When I became a Christian, churches did not have regular follow-up courses for new converts such as we have today. My “follow-up course” was a series of Bible studies from the Book of Hebrews, led by a gifted layman and taught in his living room. Much of what was taught...
What does Job’s story mean to believers today? It means that some of the trials of life are caused directly by Satanic opposition. God permits Satan to try His children, but He always limits the extent of the enemy’s power. When you find yourself in the fire, remember that God...
A hypocrite deliberately uses religion to cover up his sins and promote his own gains. The Greek word translated hypocrite originally meant “an actor who wears a mask.” The righteousness of the Pharisees was insincere and dishonest. They practiced their religion for the applause of men, not for the reward...
What is true Christian dedication? For one thing, it means giving God your body. Before we trusted Christ we used our bodies for sinful pleasures and purposes, but now that we belong to Him we want to use our bodies for His glory. The Christian’s body is God’s temple because...
Christians live in the future tense; their present actions and decisions are governed by the knowledge that they have a living, resurrected Saviour whom they will someday see. Just as an engaged couple makes all their plans in the light of that future wedding, so Christians should live with the...
The word submit is a military term that means “get into your proper rank.” When a buck private acts like the general, there is going to be trouble! Unconditional surrender is the only way to complete victory. If there is any area of the life kept back from God, there...
The church is a miracle. No amount of skill, talents, or programs can make the church what it ought to be. Only God can do that. If each believer is depending on the grace of God, walking in the love of God, and participating in the fellowship of the Spirit,...
Throughout the Epistle to the Hebrews, the writer emphasized the importance of the future hope. His readers were prone to look back and want to go back, but he encouraged them to follow Christ’s example and look ahead by faith. The heroes of faith named in Hebrews 11 lived for...
God’s Word is one of the best tools for resisting temptation. When Jesus was tempted by Satan, He used the Word of God to defeat him. Paul admonished believers to take “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Ephesians 6:17) in their battle against Satan and...
On January 6, 1822, the wife of a poor German pastor had a son, never dreaming that he would one day achieve world renown and great wealth. When Heinrich Schliemann was seven years old, a picture of ancient Troy in flames captured his imagination. Contrary to what many people believed,...