For instance, I've been to and hosted gatherings like Bible studies, prayer meetings or just informal social times. And those moments are wonderful times to show mercy and care to one another. To be consistently effective in this, we need to be sensitive to and keep a mindset of readiness to take advantage of chances that arise.Why Is It So Importa

2. The Church Is Radiantly BeautifulJust like a glowing bride dressed in a white gown on her wedding day, the Church is portrayed in the Bible as washed and splendidly pure because of the work of Christ. Though the Church is made up of sinful people, redemption is a powerful restorative force that also looks forward to glory when everything wrong w

To understand our history. In the beginning (Genesis 1:1)…That’s where our history began. The Bible gives us the whole boundary of who we were, are, and will be (in glory).To learn where we will go. The Bible, while not expansive in its communication about heaven, is definitive in that believers will be there with Jesus (John 14:1-3).To follow the

What Is Righteous Anger?Righteous anger is not a term found in Scripture, but it is what has come to be used to explain the anger that Scripture affirms is not sinful. Righteous anger is anger directed at evil, things that God opposes, and sin itself. Righteous anger does not stir up conflict or cause quarrels, it is not long-lived, and it does not

Why Shouldn't We Be so Harsh with Her?Orpah didn’t stow away in the middle of the night when no one was watching. She didn’t leave in secret or go against her mother-in-law's wishes. She did what Naomi told her to do, not once or twice, but three times Naomi tells her to turn back. At first, Orpah remains with her mother-in-law, along with Ruth. In

Christian Liberty Focuses More on Interdependence Than Independence When God created the heavens and the earth, He made a point of declaring all of his creation good. But in Genesis 2:18, God establishes for the first time something that is not good: independence. God looks at Adam, the pinnacle of His creation up to that point, and says, “It is no

What Did Isaac Do? Perhaps the most memorable and significant moment from Isaac’s life was with his father, on a mountain top. Isaac had grown up, loved by his parents and learning to love and follow God. One day Isaac’s father came to him and told him they needed to go to the land of Moriah to worship God through sacrifice.While the Bible does not

Instructions for Alignment One of the clearest and quickest ways to realign yourself with God is found in the example of 2 Kings 13:14-20, the instructions that the prophet Elisha gave to Jehoash, Israel’s king during a time of national and personal crisis.Israel was being threatened on every side by enemy armies which wanted to take Israel out, mo

5 Important Lessons from This StoryFirst, Jesus may not come when you want him to, but he is always right on time.Secondly, if you call him, he will come. Sometimes, you might have to separate yourself from doubters to get the miracle that you are believing God for. Many people when they are extremely sick will not share that information with other

Eastern churches in Italy who spoke Greek were told to do things the western, Latin way. And some churches in Constantinople preferred to practice church the western way, which the Bishop Michael Cerularius of Constantinople did not approve of. Those churches were told to adapt or shut down. Bishop Leo IX sent letters defending them. Bishop Michael

What Should We Not Say to Someone Grieving?With a desire to say the right thing, or not knowing what to say, sometimes, people mistakenly say the wrong thing to a grieving person. Here are statements to generally avoid when spending time with a grieving person.They’re in heaven, so you do not have to be sad that they are gone.Even if the person who

If you'd asked me, my freshman year of college if given the opportunity, would I witness to them and share what God had been doing in my life, I probably would've said no. "I'm sure God will bring someone else along who can do the same thing."And maybe Jonah had hoped for the same. He was the last person up to the task to go to those who likely hur

What does the Bible say about dyeing your hair? Really, not much. Our culture doesn't have the same connotations of the dyeing of hair that the braiding/adorning/etc. used to in Paul's day. Obviously, if women now throw their hair into a braid, it shouldn't cause a fellow brother to stumble. And if it does, that brother probably needs to seek the h

Irresistible Grace – The elected are drawn to God through His irresistible grace. When God calls, the elect respond (John 6:37, 44, 65; 10:16).Perseverance of the Saints – The elect will persevere through faith. None of whom God has elected will be lost. They are eternally protected (John 10:27-29; Romans 8:29-30; Ephesians 1:3-14).Why Do Some Chri

A Short History of Martin Luther King, Jr. Michael King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. History tells us, “In 1934, however, his father, a pastor at Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, traveled to Germany and became inspired by the Protestant Reformation leader Martin Luther. As a result, King Sr. changed his own name as well a

1. CSB – Christian Standard BibleThe Christian Standard Bible is a 21st century translation (2017) that is a revision of the HCSB (2004). According to the CSB preface, it seeks “optimal equivalence” in “a commitment to both ‘formal equivalence’ (which recognizes the importance of the form of the original language text—that is, the words used and th

Most agree he likely drank water during this time, for the fast only specifies he “ate nothing,” not that he drank nothing.How Did Jesus Fast for Forty Days?Scientists believe people can go without water a few days and without food for a few weeks at most—forty days is far longer than this. Assuming he drank water but consumed no food, Jesus would

David respected this, even though he, not Saul, was now God’s anointed and chosen one. In fact, he entered Saul’s service, becoming an armor-bearer and playing the lyre to soothe the old king, for Saul was tormented by evil spirits (1 Samuel 16:21-23). Later, after David killed Goliath, Saul gave him a high rank in the army. David worked faithfully

Why Is Work Often Burdensome? God then put Adam and Eve in the garden He had created and gave them their first work assignment. They were to cultivate (work, labor) and keep (preserve, protect) the garden (Genesis 2:15). God intended man to work for his living, even in the perfect, unspoiled environment of Eden. In this sinless environment, work wa

1. 1 Chronicles 15-16The Circumstances: Centuries before King David reigned over Israel, God set the descendants of Abraham apart from others to have a unique relationship with Him. After bringing them out of bondage in Egypt, He had them build the Ark of the Covenant in which they placed the ten commandments, some manna, and the staff of Aaron, th