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The devil lies! You know that, right? You cannot believe or trust anything that the devil would have you to believe or trust! What he tries to convince you to do is completely contrary to whatever God wants you to do. Would you like some evidence? In Genesis 2:17, God said, “…of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Then twelve…

In 1882, Priscilla J. Owens penned these opening words of a familiar hymn: “We have heard the joyful sound: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!” What could be a more “joyful sound” than that? In fact, if you were looking for a simple two-word summary of the whole Bible, you could not find one better than “Jesus saves!” Let us think about this exciting subject! Jesus saves by the grace of God! The Scripture plainly teaches, “For by grace have you been…

The scene was set. Jesus was teaching and here they come- with her in tow. The Pharisees are mad and they think that they have Jesus in a compromised position. What will He do here? He has two choices: 1. Jesus will agree with the Pharisees and will punish this sinner or 2. Jesus will flaunt the Law and prove Himself to be in opposition to God. She is only a pawn in a sick spiritual chess match. Nothing is…

While the concept might have originated in Europe, it was William Morrison and John C. Wharton of Nashville who made it become a reality. In 1897, they created the machine which used air and sugar to popularize the spread of a new product. They called it fairy floss. It still has that name in Australia. In much of the world, it is called candy floss. In France, it is called Papa’s beard. You have eaten it since you were a…

It is estimated that Daniel and his companions were mere teenagers when taken into Babylonian captivity. What would you have done? If you were a teenager, taken into a foreign country (a pagan nation) for the rest of your life, what would you have done? If you were given the opportunity to live, not among the captives, but among royalty, what would you have done? Would you have been tempted to compromise your faith? Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah did…

Knowing the influence that friends have on each other, the Lord advises that “the righteous should choose his friends carefully” (Prov. 12:26). Friends, even as the Bible uses the word, are not mere acquaintances. True friends build a relationship which can surpass even that which they experienced in their own home. Solomon stated that “there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother,” and “a friend loves at all times” (Prov. 18:24; 17:17). (This is why husbands and wives…

Preachers have a distinctive view of the congregation as he stands before them and delivers the message from God’s word. As he teaches the lesson, he subconsciously assesses the audience, and immediately knows if the attendance for that day is good or is lacking. As human nature would have it, members have the habit of sitting in the same place for each service they attend. If the congregation is small, the preacher has probably memorized each member or family’s designated…

I’m convinced that most folks want to do something truly meaningful with their lives. Unfortunately, most labor under the mistaken assumption that accomplishing something great is reserved for just a chosen few. Heroes. Martyrs. Saints. But not them. But what if the greatest thing is not to go out in a blaze of glory but to honor God with a life that seeks consistently to do His will in the little things? Not necessarily to climb the highest mountain but…

When you hear the phrase, “Personal Evangelism” what do you think? It is an awesome and daunting responsibility to take the gospel to others. I have been involved in several efforts to get the word out. I have knocked doors and spoken to folks about the gospel. I don’t know everything about personal evangelism, but I have come to learn about several misconceptions. Misconception number one: Most people hate to talk about the Bible. Some try to avoid it, but…

The apostle Paul, after making his defense before the Roman governor, Festus and Jewish King Agrippa, and in response to Agrippa’s statement about “almost” being persuaded tells Agrippa” I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains” Acts 26:29. If we could superimpose our own names for Paul and wish that all could become as we currently are, what would…

My wife and I have a date every Tuesday for lunch. We usually grab a bite to eat at one of our local establishments. As we left one restaurant, we noticed that if we filled out a survey, we could get a free sandwich. I started wondering whether a person could survive just by filling out surveys. My wife said, “Try it!” I said, “No.” I have filled out a survey on occasion to get free food, but I don’t…

“Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” That was a very common taunt when I was growing up. It helped the one saying this phrase that it is only words being used. It does not mean the insult is true. But… words have power. A constant barrage of words can change the way I think about myself and my worth. Consider the word- JUST. Just is define differently by the way it is used…