“It came to pass” is one of those phrases from the Bible that people have really taken hold of over the years. The literal expression means something akin to “and then this happened,” but the message we can get from it is much more profound. It’s an expression that speaks to the transience of both… Continue reading “It Came to Pass” – Beyond a Message of Hope
Category: Points to Ponder
When God Asks for a Sacrifice, It’s Not in Blind Faith
Sacrifice is a tough word. It means giving up of yourself for someone or something else. It’s the system that God set up in the Old Testament to atone for the sins of His people. And it’s the plan He made from the foundation of the world to redeem mankind. But sacrifice isn’t just for… Continue reading When God Asks for a Sacrifice, It’s Not in Blind Faith
3 Reasons Christians Should Not Forsake the Assembling
When you talk to Christians online these days, more and more consider themselves “unchurched.” That means that they actively believe in God and even serve Him but are not affiliated with any local congregation. Some say that God has called them out of an apostate church and hasn’t sent them anywhere else. Some just say,… Continue reading 3 Reasons Christians Should Not Forsake the Assembling
The Power of Thanksgiving, Praise and Worship
Christians pray every day. We just do. We read the Bible, and we spend time with our first love, our Lord Jesus Christ. But how many of us really make time for praise and worship? Are we intentional about thanking God for His goodness and celebrating His great name? If we do, does it stop… Continue reading The Power of Thanksgiving, Praise and Worship
Consider “Providence” for Your Word of the Year
In between the bustle of Christmas and the expectation of January first, a lot of people start talking about their new word of the year. Sometimes called "One Word," it’s a tradition that has the same flavor as making a new year’s resolution without the bitter aftertaste of failure for breaking one. You simply pick… Continue reading Consider “Providence” for Your Word of the Year
Are You Offering “Strange Fire” to the Lord?
Fire is fire, right? Apparently not when it comes to the fire in the temple of God. The story of Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10 might seem remote to us, but we have more in common with them than you might think. Like today’s Christians, God knew them by name, called them… Continue reading Are You Offering “Strange Fire” to the Lord?
Is it Examining Yourself or Morbid Introspection?
The enemy is a master at taking good things and perverting them into something harmful. He can turn obedience into legalism and the blood of Jesus into greasy grace if we listen to his lies. This week, God showed me a lie that I had swallowed whole. As these things do, it came from a… Continue reading Is it Examining Yourself or Morbid Introspection?
3 Steps to Make Melody in Your Heart to the Lord
The heart is the innermost part of a person. It’s who we are in the dark when no one is watching. It beats with a pulse of the thoughts, feelings, and purpose that course through the veins of our lives. It’s the background rhythm of our subconscious, and it is ever speaking to God since… Continue reading 3 Steps to Make Melody in Your Heart to the Lord
Is the Spirit of the Lord Straitened?
The prophet Micah asked the question in Micah 2:7, “Is the Spirit of the Lord Straitened?” In other words, can people’s actions restrict the power of God? The obvious answer here is “No.” God is all-powerful and has supreme authority. There is nothing people can do to limit God, right? Not so fast. There is actually… Continue reading Is the Spirit of the Lord Straitened?
Does God Really Mean What He Says in the Bible?
As anyone who has spent even a little time in the Bible will tell you, there are some challenging verses in both the Old and New Testaments. Some are strict and speak of standards and requirements that must be met to be in right standing with God. Some are downright frightening as they describe the… Continue reading Does God Really Mean What He Says in the Bible?