The church at Corinth had planned for a year to give a special contribution to the poor saints at Jerusalem. Paul talks about this in 2 Corinthians chapters eight and nine. When they first heard about the need, they committed themselves to help, and a year later Paul reminded them of this. They began gathering the special funds. There are many similarities…

A “Pictorial Dictionary” or “Visual Dictionary” gives visual representations for each of the entries on its pages.  If you were selecting a Bible character to depict each of the following words, who would you choose to put in your “Visual Dictionary”? MEDIATOR. Obviously Jesus is the ideal image of so many qualities, including this one, however, it is not difficult to choose…

Have you ever said, “I will never do that,” and then you end up doing it after all?  Perhaps as a child you said, “When I am a parent, I will never do that” or “never say that,” and then when you became a parent you ended up doing it or saying it after all?  Some might do it with a career…

As you walk into the building on a Sunday morning, what are your thoughts as you anticipate worship? Joyfully we think about how good it will be to see those special people who will be there, but what about the actual worship? Some may think about who will be leading singing or the choice of songs. Others the length and content of…

As we read through the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, we often imagine what it must have been like to be there when all of those events were transpiring.  What would it have been like to see that water transformed into grape juice?  To see that man infirmed for 38 years to stand up, pick up his bed and walk? …

With Mission Sunday just a few days away, take time to consider why you give to the Lord. It is so easy to participate in the weekly collection without reflecting at all. We give our money as the basket passes by us, and then immediately our attention is turned to other matters. What are some of the underlying motives as to why…

Sometimes looking at what is happening in the denominational world creates a lot of questions in an observer’s mind, and the answers may not be readily obvious.  Consider the following examples. Some denominations assemble for their services on Saturday.  Other denominations assemble for their services on Sunday.  Still others offer assemblies on Saturday and Sunday.  Which way is right?  Are any of…

There is no way a child of God can rest on past accomplishments. When Paul thought of the stature he had before becoming a Christian, it was meaningless to him. From a human perspective he had so much about which he could have boasted. When false teachers at Philippi were glorying in their accomplishments in Judaism, Paul listed his credentials. He reminded…