Divine Providence (Part Two)
by Mike FuhrerIn Part One, we stuck a toe into the waters of divine providence and found that the subject is far deeper than we may have imagined it to be. God's care for us goes well beyond fulfilling ...
07-Feb-20
Divine Providence (Part One)
by Mike FuhrerGod’s providence is a subject that few people, even in God’s church, have a full grasp on. Most look on it too narrowly. Providence is defined as “the protective care of God or of nature as a spiritual power.” ...
31-Jan-20
A City on a Hill (Part Two)
by John ReissIn Part One, we considered the examples of two men, Dirk Willems and Desmond Doss, both of whom lived out in public what they believed, the first showing love toward an enemy and the second selflessly caring ...
24-Jan-20
A City on a Hill (Part One)
by John ReissThree hundred and eighty-nine years ago, John Winthrop sold his properties and joined with other pilgrims leaving England in search of religious freedom. ...
17-Jan-20
The Elijah Syndrome (Part Three)
by David C. GrabbeWe can draw several lessons from the prophet Elijah’s experience recorded in I Kings 19, particularly his belief that he was the only one left whom God could use. First, no matter how bleak ...
10-Jan-20
The Elijah Syndrome (Part Two)
by David C. GrabbeLast time, we saw that, even though God used the prophet Elijah powerfully in opposing the wickedness of Ahab and Jezebel, performing extraordinary miracles through him, the man’s perspective ...
03-Jan-20
The Elijah Syndrome (Part One)
by David C. GrabbeElijah the Tishbite stands as one of the greatest prophets in the history of Israel. He is not known for any prophetic books, but instead, his fame arises from the great miracles associated with him. ...
27-Dec-19
The Widow and the Fatherless (Part Four)
by Mike FordMany mornings of my life have been spent merging from I-20 onto the Downtown Connector in Atlanta, just inching along. Every morning a man stands on the shoulder with a cardboard sign, seeking donations. ...
20-Dec-19
The Widow and the Fatherless (Part Three)
by Mike FordIn Part Two of this series, we concentrated on the prophet Jeremiah’s sermon to the people of Judah in Jeremiah 7. Among his criticisms—in fact, nearly the first of them—is a command from God ...
13-Dec-19
The Widow and the Fatherless (Part Two)
by Mike FordIn Part One, we considered the apostle James’ definition of “pure religion” as “to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27). ...
06-Dec-19
The Widow and the Fatherless (Part One)
by Mike FordHistory knows the apostle James, half-brother of Jesus Christ, as a humble man. After Christ's death and resurrection, he oversaw the headquarters church in Jerusalem. In his epistle, ...
27-Nov-19
Hannah's Thanksgiving
by Richard T. RitenbaughIn the bustle of modern life, it is easy to forget just how good we have it. Comparatively, citizens of today's Western nations own more than even most of the richest people in ancient times ...
22-Nov-19
Futility, Sovereignty, and Faith
by Levi W. GrahamWhenever a national holiday like Independence Day, Memorial Day, or Veterans Day comes around, we often see the familiar phrase, “Freedom isn’t free” on bumper stickers or on signs along the roadway. ...
15-Nov-19
Put God First
by John ReissIn His letter to the church in Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22), Jesus Christ rebukes the members there for failing to put their calling in its proper place in their lives and warns them ...
08-Nov-19
Is It Salvational? (Part Three)
by David C. GrabbeThe “Is it salvational?” approach can be dangerous in two ways. The first is the obvious risk of misjudging a matter, declaring something to be minor that God considers to be major. ...
01-Nov-19
Is It Salvational? (Part Two)
by David C. GrabbeAs we saw in Part One, Adam and Eve fell for Satan’s temptation by weighing only the penalties and the benefits of the fruit that appeared so pleasant to their eyes. They overlooked what their choice would do ...
25-Oct-19
Is It Salvational? (Part One)
by David C. GrabbeA short time ago, a man asked me about some doctrines that the church believes. In the course of our conversation, he brought up the Sabbath. He noted that we keep the Sabbath and the holy days, ...
