Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men – extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14 NKJV) The Pharisee, a pillar of the community, demonstrated at least three different attitudes in this passage. 1. You are so lucky to have me, God. He truly seemed to feel that God was fortunate to have such a faithful servant as he was. After all, he was not doing evil things in his life, and certainly he was a shining light to observe for direction. 2. Look at me, how great I am. His prayer included 33 words. Five of those words are the word “I.” As a matter of fact, God says that he “prayed thus with himself.” His ego was so large that his prayer was with himself. He was very high …

A characteristic of a real hero is that he or she blossoms when things get bad. Just when it seems there might be no hope of correcting or living through a bad situation, a true hero comes to the front and tackles the situation. In other words, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” We probably don’t see this played out any better than in our extreme military situations. Soldiers will risk (and often sacrifice) their lives to do whatever it takes to save a fellow soldier or others who are in danger of hurt or death. They stand up for each other. Another instance of the bravado of others is when their children are in danger. Just about any of us would give our lives to save the lives of our children. We stand up for those we love. An amazing story is that of Abraham to whom God gave a son in his old age. Abraham had lived 100 years without being blessed with a son who would be his seed through Sarah. We know that Abraham loved Isaac greatly after waiting all those years for his arrival. God spoke to Abraham about this and told him, “…Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you” (Genesis 22:2 NKJV). Abraham went about to obediently do as God instructed …

“But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him’” (1 Corinthians 2:9 NKJV). We cannot find this complete sentence in the Old Testament but the expression, “But as it is written” means that the thought is to be found in the Holy Scriptures. We read in Isaiah 64:4, “For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, Nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him.” The apostle Paul took this passage for the basis of his inspired message in 1 Corinthians 2:9. To understand this verse, we must read carefully the context in which it is found. When the apostle Paul came to Corinth, he found that members of the church were following the wisdom of the Greek philosophers. He wanted the Corinthians to know that he was “determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” Paul’s preaching was with the “demonstration of the Spirit and power” and not the wisdom of men (1 Corinthians 2:4). Notice carefully verses 7-8. “But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” So, the “secret and hidden …

The proposal that the earth is billions of years old is based on calculations as to how long it takes for organic material to turn into oil, for example. If you could have met Adam the day after he was created, how old would you have guessed him to be? He was, of course, created full grown. There is no reason not to assume that other things created were also created full grown. A full-grown earth, planned by a Creator who knew what would be needed, would have had mountains, canyons, hills and petroleum. That is easier to believe than that the earth began with nothing and gradually, accidentally became the earth we now have. That is our choice: an intelligent, all-powerful Creator or nothing becoming something, accidentally evolving into, not only a full-grown earth but intelligent, rational beings capable of seeing, hearing and talking. Take your choice. I have made mine. “…What may be known of God is manifest in them [mankind], for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:19-20 NKJV).

“Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick” (John 11:3 NKJV). Jesus was not the only one to receive such a message. Most of us have or will spend time with family and friends who struggle through illnesses. I know of no exceptions. Sickness will confront us if it hasn’t already. Health is not forever, and illness releases strong emotions and fears. There are many things out of our control, and we don’t like this! Let’s learn some lessons from sickness. Sickness May Come toGod’s Very Best Children Job was righteous, but what incredible health problems he endured (1:1; 2:7). Hezekiah became mortally ill and was told to get his house in order (2 Kings 20:1, 12). Have you ever been exhausted and sick for several days? So was Daniel (Daniel 8:27). Sometimes we must cope with an ill parent. Joseph was told, “Your father is sick” (Genesis 48:1). King David was confronted with his sick child, who subsequently died (2 Samuel 12:15-23). How hard it is for a parent to go through a child’s critical illness and passing. Others know that what they contract will mean their physical life will end. “Elisha had become sick with the illness of which he would die” (2 Kings 13:14). We all have had those who have blessed our lives suddenly get sick and die as did Dorcas (Acts 9:36-37). Then some, like Timothy and Epaphroditus (1 Timothy 5:23; Philippians 2:25-27), have ‘‘frequent ailments” (1 Timothy 5:23 ESV) that cause them difficulties and …

Someone needs to know about Jesus, someone so lost in sin,To experience the joy of salvation and new life in Christ to begin. Will you tell the story of Jesus? Will you spread the most wonderful Word?For many are groping in darkness, and so many have never heard. Through Him sin’s bonds are broken, and blind eyes are made to see.So let the message be spoken, that sin’s captives are forever free. His light will drive away darkness and turn your dark night to day.He will fill up our hearts with gladness, driving shadows of doubt away. Come to the loving Savior, whom everyone needs to know,Give your heart to the Master, and salvation He will bestow.

