It’s true that only God can supply genuine joy. However, there is a key technique in James 1:2 to help us. Once again, this verse says, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials.” Notice the word “count.” Some other English versions of the Bible translate it, “consider.” It’s a word that means to systematically scrutinize or

What Does Wrath Mean? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines wrath as “strong vengeful anger or indignation; retributory punishment for an offense or a crime: divine chastisement.If you go by this definition alone then you see that while wrath can have a tone of vengeance or revenge, it can also be justified depending on the circumstance. For insta

Elohim as "El" and Plural We often see the personal character of Elohim when it is shortened, to El, and then coupled with another word. (Though some scholars question whether this is simply a shortening). Several names of popular OT characters have El in their name: Elijah (“El is Yahweh”) and Samuel (“Heard by El”) are two such examples.When you

Upon finding this guy who owed him money, he became aggressive. The first servant grabbed the other and choked him, demanding his payment. He made the same appeal, please be patient with me and I will pay it all back, which we have just determined was entirely possible. However, the first servant refused to listen and had this man thrown in jail un

El Shaddai—Shades of Meaning? There is considerable debate surrounding the name Shaddai. I believe the various possibilities are shades of meaning that give us greater understanding of who God is and what He does.Among Christians, the most common interpretation of shaddai today is “mighty,” and El Shaddai would translate to “God Almighty.” Coincidi

John Newton, famous for writing "Amazing Grace," once remarked that “None but He who made the world can make a Minister of the Gospel.” Only God can call a true minister, and only He can grant the minister the gifts necessary for service. But the great promise of Scripture is that God does call ministers, and presents these servants as gifts to the

How Can We Trust That John's Visions Are Reliable?What’s very interesting about this book is that John has an encounter with Jesus again in the first chapter. Remember John had a very unique perspective of Jesus. He saw him in his natural form as a human; he also saw him transfigured and in all his glory. Let’s look at this encounter:“I turned arou

What Does Jesus Say about Heaven?In Jesus’ earthly ministry he spent a good amount of time talking about eternity, and in one instance this is what he told his disciples:“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to p

What Does Divine Providence Mean? Divine providence deals with God’s plan in the earth and God’s plan in your life. On a personal level, we see that it has to do with fulfillment of your destiny. God has a specific plan or destiny for your life and he works and orders things in your life to bring that destiny to fruition.We also see that within the

Be ready to read only a short passage and show the kids how it reveals something to us about the character of God, the nature of man, or how it points to Christ as our only redeemer. Keeping kids on their toes by asking them questions will promote interaction and gain their attention. Eventually, they’ll be able to impress you with their knowledge

Rahab’s faith in God engrafted her into a new family. Even more, Rahab was, soon, engrafted into the physical family of Israel as she became the wife of Salmon, one of the leaders of Israel who supported Moses when they left Egypt. Rahab’s husband is chronicled in both the Old and New Testaments (1 Chronicles 2:10-11, Ruth 4:20-21, Matthew 1:4-5 an

Foreshadowing the undeserved grace that Jesus would bring centuries later, Joseph did not hold a grudge, ready and waiting with open arms, calling for those who needed forgiveness to accept it. It is a great model for believer’s today who may be struggling with forgiveness and dealing with someone with an unrepentant spirit. Patience and grac

Our country seemed like it was at its darkest 16 years ago. And there will be other dark days in the future. But through that darkness is when the light of Christ glows bright, powerful, and full of hope. JRU writes, “If you carry difficult times in your heart or for the difficult times that will come, I hope you are comforted with the truth that H

Other versions say: “this is the essence." and “this is the meaning.”Jesus used this Golden Rule to sum up the meaning of the law and the prophets.What Matthew 7:12 Reveals about God’s LoveWhen Jesus commanded "do unto others"i, he wasn’t simply giving us a rule to follow. He was unveiling the purity of God’s love and the depravity of the human h

"God’s promises never fail." Scripture tells us believers look forward to receiving beautiful promises when Jesus returns. Trusting in these promises in the midst of troubled times encourages us to look toward the heavens with anticipation, not anxiety. Sometimes, though, fear overtakes us, and we struggle to find peace in the middle of this turmoi

What’s the Importance of the Golden Scepter?Even though Esther marries the king and lives in the palace, she doesn’t see him very often (Esther 4:11). And no one can approach the king unless summoned, upon point of death, even his own wife. But with the lives of her people in jeopardy, Esther has no choice. She must approach the king and hope he ex

Challenge yourself to read a chapter per day. Ask questions. Many online Bible sites have commentaries that can explain certain phrases and topics. Take notes and write down questions you can come back to later. The Bible was not originally written in chapters, so reading larger sections helps give greater understanding of the scripture.During chal

The situation will almost inevitably lead to even stronger and less voluntary government actions. Could these encroach on religious liberty? That is certainly possible, but not necessarily. To prevent that, we will need more secular leaders to think carefully about why religion is important and more religious leaders to be thinking through the comp

What Does "Pride Comes Before the Fall" Mean? Proverbs chapter 16 is in the middle of the book of Proverbs. It is in the section written by King Solomon (or the section made up of collected proverbs of Solomon, depending on historical interpretation). In the beginning of Proverbs, King Solomon makes it clear that his aim is to provide wisdom. Prove

Luke 12:15: "And he said to them, 'Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.'”Ephesians 5:3: "But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.”Hebrews 13:5: "Keep your life free from love of money,