11-Oct-19
Submission (Part Two)
by John ReissPastor V. Mark Smith writes in a blog post, "The [fifth] commandment stands at the head of all human relationships. The next four commandments proceed with directions for the treatment of our fellow man." He then cites seventeenth-century clergyman Ezekiel Hopkins, who wrote that God's teaching in the fifth commandment gives us the basis for handling all spheres of influence, that is the relationship to those in authority, the relationship of those in authority to their inferiors, and the lateral relationships of those who are our equals. The fifth commandment reflects the first sphere, namely, how do we respond to those in authority? The command is more complex than imagined because it encompasses all authorities, not just the authority of parents. The scope is broad starting with God who gave the commandment, down to every relationship of every kind in which others are placed over us in the societal order. The command is difficult because of our natural resistance to authority. . . . The rejection of God filters down into reluctant submission to all authorities. For this reason, children must be trained to respect their parents. If we fail here in the second greatest level of authority, there is no hope for the final commandments to be obeyed.
04-Oct-19
Submission (Part One)
by John ReissRegardless of which political party is in power, God counsels His children in Romans 13:1-7 on how to have peace in an anything-but-peaceful world. ...
27-Sep-19
Manoah (Part Two)
by Mike FordIf professors and commentators think so little of Manoah, Samson’s father—as documented in Part One—why would we want to consider him as an example of true masculinity? We need to look more closely at what Judges 13 says ...
20-Sep-19
Manoah (Part One)
by Mike FordIn August 2018, the American Psychological Association (APA) issued new guidelines for the treatment of men and boys. The “headline news” within the guidelines was its redefining of “traditional masculinity” ...
13-Sep-19
God's Correction of His Children
by Mike FuhrerIt seems that ample correction is occurring in the Body of Christ. Perhaps it might be said another way: There is currently a lot of illness in the Body of Christ. ...
06-Sep-19
Fearing God's Worthiness
by Levi W. GrahamCompetition is everywhere in life. Whether warranted or not, it seems to be the natural order of things. Consider, for example, the plants in one's garden. Though the gardener has no real wish for one tomato ...
30-Aug-19
Fearing God's Willingness
by Levi W. GrahamOur daily lives are filled with struggle. Just in working at our jobs, paying bills, maintaining relationships, and putting out occasional "fires" that flare up, we are barraged with various trials. ...
23-Aug-19
Making the Cut (Part Six)
by Richard T. RitenbaughIn Part Five, we studied the three qualifications in Psalm 15:4 for those who would dwell with God both now and for eternity. Those specific criteria focus on the idea of honor: The upright individual ...
16-Aug-19
Making the Cut (Part Five)
by Richard T. RitenbaughIn the previous essay, we covered Psalm 15:3, “He who does not backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor does he take up a reproach against his friend.” We found that these three prohibitions reflect ...
09-Aug-19
Making the Cut (Part Four)
by Richard T. RitenbaughIn Part Three, we began our study of the answer to David’s double question: “LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?” (Psalm 15:1). This initial salvo ...
02-Aug-19
Making the Cut (Part Three)
by Richard T. RitenbaughLast time, we explored Psalm 15:1, which is comprised of the two questions King David asks to open the psalm: “LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?” Though ...
26-Jul-19
Making the Cut (Part Two)
by Richard T. RitenbaughPart One introduced the scriptural concept that, while a person is justified only by God’s grace through the blood of Jesus Christ, God expects His called-out ones to respond to His merciful election with obedience to His commands and ..
19-Jul-19
Making the Cut (Part One)
by Richard T. RitenbaughGolf is hard. It may seem easy enough to imagine hitting a little, white ball a few hundred yards down a fairway into a four-and-a-quarter-inch hole on a distant, manicured green, but ...
12-Jul-19
An Illuminating Prophecy
by Charles WhitakerMany people miss a vital prophecy embedded in Genesis 1:1-3: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters...."
05-Jul-19
Flag of Our Father
by Ronny H. GrahamWith the celebration of Independence Day having just passed here in the United States, we see many displays of Old Glory flapping in the breeze as we go about our daily activities. ...
28-Jun-19
Where Is My Rolls Royce? (Part Two)
by Mike FuhrerPart One explained that God indeed wants His people to live an abundant life (John 10:10), but He is not in the habit of just giving us everything we desire. He is far more ...
21-Jun-19
Where Is My Rolls Royce? (Part One)
by Mike FuhrerMany of the evangelists on television are of the 'name it and claim it' variety, preaching what is called the 'Prosperity Gospel'. The following verses are among their favorites: ...
