Among conservative, Bible-believing Christians we hear much talk about how to get to Heaven. This is as it should be as far as it goes, for being saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only way to avoid hell and get to Heaven, what we call a sine qua non, “without which…
Since it is our belief that the Lord Jesus Christ is God’s full and final revelation to man, that he is God’s answer to man’s needs, and that he is central to God the Father’s eternal plans, it seems only fitting to take a look at this person we call both God and man. As…
Stephanie’s name is Stephanie for the following reasons. (1) We like the name. (2) In the New Testament we read several times about the crown awarded to the victor. In 1 Cor. 9.25 it is the reward for victory in the ancient Greek athletic contests. That crown was actually a wreath made of various leafy…
I do not know that it was actually taught, but the impression I got in Sunday school as a child was that in the Old Testament people were saved by keeping the law, and in the New Testament they were saved by faith in Christ, and that faith in Christ is still the way. This…
A Spoken Message If I were to give this talk a title, it would be “A Few Thoughts on Wisdom by a Very Foolish Man.” Since I have said that, I suppose I have given it that title. It may seem contradictory for a foolish man to speak on wisdom, but one of the aspects…
In Ps. 2.7 we read that God said to the Lord Jesus, “You are my Son. Today I have begotten you.” [NASB] This verse is quoted in Acts 13.33 and Heb. 1.5 and 5.5. In Jn. 1.14 and 18 and 3.16, and 18 Jesus is called God’s only begotten. Begetting refers to the conception of…
Several years ago I read an article by Lee LeFebre in a Christian newsletter, The Exchanged Life, that the Lord used to show me something about myself that surprised me greatly. The article itself had to do with marriage, but that is not what was relevant to me. There was a principle set forth, and…
For as long as I can remember my family has loved blackberry pie. It was a favorite of my grandfather, who was born in 1879 and lived to be 95. It is the wild blackberries that we like. The tame ones are not as good. The last few years it has been hard to find…
A passage that I consider to be one of the very few absolutely foundational statements in the Bible is Ex. 19.5-6, words of God to Israel: “Now therefore, if you will obey my voice indeed and keep my covenant, then you will be my own possession from among all peoples, for all the earth is…
The Birthright The Old Testament tells of two aspects of inheritance, the birthright and the blessing. It was the custom in Old Testament days for the oldest son to inherit a double portion: Dt. 21.17: “But he shall recognize the firstborn … by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he…