Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day… …above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the wicked one. Ephesians 6 For the wages of sin is death… Romans 6.23a The
For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all
For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5.9-11 “Let your
It’s common today for people to say things like “The world’s in a mess!” “Our country is falling apart!” “Everyone’s gone crazy!” Folks from all backgrounds and beliefs echo this. And while it’s true that people of every generation tend to bewail the state of the world, the combination of social discord, perverted justice, and
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Philippians 4.4 We’ve all said it or heard it a hundred times: “Happy New Year!” It’s a seasonal greeting, a way of acknowledging that according to the Gregorian calendar, we’ve just begun a new numbered year – in this case, 2024. But for most of
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil, Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness, Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! The Prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 5.20) The Apostle Paul prophetically wrote that “in the last days perilous times will come” (2 Tim. 3.1). He goes on to
Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61.1-2 At the end of another year – how quickly this one has flown by! – we look
Haul out the holly Put up the tree before my spirit falls again Fill up the stocking I may be rushing things, but deck the halls again now For we need a little Christmas, right this very minute… American composer and lyricist Jerry Herman passed away three years ago this month, leaving behind many memorable
Author’s note: Often before worship services, I enjoy playing hymns and reflecting on their lyrics. One of my favorites is entitled “I Love to Tell the Story.” This is the story behind that song. While evangelism has been the responsibility of Christians since Jesus uttered His ‘Great Commission’ (Matt. 28.18-20), it has not always enjoyed
After listing some of the great heroes of faith from the Old Testament in Hebrews 11, the author of this grand New Testament epistle begins the twelfth chapter with these words: Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so
