[1st Samuel 24]

INTRODUCTION

A. The strange habit of man is to take one statement or one action and make a broad application - many times unreasonably or unfairly so. For example, when the world sees the one occasion when a Christian doesn’t act with patience towards another person, they will often condemn him for being a ‘hypocrite” based on that one action. If… Continue reading

At some point in the life of every disciple, each of us will make a poor decision, take a wrong turn, follow bad advice, believe a false notion, come to an erroneous conclusion, or simply fail to do what we know is right. Though we might want to make light of these things, it would not be wrong to call some of these things sin, for some… Continue reading

INTRODUCTION

A. Too often in the realm of religion, those who claim to be disciples of Jesus Christ cannot give a reasonable answer for what they believe or why they believe. Such answers as ‘I just do’ or ‘I just can’t put it into words’ when asked a reason for why they believe is pitifully insufficient as a “defense to everyone who asks you a… Continue reading

[John 6:15; John 18:33-37]

INTRODUCTION

A. Matthew’s record shows that the wise men who came from the east to see Jesus told Herod, “Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we saw His star in the east, and are come to worship Him” (Matt. 2:1). John records a time when the people of Galilee, after seeing the great miracles and wonders… Continue reading

When you say the word ‘diet’ or ‘lite’ nowadays, some people will almost instinctively wrinkle up their noses and they start conjuring up a picture of some bland, colorless blob of who-knows-what on a plate, or maybe just a picture of miniature portions of ‘regular’ food. Many times, when we think of something as ‘diet’ or ‘lite’, it doesn’t make our mouths water or make us run… Continue reading

[2nd Corinthians 10:1-11:4]

INTRODUCTION

A. As Paul continues his to address the brethren at Corinth, he now takes the time to address an issue that seems to be behind a lot of what he writes in this second letter: the questioning of his authority as an apostle with the apparent claim of his critics that they should be heard and not him. Throughout this letter… Continue reading

[Galatians 5:17]

INTRODUCTION

A. In 1898, author H.G. Wells published a book that basically created a new genre of literature we now know as science fiction: The War of the Worlds. It is the story that tells of an invasion by creatures from the planet Mars, who then rampage across the British countryside destroying everything and everyone in their path until stopped by a human… Continue reading

Forgiveness of sins is, we must admit, an undeserved gift from God. If we ever had a doubt, God tells us plainly. The fact that we were all sinners (Rom. 3:23), that the end result of sin is spiritual death (Rom. 6:23a; Jas. 1:15), that we were counted as His enemies (Rom. 5:10), and that we were all helpless to remove that sin and its consequent condemnation… Continue reading

INTRODUCTION

A. In this psalm, we see the words of a troubled man who is crying out for help. In his need for relief, he has cried out to those around him, but has received no help, nor has any offered. He has not even been acknowledged by some! No one cares! (v. 4) What a lonely and desperate situation in which… Continue reading

[Proverbs 22:1]

INTRODUCTION

1. 1. A growing trend today are online rating systems for restaurants and businesses, where people are able to rate their experiences and write reviews of these establishments for others to see. When choosing a new restaurant, for example, I won’t eat there unless over 75% of the people who have been there like it. I’ve found some of the best restaurants and businesses based on

I remember hearing a preacher years ago who would close every lesson by looking intently into the audience and saying, “It’s decision time.” What he meant was, he had said what he came to say and now it was the audience’s turn to decide what to do with it. His plain statement, the first time I heard it, was particularly attention-getting. While I had heard many lessons… Continue reading

[Matt. 5:8]

INTRODUCTION

A. Purity is much desired in our world even today. Would you want to drink from a water source whose origin was not believed to be pure? Would you want to eat anything that was not certain to be free of germs or bacteria? Cleanliness and purification are important when it comes to the things we eat and drink, but we value… Continue reading

[Romans 8:18-25]

INTRODUCTION

A. In 1860, author Charles Dickens published a book that has become one of the most read books in western literature: Great Expectations. It is the story that tells the tale of the struggles of a young man, Pip, who begins life as an orphan in rural England, but who desires the life of a gentleman and life in the city. His… Continue reading

No one would dispute the fact that our current economic situation, as a country, is bleak. Current unemployment is hovering around 10% of the eligible workforce, recent surveys show companies are not in a hurry to hire new workers, home prices are still sliding, the average credit card debt is about $6500, and 43% of households are spending more than they earn. And these are just the… Continue reading