Who penned the book of James?  Can we know who it was?  And, if we can, what can be learned from it (and from him)? Not long after the church was established, one of Zebedee’s sons, James, was murdered by Herod (Acts 12:1-2).  This is not the James who wrote the epistle in our New Testament, nor is this the James who…

There are many roads to travel in life. Saul would learn a lot on the road to Damascus. The story of his encounter is told three times in the book of Acts (9, 22, 26). What can we learn from the road to Damascus? “Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord” was traveling to Damascus, most…

When we think of Jesus’ words about gaining the whole world at the expense of losing our souls (Matt. 16:26), we rightly turn our attention toward ourselves and the value of our own soul individually. One important truth which comes from   looking more deeply into this passage should lead us to see the value of the lost souls of those around us.…

Footnotes in Bible translations can be very useful study helps.  Sometimes a footnote will cross-reference another Bible passage, or it may tell you what the original Greek word was, or it may tell you what the literal translation would be, or it may tell you of a variation in other manuscripts, or it may define a word for you.  Most of the…

Have you ever turned down a road just because you’ve never been on it before? The wonder of where it goes and where it will take you is often intriguing. This is the first of four articles that involve a road, a soul, and a lesson learned. The village of Emmaus is a distance of seven and a half miles down out…

We are at the end of this year’s “Pride Month,” when those in the LGBTQ+ community (and those who support them) have an entire month dedicated to promoting them and celebrating them.  What an interesting world in which we live, when a lifestyle that is not approved by God can be elevated and applauded with “pride”!  As this becomes more common, we…

It is tragic that some look at worship as being boring and find little joy in the time they spend in worship. Contrast this attitude with heart of David who spoke of the place worship had in his heart and his devotion to worship. Look at the following psalms as David describes his attitude toward praising his Maker. David Praised God with…

There are characters in the Bible that seem to be caught up in the wake of big moments. They weren’t the key players, but their lives were forever changed (good and bad) by the events surrounding the big stories. One such man was Mephibosheth. We first read of him when he was five years old. It was at that age when the…