Absenteeism is a problem within any congregation of the Lord’s people. I do not know all the reasons for this, nor do I sit for hours trying to figure it all out. However, it is good from time to time to be reminded of our spiritual needs, which are met by being present for the services of the church. Because of Saul’s hatred for David, David had to be absent from the feast of the New Moon. “Then Jonathan said to David, ‘Tomorrow is the New Moon; and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty’” (1 Samuel 20:18 NKJV). Jonathan loved David, and when David was absent, Jonathan missed him. Because we love our brethren today, they are missed when they are absent. Christians have a responsibility to the local congregation. Whenever we are absent, it not only affects us, but we also affect our brethren who are present. Absenteeism shows disrespect for elders who have planned and set aside this special time each week for our spiritual nourishment. “Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine” (1 Timothy 4:13). “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Absenteeism affects the preacher who has planned a sermon to meet the needs of a congregation, which does not show up for it. How could it be thought to be mandatory for the preacher to be present at all …

Jesus said in John 3:5-6, “…Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (NKJV). There are many who want to argue that baptism, which one must enter to become a Christian, is not immersion; some say it is sprinkling or pouring of water. A quick word study of the New Testament Greek can help us to understand that baptism is immersion. When one compares the Greek words for sprinkling, pouring and immersion, it is clear that the Holy Spirit meant immersion regarding Christian baptism. The word “sprinkle” in Greek is rhantizō. The word “pour” in Greek is ekcheō or ekchunō. The word “baptism” in Greek is baptisma, meaning “immersion,” and the verb form is baptō, which means “cover wholly with a fluid” (Strong’s). The Greek verb baptizo means to “dip,” “submerge” or “immersion.” (Vine’s 96). With this said, if the Holy Spirit wanted to use the Greek words for sprinkling or pouring for baptism, the Greek words were readily available in the first century to do so. Therefore, we can see that the meaning is clear that God desired people to be immersed into water to experience the New Birth. Some may say, “Well that is pretty technical. I don’t know Greek; is there a simpler way to understand this?” The answer is, “Yes.” One can simply read our English Bible and get a clear understanding …

“For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world,and loses his own soul? Or what will a mangive in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26 NKJV). Introduction: Body: I. What is the soul? II. What is the world? III. If you should gain “the whole world,” what would be your gain? IV. If you should gain “the whole world,” what would be your loss, for everything you gain, you must sustain a loss? V. If you should gain “the whole world,” what would be your profit? Conclusion:

…Do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance [patience, KJV], so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise. (Hebrews 10:35-36 NKJV) This morning, I was driving east as the sunlight was beginning to shine over the ridge. The spectacle was beautiful. The sun was at the perfect angle to send rays of light across the sky in streams while still being below the horizon in other areas. Our Father’s creation is magnificent. Habakkuk prophesied about God as if His presence were the sun itself. God came from Teman, The Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah His glory covered the heavens, And the earth was full of His praise. His brightness was like the light; He had rays flashing from His hand, And there His power was hidden. (Habakkuk 3:3-4) When we see the sun rays on a calm, cool morning, we know Who exists and Who reigns supreme over the day and the night. The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, And rejoices like a strong man to …

Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians partly to impress upon them the importance and the blessings of the church. He told them that the church is the body of Christ (1:22-23; 5:23-29). Redemption and forgiveness are in the church (1:7). One’s hope is in the church (1:18). True wisdom and knowledge are in the church (1:17). The church is the family of God (3:15). All spiritual blessings are in the church (1:3). Those in the church are spiritually alive instead of dead spiritually (2:1, 5). In the last half of Ephesians 2, Paul wrote about the peace that is in the church. There are two different types of peace. In verses 11-15, he discussed peace between Gentiles and Jews. In verse 14, the apostle mentioned the “middle wall of partition” (KJV) or “separation” (NKJV). Jesus Christ broke down the partition between Jews and Gentiles who are in the church. In verse 15, Paul told the Ephesians that the Old Law (Mosaic Law) was that partition. God gave the Mosaic Law to the Jews. The Jews were God’s chosen people. Jews had come to think of themselves as higher than Gentiles. They had come to think of Gentiles as spiritual dogs. The dog was not regarded highly in Palestine. However, now Jews and Gentiles are at peace with each other. Christians are all equal in Christ. There is no animosity or hatred among Christians. Formerly, a Gentile could come to God through the Mosaic Law. Now, though, both Jews and …

