Sarah Darling saw him and had compassion on him. Billy Ray Harris is homeless and often finds refuge under a bridge in Kansas City, Missouri, which is also Sarah’s hometown. Sarah took out her change purse and emptied out the contents into Harris’ cup. However, Sarah later realized that she had donated much more than she intended. It was not until the next day that she discovered her engagement ring was missing. She remembered that she had removed the ring from her hand because the ring was irritating her skin, and she placed it into her change purse. With a sinking feeling, she feared that the ring was part of the contents that she had emptied into Harris’ cup. She returned to where she had seen Harris, but he was not there. She went back the following day and found him. She approached him and said, “I don’t know if you remember me, but I think I gave you something that is very precious to me.” Harris responded: “Was it a ring? Yeah, I have it; I kept it for you.” He handed the ring to her. Sarah was floored and elated! “I actually feel like I am especially lucky to have this ring now. I loved it before. I loved it so much, but I love it so much more now,” she later told a television host. To show her appreciation, Sarah set up an online fundraiser for Harris. The donations and praise have poured in from all over …

“Keep your heart with all diligence for out of it are the ultimate results of life” (Proverbs 4:23). What an order! According to Young’s Analytical Concordance, the meaning of the word “keep” here is to “watch.” Watch over what enters your heart and guard it diligently because it is what enters the heart that determines what you do with your life. The “heart” is described as “the seat of moral life”; so the statement in Proverbs is more understandable with that definition. It makes perfect sense that what enters the heart is what exits in one’s daily living. Regarding this verse, the commentator Burton Coffman, says: “The heart, as the word is used in the Bible, means the mind which is the center of human intelligence, emotions and will. The fact here stated is that the whole moral conduct of human life and its every action, attitude and purpose are determined by what one thinks and believes. The great corollary of this is that ‘thought control’ is the prerequisite of all moral rectitude and uprightness.” I thought about this subject as I was watching TV this week, and I saw an advertisement for an adult “fashion show” that was to be shown on prime time Tuesday evening. It amazes me to see how times have changed just in my lifetime. There was a time when things such as this were done in private and not talked about openly. Now, it’s all open to the public eye. In fact, even those of …

For many years an organization called the American Association for the Advancement of Atheism was active in spreading its propaganda in efforts to destroy faith in the living God. More active today are the humanists who have set forth their atheistic doctrines in Manifestos I and II. The Bible rightly classifies such proponents of atheism: “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God” (Psalm 14:1). Abundant evidence that there is the God of heaven is available. Many years ago, a well-known novelist of this country, who was proud of his skepticism, in a speech before a large assembly in Kansas City challenged God to prove His existence. He said, “There is no God anywhere. If there is a God, I defy him. I will give Almighty God fifteen minutes to come down here and strike me dead, and if He doesn’t do it, I will have proved that God does not exist.” This lecturer laid his watch upon the podium, and when fifteen minutes had passed, while the audience waited in breathless silence, he picked up his time piece and said, “I have proved there is no God.” The audience applauded enthusiastically. National newspapers grabbed the story and a Niagara of ink flowed as the presses gave prominence to the affair. Sensational! Some of the older people who read this article may remember Mr. Arthur Brisbane who wrote a syndicated column for some fifty or more newspapers in the 1920’s and 1930’s, and was read by more …

This writer has long loved the good and honest hearts of God’s people that recognize their shortcomings and have the strength and desire to open up and ask the pressing questions that trouble the soul. Some time ago, I was asked a question that went something like this, “How can I get the fire back I once had? How can I get motivated to be the Christian I know I need to be?” Both of these are very important questions that many of us may have asked hoping to receive an answer that would solve the problem or dilemma. Though the answers could be many, I believe that it is as basic as this: Get plugged in and stay plugged in. There are times when we see such a fire in the bellies of new Christians. Too many times, this fire is quickly snuffed out because of many reasons. How can Christians stay “plugged in” once they have obeyed the Gospel and have entered into the family of God? Consider these brief suggestions. Get plugged into the Bible and Bible class. The apostle Paul told Timothy to “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). How in the world can we know the Word of God if we are negligent when it comes to a study of His Divine Truth? A wonderful way to study the Bible is to gather together with those of like …

