Jesus said, “I am the Light of the World” (John 8:12 NKJV). When one obeys the Gospel, that person reflects the Light of Christ to others. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16). The apostle Paul admonished the Christians at Ephesus, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:9). As Christians, we do not create our own light, but we reflect the Light of Jesus Christ upon a sin-sick world – similar to the moon, which has no light, reflecting only the light of the sun. In order for Christians to adequately reflect the light of Christ, they must know the Word of God. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV). This requires one to dig into the Bible – not just read the Scriptures. This is accomplished by attending the Bible classes and other opportunities to hear God’s Word as set up by the leadership of the local congregation, worshipping God on the first day of the week and in …

Mark Twain said he went to borrow an ax from his neighbor. His neighbor said, “No! I am using it now, and when I get through with it, I am going to use it to eat soup with.” “You don’t eat soup with an ax,” said Twain. “Well,” said the neighbor, “when you don’t want to do something, one excuse is as good as another.” That may be true with men, but it is not true with God! God will accept no excuse for a failure to do His will. Excuses make God angry (Exodus 4:14; Luke 14:21). Why not cast aside your excuses and obey God now? “Today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts as in the day of provocation” (Hebrews 3:15).

Rarely, the phrase “double minded” is used in our everyday conversation. Webster defines double minded simply as: “undecided in mind; vacillating.” The word “vacillate” is defined in part as: “to sway to and fro; waver; stagger; to fluctuate; to waiver in mind.” Even though we hardly ever use this word, it surely is understandable. I have encountered many folks who are double minded, and you can’t count on them to make a firm decision. They sway back and forth, and you are unable to trust their judgments because of this disposition. They are frustrating people. They cannot be true leaders. To put trust in someone who is double minded would be foolish because he or she is unstable. Have you ever said, “The fellow can’t be trusted? He speaks out of both sides of his mouth?” Alternatively, remember the old Indian phrase, “He speaks with a forked tongue?” Yes, we have met many people like that, and some politicians fall into this category. The party line changes and they vacillate, backing up and with a double tongue confuse, bamboozle and fluctuate. Did the Apostle James Originate this Word? We find this interesting wording “doubleminded” in James 1:8 and 4:8. Further, see a portion of a commentary on James 1:6 by James Burton Coffman: Verse 8… a doubleminded man, unstable in all his ways. Two things of very great importance are evidenced by this short verse. In the first place, as Dummelow suggested, “It refers to the teaching of Christ in …

John DeFrain, Nick Stinnett and their colleagues have done extensive research with over 24,000 families since 1974 into what makes families strong. This ongoing research has revealed six qualities of strong families: “Spiritual Well-Being” has to do with the foundation of a family: their core values, code of conduct, sense of purpose and beliefs about life. No family is stronger than its foundation. That’s why it’s so important for us to build our families upon a solid foundation. Jesus identified the proper foundation for our lives and the lives of our families: Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall. (Matthew 7:24-27) Our families encounter many “storms.” However, Jesus has promised that if we build our lives and our families upon the rock – which is Jesus Himself, the only sure Foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11) – by hearing and doing His Word, then we will be able to withstand those storms! Building our families on the Rock directly shapes our relationships within the …

Paul, the great evangelist and apostle of Jesus Christ, was born in Tarsus, a city of Cilicia (Acts 22:3), and he became a Roman citizen by birth just as so many of us are American citizens by birth. On an occasion recorded by Luke in Acts 22, the Jews created a stir as Paul had entered the city of Jerusalem. He was rescued by the Roman officers, and they were preparing to scourge him in attempt to obtain information. However, there were rights Paul held as a Roman citizen. So he asked, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?” (Acts 22:25). In his investigation of the matter, the chief military officer told Paul he had purchased his own citizenship with “a great sum.” Irrespective of one’s national citizenship, far more important are the incomparable blessings and privileges that come to all those who are citizens of the heavenly kingdom through the new birth. Having been “born again” (John 3:3-5), we are presently the Sons of God (1 John 3:1-2). What greater honor can be bestowed upon an individual? You and I have been made “kings and priests” unto God by our brother who is “the prince of the kings of the earth” (Revelation 1:5-6). Being a citizen of the kingdom of heaven, you and I are free from the captivating power of sin. Through the Gospel, the Prince of life has delivered us from the prince of this world and the kingdom …

Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). The promise of salvation is to those who ‘obey Him’ (Hebrews 5:8-9). Let us immediately allow Jesus into our hearts. He stands at the door and ‘knocks’ (Revelation 2:10). What prohibits His salvation and His being allowed to come into our lives? Love of sin (1 John 2:15-17) is one thing that prohibits Jesus. On our part, the ‘lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life’ varies as to the object of our lusts. Sometimes it is a person; sometimes it is our love for personal power; sometimes it is the lazy spirit we adopt. Regardless, these things take us away from Jesus rather than allow Him to come in. Failure to love God is another thing that prohibits Jesus. He said that it’s when we love Him we obey Him (John 14:15) and become His friend (John 15:14). Failure to love God will result in very sinful conduct (1 John 4:10ff) and heaven will be denied to those (Revelation 20:12ff). Let us love Him, and let us shun sin so that neither His knocking nor His love for us is in vain.

