Posts from 2023 (Page 4)

By John Mitchell I remember the final scene in a movie that I saw years ago. Two men were in a house, and they were arguing with each other. One man shoots the other man. The man who was shot staggers to the side. Knocking over a lamp, he says, “Why did you shoot me?” Then he staggers the other direction, knocking over a T V, he says, “I’m not guilty, I didn’t do it!” Then he staggers another direction,…

By Jon Arvin After the birth of Jesus, Joseph is told in a dream to take Mary and their Son to Egypt to avoid the threat against his life from Herod (Matthew 2:13). In this short passage we learn a few truths about the enemies of Jesus. TO THE ENEMIES OF JESUS, NOTHING IS OFF LIMITS: …Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him. – Matthew 2:13 Herod was fearful of losing his power and authority. He…

Pray, specifically, about having opportunities to share your faith. Think about the people in the various places you spend your time and ask God for inroads with these individuals specifically. Pray for courage, wisdom, and your words (cf. Col. 4:2-6). Pray for their hearts. Pray to pick opportune times to approach them. Cultivate your fields. Spend time thinking about who you have or can build a relationship with. That will be your area of greatest success. Be involved in their…

2 Peter 1:5-11 – 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and selfcontrol with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted…

Many people today disparage “organized religion.” Instead, they simply desire a “personal relationship” with the Lord. However, this is not an “either-or” proposition. In our service to God, we have personal and corporate responsibilities. Notice what Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus: “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the…

“Also I heard the voice of the LORD, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.’” (Isaiah 6:8) A conduit is a channel of some form that is typically used to transmit or distribute something through it. Aqueducts, for example, are built to guide a water stream from its original source to a designated location where fresh water may not be available. There is no question that these forms…

Most people have some sort of streaming service in this period in time and everything out there has advertisements. Whether it’s coming from our phone or TV while we’re watching movies, shows, listening to music or playing games, very dark content is delivered straight to our minds through ads. This content glorifies Satan, demons, blaspheming of God, torturing people, doing hardcore drugs, having inappropriate conversations with children, having inappropriate relationships as adults, etc. Honestly, it’s started to overwhelm me lately.…

Around the year 1050 B.C. the children of Israel made the most tragic and unwise decision in their history, by placing themselves on the “broad…way that leads to destruction” (Matthew 5:13b). The prophet Samuel (and Israel’s last righteous judge) had grown old and he had passed on his duties to his sons, Joel and Abijah (cf. 1 st Samuel 8:1-2). Holy Writ declares that these two men were corrupt because they “did not walk in his [Samuel’s] ways; they turned…

Eight times, Moses notes the “grumbling” of the people (2,7–twice,8–thrice,9. 12). As they begin their migration from Egypt to Canaan, they come to a place called the Wilderness of Sin. “Sin has no relation to the English word ‘sin.’ It is simply the name of a place and possibly has some connection with the word ‘Sinai’” (Osborn & Hatton, USB, 384). However, Israel sins in this part of their desert sojourn. Grumbling (murmuring and complaining) is warned against in both…

Jesus promised to build His church (Matthew 16:18). It began on Pentecost after His resurrection in the city of Jerusalem (Acts 2). When the gospel of Christ was preached the people asked, “What shall we do?” (v. 37). The apostle Peter told them to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins (v. 38). “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them… And the Lord added to…

We all offend one another. We should not want to and should try not to, but sometimes we do; sometimes without even realizing it. When we see that we have offended someone it should make us feel very bad. We should apologize and ask their forgiveness. We should try and make it right. We should try and be careful not to make the same mistake again, yet sometimes we do. We should be forgiving towards one another, though some will…

When the Lord said, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life” (Prov. 4:23), He obviously is not talking about that large muscle in our chests. The Bible uses the word “heart” over 800 times and almost always, if not actually always, refers to that inner part of our being. When the Lord discussed the greatest commandment, He spoke of loving God will all our heart, soul, and mind. That inner part of…