With current events here and abroad, we are reminded how fragile and uncertain life is (James 4:13-14). Often anxiety is associated with the unknown. Then, there is the question of “Why?” Some questions seem to go unanswered. Perhaps many of them have been answered and are waiting to be discovered in Scripture. From a study of the Holy Bible… I know that God cares for you and me. I know he will provide basic necessities of life for His dear children (Matthew 6:25-34; 7:9-11). I know that my redeemer is alive and well. I know He completed the work His Father gave Him to do and now is reigning. I know that “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). I know that whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin (John 8:34), and Jesus says if we die in our sins that we cannot come to be with him (John 8:21). I know the victory God provides over sin and death is through Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57). I know that God has called all of His children to become part of one body, one family, one kingdom. Friend, you are invited to contact us indicating your interest in learning more of God’s will.

I have no doubt that you will do good things today; it is what we do as Christians. However, let me encourage you to make sure there are no strings attached to the good you will do. This was Jesus’ message in the Sermon on the Mount. Because we belong to Jesus, we should be doing good things to help others, knowing that they will never repay the good we do. Because of our Christianity, that should be fine by us. Today, what kind of good will you do for others? If you are not content right now with not being repaid for it, what can you do to change that attitude today?

It was practically unquestioned until sometime in the 1800s that the Bible Book of Hebrews is written by the apostle Paul. Some began to argue against his authorship, especially noting that it would be the only book in which he had no salutation of any kind. Many began to suggest that someone else wrote the book. Among many others, the names of Barnabas, James, Apollos and Luke have been mentioned as possible authors, if Paul did not write it. Many great scholars have debated this. Some adamantly say that there is plenty of evidence, despite some differences in style, that Paul is the author. Others say that it absolutely cannot be Paul. Still others say that they just do not know. In the face of all of this, I propose to give you the definitive answer. This is such a definitive answer that I would be willing to publicly debate to defend this position. It is that certain and sure. Here it is, my absolutely definitive answer: The author of the Book of Hebrews is God. It was “God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16). It is a message sent from God and He is the true author. That word was revealed by the authority of Jesus Christ, as He promised the apostles that they would be guided into all truth, being taught what they needed to know, and being reminded of what they already knew (John 14:26; John 16:13). The Holy Spirit was the Agent by which God through Christ sent the …

Every year thousands of Muslims make a pilgrimage to Mecca to the tomb of Muhammad. Likewise, followers of Confucianism visit the grave of Confucius in Qufu, Shandong Province of China. Similarly, the Temple of the Tooth or “Dalada Maligawa” is believed to house some of the cremated ashes of Buddha. Having been buried centuries ago, the physical bodies of these religious founders are slowly turning to dust as millions journey to pay honor and respect. Christianity is unique in that we serve a risen Savior. There are no remains to which to pilgrimage. Our Savior Jesus Christ fully conquered death. For those skeptics who vehemently cling to naturalistic causes for everything, the bodily resurrection of Jesus seems ludicrous. They laugh at the very notion. Yet, what does the evidence prove? Here’s what I intend on teaching my children about the resurrection. Everything hinges on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, “And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:14-17).  Simply put, if Jesus could not make it out of the tomb, we do not have any hope. When you consider the …

