Last May or June, there were so many prom gowns being stolen from stores that a large number of dress stores decided to discontinue carrying prom dresses. Some stores put out rewards for the stolen dresses, and several stores even hired …
Do YOU realize that if it is wrong to DO a certain thing, it is wrong to harbor THOUGHTS of that thing in your mind? "ALL have sinned," says the Scripture. What IS sin, anyway? Satan ought to know—and he is the invisible influence who …
Most people who are familiar with the Old Testament know that, as Jesus Christ hung on the stake (Greek stauros, “any kind of wooden pole”) about to die, He cried out, “‘Eloi, Eloi, lama Sabachthani?’ which is translated, ‘My God, My …

(1) “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. (2) Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. (3) Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, (4) but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. (5) But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. (6) “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ (7) Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. (8) And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ (9) But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ (10) And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. (11) “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ (12) But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ (13) “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
Knowing that human nature loses heart over time without the help of the Holy Spirit, Jesus understood that His church would need encouragement to be watchful while awaiting His second coming. For this reason, He gave the Parable of the …
It should come as no surprise that the Day of Atonement is the most unusual holy day of the year. Each holy day has its distinctive traits. For example, the Feast of Unleavened Bread has us eating unleavened bread for a week, and Pentecost has the unusual aspect of counting. But for outsiders, Atonement is just plain weird. They think it very strange that we will voluntarily not eat or drink for an entire day. Of course, in this distinction - called "fasting" or "afflicting our souls" - resides a great deal of the day's spiritual instruction. Fasting teaches us to realize just how …
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