In the first century of our calendar, something remarkable happened. In the desert province of Judea, a baby was born to a peasant couple in an obscure village. This Child, regardless of His poor and humble beginnings, was of royal lineage found in Matthew 1:2-16 and Luke 3:23-3. He was the direct descendant of King David, ruler of the united kingdom of Israel. During the lifetime of Christ on earth, the means of establishing a legal entitlement to the throne was available to all. This is significant because, after the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in AD 70, there is no legal way of establishing a rightful heir to the throne. Jesus, thus, had the last and the only legitimate claim to the title of King. His royal lineage through Joseph, his legal father, could be traced to King David through King Solomon, and through his mother Mary, His line went through David’s son Nathan. No matter which way you trace it, Jesus was the rightful heir to the throne and not the Roman puppet, king Herod or his family. God chose how His people are to be governed. He revealed His ways in His Word, and we obey. It’s that simple! In John 14:15, our glorious Lord said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (NKJV). Yet, do we love and obey Jesus? Some claim they obey Him but follow their own ways, even while saying they serve Him. Remember, the mob that called for Christ’s death was …

Government persecution is nothing new. It is as old as government itself. It is from the heavy hand of those in power to remind their subjects who is in charge. To think such is only ancient history is grossly naïve. We are surrounded by power-hungry individuals who would love to dominate us. The faithful Christian’s response to this is all important for us to understand. Tyranny is not the will of God (Lamentations 3:34-36). To fight for the oppressed is righteous (Isaiah 1:17). Yet, the Christian is also to be blameless and harmless (Philippians 2:14-16). Governments come from God Himself as an extension of His rule on earth. That must always be respected (Romans 13:1-7). To fail to do so is sinful. So, whatever government commands us to do, we must do (Galatians 5:23; 1 Peter 2:11-17). However, when the government would have us do anything that is contrary to the plainly revealed will of the Lord in His New Testament, we must obey God instead of men (Acts 5:29) or we sin (Psalm 94:20). Therefore, when a government becomes corrupt or loses its way in reference to the New Testament, the Christian cannot act like nothing is happening. He must be awake and aware. Still, Christians cannot rebel against the powers God has set in place. Yet, the children of God must always be alert to avoid compromising Christ by acquiescing to evil, even by government edict. Christians must also speak up and speak out to power in rebuke, as did Paul …

I read something the other day that I had never considered. It’s an idea that is glaringly obvious once it is read, but I never thought about it until I read it. In Acts 2, when Peter and the others were preaching on the day of Pentecost, just 50 days after the crucifixion of Jesus, some Jews became convicted at the message of Scripture being fulfilled before their very eyes; they had realized that they had crucified the Messiah. They, then, asked a very simple, yet an important question, “What shall we do?” They knew and understood that they were guilty and outside of the covenant, but they wanted to get back into a covenant relationship with God. Therefore, they inquired what needed to be done. Peter, therefore, gave them the answer. “…Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…” (Acts 2:38 NKJV). When they received their answer, there was no retort about John 3:16, Romans 10:9-10 or Ephesians 2:8-9. Why? Because those passages had not been written yet. Similarly, when Ananias told Saul to be baptized (Acts 22:16), there was no argument; he did as he was instructed. Keeping that in mind, now think about the next 40 years as the New Testament was being written, and notice baptism is cited as uniting us with Christ in His death (Romans 6:3), is where our hearts are circumcised (Colossians 2:11-12), is how we clothe ourselves with Christ and …

Although David was a man of many troubles, he was a man of great faith and a man after God’s own heart. In Psalm 31, we catch a glimpse of the life of faith that should characterize every child of God and give him a life that is blessed. We can emulate those things in David’s life that are worthy and shun those that are not. First, in verse one, there is an expression of confident faith. “In You, O Lord, I put my trust” (NKJV). When Solomon said in Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths,” he was not just giving a good Scripture for preachers to quote. He was expressing a fundamental principle that is a prerequisite for a blessed life. It involves confidence in all that the Lord has said, not only for us to do, but what He will do. We not only have power to become sons of God through faith in Him (John 1:11-12), but we have power to become blessed, happy, useful and productive sons of God. Both the basis and results of this confidence are found in Psalm 31:2-3. The psalmist said, “…Be my rock of refuge, A fortress of defense to save me. For You are my rock and my fortress…” That expression may appear strange until you think through its implications. How can he say, “Be my rock, for …