Knowledge of God’s will is essential for anyone to be pleasing to God. While one should pray for wisdom (James 1:5), one cannot understand God’s Word without study and meditation. Paul commended the Berean Christians in Acts 17:11 because they searched the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul was teaching was consistent with God’s revealed Word. Paul further encouraged Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:15, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Paul encouraged Timothy to faithfully discharge his ministry, rightly divide the Word. This means to understand God’s Word correctly and explain it to others. Just quoting Scripture is not handling the Word of God properly. After all, even Satan quoted Scripture (Matthew 4:6), but he misapplied it. What are some basic principles involved in properly understanding the Bible? First, one must have the proper attitude. In John 7:17 Jesus said, “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.” Thus, a desire to both know and do God’s will is essential to properly understand God’s Word. This is illustrated in John 8 when Jesus taught the truth to some unbelieving Pharisees. However, Jesus said that they were not able to understand His teaching because their prejudiced minds and hard hearts blinded them to the truth (8:43-44). Second, one must understand the two major divisions of the …

I was browsing through a book that I read many years ago. Maybe you like to browse through old books also. The title and the subjects of the book are The Evidences of Christianity, A Debate between Robert Owen and Alexander Campbell. The oral debate was held in Cincinnati, Ohio in April 1829. Further, Mr. Owen supported and defended his “Social System” that he desired to spread throughout America. I remembered a statement that stuck with me over the years, as follows: “But as I am brought forward to this most wonderful of all events, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is, too, the capital item in the apostolic testimony; and the fact on which the whole religion, and hopes of Christianity depend and terminate, I felt strongly disposed to show that this is the best attested fact in the annals of the world…” (312-313). You see, Mr. Owen had run “out of soap.” From this point of the discussion Mr. Campbell started a remarkable evaluation of the evidences of Christianity. Mr. Campbell used the Word of God, the Bible, and numerous writings of historians, philosophers, a host of unbelievers, a very large assortment of sources to the proving of “the resurrection of Jesus Christ” and thus Christianity “is the best attested fact in the annals of the world.” As noted on page 437, “(The above speech commenced on Friday at three o’clock, and, in all occupied twelve hours.)” As one who was present for the debate commented and was “not …

The basis for all that claims to be Christian is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, lived a perfect life and died a perfect death, arose to bring redemption to all who would call upon God through Him. Yet, one cult teaches that Jesus attained His perfection after His resurrection from the dead. That, of course, means that He was not perfect before He arose from the new tomb of Joseph of Arimathaea. Lest the readers think these folk are being misrepresented, we quote from their leading dignitaries. A contemporary of the founder of this religion wrote: That Jesus attained perfection following his resurrection is confirmed in the… It records the visit of the resurrected Lord to the people of ancient America. There he repeated the important injunction previously cited, but with one very significant addition. He said, “I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect” (3 Nephi 12:48). This time he listed himself along with his Father as a perfect personage. Previously, he had not (See Matt. 5:48). Let it first be noted that the Matthew 5:48 text is used out of context. Look at the theme of our Lord’s statement. He was speaking to His disciples regarding love, and He told them to be perfect in love as our Father is perfect in love. He did not, even remotely, imply that the Father only is perfect, and that He was not. If He had not been perfect before His resurrection, He …

The English language fails to distinguish between various concepts of love when translated from the Greek language. The English word “love” fails to express variations of love with just that one word. In the Greek language, several terms are used to express various “types” of love. Not all Greek words that might be translated “love” are found in the New Testament, but the definition, meaning and use of these words can add depth to our understanding of the concept of love in the New Testament. There are four Greek words that were in use in New Testament times that we might translate love. The first of these is eros. This word speaks mainly of love between the sexes, passionate love. From the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, we learn eros is “passionate love which desires the other for itself.” The Greeks praised the god, Eros, who was supposed to compel all in sensuous action. The word “erotic” comes from eros. Eros is not in the New Testament. The second Greek word translated “love” is stroge. This word expresses the idea of family affection. Stroge does not appear in the New Testament, but an adjective form of this word is found in Romans 12:10 and is translated “kindly affectioned” or “tenderly affectioned.” The noun philia was the most common word for love in New Testament times, though it appears only once in the New Testament in James 4:4. There it is translated “friendship.” The verb form, phileo, is found 25 times in the New Testament. Twenty-two of the twenty-five times it is translated “love.” …

