A Lesson from the Gulf Oil Spill

On April 20th, an oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico causing oil to begin spewing into the water from the floor of the Gulf, about a mile underwater. After more than six weeks, the oil is still flowing. BP is working to try to stop the leak while other efforts are underway to try to deal with this disaster both in the water and along the coast.

No matter what work is done at the surface to deal with the oil that has already spilled into the Gulf, all of the efforts will be in vain unless/until the leak is stopped. The cleanup is important, but the cleanup will never be successful if the oil keeps spewing from the leak.
Continue Reading

Book Review: Hard Core, Defeating Sexual Temptation with a Superior Satisfaction

Hard Core: Defeating Sexual Temptation with a Superior Satisfaction (cover)Jason Hardin’s book, “Hard Core: Defeating Sexual Temptation with a Superior Satisfaction,” deals with the problem of pornography and its impact upon those who view it. One who questions just how much our society, families, and even churches have been infected by pornography needs only to read chapter four to be impressed with the statistics. The numbers are staggering. This problem cannot be ignored.
Continue Reading

More Righteous than the Religious

Jesus and the Pharisees

The title of this article may sound a little odd. But let me begin by stating that this article is not about how organized religion is wrong – it is not. The point of the article is not to say that religious people are not righteous – many of them are, and they should be. So what is the purpose of this article?

The title is based on one of Jesus’ statements from the Sermon on the Mount:

For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20).

The scribes and Pharisees were regarded as the religious leaders of that day. Jesus’ point was that in order to follow Him, we must live up to a higher standard than what is commonly accepted – even commended to us – among the religious world. Doing just enough to blend in with those who are religious is not enough to be part of His kingdom.
Continue Reading

Lessons about Modesty from the Garden of Eden

Garden of Eden

Genesis 3 records the fall of Adam and Eve into sin. It also contains the first prophecy of the coming Messiah to save man from sin. In addition to these two major points, this chapter also has some lessons for us about modesty, particularly as it relates to our apparel.
Continue Reading

The Gods That Men Serve

The Golden Calf

There is “one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:6). But there are “many gods” that men serve (1 Corinthians 8:5). The “one God” is the true and living God. The “many gods” are the false gods that arise from the mind of man.

God has placed in man an inherent inclination to worship something greater than himself (Acts 17:26-27). This inclination is intended to lead men to serve the one true and living God. But many have misplaced their loyalty, devotion, and faith. This is why John warned, “Little children, guard yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21).

The gods have changed, but idolatry is still a problem today as it was in the days of the Old Testament and at the time when John penned his epistle. Let us notice some of the gods that men serve.
Continue Reading

The Passing Pleasures of Sin

Moses and the Israelites

Among the great examples of faith in Hebrews 11, we read this about Moses:

By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward” (Hebrews 11:24-26).

It is acknowledged in this passage that sin is pleasurable. That is why people choose to sin. We are never forced to do right or wrong; but many times we choose to sin. We sin because we are enticed by our own lust (James 1:14-15). When we give into these desires, we sin.
Continue Reading

A Covenant with My Eyes

Eye

The book of Job begins with Job losing his wealth and family as a result of Satan testing this righteous man. This man is described as one who was “blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil” (Job 1:1). Despite his righteousness, God allowed this suffering. The majority of the book contains discussions between Job and his three friends as to why all of this was happening. The three friends reasoned that Job’s sufferings were the result of God punishing him for sin. But over and over, Job maintained his righteousness. Notice one statement in particular that Job made to defend his innocence:

I have made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I look upon a young woman?” (Job 31:1).

What did Job mean by this statement? Was he saying that he had made up his mind that he would not look at a woman for any reason at all? Of course not. What he was saying was that he would not look at a woman with lust for her in his heart. The New International Version actually translates the verse this way: “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman.
Continue Reading