In Luke 22:54, Jesus was arrested, led and brought into the high priest’s house. Meditating on those verbs, and their implications, ought to make us cringe. But, those are not the only verbs in this passage. Consider the verbs that describe Peter’s actions (and a few adverbs). “Peter followed” and did so “at a distance” (v. 54). Got the picture? “Peter sat”…

Whenever you think the devil might be getting the best of you, drop to your knees and let the Lord get the best of the devil! The only way (not “the best way” or “a proven way” but “the only way”) to successfully overcome and triumph over temptation (any temptation) is through prayer! “In this manner, therefore, pray…Do not lead us into…

How many times have you heard someone say those words, “You get what you pay for”? It is often in response to being disappointed with the purchase of an inexpensive item–i.e., “you didn’t pay much for it, so you shouldn’t expect much out of it.” While this cannot be a universally accepted rule  (many inexpensive items are better than their pricey equivalents),…

God calls upon every Christian to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them…teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20). Each Christian bears that responsibility equally. But with responsibility comes accountability! The Lord warned in James 3:1, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach…

The apostle Peter seemed to coin a word in 1 Peter 4:15 for being a busybody that is not used anywhere else in the New Testament. It is a compound Greek word (allotriepiskopos), which combines two words, one of which may be familiar to you. One of the words that is used in the New Testament for an elder is the Greek…

Since money has been thrust into a position of central importance in our society, it has become commonplace to judge someone’s value to us or our interest in them based upon their level of this world’s wealth. Consider God’s evaluation of true riches in 1 Timothy 6:17-19. First of all, we must learn to not put our “trust in uncertain riches.” The…

It is commonly asserted that Christians have no right to judge others, especially in a religious context. And, the verse that is often quoted is Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” Oh, but look at the context! Is Jesus really saying, “Don’t ever judge someone else”? Jesus teaches for us to “first remove the plank” from our own eyes,…

In the midst of a heated national and local election season, there’s seems to be a high premium on truth these days. Why is it so hard for some politicians to tell the truth? But, it’s not just in politics. Deceptive tactics are at the heart of many advertising efforts for various products. Deception is as common in many industries and workplaces…