Saved by the Gospel

Truth can be described as that which is true, meaning that which conforms to reality.  It’s a fact.  It’s not false.  At a time when many deny the existence of an absolute truth it is good to remember the words of Jesus, recorded in John 8:32, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  In John 17:17 Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” Jesus’...

Isaiah wrote, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” Isaiah 5:20.  Isaiah’s words certainly apply to our day, do they not? Men marrying men, women marrying women, drag queen shows for young children at public libraries. Yet many want to describe these things as good.  Those who speak...

Do you want to be wise when you are older? Of course, you do!  That’s a silly question to even ask, isn’t it?  Maybe.  But wisdom doesn’t come automatic to a person just because he, or she ages.  In Proverbs 2:2, the wise man wrote, “Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding.” Notice the words, make, incline.  Obviously there is some intentional effort involved. A key...

In Matthew 18:8-9, Jesus said, “Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes...

Whatever your cares or troubles in life, God wants you to hand them over to Hm.

Few verses from the Bible are more misunderstood than I Peter 4:17-18. “For the time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” The phrase, “And if the righteous scarcely be saved” has caused many to question...

Many people, in an effort to prove a person can be saved from his sins without being baptized, go to the penitent thief on the cross as an example. Oh, without a doubt, the thief was saved. When the thief said to Jesus, “Remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom,” “Jesus replied, “Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” There’s no question the thief was saved. But to...

There's one real need that everyone of us have in common.  Without this, none of us will be able to stand before God come judgment day.  Without this, none of us can ever hope to have a home in heaven.  I'm talking, of course, about God's forgiveness.

Preaching to the spirits in prison.  What could this possibly mean?   Peter 3:18-20 may be one of the most misunderstood passages in the Bible.  But, when given the necessary time and thought, it can be understood!

Where do you look to find Jesus today? Where is he? No, that’s not a trick question. It’s a simple question with an easy answer. But, before we answer that question, we’re going to take a few minutes to see where different people have looked for Jesus in the past.

Most everyone has read, or at least heard of, Norman Vincent Peale’s book, “The Power of Positive Thinking.” But no book demonstrates the power of positive thinking than Numbers chapters thirteen and fourteen, an account of those spies who were sent to spy out the promised land. We remember the names of those spies who had a positive attitude, Joshua and Caleb. Yet the names of the others are soon...

Our body’s largest organ is our skin, a waterproof wall that keeps fluid in our bodies and prevents harmful bacteria from entering our bodies. One third of our blood circulates through our skin, where capillaries expand and contract to control our body’s temperature. Our eyes dilate when we enter a dark room, making it easier to see, yet we squint when the light is too bright. Interestingly, the e...

How easy it is to act out of anger. To speak rashly, only to later regret what was spoken.  To act hastily, only to later wish you could turn back time and erase your actions. No wonder the wise man wrote, “ He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.” Proverbs 14:29.

I’m sure you’ve had someone tell you how they’ve been wronged by another person. They were treated unfairly. They were taken advantage of, maybe even lied about, or lied to. When you hear someone talk like this, don’t be too quick to take sides. Remember, there’s always another side to the story. “The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.” Proverbs 18:1...

The sun is roughly 864,000 miles in diameter and is approximately 93 million miles from the earth. That’s no accident. It’s all part of God’s design. If the sun were significantly larger, or closer to the earth, the temperature of the earth would be too hot to support life. Likewise, if the sun were significantly smaller or further way from the earth, the temperature of the earth would be too cold...

When someone you love is away on a trip you miss them. You long for the time they come home and you can be together again. Christians long for the time they can be at home with God. Paul wrote, “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?” I Thessalonians 2:19. But have you ever thought about God longing to be togethe...

“Do all things without complaining and disputings:” (Philippians 2:14) Complaining is a sign of ingratitude. God delivered his people from their Egyptian bondage. Later, they complained against Moses, saying they had better food back in Egypt (Exodus 16:1-3). “Why,” they wondered, “did Moses take us into the wilderness to die of hunger?” Would they have complained had they been truly thankful for...

Our English word “worship” is often translated from two words meaning “toward” and “kiss” (or “kiss toward”). In certain cultures, it was a common practice to prostate oneself before another and kiss his feet, the hem of his garment, or the ground. This was especially done by the Persians to express reverence toward their deified kings or by the Greeks to honor their idols. Our common English word...

Do you realize your friends will help determine where you spend eternity? It’s true! Your friends can help strengthen your faith! But they can also help weaken your faith! Consider these words from Proverbs 13:20 – “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm” (ESV). Your friends have a definite influence on your character. If you want to be wise, establis...

While traveling out of town, I passed by a self-storage rental company. I’m sure you’ve seen them – storage units you can rent to store your belongings” The storage rental company had a slogan on their sign – “It’s your life. Store it with care.” As far as I know, it is a reputable company providing a valuable service to its customers. But nonetheless, the slogan got my attention. Especially the f...

God’s grace is a wonderful thing. We are saved by God’s grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). In fact, Paul wrote that the more we sin the more God’s grace abounds (Romans 5:20). But God’s grace ought not ever be abused. God’s grace never gives us a license to sin. In regard to the abundance of God’s grace, Paul also wrote, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. H...

Faith provides the victory that overcomes the world (I John 5:4). Faith provides victory over our worries (Philippians 4:6-7). Faith provides victory over discontent, or dissatisfaction with our circumstances in life (Philippians 4:11-12 along with I Timothy 6:6-8). Most important of all, faith provides victory over death. Paul wrote, “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and t...

God has created man with the ability to remember. That’s a good thing! We ought to remember the good God has done for us. We especially ought to remember the way God has blessed us spiritually – His love, His grace, His mercy. Like every other blessing, we ought to use our memory properly. It’s a mistake to go through life remembering the wrongs others have done to us. It’s a mistake to remember t...

Christ is not coming to establish an earthly kingdom. His kingdom is not an earthly kingdom and has already been established (Colossians 1:13). He is not coming to give man an opportunity to repent – man has that opportunity now. Christ is coming to raise the dead (John 5:28-29), to judge the living and the dead (II Timothy 4:1), to reward the faithful (Matthew 25:34) and to condemn those who neit...

After David killed Goliath, all Israel, loved him. When David became known for his military successes, the women sang, “Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”  Saul, out of jealousy, became David’s enemy.  David fled to Gath. When he was recognized by one of Saul’s shepherds, David acted like a madman in order to keep from being harmed. Many think it was during this...