There was something that God thought was pertinent for man to know throughout the ages about the Athenians. It was not something that was flattering by any means, but a grave concern in the eyes of God—enough to inspire Luke to write about it. The Athenians wanted to hear Paul’s so-called “new doctrine,” because “all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent…
Let's Go Back to the Bible
Let's Go Back to the Bible
Posts by David Sproule (Page 118)
There is certainly nothing wrong with having earthly treasures, but that is not the same thing as “laying up treasures.” The act of “laying up treasures” is a deliberate and persistent effort to (1) focus one’s life in a particular direction, (2) devote one’s time and effort toward a particular end, and (3) seek the reward that comes from these efforts. Jesus makes…
Researchers recently revealed that they had discovered date palm seeds in some archaeological excavations in the Judean Desert near the Dead Sea. These date palm seeds were dated to be 2,000 years old. Think about that: ancient seeds of date palm trees that were determined to be from around New Testament times. Questions may have come to mind in finding these seeds:…
Daniel and his three friends were taken as teenagers from their home in Jerusalem and forced into a three-year training program to serve before King Nebuchadnezzar in the foreign (and pagan) land of Babylon. Yet, even as a teenager, “Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself” with the king’s food (Dan. 1:8). The Bible does not tell us the exact…
It’s disheartening sometimes that we have allowed certain religious groups to redefine how we use Bible words. The word “saint” is one such word. In some circles, a “saint” is one who lived a highly virtuous life and has been responsible for two posthumous miracles. Others think of a “saint” as some perfect person and will exclaim at times, “Don’t look at me! I’m no…
In the verb form, to “lie” means “to make an untrue statement with intent to deceive; to create a false or misleading impression.” A lie can be “spoken” or “written.” But, in the grand scheme of things, if I tell one little lie, or mislead someone to believe an untruth, or am dishonest in my financial dealings, is that really all that…
Jesus lived a short life of 33 years. His ministry on earth lasted only three-and-a-half years. Yet, think of all that He accomplished. How did He do so much in so little time? In His dying breath, He proclaimed, “It is finished” (John 19:30). Jesus had “finished the work which [the Father had] given [Him] to do” (John 17:4). Similarly, the apostle Paul reached the end of…
Most have heard the story of the Spanish Conquistador, Hernán Cortés, who landed in Mexico in 1519 and was determined to take the land. To motivate his army to march forward and fulfill their task, the story goes that Cortés ordered the ships to be burned. The means by which they arrived was eliminated as a means by which they could leave. Retreat was not…