There are a number of times when Scripture talks about something being “acceptable to the Lord.” Doesn’t that expression sound so appealing? Doing something that is “acceptable” in the eyes of the Lord. What a motivation! One such time is in First Timothy chapter two. Verse three begins with the word “For,” which points back as an explanation to (i.e., a reason for doing) the first…

There have always been challenges that have faced God’s people. This latest round of trials over the last year is nothing new for our Lord (cf. Ecc. 1:9). One question that we must ask ourselves is, “Where is our faith?” This is the same question that Jesus asked His disciples in Luke 8:25, when they were being tossed and drenched by the great windstorm…

Some people’s happiness level goes up and down with (and like) the stock market, or fluctuates like (or with) the weather, or ebbs and flows with the words, attitudes and relationships of folks around them. In other words, a person’s happiness level could vary (in these circumstances) throughout a typical day. Will you read Proverbs 16:20 and think about it? Remember that Hebrew parallelism…

From the time that Nehemiah set out to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, there was opposition, namely from some neighboring officials named, Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem (Neh. 2:19-20). At every step of the way, they tried to interfere and stop the rebuilding. In chapter 6, they attempted a variety of devious and dishonest methods of discouraging and impeding Nehemiah. It’s no wonder that in the…

The first part of Proverbs 21:15 could (and probably does) have a dual meaning. The American Standard Version reads, “It is joy to the righteous to do justice.” The English Standard Version reads slightly different, “When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous.” According to the ESV, when the righteous see justice administered (perhaps by government or some other authority), it brings…

It is discouraging and a bit frustrating when a Bible word loses its meaning due to misuse of the word. The word “saint” is one such word. Unfortunately, one religious group has tainted the word to refer to a highly virtuous person who has died but was later canonized as a “saint.” Others think that only a perfect person is a “saint”—“What’d you expect! I’m no…

Our world looks at “doing nice things for others” or “helping others” and sometimes asks, “Ok, well, what’s in it for me? What do I get out of it?” If we are not careful (as Christians), that same mentality can creep into our hearts. We must be vigilant to guard against it. Jesus addressed this topic in Luke chapter 6, with three scenarios: “…if you love…

One of the most sobering passages in the Bible is found at the end of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7. Jesus pleaded with His disciples to “Enter by the narrow gate,” because “many” will miss it and “go in” the wide gate “by” the broad way to destruction (7:13). Jesus used that same word—“many”—nine verses later to reveal what would happen…