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May God Almighty Grant You Mercy
by Zeke Flores In Genesis 43:14, Jacob prays, “May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man.” This is the first time in the Joseph story that Jacob appeals directly to God’s character. The name he uses — El Shaddai — emphasizes God’s power and sufficiency. Jacob is finally entrusting what he fears most to…
Read MoreDivine Hiddenness—an Answer to the Skeptics
by Brad Harrub, Ph.D. It’s an issue most parents have wrestled with—even if they’ve never heard the formal term for it: Divine Hiddenness. At its core, the argument asks a simple but emotionally powerful question: If God truly exists, why doesn’t He make Himself unmistakably obvious? Those who raise this objection contend that if God…
Read MoreMistakes in the Bible
by Allen Dvorak “Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem” (II Kings 8:26). “Ahaziah was forty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem” (II Chronicles 22:2). Bible critics love to point to such numerical discrepancies and conclude that the Bible…
Read MoreBridle That Tongue!
by Mike Johnson via Seeking Things Above Many are familiar with Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 15:8-9, where He says we can make our religion vain by “teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. However, there is another way we can make our religion vain, which people may not be as familiar with. James 1:26 says,…
Read MoreWorship in Reverence
by David A. Cox via Market Street Messenger “By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people I must be glorified” (Leviticus 10:3). It is easy to come to worship without thinking deeply about why we gather. For many, attending services has become second nature—we come because…
Read MoreAcknowledging God
by Zeke Flores In Genesis 41:16, when Pharaoh asks Joseph to interpret his dream, Joseph replies, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh the answer.” This is a profound statement about the source of wisdom. Joseph stands before the most powerful man in the world, yet he refuses to claim credit for the insight…
Read MoreIs Not Having the Original Manuscripts a Serious Problem?
by Terry Wane Benton It is not a problem at all. Unless all the copies and quotes are so contradictory and diverse that we need the original documents to settle the matter, the numerous quotes and copies provide enough certainty that we do not need the original autographs. In comparing what you do have, you…
Read MoreThe ABCs of Sin
by David Gibson A—The Attraction of Sin: Pleasure. There is pleasure in gossip, pornography, fornication, alcohol, drugs, etc. Isn’t that why sin is so tempting? Satan really knows how to bait a hook! He doesn’t want us to know that sin is deceptive (Hebrews 3:13), its pleasures are passing (Hebrews 11:25), and its momentary pleasures…
Read MoreWhither Our Children
by Gary Henry via WordPoints.com “And I will take every care so that you may have a clear memory of these things after my death” (II Peter 1:15 BBE). In regard to the principle of restoration, what about our legacy? If we believe the principle is valid, will we teach our children its importance —…
Read MoreI Would Like to Buy $3.00 Worth of God
by Gary Henry via WordPoints.com “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me” (Matthew 15:8). Many people would like to have a little religion in their lives, but not too much. If we’re honest, we may see more of ourselves than…
Read MoreTwo Individuals Are Greatly Affected by Traditionalism
by Gardner Hall Before thinking of any issue or determining how to proceed, the first person asks either, “What have my parents taught me?” or “What is my religious tradition, and what has it always taught?” The answer to those questions will determine how he lives. For example, if the first individual has been brought…
Read MoreWhen We Assess Other People, What Is Revealed?
by Gary Henry via WordPoints.com “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment” (John 7:24). When we’re evaluating other people, we need to be careful. Jesus spoke to this issue when He said, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” We owe it to those around us to…
Read MoreTwo People Listen to Paul
by Terry Wane Benton You get out of a sermon or Bible lesson what you put into it. This is illustrated by two groups of people toward the same preacher. The first group was from Corinth. They were not “open” to Paul (II Corinthians 6:11-13) and justified their lack of interest in anything he said…
Read MoreFour Reasons Why I Cannot Believe the A.D. 70 Doctrine
Author Unknown Some good brethren in the church have become obsessed with the A.D. 70 doctrine to the point of making it a hobbyhorse. Simply stated, the A.D. 70 doctrine teaches that all prophecies were fulfilled by A.D. 70. This means that the second coming of Jesus, the resurrection, and the Day of Judgment happened…
Read MoreWho Created God? (Hall)
by Perry Hall In “The God Delusion”, Richard Dawkins asks the question, “Who created God?” This is a favorite “gotcha” question of atheists. This is ironic because atheists often believe in abiogenesis, the scientific theory that life originated from non-living matter through natural chemical processes. I say ironic because theists can simply return the volley…
Read MoreA Former Mormon Missionary on How to Reach Mormon Missionaries
by Darryl Smelser Today, I happened across a YouTube video produced by a former Mormon missionary and former Mormon believer. He spoke about the trauma his Mormon faith and specifically his 2-year mission put him through. I’d like to share an observation of his. Not from the video, but from his comments to me. I…
Read MoreBound and Determined
by Gary Henry via WordPoints.com “When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord” (Acts 11:23). Barnabas knew it was not enough for the new Christians in Antioch to have obeyed the gospel. They would need…
Read MoreHow Can There Be “Evil from the Lord”?
by Roger Campbell Sometimes, students of the Bible are shocked and confused to read in the Scriptures that the Holy Spirit at times describes the thoughts and actions of God as “evil.” For example, in the Book of Jeremiah alone we read that Jehovah “brought” evil (Jeremiah 4:6), He “thought to do” evil (Jeremiah 18:8),…
Read MoreThe Church of Christ
by Joe R. Price via The Spirit’s Sword The expression “church of Christ” is a descriptive term of possession. The word church is a collective noun (like “flock” or “family”). The church is composed of saved people (Christians, the “called out” ones, Acts 2:41, 47). “Church of Christ” is used to signify the church that…
Read MoreWhat Price Obedience?
