June 1, 2012

What Is Lost Because of Sin

Satan tempts us to sin by highlighting its supposed benefits. The Scriptures acknowledge that there is a certain amount of pleasure that can be derived from sin. Yet Moses understood that such pleasure was “passing” and that the rewards for rejecting God could not compare with God’s rewards for the faithful (Hebrews 11:25-26). But Satan does not want us to look beyond what is immediately before us. He wants us to focus on the temporary pleasures we can gain from sin and ignore those things which we stand to lose because of sin.

What is it that we stand to lose because of sin? To answer this, let us consider what was lost in the beginning when sin was first introduced into the world.
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April 25, 2012

Stand Firm in the True Grace of God

Standing and looking at the sunset

Grace is a misunderstood topic among many in the religious world. People believe we are saved by grace alone and that works (especially baptism) are not necessary for salvation. There are also those who believe that grace gives them permission to sin without fear of punishment.

As Peter summarized his first epistle, he said this: “I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it!” (1 Peter 5:12). What is the true grace of God? Is it the kind of grace that is described by the majority of those in the religious world, or is it something different? A study of Peter’s first epistle – which he said is “the true grace of God” – will help us get a better understanding of grace and what is related to it. Let us notice some of the things that Peter, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit (John 16:13), included in this category.
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February 23, 2012

Things That Are More Valuable Than Gold

Gold

In our troubled and uncertain economy, gold is seen by many people as a wise investment. We certainly want to be good stewards of the blessings we have received (cf. Matthew 25:14-30). This could lead us to obtain gold. Yet we must remember two points. First, even a “safe” investment like gold is uncertain (cf. 1 Timothy 6:17). Second, as we will focus on in this article, there are some things that will always be more valuable than gold, regardless of how much this precious metal is worth in relation to our nation’s currency.
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February 4, 2012

Pots of Meat and Plenty of Bread (2/4)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Exodus 16-18.

It did not take long for the Israelites who had seen the destruction of Pharaoh and his army to begin murmuring and complaining.

“The whole congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The sons of Israel said to them, ‘Would that we had died by the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into the wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger’” (Exodus 16:2-3).

How quickly they forgot the conditions they had endured in Egypt – forced labor, cruel beatings, and lacking the freedom to worship God according to His instructions. By this point, all they wanted to remember was the fact that they had food to eat and, though the circumstances may not have been ideal, they had sufficient security and stability to expect that those “pots of meat” would continue to be available.
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February 2, 2012

God’s Plan for You

Sunrise

“‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope’” (Jeremiah 29:11).

People often wonder what God’s plan is for their lives. The above passage suggests that God knows these plans. Yet people want to know what the future holds so badly that they often run wild in speculation about every circumstance, decision, or consequence that exists in their lives, trying to determine some greater significance to these events.

The Bible certainly does address this issue about God’s plan for our lives. But we can only know what God has revealed to us (1 Corinthians 2:10-12). People often get caught up in trying to find God’s plan for them in the details of life – jobs, homes, hardships, etc. – even though no such divine plans for us can be found in the revealed will of God. By devoting our mental effort to mere curiosities and speculations, it becomes easier to ignore the big picture. Sadly, many have done this and have become “choked with worries… of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity” (Luke 8:14).

I know what God’s plan is for you. And I can show you this plan in the Bible.
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January 29, 2012

“Carry My Bones Up From Here” (1/29)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Genesis 48-50.

Before Joseph’s death, he charged his brethren to do something regarding his remains.

“Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, ‘God will surely take care of you, and you shall carry my bones up from here’” (Genesis 50:25).

There are two noteworthy points about Joseph’s statement here.
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January 20, 2012

Esau Despised His Birthright (1/20)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Genesis 25-26.

Esau and Jacob, though twin brothers, were very different from one another. “Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob was a peaceful man, living in tents” (Genesis 25:27). One day when Esau returned from the field hungry, Jacob took advantage of the opportunity to secure the birthright in exchange for his stew.

“Esau said to Jacob, ‘Please let me have a swallow of that red stuff there, for I am famished.’ … But Jacob said, ‘First sell me your birthright.’ Esau said, ‘Behold, I am about to die; so what use then is the birthright to me?’ And Jacob said, ‘First swear to me’; so he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. … Thus Esau despised his birthright” (Genesis 25:30-34).

The birthright, among other things, was the right of the firstborn to the greater inheritance. Esau forfeited long-term prosperity for short-term comfort. He gave away the firstborn’s inheritance for a single meal.
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