For the more than 40 years that I have been involved in correspondence Bible school work, most of the appeals I have heard (and probably most that I have made) have been directed toward the elderly women of the church. The philosophy probably was something like this: Since the elderly women of the church have been relegated to the background and not been given much of anything to do in the church that is important, why not get them involved in this kind of work, whether it be local, national or worldwide? There may be little wrong with that kind of philosophy except that it probably leaves the impression that this sort of work is of secondary importance, and is not really worthwhile except for those who cannot do anything else. If that impression is left on anyone, it is a tragic mistake and needs correction for three reasons. First, this work is not secondary. It is one of the ways of carrying out the primary task of the church. Second, elderly women can do many other kinds of things of value to the church. Third, this sort of work should receive the interest and participation of every segment of the church. Can you imagine the fantastic results that would be achieved in carrying out the commission of our Lord if the young people of our congregations were challenged with the wonder, joy and value of getting involved in mission work through correspondence Bible school work in China, Africa, India, …

It was said of a soldier who enlisted in the Civil War that he took along his kit of watchmaker’s tools. While in camp, he had considerable business. One day the order came for battle, but the watchmaker said as he looked about his tent in dismay, “Why, I can’t possibly go, for I have 12 watches to repair and I’ve promised them for Saturday.” This man had forgotten why he had enlisted, but many present day Christians are like that. They have obligated themselves to so many organizations and causes that they have precious little time to do battle for the Lord. Are we too busy or too occupied to have or to take time for Bible study on Sunday morning, Sunday evening worship and Wednesday evening services? Have we forgotten why we enlisted in the army of the Lord? James said, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22).

In conjunction with “Easter season,” the National Geographic Society released an ancient document dubbed the “Gospel of Judas.” In their news releases, National Geographic indicated the information in this third century papyrus codex threatened the “official” doctrine of the church by offering an alternative view of the Gospel story as revealed by biblical writers. In this “Gospel of Judas,” Judas was given special insight into the plans of Christ, and as His most favored disciple, it was his task to “betray” Jesus so that His plans could be carried out. The text does not include any mention of the crucifixion or resurrection. It is interesting that the “Gospel of Judas” is supposed to be a secret conversation between Jesus and Judas, although it is written in the third person, and could not have been written by either Jesus or Judas. Since neither Jesus nor Judas could have written it, how did this unknown writer know about this secret conversation? The document is a papyrus codex discovered near El Minya, Egypt, in the 1970s. It is no doubt a copy of an earlier Greek text that was condemned by Iranaeus, an early church father, about 180 A.D. It was probably produced by a second century member of a Gnostic sect. The Gnostics [from the Greek word for knowledge] believed that they had special knowledge not known to others, and they taught many things contrary to the Bible. The “Gospel of Judas,” like many other ancient documents (Gospel of Thomas, Shepherd of …

First of all, it is best that we define three of the words in the heading of this article. The word “symptoms” as used in the medical field can be described as indicators of an underlying health problem. For example, if someone is experiencing chronic fatigue, this may indicate a serious heart problem. In spiritual matters, a member of the church who is habitually absent from the worship assemblies may indicate that there is a lack of love for the Lord, which is a real heart problem. The word “society” is defined as, “A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations.” The following definition is one of the best that I could find regarding the word “secular” (adjective), but in this case, I will use the word “secularization” (noun) to aid in our understanding of the word “secular.” Secularization refers to the historical process in which religion loses social and cultural significance. As a result of secularization the role of religion in modern societies becomes restricted. In secularized societies faith lacks cultural authority, religious organizations have little social power, and public life proceeds without reference to the supernatural. Secularization captures a long-term societal change, but it has consequences for religion itself. In Western countries, where it has been most pronounced, it has made the connection to their Christian heritage …

