Now when the kindness of a Savior-God appeared, it was not something vague and uncertain; He has saved us, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy by washing and renewing us. … He is washed from his former habits, thoughts, desires, in the practical sense. We wash a thing that exists. The man was morally bad and

1. Let go of guilt.Depression can make you feel like a “less than” Christian. You might feel as if it were your fault. We sometimes have thoughts like: “If I really trusted God, I wouldn’t feel this way.” Someone else may even say this to us, but guilt never helped anyone recover from depression. What if we let go of it and asked God for a fresh re

This week, practice the prayer of pliability. Instead of focusing on what you want God to do for you, focus on allowing Him to shape your desires until they match His. Accept each situation in your life as His hand shaping your thoughts, character, and longings. 9. “Not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)This week, let these words

1. Abigail: the father's joyOrigin: HebrewMeaning: "the father's joy" or "of joy"Context: In 1 Samuel 25 we learn that Abigail is both intelligent and beautiful; she was King David's third wife. Because Abigail describes herself as King David's handmaid or servant in some translations, it's a name often given to ladies' maids in literature.2. Eliza

E — Essential. The Second Coming is a foundational fact. All Christians and all Christian churches since the time of the apostles have affirmed the Second Coming as an essential or foundational belief. All early church creeds include the Second Coming, such as the Apostles' Creed — "He will come to judge the living and the dead." While Christians u

I find that I especially need a gospel refocus to help steer me away from a constant tendency to drift into a performance-driven relationship with God. I'm not alone in that tendency; Jerry Bridges observes how pervasive it is among us all:My observation of Christendom is that most of us tend to base our personal relationship with God on our perfor

1. Psalm 118"This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." - Psalm 118:24 Image courtesy: Unsplash.com2. Proverbs 3:5"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."  -Proverbs 3:5 Image courtesy: Pexels.com3. Psalm 29:11"The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will b

Godfearers were among the first members of the early church. They were intricately involved in its growth, hosting house churches, and providing shelter for missionaries (Acts 16:40). Their acceptance of Jesus as the Christ and their subsequent receiving of the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:33-34) radically altered the church’s mission—opening the way for t

By contrast we remember the nursing home where Sandy’s mother lived for several years. Sandy’s father had died several years before, but there were other residents in the nursing home whose spouses were still living. We recall a woman who arrived one day carrying balloons which proclaimed “Happy 50th!” Her husband was in the nursing home, in circum

There is another result. In his excellent preaching on Jonah, Donald Grey Barnhouse often called attention to this by highlighting the phrase "he paid his fare" (KJV). He noted that Jonah did not get to where he was going, since he was thrown overboard, and that he obviously did not get a refund on his ticket. So he paid the full fare and did not g

There is one further reason for keeping a day of rest. Although it is not mentioned here in Exodus, it is mentioned in Deuteronomy, where the Ten Commandments are repeated. There the first part of the commandment is virtually identical (Deuteronomy 5:12-14), but the reason is different: "Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your

1. Mark Blitz“From a biblical point of view, a solar eclipse is meant as a sign from God. When there is a total solar eclipse, it is a warning to a specific nation or nations depending on its path. … Could God be giving us a warning that we need to repent or judgment will be coming to the United States? The timing couldn’t be clearer!” Photo courte

1. God sees past our race, gender, and divisions.“There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28Not only that, but the Bible says we were all made in “God’s image”. All of humanity sprung from Adam and Eve, and God planned it that way. This means that literally “all people” are

1. “God won’t give you more than you can handle.” 1 Memes 7:77When some difficulty arises in the life a believer (or anyone else), this supposed verse gets tossed out there like a Scripture bomb. Sure, it sounds compelling, and it does remind us of God’s care and concern for each of us. After all, He knows exactly the number of follicles growing ou

1. The Bible forbids it.Scripture forbids same-sex sexual relations. I have written extensively on this issue (see my How to Defend Biblical Marriage, for example). A same-sex marriage contradicts God’s intention for us.2. God created and defined marriage.In his view, marriage is only between a man and a woman (cf. Genesis 1:28; Jeremiah 29:6; Matt

1. Aaron: "mountain of strength"Origin: HebrewMeaning: "a teacher" "lofty" "mountain of strength" "iluminator"Context: Aaron, a Levite, was the son of Amram and Jochebed and older brother of Moses and Miriam. He is first mentioned in ( Exodus 4:14). God appointed him to be Moses' interpreter.Image courtesy: Pexels.com2. Benjamin: "son of the right

Do you see what God was teaching his people that night? For one thing, it was a shocking reminder of their own guilt. When all was said and done, God was reminding them that they were no less deserving of the judgment of death than the Egyptians. They themselves were guilty of sin.But there was another lesson, too. Seared into their minds and heart

1. Selfishness/Self-RighteousnessHow often did Jesus call out the Pharisees in the New Testament? All. The. Time. And it was always for self righteousness or selfishness. If you have to compliment yourself on something good you’ve done, then you aren’t doing it right. So many of us like to display our faithful acts so that others will know what goo

If you could ask an unborn child how much he understands, he could discourse on all he knows. But let him be born-come sliding through the birth canal, surely a terrifying experience, and then be caught by some stranger who slaps him on his behind until he cries, and all those lights and sounds and that sudden movement. What's going on? What does i

(2) Works of utility should never be set in opposition to the promptings of self-sacrificing love, and the sincerity of those who do so is to be suspected. Under the mask of concern for the poor at home, how many excuse themselves from all care of the perishing heathen abroad. (3) Amidst conflicting duties, that which our "hand (presently) finds to