By: David Myers Have you ever been amazed by the conversion of someone you thought was beyond conversion, beyond God’s power to save? This reminds me of the time when Jesus healed a paralytic man and the people who witnessed the event were amazed. He also proved to the scribes that He had the power and authority to forgive the man’s sins as well (Mark 2:1–12). A reading of the Gospel of Mark reveals over a dozen times people reacting in a similar way to the words and miracles of Jesus. The word translated as “amazed” in Mark 2:12 means “to be astonished” and “carries the idea of being thrown into a state of surprise or fear or both01” (David McCasland). This same word is used in Mark 6:45–46 when the disciples saw someone walking on the water towards them and at first, they thought the Lord was a ghost. Verse 51 says, “Then He went up into the boat to them and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure and marveled” (NKJV). There is another example of this type of amazement when the people of the country of the Gadarenes saw a man delivered from a legion of demons by Jesus, and Mark 5:20 says, “and all marveled.” Why? Did they think the man was beyond God’s power to save? Do we feel the same way when God saves certain people? God is not bound by our limitations or expectations. He speaks and acts

If you were to ask Sarah, she would be excited to show you her container of sea glass. Recently, on our mission trips to Guyana, we have gone to the sea wall in the Georgetown area and walked along the beach, whereupon she found a lot of sea glass. As a side note, just talk to those who have gone on the mission trip and ask them about the “beach” in Guyana. Because this glass is found on many beaches around the world, it is also known as beach glass or washed glass. Most of the sea glass that is found are bits of colored glass that are shattered glass bottles. Originally, the glass you find on the beach had a purpose, but then, it was casually (indifferently, carelessly) thrown away and became broken. If the discarded glass ends up in an ocean, its journey is just beginning. As it is constantly tossed about by currents and tides, its jagged edges are ground down by the sand and waves, and eventually they are smoothed away and rounded off. The result is something beautiful. The jewel-like sea glass has found new life and is treasured by collectors and artists. Like broken glass that is in the ocean and then eventually turns into a beautiful piece of broken sea glass, is it possible for a broken life to be renewed when it is touched by God’s love and grace? In the Old Testament, it is stated that when the prophet Jeremiah watched

Several years ago, while living in Mobile, Alabama, two young college students who lived locally were murdered. The newspaper interviewed the parents of both victims. I read the article about their deaths, wherein both families expressed their shock and disbelief that their daughters were taken from them so soon. I can’t even begin to imagine what the families were feeling at that time, and I’m sure the parents’ lives were flooded with tears and many questions that will last for many years, even to this day and until their last days. We certainly do live in a weeping world! The book of Lamentations was written by the weeping prophet, Jeremiah. He wrote during a time when the citizens of Judah had been taken into captivity. Jerusalem lay in ruin (Lamentations 2:8–9), and the prophet Jeremiah wept continually (Lamentations 3:98–99). Yet, Jeremiah knew something about the sovereignty of God that we need to know in these challenging times. He stated to a people who needed encouragement, “‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘Therefore, I will hope in Him!’” (Lamentations 3:24). He knew of God’s mercy. He knew of His compassion and the Lord’s faithfulness that would last forever. Because we live in a weeping world, reality tells us that from time to time, we will shed tears. Furthermore, our hearts will be heavy with sadness, but that doesn’t mean we have a weak faith or a lack of trust in God. Some people think that a believer must feel joyful, even when

Do you still believe in the promises of God when it comes to the future? Do you believe that the future is bright? Do you believe that a follower of Christ can live a quiet and peaceable life? With those questions in mind, think about the apostle Paul living in the Roman Empire under the rule of the cruel and ruthless Nero. The apostle penned to Timothy, “Therefore I exhort [encourage] first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority [a prominent place], that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence [dignity]. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior” (1 Timothy 2:1-3 NKJV). How could Paul possibly see better times ahead? If he hadn’t, he would not have encouraged Timothy and his brethren to pray for a “quiet and peaceable life.” If Paul were living today, do you think he would be pleased if his brethren painted a totally dark picture for the future? Going back in history, while the Berlin wall was still standing, freedom for many was just a dream, but that wall in East Germany came down. Yes, immorality, wars among nations, struggling marriages and all kinds of evil deeds exist, but our God the Savior is still our hope. He will return and we will see Him face to face (Revelation 1:7). According to Paul in 1Timothy 2:4-6, we

