Article (Page 6)

Article (Page 6)

The Sympathizing Jesus

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15) As exalted, holy and glorious as Jesus is, it would be a great mistake to think that our High Priest is remote from the realities of our lives. There ought to be no question of any incapacity on His part to relate to us in the matter…

Thinking About “The Great Commandment”

“And He said unto him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40). Little to no regard for human life, hatred, mistreatment and abuse have become the “new normal” for a nation that once…

Making Good Bible Study Even Better

The difference between good Bible students and great ones really boils down to this – the ability to ask and to biblically answer questions of the text in order to better know, love and obey God. Note that there are two distinct but interrelated aspects. 1. “The ability to ask and to biblically answer questions of the text” can be called the “digging phase.” Think excavation and foundation. It deals with digging for God’s gold and unearthing His treasure. It…

Psalm 51

In this well-known psalm of repentance, David comes clean before God concerning his sin with Bathsheba and his having Uriah killed (read 2 Samuel 11 & 12). The words of David are especially appropriate from another occasion: “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18). Few passages anywhere in the Bible resonate with such truth and emotion regarding confession of sin. This psalm deals with 12 words that will change anyone’s life. Psalm…

The Word “Incline”

The Bible is a book made up of words – as almost all books are. We read the words and we know the general meaning of them as we read, but it really is fascinating to think that God chose specific words to allow us to know something of His nature, His mind, and His will for our lives. Consider for a moment the word ‘incline.’ It is a word found a number of times in our English translations and…

The Truth About Jesus on the Day He Died

In the very early morning hours on Friday, the day that Jesus would die for the sins of the world, Jesus was asked bluntly, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” Jesus would answer with a short sentence begun with the words, “I Am,” (Mark 14:61-62). Of interest, it wasn’t only the Lord who would declare who He was, but others with nothing to gain would reach the same conclusion before the day was over. Judas Iscariot –…

When Love is Lacking

Scripture exhorts us to love out of a pure heart (1 Tim. 1:5). Christian love is to be without hypocrisy (Rom. 12:9); it is to love “even as” the Lord loves us (John 13:35). We are commanded to have a love that is fervent and sincere (1 Pet. 1:22), as well as one that is ever increasing (1 Thess. 3:12). True love is an attitude of the heart and will that must display itself in action. It is not lethargic…

I Cannot Be Convinced that God Doesn’t Love Me

The title is a reflection of one commentator’s summation of the thoughts of Paul from Romans 8:31-39. In this section, the great apostle is speaking to the power of the cross of Jesus and he has to conclude there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. It is a conclusion reached after asking and answering four questions – notice them with me briefly: 1. If God is for us,…

Our Generous God

In Luke 15, Jesus teaches a crowd that consisted of ‘tax collectors and sinners’ as well as Pharisees and scribes, by using three parables. Perhaps one of the most well-known of all parables is the parable of the lost sons or “The Prodigal Son.” A certain man (our Heavenly Father) had two sons, and the teaching was directed to both the sinners (youngest son) and those who thought they were better than the sinners (oldest son). Please notice the contrast…

When You’re Feeling Discouraged

Even the best of people sometimes get discouraged. After all, even the sun has a “sinking spell,” doesn’t it? Discouragement can especially be prevalent in the work of the Lord, and for a variety of reasons. But at the heart of all the reasons should be the awareness that the Devil is not going to leave us alone! It appears that much of the book of 2 Corinthians was written during a time when Paul was experiencing discouragement. Here are…

The Power of God’s Word

Our words carry great power! With our words we can encourage and build up, speak with love and compassion and with our words we can just as easily discourage and tear down. If you are an average person, you speak between 125 and 150 words per minute. There is great power on display every time our mouths open. That is why the Bible spends so much time referring to the tongue of man and the responsibility to harness its power…

The Knees of the Soul

That’s what humility has been called – “the knees of the soul.” Faith and humility not only go together; they ought not be separated from each other! Proverbs 3:34 says the Lord is scornful to the scorners, “but to the humble He gives favor.” We all wrestle, at least occasionally, with pride. And Christians must understand that we face few enemies so formidable. Here’s the reason. We can’t be full of ourselves and full of God at the same time.…