The Real Pharisees (Part 3): The Pharisees Desired to See Signs from Heaven

The Real Pharisees

The Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and testing Jesus, they asked Him to show them a sign from heaven. But He replied to them, ‘When it is evening, you say, “It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.” And in the morning, “There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.” Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times? An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah’” (Matthew 16:1-4).

The Pharisees – along with the Sadducees – came to Jesus and requested to see “a sign from heaven.” They did not ask this out of sincerity; rather, they were “testing Jesus” (Matthew 16:1). They did this on many occasions – challenging Him in order to find something that they could use against Him.
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What We Should Not Pray

Woman praying

On one occasion, Jesus’ disciples said, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). It is important that we know how to pray as we should. However, when we think of learning how to pray, we usually think in terms of praying for certain things. Yet there are also some things for which we should not pray.

So in this article, let us consider five things for which we should not pray.
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The Importance of Faith (Part 5): Understanding

The Importance of Faith (Part 5): Understanding

By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible” (Hebrews 11:3).

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What the Bible Says About Casting Lots

Soldiers casting lots

The practice of casting lots is found primarily in the Old Testament, though there are a few instances in which it was done in the New Testament. It is a practice that will often provoke questions in the mind of Bible students. The Bible says little about the specifics of the practice, so it is not possible for us to satisfy every question one might have with an answer from the Scriptures. However, let us consider what the Bible does tell us about the practice.
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Is Divine Revelation Ongoing Today?

Looking toward heaven

For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you; that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief” (Ephesians 3:1-3).

Paul told the Ephesians about the mystery he received by revelation. He was referring to divine revelation – a message that came from God. As an apostle (Ephesians 1:1), the Holy Spirit guided him “into all the truth” (John 16:13) so that he could say, “The things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment” (1 Corinthians 14:37).

Does this type of divine revelation still occur today? Many people claim to receive messages directly from heaven. But does God reveal His will directly to people today like He did with Paul and others? It is important that we know the answer to that question. So let us consider it here.
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When Will the Lord Return?

ClockThe “end times” are an intriguing topic to many people. They wonder what will happen and speculate about when the end will be. Throughout the years, some have even tried to predict the date of Christ’s return; yet every one of these dates has come and gone. This is not a sign that the end of the world will not happen, just that there are false prophets who erroneously claim to know the “secret things” of God (Deuteronomy 29:29).

The Scriptures do not provide us with a date for the Lord’s return, nor are we given signs to look for that will signal that the end is approaching. However, the New Testament certainly provides a description for when the Lord will return. So in this article, we will use the Bible to answer this question: When will the Lord return?
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Introducing Jesus

Jesus – Sermon on the Mount

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

The gospel of John was written to teach people about Jesus. The first chapter introduces Jesus to us. We learn of Him through the various words and phrases used to describe the Lord, some of which are found in the verses above. The opening chapter of John is a good place to go to learn, be reminded, or teach others about Jesus. Let us briefly consider some of the ways in which Jesus is described in these verses.
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