King David was nearing the time of his death and was giving some final instructions and advice to his son, Solomon. (His last words are recorded in 1 Kings 2:2-9.) What would be some of the most important things that a father could say to his son to carry with him? The first three statements from David say it all: “(1) Be strong. (2) Prove yourself…

Sometimes when you hear something so often, you might be tempted to dismiss it as “simplistic” or “old hat,” and think that you need to find something more modern or even more complex for it to be effective. That is not always the case. There is a statement made about King David in Second Samuel 5:10, which reveals that he “went on and…

Unfortunately, there are times when folks (including some preachers) think that we need to soften the message of the gospel a bit, to make it more palatable for those who hear it. A passage to which some will appeal is Paul’s statement, “I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). Folks will say, “There you…

A handsome young hunter in Greek mythology stopped at a clear, calm pool of water to get a drink and noticed his reflection in the still waters. He fell in love with himself and could not bring himself to leave the beauty of his reflection, not even to eat or drink. He was so enamored that he eventually died there, staring at himself, and…

Some people think that being a Christian is the hardest life to live. Unfortunately, they look at the commandments of God as “negative restrictions” rather than “positive opportunities” and “for our good always.” They think that living the life of the world is much easier. Did you know this verse is in the Bible? Proverbs 13:15 states, “The way of transgressors is hard.” Think about that. Could…

There are a number of times when Scripture talks about something being “acceptable to the Lord.” Doesn’t that expression sound so appealing? Doing something that is “acceptable” in the eyes of the Lord. What a motivation! One such time is in First Timothy chapter two. Verse three begins with the word “For,” which points back as an explanation to (i.e., a reason for doing) the first…

There have always been challenges that have faced God’s people. This latest round of trials over the last year is nothing new for our Lord (cf. Ecc. 1:9). One question that we must ask ourselves is, “Where is our faith?” This is the same question that Jesus asked His disciples in Luke 8:25, when they were being tossed and drenched by the great windstorm…

Some people’s happiness level goes up and down with (and like) the stock market, or fluctuates like (or with) the weather, or ebbs and flows with the words, attitudes and relationships of folks around them. In other words, a person’s happiness level could vary (in these circumstances) throughout a typical day. Will you read Proverbs 16:20 and think about it? Remember that Hebrew parallelism…