Paul expressed his deep concern for the faith of his brethren in Thessalonica, knowing that they were going to suffer tribulation and being troubled that “by some means the tempter had tempted” them (1 Thess. 3:4-5).  Twice in those first five verses of chapter three, Paul wrote, “when we could no longer endure it…when I could no longer endure it,” he sent…

When the 450 prophets of Baal were unable to “convince” their god to answer their continued pleas, the Bible says that “Elijah mocked them” (1 Kings 18:27).  One of the “possibilities” that Elijah proposed regarding Baal was, “perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.”  Can you imagine serving a god who needed to be awakened, like some old man taking a…

It’s a subject and even an individual that we often avoid, but it is one that God speaks of specifically and frequently (at least 50 times in the book of Proverbs alone). “All the brothers of the poor hate him…hated even by his own neighbor…how much more do his friends go far from him” (Prov. 19:7; 14:20).  “He who oppresses [or mocks]…

Nearly every Christian, at some point, has probably “become weary and discouraged.”  Due to the relentless efforts of Satan (1 Pet. 5:8), the cares of this world (Luke 8:14) and the enslaving nature of sin (Jn. 8:34), a follower of Christ can sometimes grow fainthearted.  What can we do? God tells you, “lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls,” to…

Joseph’s brothers took his “tunic, killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the tunic in the blood.  Then…they brought it to their father and said, ‘We have found this.  Do you know whether it is your son’s tunic or not?’”  Well, they didn’t TELL him a lie!  Did they? Jacob “recognized it and said, ‘It is my son’s tunic.  A wild…

God warned His people in the Old Testament, “Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God” (Deut. 8:11).  Honestly, how could they possibly forget God?  The Lord gave the following signs: “when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your…

So, how many doors do you enter or exit every day?  There are bedroom doors, bathroom doors, home entry doors, garage doors, screen doors, car doors, glass doors, sliding doors, office doors, etc., etc.  The average person probably enters or exits doors more than 100 times a day.  Depending on what side of the door you find yourself is usually an indication…

An old movie and television scene:  someone walks up to a door and knocks in five rhythm beats (bum, bum, ba-dum, bum), a tiny eye-level slot slides open, a gruff voice from behind the door growls, “What’s the password?”  There is going to be no entry and no bribery without the password.  You either know the password or you don’t.  If you…