There are not many things in Scripture that are worse than being labeled as an unbeliever, but not caring for your family is one of those things (1 Timothy 5:8). If God has blessed you with a family, He expects you to care for it. You might be leading as a father/husband. It might be the incredible work of a wife/mother. Whatever your case is, God expects you to care for the ones He has given to you. No family is perfect. Not even yours! However, as the problems come (today!), how will you show that you’re caring for the family He has given you? If you have not lately, you could start by praying, thanking God for the great people He has given to you.

Is marriage under attack in America? Is the family in trouble? I think that the answer is “yes” on both matters. There are many contributing factors; we will note some. However, what is the biggest threat? Maybe we can answer that question, maybe not. The following list is not necessarily in any particular order of importance, just some comments (though it loosely goes from least threat to biggest threat). 1 – The view of marriage is very skewed by television and movies. I do not have any doubt that there is some influence against marriage by the way it is presented in our entertainment venues. However, I do not see that as the biggest threat to marriage in our country. 2 – Some see the pseudo-marriages between individuals of the same sex as a major threat to marriage. It is a travesty, and, to be honest, a joke that it can even be called “marriage” at all, and I am adamantly opposed to the practice of homosexuality, but that is not the biggest threat to marriage, in my opinion. 3 – Couples living together outside of marriage are a serious problem in our society. I often hear “What difference does a piece of paper make, anyway?” I am also adamantly opposed to sexual relationships outside of marriage, and do see the impact that this concept has on marriage. Yet, I am not convinced that this is the biggest threat to marriage in America. 4 – Obviously, the ease of divorce …

Does not God’s Word teach us twice? “There is a way that seemeth right, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25)? Why has it taken us so long to realize that the use of the simple imagination of a person can lead into sinful conduct? Does not God’s Word teach us to ‘renew our minds’ (Romans 12:1-3)? Paul wrote of the “good, acceptable and perfect will of God.” The effort to do this renewal can be a major one. To read just a little of the counseling material regarding helping someone to overcome any addiction or obsession quickly causes one to see the effort required. However, with the Lord’s help, anyone can be blessed in the aftermath of wrong imaginations and conduct (Matthew 11:28-30). By being ‘yoked up’ with the Lord, we have renewed strength to overcome and will to endure. To conquer imagination requires us to have extra help. Leaving the Lord out did not help King Saul in his obsession against young David (1 Samuel). Betraying the Lord did not help Judas Iscariot in his addiction to money. Simon quickly realized what ‘gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity’ meant and asked for prayer as he was told to ‘repent and pray for forgiveness’ (Acts 8:22). Perhaps a reader of this article is in Simon’s state; let the Lord into your mind to do His will, please. Today, the Lord speaks to us through the Word of God, specifically, the New Testament.

The mechanical clock was made to adjust time. It was designed for the working man to adjust time so that he could work from sunup to sundown. In fact, in March we will be adjusting our watches for Daylight Savings Time. We will be springing forward an hour to get more sunlight in a day. It is also said that about the same time the mechanical clock was made, the hourglass or the sandglass was made. It was designed to measure a fixed time. With the sandglass, 60 seconds will always be 60 seconds, as will an hour always be an hour. With the hourglass, time is fixed. More than not, we apply our lives to fixed time. This is the way Solomon described time in Ecclesiastes 3:1-13: Birth/death; plant/uproot; kill/heal; tear down/build; weep/laugh; mourn/dance; scatter stones/gather them; embrace/refrain; search/give up; keep/throw away; tear/mend; love/hate; war/peace. We humans have tried to adjust time, change time, ignore time and even use time. Yet, there is one thing that we cannot change, and that is fixed time, which will run out for all of us. Ecclesiastes 3:2 reminds, “There is time to die.” Hebrews 9:27 states, “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” Regardless of what we do with time, we all come to the same conclusion; we do not know how much time we have! The Bible tells us over and over that the time we have today is God’s gift, and …

