Loyalty, Divided

Ronny Graham, reflecting on the different nuances of the word loyalty, cautions against the temptations of having divided loyalties. Loyalty, a word strangely absent from the pages of the Bible, is denoted by other words found abundantly in the Bible, such. . .

The first commandment reveals our first priority in every area of life: God. Anything we place ahead of Him becomes an idol!

The Ten Commandments open with the most important, the one that puts our relationship with God in its proper perspective. John Ritenbaugh explains this simple but vital command.

What is double-mindedness? David Maas explains that this harmful trait is analogous to being a double agent, serving two masters. As Christ says, one master will be neglected—and unfortunately, it is usually God.

John Ritenbaugh points out the impossibility of serving two masters equally (Matthew 6:24), especially if each master's goals, objectives, or interests are antithetical to one another. If we try to serve both equally, we run the risk of losing both. Eventu. . .

John Ritenbaugh examines the changing Israelitish mindset following two world wars, negatively influenced by affluence and cynicism which has undermined our ability to endure hardship and sacrifice in pursuit of a worthy national goal. Instead of disciplin. . .

Faithfulness is a hallmark of a true Christian, yet unfaithfulness is prevalent at the end of the age. Here is what the Bible teaches about faithfulness.

John Ritenbaugh examines the lives of those who signed the Declaration of Independence, observing that they put their treasure and lives in danger, many dying as traitors and outcasts. All of the signers realized that they were lighting the fuse freeing th. . .

Rather than having an apathetic relationship toward God, we must ardently, earnestly, and fervently seek God in order to imitate His behavior in our lives.

Our biggest danger at this time is to be lured into spiritual drunkenness by the pagan Babylonian system. Our God is not what we say we worship but whom we serve.

John Ritenbaugh again warns that anxiety and fretting (symptoms of coveting, lusting, and idolatry) in addition to cutting life short, erode and destroy faith, destroying today's serenity by borrowing tomorrow's troubles, bartering away eternity for cheap,. . .

In this sermon on the admonitions of I Corinthians 10, John Ritenbaugh warns that, like our forebears, we can lose our salvation if we live a life of divided loyalty even though we have mechanically and physically gone through the ordinances. Like the Old . . .

A prophet is one who speaks for God, expressing His will in words and sometimes signs. Standing outside the system, he proclaims God's purpose, including repentance.

Taking issue with those who have embraced the widely held notion that God does not have body parts, John Ritenbaugh asserts that just because spirit is invisible to the present physical receptors, much the same as wind or electromagnetic waves (John 3:8), . . .

Fear and anxiety are normal human emotions. But through changing our focus from earthly to heavenly things, we can rise above the concerns, remembering Who is with us.

Abraham's example has taught us that in our attempt at living by faith, we do not have a smooth transition from begettal to maturity, but the annoying or pesky problems we deal with are gradually removed (gradually disconnected) or conquered by faith and o. . .