For me, the book of Jonah has always been something of a depressing book. Of course, there are positives to be found; we’ll always have the good example of the Ninevites who threw themselves into the task of repentance. But when I look to…
Read MorePrevailing Winds
by Edward Smith via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 17 No. 4, 31 December 1991 It is amazing how “leading economic indicators” can point in so many directions: ask ten economists which way the wind is blowing, and you’ll get twelve answers. It’s no wonder that so many people show little confidence in the economy. Unfortunately, Christians often…
Read MoreTemptation of Jesus
by R.L. Whiteside Annual Lesson Commentary, 1939, Gospel Advocate Co., page 246. Temptation is the act of tempting or of being tempted. In studying this lesson, it is well, therefore, to consider some of the meanings and uses of the word tempt. To tempt a person does not always mean to stir up in him…
Read MoreThe Price of an Affair
by Philip Martin Proverbs 6:32 says whoever commits adultery “destroys his own soul.” The Hebrew word here is striking. Mashchît means to bring ruin upon yourself, to act as your own destroyer. This is not about making a mistake. This is about choosing devastation. Lucas Cranach the Elder, David and Bathsheba (1526), Gemäldegalerie, Staatliche Museen…
Read MoreThe First Beatitude in Psalms
by Warren E. Berkley The book of Psalms opens with a beatitude. “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful,” (Psalms 1:1). This is a description of a life centered on God. Those who live…
Read MoreStrike the Rock?
The children of Israel were desperate for water and were crying out to Moses, “Why have you brought us out here to die of thirst?” God told Moses to take his rod and “strike the rock,” and “water will come out of it, that the people may drink” (Exodus 17:3-6). Did God do this just…
Read MoreAnother Addiction
by David Gibson Getting Hooked It’s amazing how many different ways Satan has to enslave us: drugs, alcohol, tobacco, overeating, gambling, etc. Our adversary knows how to get us hooked and keep us hooked. Satan has been entrapping even more with another highly addictive practice, using Internet pornography. How many thought when they started where…
Read MoreThe Last Days (Boatwright)
by Ron Boatwright The apostle Peter says in Acts 2:16-17, “But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘ And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall…
Read MoreOvercoming Doubt
by Mark McCrary Text: Matthew 11:1–12 Ted was a faithful Christian. He served in the church, raised his kids to love God, and prayed with conviction. But when his child was diagnosed with a life-threatening disease, the inner questions began. Why would God allow this? Is He really good? Over time, Ted’s solid belief began…
Read MoreBaptism and Jesus Blood
by Dub McClish Despite the most explicit statements of Scripture to the contrary, most Protestant denominations deny that baptism is a condition of God’s forgiveness of our sins. Some reason that acceptance of such would equal salvation by one’s own works. Others reject the necessity of baptism because of their erroneous dictum of salvation by…
Read MoreDoes Heaven Really Hear?
by Dan Gulley Charles Swindoll tells about a Ziggy cartoon. “Ziggy is standing, looking up at a mountain. The sky is dark, and there’s one cloud up there. Ziggy says, ‘Have I been put on hold for the rest of my life?’ ” Swindoll continues, “Sometimes prayer feels like that, doesn’t it? ‘Will You ever…
Read MoreSermon Openers: The Preface and Introduction
by Clay Gentry Preachers, you invest countless hours in developing your sermons – exploring passages, mastering the text, writing memorable points, crafting powerful statements that make an impact, and setting the right tone. However, all this effort can be wasted if the congregation isn’t engaged from the beginning with a thoughtful introduction. We’re not talking…
Read MoreFour Characteristics of Faith
by David Gibson To say that faith is a significant theme of the Bible is an understatement. What better place to begin than the great Faith Chapter of the Bible, Hebrews 11. In this chapter, the noun “faith” is found 24 times, and the verb “believe” is used once. Hebrews 11 could be called “Case…
Read MoreWhat Is Apostasy?
by Kyle Pope via Biblical Insights, Vol. 15 No. 2, February 2015 The word apostasy means, “1) Abandonment or renunciation of one’s religious faith or moral allegiance… 2) By extension, the abandonment of principles or party generally” [Oxford Dictionary of the English Language, Vol. 1, p. 390]. It is derived from the Greek word apostasia, meaning “a defection…
Read MoreAn Overruling Providence
by Earl Kimbrough via Biblical Insights, Vol. 15 No. 2, February 2015 Robert Milligan, in writing about the nature of God in the Scheme of Redemption, warns the reader not to be wise above what is written, for all we can know of Him comes through revelation (Matthew 11:27). There are some things even here that…
Read MoreDon’t Be a Thief!