The person and work of the Holy Spirit in conversion is greatly misunderstood by the religious world. Many believe that there is a miraculous and mysterious working of the Holy Spirit in the heart of an individual at the time of his conversion to the Lord. One passage cited in support of this belief is Romans 8:16: “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.” However, one should examine more closely the wording of this verse. Upon doing so, one can see that the Bible states that the Spirit bears witness “with” our spirit and not “to” our spirit that “we are the children of God.” There is a tremendous difference. This passage simply states that there are two witnesses to our conversion to Christ. They are the Holy Spirit and our spirit. Yet, how is this possible? Perhaps it is best that we mention that the Holy Spirit and the Word of God are not the same. The Holy Spirit uses the Word of God as the instrument in the act of conversion. Paul wrote that “the sword of the Spirit” is “the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17). This is the only offensive weapon that the Christian soldier has in combating the forces of Satan and in the converting of the alien to the Lord. The apostle Peter informed us in 2 Peter 1:21 that “holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” While this was spoken …

In regard to doctrinal and moral issues, preachers are often asked, “What is your position on…?” My position is unimportant. What matters is, “What is God’s position?” If my position on a matter coincides with God’s, then and only then would my position matter. An amazing reality that preachers and faithful teachers of the Word must face is that even when we speak the truth in love, people are going to do what they want to do. People have to decide to believe that God is. They must accept the evidence and believe the Bible is God’s Holy Word, and it is to serve as our only guide in life. One must honor and respect the authority of God’s Word. Until these things are accepted and adhered to, we will do little if any good stating God’s position on any subject! May I share with the readers my position on a number of subjects and hope that my position coincides with God’s position on each topic. If such be the case, I would urge that we all take heed and conform our hearts and lives to God’s position on each matter. In no particular order, please consider my position on the following. As to the existence of God, I believe there is a Supreme Being (God) who created heaven and earth. I believe nature confirms this (Psalm 19:1). The Holy Bible begins with the assumption of the existence of God and makes no apologetic defense (Genesis 1:1). The Bible claims …

The second epistle of John is a letter penned “unto the elect lady and her children” whom John and others loved in the truth (2 John 1). Although the letter is short in length, it is extensive in commendation and exhortation that reveals to the reader what God desires in His children. God desires that His children walk in truth and love. John “rejoiced greatly” when he found his fellow Christians walking in truth (2 John 4a). When Christians behave in such a way that emulates the instruction found in the Gospel, there is reason to rejoice (3 John 3-4). It is common for there to be rejoicing when one is baptized into Christ (Acts 8:39; 16:34), but the rejoicing should continue as our fellow Christians remain steadfast in the faith. Walking in truth is not only a reason to rejoice, it is also “a commandment of the Father” (4b). The only way to please God is to obey His commandments, and our obedience is a demonstration of our love for Him (John 14:15; 15:14; 1 John 5:3). Walking in truth is important, but John encouraged lady elect to also walk in love (2 John 5). Specifically, he beseeched them to “love one another.” In order to encourage her, John established the age of the commandment and the definition of love. John insisted that the commandment to “love one another” was not a new commandment (5b) but was one they “heard from the beginning” (6a). Indeed, decades ago, Christ commanded the disciples to love …

One of the major tenets of the beliefs of the Jehovah’s Witnesses is that Jesus Christ is a creature, not God. They do not believe in the trinity; they simply teach that Christ was a created spirit-person created directly by God (which is why He is called ‘Son’) who existed long before our history began. Jesus was the instrument that God used to do His creating on earth, which is why He is called the “Word.” The claims made by Jehovah’s Witnesses are completely unfounded. The Bible does teach the trinity, and it also teaches the deity of Jesus Christ. Jesus is God who took on flesh, and not only does the Bible assign Him the title of “God,” but it is one that He claimed for Himself on numerous occasions. One of Jehovah’s Witnesses favorite texts that they put forward, which they say teaches that Jesus is a created being and not God, is Colossians 1:15. Here, Paul wrote that Jesus is “the firstborn of all creation.” What else can that mean except that Christ was the first thing that was created? Does it, then, mean that since Christ is also the “firstborn from the dead” (Colossians 1:18) that He was the first to be revived from death? Certainly not! Christ Himself raised several from the dead during His ministry, not to mention the several who were raised from the dead in the Old Testament. What does it all mean, then? The meaning of the passage as a whole …