The author of the Book of Acts is the same as the author of Luke (Luke 1:1-4; Acts 1:1-3). Luke has been generally accepted as the author of Luke for centuries. The “we” passages of Acts show the author was a companion of Paul (16:10-17; 20:5-21:18; 27:1-28:16). Luke was with Paul when he wrote Colossians (4:14) and Philemon (24). The author had a special interest in diseases (Luke 4:38; 5:12; 6:6; 8:43-44, 55; 9:38ff.; 22:50-51), which might be explained by his being a physician (Colossians 4:14). Luke’s loyalty to Paul can be seen in his staying with the apostle during very trying times (2 Timothy 4:9-12). The recipient of the book was a man named Theophilus, meaning “one who loves God.” He is addressed as “most excellent” in Luke. This was a title used for some in service of the Roman government (Acts 23:26; 24:3; 26:25). One author suggested Theophilus was Luke’s benefactor. He may have become a Christian between the writing of Luke and Acts, since the title is dropped in the latter. Acts could be described as a continuation of the story of “all that Jesus began both to do and teach” (1:1). The church is, after all, the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23). McGarvey wrote, “Much the greater part of Acts may be resolved into a detailed history of cases of conversion, and of unsuccessful attempts at the conversion of sinners.” Such a statement of purpose fits nicely with the Lord’s marching orders. He told the apostles, …

When I was a child, I was to carry out two very similar chores with two very different goals in mind: both dealt with grass. In the summertime, it was my duty to pull the weeds from the driveway. When pulling weeds, you pull them out at the root so that they do not return. Sometimes a tool would need to be used. I was also responsible for cutting the grass. Provided the grass was not too tall, it would be mulched so it would seed itself. Keep these two illustrations in mind, and at the end of the lesson we will draw application. In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Paul wrote a letter to the brethren to remind them of the change that had taken place in their lives. Paul discussed various sins to which the Corinthian brethren were privy: “neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God” (vss. 9-10, ASV). Notice the transition in verse eleven in which Paul wrote, “And such were some of you.” The power that had changed their lives was the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; “For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Romans 1:16). Realizing that “all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) and that “the wages of sin …

I find myself asking just how it could possibly be,That Jesus could have come and died for me,I am so weak and sinful, too unworthy of His love,How could it be that for me He left His home above? And then I remember: “There is power in the blood” says the song we often sing,We sing of the forgiveness that our faithful acts can bring,And of that blood that can wash us clean whatever we have done,If our hearts are ready to change the path we have begun. And sometimes I see myself just falter and take a fall,Sometimes it is something big, sometimes just something small,But I feel so disappointed in myself for being weak,For I know I have saddened the very One that I should seek. But then I remember: We sing with joy about the wondrous crimson flood,And how our sins are purged by the Savior’s precious blood,For He allowed Himself to be hung upon that awful tree,So that from the burden of our sins we could be free. I may be weak from time to time, as are we all,I may take my off the goal and take a fall,But I know, like Peter when he was sinking in the sea,If I look up my Savior will be reaching out for me. I have to get back up and to the straight path go back,I have to strengthen all those things that I may lack,I have to strive to not let Satan trick me into sin,I …

Almost everyone who refers to Genesis 2:18 using the King James Version or the ASV quotes, “And Jehovah God said, it is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.” Then they pronounce “help” and “meet” as if it were one word, sometimes saying, “helpmate.” I have no particular objection to referring to a man’s wife as his helpmate, if she is such. Nor do I have any desire to deny that God wants a man’s wife to be a mate that is helpful. However, I confess that I am bothered a little when a person who claims to be able to give an adequate exegesis of God’s Word does not know that the word “meet” as used here simply means “suitable.” It may not be quite as bad as a person who thinks Jesus said in Mark 7:27, “It is not meat [instead of meet] to take the children’s bread and cast it to the dogs,” but it is almost as bad. It is our judgment that almost any person can teach the Gospel plan of salvation, which is so simple that it is almost impossible to misunderstand without expert help. Yet, those of us who attempt to do more than write or speak about the simple facts, promises and commands of the Gospel, should at least be able to discover the meaning of a word before we attempt to explain it to some other person.