At its core, evangelism is making known the good news of Jesus Christ to a dying world. Evangelism refers to the verbal and visible declaration of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the sins of mankind, done with the intent of leading people to salvation. The intent in evangelism is a very important part of its definition. Paul said he declared the Gospel and the Corinthians received it (1 Corinthians 15:1). Simply stated, the Gospel is not evangelism because evangelism is more than information. The information is delivered for a purpose. In evangelism, we are commissioned not only to go tell people the Gospel, but are to do it with the intent of winning the lost to the Savior. For example, Paul told the people in Athens that God commands all people everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30-31). Our task as Christians is to make God’s plan of salvation and His expectations known. Jesus said, “…I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19 NKJV). I don’t know of any fisherman who says, “Oh well; if the fish bite, fine, but if they don’t, that’s okay, too. I’m not going to bother baiting my hook or making sure I have a strong line. It’s no big deal either way.” No one fishes that way. A fisherman goes fishing to catch something. Evangelism has to do with presenting the Gospel – the good news of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sins (1Corinthians 15:1-4). There are pragmatic questions

I noticed the show Home Improvement the other day on Roku TV. The show’s main character is Tim “The Tool Man” who is the most accident-prone handyman on the planet. He plugs in the Christmas lights and almost electrocutes himself in the process. He flips the switch to demonstrate the newly installed vacuum system which slurps up the psychology paper that his wife stayed up all night to finish. Certainly, that didn’t help enrich his marriage! It was apparent in that show that he never read the instructions, which ruined almost everything he tried to fix. Is it your aim to work toward enriching your marriage? Trying to build an enriched marriage can feel like Tim “The Tool Man,”can’t it? Things don’t work like they are supposed to work sometimes. That’s when we need to remember that we are not building our marriages alone. God not only supplied the blueprints in the Scriptures for enriching marriages, but He is also right there with us on the project. If you feel like your marriage isn’t working as it should, consider the following questions. Most people would prefer a successful and fulfilling marriage to just happen by itself. Yet, a growing and enriching marriage requires effort and perseverance. God is still involved when it comes to every believer’s marriage, and He cares about the success of your marriage. God calls each marriage partner to work at their relationship with Him. That’s why it is so important to read the instructions (Ephesians 5:22-23 and especially vs. 28-29,

Sarah and I have been married for 45 years, and so, you would think we would know each other pretty well. Yet, I am still finding out things about her and she about me! What have you found out about your mate that has totally surprised you? It takes a lifetime to get to know someone well. The same is true when one begins a walk with Christ as one of His disciples. How important is it to get to know God and His Son, Jesus Christ? Jeremiah recorded, “But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight, says the Lord” (Jeremiah 9:24 NKJV). Similarly, the apostle Paul prayed for believers “that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10). He was keenly interested in the Christian’s spiritual growth. “Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Colossians 1:28). Folks, we will not learn all there is to know about the Lord the moment after our baptism into Christ (Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 3:27) or in a few weeks, months or even years later. Hebrews 5:12-14 and 1 Peter 2:2 lay out the process of growing from a babe in Christ to completeness. Knowing Christ is