Do we ever think of our salvation as being secure? We all have the freedom of choice, but can we run the possibility of apostasy? Of course we can, but by the blood of Jesus Christ we can have a firm, secure salvation! Apostasy (falling away from the faith) does not just happen by pure instinct. We see that throughout the inspired Word, the Bible does not take human freedom from us. “You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace” (Galatians 5:4). Also in 1 John 5:13 we find, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” The Scriptures affirm that it is possible to fall away from our salvation. There are other Scriptures to consider (2 Peter 2:20; Hebrews 6:18-19; 10:22; 2 Corinthians 5:1; 1 Timothy 4:8). There are three ways we can be confident and secure in our salvation toward God. We first need to know that God is stronger than our enemies (Romans 8:31-35; John 10:28)! Second, we see God’s grace is more abundant than our sins (Romans 3:24; 5:20-21; 6:23; Titus 3:5)! Lastly, we can see that perfection is not the means to forgiveness, but forgiveness is the means to perfection as John wrote, “But if we walk in the light as He is …

You do not hear the name John Calvin as much in today’s religious culture as in days past. The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints is not as popular as it once was. However, you do still hear some preachers proclaiming the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, also called “Once saved; always saved.” John Calvin was the great promoter of this doctrine. There are several verses used by Calvinists to defend this doctrine. In John 10:28-29, Jesus said that no one could snatch them (those the Father had given Him) out of His Father’s hand. These verses teach that no one else can snatch (grab or swipe) a soul from God. Yet, it does not say or imply that an individual cannot choose to leave God’s saving grace. It is a false interpretation to say that this verse teaches otherwise. Another verse used to teach this doctrine is found in Ephesians 1:13. “In Him you also trusted…, in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.” In Ephesians 4:30, it says that Christians are sealed “for the day of redemption.” In 2 Corinthians 1:22, this seal is called a “guarantee.” From these verses it is taught that once a person is “sealed with the Holy Spirit,” then that person cannot become “unsealed.” However, the word “sealed” (sphragizo) is commonly used to mean a stamp such as a letter sealed by wax and a signet or some other type of seal meant to …

At this particular time of year we hear a great deal said about “peace.” It seems that during the holiday season we bemoan a lack of peace in the world more than do we at any other time of the year. During the spring season when the religious world celebrates the holiday they call Easter, one rarely hears or reads sermons on this subject; however, during the season that is rapidly becoming known as the season of epiphany, we hear and read homily after homily on the subject of peace. Please do not misunderstand; we are not opposed to preaching on the subject of peace. We are not opposed to preachers telling the world that it should learn to live in peace and harmony on this earth. That is certainly true, and it is an ideal toward which all will strive so long as men live on the earth, but that will never be attained because men have been killing one another since Cain slew his brother Abel thousands of years ago. Political peace forced upon people will last only so long as the force is strong enough to cause it to last, and when that force weakens, war will return once again. We cite the middle east as an example of this. However, there is another kind of peace that can, when truly and sufficiently spread to all the world, bring the world peace because there will be no desire for vengeance, war or domination of others through political …

Let us recognize at the beginning of any discussion of this question that if the Bible had a plain statement dealing directly with a question, that should end the discussion for all those who are willing to submit to Bible authority. If it does not, then we must arrive at a conclusion by an examination of biblical principles and statements that we attempt to apply to the question in a logical manner. If one says, “That is merely a matter of opinion, and one opinion is as good as another,” I must reply, “It is not merely a matter of opinion, and you do not believe that one opinion is as good as another.” Generally, one assumes that his own opinion is better than others are. If spots appeared on your face, and you wondered if you had measles or chicken pox, you would not consider your plumber’s opinion as good as your doctor’s, even if they did charge you about the same for an hour’s work. You, therefore, value the opinion of one who has more extensive knowledge and experience in an area more than you value that of a novice. Yet, you should keep in mind that even an educated opinion is not the same as direct Bible authority. Let us examine some principles and Scriptures that relate to the matter. God intended for women to have a subordinate role as evidenced by such passages as 1 Timothy 2:11-14, 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 and others. This does not suggest that women …

