The Galatians owed Paul so much because he had given so much to them. Who were these Galatians and where did they live? Evidently the boundaries of Galatia extended to include those cities Paul visited on the first and second missionary journeys. The churches in Galatia and in many places were established in times of great trials. Paul had given so much…

The anguish of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane is one of the most moving scenes about which to read in the sacred text!  When He took His three close friends (Peter, James and John) with Him into the Garden, “He began to be troubled and deeply distressed” (Mark 14:33).  He told His friends, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death”…

In 2014, Brazil hosted the World Cup of Futbol (soccer). The pride of Brazil was dashed when Germany crushed their team in an unheard-of 7-1 victory. Five of the goals were scored in the first thirty minutes, with four of those being made in a seven-minute span. After the game, the defeated coach, Luis Felipe Scolari, made this statement, “The catastrophic result…

The words of Paul to the Corinthians reveal so much about the response to the gospel when the lost hear it. “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called” (1 Cor. 2:26). Why is this true? All of mankind is invited to come to Jesus, but so many…

The key word in Mark’s account of the gospel (at least the term that appears over and over in the book) is the word “immediately.”  It is a fun exercise to trace that word through the book of Mark.  But knowing how often it appears in that book makes it intriguing to see the word used repeatedly in other books, where it…

God is always looking for those that are standing for what is right or standing in the gap (Ezek. 22:30). God has given us what is needed to be able to stand today and stand forever. Preparation is key to any endeavor, especially when it is connected to our service to God. It would make sense then that God has given us…

Let me share with you an experience I had just a few days ago. I have no idea what prompted it, but the lyrics of a song which I had not thought of for more than seventy years came back to me. They were written on my heart before I entered school, and for some reason, I remembered them. Where had I…

It is critically important to understand things in the Bible in the way that they were written to be understood.  There are some religious teachers who would suggest that the baptism of fire is a good thing and something for which we should long.  However, that is not what Scripture teaches.  Let’s study what the Bible says in Matthew 3:11. The Bible…