The Law also showed God’s commitment to justice and equality. Judges were to uphold truth and not take bribes (Deuteronomy 16:19). God condemned different scales and dishonest business methods that would exploit people (Leviticus 19:35-36). The Law treats all equally and protected the rights of the weak and the strong. God says several times how he

Honor your father and mother. (Exodus 20:12)Thou shalt not murder. (Exodus 20:13)Thou shalt not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14)Thou shalt not steal. (Exodus 20:15)Thou shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. (Exodus 20:16)Thou shall not covet your neighbor. (Exodus 20:17)Jesus summed up all of the 10 commandments. As we look at commandm

What Does the Gospel of Barnabas Say about Jesus?One of the biggest reasons the Gospel of Barnabas cannot have been written during the time of the Apostles is that it diverges significantly from the accounts in the canonical gospels.Most obviously, it communicates that Jesus did not die for humanity’s sins. If Judas died in Jesus’ place, there was

Are Christians Supposed to Pray for Our Governing Authorities? Every candidate — no matter what party, whether male or female, believer or unbeliever — needs the prayers of the faithful followers of Christ (James 5:16; 1 Peter 3:12). The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 13:1-7 that every person is to be subject to governing authorities, “For there i

In the book of Titus, we find a verse that is very similar to this lyric in the song, which says, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people.” Like the hymn states, grace appeared, making it possible for the author of the hymn to believe. The gift of grace is truly powerful and God desires for all to come to believe in Hi

For a more detailed look at this topic, see Why is the Dove Often a Symbol for the Holy Spirit?How Does the Symbol of the Dove Impact the Christian Life?From the moment we accept Jesus as Lord, we receive the Holy Spirit as a seal upon our lives. Just like the dove alighting on Jesus, the Holy Spirit indwells us and seals us. We no longer need to f

However, it is important to understand these instances in the context of God’s unchanging nature. Numbers 23:19 states, “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and will he not do? Or has he spoken, and will he not make it good?”When the Bible speaks of God relenting or repenting, it signifies his

Beyond these basic principles of the faith, other issues become more secondary, or even tertiary. For example, the question of the style of worship would not be a crucial issue for salvation or properly understanding God.When considering the question of the existence of guardian angels, whether or not they exist and if we should believe in them or

The question Joel is begging us to ask, is “what would it be like if the Mighty One is bent on violence, severity, destruction, havoc, desolation, and ruin. How bad can He make it? How destructive can El Shaddai (The All-Powerful One) be?”The short answer to that is, as destructive as He wants to be. Of course, we know that God is full of grace and

Amen.A Prayer When You Feel Alone in Your GriefDear God,Sometimes I feel so alone in my grief. No one else seems to feel the loss of my beloved pet like I do. No one else but me seems to feel haunted by their memory, left longing for the old days. I am in deep and painful mourning, and well-meaning platitudes or encouragement from others falls flat

Trained in the Old Testament, Paul’s teaching connects to Genesis 6:5, which recounts humanity’s state after the Fall. “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Again, we see the connection between the heart and action. The people only desired t

That wasn’t how the man, who clearly represents God, responded. Instead, he conceded to the prodigal’s wishes, gave him his share of the estate, and let him go.The man released his son from the property but not from his heart.While Scripture doesn’t tell us how long the son remained gone, we do know it was long enough for him to squander everything

1. Sometimes God Calls Us to Step AwayWhen Beth lived at home, she assumed the blame for her chronic anxiety, deep insecurity, and feelings of shame. If only she lost weight, got rid of her acne, or became less concerned with other people’s opinions, then she’d feel confident and worthy of love. The fact that her parents had reinforced her feelings

1. Moses—Murderer to DelivererDo you recall Moses’ story? Famed actors and multiple movies portray him as a great deliverer, which is true. But the man rescued from the waters of the Nile as an infant had an impulsive bent. In fact, the first words in the Bible about the adult Moses testify to his murderous actions against an Egyptian beating an en

Be on the lookout for people and pastors who break the ninth commandment in leadership. We all need accountability to the Lord and each other.The Ten Commandments ListCommandments 1-4Thou shall have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:3)Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven images. (Exodus 20:4-6)Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2).If we are following the teachings of Christ, we cannot be spiritual manipulators or be manipulated.How to Protect Yourself from Spiritual ManipulationChristians arou

1. You Are Not Alone “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze” (Isaiah 43:2).The interesting thing about this verse from the prophet Isaiah is that God uses the word “when,” not

Communicate what the roles are during the transition period – especially during any time absent a pastor. Encourage continued involvement with the church’s ministries. Encourage fellowship and continue to meet together.Be prepared to deal with a range of feelings and emotions. Some may feel grief or anger or bitterness over the departure of the pri

Older godly women know this and teach younger women. You are in training to be such a one. Your first call to action is to love the Lord. Then love your husband and children. God first. Husband second. Love them well, but don’t let your children supersede your love for your husband or his role as the head of your household.7. Ephesians 5:33“However

1. Isaac and Rebekah – Importance of Prayer as a Couple The story of Isaac and Rebekah is one that seems like it could have come out of a romantic comedy. Rebekah and Isaac were brought together after Isaac’s father, Abraham, wanted to find a wife for his son. Everything seemed to come together for the couple, as they fell in love and took the step