A dictionary definition for “objective” is an “aim or end of action, point to be reached.” There’s an ancient proverb that says, “He who aims at nothing hits it every time.” As disciples of the Lord, we need to choose a life objective. As Christians, it’s important that we have an aim or an objective in life. Your life can be represented by a straight line that starts at birth with an arrow on the opposite end indicating the unknown. Say you have lived 20 years or so and have 40 years or more left. Here is the question you need to consider: “When you come to the end of those 40 years, and you have nothing but death to which to look forward – and nothing but memories to look back upon –  what will you need to see in order for you to conclude, ‘My life was a success?’” You are not ready to live those 40 years until you have answered that question. With the Lord, you have aim and direction. The Lord Jesus was able to say in John 17:4, “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do” (NKJV). Twice in the ministry of our Lord, in His ministry and at the cross, Jesus said He had  “finished” the mission on which the Father had sent Him (John 17:4; 19:30). When it comes to your life as His disciple, can you say the same thing

In my years of watching the Olympics, I’ve never seen overweight businessmen running around the track to win a medal. Only the determined athlete who has trained and matured in his or her field of sport has an opportunity to win the prize for his or her country. Eric Liddell illustrated this principle in the film Chariots of Fire. If you remember, just before the first turn in a 400-meter race, Eric was shoved off balance, and he stumbled onto the infield grass. When he looked up, he saw the others pulling away. With a look of intense determination, he jumped up. With his head cocked back and his arms flailing, he rushed ahead. He was determined not only to catch up with the pack but to win the race, and he did. As a young man, I remember seeing that film and that scene for the first time; it was truly inspiring. Let me ask you a question. Are you determined to win the race? In Paul’s life, he was determined to progress in his spiritual development as a minister and to never stop running the race. We should have this same fervor in our Christian lives as the Lord’s disciples. In 1 Corinthians 9:24 he said, “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it” (NKJV). Paul saw himself as being like an Olympian athlete who competes for a gold

It is a known fact that during the ministry of Jesus on earth, there were varying degrees of faith in those who came to Him. Consider the following three examples. In Mark 9:17-24, Jesus cast out a mute spirit from a son whose father wavered between faith and doubt. In Mark 1:40-45, He healed a leper who knew He could heal but was not sure He would. In Luke 7:1-10, our Lord healed the servant of a centurion who was so sure of the outcome that he asked Jesus merely to speak the word from afar. As you can see from these three examples, not all people exercise the same degree of faith. In our day, not all Christians exercise the same degree of faith either. Some people seem to think their problems are too big for God to solve. Others are sure that God is all-powerful, but they are not confident that He will do what is best for them. Still others affirm, “I know what God can do, and I’ll trust Him to do what He has promised.” Such attitudes range from a weak and tentative faith to a firm confidence that takes God at His word and believes He is loving, cares and is good. What does God want from us as His children? His ultimate goal for each of us, when it comes to our faith, is that we may know and experience the fullness of His ongoing fellowship. Your faith will grow and be more

“…Be holy, for I am holy” (l Peter 1:16 ) and “For I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy…” (Leviticus 11:44) are two commands by God that are very difficult to obey. Yet, there they are in God’s Word. The question by many who read such passages is this, “But how can I be holy like God?” The Bible tells me that the reason why I must trust and obey Christ is because I’m not holy. “All have sinned,” Paul wrote in Romans 3:23. So, how can I ever think about being holy as God is? One of many ways to pursue being holy as God is holy is to notice the list that Jesus offered in Matthew 5. To be a holy person, living a kingdom style kind of life, will result in having a blessed and happy life. Both go hand in hand. Walk each day in these steps and you will perfect your walk with God and be closer to Him in holiness and happiness.

For many in the world, the belief and teaching about the Lord’s resurrection is an irrational idea, hard to believe. If what the world believes about the Lord’s resurrection and ours in the future were true, then life would lose all its meaning. If this life is all that there is, just a few years of living, consider what Paul stated in his letter to the brethren in Corinth. “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable” (1 Corinthians 15:19 NKJV). As we all know, springtime is resurrection time. Naturally, resurrection is not an irrational idea. We can see illustrations of resurrection all around us in nature. For example, two boys gathered cocoons they found in a swamp. The boys hung the dry, unattractive and motionless objects in a cool place for the winter. The following spring, they moved the cocoons to a place in the warm sun. Soon, there emerged from the tomb of one cocoon a gorgeous creature – a Luna moth. Its colors were indescribable as it stretched its wings. What they saw was amazing! Why, then, should it be considered incredible that God’s Son would be raised from the dead and that His faithful will also be raised? Paul said to king Agrippa, “Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?” (Acts 26:8). If God could take some dust and breathe life into it to create a man (Genesis 2:7), why

