In the Old Testament God refers to the leaders among His people as shepherds. He doesn’t limit the title only to men in religious positions. He also uses it to refer to their political leaders, people who were in places of influence for the welfare of the people. After King Saul died, the people rallied […]
When Jesus answered the disciples’ questions about end-times, He described a fearful period in history: environmental upheavals, violence among people groups and between nations, persecution of believers. But, instead of being frightened when we see those things (or hear them on nightly newscasts), we should realize that the Lord’s return is getting closer. “When these […]
Everyone in this world wants to be loved. That’s just how we are put together. We need people who honestly care about us. Each of us needs a friend with whom we can share the joys of the good times and the hurts of the bad times. This article is about having that kind of […]
Reading the first pages of the New Testament, you encounter the genealogy of Jesus Christ. Many people skim over these names. Yet, the Spirit of God purposely included five women in this list of 39 men. The fifth one is Mary, the mother of Jesus. But who were the other four? Tamar – She was […]
Some people think it is somehow disparaging of the cross of Christ to admit that Christ-followers still sin. In their desire to magnify the greatness of the Lord’s salvation, they give the impression that if a person receives Christ, their struggles with sin will come to an end. It’s true that the Holy Spirit changes […]
Like a Great White silently sneaks up on an unsuspecting swimmer, the green-eyed monster of jealousy sneaks up on us from the depths of the human heart with a vicious bite. The Prophet Jonah experienced jealousy after he had announced to Nineveh that God’s judgment would fall on the city in forty days. The Assyrians […]
A member of our church loaned me the book, “Fearfully and Wonderfully Made” by surgeon Dr. Paul Brand. He parallels the wonders of the human anatomy and physiology to the body of Christ. The more you study the human body, the more you see clear evidence that it is not the result of mindless evolution, […]
Many books have been written about David and Bathsheba, scathing the king for his abusive power in demanding she visit his bedroom, and the dire consequences his one-night-stand had on his family. In judgment, God told David that the son of that tryst would die shortly after birth. The Bible records David’s pleading with God […]
There is a great deal of interest today about exploring one’s ancestry. When did my predecessors come to this country? Have there been any distinguished or notorious people in my background? Have there been any scandals among my forebears? My own surname, Furtado, is a common name in Portugal. It means “thief” or “illegitimate”. Likely […]
Her life hadn’t turned out anything like she had dreamed when she was a young girl. Instead of having her own family, along with a servant to help with housework, she was someone else’s servant in their home. Like a piece of jewelry, she was given as a gift to a foreign couple and taken […]