When the twelve Hebrew spies went into Canaan, they all saw the same things but not in the same way. Joshua and Caleb announced, “We are well able to overcome” (Num. 13:30). But the other ten spies despondently replied, “We are not able” (13:31). All of them had seen the giants in the land, but those weak in faith said, “We were like grasshoppers in…
Let's Go Back to the Bible
Let's Go Back to the Bible
Posts by David Sproule (Page 89)
Who is a “minister”? It is common today for that word to be capitalized (“Minister”), as a way of designating a title given to someone (both in a government and in a religious setting). In the church, the word is used almost exclusively as a title for those who preach, those who work with the youth, and those who are hired by…
The apostle Paul had been through so much during his service to the Lord! When he penned his second letter to Timothy (and the final letter we have from his hand), he referenced some kind of legal trial to which he had been subjected, and he stated, “No one stood with me, but all forsook me” (2 Tim. 4:16). How sad! When he looked around,…
Did you ever have a teacher or parent force you to say, “I’m sorry,” to some other kid? I’m not claiming that such an effort should never be made by an adult, but there is something usually lacking in that scenario – true sorrow. Saying the words is not the same as meaning the words. Paul had written a sternly-worded letter to the church…
It is very common in religious circles to refer to certain men as “pastors.” Denominational groups usually have someone known as “the pastor of the church.” Recent news articles talk about what some “youth pastor” did. Some religious schools have a spiritual guidance counselor on campus and they might refer to that person as “Pastor” so-and-so. So what is a “pastor”? If…
If you ask some teenagers why they are friends with certain people or ask a young couple why they are dating each other, you may get an answer that says something like, “We have so much in common!” And, isn’t that true? We aren’t usually friends with or hang around people with whom we don’t share much in common. After all, “Birds of a feather…
The robocalls are persistent. They come nearly every day and usually multiple times per day. “We have been trying to reach you about your car’s extended warranty.” It seems like these people are more concerned about our cars than we are. Of course, it’s all a scam. But, their efforts certainly provoke a thought. Is it possible that God has been trying to reach you about your…
Many religious groups today urge (and some require) members to give their “tithe” to the church. How does the Bible use that word and how does it apply to us? The word “tithe” literally means “ten, tenth.” We first read about the “tithe” during the Patriarchal Age of the Old Testament (Gen. 14:20; 28:22). Then, in the Mosaic Age, Jews were required…