by David Gibson What it cost Abraham: his homeland (Acts 7:2-3; Hebrews 11:8-10). What it cost Joseph: imprisonment (Genesis 39). What it cost Moses: the pleasures of sin and the treasures of Egypt (Hebrews 11:24-26). What it cost Jesus: His blood (I Peter 1:18-19). What it cost John the Baptist: his head (Mark 6:17-29). What…
Read MoreHandle with Caution
by David Gibson Anger, like gasoline, is volatile, explosive, and dangerous. It must be handled with utmost caution. In our world today, we are witnessing a volcano of rage, leading to deadly consequences. The Scriptures offer at least two guidelines for managing anger. First, be “slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve…
Read MoreGod’s Call to Bethel
by Zeke Flores In Genesis 35:1, God tells Jacob, “Go up to Bethel and settle there .. build an altar.” This is a reminder that worship is not optional for God’s people; it’s foundational. Bethel was the place where Jacob first encountered God. Now God calls him back to renew his devotion. Spiritual drift is…
Read MoreNot That, But This
by David Gibson The whole Bible takes a balanced approach to “dos” and “don’ts.” The author of Hebrews was written to Christians who were in danger of falling away. To address this peril, the writer offers both warnings and promises, rebukes and encouragements: “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence…
Read MoreOnce for All
by Hugh DeLong “For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness; and because of it he is…
Read MoreEternal Life: Imagine
by Terry Wane Benton Jesus brought immortality to light and made it real by demonstrating His resurrection from the dead. Now we know that eternal life is real. The prophetic word spoke of it, and then Jesus confirmed it; the eyewitnesses verified it. It is not a matter of blind faith or pie-in-the-sky wishful thinking.…
Read MoreWhy I Left the Homosexual Lifestyle
by Tony Horton via Gospel Truths I abandoned homosexuality because I want to spend eternity in heaven. This life is like a vapor. We’re not on this earth very long (James 4:14). We are here to serve God and do His will (John 6:38), and if we remain faithful unto death, He will give us…
Read MoreMutual Responsibility
by Gardner Hall An excellent article on sexual abuse in marriage, but… Recently, I saw an excellent article on how some men, often with the collaboration of misguided preachers, misuse I Corinthians 7:3-5 to pressure their wives into “obligation sex” rather than working to establish an atmosphere of mutual joy and satisfaction in marriage as…
Read MoreGrow in Grace and Knowledge
by Edwin Crozier Peter began his second letter saying God’s “divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence” (II Peter 1:3 ESV). Coming full circle, he ends the letter saying we must “grow in the…
Read MoreTwo Ways to Die
by David Gibson So often in the Bible, we see a stark contrast between two and only two mutually-exclusive alternatives: the wise and foolish builders, the broad and narrow ways, the kingdom of Satan and the kingdom of Christ, etc. Note this contrast: “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins;…
Read MoreWhat Is Denominational Thinking?
by Floyd Chappalear via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 20 No. 3, September 1994 Too few preachers seem to understand what constitutes denominational thinking and, as a result, decry denominationalism while espousing its precepts. Thus, we need to know a little bit about what constitutes denominational thinking. Denominational thinking blurs the distinction between the church universal and the…
Read MoreEvangelism, the Great Need, or Preacher, Change Your Job Description
by Chuck Scott via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 20 No. 3, September 1994 Jesus said, “Go teach all nations” (Matthew 28:19)! We are not to wait for them to come to us to hear His word; we are to go out and evangelize. Why am I an evangelist? God has abundantly blessed me with all spiritual blessings,…
Read MoreWhose Keeper?
by Kenneth Frazier via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 20 No. 3, September 1994 It is true that Cain asked God, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9). It is true that the apostle John said, “Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works…
Read MoreThere Is No Such Thing as Safe Teenage Sex
by Walter L. Bradley via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 20 No. 3, September 1994 Once upon a time, in a faraway place, in a lovely little town, a problem arose that sparked a great controversy. Some small children had developed the careless habit of playing in the street. The untimely death of several children who were hit…
Read MoreAcquiring Another’s Reputation
by Floyd Chappalear via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 20 No. 3, September 1994 “So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them…
Read MoreHistory Shapes Us
by Doy Moyer When we accept Scripture as God’s communication to humanity, we are necessarily accepting the reality that history shapes us. Our understanding of who God is, what sin is, and how God brought about salvation is built on a historical understanding. The death and resurrection of Jesus are historical events. For the children…
Read MoreBe Careful
by Dee Bowman “You be careful!” “Watch out!” “Look where you’re going!” We’ve all heard these or similar warnings for most of our lives. Actually, there is no area of life where the proper use of care is not necessary. We exercise care regarding education, employment, families, and our health. And well we should–caution is…
Read MoreYou Have Brought Trouble
by Zeke Flores In Genesis 34:30, Jacob says to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me.” This chapter is messy, painful, and morally complex. But it highlights a crucial truth: human anger, even when justified, cannot produce God’s righteousness. Simeon and Levi respond to Dinah’s violation with vengeance. Their outrage is understandable, but…
Read MoreOur Rest
by Hugh DeLong Rest? Interesting that God has given the concept of rest in so many different ways. He rested from His labor of creating. He gave Israel the seventh-day rest, then the seventh-year rest, then even the fiftieth-year rest. Joshua brought them into the land (Joshua 1:13; 21:44). Yet, that was not their rest, for…
Read MoreOur Desire to Avoid Blame
by Gary Henry “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what…
Read MoreFaith: A Gift Not Given?
by Gary Henry via WordPoints.com “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). One of the most wonderful things about the gospel is its openness. The promise of salvation is open to “whoever believes,” no matter…
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