It is a fact that all Christians have flaws and imperfections. Therefore, we have a need for improvement. However, because of our relationship with God through the blood of Jesus Christ, we are also unique and beautiful in His sight. The same is true in nature. Take, for instance, the formation of crystals that make up valuable minerals and precious stones. I read where each kind of mineral and gem has its own special shape and appearance. Experts in gemology say each mineral and gem is made up of a great number of atoms that are stacked in perfect alignment. They say that occasionally one of these basic particles get out of line. Surprisingly, these “flaws” or imperfections give gems their most beautiful properties. With that said, all of us have personality flaws and character weaknesses. We see sinful tendencies in ourselves such as selfishness, irritability, impatience and vindictiveness. So, what should we do about these flaws, and how can we guard our hearts from getting discouraged and stop living a changed life, holy as God would have us live? One thing we can do is give careful attention to our thoughts, not only because God knows them but also because our thoughts determine our character. Jesus said in Matthew 15:18-19 that our words and actions spring from our hearts. Another example from nature is found inside Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. There are enormous pillars in this massive cave that formed by the steady dropping of water. A single drop

Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. (1 Corinthians 1:10 NKJV) Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:5-6) Read the passages cited below, study them in their context and see if any have been misused in any way. Follow the example of the Bereans in Acts 17:11 as “…they… searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” These doctrinal points neither represent all of Bible doctrine nor do they comprise a creed apart from the Bible. Rather, these numbered points illustrate fundamental biblical doctrine over which their can be no misunderstanding and on which Bible believers can believe, teach and practice with the same mind and the same judgment. (adapted from Hugh Fulford)

When we pray to God, sometimes asking for something very specific from Him, and He seems to say, “No, I won’t do that,” we can misinterpret His ultimate intention. Rather than accepting His answer in faith and realizing He knows what is best for us, we can have mixed feelings about God and miss the reason why God said “No” to our request. This reminds me about a little boy who was afraid during a thunderstorm. His mother came into his room, knowing that he was afraid, and tucked him into bed to calm his fears. She was about to turn the light off when he asked in a trembling voice, “Mommy, will you stay with me all night?” The mother gave him a warm, reassuring hug and said tenderly, “I can’t, dear. I have to sleep in Daddy’s room.” After a brief pause, the boy replied, “The big sissy!” This is a humorous little story, but from the point it makes, it reminds us of what the apostle Paul faced as a servant in the kingdom of God. He went through many periods of persecution and hardship because of his faith in Jesus. When he asked the Lord to take away “a thorn in the flesh,” for which he pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from him, the Lord told him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9 NKJV). The Lord’s ultimate intention was to

We will center our attention on our future heavenly bodies when we are resurrected from the dead or when we, being yet alive, are changed in the twinkling of an eye when Jesus comes at His Second Coming (1 Corinthians 15:50-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). So many people in our society are discontent with their present bodies. They (especially teenagers) spend their time comparing themselves to others and end up condemning themselves because they are not as pretty, as perfect or don’t measure up to others. They don’t realize that this approach to life and their God-given bodies is contrary to God’s plan and design for them. Why do you think people are unwilling to accept the bodies God gave them? Maybe it’s because they have not considered the value of their present, earthly body. We all need to be reminded of God’s purpose for our bodies. From a personal level, what does God want you to realize about your body now? [Editor’s Note: Our present, terrestrial bodies are seed material for our future, celestial bodies. Take care of the seed material (1 Corinthians 6:14-20) and happily anticipate what it will bring forth for eternity. “There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of

