“He didn’t fall! Inconceivable!” says the Sicilian.  The Spaniard turns to the Sicilian and says, “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” That can happen. Like, we use a word literally all the time that we totally don’t know the meaning of or how it should be used in context. Recently, resist has been thrown…

There is a striking contrast the apostle Paul makes in the thirteenth chapter of his first letter to Corinth. He speaks of three temporary things and three things which will abide. The church in Corinth was so enamored by the temporary gifts of tongues, knowledge and prophecy that they had lost sight of three things far more important. It appears that many…

As one reads through the pages of the New Testament, there is no doubt that the preaching of first-century Christians is something that deserves our careful inspection and emulation.  Their preaching was (1) successful, as individuals from all walks of life and all backgrounds were being converted (Acts 2:5-40; 8:5-13; 9:1-18; 10:1-48; 16:11-40; Phil. 1:13; 4:22).  Their preaching was (2) wide-spread, as…

She really wanted a Chihuahua puppy. As she crossed the border into Mexico, she thought, “Maybe I’ll find one and rescue it while I’m here.” She bought her normal goods and souvenirs and headed back towards the border. As she was nearing the checkpoint, she couldn’t believe what she saw—a Chihuahua abandoned on the side of the road! She pulled over and…

It is remarkable how we most often use the word “love” to describe an emotional feeling. When we use the expressions like “falling in love,” “falling out of love” or “I don’t love him anymore,” we are limiting the meaning of love to the emotions which are stirred within us. The Greek language had many words to describe the many facets of…

Some readers will agree with this statement and some will disagree, but I want you to consider this thought for a moment—The most sacred time in the life of the Christian each week is when he or she communes with Jesus at His feast.  When we partake of “the Lord’s Supper” (emphasis on “the Lord’s”) each week, this is not a matter…

“For like a poisonous breath over the fields, like a mass of locusts over Egypt, so the swarm of excuses is a general plague, a ruinous infection among men, that eats off the sprouts of the Eternal” (Søren Kierkegaard).  “It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one” (George Washington).  “He that is good for making excuses is seldom good…

When John was on Patmos, he saw a vision of Jesus. As our Lord spoke to him, He said, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End” (Rev. 1:8), and three verses later adds, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last.” This same idea is found at the end of this book (21:6;…