“Gloom, despair and agony on me; deep down depression, excessive misery; if it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all. Gloom, despair and agony on me.” Did you recognize this as one of the customary songs on the TV show Hee Haw? Or did you recognize it as the way you or someone you know claims to feel sometimes? It is true that, because of circumstances or our own attitudes, we all get into the doldrums sometimes. It is human nature but it is the dark side of human nature, and we can look to God for the help that we need to keep us from having these feelings. We all know of those who have dwelt on their problems so much that they actually do become miserable and downtrodden. That does lead to gloom and despair and has actually brought some to the point of taking their own lives to escape the issue of having to deal with whatever is making them miserable. How can people escape these feelings of desperation? I submit to you that God is the answer to all of the issues of human living, and that includes the worst, self-imposed destruction that anyone can think of bringing upon oneself. Listen as the psalmist spoke of this matter: He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty… Because you have made the Lord, even the Most High, your habitation, no evil shall befall you… …

Decades ago, there were three large wooden crosses set up along the highway in various locations across the South. For years now, these have served to remind travelers on their journey of God’s indescribable gift of a Savior so desperately needed to deliver us from our sins (Matthew 1:21).  Within three miles of this writer stand three wooden crosses. However, with the passing of time, the view has become almost completely obstructed by the overgrowth of trees and bushes. Today, very few make eye contact with these crosses, and few know where they are located.  “Out of sight, out of mind” is a familiar saying that carries the idea that something is easily forgotten or dismissed as unimportant if it is not in our direct view. Could God’s redeemed ever forget or dismiss the cross as being unimportant, outdated or irrelevant in our lives and for our time?  So many worldly things compete for our attention and devotion. If we lose sight of the most valuable things (those that are spiritual and pertain to the kingdom of heaven), we will be shut out when Jesus comes. In Luke 14:15-24, Jesus taught and warned of this in His Parable of the Great Supper. Still today, most people do not make time for God. People are still honing their excuse-making skills. Through the centuries, Jesus’ words still ring, “That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper” (vs. 24). Whatever worldly things that crop up to divert our attention …

Somewhere I read that some birds can go nine days without food, some dogs 20 days, and some turtles 500 days! For man, well, about four weeks is the limit. Sooner or later, nourishment is necessary for all of God’s creatures. If physical food is essential to sustaining physical life, so is spiritual food necessary to sustaining and maintaining spiritual life. The Bible is the food we need for the soul, but how often do we eat of it? How can we grow without eating spiritual food? Many Christians are starving to death, not because food is not available, but simply because they are neglecting to eat it. A Bible on the shelf gathering dust is of no more value than food in the refrigerator that is not consumed. So do not be a bird-Christian or a dog-Christian and go for days and days without eating. Feed on the Word of God every day! Take advantage of every occasion to learn God’s wonderful truth!

Christians may find themselves on the brink of divorce – not because of sexual immorality, but because poor communication has eroded the bonds of their marriages. Where communication is concerned, it is often not the topic that creates the tension but the behaviors exhibited during the discussion. Hurt feelings, anger, embarrassment, fears and various other emotions – and how these emotions are expressed – create opportunities for communication to break down. When the question “What were we even fighting about?” is asked during an argument, it is evident that effective communication has long since ceased. When this occurs, the greatest adversary of marriage, the devil, feasts upon these self-inflicted wounds (1 Peter 5:8). Dr. John M. Gottman, a pioneer in the Marriage and Family Therapy field, has predicted divorce in couples with 96% accuracy based upon his observation of the couples’ communication behaviors alone. His research suggests there are four common reactions exhibited in troubled marriages that Dr. Gottman has labeled, by comparison of imminent danger, “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.” These are criticism, contempt, defensiveness and stonewalling. If these four behaviors are commonplace in your discussions, you are melting the bond that holds your marriage together. Criticism is an illegitimate way to discuss a legitimate complaint. Many times a waiting spouse will say, “You always make us late for everything!” Courtesy, promptness and time management are legitimate issues worthy of discussion; however, attacking and generalizing blame are not effective methods. A legitimate complaint will address the issue, while a …