There can be no doubting the role Old Testament prophesy plays in helping one to understand and fully appreciate the New Testament, in general, and Jesus Christ, in particular. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17). After His resurrection, He explained to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” After helping them to understand more fully, the Lord went on to say, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:44-47). Modern man may have limited his view of prophesy to the books that were written by prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, etc. Clearly, the Lord did not see these as the only prophetic writings. Instead, His words indicate He viewed all of the Old Testament to be prophetic in nature (John 5:37-39). A full understanding of the writings of the Old Testament can only come to one willing to explore the meaning as revealed in the New Testament. The Greek word …

As the report in the newspaper stated, you just can’t make this stuff up. A person by the name of Bradley Fowler is suing Zondervan Publishing, along with Thomas Nelson Publishing, claiming 20 years of emotional distress because his family’s preacher used a translation of the Bible published by Zondervan which uses the word “homosexual” in its translation of 1 Corinthians 6:9. As a result, Bradley claims his family considered him a sinner, and he suffered. He is suing Zondervan for $60 million and Thomas Nelson for $10 million. Zondervan issued a statement saying that it does not translate the Bible, but only publishes the Bible. The translations are determined by a committee of qualified scholars. There are several things that come to mind when considering all this.  Has this person ever considered the fact that Scripture claims to be the Word of God? Has he stopped to think that what is said are not the words of men but the very words of God, our Creator and ultimately our Judge? Paul reminds us that all Scripture is inspired, God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16). It did not originate with the men God chose to reveal it, but with God Himself. Those men who gave us the Word of God were moved, or carried along, by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). The reason God gave us His Word is so we might live faithfully by it (Matthew 7:21). Perhaps this individual, and others like-minded, need to stop and consider who they …

#1 The Blood of His Cross Blood has always played an important part in God’s plan of things (Genesis 4:4; Hebrews 9:6-10). Thus, without blood, there is no salvation (Colossians 1:20; Hebrews 9:22). The blood of Jesus’ cross is justifying blood (Romans 5:9; 3:23-26). The blood of His cross is sanctifying blood (Hebrews 13:12; 1 Peter 1:2). It is redeeming blood (Ephesians 1:7; Acts 20:28). Furthermore, the blood of His cross is reconciling blood (Ephesians 2:16; Colossians 1:20), and it is cleansing blood (John 15:3; Romans 6:3-4). Thank God for the blood of Jesus that flowed down the Old Rugged Cross (2 Corinthians 9:15). #2 John 3 Is a “Must Read” Chapter of the Bible. There are four prominent “musts” in John 3. The sinner’s must is “you must be born again”(John 3:3). The Savior’s must is “so must the Son of Man be lifted up”(John 3:14). The Sovereign’s must is “He must increase”(John 3:30). The servant’s must is “I must decrease”(John 3:30). #3 Living a Life that Magnifies Christ! “Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death” (Philippians 1:20 NKJV). “I am set for the defense of the gospel” (1:17 KJV). I rejoice with the preaching of Christ (1:18). I live for Christ and gain in death (1:21). I make right choices (1:22). I have a strong desire to be with Christ (1:23). I strive to help others (1:24). I rejoice in faith (1:25). I long for fellowship with fellow Christians (1:26).

There are two parables in Matthew 13 that discuss the worth of the kingdom of heaven. In verse 44, a man sold all that he had to buy a treasure hidden in a field, and in verses 45-46, a merchant sold all that he had to buy a pearl of great value. Obviously, the kingdom of heaven is worth far much more than anything we can find here on earth, but are we ready to believe it and live like it? Most of us are ready to confess with our mouths that we believe in Jesus and with our mouths acknowledge His Lordship, but with our mouths only. Our lives send different messages, often times speaking louder than our words. We skip Bible class and show up late to service (if we do decide to go). We fill our lives with all kinds of filth and starve ourselves of the bread of life. We act in such a way that says that the kingdom of heaven is just not that important to us. Jesus said that this will not work. The parables teach that we must be willing to give up everything for the kingdom. If we are not willing to give up everything else, we will not receive the kingdom of God.