The word castaway is a technical word familiar to those who knew the Greek Olympic games. Paul used the term to say he did not want to be “disapproved” or “disqualified” as a servant of God. At the Greek games, there was a herald who announced the rules of the...
Why did Peter refer to God as a “faithful Creator” (1 Peter 4: 19) rather than a “faithful Judge” or even a “faithful Saviour”. Because God the Creator meets the needs of His people. It is the Creator who provides food and clothing to persecuted Christians. and who protects them...
Has God abandoned His kingdom program for Israel? Of course not! Israel is merely setaside until the time comes for God’s plans for Israel to be fulfilled.Today the saved Gentiles provoke Israel “to jealousy” because of the spiritual riches theyhave in Christ. Israel today is spiritually bankrupt, while Christians have...
Submission to God and others is an act of faith. There is danger in submitting to others; they might take advantage of us. But we can trust God. His mighty hand that directs our lives can also direct the lives of others. God never exalts anyone until that person is...
When Jesus called Himself “the Living Bread,” He was not claiming to be exactly like manna. He was claiming to be even greater! The manna only sustained life for the Jews, but Jesus gives life to the whole world. The Jews ate the daily manna and eventually died; but when...
Wine was the normal drink of the people in New Testament days, but we must not use Jesus’ miracle of turning water into wine as an argument for the use of alcoholic beverages today. A man given to drink once said to me, “After all, Jesus turned water into wine!”...
We need to decide what kind of righteousness we are seeking, whether we are depending on good works and character, or trusting Christ alone for salvation. God does not save people on the basis of birth or behavior. He saves them “by grace, through faith” (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is not...
The material blessings of life come from God. The person who looks at himself and forgets God when blessings are abundant is only revealing his pride. David responded to God’s blessings by saying, “Who are I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that Thou hast brought me this...
It is an honor and a privilege to suffer with Christ and be treated by the world the way it treated Him. “The fellowship of His sufferings” is a gift from God. Not every believer grows to the point where God can trust him with this kind of experience, so...
Just a short drive from my former home is the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Years ago, the school had a life-saving squad that assisted passengers on the Lake Michigan boats. On September 8, 1860, a passenger boat, the Lady Elgin, floundered near Evanston, and a ministerial student,...