Their names are withheld from the listing of the faithful in Hebrews 11. However, their faith was not overlooked. The world rejected them, imprisoned them, tormented them, derided them, scoffed at them, belittled them, ignored them, and killed them. God, on the other hand, protected them, encouraged them, loved them, supplied them, promised them, and delivered […]
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT SPEAKING IN TONGUES?
This is one of the most frequently asked Bible questions. Let’s give brief attention to the two main sections of the New Testament that mention such tongues. ACTS 2, 10, 19 The first mention of speaking in tongues is found immediately following the Spirit coming upon the apostles. Luke records in Acts 2:4: “And they […]
Bible-Based Parenting Encourage Where You Can
First, the Bible: “Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, “Do you see how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the evil in his days, but I will bring the evil upon his house in his son’s days.” (1 […]
A Warm and Welcoming Church
Once, I received a call from a woman who watched our TV program. She shared her religious background with me, including the fact that she was raised in a church of Christ. While she was baptized many years before, she committed fornication, became pregnant, and had a child out of wedlock. She said that she […]
Church Growth
What do we mean when we say, “Church Growth?” This involves several areas about which church leaders should be concerned. Congregations should be concerned about growth in: (1) Evangelism, growing in number, (2) Maturity – helping each member become more mature as a Christian, (3) Giving – we may not like the topic, but it […]
“Vanishing Act”
Noah Karberg had just finished a day of fishing on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts. He made a stop at a grocery store before heading home to pick up a few things. While loading the bags of groceries into his car, he placed his wallet on the tray of the shopping cart, as his fishing shorts had […]
Be Careful With Your Words
Solomon wrote, “Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven and you on earth; therefore let your words be few” (Eccl 5:2). Many need to work harder at applying this instruction. There are really two warnings here. One caution concerns words […]
Why I Pray
I pray because I believe God listens. “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14). I pray because God has told me that He cares and is able to help. “Casting all your care upon Him, for He […]
Asking the Right Question
Albert Einstein said, “If I had an hour to solve a problem…I would spend the first 55 minutes determining the proper questions to ask, for once I know the proper question, I can solve the problem in less than five minutes.” When it comes to the Bible, many times we do not ask the proper […]
God and Family
Earthly choices can drive one’s faithfulness to God if permitted. Work, recreation, and hobbies can distract and take precedence over one’s service to God. While these activities are not inherently wrong, one must guard against things and “stuff” that redirect focus away from God. Sometimes a family member (grandparent, parent, spouse, etc.) can influence another […]