by Mike Johnson via Seeking Things Above, Vol. 6 No. 2, May 2025 Ephesians 4:17-32 is one of many passages in the New Testament that describe the transformation that is supposed to occur when a person becomes a Christian. The Bible tells Christians to put off the old man, i.e., our former sinful conduct, and put…
Read MoreIn Advance
by David Gibson by Judy Baxter on Flickr.com Some troubles are avoidable, some are not. At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells of two builders (Matthew 7:24-27). Both build a house. A violent storm slams both houses. One house stands firm. The other falls. The difference? One had been founded on the…
Read MoreHelping Christians Addicted to Pornography
by Steve and Bette Wolfgang via “The Inspiration and Authority of the Bible: Truth Lectures for 2005,” Truth Publications, 2005, pp. 84-126; quotation from pp. 116-117. Bette and I have been speaking and writing for decades about the dangers of pornography, beginning at a time when it seemed that virtually no one else in the…
Read MoreSecond-hand Potential
by Zeke Flores I don’t like waste. I try to use up everything I buy until it’s run into the ground. Only when I’m sure I can’t get any more use out of it will I discard it. That goes a long way towards explaining why my garage looks the way it does; it’s full…
Read MoreLife Isn’t that Way
by Zeke Flores You might wish you had never had any trouble. No doubt, life would be a lot easier without any distress, affliction, or sorrow. But life isn’t that way. Because we often make dumb decisions, because many circumstances are unforeseeable, and because people are, well, people, there are bound to be uncomfortable situations,…
Read MoreSatan (Gibson)
by David Gibson How much do we know about Satan? Second Corinthians has quite a bit to say about him. What does Paul say in this letter about our enemy, the devil? Knowing how Satan works is essential. “… so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his…
Read MoreA Look Behind the Fig Leaves
by Sam Dilbeck In recent years, many have claimed that society dictates what is modest. Their arguments go something like this: “During the Victorian Age, it was considered immodest for a woman to reveal her ankle or wrists in the presence of a man. Moreover, in many Middle Eastern countries, women are required to wear…
Read MorePreach It Anyway!
by Phillip Brannon I have come to the conclusion that when it comes to preaching the Word of God, some people cannot be pleased (this is also true in other areas). It is not possible to please everyone every time one preaches. Someone will be offended. If one preaches loud enough for everyone to hear,…
Read MoreWorship in Spirit and Truth
by Terry Wane Benton While it is true that worship must be in spirit (sincere and involving our hearts) and in truth (truly yielding to what God’s word says, not following the commandments of men), the text in John 4:20-24 seems to point to something more. The discussion with the woman at the well was…
Read MoreDivision and Animosity
by Zeke Flores The devil loves division and animosity among brethren. So, he does his best to keep it stirred up, and, of course, one of his best tools is sin. If he can get a Christian to sin, he can get another Christian to be convinced that that sinning brother can never rise above…
Read MoreLove, Service, and Obedience
by Doy Moyer We serve what we love, and we obey what we serve. What does that mean? It is possible to be coerced into obedience, but this is not love. However, when we love something or someone, we serve, and in serving, we obey. I believe the word “obey” and its cognates say more…
Read MoreThe Two Poles of the Second Commandment
by David Gibson It was Jesus Himself who identified loving God and loving neighbor as the first and second commandments (Matthew 22:36-40). It’s worth noting that the second commandment, like a magnet, has both a positive and a negative pole. The Negative Pole: “For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder,…
Read MoreGod Talks to God but Not to Himself
by Terry Wane Benton How can God talk to God but not be talking to Himself? God is triune (three in one), which is what He revealed about Himself. In the beginning, God said, “Let Us (plural) make man in Our (plural) image (singular)” (Genesis 1:26). Who was God talking to? And why is the…
Read MoreAre nativity images wrong?
Question: Hello, Does Exodus 20:4 teach that various kinds of man-made images of a nativity scene that are often displayed at Christmas time are a violation of God’s commandment in Exodus 20:4? Also, does Exodus 20:4 forbid having any manmade images or anything displayed as decor in your home that depicts creatures that are in…
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