14-Jun-19
Addiction and Self-Control
by Richard T. RitenbaughPeople the world over are plagued by addiction. Countless individuals struggle with their addictions to street drugs, pharmaceuticals, alcohol, and tobacco. Many will not admit it, ...
07-Jun-19
Each Other (Part Three)
by David C. GrabbeThrough Parts One and Two, the focus of our attention has narrowed to the instruction in Hebrews 10:24-25. It is the author's advice to a people who, though they had long experience in God's church ...
31-May-19
Each Other (Part Two)
by David C. GrabbeThe book of Hebrews, written to mature, long-time members of the church, does not concern itself a great deal with sin. The author's emphasis is elsewhere—particularly on the superiority ...
24-May-19
Each Other (Part One)
by David C. GrabbeThe book of Hebrews was written to a group of people who were well-established in the faith and doctrines of Jesus Christ. In terms of the subject material and the way it is presented, Hebrews may be the most advanced of the New Testament writings ...
17-May-19
What Does It Take to Be a Hero? (Part Two)
by Ronny H. GrahamIn Part One, we began to consider heroes and why some people are heroic. We recognize heroes when we see, hear, or read about them: They are people, as dictionaries tell us, who are noble, courageous, and achieve great things. ...
10-May-19
What Does It Take to Be a Hero? (Part One)
by Ronny H. GrahamWhile growing up in the 1960s, I lived on a dirt street in a small neighborhood, and many times after school, several of the neighborhood kids would gather to play baseball in front of my house. ...
03-May-19
Was Jesus Christ's Body Broken? (Part Three)
by David C. GrabbeConceptually, the image of a “broken body” is one of defeat. An image that springs to mind is of a warrior beaten and dead on the battlefield. However, Jesus Christ was not ...
26-Apr-19
Was Jesus Christ's Body Broken? (Part Two)
by David C. GrabbeIn Part One, we saw that the word “broken” does not actually appear in the oldest and perhaps best Greek manuscripts of I Corinthians 11:24: “.. . and when [Jesus] had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body ..."
19-Apr-19
Was Jesus Christ's Body Broken? (Part One)
by David C. GrabbeHow often have we heard the phrase “Christ’s broken body”? Many have heard it throughout their lives and have used it countless times. It rolls off the tongue easily and with hardly a second thought. But is it accurate? ...
12-Apr-19
Lessons From a Worm
by John ReissThe old Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course on Passover (Lesson 33) exhorts the reader to study Psalm 22, which prophesies of Jesus Christ’s suffering. In particular, Psalm 22:6 ...
05-Apr-19
The Peter Principle (Part Four)
by Mike FordOver the past three essays, we have been distinguishing between the Physical Peter Principle—a person rises to the level of his incompetence—and the Spiritual Peter Principle—God provides ...
29-Mar-19
The Peter Principle (Part Three)
by Mike FordIn Parts One and Two, we learned about the two kinds of Peter Principles, the Physical and the Spiritual. ...
22-Mar-19
The Peter Principle (Part Two)
by Mike FordIn Part One, we differentiated between the two Peter Principles: The Physical Peter Principle posits a person rises to his or her level of incompetence. ...
15-Mar-19
The Peter Principle (Part One)
by Mike FordWe have all been in a restaurant, a store, or a bank, and the employee serving us—perhaps newly hired or in training—just cannot complete the task. We ask to see the manager, and ...
08-Mar-19
Friends of the Friendless (Part Two)
by John ReissAs we saw in Part One, friendship is a constant theme throughout God’s Word. We could even say that His plan of salvation is to restore friendship between Himself and humanity ...
01-Mar-19
Friends of the Friendless (Part One)
by John ReissRecently, an old I Love Lucy show came to mind. After a bit of research, I found that the episode I had recalled was titled, “Lucy’s Last Birthday.” Thinking that everyone has forgotten ...
22-Feb-19
The Spirit of Babylon (Part Three)
by David C. GrabbeIn Parts One and Two, using the writings of Enheduanna, an ancient Babylonian priestess of the goddess Inanna, we have seen that today’s progressive thought mirrors its ancient counterpart ...
15-Feb-19
The Spirit of Babylon (Part Two)
by David C. GrabbeWhat seems to be modern and progressive now is simply another iteration of something that began long ago. Even before the time of Abraham, the Babylonian priestess Enheduanna taught that individuals, to overcome the constraints of Eden and to mature in their personality, can do anything they want, even to the point of taking on prerogatives of God Himself!