The Bible uses many figures of speech to describe our journey to heaven. The parables of Jesus often take ordinary events to illustrate the nature of the kingdom and the part each of us plays. We are workers in the vineyard, sowers of the seed, merchants seeking a pearl of great price and many others. The writers of the New Testament add…

In uncertain situations, we hold on to what we can know. Firm knowledge is always preferred over maybe or what if. We have not been left without certainties. In the letter of First John he used the word “know” twenty-nine times in five chapters. The only book with more is his account of the gospel with seventy-five. God, through John, wants us…

When you’re staring at the same four walls for weeks and weeks on end, it is easy to think about “what I want” and “what others need to do for me.”  If any Bible character could have thought like that, maybe Paul could have when wrongfully imprisoned in Rome for “two whole years” (Acts 28:30), but he did just the opposite.  Paul…

The death of Solomon brought about a division to his powerful kingdom when ten of the twelve tribes of Israel refused to accept Solomon’s son as the next king. They established a new kingdom, known as Israel, with their own king. They not only turned away from the house of David but tragically turned away from God. For two hundred years, God’s…

We continue our study taken from Proverbs chapter six. In verses sixteen through nineteen, Solomon lists seven things that the Lord hates. If the opposite is true, then we can discern seven things that the Lord loves. We looked at the first four last week. We will now finish the last three. In fifth place of the things that God hates, Solomon…

So, what are you doing during your COVID-19 quarantine?  Watching TV, playing games, reading a book?  While your quarantine is but for a few weeks, the apostle Paul was “quarantined” as a Roman prisoner for two years.  What do you suppose he was doing during that time?  The book of Acts ends by telling us that Paul “received all who came to…

A common question found in our religious world is, “Do you know the Lord as your personal Savior?” It is true that Jesus is Lord and that He is the One who saves us personally, but few have thought what it means to know the Lord. When the question is asked and a negative response is made, then that person is told…

Solomon makes a list in Proverbs chapter six of seven things that the Lord hates. We often think of the list of seven deadly sins, but that is not a biblical list. That list is attributed to a fourth century monk. It should be stated that God hates all sins and no sin is greater than another. All sins will separate us…