Before we start to study the Bible, we need to recognize that it is God’s Word. Such recognition will help us to study with a more serious attitude. The Bible Claims to be Inspired The Bible lays claim to inspiration. Paul told Timothy, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Paul used the Greek word theopneustos in the place where we find “inspiration.” Theo means “God” and pneustos means “breathed,” thus, God breathed, or God breathed out. The idea is that God spoke, since we exhale or breathe out through the vocal cords to speak. Peter explained inspiration when he wrote, “For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). The writer of Hebrews must have recognized this as he often penned God said a certain thing, when we know man did the actual writing (see Hebrews 1:5, 8; 5:5-6). Many Old Testament writers claimed inspiration, as did some New Testament writers (see Isaiah 1:1-2, 10, 24; Jeremiah 1:1-2; 2:1; Ezekiel 1:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 3:2). Jesus considered Old Testament Scriptures inspired and used them as authoritative (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10). His whole purpose in coming to earth was to do God’s will by fulfilling Old Testament prophecy (Matthew 5:7-18; John 15:25). The New …

“Make yourself an example of good works with integrity and dignity in your teaching. Your message is to be sound beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be ashamed, having nothing bad to say about us” (Titus 2:7-8). “Integrity” is defined as a firm adherence to a code of especially moral values, or the quality or state of being complete or undivided. The term in Greek indicates incorruptness, sincerity, untaintedness. It refers to purity of motives, without desire of gain, respect of persons, as well as purity in doctrine. Paul reminded Titus this is the quality that his message, the Gospel, possesses. Not only was he to teach such a message, but that message was to impart the quality of integrity to him and his hearers. The life Titus lived, the good works he showed through his life, can be summarized in the word “integrity.” The Word of God is to be transformational in who we are and how we live, as we become less like the world around us and more like Christ in us. “We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18). The opposite of integrity in one’s faith is hypocrisy. This term indicates a play actor, pretending to be what one is truly not. Jesus used the phrase of the Pharisees, who had an …

Let us not forget the reason the Bible was written and preserved was “that you may know that you have eternal life”(1 John 5:13). Christ is the center, focus and key to the inspiration and interpretation of the Bible. This is why the books of the Old and New testaments fit together so well into one cohesive and comprehensive whole. Taken together, they present the progressive unfolding, revelation and communication of Christ. The Law gives the foundation for Christ. A foundation is prepared ground or base on which some structure rests. It is the beginning or first principles of the system of truth. Christ is the foundation of all that is right and true (1 Corinthians 3:11). History shows the preparation for Christ. History, from an inerrant (2 Timothy 3:16) biblical perspective, holds true the facts of righteousness and faith. Poetry expresses aspiration for Christ. Seeing that Scripture is nothing less than the words of our very Creator, it is no wonder that throughout the centuries men and women have been astonished by them. King David said, “The law of the Lord is perfect”(Psalm 119:7). Prophecy proclaims an expectation of Christ. The Bible is the account of redemption, how God rescues men from sin and from death. The Gospels record the historical manifestation of Christ. They are true historical facts and accounts of the work and the acts of Christ the Son of God. Acts relates the propagation of Christ. Acts portrays the resurrected Christ in His Ascension, by the Spirit, through the disciples, for the producing of the church – the …

Luke’s preface to Jesus’ parable in Luke 18 explains its purpose: “that men ought always to pray and not lose heart” (v. 1). The former is the prerequisite of the latter. Without prayer, losing heart would happen quickly and last long. We inhabit a violence-laden world in which tyrants of different sorts oppress and murder the poor and the helpless. The political arena mirrors the cultural war in combative tones. Denominations corrupt the pure Gospel of salvation. Even congregations of the Lord’s church squabble over everything from the pettiness of finances to the weighty matters of doctrine. Discouragement at mankind’s lack of empowerment to solve these problems can be overwhelming to the contemplative. Then, there is prayer. The earthly story Jesus chose to illustrate His heavenly meaning (Luke 18:2-8) was, as usual, one of simple import. As usual, it highlighted curious characters. A selfish, godless, judiciary appointee cared not for justice for a poor widow seeking mediation in regard to her oppressive adversary. He did not fear God. Therefore, as is often the case with the godless, he felt no need to give any regard to his fellow man, especially one as lowly in societal ranks as a widow without wealth (Luke 18:2, 4). The woman had no hope in the sight of her adversary or this useless go-between. Well did she fit the Preacher’s pitiful description: “Then I considered all the oppression that is done under the sun: And look! The tears of the oppressed, But they have no …