Category: Spiritual Growth
Watch the Wine: Being Christ’s Nazirites
Samson was a Nazirite. His hair was to be uncut and he was to drink no wine (even grape juice) or liquor. For him, the vow of the Nazirite was to last all his life. He didn’t carry out his vow, a commitment entered into by...
Walking the House
The title is a little misleading, but now that you are here, read what I have to say. I’m suggesting that many of you begin to walk IN your house . . . and that you do it as a way of improving physically and spiritually....
Tolerance of Evil is Evil Itself
“Congratulations to Corey Delaney . . . .” That’s how the news broadcaster began his story about a 16-year-old in Australia who recently hosted a party in his parents’ home while they were away on vacation. The party, which was advertised on Delaney’s “My Space” page,...
Time Will Tell
How do you spend your discretionary time? In other words, what do you choose to do when you are free to do anything you want? Consider the Apostle Paul’s instructions about the use of time: Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but...
Three Rules That Don’t Seem Right
Throughout my school years I had to memorize numerous rules I never completely understood. For example, why must I lie down instead of lay down for a nap? But there is a grammatical rule that governs such statements even if I don’t know it. I have...
The Rape of God’s Mercy: A Warning About Presumptuous Sin
Have you ever sinned on purpose? Have you ever known that something was sinful, had every opportunity to avoid the sin, yet decided to do it anyway? If so, were you comforted in your decision by thoughts of God’s forgiving mercy? Perhaps you said to yourself...
The Symptoms and Treatment of Spiritual Cancer
Some who profess to be Christians will fall away from the faith. This is called “apostasy.” Christians disagree about what falling away means. Some say it is a saved person losing his salvation. Others insist that the person who falls away was never truly saved. I...
The Victory that Requires Retreat
Ready, aim, fire! Fix bayonets! Charge! Hold your ground and fight like men! In days gone by, commands like these were among the ordinary sounds of the battlefield. The victorious army was the one that pushed forward. The winners were the men who overpowered and overran...
The Pronouns Preach: Lessons on the Glory of the Church
When reading the Bible, parts of speech make a big difference in our understanding. There are many examples, but here is one that demonstrates my point perfectly. It is found in Ephesians. I will be so bold as to say, “If you miss the pronouns, you miss...
The Cross or Loss
The cross is the character of Christianity. As the self-appointed spokesman for Jesus’ handpicked coterie, Peter says the right thing at the right time: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” But Peter cannot leave good enough alone. As Jesus goes on to...
