In his letter to the Philippians, Paul urges his readers to “rejoice in the Lord always” (4:4). Is he talking about happiness? Certainly, most people want to be happy. Happiness is the good feeling we have when everything goes our way. Happy is how we feel when our favorite basketball team wins a big game,…
Is someone pushing your buttons? Perhaps a relative, coworker, neighbor, or church member always seems to know just how to say the wrong thing and spike your blood pressure. How is a Christian to cope with such a person? The apostle Paul says: “If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with…
Some religious people think that belief in one God is inconsistent with the concept of the Trinity. Jehovah’s Witnesses, for instance, maintain that the Holy Spirit is a force rather than a Person. But the New Testament plainly sets forth the doctrine of the Trinity (Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 4:5-6; 1 Pet. 1:2),…
The Bible’s amazing consistency is strong evidence for its divine inspiration. The 66 biblical books were written on three continents by about 40 people over a period of approximately 1,600 years. These authors, writing in three different languages, had widely varying life experiences. Some were wealthy, influential, and scholarly; others were fishermen, shepherds, or farmers.…
Some false teachers suggest that the Lord has no pattern for the modern church. They may justify this opinion on the basis of the imperfections of the first century congregations described in the New Testament. Since no church is perfect, they say, Christians must serve God as they think best or as modern culture dictates.…
Some sins are tiny. They barely even register on Christian radar. Take gossip, for instance. Compared with big sins—adultery, stealing, cursing, violence—gossip is no big deal. The only little thing wrong with gossip is that it destroys friendship. The book of Proverbs says that “a whisperer separates close friends” (16:28) and that “he who repeats…
In ancient times parents arranged marriages for their children, and the feelings of the bride and groom usually had little or nothing to do with the match. Abraham, for instance, sent his most trusted servant to Haran to find a wife for Isaac. The servant returned from the long journey and presented Rebekah, a young…
Paul urges parents to bring up children “in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). Parents are teachers. But do little ears pay attention to everything mom and dad say? About 10 years ago, Donald Joy was a guest on the “Focus on the Family” radio program. In his conversation with the show’s…
Tom Reynolds started an auto parts manufacturing company in Detroit. Five years later the business employed more than 300 people. But one day Tom’s own human resources department sent him the following email: “Mr. Reynolds, according to our records you have never submitted letters of recommendation, something required of everyone in the company. Please verify…
One night Jim has a dream. He is standing before the great white throne of Christ on judgment day. Jim trembles with anxiety as he steps forward to hear the decision that will determine his eternal destiny. After fixing Jim with a loving but piercing glance, the Lord begins to speak. “Jim,” rumbles the majestic…