When a person grows old, the one thing that makes him the happiest is to know and see his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, friends and loved ones walking in harmony with God’s will. Having their priorities in the right prospective is: When people reach the last years of their lives and reflect back, I doubt if recounting how much they accumulated in material things would be of any importance. They could ask this question, “What have I done in my lifetime for the cause of Christ?” [Editor’s Note: At the close of one’s life one wonders, “What’s next for me?” and “Have I prepared adequately for the commencement of eternity.” ~ Louis Rushmore

Marriage was ordained in the Garden of Eden by God (Genesis 2:23-25). It provides man with suitable companionship (Genesis 2:18) and a secure environment for raising children (Genesis 1:26-28, Psalm 127:3-5; 128; Malachi 2:14-15). The attack by Satan on the home today is relentless and has caused much confusion. Many do not even know whether or not they are actually married. Let us therefore go back to Bible basics to define what constitutes marriage. Marriage Is an Institution of God. “Wherefore they are no more twain but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder” (Matthew 19:6). No man or government has authority to join people in marriage or grant a divorce without God’s approval. Marriage Is Regulated by the Law of God. “The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7:39). “The law” here is God’s law. An example of an unlawful marriage is that of King Herod to Herodias. Even though they were married and divorced according to the law of the land (Mark 6:17), John the Baptist still told Herod that “It is not lawful for thee to have her” (Matthew 14:4). Herod was still accountable to God’s law of marriage. Christians and non-Christians alike, therefore, are accountable to God in their marriage. Christ stated that fornication is the only ground for divorce and remarriage. …

Several weeks ago during my daily Bible reading, the word “prudent” kept appearing, and I realized I had been reading that word over and over in Scripture, but I had given little thought to what it actually means. What does being prudent mean? Vine’s Bible Dictionary defines it as suggesting quickness of apprehension; the penetrating consideration which precedes action. Apprehension as it is used in this definition means the faculty or act of understanding or perceiving. This word “prudent/prudence” is mentioned many times in Scripture. We would do well to examine our lives for quickness of perception and penetrating consideration before we take any action. All of us, who are students of God’s Word, realize that prudence is an attribute that comes from the Word dwelling in us richly. Psalm 119:130 states, “The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” The light that the Word gives is spiritual discernment and comprehension. Who are the simple? According to Vine’s, those of us who choose only what glorifies God are the simple here addressed. Discussed are those who are without evil and who have no harmfulness in themselves. What a mind-piercing, challenging concept—we will be striving to improve in this mindset until death! Speaking of God, Job tells his pitiless friends in Job12:13, 16, “With Him are wisdom and strength, He has counsel and understanding. With Him are strength and prudence, the deceived and the deceiver are His.” Isaiah 5:21 warns, “Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and …

Another school year is upon us and many of last spring’s high school graduates continue their experiences in education. Whether in college, trade school or the military, teenagers leave home to face their first steps of adulthood. Satan’s snares are set along the path as they take those steps. So it is my prayer for these children that they all be like Joseph. Joseph, at age seventeen, found himself far from home. Yet, with a few good choices, he served the Lord and accomplished God’s Will. First, Joseph had godly dreams. Joseph literally had dreams inspired by God. More pointedly, Joseph had godly expectations and goals for his life. Teenagers are encouraged to have goals to direct their education, careers and even retirement! Christians must emphasize goals of righteousness. Paul reminded us that regardless of his riches or poverty, he had contentment (Philippians 4:11ff). Paul also encourages us to always abound in our good works (1 Corinthians 15:58) while pressing forward to our goal of heaven (Philippians 3:14). Second, Joseph honored his father. By the time Joseph was a child, Jacob’s fickle faith had been strengthened. Jacob was a good example of a living faith for Joseph, and Joseph understood the value of following such an example. Long before Isaiah answered the Lord, Joseph said to his father, “Here am I” (Genesis 37:13). One of the great relationships in Scripture is the parent and child relationship. Throughout the Bible this message is clear: Parents, train your children in the nurture …

I have been preaching and teaching the Gospel for 40 years this year. I pray my efforts at doing so, by the grace of God, are better at communicating God’s truth now than when I began preaching, although this has always been my heart’s desire and life’s goal. Early on I remember doing lessons on complacency, on the need for commitment, both in articles and in sermons preached. What was a problem then in the church, it would seem, is more of a problem today. The Barna group, a religious research institution, has released the results of a survey that reveals a declining level of commitment among “born again Christians” over the past 20 years. While the survey was addressed to “Christianity” in general, and not specifically to New Testament Christianity, I believe the influence of the world in the church would show we are not far off from what they found. Some of their findings include: Barna concluded the study by saying such a spiritual condition as these statistics show reflects the “pursuit of cheap grace.” We can certainly say the philosophy of many Christian religions that believe one is “saved by grace only through faith only,” and that once saved one is always saved, can definitely contribute to such a lackadaisical attitude towards faith and service. The question is, “Have we subscribed to a similar view in the Lord’s church?” The problems listed in the survey are concerns many have about a lack of commitment in the body …

