"Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright. Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. Sing unto him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise" (Psalm 33:1-3).Singing has always played an important role in the worship of God. The psalms were sung in the temple, often in the form of antiphonal praise; that is, responses between a soloist and the choir, then between the choir and the … Continue Reading ››
Large Asking
"I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it" (Psalm 81:10).This verse has often been used wrongly by preachers of the gospel to justify a lack of sermon preparation -- as in, all they have to do is open their mouths and the Lord will give them a message. The true meaning, however, is that if God's people come to Him with great petitions, He will grant them. The God of … Continue Reading ››
Not I, But Christ
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).We have often heard it said that the three enemies of the Christian are the world, the flesh, and the devil. While all three have a way of pulling us off course, perhaps the most bothersome to many Christians is … Continue Reading ››
Do You Believe in Easter?
Charles Swindoll, in The Darkness and the Dawn, tells the story of a wonderful Christian named Edith Burns who lived in San Antonio, Texas. She was the patient of Dr. Will Phillips, a gentle physician who saw patients as people. He loved them all, but his favorite patient was Edith Burns.
One morning Dr. Phillips went to his office with a heavy heart because he had discovered that Edith Burns had cancer. He knew that she had an appointment that morning. When he arrived in his … Continue Reading ››
Jesus Defeated…
The word spread quickly - Napoleon had escaped! On February 26, 1815, Napoleon escaped from exile on Elba. He landed on the French mainland on March 1.
Napoleon announced that he had come to save the French from degradation and that his eagles would soon alight the spires of Notre Dame. French King Louis XVIII sent unit after unit to stop him, and on meeting that familiar gray-coated figure at the head of his daring few, they threw down their arms and welcomed him back in … Continue Reading ››
We Shall Be Like Him!
"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is" (I John 3:2).The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ will bring to reality all that our hearts have longed for.
"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as … Continue Reading ››
A Great Reason to Boast
Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD (Jeremiah 9:23-24).I was reading some time ago in a devotional by Dr. John MacArthur and came across … Continue Reading ››
The Faithfulness of God
"Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations" (Deuteronomy 7:9).When we consider the faithfulness of God, we first of all must say that the Bible declares the fact that God is faithful. Here are just a few passages for your consideration:
"God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord" (I Corinthians 1:9). "There hath … Continue Reading ››
The Miracle of a Single Testimony
"So will not we go back from thee: quicken [revive] us, and we will call upon thy name" (Psalm 80:18).
Several times in Psalms, the writer uses the word "quicken," which is what "revival" really is (e.g., Psalm 71:20; 119:25, 37, 40, 88, 107, 149, 154, 156, 159; 143:11). "Quicken" here means "to live again, to revive, to renew, to refresh, to restore, to repair, to be made whole." He wasn't referring to the initial work of salvation, but of God doing a new or fresh … Continue Reading ››
Faith Promise Missions Giving
The Faith Promise Offering for missions is a method of giving with a biblical basis. Chapters 8, 9, and 10 of 2 Corinthians is where we find the scriptural concepts upon which we base this practice. In a nutshell, the Faith Promise Offering for missions is the amount each church member promises to give by faith above his or her tithe during the coming year. What does the Bible say?
1. Giving to God is Part of Our Worship
Give unto the LORD the glory due unto … Continue Reading ››