August 15, 2018

No Laughing Matter

Laughing Statues

“Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom” (James 4:9).

In the verse above, James contrasted two different attitudes that people have toward God – one of careless joy, the other of sober humility. The inspired writer was clear in showing which attitude we are to have before God. We are not to take something lightly when the Lord wants us to consider it soberly.

We sometimes label a condition, situation, or event as being “no laughing matter” when someone is taking a light-hearted approach to a serious matter. There are a few occasions in the Bible when this reminder would have been helpful as there were those who took lightly the promises, instructions, or warnings of God. In this article, we are going to consider five of these examples and notice what all of them have in common.Continue Reading

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August 8, 2018

A Personal Relationship with Jesus

Man Praying

Many people in the religious world talk about having a “personal relationship with Jesus.” On the surface, this may sound good and appealing. After all, is there anyone who believes in Jesus but would not want this?

However, rather than thinking about how this sounds, we ought to consider what this means. In fact, different people may mean different things when they talk about a “personal relationship with Jesus.” Rather than focusing on what people might mean by this, we need to be concerned with what the Bible says. Are we to have a “personal relationship with Jesus”? If so, what is this relationship to look like? This is what we will consider in this article.Continue Reading

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June 20, 2018

Preparing for the Future

Future

It is wise for us to be preparing for the future. However, when many people think of this, their mind goes to things like summer vacations, saving for college, and planning for retirement. While there is certainly nothing wrong with making these sorts of preparations, we need to place a priority on preparing for our future that extends beyond our lives here in this world.Continue Reading

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May 9, 2018

“In an Unworthy Manner”

Communion Cup

Shortly before His death, Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper as a memorial of His sacrifice – the bread represented His body that was to be hung on the cross and the fruit of the vine represented His blood that would be shed (Matthew 26:26-29; Luke 22:17-20). After reminding the Corinthians about the basic instructions regarding the practice of the Lord’s Supper which he “received from the Lord” (1 Corinthians 11:23-26), Paul warned them not to observe this memorial “in an unworthy manner.”

“Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly” (1 Corinthians 11:27-29).

Paul indicated that Christians would be observing this memorial of “the Lord’s death until He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26); therefore, we still partake of the Lord’s Supper today. Because of this, we need to seriously consider the warning that Paul gave to the Corinthians lest we become guilty of eating and drinking “in an unworthy manner.”Continue Reading

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April 23, 2018

Great Days in History (Part 7): The Day of Eternity

Great Days in History

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen” (2 Peter 3:18).

In the previous lesson we discussed the final day when the Lord will return in judgment. But what happens after life on earth is over? Let us consider what the Bible teaches about the day of eternity.Continue Reading

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April 16, 2018

Great Days in History (Part 6): The Day of Judgment

Great Days in History

“Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31).

In this sixth lesson, we will be discussing the day of judgment. Like the second lesson, this may seem like a bit of a jump to go all the way from the day of Pentecost to here. However, we are not skipping so much as we are going to be summarizing the time between these two days.Continue Reading

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December 19, 2017

The Plumb Line (Season 8, Episode 9)

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The Plumb Line (Season 8, Episode 9)

God showed the prophet Amos three visions that warned about the coming judgment against Israel (Amos 7:1-9). After the first two visions, Amos protested, pleading for mercy on behalf of Israel. But after the third vision he did not. What was different about the third vision? Answering this question will provide a valuable lesson for us today.

Article: The Plumb Line

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