CHRISTIANITY IS NOT A SELF-IMPROVEMENT COURSE Christianity is not a self-improvement course. We are not called to come and do, but to come and die. For the new life is not self-improvement, but self-denial. We consider our old self “crucified with Christ” and our new self risen with Him to new life. We die to
A HIGHWAY OF BLESSING The Lord spoke through Isaiah concerning a day when the rivalry between Egypt and Assyria would end, and Israel would no longer be the battleground between them. This must have been an astounding prophecy for that time. For Egypt and Assyria had been sworn enemies and Israel suffered between them in
LOOKING BACK, WE CAN SEE GOD’S HAND ON US ALL ALONG The apostle Paul made it clear to the Galatians that the gospel he had preached to them was not from men, but from the Lord Himself. He went on to explain that when he looked back on his life, he could see that God
A BEAUTIFUL BLESSING With this beautiful benediction, Paul closed his second letter to the Corinthians. Paul’s great trinitarian doxology bestowed three powerful blessings of the Godhead upon the believers at Corinth. These three blessings belong to all those who would believe and receive Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior: 1) The “grace” (Greek:
TRUSTING INSTEAD OF TREMBLING The psalmist knew what to do when he felt afraid. He had already decided in advance that when fear came, he would replace it with faith in God. When he felt afraid, he recalled God’s Word and praised God for it. When he felt afraid, he compared the size of his
ARE YOU BURDENED WITH A LOAD OF CARE? Who carries your cares? Are you trying to carry them alone? Why would you keep laboring under such a burden when the Lord offers to “sustain” you? Cast your burdens on the Lord. Pull them off your back and put them on His. For He is able
IMMANUEL–GOD WITH US Isaiah gave King Ahaz of Judah this sign from God to show that within only a few years, the kingdoms of Israel and Syria would be gone. Yet, this prophetic sign had a double fulfillment. It’s present-day fulfillment was for Ahaz, but it’s future fulfillment was for the entire human race. For
DON’T BE SWAYED FROM THE SIMPLE GOSPEL The gospel is simple. So simple that people nearly always want to complicate it. Just as the law of the garden was simple: “Don’t eat.” So the gospel is simple: “Take and eat” (Matt. 26:26). The apostle Paul had preached the simple gospel to the Corinthians. But false
THE WAR FOR OUR MINDS Paul used military language to describe his spiritual warfare against worldly arguments and philosophies that are raised against the knowledge of God. He rightly recognized that the flesh (especially pride), the world, and the devil were allies in the spiritual battle for the minds of humanity. So he fought a
ADMITTING THAT WE HAVE SINNED AGAINST GOD David wrote this psalm in repentance after committing adultery with Bathsheba. Although he surely recognized he had sinned against her and her husband, he felt more grieved that he had sinned against God. This is the mark of true repentance. Not that we admit that we have