When I have opportunity to study with someone who believes the basics but has not understood and obeyed the Gospel, I follow this plan: First, I establish the fact that we live under the New Testament and not the Old Testament, and the significance of that fact. The Old Testament was a covenant made exclusively between God and the nation of Israel at Mt. Sinai (Deuteronomy 5:1-3; Psalm 147:19-20). The Gentile world was never under this covenant, and the Jewish world, since the death of Jesus, is no longer under it. So, we must get our instruction from the New Testament. Second, I establish a common sense approach to Bible study. All the facts must be gathered. For example: When they came to arrest Jesus, Mark says that one of those who stood by drew a sword and cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest. Matthew informs us that it was a disciple of Jesus who used the sword. Luke says it was the right ear that was amputated. John identifies the swordsman as Peter and the victim as Malchus. Then the student must reason accurately from all the facts. Any Bible subject must be approached in this way. Third, I apply all this to the question of how and when one becomes a saved person by studying the Great Commission accounts. Matthew says one is to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (28:19). Mark says that one must believe …

Not long ago a speaker presented the idea that in our postmodern, amoral and immoral world, there still is an opening to talk with people about God. His point, if I remember correctly, was that even though biblical morality seems lost in the present generation, most people still have some point at which they can see a wrong has been committed. Atrocities make them recoil in disgust. It is at this point that Christians may have an opportunity for evangelism with even the hardest of unbelievers. When such an event as the Holocaust is discussed, people will generally (though tragically, not always) recognize the inherent awfulness of such a thing. Then, the Christian has the opportunity to pry a bit. “Why is that wrong?” one might ask. It may take some time to peel through the layers of superficial responses: “Well, it just is!” However, perhaps it can be done. Maybe the Christian can get the unbeliever to see that without a transcendent God, morality really means nothing. Without a Creator, who gets to make up moral rules? If someone responds that a government does, then Hitler’s gas chamber guards were just doing the right thing. Hopefully, people will see the errant nature of that logic. If someone responds that morality is based on inherent goodness in man, one could ask him to define that goodness. One leaving (unscripturally) an ailing wife to marry another might not seem good to that first wife, but it might seem great to the …

In 2 Corinthians 4:4, Paul describes the Gospel as “the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.” This is one of the most remarkable descriptions of the Gospel in the whole Bible. The Gospel is the good news that tells of the glory of Christ in Whom we can see God. It is the mighty and powerful message from God that penetrates to the deepest place in the soul. Notice how Paul described the glory of the Gospel in Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” Origin of the Gospel: “the gospel of Christ.” The Gospel is the good news that Christ died for our sins, was entombed and has been raised from among the dead (1 Corinthians 15:1-7). His resurrection distinguishes Him from all other spiritual leaders. Others have lived, taught and died. Jesus Christ, though, is the only One Who died for our sins, has been raised and now lives as the Savior of the world. The Bible records for us the redemption of God in Christ (Luke 1:68). Operation of the Gospel: “the power of God.” Religion is the story of what a sinful man tries to do for a Holy God; the Gospel is the story of what a holy God has done for sinful men. The phrase “power of God” occurs 12 times in the New Testament using the word dynamics (i.e., power) (Matthew …

Answer: For many Christians in the West who don’t understand the history behind it, yoga is simply a means of physical exercise, strengthening, and improving flexibility of the muscles. However, the philosophy behind yoga is much more than physically improving oneself. It is an ancient practice derived from India, believed to be the path to spiritual growth and enlightenment. The word “yoga” means “union,” and the goal is to unite one’s transitory (temporary) self with the infinite Brahman, the Hindu concept of “God.” This “God” is not a literal being, but is an impersonal spiritual substance that is one with nature and the cosmos. This view is called “pantheism,” the belief that everything is God, and that reality consists only of the universe and nature. Because everything is God, the yoga philosophy makes no distinction between man and God. Hatha yoga is the aspect of yoga that focuses on the physical body through special postures, breathing exercises and concentration or meditation. It is a means to prepare the body for the spiritual exercises with fewer obstacles in order to achieve enlightenment. The practice of yoga is based on the belief that man and God are one. It is little more than self-worship disguised as a high level of spirituality. The question becomes, “Is it possible for a Christian to isolate the physical aspects of yoga as simply a method of exercise without incorporating the spirituality or philosophy behind it?” I don’t believe so. Yoga originated with a blatantly anti-Christian philosophy, …