It is remarkable how easy it is to overlook how God has expressed great truths using some of the simplest language. When Paul wrote the Corinthians he used the expression “first of all.” We sometimes use this expression when we have a long list of things which are of equal importance. We talk of the first item, not because it has greater…

Sometimes, we sing a song in which we ask God to take us to His door and pierce our ear. We finish by telling Him that we never want to be a free man. What could this possibly mean? It is imperative that we “sing with the spirit and the understanding” (1 Cor. 14:15), but what is your understanding about what you…

Moses stood before the burning bush with his feet unshod and God said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob” (Ex. 3:6). He was sending Moses to accomplish His eternal plan for Israel, and Moses needed to be reminded of the nature of God. It was imperative that Moses…

When asked the question, “How does one decide whether the language of the Bible is to be taken literally or figuratively?” the simple answer is that throughout the world in every language we take what is said literally. The exceptions to this rule would be when the speaker often uses nonliteral language or when taking the words literally twists or distorts what…

The poetical language of the Old Testament prophets seems so difficult to those who read it, expecting some literal fulfillment. Unlike those parts of the Bible which are historical and literal, God sometimes speaks figuratively to the imagination and the soul of the reader. The prophet of God saw sin and “rivers of water” ran down from His eyes. Not literal rivers,…

The words of the psalmist are so remarkable, for they allow us to see the heart of David. One can write historical narratives or present intellectual reasons for some aspect of truth without his soul being involved. However, the very nature of writing psalms and other songs demands that the author opened his heart and the words and music come from the…

When Pharaoh’s daughter found that baby in the basket floating in the river, she knew she had a problem. Not wanting to see that baby die, she immediately accepted the offer from Miriam, Moses’ sister, to find someone to care for the child. It is obvious that any baby left unattended will die. Think of the spiritual application of this principle. A…

The teen reaches that place in life when he/she begins making decisions (perhaps unknown to a parent) which involve right and wrong. How those decisions are made are based on the system of values that child has learned and embraced. It is imperative that we understand the place and source of values on which decisions are made. Every teen has values. How…