Several years ago, I was talking with a member of the church about the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains and hiking on the Appalachian Trail. I remember how grateful I was to be able to be in such a beautiful place that dazzled the senses. It was wonderful to get up in the morning and start our hike among the mountain flowers and trees all around us that were changing their colors. There were times during the hike that we would just stop and absorb the beauty and many fragrances. Thinking about all that beauty brings to mind a faint glimpse of Heaven’s glory. A Much Better Place After our hike, we all stood outside our cabin, looking at the Georgia mountains in the distance. What an overwhelming spectacle that was! Just a glimpse of Heaven’s glory! A Much Better Place Our Savior assured His apostles that He would return to His Father and His eternal home to prepare a place of such beauty and splendor that nothing on earth can compare with it. A Much Better Place Are you ready and prepared to go to such a better place called Heaven? Have you obeyed God’s plan of salvation? Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God (John 8:24, 31-32)? Are you willing to repent of your sins and turn to God (Luke 13:3, 5; Acts 17:30-31; 2:38; 18:8)? Will you confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died,

The destiny and reward of the saved is a blessing about which John wrote in Revelation 21 and 22. Heaven is a place where the children of God will dwell with the Godhead. They will share in Their glory, and the blessing that was lost in Eden will be restored. What is Heaven to the saved? Heaven is a place of divine association. ‘‘And I heard a loud voice from Heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God’” (Revelation 21:3). Heaven is a place of peace and comfort. “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4; see Hebrews 13:14; 11:16). Heaven is a place of beauty beyond compare. John gave an amazing description of Heaven in Revelation 21:9-21 by describing all kinds of precious stones and jewels with the names of the apostles on 216-foot-high walls surrounding the city. The city is 1,500 miles in length, width and height. There are twelve beautiful gates, each made from a single pearl. The streets are transparent gold. Heaven is a place lighted by the glory of God. ‘‘But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or of

While on a mountain and after giving the apostles the Great Commission, Jesus said, “and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen” (Matthew 28:20). Before ascending to Heaven to be with the Father, our Lord gave these men (and us) the assurance that He would be with them to the finish line (cf., Hebrews 13:5; 12:1-3). Later in the New Testament, we have another example of a great servant of God who was also concerned about believers not making it to the finish line. One of the themes of 2 Timothy is to finish the course, to stay in the race and to not shrink back in faith and give up (Hebrews 10:39). Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 4:6-8 about fighting the good fight, finishing the course and keeping the faith. Going back to 2 Timothy 2:1-8, Paul encouraged Timothy (and us) to learn obedience like a soldier, the rules of the athlete and the patience of a farmer. Remembering and believing the words of Jesus and the apostle Paul, the question is, “How do we keep from quitting and stay in the race?” Paul gave the answer in 2 Timothy 2. First, he encouraged Christians to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus (v. 1). It will be His grace that will enable us to finish the race. We cannot run this race and make it to the finish line on our own. Remember, we are not alone (Matthew

We all know the Bible character King David, and from him one can learn lessons about fear, worry and anxiety. Throughout his life, David had to deal with situations that would naturally bring about these three emotions in anyone. One emotion that he knew about especially was fear. His whole life had been turned upside down when his son Absalom stole the allegiance of the nation of Israel from him and was attempting to take the throne for himself. David didn’t know who was loyal to him and who was against him. His only option seemed to be to run for his life. He said to his servants, “Arise, and let us flee, or we shall not escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring disaster upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword” (2 Samuel 15:14). As David was fleeing for his life, he wrote in a Psalm, “I cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard me from His Holy Hill” (Psalm 3:4). All believers must remember that worry is a burden God never meant for us to bear (Matthew 11:28-30). David looked to God in the midst of fear. God showed him grace and restored him to the throne. In Psalm 4:4-5, 8, David showed a very important lesson for how we should handle stressful events in our lives, which can bring up emotions of fear and of worry. We can discover from David how