Church Blog (Page 8)

“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…

I am not sure the reason, but it seems that most of us remember the last words spoken to us by those who are deceased. Those words sometimes reflect the last thoughts of those who are dying and the final message they give to us. Consider these last words of the saints of God. The last words of Jacob were, “Bury me with my fathers in the cave…which Abraham bought” (Gen. 49:29, 30). Joseph’s final words? “God will surely visit…

Hear Romans 10:17— So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. John 6:45— It is written in the prophets, ‘AND THEY SHALL ALL BE TAUGHT OF GOD.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me. Believe Hebrews 11:6— But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. Repent…

The beatitudes are what introduce the Sermon on the Mount. They serve as a framework or a starting place for the hearers of the message. They also serve as a reminder of the basic characteristics of a follower of God. They teach us so much about faith. They teach us how faith begins poor in spirit, with mourning and meekness. They teach us how faith grows, hungers and thirsts after righteousness. They teach us how faith matures merciful, pure in…

The writer of Hebrews could so easily see the dangers faced by those Jewish Christians. The nation that killed God’s Son turned its wrath on the church almost from the day it began. Jesus had warned them about the trials that were coming. Obviously, they persecuted those Gentiles who had become followers of Jesus, but their persecution was even more fierce on the Christians addressed in this epistle. They had begun their walk with Jesus and faced many trials which…

Is it important to remember life-changing or defining moments? Of course, it is. Keeping such things in our memories allows the substantial impact to remain with us. They keep us focused on what is important and snap us back to reality when we begin to lose our way. One of our more common methods of remembrance is to establish memorials. Memorials tend to be erected to commemorate events and interactions that left lasting impacts on those who raise them. These…