January 13, 2015

Psalm 23 and the Christian

The Lord is My Shepherd

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

“He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.

“He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows.

“Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:1-6).

The twenty-third psalm is one of the most well-known and well-loved passages in the Bible. Though it was written during the time of the Old Law, there are certainly lessons contained in it that apply to us as Christians. Let us briefly consider these lessons.
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January 7, 2015

The Future of the Church

Pews

This phrase is often used to refer to children growing up in the church. All parents – and everyone else involved – want to see these children grow up to be Christians. But even if they do, they are only part of the future of the church. In this article, I want us to consider the future of the church – in particular, as it relates to each local congregation – and notice what we can do in the present to help the future church.
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December 31, 2014

Fear God and Keep His Commandments

Sunset by the sea

Solomon described conditions in life that are true from generation to generation. The sun rises and sets (Ecclesiastes 1:5); the wind blows and follows its circular course (Ecclesiastes 1:6); the rivers flow into the sea (Ecclesiastes 1:7); and “there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). In the end, his conclusion was that man’s purpose was to “fear God and keep His commandments” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
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December 17, 2014

Happy Birthday, Jesus?

Nativity Scene

For most of us, the holidays are for spending time with family and enjoying the blessings that we have in this life. But for many in the religious world, the Christmas holiday is also a time for them to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Some even believe that Jesus was born on December 25th. Therefore, they observe Christmas (December 25th) as a religious holy day. However, there are two problems with this:
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December 10, 2014

How People Approach the Judgment

Clouds

“And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

Death is a reality for everyone. This fact is generally understood. However, many people do not recognize the reality or the seriousness of the other event mentioned by the Hebrew writer – judgment. Paul wrote, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10). Even though we will all face this judgment, not everyone approaches this appointment in the same way. Let us briefly consider five ways in which people approach the judgment.
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December 3, 2014

Is Anyone Among You Sick?

Man in hospital bed

Sickness is a natural part of human life. One of the reasons why heaven is so appealing is because it is a place where “there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4). While here on the earth “our outer man is decaying” (2 Corinthians 4:16) and we will have to deal with the infirmities of the flesh.

How are we to handle the times in our lives when we are sick and suffering from various illnesses and diseases? The Scriptures help us answer this question. Let us notice a few points.
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November 18, 2014

What Would Jesus Do?

Jesus and the moneychangers

What would Jesus do? This is a question that many religious people ask themselves when they attempt to decide if a particular decision or activity is right. Their intentions might be good – trying to focus on Jesus and please Him. However, this question is the wrong question!

Why is this the wrong question? It is too subjective. It turns our responsibility into nothing more than what we think Jesus would do in a given situation. Instead of asking a subjective question like this (What would Jesus do?), let us consider some other questions to ask – questions for which we can find objective and definitive answers from the Scriptures.
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