For some reason, we sometimes try to justify certain behaviors and think we will “be ok” and that God will “be ok” with us.  Unfortunately, that is what “the flesh” does and how “the devil” works—he deceives us into thinking according to “the flesh” and living according to “the flesh.” God issues warning after warning against giving into and flirting with our…

Jesus commanded us to judge when He said, “Judge not according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment” (John 7:24). When we judge according to appearance, we can easily miss the real truth. God told Samuel to go to the house of Jesse to anoint the new king to replace evil King Saul, and he failed to understand this truth. When Samuel…

She is not for everyone, though she would like to be. She would embrace man or woman as a friend and companion. Her presence is not often found among the youth, and unfortunately, not always with those of many years.  She is found in the company of kings and rulers and would never flee from anyone that desired her, great or small.…

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus challenged His followers (then and today) to examine what standard they are going to follow in their attitude and behavior.  Option number one: Use the standard that is based upon “What you have heard others say.”  Option number two: Use the standard that is based upon “What I [Jesus] say to you.” Those are two…

Our theme for July is looking at the judgment and seeing it as God sees it. There are many aspects of judging, for we make judgments every day. Let’s take time to look at one of the most misunderstood verses in the Bible about judging others. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Judge not that you be not judged” (Matt.…

They thought what they were doing was being done in secret, but they were caught. Early in the morning, the woman was taken out of bed by the Scribes and the Pharisees. The man never figured in the story. The woman caught in adultery was brought before a man they called Jesus. It was clear that He was the target. She was…

Rarely would someone look up the definition of a word for which the definition is quite obvious, but consider for a moment the meaning of the English word “all.”  “All” is “used to refer to the whole quantity or extent of a particular group or thing.”  It emphasizes “every member or individual component of” a particular group.  Thus, the word “all” is…

Before Jesus died, He revealed to the apostles what lay in their future. They were to be sowers of the word of God into hearts that were like wayside, thorny, stony and good soils (Matt. 13:1-9, 18-23). He also told them that in the field they were planting seed which would produce the kingdom of God. He then told them they should…