Having “a little faith” has sometimes been believed to be acceptable, for having “a little faith” is better than having “no faith.”  Right?  While the acceptability of having “a little faith” has sometimes been based on Jesus’ statement to His apostles about having “faith as a mustard seed” (Matt. 17:20), such should not be used to justify remaining in a state of…

How close can we, as Christians, get to works of darkness?  How close can (or should) our children get to works of darkness?  How close can we get before the force of gravity begins to pull us into its evil forces?  Read the first half of Ephesians 5 carefully. The works of darkness “are not fitting” for those who are imitating God…

The word “if” can be used in a constructive way and in a destructive way.  In 2 Peter 1, our God said, regarding the essential Christian qualities, “If these things are yours…If you do these things…” (1:8-10).  As a conditional statement, our God motivates us in constructive ways. In the temptations of Jesus, our adversary used the word “if.”  Twice the devil…

Have you noticed how obsessed television shows have become with sex?  Can you believe we have reached the point when public broadcast television has daytime and primetime shows that have as their sole theme (or as one of their major emphases) the glamorizing of the sexual inclinations and exploits of its characters?  One program that seemed to break through some social barriers…

When one takes the time to read Isaiah 53 slow enough, the predictions about the coming Messiah can be quite alarming.  Consider the expression regarding our Savior that He would be “acquainted with grief” (53:3).  “Acquainted” does not merely mean that He would see grief or feel it, for the rest of the Old Testament indicates that God saw and felt grief. …

This is the time of year when you do more shopping (perhaps) than any other time of year.  Maybe you can only get your husband’s favorite fishing lures at this one specialty shop.  Maybe your wife has a favorite chocolate that can only be purchased at a local shop.  Maybe your friend has a favorite coffee that you have to drive past…

Can you imagine being on the mountain when Jesus “was transfigured” and “His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.  And…Moses and Elijah appeared…talking with Him…and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud” (Matt. 17:1-5)?  What an experience that must have been for Peter, James and John – the only mortals on that mountain…

Jesus’ half-brother, Jude, wrote a short but stirring letter, “exhorting [his readers] to contend earnestly for the faith” (Jude 3).  Every word in the Bible is significant, even the small words that we might sometimes treat as insignificant (like “the”).  Suppose Jude had written to “contend earnestly for faith” – would that have made a difference? The Muslim terrorists who killed 3,000…