In the Song of Solomon 3, the Shulammite refers to Solomon with the phrase, “Whom my soul loves,” four times (3:1-4. She also uses it in 1:7.). It is interesting that this phrase occurs mostly in this “dream story” where the Shulammite is concerned about Solomon’s level of commitment to her. Yet, the phrase all by itself says a lot about the Shulammite. First, the Shulammite was not ashamed to openly declare her love. This was her man, and she would tell anyone (including the watchmen of the city, 3:3) that she was in love with him. Second, she loved genuinely and deeply. The use of the word “soul” here is significant. It has the idea that “in the depth of her being” she was in love with Solomon. People can fake love, pretending that they really care for someone, but the Shulammite was as sincere as one can be. Third, this expression shows that it was not a shared love. There is only room for one man with this kind of love. The Shulammite did not have other “love interests,” other men that she “kept on a string” just in case things didn’t work out with Solomon. She was madly in love with him, and only with him. Couples who succeed in marriage have this kind of love. They don’t have eyes for anyone else. They don’t want anyone else.

Psalm 1 is one of the most recognizable psalms! In many ways, it could be considered an introduction to the entire God-inspired collection. One thing, for sure, is that it shows two distinct classes of humanity in relation to each class’s ultimate fate. The psalm starts out with the phrase, “Blessed is the man,” which is a spirited declaration of blessedness that could be expressed, “Oh, the blessedness of the man!” The “blessed man” about to be described is a rare jewel compared to the masses of the general population. Only one class of people is given this designation of blessedness, both now and in eternity. Interestingly, this psalm was alluded to by Jeremiah when describing the apostate people of Judah and the consequent doom coming upon them (Jeremiah 17:5-8). If only they had applied this psalm! Let us note three truths about the person who is blessed according to this psalm. Recognizes the Danger of Sin “Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful” (Psalm 1:1). In recognizing the danger of sin, a person must be aware of the deceptive nature by which it traps – by subtle degrees. The “blessed” person “does not walk” in the plans or ideas of the ungodly because he knows their schemes lead to destruction (Isaiah 57:20-21; Jeremiah 7:24). He does not “stand in the path of sinners.” He does not “sit in …

Most people have the sense that things are changing so fast they cannot keep up. Those who are slow to adjust find themselves frustrated. There is a sense of loss, often expressed through a longing for the “good old days.” God’s children, however, are comforted in the knowledge that some things do not change. Christ never changes. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). His rule is unchanging. “But to the Son He says: ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom’” (Hebrews 1:8). He is our unchanging High Priest, serving as our unchanging Mediator (Hebrews 5:6; 7:25). The church never changes (Hebrews 12:28). It is the everlasting kingdom (2 Peter 1:10-11). Jesus promised to build His church and said even hades could not defeat it (Matthew 16:18). A part of the revelation given to John includes, “Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!’” (Revelation 11:15). Men may continually make new laws substituting new ways and ideas for what we considered the “tried and true.” God’s Word, though, never changes (Isaiah 40:8). Our Lord said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Matthew 24:35). That unchanging Word will be the standard in the day of judgment. “He who rejects …

I recently looked at a map of the world that was coded regarding which places were more religious and which were less religious. The map was not coded by types of religion, such as Christianity, Buddhism, Islam or the like, but just religious expression in general. Interestingly enough, Latin America, South America and Africa were coded as being from average to most religious, depending on the state or region. Also of interest is that North America, most of Europe and Australia were coded less to least religious. What the map reinforced to me is that most people have some measure of religious expression or what could be termed religiosity. Sociological studies suggest there are at least three components to religious behavior: knowing (cognition in the mind), feeling (affect to the spirit) and doing (behavior of the body). What most measures of religiosity find is that there is at least some distinction between religious doctrine, religious practice and spirituality (from an article about religiosity on Wikipedia). Religiosity, then, is not so connected to the belief in God per se or what Scripture teaches about Him and Christian living but how one has been taught or what one feels or the benefit one believes is gained from doing certain things. Being religious doesn’t always mean being genuinely spiritual or believing the truth of the Gospel or living as God commands. When we think about being part of the Lord’s church, we should always be willing to ask ourselves why we do what we …